FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Character Summaries:

Shaina (Shinx)- The protagonist. On her 18th birthday as the human male Shane, she was unexpectedly thrust into a world of Pokemon as a female Shinx. There are a lot of things about this world and her transformation that Shaina doesn't understand. And while she definitely wants to know the truth about those things, she's happy to be making a difference somewhere- even if it means being what she is now.

Ace (Eevee)- The leader of Team Rescue, and Shaina's first friend. Ace is very passionate about everything that he does, and can easily get carried away in the excitement of the moment. Despite that, he always has good intentions, and seldom refuses a request for help. He's constantly looking for rescue requests and ways of helping others to make his team more well-known.

Scarlet (Vulpix)- Shaina's newest friend, and most recent addition to Team Rescue. Because of her uncontrollable sex drive, she got off on the wrong foot with Shaina and Ace to begin with. It didn't take long for her and Shaina to make amends, though, and joined the team with an offer to help Shaina in learning to control her Pokemon powers. Unlike most Vulpixes, Scarlet wears her hair over her left eye.

Sable (Sableye)- Sable is known for little more than his twisted sense of humor. He and his partner, Soul, periodically get orders from above pertaining to finding "the chosen one," of which he often tries to make more interesting in his own unique ways. He was last seen with a giant hole in his stomach after confronting Shaina, the person responsible or cause unknown.

Soul (Absol)- Like his partner Sable, Soul seems to belong to a mysterious group concentrated on finding "the chosen one." Unlike Sable, Soul takes his orders and his place in the organization very seriously, leaving little room for error.

The Master (???)- Not much is known of the master, other than being the apparent leader of the group Sable and Soul take orders from. It's unknown what he wants with "the chosen one," but it's likely due to the fact that the chosen one's appearance has apparently weakened the psychic powers he posseses.

Team Vile- More of a gang than a team. Their goal seems to be ridding of all other Rescue Teams in town, so they can monopolize rescue requests and take existing teams' earnings. They haven't been seen since Shaina took down part of their team, however.

Rover (Poochyena)- A young pup who took part in Team Rescue's first rescue mission. After being separated from his mother, Crystal, it was up to Shaina and Ace to find him. Because of his age, he's naive and simple-minded about a lot of things, the only thing on his mind most of the time being play.

Crystal (Mightyena)- The woman who gave Team Rescue their first rescue mission. As innocent as she and her son Rover may seem, there's a lot more to her than meets the eye. She seems to be a member of the same organization Sable and Soul are a part of, keeping everything she does a secret from Rover.

The Voice (???)- A mysterious being that seems to know Shaina personally. It last talked with her through what many would consider a dream, and told her of a decision she'd have to make later that day. It's unknown what the voice wants with Shaina, what it is, or who it belongs to.

Chapter 6: Conflict

Shaina's eyes slowly flutter open, giving sight to a familiar fog. Having almost expected this, she gets to her feet, checking her surroundings the best she can.

<Just because I was safe last time doesn't mean I will be this time,> Shaina thinks to herself.

"Don't worry Shane, you're safe here. This place is only for the two of us, and you can trust me," the same cool voice as last time responds.

Shaina turns her attention to the source of the voice, which is much more apparent than their previous encounter, and can barely make out the shadow of a silhouette. "Believe me, you sound very reassuring, but... Wait a minute!" Shaina says, taking a step back. "I didn't say that out loud!"

The figure laughs a little. "I didn't have to read your mind to tell what you were thinking. Your actions said it all."

Shaina grins. "So you CAN read my mind then."

"If I weren't prepared to have told you, I would have known to say otherwise," the voice replies.

Shaina quickly loses her confident smile. "Okay, what ARE you prepared to tell me? I take it this isn't exactly tea time."

"That's correct. Our meetings are far from meaningless," responds the figure. "Today you will need to show mercy- mercy to someone you may not believe deserves it. Should he get what he seeks, he could cause irreversible damage to you and your friends. But you'll need to look past his actions, past his appearance, and past all prejudice against him to make the right decision."

"Or else what?" Shaina asks, the skepticism evident in her voice. "You don't get what you're after? You never got to finish last time."

"What I tell you is not for my benefit, and neither is it only for yours."

"What are you, a fortune cookie?! If you've got something to tell me just say it!" Shaina shouts.

"If I told you exactly what to do, it would defeat the purpose of you finding the right answers on your own."

Shaina bares her teeth angrily, looking towards the ground as she thinks over what the figure said. <If this thing was trying to manipulate me, it would just tell me what to do. It wouldn't give me an opportunity to do otherwise. But if it's not trying to help me for itself or "just" me, what could its motivation be?> Shaina's expression slowly changes back to normal. <In any case, if it were doing this for greed, I'm sure it would have a much different approach than this. After all, it's not threatening me, and it doesn't seem like a force many would take lightly.>

Shaina sighs, turning her attention back up to the silhouette. "Do I even need to ask if you were reading my mind?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" asks the voice, not the least bit sarcastic.

"I wouldn't," says Shaina, smiling. "But I'm willing to trust you. For now."

"Thank you, Shane."

"I wasn't finished yet," continues Shaina, looking towards the shadow seriously. "I have one condition."

"And what would that be?"

"For every time I agree to one of your 'fortunes,' you answer one of my questions. Starting now."

The voice pauses, as if thinking the offer over. "I will answer what I can."

"Deal," says Shaina, thinking long and hard about what to ask the figure, not caring in the least if it was listening. <There are so many questions I want answered... Like how this thing knows me, what its intentions are, or why I'm here. I know it won't answer them, though- at least not now. Its advice... I know it's vague on purpose... But if I'm going to accept it, I need to know.> "I'm ready to ask my question," she says.

"Are you sure? You realize you can't take it back."

Shaina gulps, nodding her head. "All right... Last night, when I chose to save Scarlet... I used what you said to make my decision... Did I make the right choice?"

The figure waits for a while before responding. "... I can't give you the answer you want. All I can say is that the line between the right and wrong choice is yours to decide."

"What?!" Shaina shouts, hitting a paw against the floor. "That's bullshit!"

"I'm sorry I can't tell you more... It seems we're out of time."

The moment the voice says this, the room they're in begins to shake just like last time.

"No! This isn't fair!" Shaina yells, the fog disappearing as her surroundings fade to black, much faster than last time. "You can't do this!"

The figure responds almost immediately, just in time for Shaina to hear it. "I've done much worse already."

Shaina jolts forward, the sound of people screaming being the first thing she notices as she wakes up. Ace's whole house is shaking, the rest of the town undoubtedly doing the same- it was an earthquake, just like the day before. "Crap, crap, crap!" she mutters under her breath, looking around the practically empty single-room building for something to hide under, not able to decide on anywhere before the shaking comes to a stop.

Shaina breathes a sigh of relief, scanning the house for any signs of damage. The building itself seemed completely unscathed, and Ace didn't have anything fragile that might fall over and break. "Hoo! We really lucked out, huh guys?" Shaina asks, smiling and looking over to her right. Both Ace and Scarlet were still asleep, completely unaffected by the massive tremors that sent the town into a panic moments before. "... You can't be serious," she says in disbelief.

"Unh? Did you say something, Shaina?" Ace mumbles, stretching and rubbing his eyes.

"Uh- Ace! Before you freak out-!" Shaina starts, quickly realizing what the first thing he's going to see when he wakes up is.

"Wh-whoa!" Ace shouts, stumbling off the bed at the sight of Scarlet.

"Hm?" Scarlet asks, yawning as she, too, is woken up. "Oh! Hi Ace~!" Scarlet says innocently, her bubbly voice indicating how happy she is to see him.

"Wh-what are you doing here?!" Ace asks, taking a defensive stance. "I already told you I wasn't going to do... THAT with you," he says, looking away and blushing.

"Oh, I bet you're wishing that's why I'm here~," murrs Scarlet, only half-joking as she stands on the bed and ruffles her fur.

Ace growls under his breath. "So you're here for revenge, then? Is that it?"

"Actually, no," Scarlet says, licking the back of one of her paws nonchalantly. "Haven't you noticed yet?"

"Noticed what?" Ace asks, clearly trying not to look her in the eyes out of fear that something like last time may happen again.

Shaina smiles shyly. "She wants you to look at her leg."

Ace looks at Shaina in confusion for a moment, turning back to look at Scarlet again. It doesn't take long for him to finally notice what the two have been referencing.

"H-hey! That belongs to Team Rescue! Give it back!" Ace shouts, seeing a small yellow bandana tied around her foreleg.

Scarlet's face twists a little. "Wait, our team name is TEAM RESCUE?"

"OUR team?!" Ace yells, obviously bewildered.

"H-hey! Calm down you two!" Shaina exclaims, both of them now staring at her accusingly. "So... It's a long story, Ace, but Scarlet and I... Kind of became friends last night."

"You're kidding," he replies, the tone of his voice implying his statement enough.

"Nope!" Scarlet says happily, padding over to Shaina and draping a foreleg over her. "We're totally inseparable now~."

"Sh-Shaina-! I never got a chance to tell you, but that Vul- I mean- Scarlet has this special ability where she... Controls your mind or something!" Ace says, making exaggerated movements with his forelegs as he approaches her. "She must have done that to you! You have to snap out of it!" he continues, hitting his paw against her cheek lightly.

"Ow! Ow!! Cut it out!" Shaina shouts, rubbing her abused cheek as he stops. "I'm not under any kind of mind control, and I doubt Scarlet has any sort of ability- do you?"

"Actually, I kind of do. But it only works on guys," Scarlet says braggingly.

"Oh, really? That's actually pretty coo-" Shaina says, cutting off as something clicks in her head. "Wait a second... So does that mean-"

"Yes?" Scarlet asks.

"When I found you two..."

"Hm?"

"That was because-!"

"Yeah."

"Scarlet!" Shaina yells, a combination of mad and condescending.

"What? I have needs, and he was there," Scarlet pouts, as if she hadn't done anything wrong.

Shaina sighs, her ears drooping a bit as she looks at Ace apologetically. "Ace... I'm really sorry I got so mad at you. It sounds like you really couldn't help it."

"Yeah, I kinda couldn't," he says, grinning embarassedly. "I was going to tell you at a better time, but now I guess I don't have to."

"I'm just glad to know the truth," says Shaina, smiling. "As for Scarlet being in the Rescue Team..."

"You know, I really would like to hear the whole story," Ace says curiously.

"Are you sure?" Shaina laughs, scratching the back of her head embarassedly. "It IS a pretty long one."

Scarlet holds a paw forward, looking at Ace excitedly. "It'll be worth it~."

Ace chuckles. "I'm not sure if I like agreeing with Scarlet yet, but I'm all ears."

• At the same time, elsewhere -

Sable can't keep himself from coughing violently, a somewhat rusty stretcher being one of the few things to accommodate him. The hole in his stomach is as large as ever, the white, unstained sheets under him clearly visible through it.

"Are you sure you can't do anything?" asks Soul concernedly, watching his partner writhe in agony.

"You think I'd skip a chance to sew someone up?" the Marowak replies, pushing the cart of medical tools aside. "The guy's half Ghost- no normal means of medicine can help him," he continues, taking off his surgical apron. "He's not out of luck, though," he says, patting Soul above the shoulders as he walks out of the room.

"That's a relief," Soul says, talking more to Sable than he was the Marowak as he approaches his bedside. "What's he talking about?"

Sable smiles confidently, yet weakly so. "The doc did some work," he stops, coughing. "Turns out I've got some special ability that helps me heal in moonlight."

"Sounds convenient about now," Soul laughs slightly, going silent as he watches Sable worriedly. "It's my fault. I should have gone with you."

"Hey, don't get all sappy on me," Sable wheezes towards the end. "It's not like you."

"The master would have understood. And I gave you such a hard time..." Soul says, his expression completely guilt-ridden.

"Cut it out!" Sable shouts, his voice a little raspy. "It's not your fault. If it had been just the two as planned, I definitely could have handled the assignment. I wouldn't feel any better if you had one of these in your stomach, too." Sable points to the hole in his middle, giggling softly. "After all, I can heal the chunk that asshole in the green cape took out of me."

"And I'll make him pay for it," Soul replies reassuringly. "You have my word."

"That won't be necessary," a cold voice responds from the doorway.

"Who's there?" Soul asks, flipping towards the unilluminated door, unsure of who the person was by voice. "I said who are you?!"

"What, forget old friends so soon, Soul?" the figure in the doorway asks seriously, stepping into the dimly lit room.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Soul asks, taking a step backwards, looking at the person in disgust.

"Who... Is it?" Sable asks, barely able to lean up.

"Good to know you don't forget old partners so easily," the Zangoose in the black cloak says, looking at Sable as he does so. "It'll be good for his sake."

"He's going to get better," Soul growls, defending Sable. "You never answered my question, Z."

"What I'm doing here? Isn't it obvious?" Z sighs, shrugging. "You've gotten rusty since I left."

"Answer me."

"I just finished talking with the master. He gave me this failure's assignment." Z points at Sable.

"H-hey!" Sable disagrees before going into another coughing fit.

"You don't even know him. He's not a failure," Soul replies, turning his attention to Sable.

"That's right. That title is saved for you, isn't it?" Z asks matter-of-factly.

Soul stares blankly towards the ground for a moment, biting his lip so hard it draws blood. "Having a sense of right and wrong doesn't make me a failure."

"It doesn't- but it sure does blind your sense of allegiance," Z retorts, clenching a paw. "And that's why you got demoted, and I've only gotten stronger."

Soul's face twists disgustedly. "If you're so great at following orders, you should just go. You're wasting time here with us."

"Actually, I just stopped by to see what I'm up against can do," Z says, glancing at the gaping hole in Sable's body as if it were nothing. "Doesn't seem like anything I can't handle."

"You cocky little-!" Sable starts, Z interrupting him.

"I hope you're both stronger by the next time we meet. I don't have time for weaklings," says Z, flicking his black cloak outwards and pulling his hood up as he turns around, walking through the door before either have a chance to say anything back.

"I can't STAND that guy! And you used to be partners with him?" Sable scoffs.

Soul doesn't reply, a scratching sound being the only noise coming from his direction.

"Hey... Soul," Sable says concernedly, turning his head to look at him. Blood is dripping from Soul's lip onto the floor, and he's clenching his paw tightly on the floor, leaving white streaks from his claws. "Did you... Wanna talk about it?... SOUL."

Soul finally snaps out of his trance, shaking his head. "O-oh... Sorry Sable, I'm... Not ready to talk about it. At least not yet," he mutters emotionlessly.

"Say no more. I may be one to pry, but I know a sore spot when I see one. You can tell me when you're ready," Sable says, smiling toothily.

"Hmph. Thanks, Sable," Soul says, wiping the blood from his lip. "Sorry my visit couldn't have gone better, but I need to get going. Best not to keep the master waiting," he continues, walking towards the room's exit, stopping in the doorway. "Get better soon. I can't compete against Z without you," he chuckles, turning around to grin at Sable.

Sable smirks back. "As much as I like to keep you waiting, I'll try my best."

Soul nods, walking out through the doorway and out of sight.

"... Damn, I was really hoping he'd tell me," laughs Sable disappointedly, coughing a few more seconds before lying his head down and falling asleep.

• At the same time, at Ace's house -

"... and then we headed back here for the night," Shaina finishes, breathing tiredly at the end of her long explanation. "Did I forget anything?" she asks, looking at Scarlet.

"Yeah- the part where you took advantage of me when I was tied up~," Scarlet replies, nuzzling against Shaina's muzzle for a bit, noticing both she and Ace turning bright red. "Joking."

Ace breathes a sigh of relief, the color returning to his face. "It sounds like I slept through quite the ordeal," he says, rubbing one foreleg with the other, obviously about to apologize.

"It's okay," Shaina says, waving a paw nonchalantly. "Neither of us are hurt, after all."

"Still..." Ace says, leaning back and bringing a paw to his chin in thought. "It sounds like an organization is after you, and you haven't heard the last from them. Any idea what they might want with you?"

"I have no idea," Shaina says. "I haven't even been here long enough to do much wrong," she says, mimicking Ace's paw-to-chin motion as she thinks about it. "I mean... I fried those guys the first day we met, but the Sableye was in a totally different league. Not only that, but he gave me an offer to join him. That isn't something you'd offer the person who took down four of your teammates."

"That's true. We're probably looking at two separate groups here." Ace nods, a look of seriousness coming over him. "About that person who saved you... Did you get a good look at him?"

Shaina shakes her head. "My vision was distorted, and he was fast anyway."

Scarlet's ears perk up. " I caught a glimpse of him~," she says, winking her one visible eye.

"Really? What did you see?" Shaina asks, wondering herself.

"Well... It actually isn't much..." she laughs. "But he was short, and wore a green cape."

"Aw, that's it?" Shaina responds disappointedly, having expected a bit more from her description.

"No, that's plenty..." Ace mumbles, seeming to have come to a conclusion himself.

"Hm? Do you know anybody like that, Ace?" Shaina asks, cocking her head.

"N-no, I was just saying... It's not really a lot to go off," he says convincingly. "Now... As for you staying with us..." he says, a feel of uncertainty coming over him as he looks at Scarlet.

Scarlet claps her forepaws together, smiling innocently. "I'll be good! I promise~!"

"This isn't a club," Ace says leaning back, closing his eyes and crossing his forelegs in thought. "This is a Rescue Team. We're here to help people, not to try and..." He blushes. "Convince them for... 'favors.'"

Scarlet twists her lips poutingly. "Hey! I can't help what I want..." she says, blushing a little herself. "Besides... I don't expect you to take me into your team empty handed~."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Ace asks, one of his ears lifting itself up.

"As we both know, you and the team are going through some... Hard economic times," she says, grinning confidently. "You saw how much money I had yesterday, didn't you?"

Ace's eyes shoot open. "You can't really mean..."

"Yep~! As long as you take me in, I'm willing to put it all towards the team," Scarlet replies.

Ace becomes immediately flustered. "I-I really ap-appreciate the offer, b-but... That's a LOT of money!" he says, seeming faint.

"If nothing else... Consider it an apology for yesterday," Scarlet says, sounding sincere about it. "Besides, it's not like spending for the team won't factor me in, right?" she asks, already knowing Ace's answer. "Do we have a deal~?"

Ace looks at her dumbstruck for a moment, as if still not sure she was being serious. After finally realizing she is, he practically floats over to her, taking her forepaws in his and shaking them up and down. "Apology accepted! Welcome to the team, Scarlet!"

Scarlet smiles embarassedly at Ace's reaction. "Glad we're on good terms now then," she laughs, almost having to force her paws free. "I don't have the pouch on me, though. I always hide it in the same place, so I can pick it up later."

"Take as long as you need!" Ace nods excitedly, not having the money immediately being no issue to him. "This is just the break I've been looking for!" he says dreamily, fist pumping.

Scarlet turns to Shaina, putting a paw to the side of her muzzle. "Is he always like this?" she whispers.

"You should get used to it," Shaina chuckles.

Ace takes a long, deep breath, succeeding in slightly calming himself down. "Woo! So... Are you ready for your first day on the team?" he asks, thrusting a paw forward passionately. "I was about to head to the Job Board if you wanted to come."

"Actually..." Scarlet says, patting Shaina on the back. "I already told Shaina I'd help her train her powers today in the Spring Forest. Isn't that right~?" she asks, nudging Shaina unnoticably.

"Oh yeah- you don't know exactly how to control your electricity," Ace recalls from the story they told him. "Okay then. Let's plan to meet back up in the center of town when the sun's highest. Think you'll have enough time before then?"

"Definitely~," Scarlet replies, a hint of mischief evident in her voice.

"It's decided then!" Ace exclaims, padding to the door and opening it for them. "Be careful, though. There are at least two groups around that don't seem to like us. Are you sure you'll be okay by yourselves?" he asks, clearly having second thoughts about letting them go on their own.

"We'll be fine," Shaina says, smiling reassuredly as she and Scarlet step through the door. "You be careful yourself, Ace."

"Will do," Ace says, closing the door behind them.

• 30 minutes later, in the Spring Forest -

"Right about... Here should be good~," Scarlet says, sitting down and smiling eagerly at Shaina.

"Okay..." Shaina replies, taking a look around them. They're almost completely surrounded by large trees, the small area they're in allowing for sufficient light. "Are you really going to train me here? This isn't anything what I imagined it'd be like," she says, sounding a bit skeptical.

"Don't worry, I have a plan~," Scarlet chuckles, mostly at Shaina's skepticism. "We just need to start with the basics. Do you know how to call out the electricity at all?"

Shaina stands silent for a moment. "... Isn't that... what you're supposed to be teaching me?"

"I take that as a no," Scarlet says, putting a paw to the side of her head. "Shinxes... Shinxes..." she mutters, looking up and down Shaina curiously, stopping at her forelegs. "Ah! You see those yellow stripes on your forelegs?" she asks, pointing to them.

"Uh... Yeah, I see them," Shaina responds, looking down at the yellow rings of fur around them. "What about them?" she asks curiously.

"Electric types tend to have the sources of their electricity on their body marked. Like Pikachu's red cheeks, or Magnemite's magnet tips," Scarlet explains. "Since Pikachu squeezes its cheeks and Magnemite spins its magnets to use electricity, it means they have muscles associated with those marks on their body. Why don't you try tensing up your muscles around those yellow marks?"

Shaina doesn't reply, instead just squeezing her foreleg's muscles instinctively, causing lightning to crackle from them towards the ground. "Wh-whoa! I did it!" Shaina laughs excitedly.

"Don't get too excited," Scarlet says, sounding sorry to be the one to break it to her. "Now you need to learn to focus that and control it."

"How do I do that?" Shaina asks, almost trembling from the adrenaline rush.

"Well... It's not that simple..." Scarlet pauses, seeming to have trouble finding the right words to explain it. "Think about... Holding your breath."

Shaina closes her eyes, doing what Scarlet suggests in real time, tightening her muscles as she does so.

"The longer you hold your breath, the more you're going to have to breathe whenever you can't hold it any longer. It's the same thing with electricity. You'll want to keep that sensation in mind as you're calling on the electricity, and it should build up in your body unt-"

Scarlet's eyes go wide as a wild flash of electricity shoots past her head.

"H-holy crap! Are you okay?!" Shaina asks, surprised at what she just did herself.

"I'm fine," Scarlet laughs. "That's exactly what I was talking about. It'll eventually get to the point where you can't hold it in any more, and it'll just... Release itself~..." Scarlet murrs at her last statement.

"I can tell," Shaina says, smiling anxiously, ignoring an odd smell in the air. "What's next?"

"Um... Let's move on to... Aiming that, shall we?" Scarlet says, seeming a little preoccupied.

"Right," replies Shaina, waiting patiently as Scarlet shakes her head briefly.

"Just like every other appendage on your body, your element can be coordinated with the right muscles. It's easy for me~," Scarlet says as she puffs out a tiny stream of fire. "My mouth is one of the few places I'm able to use fire from. That means that the source of my fire isn't far from my throat."

Shaina cringes a bit at the thought, thinking to herself what a dry throat that might cause sometimes. "So... What you're saying is that I can move my element through certain parts of my body, and that's how I'll aim it?"

"Exactly~," giggles Scarlet, seemingly happy Shaina was catching on so quickly. "Since you're an Electric type, you should be able to channel your element through pretty much any part of your body. If I'm right, all you'll need to do is focus on whatever part of your body you want the electricity to come out of. Then as you're calling out your element, it'll naturally become concentrated on that point until it unleashes itself. Think you got it?"

Shaina nods eagerly. "I understand it, yeah! But... I don't see many opportunities to practice my aim just popping out of nowhere..."

"That's why I brought you out here~," chus Scarlet mischievously, turning her head to look upwards. A branch hangs not far from where she stands, plenty of leaves protruding from it.

"Huh?" Shaina asks, looking around the area curiously. "I don't see anything out here to-"

Shaina cuts herself off as Scarlet blows a stream of fire up at the branch, causing a few of the leaves to start smoking at the tips. "How about now?"

"Wh-what the hell, Scarlet?!" Shaina asks hecticly.

"Aw, and you were doing so good," Scarlet pouts playfully, not waiting long to explain. "It's simple, really- just channel your electricity into hitting the leaves I catch on fire. If you hit it with the right concentration, you'll be able to cut the leaves right off~! But if it's too broad of a bolt or you don't aim just right, you'll have one more dead tree on your conscience~," chuckles Scarlet.

Shaina wastes no time, dashing in front of Scarlet and focusing her electricity the best she can. <Fuck, fuck, fuck! This is no way to practice my aim! How am I supposed to concentrate knowing if I don't get everything just right, the whole forest might burn down?!> She tenses the muscles around her forelegs, trying her best to channel the electricity towards her forehead. <If I can get this to work, the electricity should go straight down my sights, right? Now I just have to wait for the right amount of electricity to build up... And-!>

A concentrated bolt of electricity leaps out of Shaina towards the leaves, disintegrating one and cutting the other two clean off the branch they were hanging on.

Shaina stands frozen at the realization of what she just did, a small grin forcing its way into Shaina's expression. "Scarlet! I did it! I got all three in one shot!" she exclaims proudly, watching in awe as the remains of the leaves drift safely to the dirt area surrounding the trees.

"All three? You say that like that's all of them~," Scarlet responds.

Any form of relief Shaina had felt was dashed in that moment as she flips around, watching as Scarlet singes the last few leaves in the circle of trees they're standing in. No tree but the one Shaina had just extinguished is left untouched, the earlier ones' leaves starting to smoke more vividly.

"S-Scarlet! Th-there's no way I'm going to be able to get rid of all of them!" Shaina shouts accusingly, horror clear in her tone tone of voice.

"Uh-oh... Maybe I did go a bit too fast..." Scarlet mumbles, apparently not thinking much of it.

Shaina rushes to the middle of the circle of trees, not even knowing where to begin. It's clear already that taking care of the leaves one at a time isn't going to take care all of them. Even if she managed half of them, the remainder of the trees would have already caught fire by then. And with the forest so close to the town...

"No... If I can't put these out, then the forest... The town... The people..." Shaina mutters under her breath, squeezing her eyes shut. "No... No!... I'm NOT going to let that happen!"

A familiar yellow light shines from Shaina's eyes as they shoot open, a bright white light enveloping her body. In what seems like pure instinct, Shaina focuses that energy into her tail, causing the star-shaped tip to shine brightly.

"Wh... Whoa..." Scarlet says, nearly speechless at what she's watching.

Shaina almost robotically takes one final look at her surroundings, assessing which leaves are burning and which ones aren't. Then, as the light on her tail reaches a peak of brightness, Shaina shifts her paws on the ground, spinning around in circle and unleashing the electricity stored in her tail. In what could be best described as a projected bolt of lightning, the energy Shaina lets off shoots itself in a crooked circle through the trees. In an instant, all the burning leaves (along with quite a few non-burning ones) are sliced clean off the trees, causing a light shower of green in the circular area. As the lights fade from Shaina's body and eyes, she can't help but breathe another, more appropriate sigh of relief, her legs shaking from the whole ordeal.

"I'm not sure exactly how I did that..." Shaina says as she turns her head backwards towards Scarlet, her voice as shakey as her legs. "... b-but I think I have this element thing down for now."

"Shaina..." Scarlet says as she approaches her, obviously surprised at the power she just exhibited. "What you just did... That was so... Exciting~..."

Shaina smiles, scratching the back of her head embarassedly, unable to keep herself from flicking her tail back and forth. "I don't know what happened... I guess I just... Get a little carried away sometimes," Shaina says with her voice as shakey as ever, starting to wonder about it more as she begins to calm down.

"I know what you mean," Scarlet says, unable to keep her attention away from Shaina's flicking tail. "It's just... Hard to keep some things in check all the time~..." she says as her eyes wander to the area below Shaina's tail. She blushes heavily, not able to take her eyes off the site.

"That's exactly right," Shaina sighs as she looks up at the sky, happy to have Scarlet's support. "It's not something I could even start to explain, but as long as I can make use of it when I need it... That makes it worth having, doesn't it?"

Scarlet nods slowly, misconstruing each of Shaina's words. "Th-that's right~," she agrees, lightly rocking her hips in desire. "I just... Wish my power would work that way~..." Scarlet pouts, blushing and unable to take her gaze off Shaina's rear end. In what would seem to be instinct, Scarlet's body starts to emanate a whitish-pink color- the same color it was enveloped in the first time she met Ace.

Shaina takes one final deep breath, shuddering as she finally starts to come back to her senses. "What do you mean, 'your power?' You have one, too?" she asks, bending her front paws forward to stretch, noticing the return of the odd smell from earlier.

"It's... Nothing like what you have~..." Scarlet mutters, the glow brightening as she watches Shaina arch her back, catching sight of something private. "Like I said before... Mine basically only works... Half the time~..." she admits sadly, realizing it couldn't possibly work on Shaina.

"Well, that's better than no chance, isn't it? Maybe that chance is worth taking more often!" Shaina laughs, still not realizing what Scarlet is talking about, the strange odor becoming more and more prominent.

Scarlet whimpers silently, not able to tell whether Shaina is giving her serious advice or just teasing her. Either way, it wasn't helping her current condition, and she didn't have much to lose. "M-maybe you're right~..." Scarlet sighs, releasing the restraints on her Captivate ability.

"By the way, do you smell something o-" Shaina freezes cold, her body almost completely unresponsive to watch she's telling it to do. "What's... Going on?..." she struggles to say, not even her mouth moving like it should.

Scarlet gapes in surprise, convinced Shaina has to be playing a joke on her. "K-knock it off Shaina, I really might not be able to control myself..." Scarlet spins around to face the way they came through the forest, her red face visible through her fur. "Let's just... Go before I change my mind, okay?"

Shaina turns her head towards Scarlet without meaning to, her eyes training themselves on Scarlet's rear end and the wet fur around it. No matter how hard she tries, she can't help but stare at that one spot, nor can she shake the feeling that whatever's gotten into her has marked it as her destination.

"Did you hear me, Shaina? I said..." Scarlet says, looking back at Shaina and realizing immediately what she can't take her eyes off of. Scarlet grins mischievously, an unmistakeable look of lust coming over her one visible eye. Joke or not, she plans on milking this for all it's worth. "Oh, do you like what you see~? Come and get it then~..."

• 15 minutes earlier, close to the Pelipper Post Office -

"Short with a green cape, huh..." Ace mutters on his way to the Job Board, shaking his head back and forth. "It could have been anyone. It's not like it's hard to come by a green cape, and there are plenty of Pokemon that aren't very tall... So why can't I help but think it's him?" Ace lets off a heavy sigh. "Maybe it's just wishful thinking. It's been almost a year, after all, and I haven't heard from him since he left." He pauses for a moment, thinking a bit before coming to a conclusion. "If it is him, I'm sure he won't wait long before making himself known. And if it isn't, I've got important things to be taking care of myself..." Ace says, nodding at his resolve. "... like taking Rescue Missions for the team."

Ace stops in the middle of the street he's been walking down for some time, suddenly noticing how empty it's become. "Something doesn't feel right... Where are all the people?" he asks quietly, taking a look around him. He'd never been in this part of town before- or if he had, he didn't recognize it. The decrepit buildings and garbage-ridden alleys were memorable enough. The stench was something else, too- he's surprised he hadn't noticed it sooner. That still didn't answer why literally no one was passing through, though, since it seemed like almost a straight shot to the Job Board from where Ace started walking today. Before Ace can decide to turn back and go around it, however...

"Hey, look what we've got here, boys! It's a visitor!" calls a voice from the first floor of a collapsed building.

"Is it a girl? I've been itching for a good fuck lately," replies a voice groggily, as though its owner had just woken up.

Ace flicks his head right towards the source of the voices, not liking the way the two were talking at all. The first voice had clearly come from the Wartortle standing at the remains of a window, the second from a Poliwhirl getting to his feet behind him.

"Don't think so..." the Wartortle replies, squinting his eyes. "Looks like you might have to settle for a- hey... Wait a minute! That headband!" he bellows angrily, clearly referring to the yellow headband Ace always sports proudly. "You're the Eevee from before!"

"Sorry, you must have the wrong guy. I don't know you," Ace replies as he starts heading towards the Job Board again, not wanting to start any trouble.

"Aw, hear that? He doesn't remember us!" the Wartortle exclaims loudly, laughing mockingly. "How about I jog your memory? Three nights ago? The Dark Lakes? We didn't appreciate being toasted by your friend, did we boys?"

Ace stops dead in his tracks, his eyes going wide. "You... You're the ones who abducted me?!"

"Don't forget tortured!" says a Golduck, walking through the doorless frame in a house in front of Ace.

Ace takes a defensive stance, a look of disgust over his face. "You don't belong in this town. Leave."

"Actually, you're kinda right about that- and it's all thanks to you, asshole!" says another voice from Ace's left, a Totodile grinning toothily as he emerges from the alleyway.

"Ya see, Team Vile doesn't take failures lightly..." the Wartortle continues, stepping through what could barely be called a window, the Poliwhirl right behind him.

"Once the leader found out we hadn't been able to kill you, she kicked us all out of the team right there. Told us all if she ever saw us in the city again she'd kill us herself," the Poliwhirl says disdainfully, cracking his knuckles.

"But if we take care of you now..." the Golduck snickers, clenching a fin.

"... She'd have to let us back in the team!" says the Totodile, smiling and showing off his sharp teeth.

"You think a team like that would welcome you back with open arms? The same one that saw you off at the first sign of failure?" Ace says, trying to reason with them as he notices they've surrounded him. "That's not a team. A team would be there for you, success OR failure. They were just using you. And if you attack me now, you'd only be giving those opportunists exactly what they want," he says, still keeping his defensive stance, taking turns glancing at each one of them.

"Even if what you said is true..." the Wartortle chuckles, brandishing a claw. "Revenge is sweet in itself!" he shouts, lunging at Ace without warning.

Ace bears his teeth, growling under his breath, not ready to go without a fight.

Before the Wartortle's blow can connect, however, something small and black flashes between them, sticking itself into the ground as it lands. The Wartortle jumps back in surprise, trying to find the source of the projectile. "What is that?! Where did it come from?!"

Ace turns his attention towards the weapon that had come between them, recognizing the weapon protruding out of the ground as a kunai. He can't help but start laughing under his breath as he realizes what it means, deciding to let the wielder do what he likes.

"Stop right there, villains!" calls a voice from the nearby rooftop, the owner's green cape flapping in the wind. "A four-on-one isn't a fair fight at all!"

Ace's would-be attackers all turn their attention up to the figure, being blinded by the sun behind it. "You self-righteous prick! Just who do you think you are?!"

The figure smirks confidently. "I am the guardian of justice! With my left paw shall I defend the innocent, and my right shall I punish the wicked! May you be cleansed of your sins, or forever regret them in hell! My name is King! Prepare to feel the wrath of the chosen one!"

"Don't you think that's a little too over the top, King?" Ace mockingly asks the moment he finishes.

The figure seems to almost lose his balance. "I leave for over a year, and that's what you're going to welcome me back with?! You should be happy I even showed up to rescue you, Ace!"

Ace looks completely taken aback. "Ex-CUSE me?! I don't recall asking for your help! Is there something about me that just emanates'damsel in distress?' I could have taken care of these guys no problem, King," Ace says, grinning cockily.

King chuckles. "Sorry, but I'm not going to give you that opportunity... At least not alone," he says, leaping off the building to land next to Ace, the now-clearly visible Riolu making it seem all too easy. "What do you say we hold a contest, just like when we were kids? Whoever takes more out wins?" asks King, his green cape fluttering between them.

"You just want to show off," says Ace, the loose ends of his yellow headband flapping next to King's cape. "You're not the only one who's improved, you know. I intend to give you a run for your money."

"Blah blah blah- do you two EVER shut up? Your friend may talk big, but the two of you are out of your minds if you think you stand a chance against the four of us," the Wartortle says, beaming menacingly.

"Yeah, they're just stalling for time! The Riolu probably called in backup or something!" the Poliwhirl says accusingly, the group's anger at the thought quite apparent.

"If you think that's true, what are you waiting for?" King retorts.

"I gotta hand it to you- I didn't think you'd intimidate them that much," Ace says mockingly.

"Rrrgh... That does it! No more fooling around! Kill 'em both!" the Wartortle demands, all of them taking battle positions.

"Let's make this quick, shall we?" asks King, retrieving his kunai stuck in the ground.

"Like it would take long with the two of us fighting anyway," Ace smiles, taking a ready position. "It's good to have you back... Brother."

• At the same time, in the Spring Forest-

"S-Scarlet... I can't... Control myself..." Shaina says in confusion, her body moving itself closer and closer to Scarlet's back end with each passsing second.

"Me either~," Scarlet murrs truthfully. "Your situation is a bit different than mine, though, isn't it?" she giggles excitedly, hoping she can change that soon enough.

"Wh-what are... you saying?..." Shaina struggles to ask, trying to pull her legs in the opposite direction to no avail, still unsure of what's going on.

"Aw, don't tell me you've forgotten already?" Scarlet pouts jokingly. "My special ability is Captivate- the way I use it, it makes me irresistable to almost any male I want~. However..." she says, trailing off for a moment. "I've never gotten it to work on a fellow female before... Even those who swing that way. Assuming you aren't just pretending to be affected, or that my ability decided to work on girls all of a sudden, what makes you so special, Shaina~?" she asks intriguedly, her six tails swishing side to side.

<It's... Only supposed to work on males? Could it be because of my transformation- because I used to be Shane- that her ability works on me?> "I'm... Not sure," Shaina admits without lying, having to put forth a great amount of effort not to reveal her background to Scarlet. Captivate isn't only making it hard for Shaina to control her body- it's making it hard for her to control what she's saying, too.

"Well, I guess it doesn't really matter," Scarlet says, still sounding a bit disappointed that Shaina didn't have anything interesting to tell her. "Your advice worked, so as a reward, I'll be sure to make this good for you too~..." she churrs mischievously, smirking as Shaina reaches her rear end.

"I... I'm not so sure about this..." Shaina says, her thoughts coming through her mouth before she can stop them, her body contradicting her words as Scarlet's scent excites her more and more.

"Ah, well we can't have that, can we~?" Scarlet chuckles, resisting the urge to tell Shaina to delve in as deep as she can. "Give yourself a taste- I guarantee you'll change your mind~," she says, very much a demand as she spreads her hind legs, leaving her wet opening right in front of Shaina.

Shaina doesn't have time to respond, her body immediately leaning itself towards Scarlet. She can't keep herself from sticking her tongue out and giving Scarlet's entrance a lick from bottom to top, her tongue retracting itself to let the taste of her feminine juices settle in.

"Mmmm~... So? How do I taste, Shaina~?" Scarlet purrs eagerly, rocking her hips.

"You taste... Sweet... And a little salty..." Shaina says, an intense blush coming over her as she suddenly knows what a female tastes like there.

Scarlet giggles cutely, blushing herself. "I know that, silly~. I'm asking if I taste good~."

"You taste f-fantastic," Shaina replies, her body shivering from excitement. Even if she'd had the opportunity to lie, she probably wouldn't have.

"Why thank you~," Scarlet says, knowing Shaina is bound to the truth. "Do you want to play with me some more then~? We can always stop if you don't..." she says, already knowing her response.

"O-of course I want to k-keep going," Shaina admits, not trying to stop herself from pushing her muzzle and tongue forward again. This time, however, Scarlet spins around before Shaina can reach her there, an amused, triumphant smile plastered over her face.

"Ah ah ah~," Scarlet says teasingly, waving a paw back and forth. "This is my game, so we play by my rules. Trust me, we'll have a lot more fun this way... Understand~?"

"I-I understand," Shaina agrees, wondering if she's gotten in over her head. "Wh-what do you want me to do?" she asks, her face visibly red through her fur.

"Oh, the possibilities~..." Scarlet replies in a soft moan, eyeing Shaina mischievously as she tries to decide what she wants from her. "Well, judging from how much you're blushing, I'll bet I'm your first female, aren't I?" she asks, not waiting for a response. "Don't worry- I'll save some of the more hardcore stuff for next time~. For now, why don't you be a good girl and roll over onto your back~?"

Shaina barely has to think about it. Within seconds, she's belly-up on the ground, paws folded up. "L-like this?" she asks sheepishly, blushing even harder.

"Aw, you're so cute~," Scarlet answers in a bubbly voice, seeing if she can make Shaina blush any harder than she already is. "It's a simple position, and it seems like you've got it down... Except for one thing~," she chuckles, spreading Shaina's rear legs apart. "Now we can have some fun... That is, if you think you're ready for me~," Scarlet grins schemingly, her tails flicking left and right.

As hard as Shaina's been trying to keep her mouth shut- to keep her mind off how increasingly aroused she's been getting this entire time, so she wouldn't just blurt it out- that prompted a reply. "I-I've been ready! Do you think with h-how much you've been teasing me I w-wouldn't be?" she admits, her face turning completely red as her hips rock themselves instinctively.

"Hm... I guess we're about to find out, aren't we~?" Scarlet murrs arousedly, having heard just the answer she was hoping for. She pads onto Shaina's stomach, smirking mischievously as she leans down to to give Shaina a wet lick on the muzzle. "You're going to love this~." Without warning, Scarlet presses her wet entrance against Shaina's, swaying her hips to rub the two against one another.

Shaina gasps in surprisal, both the action and the sensations throwing her completely off guard. The feeling of Scarlet's opening on her own, spreading her apart and mixing their proof of arousal together, is beyond fantastic. It isn't long before she finds her nether regions completely covered in both her and Scarlet's female juices.

"Ahhh~... Well? How do you feel, Shaina~?" Scarlet asks amusedly, not stopping as she does so.

"I feel- I feel incredible!" Shaina replies shamelessly, moaning softly as she begins to counteract Scarlet's movements.

"You think this is incredible? This is just the tip of the iceberg~," she chuckles, putting her forepaws on Shaina's bottom sets of nipples as she immediately starts playing with them, dragging her rough, wet tongue over Shaina's top set. "You were saying~?" she giggles, still rubbing her clit against Shaina's while going back to her nipples, running her paws over them and sucking on them.

Shaina's breath catches in her throat as she's overwhelmed with pleasure, finding out how right Scarlet was. Individually, everything she's doing was great- but at the same time... "Aaaaaaah!" Shaina moans in arousal as she takes a deep breath, feeling herself getting wetter and wetter, a familiar pressure building. "S-Scarlet... I-" Shaina breathes, her face saying it all.

"Aw, time to switch already?" Scarlet asks poutingly, slowing what she's doing to a stop.

"S-switch?" Shaina asks, wincing a little as the pleasure stops.

"You didn't think that was it, did you~?" Scarlet replies, grinning playfully. "I won't let you cum just yet- we just started~! Besides..." she continues, spinning in a half circle on top of Shaina. "Wouldn't you like to give me another taste~?"

Shaina blushes intensely as Scarlet pushes her rear end back, placing her feminine entrance not even an inch away from Shaina's muzzle. The sight of Scarlet's moist, pink opening in front of her face and the idea of being able to continue what she started there were incentive enough. But with Shaina's enhanced sense of smell, and Scarlet's scent- that sweet, musky, alluring scent, so close she can almost feel how much Scarlet wants her on top of her own arousal... Shaina doesn't hesitate. She leans her muzzle in quickly, pushing her tongue well into Scarlet's folds, then takes her tongue out, pulling in a good amount of her juices.

Scarlet lets out a long, pleased moan, her tails flicking excitedly. "I take that as a yes~," she murrs, breathing hot air on Shaina's clit as she moves her muzzle towards it. "It's only fair that I return the favor, right~? I've been wondering how you taste as it is~," Scarlet purrs.

Before Shaina can respond, she feels Scarlet's vulpine tongue enter her, circling the walls near her entrance and lapping in her lubrication skillfully. It's all Shaina can do to keep herself from letting out a cry of pleasure, or stop what she's doing. The feeling of something rough with so much control inside her is almost too wonderful to describe, especially with how good Scarlet is. Despite Shaina being the most turned on she's ever been, Scarlet is taking in her juices so fast Shaina's body can't keep her properly wet, which only serves in arousing her more as Scarlet continues. And suddenly, Shaina notices something about their position- as if their actions aren't enough, whenever one of them gets more aroused, their scent picks up and excites the other even more, and vice versa. Naturally, it doesn't take long for Shaina to be on another arousal high, and she finds herself close to climax again.

"A-ah... S-Scarlet..." Shaina moans rather pathetically, making it clear what she's trying to convey.

"Still too much~?" Scarlet chuckles, removing her tongue from Shaina. "You're just not used to having this much fun, are you~? How about we work on your endurance a bit~?"

"Wh-what do you mean?" Shaina asks, shivering at the sudden absence of pleasure.

"It's a compliment that you're so close already, but trust me- no one likes it when their partner finishes too early~," Scarlet giggles, knowing it was her fault for getting Shaina so close in the first place. "So you're going to help me catch up to you, got it~?"

"H-huh?" Shaina asks again, genuinely confused.

"Well, it isn't fair that you're so much closer to cumming than I am..." Scarlet jokingly pouts. "So until I'm as close as you are, I'm not going to do anything that might make you cum... I'll just keep you as close as possible~," she murrs, clearly enjoying her new idea.

Shaina whimpers at the proposition, realizing she doesn't have much of a choice. "A-all right," she agrees, lifting her head back towards Scarlet's leaking entrance. Instead of going back inside her right away, Shaina decides to lick around her clit in hopes of warming things up.

"Mm~... Not a bad choice~," Scarlet says in an almost surprised voice, though still happy with her decision. "You might taste a bit of yourself from earlier there, too~! I think you have a slightly sweeter taste than I do, in case you notice~," she chuckles, definitely trying to tease her even more.

... and succeeding. The thought of tasting not only Scarlet's, but her own proof of excitement is enough to draw an audible moan from Shaina, making her even more aroused than before. Doing her best to stay collected, Shaina moves her muzzle back towards Scarlet's opening, picking up where she left off as she thrusts her tongue inside her, doing her best to mimic what Scarlet was doing to her before.

"Aw, you're trying to learn from me~!" Scarlet chus, smirking mischievously. "If you want to know how to improve, it helps a lot if you go deeper~," she says innocently, waiting a moment before forcing her hips back, pressing Shaina's muzzle partially inside her. "Ah... That's more like it~."

Shaina's eyes go wide at Scarlet's sudden movement, grateful she'd taken a deep breath before she did so. As far as her point goes, Shaina finds Scarlet was right- it's a lot easier to get to her more sensitive, deeper areas this way. It only takes Shaina a few seconds to realize the downside. With her muzzle outside, she could smell things like flowers and trees, which made Scarlet's scent bearable. With her muzzle on the inside, however, her nostrils are filled with the scent of pure, unadulterated need, causing Shaina's scent to become increasingly more prominent as the obvious happens. Shaina somehow manages to concentrate enough to keep going, though, swirling her tongue around Scarlet's inner walls, hoping she "catches up to her" before the wanting sensation between her legs drives her insane.

"Oh~... Oh~!... Very good~," Scarlet admits, verbally applauding her. "Playing with you like this has been more exciting than I thought it would be. I shouldn't be much longer at this rate~," Scarlet murrs happily, knowing Shaina will be similarly relieved. "If only you could go a little bit deeper, I'd be caught up to you in no time... Oh well~," she teases yet again, going even further by shifting her body on top of Shaina's so their erect nipples drag against each other over and over again.

Desperate to make that happen, Shaina brings her front paws up to Scarlet's opening, spreading her apart with them. She then goes as deep in as she can, licking every wall she can with reckless abandon, not sure how much longer she can take Scarlet's torture.

"Good job, Shaina~... Hmm... I'd say I'm about caught up, wouldn't you~?" Scarlet murrs, feeling her pleasure beginning to peak. "You know what that means~..."

Shaina feels her entrance spread far apart by Scarlet's paws, only having a split second to prepare herself. An excited, relieved moan escapes from Shaina into Scarlet's folds as she experiences her muzzle and tongue pressing deep inside her, becoming even more aroused as she feels Scarlet's hot breath against her walls. Knowing Scarlet won't hesitate to stop if she passes her in arousal again, Shaina doubles her efforts, going so far as to thrust her muzzle back and forth inside her, swirling her tongue against her vagina unpredictably. It doesn't take long before Shaina notices Scarlet's insides beginning to tense and contract around her, feeling Scarlet's breathing pick up drastically until she takes one exceptionally deep breath. Shaina braces herself.

Scarlet moans softly inside Shaina as she climaxes, her liquid pleasure flowing onto and around Shaina's muzzle, plenty escaping from her entrance. Shaina laps in as much of the delicious substance she can, hoping to let as little of the fluid escape as possible. The fact that Scarlet is cumming so violently makes that impossible, though, and only serves in arousing Shaina even greater. Despite how long Scarlet actually lasted, Shaina can't help but feel like it was over too soon as her climax comes to an end, still licking up what's left coating Scarlet's walls.

It's then that Shaina realizes something- she's well past what she thought her peak of arousal was. If she'd felt half this good fifteen minutes ago, she would have finished already. But somehow, Scarlet's managed to keep her from that, forcing Shaina to feel more turned on than she ever thought possible.

Scarlet sighs relievedly as she draws her snout from between Shaina's folds, smirking as she prepares for the inevitable. "Your turn~," she murrs, pushing her muzzle back inside her.

Shaina draws her wet muzzle from Scarlet to let off a long, feminine gasp, feeling Scarlet playing with her tongue against a spot she must have avoided before. It isn't too far from her entrance, and in normal circumstances it would feel like her lower stomach is being pressed from the inside, but the pleasure... She wasn't prepared for that kind of pleasure.

Shaina moans loudly as the pressure suddenly vanishes, her walls contracting while she orgasms wildly. She feels wave after wave of her cum pushing out of her entrance, realizing quickly that her particular spot is Scarlet's only focus. She finds out why almost just as quickly. Shaina's eyes go wide as she continues experiencing her enduring climax, blushing intensely at how long she's lasting with no signs of slowing down. Her rear end is already completely soaking with her own juices, the ground behind her getting wetter as her fur there can't hold any more. Shaina can't help but wonder if maybe this is part of Scarlet's plan too, since the more prominent the scent of her own juices are, the more aroused she gets. Shaina loses track of time, as well as herself in her extended orgasm, until finally it comes to a stop. Shaina's body then goes completely limp, feeling completely drained from their actions together as she gasps for air, her face blood red.

Scarlet pulls herself out of Shaina one final time, licking her drenched muzzle pleasedly. "Wow... I've never seen someone's climax last that long before, myself included~," she giggles, clearly very happy as she stumbles off of her, quite spent herself.

It takes some effort, but Shaina manages to lift her head and look down at the aftermath, her already-red face turning even more so. "S-Scarlet... I... I can't believe we just-..."

Scarlet smiles guiltily, looking shamelessly towards the results of her work. "Don't lie and say you didn't enjoy it, Shaina~."

"I-I wasn't going to," Shaina says, knowing how futile it would be, even if she did feel that way. "I just... Couldn't see myself doing that without your... Your ability," she admits, hoping Scarlet wouldn't take it personally.

"Is that so?" Scarlet starts, smirking confidently, not the least bit offended.

"Wh-why are you looking at me like that?" Shaina asks, unsure of what she's getting at.

"Oh, no reason in particular... There's just one little problem with that, and that's assuming Captivate even worked on you in the first place," Scarlet giggles, her tails flicking amusedly. "You see... After your first taste... I stopped using my ability~."

Shaina's eyes go wide as she realizes the implications. "Wait... So what you're saying is-..."

"You had full control after the initial lick~," Scarlet purrs, finishing Shaina's statement for her.

Shaina covers her face with her forepaws embarassedly.

"Aw, don't be that way!" Scarlet says consolingly. "There's nothing wrong with making another girl feel good- it's not like we can depend on guys for our needs all the time, and it isn't hard to satisfy each other since we know what we like~. Besides..." she murrs, smiling at Shaina reassuringly. "You did wonderful for your first time~."

"Th-thank you, Scarlet," says Shaina, removing her paws as the color begins returning to her face. Scarlet raised some good points, and the more she thinks about them, the better she feels. "W-we should probably be heading back to town soon. I... I think I learned plenty today," Shaina chuckles, wobbling to all fours.

"And I've got plenty of lessons where that came from. I'd be happy to teach you more any time~," Scarlet says in that familiar tone of hers, taking a moment to look up at the sky. "You're right, though- the sun is almost at its highest, and we still need to get these scents off... Unless you feel like making a statement to Ace, that is~," Scarlet laughs, only partially joking.

"I-I think finding a creek or something to wash off in would be a better idea," Shaina replies, trying not to let her mind ponder how Ace would respond to finding out. "L-listen... About today, Scarlet..."

"Relax. I won't tell Ace, or anyone else for that matter. Your secret is safe with me," Scarlet smiles sincerely, one of her ears perking to the side after a couple seconds. "Hm... It sounds like there's running water this way. Think you'll be able to walk there okay?" Scarlet teases, taking the first few steps towards the sound.

"I've still got a bit of recovering to do, but I can manage," Shaina grins shyly, her legs still shaking a little as she reaches Scarlet's side, the two of them heading towards water.

• At the same time, close to the Pelipper Post Office -

"Wow, that was pretty epic. Too bad no one was around to see it," Ace sighs as he catches his breath, poking at the unconscious Wartortle.

"They barely put up a fight at all. I almost feel guilty for not holding back more," King says, disappointingly sheathing his unused kunai, wondering if the knocked out Poliwhirl would be able to breathe face-down like that. "And what was that about you being kidnapped by them?"

"Give me a break, they snuck up on me," Ace says, becoming a bit flustered. "Speaking of which, how long have you been following me? It must have been a while for you to catch that part of the conversation," he continues, cringing at the sight of the Totodile's cracked teeth.

"Not long, actually," says King, turning his attention away from the upside-down Golduck against the wall and towards Ace. "I've been cleaning up since last night and just happened to be in the area."

"So I heard. A couple friends of mine owe you some thanks for that," Ace laughs. "But don't you think 'cleaning up' is a bit of a modest phrase for 'taking care of criminals'?"

"Not at all!" King replies, striking a righteous pose. "Bringing justice to criminals like these can be just like taking out the trash. It's not much work, but it feels good once it's gone."

"Forget what I said about the modest thing- you haven't changed one bit." Ace smiles. "Now... What should we do about 'the trash' then? We can't just leave them here."

King noticeably tries to hold back a grin. "So... About that... Between the time the four came out from hiding, and the time I made my entrance... I had the chance to make it to the police station and back."

"W-What?!" Ace shouts, suddenly hearing the shuffling of feet coming towards them fast. Within seconds, a squad of various Pokemon wearing police hats are on the scene, its leading member approaching King after realizing the situation was taken care of.

"Lieutenant June, reporting for duty," the Growlithe says, completely stoic as she salutes to King.

"There's no need for formalities, June. We're both defenders of justice, after all," King chuckles.

June sighs, her hat falling a bit to the side. "Listen- we appreciate your help around here King, but at this rate, my men are going to be out of jobs... Could you slow down the vigilante act for a little while? We officials can handle things around here just fine, I promise."

"Not to worry- I was just about to call it a day," King says, draping an arm around Ace. "I've got some catching up to do as it is."

"Thanks King," June says, pushing her hat back to its normal position as she turns around. "All right men, you know the drill! Cuff 'em and take 'em to their cells!"

"Yes ma'am!" the squad responds in unison, breaking formation to handcuff each of the four Pokemon individually.

"I'd say our work here is done," King states pleasedly, fist pumping in victory. "So what were your plans, brother? If it's not too much trouble, I was hoping you wouldn't mind my company."

"As if I'd blow you off with all the catching up we have to do," Ace laughs, looking up at the sky. "I was planning on heading towards the Job Board, but it looks like that'll have to wait until tomorrow. I made plans to meet back up with my Rescue Team shortly, and I KNOW they'll be happy to meet you."

• 45 minutes later, just outside the center of town -

"Is it me, or did the walk back to town take longer than the trip to the forest?" Shaina asks tiredly, wondering where the energy pulling her legs forward is coming from.

"The walk to the stream didn't take that long. Maybe you just need to work on your endurance in more way than one~," Scarlet giggles.

"Very funny," Shaina says, pushing her bottom lip upward before becoming distracted by something else. "Hey... What's with all the people?" she asks, the road in front of them leading to a large group of undeniably busy Pokemon.

"You mean you've never been here? This is the marketplace- it's in the center of town, where Ace asked us to meet him," Scarlet replies, evidently happy to be there. "You can buy anything from food to equipment to toys here. And since the competition's so fierce, you're pretty much guaranteed a good price~," she continues, smiling.

"No wonder it's so busy then," Shaina says in response, watching in awe at the light-hearted chaos of the bustling streets. "But why do you think Ace chose such a busy place for us to meet up? Don't you think it might be hard to find him here?" Shaina asks, her ears dropping slightly.

"I dunno... Why don't you ask him yourself~?" Scarlet chuckles, pointing to a familiar Eevee pushing his way through the crowd towards them.

"Shaina! Scarlet!" Ace shouts, his voice muffled by the sounds of the marketplace. It takes him a few moments to reach them, being knocked off course on more than one occasion.

"Ace!" Shaina exclaims excitedly, clearly happy to see him.

"Sorry, planning to meet here at the busiest time of day was a mistake," Ace sighs, scratching the back of his head as he laughs.

"It's like he can read your mind," Scarlet says to Shaina, grinning entertainedly.

"No kidding," Shaina replies, smiling herself. "So how did your trip to the Job Board go? Do we have a new mission?" she asks curiously, her ears perking up a bit.

"Actually... It's a long story, but no," Ace responds, beaming shyly. "I can tell you the whole thing later if you'd like- but for now, I'd like you both to meet my brother, King!" he proclaims, motioning behind him with his head.

Shaina and Scarlet lean opposite ways to look behind him, returning to their original positions confusedly before asking "Who?" in unison.

Ace blinks in similar confusion, turning around to immediately find the cause. "Oh, no! I must have lost him in the crowd!" he shouts, squinting his eyes as he searches the crowd. "Hm... Is that him there?... I think it is... Hey, King! Over here!!" he exclaims, waving a paw exaggeratedly in the air.

Not long after, a Riolu familiar to him manages to slide through the crowd towards them, brushing some dust from the street off of him. "My apologies. The marketplace has grown significantly since I was last here," he says, his green cape fluttering in the breeze.

Scarlet's eyes slowly go wide at the sight, compelling her to point a paw towards him. "Y-you-!"

King blinks in confusion like Ace did moments before, proceeding to grin modestly. "Ah, it's good to see you two doing well! I'm just surprised you recognize me- you must have some eyesight."

"Wait- you're the one who saved us?!" Shaina asks surprisedly.

"Oh... It's that surprising, is it?" King asks, taking a look at his body self-consciously.

"N-no! I didn't mean it that way!" Shaina replies, waving her left paw side to side. "I just never expected to meet you, let alone think you might be Ace's brother," she explains.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Ace pouts.

"I didn't mean anything! It's just really coincidental!" Shaina answers, quite flustered.

"In any case... Thank you for saving me," Scarlet says, smiling to King sincerely as she approaches him, extending a paw for a handshake.

"Please, don't worry yourself! I was simply doing my duty as a defender of justice... But you're welcome," King says, accepting Scarlet's paw in a handshake.

"I definitely owe you some thanks myself, too," Shaina chuckles, waiting for Scarlet to take a step back to walk towards him herself and extend her paw.

Instead of shaking her paw, King stands completely still, staring off to his side.

Shaina pulls her paw back a little. "H-hey, King... I'm sorry if I sounded that surprised, I didn-"

King thrusts a paw forward, hitting Shaina in the chest to send her skidding backwards. She doesn't have time to say a word before three razor sharp claws sever the air where she was just standing, their cloaked owner audibly breathing a sigh of disappointment. All four of them jump backwards, leaving the person in the black cloak between them. The marketplace is almost instantly thrown into a state of panic, most of the shoppers leaving at the sign of a fight.

"H-holy shit..." Shaina breathes, her eyes wide and her breathing shallow from shock. "K-King..."

"Thank him later! We have more important things to be worrying about!" Scarlet says, keeping her one visible eye on the mysterious figure.

"Shaina! Are you okay?!" Ace cries concernedly, clearly considering his chances at approaching her.

"I-I'm fine! Just don't let your guards down!" Shaina says, trying her best to calm down.

"All right villain, I'm not going to ask you twice- who are you and what do you want with Shaina?" King asks very seriously, drawing a kunai from his belt.

The cloaked figure laughs coldly, flexing his claws as he stands up straight. "Aw, too bad. I already decided I'd only answer if you asked me twice."

"Why you-!" Ace responds, baring his teeth angrily.

"Hey relax, it was only a joke," the figure replies mockingly as he pulls his hood back, revealing himself as a Zangoose. "As far as you're concerned, the name's Z, and it should be obvious what I want with your Shinx friend," he admits, his intentions evident through his tone.

"Don't think we can't put up a fight," Scarlet says, her normally bubbly voice not so.

"Oh, I never said you couldn't- whether I think you will or not is a completely different story."

"Shut your mouth!" Shaina shouts, staring at Z intensely. "If you think you can make judgements like that from a single swing of your arm, it's going to make beating your face in all the more satisfying."

Z looks at Shaina in mocking amusement. "Is that so? Doesn't that same logic make you a hypocrite?"

Shaina smirks confidently. "Not at all. The difference is, I know what we're capable of. It doesn't matter how strong you are. We'll never be beaten by the likes of you."

"You don't say?... I was just thinking the same thing," Z says, rushing towards Shaina without warning.

Shaina's confident smirk vanishes in an instant, replaced by a look of desperate concentration. She tenses her forelegs as she tries to muster electricity, causing energy to crackle onto the brick road underneath her, but doesn't have near enough time to direct it into anything.

"Too slow!" Z shouts, already in front of her as he cocks his arm backwards, swinging his claws straight forward without any hesitation.

The wind stirs as something flashes between Shaina and Z, knocking his extended arm upwards while forcing a sharp metal object into it. "You've got that right," the Pokemon between them says, both their visions having to catch up to recognize the figure as King.

"Oh, is that your gimmick?" Z chuckles, seeming incredibly calm for having a kunai deep in his arm.

Ace doesn't hesitate at his chance, dashing from behind Z to leap towards him. He turns sideways as he spins through the air, his tail glowing silver as it changes into iron, only missing Z's skull by a fraction of a second. His Iron Tail hits Z's kunai-free arm instead, the Zangoose having raised it just in time to defend himself, which sends him sliding away from the three of them.

"Huh. I never expected anything of mine to be dislocated by someone's tail," Z mumbles nonchalantly, snapping the bones back into place like it's nothing.

Shaina's stomach does somersaults. "H-how can you stay so composed?! Your paw!... Your arm!..."

"You say it like they hurt," Z says grinning, gripping his injured arm as he pulls it out of his shoulder socket. "See, my 'employer' gives pretty great rewards for exceptional service. It took me practically no time at all to get my nerve endings modified," he continues, popping his arm back in place.

"So you don't feel pain, is that it?" Ace asks, his sickened expression intensifying at the sound of bone rubbing over bone.

"That's correct," Z replies confidently, turning his gaze to King. "But that's nowhere near as interesting as your Riolu friend here," he states, twisting his left arm to look at the kunai stuck in it uninterestedly. "It seems like I was wrong in thinking the Tenku style died out years ago."

"Even though his lessons are unforgiving, Master Tenku is a fine sensei. Besides," says King, grinning boldly, "nothing is too difficult for the chosen one."

Z pauses for a couple seconds, looking at King with a very quizzical expression on his face before bursting out laughing. "You- you're serious! You think you're the chosen one!"

King smiles coolly. "Laugh all you like, villain- I don't think, I know."

Z wipes a tear from his left eye, still winding down from his laughing fit. "Oh, oh man. That's rich," he sighs, shaking his head. "If you were the chosen one, I would have been assigned to kill you a long time ago. I won't say this whole 'chosen one' business isn't why I'm here, though..." he trails off, looking towards Shaina with ill intentions.

Ace looks back and forth between Shaina and Z. "W-wait just a minute... Do you mean to say?..."

" I'm not saying anything. I think the whole chosen one thing is a load of shit myself," Z says, shrugging. "Minus some discrepancies, however..." he goes on, pointing to Shaina. "My 'employer' sure seems to think your Shinx friend is the chosen one."

" Wh-what?!" Ace and King reply simultaneously, seeming to take the statement incredibly seriously.

Shaina cocks her head in confusion. "Um... I don't know why that's such a big deal, but what makes you think we should believe you? It's not too much to assume you're just trying to confuse us so we let our guard down," she says, glancing at Ace and King.

"Why would I lie? I'm talking to a group of dead people as it is," Z chuckles, beaming wickedly.

King clears his throat. "No, Shaina's right! How foolish of me to be deceived. After all..." he says, striking a pose. "I am the guardian of justice! With my left paw shall I defend the innocent, and my right shall I punish the wicked! May you-"

Z suddenly pulls the kunai out of his left arm without hesitation, swiping it at the empty air. Even if he hadn't been in the middle of reciting himself, King probably would have been caught off guard.

"Ah! M-my eyes!" King shouts, stumbling out of his pose as he puts his paws towards his eyes. He quickly shakes his head side to side, putting his arms in front of him in an attempt to defend himself.

Against their better judgement, Shaina and Ace flick their attention away from Z and towards King, worried about what had happened to him. Thankfully, Z hadn't thrown the kunai at him- he hadn't even thrown a weapon at him, for that matter. It was much more underhanded than that.

"Blood?!" Shaina shouts, seeing the line of red liquid streaked across King's face. Z had swung his arm to fling blood from his open wound into King's eyes, clearly making it difficult for him to see. Shaina grits her teeth angrily, turning her attention back to where Z was standing. "That's playing dirty, you-"

Shaina cuts off, barely noticing the blur as Z dashes forward. If what had happened last time was any indication, she's an easy target now. Shaina cringes, closing her eyes as she expects the worst... And receives it- just not how she expected. Shaina slowly opens her eyes, quickly coming to terms with the fact that Z hadn't touched her. But if he hadn't been coming after her, that could only mean...

Shaina's fur stands on end at the sight. Z has King by the neck, and is lifting him up by it with his right arm. Ace can't bring himself to say anything, being just as horror-struck as Shaina, if not more so. "Just as I thought," Z sighs, gazing at King in discontent. "You're no student of Tenku. You don't even know where that power comes from." Z lifts his injured arm up, a mass of what could best be described as black energy covering his left paw. "So before you die..." he says, slamming his left paw into King, the dark mass fading into his chest. "... I want you to remember what life was like without the gift you were so undeserving of." Z drops King to the ground, his body crumpling to the street like a ragdoll. "Now then-!" Z shouts, raising his right claw backwards in preparation.

"King!!!" Shaina and Ace scream, not able to do a thing as Z's claw thrusts straight towards him.

Z suddenly stops mid-swing, however, leaping backwards just in time to dodge a wild jet of flames. As the smoke clears, the source of the attack becomes apparent. "I'm still here too, you know!" Scarlet huffs poutingly, her disapproval in being forgotten all too clear. Despite her discontent, Scarlet's attack gives the three of them plenty of time to make their way safely to where King is, Ace first to the scene.

"King! King, are you all right?!" Ace asks, shaking his brother worriedly.

"Unh... It'll take a lot more than that to stop a protector of justice," King replies weakly, wobbling as he gets to his feet. "That villain did something horrible, though... It feels like my chi has been drained significantly..." he states, clenching his paws.

"I hate to sound insensitive, but we don't have time for an explanation! Can you fight?" Shaina asks, staring at Z intently in case he tries anything like last time.

"Not as well as before, but yes- my body may not be as prepared, but my fighting spirit is indomitable!" King exclaims, smirking courageously.

"How careless... I didn't expect you actually might be a threat," Z scoffs, glowering at Scarlet. "It doesn't really matter though- I wouldn't have passed up the chance to kill your Shinx friend if I wasn't confident enough to take you on all at once," Z states, grinning maniacally.

Ace and King look to each other, nodding simultaneously. "So King, what was it you were saying earlier about a four-on-one not being a fair fight?" Ace chuckles, slowly walking towards Z.

"This is in the name of justice! It's completely different!" King replies, going a bit red in the face as he steps forward as well.

"That's what I like to hear," Ace responds, taking a stance in preparation to run. "Care to show him the difference then, brother?"

"A criminal like him? Always," King says back, already in a similar position himself.

The two break out into full sprints, curving around Z to jump at him from both sides. Z only smirks cockily, raising both arms nonchalantly just in time to catch their paws in mid-air. "You think you could possibly make this fight fair? Don't be ridiculous!" Z barks, swiping at Ace and King as they kick off him. "A thousand of you wouldn't make a fair fight against me!"

"We'll see about that..." Shaina mutters under her breath, taking the first steps in rushing towards Z.

"Shaina, wait!" Scarlet says, causing Shaina to stop in her tracks.

"Come on, Scarlet! Ace and King need our help!" Shaina responds, watching in anxiety as Ace and King try to get on the offensive while dodging Z's attack.

"But running in without a plan won't help them at all!" Scarlet replies, keeping her voice down.

Shaina bites her lip. "Y-you're right... So what do we do?"

"Well, we know we can't take a physical approach... Inflicting enough pain isn't bound to have him give up, and we don't have what it takes to incapacitate him through direct damage alone..." Scarlet says, wincing as Ace just barely dodges a slash from Z.

"But Ace and King are..." Shaina starts, trailing off as the reality of the situation dawns on her. "They're... Buying us time..." she mutters, a look of helpless frustration coming over her. "All right... If raw damage isn't enough, we'll just have to take an elemental approach, right?"

Scarlet only gives it a moment of thought. "I can't see my Fire attacks doing much- burns aren't pleasant, but they won't keep him from fighting. But electricity..." she trails off, pondering it.

"Modified nerves or not, he still has a nervous system. If I can hit him with a good bolt of electricity, that should be enough to overload it," Shaina says, relieved that she paid attention in Science class.

Scarlet blinks confusedly. "I don't know what that means, but it should keep him from fighting, right?"

"If I can pull it off, he won't be able move, let alone fight," Shaina replies more confidently, the confidence quickly fading as she tries to fix her attention on Z. "The only problem is, I need a clear shot... I don't think I can hit him while he's moving," she says uncertainly, her point being made clear as he springs backwards, easily dodging Ace and King's synchronized attack.

"Then we just need to put some sort of spin on this plan, don't we?" Scarlet asks reassuringly.

Shaina pauses for a few seconds, closing her eyes as she thinks about Scarlet's proposition. A satisfied expression plasters itself over her face before she opens her eyes, looking towards Scarlet gratefully. "You're right- and I've got just the right spin in mind..."

"Is that all you've got?" Z asks, motioning King and Ace to him. "Come on, why don't you come at me for real this time? I can tell when you're holding back," he says, not mocking them this time.

Ace holds back a grin. "So he's finally catching on, huh?" he whispers to King beside him.

King smiles similarly. "Think your friends have come up with anything yet?" he mumbles back.

"As a matter of fact, we have~," Scarlet responds, sticking her head between the two of them. "Just keep me covered until I can set it up, all right?" she asks, smiling uneasily.

The two brothers briefly look at each other in confusion, not needing words to come to an agreement. "You can count on us, Scarlet," Ace says, thrusting a paw forward. "Just lead the way!" King exclaims, doing the same as Ace.

"Okay then... Let's go!" Scarlet shouts enthusiastically, rushing towards Z with King and Ace right behind her.

"You had your chance- now I'm done playing!" Z yells impatiently, brandishing his sharp claws as the three almost meet him head-on.

Scarlet skids to a stop in front of him, her mouth glowing slightly as she prepares to breathe fire. Eager to keep her from that opportunity, Z thrusts a set of claws straight towards Scarlet, only to have his paw caught right before it reaches her by King.

"What's the matter? Did no one ever teach you it's bad to hit a girl?" King taunts, smiling courageously as he holds the paw in place, keeping Z from moving it.

<First, I have to form the energy...>

Instead of letting her attack loose on Z, Scarlet breathes her fire on the ground, leaving a trail of flames as she runs in a circle behind him, though a little too close.

"It'll take more than you to stop me!" Z barks, driving his other arm in Scarlet's direction. This time, Ace grabs his arm with his mouth and pulls it downward, holding it securely between his teeth.

"It didn't take much more, did it?" Ace asks cockily, his voice muffled.

<Then I need to concentrate it...>

Scarlet finishes making a full ring of fire around Z, hastily checking her handiwork. "Perfect~!"

Z grits his fangs angrily. "It'll take more than that!" he shouts as he shifts his feet to turn in a quarter circle, giving him enough to fling the Eevee and Riolu off of him. The two brothers slide to their feet as they land from being tossed, Z looking back towards Scarlet with a chilling glare. "You know, you should've just attacked me when you had the chance- I still would've killed you, but at least you'd have left a nice little mark for me to remember you with," he laughs, not even bothering to look at the circle of flames around him, undoubtedly thinking how useless they are.

"How about I give you something else to remember me by~?" Scarlet chus, winking at Z before she takes a deep breath, blowing an intense stream of fire into the circle she'd just made. The purpose of the scorching ring is made clear within seconds, a pillar of twisting flames forming around Z.

<Next I need to focus it...>

"What, a Fire Spin? That was your big plan?" Z laughs, barely visible behind the thick fire. "Sorry, but it's about time I fini-... Fi-..." Z coughs, falling to his knees. "What's-... Happ-... Ha-..."

Scarlet grins, continuing feeding the flames as she realizes Shaina's plan had worked. The blazing vortex was causing the oxygen inside to rise, being replaced by smoke from the conflagration. The purpose was never to damage him- it was to exhaust his source of air so his body can't function.

<Just a little more-!... And-!!...>

Scarlet finally runs out of breath, gasping for air as she stops breathing fire and the pyre tornado dissipates. Z is left on his knees, struggling for oxygen even more than Scarlet just to stay conscious.

"Sorry to keep you waiting..." Shaina says, her body radiating with fierce electricity. "... but it's about time you learned what we're truly capable of!!"

Z stumbles to the side as he tries to stand, still recovering from the lack of oxygen. He can't muster words. He can't move. All he can do is beam at Shaina with a look of hateful discontent.

"Haaaaaa aaaaaa!!"

A crack of thunder sounds off as all Shaina's voltage is let loose at once. Recoil from the lucent bolt of energy sends Shaina tumbling backwards, but hits its target dead center.

" Aaaaaaaagh!" Z cries in anguish, electricity erupting from his body in every direction. The sound of zapping lingers on his fur as he falls to his knees, collapsing face-first onto the ground.

"D-did it work?" Shaina groans, struggling to wobble to all fours after her reckless attack. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next, though.

"You did it!" "Shaina~!" "Outstanding!"

Shaina's three friends knock her right back to the ground in celebration.

"That was great, Shaina! I knew you had it in you!" Ace says, shaking her forepaws up and down.

"Oh, Shaina~! You were magnificent~!" Scarlet giggles, embracing her around the neck.

"Excellent work! You have to teach me that technique!" King says, laughing heartily.

Shaina chuckles, smiling in relief. "Aw, it was nothing... I'm just happy everyone's okay."

"D-don't count on it just yet..."

The four turn their attention to the source of the voice- where Z's body lies. His body is trembling from the intense current still traveling through it, undoubtedly hindering him quite a bit, but he isn't completely paralyzed. He shakily makes his way to two feet, pulling a concealed knife out of his cloak.

Shaina's expression twists unhappily. "Z, you've lost... Please, just drop the knife... You can't hurt anyone in the condition you're in."

Z looks downward, his shoulders shaking as he laughs under his breath. "Actually... There is one person I can still take care of..."

Z points the knife forward, gripping it with two paws. He looks at Shaina and her friends individually, one by one, the resolve in his gaze made all too apparent. He then shuts his eyes, turning the blade towards himself. "Looks like this is the closest thing to atonement I'll ever get..."

For Shaina, time stands still.

< I-I don't get it... What is he doing? We-we weren't going to kill him... He knows that... So why would he turn the knife on himself? Is it a matter of pride? Of shame? Of fault?

He-he's a person too. He has problems, just like the rest of us. No matter how hard he may try to hide it, he's not emotionless. Feelings don't come from nerves- they come from the heart.>

Shaina's heart sinks as that thought crosses her mind.

<Though... Who's to say he even has one at all? He tried to kill me, and hurt my friends... Without even knowing us. Does it matter what kind of person he is? He's a danger to everything I care about- and with him gone, we wouldn't have to worry about him any more. If he wants to die, maybe he should.>

It's then she remembers the words the voice in her dream told her.

"Today you will need to show mercy- mercy to someone you may not believe deserves it. Should he get what he seeks, he could cause irreversible damage to you and your friends. But you'll need to look past his actions, past his appearance, and past all prejudice against him to make the right decision."

<Okay, so... This is it, no doubt about it. But... What is mercy? Is mercy letting him put himself out of his misery? Or is mercy allowing him to live again for another chance at happiness?>

Z pulls the knife towards himself without hesitation. The point slides into his chest, shallowly... Then gets flung out of his hand by a focused flash of electricity. Z freezes out of shock momentarily, a look of malice covering his face as he directs his attention to the cause. "You... You!... Who do you think you are?! My life is my life! If I choose to end it, that's my decision! I was prepared to die, and-"

"Shut the hell up!" Shaina yells, staring at Z harshly. "You think that just because you're ready to die, nothing matters any more? I don't care who you are, nobody deserves to think that way. Life is the most precious thing in the world. With it, you can right wrongs- change lives- shape the world. And to deny that gift yourself would be like spitting in the faces of everyone who had theirs taken from them..." Shaina says, closing her eyes as she remembers someone who used to be close. "So don't tell me you're prepared to die. No one is. Everyone has something to live for. And if you die now... You'll never know what it was," Shaina finishes, huffing contently.

"Profound as that may be, you're wasting your breath," a figure replies from the shadows of a nearby alleyway, stepping into the light to reveal himself as an Absol.

"Psh... You're one to talk," Z scoffs in response, eyeing him disdainfully.

"Wait- who are you, and how do you two know each other?" Ace asks, taking a step in front of Shaina to protect her if necessary.

"I don't see any harm in sharing those bits of information. Soul. My name is Soul. And as for the relationship between us... I used to be partnered with this son of a bitch," Soul says disgustedly, drawing a sort of sick, weak grin from Z.

"Who are you people? Why are you after Shaina?" Scarlet asks, stepping in front of Shaina similarly.

"Sorry, but that's information I can't divulge. Besides, we don't exactly have much time left," he says, the sound of approaching footsteps becoming noticeable to all of them.

"What is there to know? They're villains that deserve justice, it's as simple as that," King says, putting himself in an already-too-familiar stance.

"I don't have time to argue, but I will say this..." Soul replies, using the blade on his head to lift Z onto his back. "The line between good and evil isn't as defined as you may think. What makes a good cause good? Is it doing bad things for a good cause? Or good things for a bad cause?" Souls asks these questions very seriously, staring at Shaina intently. "Give it some thought. When we meet again, I'll expect an answer." Soul doesn't waste any more time there, dashing past the four of them quickly. Only moments after he does so, the police force, led by June, arrive on the scene.

"Don't let him get away, men! After them!" June shouts, throwing a paw in Soul and Z's direction.

"Yes ma'am!" the squad responds in unison, causing the ground to shake as they run past Shaina and her friends. June, having stayed behind, sighs heavily, causing her hat to fall to the side yet again.

"They aren't going to catch up to them, are they?" Ace asks, grinning hesitantly.

"I doubt it. Even with the other one on his back, he's still faster than any of my men," June grumbles, pushing her hat back to position. "Are the four of you okay? The reports we got made it clear the Zangoose wasn't a pushover..." she asks, standing attentively as she waits for an answer.

"Well, King..." Ace starts, causing Team Rescue to turn to him out of concern.

"Oh, King! You're faster than anyone on the squad! You wouldn't have any problem cutting the Absol off until my men got there, would you?" June inquires optimistically.

"Actually..." King says, rubbing a forearm uncomfortably. "It's not easy to explain, but that criminal did a number on me. I won't be back to one hundred percent for a while."

"W-What?" June asks, her face turning red before she pulls her hat over her forehead. "Y-you dummy! This is why I told you to let us handle things! Y-you're all right, aren't you?"

King waves his arms exaggeratedly, clearly surprised that he'd upset her so much. "O-of course I'm okay! It'll take much more than the likes of him to overwhelm an ally of justice!"

"Besides..." Shaina says, stepping in. "If he hadn't stepped in to help, I wouldn't be... Well... Alive right now," she continues, shuddering grimly at the thought.

"A-all right then. As long as none of you are hurt, it's my duty as law enforcement to be on my way," June replies, taking a deep breath before pushing her hat back where it belongs. "Just... If you can, wait for us next time. We'll take care of you. You have my word." With that, she salutes to the four of them, then runs past them to catch up with the rest of the force.

The four of them sit in silence for only a moment afterward before Scarlet breaks the silence.

"I think she likes you~," she chuckles, nudging King suggestively.

King's face goes red. "I-It's not like that! She just sees me as an old friend, that's all..."

"Oh, so that's not how you see her, then~?" Scarlet giggles, enjoying playing with him.

King blushes even harder, looking towards Shaina and Ace for help out of the conversation.

"King... I haven't had the chance to properly say it yet, but... Thank you for saving me," Shaina tells him, her attention fixed on the ground in front of her. "And... Everyone... Thank you for fighting for me. He-he was only after me. You all could have just left me to die. But... You stayed and protected me... And because of that, King-..." she says, her voice breaking a bit towards the end.

Shaina feels a paw rest on her shoulder, looking up to see its owner in front of her, Ace. "Shaina, we're a team. Threatening one of us is the same as threatening all of us. Attacking one of us means facing the rest of us. If anything happens, we accept the consequences as a group. Those are what make our bonds so strong... And that's why we make an excellent Rescue Team," he finishes, grinning confidently.

King nods in agreement, smirking himself. "Don't worry yourself! My resolve is strong- it won't take long for me to get my powers back," he says, making a show of punching at the empty air.

Shaina's expression turns to one of happiness, her guilt lifted completely away. "Y-You're right. You both are. Thank you," she says, smiling fully. "Does that mean you're joining the team then, King?"

King blinks silently, caught off guard.

Ace's face lights up with enthusiasm. "Come on, King! We make an awesome team!"

"I.. I'm not sure... It's just so sudden..." King replies, scratching the back of his head.

"If you need to get your powers back, the best place to do it would be a Rescue Team~," Scarlet says.

"Th-that may be true, but... As a guardian of justice, I have my responsibilities..."

"What responsibilities could possibly come above saving people's lives?" Shaina asks nonchalantly.

King stands completely still for a moment, a blank expression on his face and his eyes closed.

"Oh... King, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about what I was asking, I-"

King's eyes suddenly snap open, showing the fire in them. "No, you're right! There is no better way of serving justice than a Rescue Team! Consider the offer accepted!" he shouts, thrusting a paw forward.

"Hurray~!"

"Awesome!"

"Welcome to the team, brother," Ace says, a goofy smile on his face as he holds a paw out to King.

"No, thank you for the opportunity," King replies, an identical expression on his face as he bumps his paw against Ace's. "I have to admit, I hate to see the green cape go though..." he says, tugging on it a bit as he realizes it'll need to be replaced with a yellow counterpart.

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out. That thing's been with you since we were kids, after all," Ace chuckles. "Now then, how about we get back to my place and celebrate a bit? My treat!"

"Not so fast!" Scarlet says, drawing concerned looks from the other three as she grins. "We still have one more place to get to~..."

• 30 minutes later, elsewhere -

The cryptic grotto is lit dimly with torches, very little visible past the entrance. Soul steps into the room towards a large flight of steps, kneeling at the bottom of them. "Master, I've done as you asked. Z is recovering in the infirmary as we speak."

...

"Yes, Master. I'm sorry to say Z failed his mission. The Shinx and her friends are still alive."

...

"Master, with all due respect, I could have finished them all off myself. They were still weak from the fight with Z, and had you not requested I abstain from interfering-"

...

"N-no Master. I don't wish to question you. Your word is my command."

...

"I'll deliver the orders right away, Master. Excuse my arrogance."

Souls stands from his position and turns around, hesitating slightly before going out the way he came.

• At the same time, in Ace's house -

"S-Scarlet... A-Are you s-s-serious?" Ace asks, looking extremely pale.

"Of course I am~! I told you already, it's yours! Just make sure it goes towards all of us, all right~?" Scarlet replies, winking cutely.

"Wh-where do you even come up with this kind of money?..." Ace asks while staring into Scarlet's bag, the not-very-small pouch filled to the brim with Poke Dollar bills.

"How troubling... What do you think, Shaina?" King asks, holding a green and yellow cape side by side. "The green cape has been a part of me as long as I can remember, but I want to represent our team properly with the yellow one..." he says, sounding much too distressed over such a simple matter.

Shaina looks at the two different capes, taking no time at all to decide. "Why not wear both? The yellow cape is a bit smaller, so it should fit perfectly over the green one."

King puts the two capes together, finding what she suggested to be true. "Magnificent! Shaina, you're truly a saint!" he declares, dropping them both to shake her forepaws up and down.

Shaina laughs happily, knowing it isn't as big a deal as King is making it. She looks over to Ace and Scarlet, relieved to see the two of them getting along, as well as the Rescue Team's financial problems finally being taken care of.

<Everything's really coming together, isn't it? It's only taken a few days, but... I already have an awesome group of friends... A team that cares about me just as much as I do them... And a purpose. One I don't plan on taking lightly. Pretty soon, people are going to be depending on us. People that need our help. And I- no, we- won't let them down. That's a promise.>

"Hey, Shaina! Let's get something to eat! We're all starving!" Ace calls out, Scarlet and King already beside him and ready to go.

Shaina takes a deep breath, gleaming as she realizes how fortunate she is to have everything she does. "Yeah, let's go!"

• Midnight, in the Spring Forest -

"Hey, wake up. It's important."

A familiar Mightyena jumps to her feet out of the makeshift bed, baring her teeth and claws defensively before noticing who it is. "S-Soul? What are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?"

"Sorry to bother you this late, but the situation's changed, Crystal. The Master has a new set of orders for you. You need to make preparations right away."

"What is it this time?" Crystal asks uneasily, watching Rover as he sleeps.

"The Master is expecting another anomaly. You know, like the one that brought the Shinx here. Except this time we have an opportunity to intercept it, and The Master wants you to do it," Soul says.

"Easy enough. What do I do once I get there?" Crystal asks.

"Simple- whatever turns up there... Kill it."