FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

**Luna and Thief

The Orange Isle's Chapter Eighteen: A Heart Song**

"Well, no, you didn't… The only time you've got it wrong is when you give up in figuring out your mistakes. There's no reason to get upset for trying"

Iron-laden copper. It's what drenched the still cold air between them; A frigid contrast of silvery veil cut through the hurricane of dauntless white snow. Glimmer, shine. Clenched tight, and the glove cut through and through. Patter, Spittle. Every little drop left the snow a splotchy brown-zinc. Fire, the heat shot through every line of frosted fabric – steam pulled from the fibers around his arm. Flame licked and left the scent of burning plastic. The smell of burning plastic, that sight of steam from frosted cloth. Wrapped up in a bundle of smores and hotdogs sounded better to him than that. Pitter Patter. Her eyes dilated wide. Bright. Red… and exhausted. A sound unlike that of bone-cracking stilled the frigid air for all of them. Griffin's glove felt warm, abnormally warm or hot in the cold weather. A tight-lipped grimace crossed his face, A leg dug in from the forward momentum – a breathless blow to the side left him keeled over. Griffin, half-dazed – concussed and undergoing some temperature flash found a severed log or thick branch in the moments he riskily dove in between himself…

And Granbull.

The barely conscious Canine had tried to replace the bite, which would've ripped down Griffin's arm to the bone with their own torso. The blood that splattered against the snow came from the branch, he held onto to hold the makeshift shield of a log upward. Griffin wavered, panted, and spit – the strange robotic thing growled back at him. Flames sparkled around the hard, dried out and frigid-cold stump in its sharp steel teeth. It blocked one threat at what felt like a staggering cost. Griffin clenched his jaw reflexively.

We need to run, but we can't outrun a machine. If that thing can operate in the snow, clearly it can – even getting close to it feels hot. Like a wave of heat. Griffin coughed and drearily panted, the plume of his breath flooded past his lips. I put them here. It left his legs to stagger.

Of course, the only damn trainer something like this would happen to. I put them here, all because of what? That I could do something? That I have some purpose when the truth is that I don't? Griffin felt the sting sharply run down his palm. This short idea of a proper camping trip came to his head. Like a little family gathering. That's what I'm thinking of? I feel like I can't breathe.

Isn't it just…

The flood of speckled black static edged along the upper sections of his vision, a dry, painful swallow rang down his throat, his neck and face painfully intense.

Even the minor heart palpation left him weary and cold - his breathing became more like exasperated groans or whines. The adrenaline only tapered off so much of the pain after all.

Something else hit him along the arm – the impact could've been enough to crack something. His vision blurred, teary, and frosted. A glaze of soft hail peppered his cheeks while that mechanical beast of a mesh and steel-ribbed plate Houndoom gave an eerie guttural sound. Griffin recoiled and held his wrist as though he attempted to feebly lock it stiff. Bile dared to drown him, his legs long filled with lead, but those legs were still his own. What kind of hell is it when the whole world is driven, but you barely know where to go?

Isn't it hell when you don't even know the right questions to ask?

Griffin held his palm, the blood trickled down it – dabbled against Granbulls fur. The sight of it left, his eyes dilated with sounds of confusion around them. Judging by his appearance, he was frostbitten too. Pitter, Patter. Footsteps. The soft sound of snow flattening under the pressure of a quadruple of paws. This all too corny feeling left Griffin to dryly laugh.

"If it was that simple." He found himself staggered and muttered to nothing.

Snow… Pitter… Patter.

Griffin blinked more, coughing as he struggled to listen. An off-key Abra. It left Griffin to narrow his eyes while a weak taste singed the back of his throat. The shape shot by that silvery beast of strange smokey-black mesh and flame – the guttural sputters of heat crackled and smoldered the branch which once trapped its sharp teeth.

Footfalls surrounded them.

The patter left Griffin to cough and glare at the ground. Gentle mounds of snow and soft hail strung around like tassels for endless miles within that frigid landscape. Even in a forest with sticks all around, there hadn't been other logs like the one he found earlier. His blurry view left him to bite down on his lip. I'd like to forget about the questions, but that's just… ignorant. He exhaled softly. Logan was right about a few things. Being with Pokemon, I can only hate them because I know what it feels like. I hate them because I know it's all they'll ever be. So why the hell am I out here for a fucking dog? Griffin wearily bit his lip. Because of that… It's not going to change anything.

_ It's a promise I can't keep. _

Griffin huffed, his shoulder sagged as the foray of footfalls crossed around and past them. Griffin grit his teeth, his hand still clenched around his forearm. Griffin felt his shoulders sag back, his legs a quivered mess as he found a fight just to stay standing. Any other injury told him to stay down. Whatever Logan found in them, whatever made him change. I think that's what I've been desperately trying to learn, but I don't know the questions to ask. So if anything.

The earth below his feet shifted and left Griffin in a wary stupor. That Robot made a move as Granbull charged a warily sparked psychic attack. Griffin coughed, the frost dug and clawed into his lungs. The silvery muzzle lowered, reflected the blaze of orange-red… white.

"… .. .. … … …. ……? Griffy? . …. .. …. …. Logan …!"

Still images.

Photographs.

Just a frame collecting dust on a dresser.

His breath drew in the frosted air and before he knew anything. The snow and wind around him erupted with the strong scent of copper and iron. It whipped by again, and again.

Footfalls. Distorted footfalls jostled around hazy black smoke. Griffin's vision blurred out, his breath was erratic. Another strange key tediously danced and hung stale. A peculiar sound, Griffin found that the weight he could put on one of his arms felt off. It took him a minute to realize he had been grounded.

When did anything hit him? The question ran through Griffin's head, breathless – the scent of blood lingered around him. I can't move.

I can't… my heart is racing on its own. Griffin's gloves dug against the snow below him, through the lung burning coughs – Griffin couldn't tell if he coughed up anything. Something pushed against him. Griffin wearily caught onto the silhouettes. Whatever pushed against him, shoved him further into the snow and left his whole world a faded mess of black outlines, was unbearably heavy. The strange feeling of flesh being torn, the coughing – saliva. Thrashes not unlike an ill-ridden kick. My stomach and arm feel warm…? It's strangely warm.

I feel exhausted. I think… I think it's okay if I sleep for a minute.

I can sleep for a minute.

"… .. .. … … …. ……? Griffy? . …. .. …. …. Logan …!"

Air. Griffin found a whine shrieked air when he finally came to. His breath weakly forced down his lungs. The voice simply hung around, like a gentle aura of gold red. Griffin pushed to his legs, finding that he could move. Staggering over to the collection of silhouettes in the distance – the log from before rested against the snow. Griffin could see four shapes, and like a whirlwind of sound, the footfalls that jolted through the snow-blanketed air had surrounded them too.

"Bandit?" Griffin couldn't tell if it was his head playing tricks on him, or if he called out her name, he only stumbled across the snow – the scent of copper still flooded his nose. All he could do was step into the commotion of fire, smoke, and Psychic. A row of plentiful snowy tassels pressed across his puffy jacket, that's when the cold truly hit him. Griffins abdomen. The frosty air clutched his bare skin. A boiling point of warmth touched around his gut, the flickers felt more like overpowered stars.

Flashbangs? Or Fireworks in the dead of night? Griffin hadn't any clue, The footfalls around them. The snow and the sight of fireworks in his own head. Griffin clenched his jaw at the fiery veil of orange and sleek silver plate and chain.

This time, when he had an opening, Griffin crammed the log down its fake throat as roughly as he could muster. A strained screeched gear left his hearing deafened, and the silhouettes slowly appeared around them. Disorientated. Injured. Bled. Panted. This sting drove against his knuckles, palm… the stomach was a weird one until Griffin's eyes brightened.

It wasn't his blood, Griffin focused around in his tizzy. Ears… It was the first thing he saw. Footfalls and finally, the sound of real snarls shred through the cold air. A roar appeared to contend with the wind.

A Pyroar? Griffin tried to focus on the shape. No… what is that? I haven't seen it before.

Sparks and lightning cut down the wind. Lightning? Griffin kept his eyes covered…

Two stunning whips slammed against his stomach, the numb slap burned across his clothes. Griffin's eyes stayed bright. "Bandit? Thief?"

A familiar whine fluttered past him, the Growlithe came limping to him.

Limping. Bleeding. Whining. Griffin felt his stomach drop.

I can't see well, I can't hear well. Can Thief move? Griffin shook his head, the scent of burning cloth touched his nose. Griffin drew in air sharply while a patter of pawprints yipped or screeched nearby. He went to move and realized that his whole body felt stunned.

Paralysis!? Griffin sharply swallowed. I think that it was Luna that made that sound. We need to find a way out of here. With a scoff, the difficulty to breathe… Griffin took off the partially wet balaclava and goggles.

His world got remotely brighter, but the wind still stuck and clawed at his cheeks regardless. The off-key tone pinged him

I heard that much earlier too, what is that thing? One of those messed up Abra's? Griffin forced cold air down, anything to make him feel less breathless. The whimper left him to look down. Griffin found himself picking up the Growlithe on reflex. "We're all getting out of here, Luna's running around with intent. She knows something we don't. You’re okay."

Luna:

It's what you said, Thief. "Why can't we just paint ourselves like them and walk out!?" It's Ditto. Their plan was to use Ditto or a collection of them. But why would the Ditto be here, and why would they care for Bandit? She found herself panting heavily, her jaws clenched firmly. She yelled and yipped and roared at any footfall she heard. Luna rallied the ones that broke out with them. Someone or something began snapping locks, and they went out the way Griffin went out. "We do one big teleport. If they're all the off-key Abra's – then if they all use it, they can get us all home." That's the plan, me, but Ditto isn't Abra; they can only teleport to places they know. Luna felt the snow below her feet shift, her jaw clenched. I'm bringing whoever I can back. Luna already felt her voice getting hoarse when lightning struck around the edges of the forest. Luna felt the shock run under her paw pads and with her snout ahead of her eyes – that strange Canine slammed thunder across the forest edges. The sharp spears slammed across the forest hedges sporadically.

"I'll lend a paw!" A voice roared out. "Get to your trainer! You're too exhausted to keep going. Anyways, everyone catches on quick!" Luna hesitantly nodded, bit her lip, and narrowly ducked against the snow.

I've exhausted plumes for the last few hours. I'm entirely out of moves. "Thief! They're going to rally everyone! I need your help to get Seo!”

"R – Right!" Thief whined out, "What about Bandit?”

"She’s out here! Granbull’s with Seo! We need to get everyone home!” Thief subtly nodded his head and writhed out of Griffin's grasp. The human panted, seeing his face left Luna in a shudder.

But what do I see that tells me he’s putting his heart into it? It doesn’t look pretty. Luna dug her feet into the snow and moved, darted to the small snowy den Thief made. Every shock of wind cut by her cheeks. I’m putting mine into it.

I want to put mine into it because I can see you trying to.

The shadowed form on the low horizon, Luna could spot it right away. “Granbull! We’re all getting out of here! Please help us carry Seo!” Granbull softly chimed, sniffled, and coughed.

The darn robot stepped on them both. Luna shook her teary head_. You idiot Griffin, I thought you died – don’t scare me like that. I get why Moonlight never wants you in the way._

“Thief!” Luna unexpectedly whined out, “Are you able to support her weight?”

“I’ll need Granbulls help…” Thief whimpered out. “I’m confused, I’m so confused.” He began to mutter out aimlessly.

“Focus on Seo, okay? You can help Seo.” Thief went partway full and narrowed his gaze.

“R – right.” Thief went to tug the Absol, she still looked unconscious – but Luna could see Seo’s chest rise and fall. “Watch her hind leg… please… I did what I could. Just don’t hurt her.”

“Of course,” Granbull said. “If I take here.” Thief softly bit down on her arm.

“I’ll try and drag her out of the den, Griffin can help from there.” Luna nodded, gingerly bit down on anything she could find to support Seo and carried her out. Luna’s spine chilled, a voice touched the wind. Luna dropped Seo there and then only to stagger through the buffeting snowstorm around them. “Bandit!” Luna roared out, her voice had been a crackled mess to a cough. She cleared it, spat, and yelled out the name as loudly as she could. Luna could hear her.

Like a sound caught in a cobweb of toxicity. The burn shot down her legs in a paralytic way, but Luna planted and slid against the cushion of bright white and red-orange snow.

Tackle it; just tackle it!

“Luna!” A voice cracked out as she pushed in for a quick attack, her body weight slammed against the mechanical beast's jawline.

Its flesh is like steel fabric. Luna’s paws pushed against its cold polished chest plate, she pushed off and found herself tumbling against the snow, breathless.

“Bandit!” She scoffed

“I’m…” She replied roughly. “I’m sorry.”

“Ba” Luna felt herself go quiet when the shadow peered at her from the storm.

“I never wanted anyone to hurt you both. I was just terrified.”

Luna swallowed sharply, confused until she met a gaze with a strange silhouette. Eventually, she realized that a Swellow had stared back at her.

“Scared? You… you won’t find her in the crowd. She’s scared.” The Swellow mentioned back to Bandit.

“What? She’s still in there?”

“She… She’ll never leave now. You… you did that. Scared…?” The Swellow bit down her rage. “You taunted… and it got her killed. What? Because you were terrified? She’s dead.” Bandit shuddered, her eyes glossy. “What? Did you want to call a bluff? I begged you. I begged you endlessly, and you let her die.” Luna bit down on her lip.

I don’t know anything about what they’ve been through. That doesn’t sound fair. Luna’s fur riled. They won’t stop whatever they’re doing because they’re not us. “This isn’t the time! Big! Freaking! Robot!” Luna snarled, “Either help or don’t, but this thing is…” Luna blinked. It’s attacking the Abra, not us. “It’s attacking the Ditto!”

“What?” Bandit swallowed dryly.

“It seems odd, but I don’t think it’s a dumb robot,” Luna said. “It feels weird, the way it moves.”

“Griffin broke a part of the jaw with the second stump he shoved in it.” Bandit mentioned breathlessly. “The thing stepped on me… finally…” Luna bit down on her lip.

It’s like Kommo-o but in a smaller fiery package. Great. “We need to get rid of that thing.”

“How? It’s a big heavy robot! My wings can barely dent the thing, it’s why I hide during training.”

“It’s real… a real bitch to break.” Bandit panted back. “And it really… hurts.”

“Bandit?” Luna swallowed feebly in reply.

“I’m fine, it’s just hard to breathe. It’s hard to breathe – you’re all insane coming here.”

“I don’t give a Fox’s tail, take all mine…. You’re okay. Call me what you want.” Luna muttered back and coughed. “We need anything. I can’t spark up.”

“Can Thief?”

“I – I think so.” Luna muttered out “I-”

“I can’t.” Bandit mentioned back, and it left Luna’s shoulders to sag. “What the hell are we going to do about the Simulant?” The Swellow chirped after a while.

“It can’t be out in the cold…” Luna huffed her nose and began with…

“It’s too hot for ME to get close to.” She commented back with a dry cough. “It’s ignoring us and going for the Ditto – why and how…?” Luna felt the urge to spit again, her lungs and chest had been beyond the point of exhaustion.

“It’s always been smart…” Luna pouted in return

“Can humans control it?” Luna began to say, “L – Like an Aeroplane?” Bandit shrugged her shoulders.

“I’d have no clue… It would explain a little about it. It’s not smart all the time, remember… Sw-”

“Of course I do. If it’s smart like that, then it needs eyes to see.”

“So, break the eyes,” Luna replied while Bandit huffed

“If it even uses eyes, there’s no telling what it uses. All I know is that it’s too serious for us to handle right now.”

“We need to figure out something then, or our way out is screwed.”

“Was it your way here?”

“I think so…” Luna muttered back. “Things got really confusing when the air started cracking and whizzing. All I know is Granbull took me and ran… Zoruark did too. We made it to Mikan, in fact, we were almost in town when it happened. I think Kirlia helped us.”

“What attacked you?”

“Gallade… A Gallade, two of them, I think. I could smell a human and gunpowder, but… I never saw a human. It was all a blur, and the noises weren’t as loud as I remember them.” Luna shook her head, the exhaust of flame erupted the dark frosty world around them. “What do we do? We can’t stop the thing.”

“I don’t know.” Luna saw a silhouette move.

“What is that moron doing!?”

“Griffin!?”

Luna’s heart sank when he ran out into the open, Absol off of his back – Thief nowhere to be seen. Granbull and Thief must’ve stayed behind, but Griffin, Griffin, wanted its attention.

He went as far as to ram the massive set boot against the Simulants head.

It knocked Griffin back from the force of his own leg alone. The Robot had been entirely unfazed.

It weighed much more then Griffin did, easily twice, if not three times more. The Faux-Houndoom sputtered flames, the strange scent of flammable oil or fluid touched Luna’s snout. She didn’t know what it had been, but she sure as hell hadn’t liked it.

Plastic, that odd after-scent of burnt plastic hung in the air.

“Has the fire hit anyone?” Luna yelped out. “It smells sticky and weird to me, I think the fire will spread if you roll around!”

“It’s going to hit Griffin if you don’t move!” Bandit called out and staggered against the snow. “My legs don’t want to move… they’ve been suspended for…” She partially retched.

I’ve hardly ever seen her pant before, but she’s retching like I do when I go too far. Her feet tossed up the snow while Luna scampered up to Griffin; the Simulant focused on her also. It replied with this guttural cog-like screech that vibrated the air around her. The thing intimidated her right off the bat.

Its face had a sleek emotionless detail – polished steel. The muzzle had been the basic shape of a Houndooms, showing a strangely rib-plated boxy snout. Wherever there had been joints, meshlike chainmail covered them like an arming doublet which hid cogs and gears… the eyes appeared a gloss of translucent glass shone red. A camera? It left Luna sharp-eyed. Its weight is centered like a Houndoom’s would be, but the tail is much thicker to counter-balance it. I’ve never seen a tail move that dynamically without it being real. Luna coughed; the desire to plume and expire touched her throat. I can barely even regulate my own body temperature. Her coughing grew worse. “Griffin! You Muk.”

“Luna! Use the lake! The frozen lake!” He roared out, panted strangely. “Melt the snow and create a sheet of ice! We’ll force it over and under!” Luna plumed smoke and snarled out in reply. It made him grit his teeth as he stared around.

It’s a great idea, but dumbass; I can’t use FIRE. She clenched her jaw and pushed her shoulders low into the snow. It’s an excellent idea, but that thing weighs a lot. It’ll grip into the ground under the snow before the ice could settle, even with a Pokemon... Luna blinked. “Bandit! The tail! The tail helps center it somehow! We need to jam it!”

“How do you know? Anyways, then what!?”

“Griffin’s plan! We need Thief!” The bellow of snowy claws whipped by Luna’s snout, her head barely reeled back from the pressure of wind that crossed her eyes. It left them dilated.

I can see the swing. Luna softly realized as her heart slowed, her eyes focused – and she forced air deep into her gut. Like quicksilver. It’s like a thin wire of claws. “It moves strangely! The tail isn’t acting like mine would! With minds of their own,” Luna snarled, but the machine barely made a sound aside from a jet ignition. “That tail helps move the hips! It grinds loudly!”

“Luna, if ANYTHING of yours has a mind anything CLOSE to your own, we’re all in trouble.” The Vulpix found a wry chuckle crossing her snarled teeth.

“I thought the same thing about a certain someone with you back there.” She snorted softly with the intention of met joy, concerned about what to say. The whole thing made her ill, her naivety wanted to show – wanted to deny anything about that cursed place. The claws whipped by her not different then a treasure laded Wyrvns talons. The slight shimmer of silver in a flurry of black-white snow. There hadn’t been much of a time window to react to it.

Don’t attack it. It crossed Luna’s thoughts while her body hopped back. The strain and aches across her sides – her paw. It left her happy that she weighed next to none, or the snow may have grasped and clutched her down. “I need to lead it, as close as I can to the water. Judging by Griffin’s reaction to the weight and the terrain, I think we can slide it onto the lake top! Fire may not work…” Luna jolted back again

“Tackle it!?” Bandit snapped out while something cracked in the air. “Then, we go all in.” The Mightyena warily raised her head higher and pushed herself into a stance. Luna looked for a sure opening, and with a rapid-quick swipe of claws – she shot inward.

Dodge, avoid jumping! It catches me midair, I’m dead. Luna felt her paws graze against the snow – a patter or drum beat. The air went from cold to a boiling scald. The heat tore down her back – Luna exhaled a plume of sickly smoke as she swung underneath the mechanical creature.

It appeared to jolt back, the hefty sound of hissed air and cogs ripped against her net. The snow below her felt slick just nearby it’s forepaws.

Forepaws? Those had been missing.

“JUMP!” Bandit’s snapped voice cracked Luna’s lower hips to launch herself. The strangely large, intensely hot Houndoom whipped it’s tail around.

The whole thing had, and would’ve felt, like a hundred or so pound whip to the ribs. Luna was thankful that she cleared the jump, regardless of her landing after. Rustles followed around her.

“Gr-“ The massive clunk left Luna quiet and shocked. Griffin had whipped a stone against the strange glassy face, the Simulant pointlessly turned its metallic snout at them.

“Not a scratch…” It now faced their way, Luna clenched her jaw and tried up her stance. Her hind legs quivered in protest.

I’m already exhausted. I don’t know if anyone else from that place knows about the Robot yet. Luna felt her back sting and tremble. I think that’s from the wall back then. A wince forced its way across her snarled face while her hind legs parted and dug in. I have… She swallowed and growled lowly. I don’t have any opening, it’s overpowered. The metallic beast opened its jawline, it left Luna’s eyes shrunk while flames whipped past her body and snout. Her fur barely jostled from the scalded wind, which leg Griffin to cover his face and skin with fabric.

Nearly one hundred degrees celsius, the heat right now would slowly kill Griffin. But the temperature is increasing, the snow is melting apart at its feet. Luna clenched her jaw and sucked in air, even if there wasn’t any point to. It felt like a small soothing thing.

Bandit tackled against the bot with a wince and a yelp, the Houndoom’s paws barely inched against the ground. They needed more weight. A spew of flames sputtered from the Houndoom’s muzzle.

“Protect! Luna!!” A voice unexpectedly jolted down her hips, her paws slammed down as this something dug and stung against the back of her scalp. The headache tugged at the end of her scalp. A flurry of soundless flame shattered and dipped a translucent-pearl barrier. It stung more than she realized while her eyes widened. The dip slowly bent in like a finger to a contact lens. The strain on her joints left her breathless, in every contrast; it felt like she had weighed a hundred pounds soaked to the bone, and someone the size of a professional sports player tackled her. Luna felt something pop, her hip, or her back.

Everything looked blurry. Air. She needed air, the collapse of flame tightened like the head of torchlight in the hands of a trades worker.

Thin, Tight… and angled like a spearhead.

The flurry broke through.

Griffin:

This impact felt a little more proper, the branch he had tripped over earlier had been in his hands now. It had enough length and width to run down the length of his arm. A straighter edge dispersed the force over it. His leg dug in while he pushed, both and hand against the forearm, which held the branch. Luna’s protect had flicked and flared. It appeared not unlike pink-black ribbons, the way the flames slowly ate away at her barrier. Griffin felt the steam and heat scald down his spine. His ears felt deaf, but he yelled.

He knew he roared as loudly as his lungs would let him while he feebly, desperately forced the metallic head to tilt. Even with a scald of heat that tried to claw at his cheeks, Griffin dug into the snow – legs planted and the log dividing him from the clearly unbearable steel which surrounded the Simulant.

Griffin focused all his weight against the side of its face.

The shrill roar of a blue-white pyre shattered against the snow flurries between them, Griffin felt the heat against his thighs and stared at the disc around Luna’s dilated and solid gazed face.

Her Targe hadn’t felt like the kind that braced against the forearm and palm.

Griffin could see that she rotated protect to skim the move past her. Griffin barely got her the opening.

She’s beyond exhausted. Griffin dug his feet in, the machine ground and whirred – the sputter of something similar to a turbine winded in his ears. It sounds like some half busted heating coil. I don’t understand why the snow doesn’t damage the insides. The pressure dug against him, Griffin felt the weight change, it made him step back. I can’t slip under it, and I’m the one at the wrong angle. Its sheer weight had been unbelievable. Throwing out numbers, considering how the plates of metal that made up its legs, chest, and belly, back, head, and tail had been Titanium…

Griffin assumed it weighed just under one thousand pounds. An oddly muscular mesh of chainlink and Kevlar moved to greet him, the whole thing appeared like a Knight plated exoskeleton.

Griffin snapped the stump as hard as he could against the opaque glass face. Flames licked out of its muzzle while Griffin moved left, partially skidded around it. The gears and cogs rotated his way.

I can hear it move, it’s like a tank. “Luna! It can’t turn well!” Griffin called out. “Not with all feet planted!” Flames shot for his nose, the blaze of reddish-orange left Griffin on his back.

He hit the deck as fast as he could. I need to confuse it, throw it off balance. The flames sputtered at the end, it left Griffin sharp as he scrambled to his feet. “It’s low on fuel!” A noise ripped through the snow.

A Yeen. Griffin felt the hairs on his back stick out while the silhouette began to tread along the snow back. The Robot took a posture, and like a spring-loaded trap, it shot out a rapid swing with its tail.

Griffin barely had the moment to get the board up.

He jumped with the blow, both unwillingly and instinctually.

In his head, while the thick, solid board chipped, Griffin felt like the over-weight tail would snap his forearms in two.

But being thrown, that felt like a better alternative, even if the landing robbed him of air. Griffin felt himself coughing, the scent of burnt plastic touched his nose.

He caught fire? His legs sprawled out in a kick. The puffy winter jacket caught fire, and Griffin found himself fighting with the zipper until it gave way.

He threw it off… and felt his eyes sink.

_The snow is… is on fire. That… that scent isn’t the jacket – they mixed Styrofoam…

It’s a homebrewed napalm._ Griffin felt a shudder run through him, pockets of flame littered the ground like residual fire-blasts. That’s what didn’t make sense to him.

Napalm raked the earth down a few feet. It burned and spread everywhere, it’s what he learned of it. This gunk had spewed out in small pockets like malformed goo. Griffin hadn’t a clue if closing distance or leaving distance made ANY difference. Something has to be wrong with it, a flamethrower, whether by a Pokemon or Human isn’t much different. This thing is more like an incendiary goo shooter.

If something is wrong with the fuel… can I jam the muzzle and cause it to ignite itself if we can’t force it to the lake? The muzzle opened again and showed the ghastly blue light of a Bunsen burner; the force of the hot wind pushed at him, Griffin bolted to the right. Its muzzle tracked him… even with the oddly angled terrain of the ditch, a spray of sickly blood across the snow bank – Griffin had space. A significant amount of it too, considering how hopping the bank he could do one-legged. His suspicion was correct. As long as whatever hydraulics or other mechanical nonsense hadn’t actively done something, it became a slow, burdened thing. Griffin stumbled.

Not now. Damn my head. The world felt bright and hazy. The pain shot down his scalp and lower neck. It dared to be paralytic while that yip, Yeen roared louder then the machine could grind. It caught the Robot’s attention as footfalls shot and kicked up snow. A sputter or spray of purple viscous fluid slammed against the Robot's visor. Toxic.

“Bandit!” Griffin roared out, “Use Toxic at its feet! Make it slippery!” Luna’s eyes shot open. Griffin half wondered if the word ‘lubricant’ came to her head. Griffin felt a tightness grip his chest as the wind pulled around him, the scalding temperature dared to peel way the padded underlayer he wore.

Fine. I don’t give a damn, I’ll be a trainer without motivation. Screw questions. Griffin grit his teeth, the pain in his forearms left him with the desire to bite down on anything. He spat, panting heavily.

I see her. Why would I question that?

It took Griffin a moment to realize that his eyes stung, the blink left him to understand heat had gone down his cheeks. Breathe. Trevor always told me to breathe. Use your abs if you have to. The chilly air tugged down his stomach while the residual stab against his scalp reminded him to stay out of it. Griffin clicked his jaw while the spew of poison rocked underneath the mechanical Houndooms feet. The tail, that square robotic thing counterweighted the shift in terrain. Griffin went around to the other side of it and dangerously took hold of his smoldering jacket. He gripped whatever ends were the longest and ran in for the tail.

Loop it. The light sound of grinding and tearing rang through the air, where the segmented tail and jacket met. Griffin caught the fabric around the furthest rung from the beast’s hindquarters as he could and yanked the other way.

Griffin tried to use leverage and the most robust fabric he had, wasted as it was, to try and hold the counterweight. The grind of gears and metal on metal screeched back from the added weight. Yeah, you’re intimidating, but the flaws are easily pointed out by anyone. One look is all it takes. Griffin stiffened his shoulders and yanked more. Solid ground, he tried to anchor himself against the sandbank. Snow-covered his shoulders – the sweat uncomfortably trickled down his neck. If I hold a part of you that can only sustain so much weight, then that’s what it takes. Griffin tightened his grip. The fire hasn’t gotten close to my hands yet, but this jacket won’t hold. “Bandit! Tackle! Takedown! Put everything you got into it!” Griffin roared as loudly as his lungs would let him, even if it felt like it cracked – he knew he was coherent enough. Griffin grit his teeth as the fabric continued to rip and tear – the grinding continued.

Flames sputtered out and around him, the gloves he wore on – his hands sweat profusely. His shoulder dug in. It made him bite his lip. Screw you, it’s an old injury. Griffin dug his teeth in, unaware that he bit into it. He yanked harder, his back into it.

There had been a few benefits to carrying a heavy as sin bag. Especially when it was packed properly. The grinding got louder.

I can’t tell if the smoke is from the machine or the jacket. Griffin coughed and held the two ends of the snowy camo jacket together.

The fire had been burning through, the shred tore the halves into tassels. The machine whipped that heavy set tail from Griffin’s left to the right like a slingshot.

The counterweight overshot it’s mark and left the metallic, scalded beast off-centered.

The first thing that tackled into it had been a Pokemon Griffin had never seen before. The creatures lower half had a dazzle of black fur, etched with the marking of gold, which slowly changed to white. The eyes had a gentle amber-sap, dilated. Calm. Focused.

The two solid gold paws on their hind legs caught Griffin’s attention.

The pattern looks. Are they all unique? The second set had been two pairs of mud-black. Bandit led the second tackle.

The machine actually began to give. The ground had become too treacherous; the vicious toxic which aimlessly rest around and beneath its paws let it slide down the riverside. The strange Pokemon followed up with another charged blow. Electricity crackled against the snowy air. Every shock and wave underneath his feet left Griffin dazed… before he reached down and grabbed the most massive thing he could carry.

The largest bolder

He threw it down with the Robot. The clear miss left it to slam against the pond – cracked the surface behind the Simulant. Its jaws crackled open for a follow-up, a shuddering blast of lightning sparked from one side of the embankment to another…

Split-second.

It tackled the Simulant again, with Bandit on the follow-up; Griffin swallowed tediously until a patch of redwood fur passed his face. Luna bolted in too. Griffin moved to the branch he had before and rearmed himself with the reasonably thick stick.

It hasn’t caught fire, but if the stick didn’t hold up earlier, my arms would’ve been broken or severed. Griffin shook his head, and he ran in. Damn these questions too! The spark danced around him, just about sixty or so meters away from the pond. Griffin’s knees stalled.

Bandit’s Bandana? Griffin grabbed it, the thing was hard to miss. The yellow rag looked as though it came undone, the small amount of fabric in his gloved hands… it could cover the visor. Griffin felt his leg twitch, like a spasm. It left him sour, but the moment of hesitation made him realize that there was no way to cut in. Bandit reapplied the toxic bedding around and underneath its legs. The beast fell down further. The angle even became steep as a shriek of steel-cut ice crossed Griffin’s cold ears. The sound left him to wince while that sickly mechanical roar ripped through flurries of white angels. The dance of red-wood, black and white gold dazzled in the darker light. Griffin could see the beast – it’s butane torched muzzle with that ghastly hue. On the horizon overlooking the pond or lake and the treeline further away, that beast looked like a shadow of endless mirrors. A mirage of shapes it should’ve been. The earth shook and cracked when it slammed against the perma-frosted soil. A hiss, the shock, and whirl of that engine kicked in.

The tail thrashed and tagged the stranger diagonally. They reeled back.

“A Fulcrum point.” Griffin had felt the log, and his body, connect against the Simulant full force. He tackled into the off-balance and just sixty pounds short of a thousand beast. Bandit had only weighed one hundred and thirty-eight pounds at just five and a half feet. Griffin weighed two hundred and ten at six. With Bandit wide open, and the bot ready to recover from a stagger. Griffin tackled in when Bandit did reflexively; unable to retreat...

That added just over a third of the weight of the mechanical beast, with its natural weight leading rearward.

Cracks tore up into the still air as Griffin felt his lungs burn, his cheeks flushed red as his shoulders sagged, and the weight of his arms landed him against the trench side. He watched the mechanical thing hiss, screech, and thrash in the frozen water. The thick rock which cracked the ice was probably the only thing that really helped it fall through it on impact. Griffin felt his heart race and pound against his chest, his arms numb. The snow fell over him; it felt glossy like stars that fell. A patter of paws had bolted to, if not on him. The entire weight simply dropped on his stomach. That was a much too familiar feeling. The coarse, wiry, and rugged fur. It felt like the kind of scruffy mat that retail stores could never sell out of. Yet with the cloth around his arms off, Griffin panted. Fire?

He jumped to his feet. Bandit caught fire.

“Don’t roll, do NOT roll” Griffin yelled right at her. It shocked the Mightyena just as much as it shocked Luna. Griffin got as close to the ice as he could in a hurry and searched for any shard he could. It had to be sharp.

He tested that on his bare palm.

The frosted sting and the light tone of red told him the one he found would work, and like splotchy work from an aspiring hairstylist, Griffin hacked off any part of Bandit’s fur which was touched by the flammable and sticky substance.

I think I got here in time, I believe her pelt protected her skin. She looks okay. Griffin hadn’t realized that he talked out loud or hadn’t cared. It had been her, and aside from utterly exhausted and drained, she physically looked okay. Griffin couldn’t stop coughing; he didn’t know if he was trying to sigh, laugh, cry, or just plain faint. “Let’s get the hell out of here and go home,” Griffin mentioned and rested his paw under her chin. “Let’s all go home… somehow.” Griffin felt his sleeve, her muzzle tugged it, and they followed the way back up the small creek bed. Luna wandered to his right, cautious of the woods and behind her. A tone played through the woods like a poorly tuned animal. An Abra floated around.

Two…

Five. It took Griffin a moment to count them all, each one sung in a pitch different from the other, but none sounded like a normal Abra. The chills ran up Griffin’s spine, his stomach churned while his world felt hazy again. Bright and sensitive in the pitch dark storm around them. The cold had crept its way back, but this time, staggering… A muzzle had been there to guide him. The Abra had flown up to Griffin’s face with a strange emotion on its cheeks. Griffin hadn’t any clue what it meant, but more what it felt like. An odd “Glad you’re okay” vibe ran through his back.

The world enveloped from a frosted white towards a still hot air and a sky without a droplet of rain within it. The bright blue air and the rare plume of white yarn clouds left Griffin shocked; the pain stabbed in his temples, and the inertia left him horrified.

They, or he, had been falling.

Griffin lost his breath and tried to turn, his face just got the notion of water when his eyes shut, and he inhaled. The impact was the last thing he remembered.

“Hey! Hey! He’s alive!! Come on, kid.” Something had slammed against his chest “I saw your Pokemon pull you out. You’re alive. Griffin!” The constant thing thumped against his chest.

I can’t… breathe? Am I breathing? I don’t know… It’s a blur. I was too high up and hit my head again, I think. I can’t move… A silhouette barely blurred over him, a hazy shadow. The constant pounding, something came up from his throat. I smell salt…

“… …” … … …… ….. .. “….. …..!”

Something slammed him harder than a freight train. His eyes had been a constant blur in and out, distant voices ran through his ears; the scenes changed too rapidly for him to keep track of, all he knew was that he was on his back. At least Griffin thought that much, considering how the roof changed on him.

“Co … …. …. …. …..”

A voice - the speaker barely touched his ears and scalp. Above him? The world had crept rapidly into a grey slate world, conversation incoherently spread around him. A constant tone in the background.

Griffin didn’t know how long it took until he caught onto a glimpse of gold-white light. His throat had been parched, and it felt as though his body had been covered in nettle stung burns. Cloth uncomfortably dug or chaffed around his arms.

Bandages…? I’m in a hospital room? Griffin looked around in a quick tizzy, a woman outside wearing a colored outfit Griffin couldn’t catch onto or even decipher went wide-eyed when she saw him. My ears are ringing…? I can’t…? Griffin looked at his arm again; they went stiff, shocked. I’m hooked up to an IV. He had to fight the pit in his stomach, and the urge to remotely touch the cable. A rhythm played in the background before the doors to the room opened. Griffin hadn’t a clue what to feel or think or do when that large uniformed man stepped in.

I spoke to him earlier. He opened his mouth, Griffin half jawed his and swallowed.

“M – my ears are… ringing I – I can’t hear you.” Griffin mentioned back, the man took a look at the nurse. She spoke again, politely, Griffin could tell by the body language. I’m… not in trouble? Or am I? I don’t know. He… Griffin felt something give way in his chest. He’s… unarmed. There’s a vest, but no gun… pepper spray – baton. It’s just his vest. Griffin stared at the symbol on his shoulder. GPPI There’s Latin underneath, I don’t know what it means.

“He’s okay.” Griffin blinked

“Th – the ringing stopped.” He said in return, it made the officer turn. “S – sorry.”

“The doctor will be in to explain what happened.” The nurse commented, “You scared everyone when you came in. I’m glad to see you awake.” Griffin just went quiet.

“I don’t…”

“You’ve had two mild concussions. Take your time.” The Officer had mentioned in return, Griffin had to narrow his eyes at him a little.

I didn’t know they could walk in… no, they’re not legally allowed in the room, right? I don’t know… Griffin swallowed nervously; it felt normal before speaking honestly to the cop. Now that he got the rest of it in his head, it left him uneasy.

“We’re glad you’re okay.”

“I don’t understand h – how…” The Officer sighed

“That’s what we’re all finding out.” He replied, Griffin couldn’t figure his expression, but the door opened again. With that Officer gone, Griffin had the chance to speak to that doctor.

With his first concussion and the amount of fluid he lost, it left him dehydrated. He had only been lucky that the frostbite was ‘superficial.’ Any longer, it would’ve been worse. The consistent fluctuation of temperature that Griffin tried to explain to the doctor let him realize a little more about the situation.

The sudden temperature changes led to temperature flashes, toppled with dehydration, and his overlong peaked heart rate…

When Griffin hit the water near the shoreline of the police station head first. The mild blow and the amount of time with losing fluid left him to seize… and the constant heart rate he had, toppled with the seizure led to a heart spasm.

They had to resuscitate him on the way to the hospital, as the spasm led to a heart attack.

From there, Griffin had been transferred to Kinkan Island.

“Mandarin North? Right?”

“Yes, it’s what the tourist call it.”

“Sorry, I’ve never really been near the islands.”

“Oh. Well, you’ll be here for a little while. We need to look over your condition for a few days. To make matters easy, I’m also the doctor attending to your friends.”

“Are they okay?”

“Like you, it could’ve been much worse, but you got the worst of it. You’re lucky.”

“I don’t think to be lucky means being in and out of a hospital every second week,” Griffin muttered back, but the doctor only gave him a smile and left him be. “Wait… the Officer, does he know what happened to my team?”

“Your friends are already okay?” The doctor said, confused.

“I know that.”

“Your Pokemon are fine.” The Officer mentioned. “They’re at the Pokemon Center nearby, there’s an Officer there too.” Griffin swallowed as the large stranger nodded. “Tazer is quiet friendly with Pokemon of all kinds.” Griffin jolted a little. “And then there’s Mira, that Luxray is quite social too. They’re in good hands. All ten are accounted for. ”

“Everyone is…” The Officer nodded.

“In recovery.” The man simply smiled at him. “They’re all safe and in recovery.”

Griffin didn’t know if he had any words to say, or that he could say.

All of them? That hadn’t been possible. There hadn’t been any feasible way in his mind. It only left him warm when he thought and new that it should’ve been bad news. Even I’m expected to make a full recovery, they don’t even suspect long term issues. Griffin felt his head sting. Although I’d like the confusion, ringing, numbness, and this damn headache to leave. This is why I hate medication. Griffin let out a ragged breath and stared up at the patchwork, tile ceiling. The window next. The weather looks wholly cleared up, that storm is gone. Griffin swallowed. “Is there… there a remote?” He managed to ask a nurse, “I… I just wanted to see about the storm…”

“Oh, there were sightings of Groudon and Kyogre in Hoenn.” Griffin felt his back stiffen. “There were huge evacuation efforts across Slateport to Littleroot.” The tone in the room picked up the pace.

“Any reported missing? When?” The nurse went quiet.

“T – there weren’t any missing lists, the worst hit after the evacuation. A local got on the news, I think.”

“Huh?” Griffin muttered

“A Tradesworker and their Vaporeon helped locate a missing child and their grandparent.” Griffin had to take a few moments, the vague image of a truck around Oldale kicked in. “They also helped out with shelter too.”

“I… think I know them? They drive a blue utility truck with some white logo. In fact, it looks a little like a Vaporeon, color-wise.” Griffin chuckled a little, it left the nurse to give a wry return.

“It sounds like the kind of person who would get on the news for a good reason.” Griffin partially glanced at her and the window, but the nurse hadn’t made any other comment and left Griffin alone in the room. He only stared up at the ceiling, breathed, and let the back of his head touch the pillow behind him.

A few blurry, confusing, and otherwise quiet days passed by. Eventually, Griffin told the police anything and everything he could remember. He left out any detail he could, even lied about Luna killing the man that threatened him and blamed an Abra.

“Look, my Pokeball must’ve connected the moment I brought it outside. The last known location out of place is where I was.”

“That’s along a mountain ridge in Almia, Griffin.”

“And I’m telling you it’s true, there’s an old logging factory – they have a full laboratory down there. There must be someone who can check, there were hundreds of Pokemon there in cages. T – the whole thing was like some twisted breeding and personal training center. There’s also that weird training robot thing too; it’s in the lake – you’d be able to see where the ice froze back over. I guarantee you that thing is down there if you can’t find that laboratory.”

Griffin felt another day fly by him; he stared aimlessly at a plate. The whole morning had consisted of medical checks and even X-Rays. Griffin fiddled with the utensil in front of him.

I’ve never been much for bran… Nothing. They found nothing wrong so far. I put so much stress on myself and couldn’t calm down. Tachycardia keeps getting tossed around, but they haven’t found much, if any proof, to point to it. Griffin gently coughed. How long has it been? I’ll need to have a shower, I think there’s one in the room… maybe? I can’t really remember, I still feel dizzy. “Is there a shower?” he mentioned to a nurse's uniform.

“Yeah, they have you on a Naproxen. There’s one in the ward. I can help you.” The voice had been different from before. Griffin eventually found himself on his feet.

Holy sh… my whole body is numb. I don’t really know if I can actually move my legs. I think it’s because I’ve been sleeping for the last few days…

The shower helped wake him up, even though the pressure hadn’t been adequately differentiated. From time to time, the water shot out as a scalding hot or freezing cold. It woke him and kept him alert. Eventually, Griffin rested on the time, a clock on the wall. It’s four pm? It feels like ten in the morning to me. Griffin swallowed and glanced at a window. The sprawl of endless grey on grey with hints of blue, red, and green splayed out before him. The endless metropolis…

That’s right, I think the Pokemon center is… there. Griffin could see the all too nostalgic building just about ten blocks and three stories down. I don’t know how long I’ve been here for, but aside from the medication that I think is being tapered off now… I believe I might be discharged soon. Griffin swallowed softly. Nothing but injury, intense strain, and dehydration set everything off. I guess Brad is already long gone then if I got the worst of it. What was I supposed to do? Just leave her?

I couldn’t do that.

Griffin bit down on his tongue, glanced around the ward. This isn’t the PACU, I think they only use those for surgery patients, but I was definitely in the ICU when I came in. Griffin dryly coughed. I can figure it out if he even is here. If he also stayed. Griffin felt a line of spite or regret began to dig into his arms.

Why question that? Melody is here too. He wouldn’t just ditch her – they’re friends also. But why would she be here? Bradycardia? It would explain her exhaustion. No… I would’ve seen her too if she had a heart condition. I’m not a FREAKING doctor, I’m just learning half these terms this WEEK. Griffin wanted to claw at his scalp; in fact, it got so irritating that he did.

The same way he always had.

I have no clue; I have no phone, and even if I did, “Oh, hey! Sorry for nearly getting you killed over my fucking dog” doesn’t sound right, and frankly, regardless of what I send in a text – it is going to look just like that. The urge to nip at the crease of a finger wanted to overpower him. He had to settle for pacing, worried he’d tug at the bandages around his fingers and covering his hands. What the hell was I supposed to do? Leave it to the police that barely believes Abra could teleport all of us? She was in freaking Almia. Griffin kept pacing back and forth. Can they figure out Luna killed that guy? Are they going to put her down for it? What about Bandit on association alone? He shook his head. I need to take them and get home as soon as I can. Griffin began to scratch his scalp more. “I don’t have an answer!” Griffin hadn’t realized how loud he had gotten with it, it left the ward quiet for a while, even after he went back to lay down. When he finally got back into street clothes, everything about the check-ups had gone flawlessly, Griffin noticed the Officer little ways out. A friendly wave and Griffin felt his eyes light up a little. It had been the same kind Officer from Saffron.

“I heard you got discharged, I’ll offer you a ride to the center.” He mentioned politely as Griffin warily walked towards him.

“Is there… more questioning after?” The man gave a small chuckle.

“Not quite, more like another step forward.” The police officer mentioned and opened the squad car door. “Please.” Griffin’s shoulders tightened, and with a locked half walk, he got into the back of the vehicle. With the road underneath him, the Officer began again. “I’ve been informed to tell you that a man matching your description is in custody.”

“What?” The Officer nodded.

“In fact, we had him before your description.” Griffin tilted his head, his heart began to beat harder.

D – don’t tell me I fell for some stupid

“It’s strange… strange thing, Officer Jean may fill you in on it. We’re here.” The Officer mentioned and went around to unlock Griffin’s door. It felt alien stepping towards a Pokemon Center from a parking lot, Griffin was worried about his balance when he went up the first few steps.

“Am I ever going to get my bag back? Or my phone… Pokenav…?” The Officer nodded.

“In due time.” He mentioned

That doesn’t fill me up with confidence… ran through Griffin’s head as he stepped inside. The first thing he noticed had been the awe-striking gold, white fur of a Vulpix. An array of bolts ranging from blue, gold, and black-white flickered in between the gaps of the tails. It felt like a midyear laser show. The Pokemon saw him way before he saw it. The bolts of lightning continued to flicker with a soft-tuned hum and sputtered down its golden hair-raised tails. The strange picture of a Pidgy came to Griffin’s otherwise troubled mind.

“Tazer, are you showing off? Go stun your owner.” The Vulpix half tilted its head, made a soft vulpine trill, and went off into the back. It looked like a light switch, how fast its tails went from charged to dead.

They dragged on the ground.

“Is he moody?” Griffin half chuckled.

“Hm? Maybe, he has been cooped up.” The Officer replied. “We were all shocked, there was a search party for the last little while.” He continued to say and trailed off when Jean walked in. Griffin went quiet too.

He looks utterly stiff, judging by his eyes little sleep too.

“Mr. Fletching. Corporal.”

“Luitenent.” The Corporal stiffened, and with Jean’s nod, the Corporal dismissed himself. That Officer had taken out his smaller binder and pen.

“Questions…?” Griffin mentioned back meekly and stared at the back.

“No. It’s an objective I have outstanding.” He replied. “I’m to record unique or interesting interactions about trainers.” Griffin twitched an eye.

“To allow the Pokemon Association to operate in your…” Griffin made a smaller peculiar look.

“It also has other uses.”

“Like what?”

“Personal thoughts.”

He’s writing in his freaking diary? That’s what he’s been doing!? “A…”

“You can walk in, Nurse Joy is expecting you,” Jean replied. “I was simply here to make sure they all were in one place and piece.”

“T – thanks,” Griffin mentioned back nervously and passed by him. I can’t tell if that polite tone is menacing and scary or genuine. It’s impossible to read that guy. Whatever, the faster I get them and get screamed at by the nurse, the quicker we’re all home. Griffin continued to wander down the back room of the Pokemon center, coming up towards the intensive care unit. Griffin stalled by the window. Thief had been out cold with the table underneath him a constant green. There had been no stall or pulse in its effect.

I’ve never seen one set so high. The machines beep rapidly; they don’t… consistently administer Griffin swallowed and went closer to the door. Luna’s computer looked a little more reasonable, she seemed half asleep as she laid on the healing dock. It pulsed rapidly with green lights.

As did Scarf. His Pikachu had been long awake, just curiously propped nearby Moonlight. These strange welts, two of them had grown around his chest and left Griffin to picture that a Beedrill got to him. Then he noticed the orange, amber hue of caution lights. Bandit had been on a glowing orange deck… Absol had been on a beeping red one.

Griffin had his mind flicker back to Fuschia. The decks there was a solid red. The Pokemon inside were dead. Griffin felt the urge to tilt his head, this hadn’t been Fuschia – she had been alive. What the hell do we do now, though? Am I supposed to be in prison? Griffin clenched his jaw and partially caught onto his own reflection. The glass divided Bandit and Absol away from everyone else. Absol’s leg looks scarred over by burn marks. There is this gross line running across her side and leg. It seems like a… a whip or a sickle cut her flank. I also can’t tell the last time Bandit ate or drank anything.

It’s been over two weeks. At this rate… I might be late walking into Hoenn too.

Griffin let out the breath he had been holding. There had been something positive about everything. He could pick out ten reasons why in a heartbeat.

“Griffin Fletching?” Nurse Joy had left his spine to crawl. The name sounded like uttering a curse by her tone. “We’ve gone through extensive therapy for your Pokemon. So far, everyone has expected a full recovery.

“How soon w… will everyone be…” Griffin cleared his throat as he trailed off. Nurse Joy sighed.

“They’ve all spent about a week in a recuperation pod. Honestly… by the end of yesterday, they’d all be safe for travel with a Pokeball.” Griffin went a little quiet.

All of my equipment was back at that police station. My wallet and phone too. I have absolutely nothing on me, except for Bandit’s Pokeball I guess. Griffin tapped his jean pocket, half-aware that he could touch the button, and the thing would inflate. I need to speak to that Officer about getting my stuff back. His finger stopped tapping against his pocket.

“Has a trainer named Brad Hoskin been in? He has a Lucario named Aura with him.”

“Hm? A friend of yours then?”

“I… don’t know now.” Griffin partially shrugged. “I mean even if I get the chance to apologize, saying “I’m sorry” isn’t gonna cut it. What… what do you say?” Griffin fought the urge to cough. “I couldn’t leave any of my Pokemon behind.”

“Well, you sound like most trainers then.” The nurse said with a half fought yawn. “I see fights like this all the time; honestly, it’s always “I’d do the same if it were mine” and “I know you’d help me with it” and whatever else” Griffin unsightly chuckled.

“He’d tell me that I’m an idiot, the kind of idiot he’d act like if it was Aura.”

“A little inaccurate.” The voice came up from behind him. “I’d more yell that at you, and it would take me a week or two of sitting and mulling to figure out I’d do the same.” Nurse Joy nodded

“That sounds accurate.” It left Griffin to chuckle.

“Great to know we’re so unique.” Joyce giggled again.

“It’s the smaller things that count to that. ” She replied. “Regardless of what you do, someone’s already done it or been in the same spot. It’s just up to whatever you want to say and sort it out.” Nurse Joy mentioned again.

“Is Melody okay?”

“Thanks for remembering me…” Brad shot back.

“You’re standing and breathing. She…” Griffin trailed off.

“She’s much better now, the color has come back to her.” Brad mentioned back with a gruff tone. Griffin had glared at his shoulder. He aimlessly stared until Brad huffed back at him.

“I’ll have minimal scar tissue, it might make my arm tight at certain angles. Stretching it out is a pain right now. They got it out, and I didn’t lose anything too important. Brad mentioned back to him. “You found her?”

“And nearly got shot on the way there.” Griffin muttered it took Brad a second to sigh. Griffin’s eyes went wide “Holding your breath?” it took Griffin a second to realize that Brad’s fist slammed his shoulder. It left Griffin’s jaw and neck tight.

“Damn right I was.” He said back, “You think because you get on my nerves from time to time that I want to see you hurt? God, no.” Brad commented back. “That said, you forgot about me booting you in the ass the next time you even think about jumping into something like that. Let the cops handle it, they’re called GLOBAL for a reason.” He mentioned. “My Uncle is absolutely furious with me because of you.”

“S – sorry…”

“He brought something to Jean’s attention, though. Remember that cave you went into? It was smooth, right?”

“Y – yeah?”

“And the thermite from Veridian?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I overheard my uncle talking about how these mining thieves began collecting raw minerals, this was down in Alola; the Orange Isles made him think of it. They used a Psychic Pokemon to draw minerals out of rock. They found sandbags full of magnesium and all sorts of other precious materials way back when.” Griffin tilted his head.

“So… Underworld stole the thermite charges to learn how to make it? Or figure out a ratio?” Brad nodded quietly, giving away his suspicion. “Didn’t we promise to never talk about this again?”

“And what about this, Griffin?” Brad pronounced his arms to make the situation feel more serious. “We can’t just ‘forget’ about this.”

“I – I get that…” Griffin cleared his throat.

“Imagine being a big bad group that can mine any place at will, and quietly.”

“You’d only get sand…”

“The number of nitrates alone, phosphates, magnesium.” Griffin cleared his throat nervously.

“Gunpowder, explosives…”

“Yeah, and it’s pushed the GPPI to further their investigations around the islands, rather than the sea trade.” Brad mentioned, “I already overheard that they sent units from Almia.”

“What?” Griffin went wide eyes

“Yeah, that was nearly five days ago; this massive surge of Pokemon ran out of the woods. Aside from a few bodies, they found a LOT of things.” Brad commented quietly while Griffin felt teary.

“How the hell do you know this?” Griffin was half afraid to ask, but Brad studiously stuck his fingers under his chin. The light hair on his knuckles caught the hue of the room.

“I’m a big freaking snoop.” He mentioned back with a chuckle.

“Really? Why pose?” Griffin tilted his skull in confusion, but Brad cautiously supported his appendage.

“… my arm is sore.”

“… right.” Griffin muddled over that. “Where’s Aura?” Griffin mentioned while Brad gave a laugh.

“Being a much better snoop then me,” Brad said in reply, it left Griffin with a warmer look on his face.

He had time to think it all over. Griffin felt his breath catch. “Well, is Melody out yet?” Brad shrugged

“Later today! I think Smokey is around here somewhere too.” Brad laughed and started to scratch the back of his head. It was a very lax pose, not unlike when Griffin did that at all. “Aside from all the craziness, now that the police have more then what they need, maybe it’ll be a normal adventure,” Brad said. “I’ll be damned if I don’t win at least one championship with Aura alone.” He said, “Especially after all this.” Griffin chuckled

“Always motivated?” Brad nodded back

“Well, I don’t think about my shoulder when I am,” Brad mentioned back with a cock of his neck. Griffin’s spine trembled.

I’ll never hear the end of it. Nope. Never. He’s not here to be a friend, he’s here to blackmail me over it. Griffin lightly chuckled

“What?”

“I had a sudden thought that I’m never living that down, and you’re going to blackmail me over food.” Brad stalled, his expression soured until he slowly got into a studious pose.

“That’s a damn goo-“

“No, no, no!” Griffin said, “I have not.”

“Sometimes, doing nothing is better than something?” Brad half shrugged, this smug body language came from him. “I mean, honestly! Who just hands out idea’s like that.”

“W – wel..” Griffin felt Brad’s good arm wrap around his neck.

“I gotta say! It’s kinda like a life debt. Aura and I are going to become a champion of a region.” Brad mentioned, “And I guess now that I’ve taken a bullet for you. Literally, I guess you’re just doomed to cook for Aura and me.” Griffin went a little blank, “Sounds right to me.”

“Wait a minute!” Brad chuckled, warmly like he had been willing to write out a rhyme of his life, the kind of feeling or look that Griffin wondered if he had on him earlier, aside from the glowing red cheeks on his own face now.

“What? It’s not like you trashed my bike or something.”