Pokémon Pokemon Heroes: The Black & White Chapter Two - Forest For The Trees (All Ages) (In Progress)

[matt0044]

Sequel to: https://forums.thousandroads.net/th...apter-one-all-ages-completed.1840/#post-73685

Chapter 1: Scare In The Air

['Wouldn't miss it for the world' I said,] Pidove bemoaned to himself with every frantic flap of his wings. ['Even I'd never forget it,' I said!]

The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon continued to berate himself while flying over northwest Nuvema Wood, nearly forgetting to glide if his wings didn't strain. He had just flown over the camping grounds just shy of Accumula Town with the faintest of hope that this was the way to the Juniper's Laboratory.

[Can't even blame Purrloin for this blunder,] Pidove continued with the self-pity, panting once he told himself to glide for at least a moment. [Worst comes to worst, I can at least see her off on Route 1.] He kept his eyes straight ahead past the trees where he could make out a building in the distance. [So long as I don't run into- WHOA!]

Pidove had only lifted his head slightly to spot four flying... human?! They were each hooded in gray with white aprons but their fashion choice hardly concerned the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon. Not when they were heading straight for him two by two.

In particular, a soft-looking blonde girl to the left of straight faced guy with glasses. She was nervously glancing below before eying upwards and gasping at the Flying-type in her flight path. Pidove veered up while she dove down, just barely missing each other.

"Sorry, little guy!" he heard the girl apologized. "Truly!"

The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon stopped to hover lightly and pant heavily from the frightful near collision he had. He could hardly process what he just ran afoul of: flying humans. Pidove looked back down to see the four costumed aviators in some kind of migratory formation with two in front and two behind. Their backs spewed fire to gain flight.

[Baking beaks a-billion...] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon spoke, stunned more than under Paralysis. [Guess this is a good excuse to be late.]

Pidove couldn't not follow along in intrigue, keeping his distance out of caution. Knowing nothing of jet-packs, he wondered if this was some sort of Fire/Flying dual-type that humans could evolve into. Sure, Hilda could talk to Pokemon but what if-

[Let me go! Let me go! I want Hilda back!]

As if by coincidence, Pidove heard the name of one of his best friends being whined and cried out by what he was sure was an Oshawott. One of the Starter Pokemon breed for Pokemon Trainers just starting out. The very kind that Hilda had been gushing about getting just like her mother had.

[A darn good excuse at that...] Pidove gulped with dread, flying closer despite knowing better.

---

[Let me out of here!] Oshawott screeched while writhing about in the net. [NOW!]

Bright clenched his teeth anxiously while making sure than both hands held tightly onto the fake Poke Ball lest he dropped the netted Starter. Cheren, Bianca and Vanessa winced uncomfortably by how Oshawott's cries peaked high in pitch. If they didn't know any better, they'd swear their captive knew "Growl."

"Hey, boss," Bright grunted, trying to keep stable, "maybe we can just drop him off here." Part of him felt bad for Oshawott but a bigger part of him was more concerned with a potential crash landing. "Let him out among his own kind."

"The procedure isn't hard to get, Bright," Cheren firmly reminded his fellow Knight. "Pokemon breed by humans or exposed to them over a prolonged period of time are to be taken directly to HQ for rehabilitation." He was good at not letting Oshawott's whining get to him for the sake of his squad. "You can tough it out for five minutes."

"Tell that to my eardrums," Vanessa grouched, gritting her teeth over the Starter's loudest cry. "Not for nothing but we should've swiped his Poke Ball."

"Be patient with the poor thing," Bianca kindly told her friend from up front. "We... did essentially kidnap him... even if it was for his own good." She swallowed her guilt best she could, knowing the duty Team Plasma had entrusted to her. "I don't even wanna meet anyone who feels fine after all this."

Vanessa scoffed over the "occupational hazard" when she saw Oshawott got desperate enough to start biting the net's ropes in hopes of... anything. His throat was too dry for a powerful Water Gun. Not that he was in a good position to aim. Still... he wanted to do right by Hilda and not go down without a fight.

"That's it..." Vanessa grumbled before dipping down to get up close and personally in Oshawott's face. "Listen up, squirt!"

The Sea Otter Pokemon was barely able to come close to fraying the net's wires but it was Vanessa's irritation glare that made him stop scared like it was Snivy all over again.

"Unless you wanna risk a hundred foot-drop, I'd shut that pie-hole of your's," the Knight vented with increasingly unhinged looks in the eye. "We just liberated you from those mad scientists so show a little bit of gratitude. by Not. Rocking. The Boat!" She ignored the disturbed looks from her colleagues when pulling up.

"Maybe early briefings should be reconsidered," Bianca whispered to Cheren, truly not wanting to be rude. Her leader "mmmmm"ed in inclined agreement.

Oshawott was scared into silence before looking down and gulping at the long way down, seeing the tops of tree that had loomed over him earlier that morning. The whole hopelessness of the situation sunk in more and more. There was no way Hilda could find him. He'd... never see her again.

She'd never get to see how strong he could become.

Tears welled up fast in Oshawott's eyes and soaked his furry face as his sniffles grew into sobbing, curling up in the net. It was easier on the ears but now the Knights now found themselves wincing from guilt more than ever. They knew the difficulties of their ultimate mission but their marks never could keep it together to their discomfort.

"Well, thank you, Vanessa," quipped Bright sarcastically. "I was hoping my ears would bleed."

"Well, can you blame a girl for trying?" retorted Vanessa.

"Funny thing is, I can," Bright declared, looking dirtily at his sister. "And I will." Vanessa glared back at him in turn "Remind me not to let you babysit any kids of mine."

"You with kids?" she laughed incredulously. "Not even in your dreams."

Bianca was tempted to speak up when Cheren held up her hand to spare her from a fire best left to fizzle out in time. It was this along with Bright and Vanessa trying to get the last word in that kept them from noticing a lone Pidove. He flew up from underneath the net holding Oshawott and drew level.

The Sea Otter Pokemon's sobbing had subsided into sniffled when he heard chirping just beneath him. He almost didn't catch it over the loud jet-packs but cast his teary gaze downwards to see Pidove hovering almost casually.

[Hey, I'm here for you, buddy,] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon chirped with a happy face put forward, hoping to lightening the room. [Any friend of Hilda is a friend of mine.]

Oshawott's eyes lit up as he gasped at the name and remembered Hilda's forest friends. [Do you really know her?] he asked hopefully, his smile returning to his face.

[Well enough to know that she wouldn't take this lying down,] Pidove replied with a more serious grimace, glancing up at the Knights. [How tough is the net?]

Oshawott's smile faded upon remembering his situation. [I tried biting it and then pulling it but it's too strong,] he admitted. [Also... I think the drop is...] He gulped anxiously when his attention drifted to the ground down below for but a second. [...a bit much personally.] He shuddered and shut his eyes, trying not to think it.

[Then I'll just have to snatch the net away,] Pidove suggested. [I just need to make the fashion freaks flinch.]

[Y-you can carry me... right?] Oshawott gulped with growing doubt.

[I...] Pidove began awkwardly, thinking of how to phrase it delicately, [...could soften your landing.] His eyes darted away in recalling past experiences. [I think...] Few of them terribly good.

Oshawott would have had time to deliberate risk of being trafficked versus being dropped from a huge height when he felt his flight slowing down. Pidove nearly drew ahead before he quickly slowed down and backed up.

"Outpost in sight everyone," Cheren announced from up front. "Shift to vertical flight to steady our approach and look out for the barrier." All four Knights followed the leader and rotated their bodies upright so they could hover slower

Oshawott and Pidove looked up ahead to see a satelite tower that rivaled the bigger trees in height. It sprouted out from a large clearing in the middle of the wood where a cabin had been built dead center. What really got their attention were what seemed like two tables placed parallel to each other in front.

"Bright, I take it you've settled down Oshawott," Cheren called out, keeping his focus up ahead. "Considering I can hear myself think..."

Oshawott and Pidove flinch in fear when they find that their little powwow's been compromised. They sweat even more, proverbially speaking, when Vanessa narrowed her eyes down at them with suspicion.

"Awwwwww," Bright cooed when looked down at the net. "Little dude made a friend." He even had his right index finger go down and rub Pidove under the chin, getting a few friendly woos from the new feathered friend.

"I don't trust Pidoves," Vanessa grimly confessed, giving the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon the stink eye. "Not since... the flock."

Bianca was about to ask when Bright cut her off. "We'd... rather not talk about it," he swore with all the discomfort of the bad memory.

[Just act natural and play along,] Pidove told Oshawott through his calls, keeping up his jovial front. [We'll figure something out.]

The Sea Otter Pokemon could only put on an anxious smile. For him, that was as natural as it came.

"The Pidove can come if it keeps the Oshawott calm," Cheren began with a dismissive tone of voice, "but if it wants to leave, we let it leave." His dismissal became a touch more stern on those last few words when he taps his ear-com under his hood. "Sammy..."

"One. Time," a female voice on the intercom retorted in irritation. "Like none of us ever tried to smuggle in a Tynamo before..."

"I'll take that as a-" Cheren began to say before smacking into something invisible, bouncing him back in mid-hover.

Bianca took this as a cue to stop and cut retros. Thankfully, Bright and Vanessa followed her lead. Oshawott and Pidove, all the while, were amazed by the massive dome that had become briefly visible upon Cheren's unintentional interaction. From what they could see, it was shielding the entire campground from the satelite tower down.

[Okay, that was not there before,] Pidove commented in curiosity, hovering in place near Oshawott.

"Oooooooo, I maaaaay have forgotten to drop the barrier," a rather nasally male voice called out on the com channel. "This new tech is cool but, wow, is it raw or is it raw?" He tried to chortle but the awkwardness smothered it out fast.

"At least we know it works," Bianca shrugged softly while Cheren regained his bearings. "Just triple check next time."

"You're clear," Sammy chimed in on the coms alongside the rapid typing on a keyboard. "Don't forget to wipe your boots."

Leaning in slightly, Cheren leads his Knights down towards the campgrounds without any more obstructions. Pidove clung his talons onto the net so that he wouldn't need to keep up while the four Knights landed on the grass just six feet away from the tables.

"Honey, we're home!" Bright quipped, enjoying himself way too much. "I didn't bring flowers but I did bring something nice to look at." He happily held up the net where Oshawott and Pidove were still trying to not cause suspicion. All the while, they curiously observed what they've landed themselves in.

Cheren brought his field team over to the parallel tables where Simon and Sammy were working at each, back to back. Though they were working on classical looking laptops primarily, their table was a mess of various wiring and devices hooking up to help process their data. All complimented by a mess of candy bar wrappers and donut bags.

What really got Oshawott and Pidove's attention was the machine next to each table. It resembled the research center's Pokemon transfer machine but miniaturized. The transmission port was modified so that all the Poke Balls dumped out into a large container on the grass. A special design for Personal Computer compatibility.

"You pull off plain clothes dangerously well, Allison," Cheren complimented while walking with Bianca over to Simon, the young man wearing a T-shirt, shorts and glasses. "Every transfer present and accounted for?"

"Yeah, all sixty of them," said Simon, nodding towards the containers while working on the coding. "Though it seems like your rush order put a strain on the system." He was too engrossed in his work to look at his leaders but not enough to take a sip from his cola. "It's a tough fix but not impossible."

"Focus on that," Cheren ordered while looking around, knowing they were watching. "You know how they get when we wreck their toys."

"Don't remind me, sir," Simon groaned, his glasses still aglow from the laptop's screen.

"And please don't litter," Bianca fussed, grabbed whatever cup or wrapper she found laying about. "Just because we have to battle doesn't mean we have to be complete hypocrites." She pocketed all she could with an unusually miffed expression.

"I'd make a note of that for your own good," Cheren whispered with more of a grin, speaking directly from experience.

"Apologies, ma'am..." Simon bashfully conceded.

During Simon's appraisal, Sammy had her fingers dancing across the keyboard at a lightening pace with her posture as hunched as could be. She had finished fixing her transfer machines bugging errors far fast than her twin brother and was busy composing a blog post. Nothing ticked her off more than a debunked fan theory she'd was betting on.

"Hey, I liked the finale," she heard Bright chime in from her left. "My dude was side-lined but I think it'll shake out."

"Sidelined, HA!" Sammy scoffed with all the fury of a scorned fangirl. "He didn't even know his father was the main villain." She typed away without even looking Bright's way. "Wasted potential across the board."

Vanessa simply turned herself away from what she could accurately assess as internet nonsense. "And they say TV doesn't rot the brain..."

[What is she talking about?] Oshawott sincerely asked Pidove, concerned for the worked up geek girl.

[Humans get really angry when they look at screens for too long,] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon answered, roosting on the side of the net. [Hilda says its complicated but I don't get why they can't look away.]

[I think we're better off not knowing...] Oshawott wisely gulped.

Their little chat of chirping and squeaking wails gained Sammy's attention. The following squeal was loud that it makes everyone look to find her going from a soured scowl to a huge sugar-charged grin. Her mouth was open so wide that one would be forgiven for thinking Pidove could accidentally fly in.

"He is sooooooooo cute," a exuberant Sammy squeaked, sounding like a poor imitation of Oshawott. "Gimme!"

Cheren, having assessed Simon's situation, was the quickest. "Sammy..." he slowly and sternly began.

"Just a little hold, I promise!" the Seventh Squadron's hacker and coder pleaded, her hands even clasped. "Just this once."

"I'd let her have this one for your own good, sir," Simon was quick to whisper.

"Try not to provoke this one," Bianca told Sammy, worried that she was asking the impossible.

Bright, stunned by this one-eighty swing in mood, was helpless when his fellow Knight just up and grabbed his net. Oshawott yelped from the sudden lurch. All the while, Pidove squawked when the yank was strong enough to make him fall off, his wings being just quick enough to keep him from crashing.

Oshawott clung to the net's tempered ropes when Sammy held him up to her face and felt even more shaken by the obsessive stare she was giving him. "Oh, look at we scared this absolute cinnamon roll," the Knight cooed in sympathy, noting the Sea Otter Pokemon's trembling. "There, there."

At first, Oshawott picked up on Sammy's adoration and felt his nerves start to settle when she reminded him of Hilda. However, he soon became too reminded of Hilda when Sammy pulled in the Sea Otter Pokemon for a big hug in an honest attempt to comfort the little guy.

Oshawott might've appreciated a less tighter embrace that was comparable to the grip of Snivy's vines. His nostrils would've also appreciated if Sammy had bathed herself this morning. He knew that the Junipers could forget their personal hygiene when getting too into their work but this was next level.

"Whoa, girl," Bright winced, grabbing one of Sammy's cookies behind her back. "He's not a Ghost-type, remember?"

"Give it a minute..." Vanessa snarked under her breath, cringing at how... cute her fellow Knight was being.

"I know it's for his own good but it's tough doing the right thing," Sammy lamented, ignorant of her killer grip even as Oshawott wriggled. "I just wanna keep you all and spoil you rotten, yes I do, yes I do."

Thankfully, the Knight's adoration of the Sea Otter Pokemon distracted her from Pidove when he took the time to fly around and sneak up from behind. He didn't know the Attack itself but the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon gave a sharp pecking to the back of Sammy's head.

"OW!" the Knight cried out, loosening her grip on Oshawott by reflex. "Hey!"

"Called it!" Vanessa snarled, rushing over while Bright cowered back. "Go choke on bread crust, birdbrain!" Pidove thankfully hovered higher in time before she could swat him with her open palms.

The afforded breathing room was enough to let the Sea Otter Pokemon hastily channel his Water-type Energy and spew out pressurized water from his mouth. It was hardly potent at such short notice but it was enough to knock a soaked Sammy out of her seat and onto the grass.

[Make a break for it, kid!] Pidove squawked at the Starter while Cheren, Bianca and Simon turned around to gawk at the commotion.

Bright and Vanessa were just rushing over to Sammy when Oshawott also fell to the grass while landing on the Snag Ball with his back. Just the force needed to press the white button and detach the net. Oshawott threw off the net and ran as fast as his stubby little flipper would allow him.

[You get to Hilda while I...] Pidove chirped to his new friend, observing the Knights a yard up in the air. [...hold them off?]

From high up, he saw that Cheren, Bianca and Simon were just looking on from their table. From the table to his left, Bright had given Sammy a towel while Vanessa gave her a spare change of dry clothes from her Personal Computer. For thieves, they were rather blaise about an escapee.

The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon got his answer when he heard a loud but familiar SMACK and turned towards the edge of the clearing. There was Oshawott bouncing off of the invisible force-field and rolling flipper over head thrice before laying on the grass all dizzy.

[It's always the little things...] Pidove bemoaned at himself for forgetting before flying down towards his fallen friend.

Oshawott needed a second to stand back up, squeeze his eyes shut and shake it to regain his bearings. He looked back up towards where the force-field was and tentatively went up again, holding out his white paws. He touched the invisible barrier, making it visible slightly as physical contact sent water-like ripples through the wall of hard light.

Oshawott's face fell further and further. He couldn't get out.

Hilda couldn't get in.

Pidove touched down right behind Oshawott with a more determined look in his eyes. [No idea what this thing even is but I think we can take it,] he claimed, swallowing in a moment of doubt. [A wall's a wall even if you can't-]

However, Pidove's train of thought derailed when Oshawott just turned around and began to walk back slowly but surely. He stopped talking especially when he saw the disenchanted frown on the Water-type's face. The shine in his beady black eyes had dulled with a gaze cast downwards.

[H-Hey...] Pidove pleaded anxiously, trying to follow behind. [What about... Hilda?]

All the while, the Seventh Squadron collectively took in the scene with solemn silence. However, Cheren pushed any thoughts of sympathy out of his head and marched over towards the despondent Oshawott. He took out his Personal Computer and tapped with his thumb to access his container inventory.

"I won't pretend that this is easy for you," Cheren began, getting Oshawott to stop and look up just before him, "but we do this because it's hard." He aimed his P.C. down towards the Starter, making the squirt recoil fearfully. "You'll see this was for your own good."

With a tap from his thumb, Cheren's Personal Computer released a medium sized cage around Oshawott. The Sea Otter Pokemon jumped when he found himself in a new prison of immensely reinforced steel bars between two tempered plates. He sighed in acceptance while the Seventh Squadron's leader bent over and grabbed the cage with both hands.

The Knights largely stayed respectfully silent but Bianca couldn't keep herself from rushing over to Cheren from Simon's table. "Is everything okay?" she asked him with concerned shimmer in her eyes.

"I think the little guy's gotten the message," Cheren answered with Oshawott carried with ease. He put forth a simple smile for his right-hand's sake. "I'll take him into the cabin so he can stay out of view."

"I... also meant you," Bianca added, looking back with thinly veiled anxiousness.

A perturbed Cheren would've leaned into that implication if they weren't interrupted.

"Not that I'm calling the shots here," Bright began, walking over to his leader with Vanessa, "but could we report to HQ?" His tempered demeanor showed much sympathy for Oshawott. "I think this heist is getting a little more emotional than I expected."

"And take a break," Vanessa yawned deeply. "Have I mentioned I am not a morning person?"

"We set up communications in the cabin to keep you covered," Simon claimed from his table. "The transmission will go under the radar."

"Thanks but I'll need you and Sammy to stay out here to double check the Pokemon," Cheren ordered.

"Great," Sammy pouted. "More busy work while you kick back."

"Sammy..." Simon hissed at his twin through his teeth, keen to not rock the boat.

"They're direct orders from Ghetsis," Bianca emphasized more softly. "Some Pokemon could have an injury or an illness that could impede their liberation."

When he was sure the Knight were distracted by each other, Pidove hovered over to the cage that Cheren was carrying and was dismayed when he saw Oshawott. He was sitting in a slouch and staring despairingly at his own flippers like nothing else mattered.

Pidove frowned back in recognizing the place Oshawott was in. This time in determination.

"I'm not giving up on you," the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon chirped quietly before hovering back from the cage.

Oshawott lifted his head up from his doldrum state and perked up at the sight of Pidove approaching the force-field. At first, he thought the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon was going to crash but instead his feathered friend stopped just shy of where the dome arced in the air. Curiosity got him to pay more attention and his eyes to glint with some hope.

"And don't forget to suit up," Cheren ordered when starting to walk towards the cabin. "We have an image to keep us after all."

"Ugh, that stuffy thing again..." Sammy groaned while talking out her Personal Computer.

However, Cheren's final order is disturbed when they hear what sounds like a very loud gust of air hitting something nigh invulnerable. They look up to see the force-field was becoming visible with ripples like a liquified glass bowl. Their eyes quickly traced the source just north of the cabin.

There was Pidove hovering above tree level and flapping his wings one strong swoop at a time. Each wing is energized enough to blast one sharp shock-wave of air after another. His Air Cutter is small but powerful enough to start tearing a hole in the force-field, the opening seeming to crack like glass.

"He'll destabilize the whole thing if we don't let him out," Simon panicked before rushing to his computer. "Sammy, help me turn off the power."

Sammy practically jumped back to her laptop and began accessing the force-field generator. Cheren couldn't help but glance toward the cabin with his fellow knights. A strong antennae tower came out the roof and helped produce the force-field. Arcs of electricity where starting to spark, threatening to short out the entire thing.

Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. The force-field opened up slowly but surely while the antennae tower came up short of short circuiting, providing Pidove with a clear way out of the invisible prison. Oshawott looked on with growing hope when his new friend took off, holding out a modicum of faith.

"We've powered down back to zero percent," Sammy sighed, relieved after the tension of it all. "This won't be in the report, will it?"

"That a Pidove nearly sabotaged us?" Bright summarized, ruffling his hair in exasperation. "Like the Sixth need more fuel to roast us."

"I'd hate to say I told you so but..." Vanessa put in, clearly wanting to say it.

"It just felt trapped and confused," Bianca reassured. "Lest we forget our mission..."

"It's gonna be a pain to reboot," Simon groaned, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. "It took us two hours to set up."

"Get it done in one," Cheren demanded rather urgently, looking up at the fleeing Pidove with suspicion. "One and a half tops..."

To Be Continued...

---

Dare Oshawott hold out for Pidove to get him out of there? Will Team Plasma even stick around long enough?

In times like these, we could all do with a few Fair Feathered Friends.

---

Thank you for reading my fanfiction. I cut it short this time since I felt it had a very nice emotional vibe to it on its own.

Write up a comment or a full blown review about what you liked or loathed about my work. I can roll with the punches so let me have it.

I understand that some of you might feel anxious or not feel like it's not worth your time but getting feedback IS how I know what I'm doing here is worth it. If I can even be a subject of a Bad Fanfic Reading on YouTube, that means my story did something decent.

So... lemme have it.

 

[matt0044]

Hilda lost her mother and never stopped blaming herself. Now? She'll be damned if she lets Oshawott slip away too. The past and present blur together.

---

Chapter Two: Lost & Found

Everything just seemed to happen all at once.

Hilda felt her head throbbing from hitting the dashboard and squeezed her eyes from the pain. The deflating airbag had protected her from far greater pain but she still found her vision wavering when trying to look around her. The windshield was shattered before her, the cuts from the shards starting to sting.

"Mom... where are..." Hilda began to ask when she looked to her left at the driver seat. "MOM!"

Adrenaline started to kick in when she saw her mother's battered state. Hilda gasped with eyes open wide to take in the more bloody cuts from the broken glass shards. Helga's head bruised greatly from hitting the dashboard, hunched over the driving wheel from the severe whiplash. Her airbag had clearly failed to deploy.

"Mom-ow, ow!" Hilda cried out when she struggled to move from the shotgun seat. "Please get up." Between her pained body and the loose glass still about, she found it burdensome to make to her mother.

Hilda was relieved to see her mother gritting her teeth and still breathing when a very funny sort of smell wafted through the broken windshield. Helga opened her eyes in a wincing frown before looking towards Hilda with a piercing glare.

"Get out of here!" Hilda heard her mother manage to force out, wincing from her injuries. "Hurry to the woods!"

Hilda was taken aback by her mother's abrasiveness. "Not without you!" she insisted, grabbing onto Helga's limping right arm. "You need a doctor!"

"I'll be... fine..." her mother grunted back, coughing heavily. "Just get into the woods." She yanked her arm back. "I promise I'll catch up."

Hilda was left at a loss for words, the shock of it all catching up fast, until she smelled the funny smell turn into ugly smoke.

"GET AWAY!" Helga barked with a most fierce look in her eyes, making Hilda recoil harshly.

The seven year old girl feared she might've upset her mother and backed away. The shotgun seat door had flung clean off in the collision so Hilda stumbled and fell out onto the grass. Hilda winced hard when she fell flat on her back with her body still battered but forced herself back up and turned towards the woods.

"It'll be fine," she told herself, taking off at once. Mom always told her to stay focused during a crisis.

All Hilda had to do was run as fast as her bare feet could take her through the trees and find help for her mother. She didn't know which way Nuvema Town was, having napped during the ride, but maybe she'd stumble across it.

"It'll be fine," she panted more and more wearily, her bruises stinging worse than irritable Ferroseeds. She shook her head as if her dread was some sort of Joltik.

If not people, then... a Pokemon? A helpful sort like a Stoutland? They were always good with kids. Anything decently evolved would do at this point. She just had to look around. So far, a bunch of Patrat and Lillipup. The odd Purrloin here and there. Nothing.

"It'll b-"

Hilda was a quarter mile or so into the woods when the explosion nearly pierced her eardrums and nearly made her heart stop cold. It decimated her attempt at keeping focus and caused her to step on a round rock that made her slip.

---

With a loud yelp, Hilda's arms braced themselves for a crash landing but her face still hit the grass and her limbs sprawled across the ground. Her fists balled, grabbing clumps of dirt in the process while she caught her breath with every pant. Letting her legs fire on all cylinders was really starting to catch up with her.

This topple had finally allowed her mind to finally process what had happened because, well, that was the million buck question, wasn't it? What in the name of the Great Dragon just happened? Hilda remembered Minnie's warning about the inspectors but she expected some stuffy officials trying to undermine the Junipers not... this.

It felt so surreal. The chase through the lab. The explosion. That... weird cosplay the four put on. And...

Oshawott.

The vivid recollection of her Starter Pokemon being taken away in a net and bawling out for her help was what did it. His tears. The promise she made him with their victory. Despite her body aching for rest, Hilda grit her teeth when pushing herself up by her arms and got herself upright on her knees at the bare minimum.

Craning her head up, she found no sign of the four imposters nor hear Oshawott's cries for help. Hilda clenched her gut and felt her stomach tied up in knots of anxiety. They could be anywhere in the woods. Maybe anywhere in Unova for that matter.

No.

Hilda scowled while furiously shaking her head in denial and slapping the sides of her cheeks. She urged herself to believe that they had to be in the woods. It'd make sense for them to have some sort of hideout under the cover of the trees after all. Hilda summoned enough strength to stand back up one step at a time and run-

"What do you think you're doing?" Aurea's stern voice panted. Paired with her firm grip on Hilda's shoulder, it thankfully stopped her goddaughter cold. She had her lab coat stored away into her Personal Computer for any chance of keeping up.

Seven seconds of silence between the two of them felt like centuries. However, Aurea had a strong foreboding as to what Hilda's reply would be by how her fists clenched up quick.

"Saving Oshawott," the young lady affirmed, keeping herself from turning around. "What else you expect me to do?"

"Would 'not getting yourself killed' be too much to ask?" Aurea firmly claimed, telling herself to keep the foot she put down. "You're-"

"In way over my head?" Hilda responded curtly, hearing a small "Huh?" of surprise from the Professor. "Being too reckless?" She jerked her left shoulder out of Aurea's grip when it had loosened up and started forth slowly. "Save the lecture when I've saved Oshawott."

Aurea's attempt at being firm but fair melted away into a borderline scowl when she took out a Poke Ball and enlarged it. Hilda had gotten eight feet away from her when Tepig was released from his Poke Ball, the blue-white energy cutting her off before reforming.

The Fire Pig Pokemon snorted smoke strongly to make the young Trainer stopped in her tracks but made a rather anxious face. [Don't make this harder than it need to be, Miss,] he snorted sadly.

"You have no Pokemon to defend yourself with from the wild," Aurea began to chastise her goddaughter. "Those thieves could even kill if push came to shove." She walked closer towards Hilda in hope of dragging her back kicking and screaming. "You're coming back to the laboratory and leaving this to the police for once in your-."

"AND DO WHAT, PROFESSOR?" Hilda demanded, swinging around to look Aurea in the eye. "Run away from the one that needs me the most and just hope everything turns out well?"

Aurea stepped back from surprise when her goddaughter revealed not just a scowl but hot tears endlessly pouring from her straining eyes. Tepig nervously stayed where he was in hopes of not facing Hilda's personal Roar attack.

"Let the small town fuzz barely even try let alone find a lead?" Hilda shouted in anger. "It'd be too late and you know it." She sought to drive the point home by marching towards the Professor like a Scolipede going for the kill.

"Even if I got killed, at least, at the VERY least, I didn't just turn tail and ditch my own Starter!" she borderline screamed up in an intimidated Aurea's face. "Better that than to live like a coward!" She paused and panted as though she'd been running yet again.

However, it was long enough for Aurea to reflect on her final statement and put it together what it was really about. Above all else. Most of her frustration morphed into sadness. A similar sort to the kind she felt seven years ago. The Professor could still smell the smoldering wreckage.

Tepig stayed respectfully where they were before the Professor recalled them to their Poke Ball.

"You really are your mother's daughter," Aurea sighed with a wistful tone caught between resignation and remembrance. "Whether I like it or not..."

Hilda was prepared to throw hands but found herself caught off guard when Aurea knelt down and came in for a hug, embracing her tightly. The kind that she remembered only too well. When they had first met in this part of the woods.

"You're not coward, Hilda," the Professor unconditionally assured. "Never were, never will." Her right hand pat her goddaughter on the head.

Almost immediately, Hilda felt her raw anger slowly being doused and cooled off by cold sorrow. She hugged Aurea back like it was all that it was keeping her together and let her tears flow freely, her sinuses loosening up almost too well. Neither one of them could help their mind from traveling to the past in a moment of Deja Vu.

History just loved to repeat itself like a bad sequel.

---

Hiding behind thick enough bushes, Aurea used her father's old fashioned binoculars to spy on and record a puddle of four Lillipups in a clearing just ahead. Their energetic play-battling and wrassling while their older sister of a Herdier supervised was part of her report but she'd be lying of it wasn't just play cute.

The Professor needed it more than she was willing to admit. After... finding Helga, the police lazily assumed the worst of Hilda. Just getting out into the woods and immersing herself into a fluffy report on wild Lillipup behavior patterns was keeping her as sane as possible. It's what Helga would've wanted.

She thought.

"Observation #5," Aurea spoke into her father's trusty tape recorder. "As the mother Stoutland goes off to find plenty of food, her young ones are left to practice their fighting with the oldest sibling keeping order." She rolled her eyes and tried not to sigh too audibly over such rudimentaries.

"It has long be said that the first Pokemon to bond with humans were Lillipup and their evolutionary line," Aurea pressed on, keeping her voice low, "A common trait shared with similar canine-like Pokemon in other region, earning them the name of Man's Best friend."

The Professor regretted her choice of words, starting to remember her own best friend. "Though studies have been done of it before," Aurea continued to distract herself, "I intend to scrutinize a Lillipup's behavior far more closely." She took out an occupied Poke Ball. "Vis-a-vis a simulated scenario of danger, one highly controlled for the record."

Aurea went over the plan in her head: Drilbur would "chase" her into the clearing where she would trip and prompt the Herdier to protect her. If the battle when on, perhaps the Lillipups would gang up on the Ground-type. So long as her acting from High School theater hadn't gotten too rusty, it would go as smooth as a Escavalier's armor.

"WHOA, BLITZY, WHOA!"

Aurea was thrown off her game by the abrupt little girl's voice, especially since she had come mighty far into the woods. Even rookie Trainers wouldn't stumble in at the risk of getting turned around. However, the sound of electrical discharges coming closer and closer was what really made her turn around is dread.

"GANGWAY!"

Aurea saw one bolt of electricity after another shooting up into the air like lightening in reverse amongst the trees behind her. She stood up to prepare herself but was too late as a red eyed Blitzle galloped around a tree and zipped towards her at a breakneck speed. It's black and white fur was frizzing with static electricity.

The Professor's scream was almost as ear-piercing as the Electrified Pokemon's neigh when she hit the deck and barely avoided a nasty ramming. Aurea heard the Herdier and Lillipups yip in distress before lifting herself up. She overlooked the pups scattering in favor of the frenzied Blitzle bucking about in the clearing.

Or rather what the Electrified Pokemon was trying to shake off. There was a young girl with brown hair in a ponytail and wearing nothing but a white t-shirt over blue shorts. She was gripping onto the Blitzle's fur with her arms around their torso. All while her head kept clear of the Electrified Pokemon's mane that discharged wild Thunder Waves.

The cherry on top that solidified Aurea's slack-jawed stupor was how the little girl was gritting her teeth through it all. The ballistic Blitzle was jumping and kicking all about but their unwelcome passenger was clinging on like a Joltik taking in lunch. In fact, the youngster's grimy clothes and skin indicted that she had her share of tussles.

"Hey, lady, do you have an Pokemon on you?" the little girl called out, snapping Aurea out of it. "Blitzy's Overcharge is driving her crazy!"

The Professor returned to the here and now when a strong bucking caused the youngster to lose her grip at last. She took the crash landing front first like a trooper but was too stunned to get up quickly. Aurea enlarged her Poke Ball and rushed in without thinking any further, knowing exactly what Helga would've done already.

"DRILBUR, INTERCEPT AND GROUND IT OUT!" she bellowed, focusing on the fallen child.

The Poke Ball opened up and released just when the Blitzle blasted a Thunder Wave in a random direction. Said direction happened to be where the little girl was starting to get up. She gasped and shut her eyes, expecting to be zapped into an instant paralysis.

However, Drilbur leapt in front of the electrical bolt and took the blast in the nick of time. The youngster let herself open one eye to find the Mole Pokemon right before her unscathed, the voltage being grounded out by his body. She was shaken by the near miss enough to allow Aurea to scoop her up with her arms.

"Dig us out of this!" the Professor ordered without missing a beat.

The Blitzle was still bucking about within the clearing and kicking at the trees in her crazed state, discharging voltage every two seconds. Far too busy to notice the dauntless Drillbur leaping forward with his claws forming a drill around his face. He dove into the ground like the dirt was one huge swimming pool and disappeared nearly instantly.

The little girl wriggled within Aurea's hold as the Professor's arms wrapped around her torso. "It's too much of a type advantage!" she protested shrilly, struggling against the older woman. "She's just confused and scared." A stray Thunder Wave make her yelp while Aurea ducked in the nick of time.

"Electrical Overcharge symptoms of this nature can only be mitigated if the victim is calmed down," the Professor promised the young girl, recounting her studies to keep calm. "Trust me, this is fresh man college all over again."

The Blitzle's erratic hoof-stomping thankfully provides the underground Drilbur loud enough sounds to hone in on where to strike. Not where she is but where she will be. The Electrified Pokemon's galloping was just about to take her towards Aurea and her fearful ward when the Ground-type burst out of the ground.

Drilbur rammed into Blitzle's underbelly just in time and managed to send her flying away from the ladies. The zebra landed on her back before rolling onto her side and reeling from the painful sucker punch. Aurea held the little girl in one arm while taking out a white Poke Ball from her lab coat.

"Premier Ball, GO!" the Professor shouted upon tossing the device.

The Premier Ball hit the Blitzle on the side and took her all in as red plasmic energy before shutting tightly. The Electrified Pokemon was so blown down that she didn't even try to rock her way out and allowed the loud PING to sound within but a second.

Aurea sighed in relief and took out Drilbur's Poke Ball. "Drilbur, return and rest up," she ordered, voice activating the device to beam in the Mole Pokemon back into it. However, her left arm had slacked in her grip and allowed for the little girl to slip out. "Hey!"

However, the youngster didn't get far and only hurried to grab the Premier Ball. "I'm sorry..." she lamented to the device with small tears beading in her eyes.

Aurea couldn't stay mad when she got in closer to see the little girl's frown, squatting down to her level. "My father has equipment that can siphon the excess voltage from Blitzle and regulate it better," the Professor promised, patting the little girl on the head. "She's be good as new in no time."

Aurea tried to hide her cringing when she found that a lot of dirt had been disguised by the little girl's brown hair. In fact, it was getting increasingly hard to ignore how her body odor was an outright offense to the senses. She knew kids hated bath time but this was ridiculous. Even so, she kept up a decent smile when the little girl's face cheered up.

"Thank you so very much, Miss... um," the little girl began cordially before realizing their lack of introduction.

"Aurea," the Professor gave out. "And you can thank me by not riding on anymore bucking broncos."

"I know it was dumb but I couldn't turn away from Blitzy," the little girl pleaded. "She was left all alone in these woods because something bad happened to her she couldn't help." Her frown returned when she looked back at the Poke Ball. "Just like I was..."

It was those four words that piqued Aurea's interest the most. "Hang on... where are your parents?" the Professor ventured to ask, her smile melting into something more concerned. "And... have you really been alone in these woods?"

"Oh... yeah..." the little girl responded with a more despondent tone of voice, swallowing anxious. "Mom was driving me to Nuvema Town when... we had an accident." Her troubled eyes gazed downward and missed Aurea's widening in realization. "I got out to find help but I got so lost and couldn't even get back to Accumula."

"Hilda...?!" the Professor exclaimed with a breathless voice nearly strangled by shock.

The little girl looked back up at Aurea just when the older women nearly fell over in her surprise. "How did you know my name?" she asked while stepping back, warily remembering her mother's warning about strangers. "I never gave it out."

"I-I-I-It's me!" Aurea stammered with a growing smile she hadn't made in a long time. "I'm Aurea Juniper." She covered her mouth and teared up. "I knew your mother since we were kids like you."

Hilda stopped her backwards walk when she recognized the name of Juniper and especially the wavy orange hair from her mother's pictures. "No way..." she gasped, immediately overwhelmed by a perfect blend of delight and relief.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" both Hilda and Aurea exclaimed to each other simultaneously. They paused in surprise before immediately giggling over how they jinxed each other.

"We assumed the worst when we found the crash but... look at you," the Professor claimed, far more impressed with Hilda's grimy and stench. "Roughing it out here at on your own with your own two hands for two whole weeks." She went so far as to ruffle Hilda's dirty ponytail. "You're a mighty brave girl, you know that?"

Hilda giggled giddily from meeting a friend of Mom's and getting high praise from a Professor of all people. "Well, I did manage to make friends with a lot of the Pokemon here," she cheerfully claimed, giving back the Premier Ball to Aurea. "The fully evolved Pokemon can be meanies but the little guys really look out for each other."

"Oh, of course," Aurea proclaimed, slapping her forehead in realization. "You share your mother's power to talk with Pokemon."

"A lot of the wood Pokemon told me about how you come her for research but I always seemed to just miss you," Hilda replied, wagging her proverbial tail. "My friends helped me the best they can but, between you and me, they're not exactly great at directions just yet."

[Hey, Hilda, over here!] a series of squeaks called out.

[Did you help Blitzy?] a series of yips and yaps followed. [Who's the nice lady?]

Hilda and Aurea turned their attention towards where the ballistic Blitzle had came into the clearing. A Patrat and Lillipup were scampering their way almost as fast as the Electrified Pokemon, making a beeline for the little girl.

"Patty and Pupper!" Hilda greeted in delight, opening her arms for a hug. "We finally found Professor Juniper!" Both the Patrat and Lillipup jovially leaped into her arms for a warm cuddling of congratulation. "Blitzy's gonna be just fine with her help."

[I'm so happy for you, Hilda!] Pupper panted, his tongue hanging out happily. [Now you'll be back with your mommy!] He made Hilda giggle with a few licks of congratulation.

"Only because I had the bestest of best buddies to protect me," Hilda praised back. "I can't thank you enough, my knights in shining armor."

Aurea was fascinated by how Hilda was truly communicating with a Patrat and Lillipup but felt the pangs of nostalgia for when Helga let her in on the family secret.

[Guess that's all folks for our misadventurin',] Patty sighed in spite of his smile for his friend. [Don' you go forgettin' us little Pokemon, y'hear?]

"Hey, I'm not going away forever," Hilda promised the Patrat with a friendly kiss on his chubby cheeks. "I just need to meet up with Mom in Nuvema Town." She didn't see the look of dread forming on Aurea's face. "Tomorrow, I'll drag her back here to meet every one of you."

The Professor felt her heart sinking when she heard exactly how Hilda referred to Helga and quickly put together why. She made a firm enough expression to hide her apprehension and pushed herself to at least break it to the little girl gently. She knew from experience that prolonging the bad news would only make it worse.

"Helga would've been so proud to see your persistence," Aurea began, choosing her nouns carefully. "She was always sending me letter of your little escapades when you were traveling around Unova." She gripped her left elbow with her right hand tightly, showing her immense unease. "I can't tell you how much it means to finally meet you, Hilda."

Hilda initially grinned back with her buddies in her arms when she registered how Aurea choose to phrase it. "Wait... you said... 'would've been' just then..." she began to put together in growing distress, her eyes darting around fearfully. "But... Mom in Nuvema Town... isn't she?"

Hilda looked back at Aurea in hopes that she'd reassure her that she merely misspoke but the sollemn look on her face didn't change one bit. The little girl kept staring with a pleading sort of look, silently hoping against hope that it wasn't what it sounded like. Patty and Pupper remained silently in their own fear for their friend.

"She made me promise that whatever happened to her, I'd step up to take care of you," the Professor finally answered, tears beading in her eyes. "And I promise you that you'll always have a home with me."

Patty and Pupper found themselves crashing to the ground after slipping out of Hilda's loosening grasp. Yet neither of them made a fuss over it when they saw the devastated look in their best friend's eyes grow in distress by the second. She looked as though the whole world was eroding away around her.

Hilda felt just that with a kind of numbness that froze her body to subzero levels. Deep down, she knew that something must have happened to her mother. After all, she wouldn't have hesitated to seek out her own daughter lost out in the wild woods. She'd told herself that she was recovering from the crash but... the explosion.

Hilda's breathing became heavier and heavier when she remembered that loud BOOM that haunted her nightmares. Her body trembled with only her chest heaving. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. Yet... it felt like something was blocking her. Some part of her soul that refused to process the possibility.

Not true.

Mom's alive.

It's a misunderstanding.

Mom's strong.

She's-

As quickly as it came, the overloading onset of anxiety and panic was quelled when Hilda felt Aurea pull her in for a very protective hug. The little girl felt the numbness leave her when she felt the Professor's right hand pat her on the head with unconditional love. Hilda... felt safe just like what Aurea had promised.

Safe... just like when Mom held her in the face of peril.

Safe enough to let the tears well up in her eyes and soak her cheeks in an endless waterfall.

Hilda clung tightly to Aurea like she'd fall off the Earth and sobbed loud enough for all of the woods to hear. The Professor didn't say a word and let her tears flow freely. All while Patty and Pupper hung their heads in respectful silence.

---

I've got to be the one, the only one who can
Withstand the test and be the best and
Got to strive, keep up the drive
Be a Master

Aurea's new X-Transceiver ringtone shattered the mood like a Bouffalant in a glass house. Gasping in shame, the Professor broke her hug with Hilda hastily in order to tap "Hang Up" on the screen and blushed bright red over her choice of music.

"So much for trash reception..." Aurea grumbled through her teeth. "Thanks for nothing, Dad." Her embarrassment was soon compounded by her goddaughter's sobbing and sniffling morphing into an uncontrollable laughter.

"You seriously still listen to that cheese?" Hilda cackled, drying her tears with her wristbands. "That stuff's from, what, the dark ages?"

"Russell Velazquez was well ahead of his time," Aurea protested petulantly. "It's not my fault you can't appreciate the classics."

However, the Professor found it hard to take Hilda roasting her taste in music too seriously when she saw how her goddaughter's distress all but vanished. The sight of her laughter made Aurea giggle if only from how the absurdity of it all smashed away the tension from before. She made a mental note to thank her father when...

"Dad!" Aurea gasped loudly, sending the mood of the room back into peril. "He was all along with two of them."

Hilda pumped the brakes on her laughter immediately upon realizing this oversight. She checked her X-Transceiver to find that her reception was coming and going but still tapped "Grandpa" on her contact list. Aurea did the exact same to join in a group call and pulled out a secondary screen for the third party.

"C'mon... c'mon..." Hilda anxiously muttered, her foot tapping near synced with her godmother's.

"Hilda, Aurea!" Cedric exclaimed the second his face popped on screen. "I've been trying to raise you for a while." His family could barely make out the mess of Poke Balls and papers on the floor behind him. "Those inspectors are imposters!"

"We know," Aurea answered, slightly relieved to find her father slightly unscathed. "They took away Oshawott and Snivy from us in jet packs if you can believe it."

"At this point, I'll believe Fairy-types exist," Cedric declared in a rare tone of gravity. "Two of them strung me up and stole sixty Pokemon from Storage."

Hilda's eyes opened wide in distraught while Aurea adopted her earlier mortification, her hand over her mouth. "But... that's nearly half of the center's reference material!" the junior Juniper exclaimed, her voice strangled by growing panic. "This could set us back months with our work."

A very miffed "Ahem" got Aurea to see Hilda's dirty raise of her eyebrow on the X-Transceiver and up close when she lifted her head. "And the Pokemon are in danger!" she hastily put out in exasperation. "That goes without saying!"

"I tried to pursue them into the woods but their jet packs were too fast," Hilda told Cedric, sighing grimly before trying to pivot. "Did they hurt you?"

"Only my pride..." Cedric half-joked before smiling. "I'll try to join you out there as soon as restore the internal computer system." Hilda and Aurea could hear very steady if frustrated keyboard typing outside of his video frame. "It seems that hackers helped them access the Transfer System and beam out any Poke Ball."

"So that's how the security locks just shut off," Aurea remarked, becoming bewildered in addition to her fear. "Are our backups programs safe?"

"You've never let me turn in without a look-see if that answers your question," Cedric replied, still typing. "They tried to cover their tracks with the Transfer System but I tracing their destination... now!"

"Where are they?" Hilda demanded with her previous vigor renewed, Aurea firmly eyeing her in concern.

"It's still fuzzy but I think it was short distance trip to..." Cedric began, squinting at the computer screen before they go wide in surprise, "...the middle of the North Woods?!"

Hilda and Aurea shared his baffled look in their eye. "North as in... North West?" the junior Juniper cautiously asked her father.

"That's where the trace ends," Cedric began, typing more into the computer. "I... vaguely recall a campsite there years back but it was made into a cell tower on a pretty shoe-string budget." He stroked his beard in curiosity. "Since when would it have a Transfer Machine?"

"Since they put their own there themselves," Hilda assumed, looking up at a particularly tall tree just in front of her. "I've seen smaller models that wouldn't take up much data in a basic P.C. model." She glanced at Aurea to make sure she was glued to her X-Transceiver and began to move slowly.

"We know where their hidey-hole is but they're still dangerous," Aurea asserted before focusing on her father. "Dad, call the police while we hurry back to see what's left."

"About that..." Cedric groaned, scratching the back of his head anxiously. "Chief Dismuke told me that most of the force is in Accumula."

"What?!" Aurea exclaimed bluntly yet appalled.

"Apparently, an wild outbreak of Venipede has the whole town infested," Cedric explained, clearly confused by it.

"But... Venipede are nowhere..." Aurea began to cry out in confusion.

"...near these parts?" Cedric finished with a groan. "That's what I told Maxey but apparently, the universe is conspiring against us." He exhaled slowly like a locomotive letting off way too much steam. "They're doing all they can to capture them but as is, they can't spare a single officer."

"Somehow I doubt two would make a difference," Aurea moaned, rubbing her hand down her whole face. "I already have Hilda trying to play super... he... ro..." The Professor's words trailed off when she finally noticed that Hilda has exited the group call.

"Oh no..." Aurea sighed in an annoyed sort of dread.

She had looked around in expecting that Hilda had ran out of sight but soon found herself wishing she could be that lucky. There was her goddaughter was instead climbing up the highest tree with both of her shoes off. Halfway up by the time Aurea had caught sight of her.

"She's climbing a tree, isn't she?" Cedric guessed almost too casually.

"Just a sec, Dad," Aurea hastily replied before bolting off.

Hilda drew upon the memories of surviving these very woods in order to concentrate on gripping the course bark. She especially kept from looking down with the height being a far cry from the backyard. There were enough study branches along the way for the occasional rests and bits of bark for her hands to grip.

Enough time for her to hear Auntie Aurea chew her out.

"Contrary to popular belief, this is not how you get air to clear your head!" the Professor snarkily snapped at the base of the tree. "Get down here before you hurt yourself!"

"This is practically my second home!" Hilda protested back before continuing back up the tree. "The worst I'll get is a splinter!" She looked upwards closely and could see a long branch that was thick enough to support a full grown adult. "Trust me, I'm going somewhere with this!"

"Yeah, to the emergency ward!" Aurea shouted back in growing exasperation. "If you're lucky!" She took off her coat with full intention to scale the tree herself when...

"Let her climb," Cedric insisted to his daughter's surprise. "Hilda wouldn't be doing this at the drop of a hat so we oughta hear her out."

"Of course, you take her side..." Aurea muttered under her breath, knowing how his father spoiled Hilda.

Hilda ignored her Auntie's naysaying in order to reach the sturdy branch and shuffle over to sit down on it. The creak was concerning but she knew that she'd come too far now and took out her Personal Computer. She took out a pair of high-tech binoculars from her Digital Inventory and caught them before they were claimed by gravity.

"Campsite, campsite," Hilda mused when she checked the Town Map on her X-Transceiver, tapping the screen to zoom in. "Leaving Nuvema Town by Route 1 takes you True North." She looked past the tree and easily made out the dirt road that divided the forest with her binoculars. "So our hive of scum and villainy would be..."

Hilda followed the directions Cedric alluded to order to pick out where the thieves made off. Her binoculars booted up a landscape scanner that could helped her spot any gaps in the trees and let her pick out which one stuck out like a sore thumb.

"There!" Hilda exclaimed when the scanner honed in what seemed like a big clearing. She rotated herself around with her right leg lifted over the branch. She could now sit and look straight ahead towards True North, her feet dangling in the air. It really felt like the good ol' days of exploring the woods.

Hilda finally managed to make out a very retro cabin in the clearing and a mighty modern anthennae dish on the roof. A makeshift cell tower she presumed. What stuck out first was a dome of light that seemed to flicker on and off around the clearing itself. It reminded her of a Reflect or Protect attack.

"A force-field?" Hilda exclaimed, both parts impressed and disturbed. "Who are these guys?" However, a zoom in on the clearing itself helped her make out two tables in front of the cabin. Each had one person sitting at them with poor posture and a familiar uniform on.

Gray hood. White apron. A shield logo with a capital "P" on them.

"Gotcha!" Hilda triumphantly declared like she used as Master Ball. She was just grinning with a clenched fist when she heard her X-Transceiver ring. The young trainer smirked at the better reception, figuring she owed somebody a few "I told you so"s.

Hilda slid open the second screen and tapped "Answer" to find a very concerned Cedric to the right of a very frustrated Aurea. "Guess who just found the bad guys?" she smugly gloated, all too eager to hold it over her godmother.

"The headliner for tomorrow's obituary?" Aunite Aurea snarked sharply.

"Don't quit your day job," Hilda sniped back in stride, letting the Professor get her licks in. "I just spotted two of the cosplay creeps are outside the old cabin."

"The one you thought was haunted?" Cedric recalled, stroking his beard. "I thought they torn it down for the cell tower."

"They just stuck an antennae dish on it and called it a day," Hilda claimed, stretching out her left arm so the Live Caster could show the Junipers. "They sometimes rent out the cabin but barely anybody knows it exists anymore."

"A perfect place to hide while the heat dies down..." Aurea mused for a few seconds, putting her fuss aside in her growing intrigue. "Can you make out any Poke Balls?" She squinted in hopes of making out the distance figures without her own binoculars.

Hilda squinted herself through the binoculars but a distance breeze blew branches in the way of her view. "I think I saw them handle a few," Hilda answered with uncertainty, ignoring the small sounds of creaking wood. "With luck, they're too busy counting their spoils but just to make sure..."

Hilda felt confident in her experience in the woods when she stood up with both feet on the branch. She felt perfectly balanced when she looked through the binoculars and zoomed in on the clearing ahead and paid little mind to yet another creak from beneath.

"And it looks like luck's on our side," Hilda quipped in preemptive triumph.

This boost allowed her to properly make out the two thieves each working on laptops and scanning a Poke Ball thoroughly with a hooked up Pokedex. One of them in glasses took the Poke Ball and put it into one of two see-through bins under the edge of each table. One was full of Poke Balls, the other was only just filling up.

"They're analyzing each Pokemon one by one rather thoroughly," Hilda reported when the branch started to bend slowly. "Some sort of cataloguing to check for aliments or strength potential." The creaking grew louder.

"Probably hoping to find the ones they can charge the most," Aurea assumed in her disgust. "But if they had jetpacks, why have a layover here when the lab isn't that far off?"

"What's the best way to hide a tree?" Cedric answered with an age old proverb. "They thought we'd race past them for Accumula-"

"-or get lost the woods," Hilda began to smirk, looking away from her binoculars. "But I've got the home field advantage."

"Nooooo, you've got to get down here," Aurea firmly retorted. "Dad and I will handle things."

"Hey, I grew up in these trees," Hilda barked back indignantly, ignorant to the creaking. "You need an expert to-"

SNAP!

"Sh-" was all Hilda could scream when her Live Caster feed froze up.

"Hilda!" Aurea and Cedric cried out, fearing the worst.

The youngest Juniper jumped back when the binoculars landed right in front of her, just inches from hitting her head. She looked up in time to borderline leap backwards and avoid getting her head struck by a large branch. She was relieved that her goddaughter hadn't come down with her until she looked up for the answer.

To Be Continued...

---

Aurea and Hilda share the same pain but not the same methods of recovering. But after dealing with their past but does the young Trainer even have a future?

Times like these, we could all use some Fair Feathered Friends.

---

Thank you for reading my fanfiction. Write up a comment or a full blown review about what you liked or loathed about my work. I can roll with the punches so let me have it.

 

[matt0044]

The Seventh Squadron receive their next set of instructions to... kick back and relax? Not that they're complaining but what's really going on?

---

Chapter 3: Fair Feathered Friends

[Yo, Hilda!] Pidove called out, panting from frantically flapping his wings. [I know you're out there!] He felt his thirst grow when he found the Juniper Research Center still in the distance beyond a menagerie of trees.

The thought of Oshawott kept him going across the vastness of the north west wood but flying for him was like running for humans. There was only so far they could go before they needed a break. The best he could hope for was that Hilda had ventured into the woods beyond the laboratory.

[No way Hilda wouldn't have just let them get away without a fight,] Pidove told himself, darting around towards the ground. [Now if she'd just give me a sign or...]

"WHOOOOOOA!" a high-pitched scream let out following a low snap of a broken tree branch.

Pidove slowed to a stop to pinpoint where the all too familiar sound of Hilda getting in over her head again came from. [That girl just can't say hello, can't she?] he sighed in disbelief, veering to the left for a swift turn. [Let's see what it is this time.]

Pidove hovered past only a few tree before he found Hilda hanging upside down from the remnant of a tree branch that clearly had broken off. Both of her legs were braced around the stump but struggling to keep consistently clenched. Both her shirt had fallen down to expose her naval while both her arms and ponytail where dangling below.

[Well, points for originality,] Pidove quipped in bemusement when he closed in on her face. [Give her that much.]

Hilda was panting from a combo of the shock of nearly falling down and of catching herself by near reflex. However, the icing on the cake was how strained her legs felt from having to support her all of a sudden after her mad dash on top of her big climb. Her little save was just delaying the inevitable unless...

"Hilda, are you there?" Aurea's voice called out from the X-Transceiver frantically. "Are you... upside down?!"

"Hanging in there, kid?" Cedric couldn't help to joke, knowing his granddaughter enough to assume her situation.

"I think I'll take a break from climbing trees," Hilda heaved, trying to save off panicking. "You remembered to pack the futon, Auntie?"

"It's... drying in the backyard..." Aurea slowly groaned in hindsight. "Minnie's insistence."

[You picked quite a spot to practice Swoobat impersonations,] Pidove chirped nonchalantly, floating up to Hilda's face. [This how humans celebrate making Trainer?]

Hilda's panic morphed into surprise when she saw her feathered friend in her sights. "Pidove?" she asked, smiling in growing delight. "I thought I missed you at the picnic."

[I... might've tried too hard looking for a perfect going-away gift,] Pidove sheepishly admitted, landing on Hilda's right big toe to roost. [Do human girls still like rocks if they're not all shiny and sparkly?]

"I'll tell you once I've gotten down without splitting my head open," the young lady bemoaned, feeling the strain in her legs grow. "Don't tell Auntie Aurea but I miiiiight've forgotten to kinda, sorta properly distribute my weight." She glanced down and gulped hard at the sight of such a long drop.

"You can tell me all about it," Aurea's fussy tone called out from her X-Transceiver, "assuming you can make landfall." She paused before realizing. "Alive preferably."

"That won't be a problem now with Pidove," Hilda replied with a more confident tone of voice.

[I'm flattered but we all remember how well it went teaching me Fly,] Pidove claimed, going red over the awkward memory. [And flying all over the forest does leave a bird pooped.]

"Just follow my lead," Hilda asked, lifting her head to give her feathered friend a knowing look. "Quick Attack followed by Gust and I'll have a full bottle of Fresh Water in return."

[Uh oh,] Pidove replied, intrigued by his friend's implications. [I don't think I like this plan.]

"I do," Hilda quipped before unfolding her legs to drop into free fall.

[Now I know I hate this plan,] Pidove squawked, flying off in time before diving in after her.

Screaming her head off, Aurea had just looked up to have a proverbial heart attack over the sight of Hilda nosediving towards the ground. She scrambled to get directly underneath her goddaughter and prayed that she was in her landing site to break her fall.

However, Pidove caught Aurea's attention by suddenly zooming past Hilda at a breakneck speed and stopping cold just over her face. The Professor jumped back in surprise, a feeling that only grew when the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon began flapping his wings steadily but strongly.

"Clever girl..." Aurea muttered begrudgingly.

Clenching her teeth anxiously, Hilda was more than halfway down the tree when a Gust of wind hit her like fell into invisible water. She smiled broadly when the strong current slowed her descent from a falling to a borderline floating. It was hard for her not to imagined herself holding an open umbrella but the moment had passed.

"Uh, girls?" Cedric called out from the X-Transceiver's in confusion. "I don't got the best seats in the house so a little play-by-play would be nice."

However, Aurea was too busy running up to Hilda once her goddaughter was only a foot away from the ground. His friend now about to land, Pidove finally burnt out his Flying-type Energy before falling to the ground. The Professor thankfully avoid stepping on him while he laid on his back to catch his breath.

[Really... hate... plan...] Pidove gasped, feeling like he circled the globe hundred times over.

Hilda never felt more relieved when her feet touched the ground and leaned onto her knees to breath from how intense that was. "Another happy landing..." she wheezed out, laughing from how exhilarating it all was. "Sorry to-" She was wheezing a lot more when Aurea grabbed her into a hug with the grip of a Serperior's Wrap.

"Is there any part of 'Don't scare me like that' that doesn't go over your head?" the Professor groaned in kitbash of relief and aggravation.

"Not... for lack... of trying..." Hilda managed to wheeze out, feeling the air squeezed out of her.

"Let her have this, Hilda," Cedric sighed wistfully through the X-Transceiver. "It's been a day as it is."

Hilda quickly caught sight of Pidove just barely getting up on his talons and hastily pinched Aurea to loosen her grip. "Sorry," she swore to the wincing Professor while getting out of the near constriction. "Fresh Water, Fresh Water, Fresh Water..." The young Trainer sifted through her Personal Computer's file for something to drink.

Pidove was still catching his breath with every "roo" when a big bowl of crystal clear mineral water was placed in front of him. "Never forget to hydrate," he heard Hilda gratefully advise, looking up to find her kneeling to his live. "Rule Number One in Pokemon Training."

Pidove smiled back at her as thanks before fluttering onto the bowl's edge and drinking away one massive gulp at a time. All the while, Aurea walked over with her far more serious expression making a reprisal.

"I think Pidove might actually be able to help us," Aurea posited, stroking her chin like her father always did. "More than he already has."

"The little guy's strong but I don't know if he's that strong," Cedric replied.

"I'm talking about proper reconnaissance," Aurea corrected. "Pidoves are all over Unova and are generic enough to just blend in with the background." She started to pace around in collecting her thoughts. "Hilda's friend here could fly onto the campsite and spy without causing suspicion."

"And they don't even know she can talk to Pidove," Cedric finished, slowly smiling at how it was all coming together.

"Well, look who's deciding to get reckless all of a sudden," Hilda wryly teased, strutting up smugly towards the Professor. "What happened to playing it safe?"

"Those four phonies robbed my family blind and hurt my father," Aurea replied with a glare aimed towards the campsite's general direction. "They just made it personal."

"I'll do my best on my end," Cedric promised. "I know a few folks in town that don't take Pokemon thieves lying down."

Hilda was taken aback by her godmother being like, well, her until the Professor reached into her pocket and held out a Scalchop. "Let's bring them home together," Aurea declared strongly. "I could use an expert when it comes to this neck of the woods."

Hilda felt seen when she smiled back and took the Scalchop. "Thank you..." she softly replied with only a small tear, holding her godmother's hand to shake on it.

"That's my girls..." Cedric warmly praised with a nod of approval.

"Did you get that Pidove?" Hilda asked while turned towards her feathered friend. "Sorry to ask more of you but-"

A small yet crass burp interrupted the young Trainer before Pidove hovered out of the water bowl with renewed stamina and a quenched thirst.

[A promise is a promise,] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon vowed, fluttering closer to his friend. [We'll get Oshawott back in no time.]

"Then we'll start by-" Aurea began before Hilda cut in almost too hastily.

"Wait, how did you know I got an Oshawott?" the rookie asked Pidove in confusion, piquing the Professor's curiosity in turn. "And what's this about a promise?"

Aurea eyed Hilda oddly when she answer a question only she could hear while Pidove's eyes shot wide with realization.

[Guess seeing you upside down distracted me,] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon exclaimed. [I meet the little guy after those flying humans nearly knocked me out of the sky and followed them.] He landed on the wrist band on Hilda's outstretch right arm. [I heard him cry for you when I followed them to their stomping grounds.]

Hilda swallowed hard in dread at the sound of it. "Is... he okay?" she pleaded, fearing the worst but hoping for the best. "What's happening to him?"

[They're not hurting him but... he's real down in the mouth,] Pidove explained, remembering how the Sea Otter Pokemon seemed to just give up. [He just gave up and let them put him in a cage.] He frowned at the awful memory. [I'm sorry there wasn't a thing I could do.]

"You stuck your neck out to comfort a virtual stranger," Hilda reassured, scritching Pidove's neck in gratitude. "So far, you've helped him more that I could've."

[I've known him for only a few minutes but he's already my wingman,] Pidove swore, cheering up. [We Flying-type always look out for each other.]

"So.. is this a private affair?" Hilda and Pidove heard Aurea ask awkwardly. "You forgot to put up the subtitles." The two besties went red in the face over being too caught up in each other and forgetting that not every human can talk to Pokemon.

"I really need to invest in that Pokemon Translator," Cedric hmmmed. "Remind me to contact Fennel."

Hilda cleared her throat to change the subject to something less awkward. "Pidove, could you start from the beginning so I can interpret?" she hastily asked.

[I might be able to help better if you can explain, well, how got here?] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon asked. [I feel like I'm missing something here.]

"Join the club..." Hilda groaned before recapping everything relevant up until now.

---

If you're tumbling down and your spirit falls
Help's on the way, we hear your call
On a mission, we're united as one
Friends forever, yeah

It was still an odd experience for Vanessa. Laying about with a roof over her head and listening to her favorite O-Town album without fear of being kicked out by a landlord or cop. Even now, she was waiting for an other shoe that would never drop.

It also didn't help that her brother was trying to make nice with their captive.

"C'mon, squirt," a squatting Bright insisted, russling a bag of Oran flavored chips. "You gotta at least eat something."

Up on the cabin's second floor under the roof, Oshawott sat in his cage with only silence as his answer. He had his back to Bright while sitting amongst a mess of snacks that the Knight had slipped through the bars.

"Look, I get that this is a lot to take in," Bright tried to empathize, "but you'll thank us later." He rested his legs by seating himself on the wooden floorboards.

Hungry as he admittedly was, the Sea Otter Pokemon frowned in defiance the way he knew Hilda would. Whatever these Team Plasma creeps wanted with him, Oshawott imagined the kind of strength his Trainer gave off and stood his ground.

Though the slight gurgle from his stomach implied otherwise. He shut his eyes to

"Give him seven minutes without the snacks," Vanessa called out to her adopted brother. "Twerps always crack sooner or later when you starve them out."

Bright looked back to cast a dirty look towards his adopted sister and found her flat on her back on one of the futons. She was already taking it easy with her hand behind her head and ear buds connected to her P.C. Her plains clothes were barely washed baggy jeans and a grey sweater over her black T-shirt.

"This isn't an interrogation in the sewers, Vanessa," Bright chided back, adjusting the waistline on his cargo shorts. "We joined Team Plasma to be better than that."

"No, we joined when Kent's cronies nearly threw us off the Skyarrow Bridge," Vanessa retorted irately, listening to the songs she pirated thanks to Sammy. "Now spare me the 'bigger person' spiel and toss me a cupcake, Mr. Bright Idea." She turned up the volume when her jam came on.

Bright groaned over his sister refusing to let go of his failed attempt at playing nice. He found a chocolate cupcake amongst their other junk scattered across the floor and took it out. In a fit of frustration, he threw it at Vanessa's face only for her left hand to catch it just in time.

"Um... nice to see your reflexes are still sharp," Bright stammered to save face. "Save half for me."

Cracking an eye open Oshawott couldn't help but overhear his captors talking with each other and how... casual they sounded. Whoever these Team Plasma thieves were, their initial menace was becoming more and more watered down.

"Don't let her scare you," Bright whispered towards Oshawott. "Living on the streets either makes you crazy or crabby." He glanced over to make sure Vanessa didn't over hear. "I personally think she's both."

Oshawott was just pondering what exactly to make of them when footsteps caught his attention, breaking his hungry strike. He turned towards the stairway where Cheren and Bianca stepped into the bedroom with a surprising change of clothes.

"I see Vanessa's making herself at home," Bright heard his leader remark to his surprise.

Cheren wore a loose blue jacket opened to show a red stripe down his white shirt and black slacks below. Bianca had the more colorful outfit with a green beret over a white dress with an orange vest over the top.

"Oh, uh, I insist that I take first watch while she caught up on rest," Bright quickly lied, standing up to meet his bosses eye to eye. "Sorry if we bailed on your call to the big boss, erm, boss."

"Well, you lucked out," Cheren responded rather roughly. "The "big boss' as you put it instructed us to just kick up our feet and rest until the Shadow Triad pick us up." He adjusted his glasses with a groan. "Apparently, the king is concerned with how much sleep we may be missing."

Bright's confused eyes met Bianca's own look of concern for a second. "And that's bad... how?" he asked Cheren earnestly.

"The boss is a workaholic who can't relax for crap," Vanessa bluntly put out without a hint of shame. "But at least he leads by example."

"Vanessa..." Bright firmly bemoaned, knowing how she can be too off-the-clock.

"Cheren wanted to check in on any odds and ends they might've missed," Bianca clarified, hoping to keep a lid on things. "But Ghetsis wasn't convinced."

"What's odd or end about it?" Vanessa asked again. "We came, we saw, we robbed them in broad daylight." She tried to close her eyes while listening to a more mellow song. "Unless we forgot the raid the pantry, I didn't, I think we'll be cool."

"And you didn't notice anything strange about Hilda?" Cheren sharply questioned back, strolling over towards Vanessa. "How she was talking to her Pokemon?"

Vanessa's eyes snapped open with Bright aiming the same gaze of incredulousness towards their leader. Bianca hung her head and sighed wearily, knowing how this was going to play out.

However, Oshawott kept his ear out for this out of curiosity. Namely as to how would they have come to their little deduction. He only caught onto Hilda's secret nearly half a day after meeting her.

"Um... yeah?" Vanessa indignantly replied. "She sweet talks to her Pokemon like any other Trainer deluded enough." She lifted up her Personal Computer to find a song to center herself. "Probably brainstormed nicknames like Ollie."

"You know what I'm talking about," Cheren indignantly declared, snatching the P.C. from a most offended Vanessa. "I saw her communicate with her Oshawott and even with Snivy during battle." He looked towards Bianca for some semblance of support. "There's no way it was just reading 'body language'."

Bianca blinked and darted around anxiously. "It did seem weirdly personal between her and the Grass-type," she conceded, hoping to back him up a bit. "And the way she was conversing was a lot like the demonstrations."

"Then why would Ghetsis shoot you down?" Bright questioned. "Assuming you're onto something."

"Because he's not," Vanessa snapped, snatching her P.C. back from Cheren. "Did I say workaholic?" She glared at her boss with major offense. "Try conspiracy nut."

"Or..." Cheren asserted, more intimidated by Vanessa than he let on, "Black Ops missed a spot."

"It would be nice to take those elites down a peg," Bright admitted. "But this is too big off a leap."

"And it's not like we can ask Hilda," Bianca reasoned with her partner. "Even without Pokemon, the Junipers wouldn't take this robbery lying down with the Pokemon we didn't get."

"We can still try to isolate Hilda," Cheren suggested, still trying to sell his pitch. "Perhaps promise to exchange her Starter for her secret and take her straight to Ghetsis."

Oshawott gasped at the suggestion. He wouldn't wish being caged on even Snivy.

"One problem with that, chief," Vanessa irritably retorted before yawning in Cheren's face spitefully.

"Hey!" Cheren cringed, waving away the bad breath.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say we're running on fumes here," Vanessa declared before free-falling back onto her futon. "If Ghetsis wants us to catch up on rest, hey, consider me employee of the month." She ever pretended to snore if only to make the point.

Cheren just stared incredulously as Vanessa resumed her playlist and shut her eyes to a soothing number by Blessid Union of Souls. "Can you believe this-?" he began before yawning himself, his field agent's drowsiness catching on.

"Sorry, boss," Bright swore up and down. "But for once, I'm with sis." He laid down on the bed with his head just in front of the window. "I like big schemes as the next hire muscle but I've been in enough to know something always go belly up."

"Maybe..." Bianca put forth gently, "we can make our case to His Majesty after we've caught up on rest." She grabbed Cheren by the arms and winked up at her partner.

The Seventh Squadron's leader blushed while his glasses fell askew. "I... guess we could brainstorm our pitch on the couch..." he managed to put out, glancing to see if Bright or Vanessa were watching.

Oshawott kept a close eye on Bianca pulling Cheren towards the stairs and trembling anxiously like never before. Even if Team Plasma was turning in, he knew that Pidove was still leading Hilda into a potential trap. The Sea Otter Pokemon felt a pit in his stomach for being made into bait.

RRRRRRRRR!

Said pit turned out to be hunger pangs that growled from the belly up and disturbed Oshawott's depressive spiral. The blushing Water-type looked around at the snacks Bright littered around the cage and felt far less inclined to stick it to Team Plasma.

[Fine,] Oshawott groaned in defeat before starting on the soft-baked sugar cookies. [But only to help Hilda...] He hoped that the sugar rush would get his brain to think of something.

---

"So what Pidove's saying is that this force-field isn't invulnerable," Cedric surmised over the X-Transceiver. "That might work to our favor..." His transmission was starting to glitch, dipping in an out in a borderline dead zone.

"And it seems like these thieves take themselves for charity," Hilda added, careful of her footing with so many roots. "The way Pidove says it, they were trying to 'save' Oshawott from me?"

"One of the girls that... did say some... -ike that..." Cedric mused, his signal starting to waver.

Hilda looked up to find Pidove hovering over head, keeping pace with her and Aurea. She had asked Pidove to direct them west while each of them hashed out their sides of the story and filled in the blanks the other missed. It was this part of the forest that had the less clearings and a few more trees clumped together.

"I know the Pokemon League hasn't always approved of how my family does this," Aurea began, stumbling over a root she missed, "but this has gone too far."

"No, it sounds like these zealots have it out for the League too," Hilda corrected, jumping over a bigger root. "And the mere concept of Trainers too."

"I know the lifestyle isn't for everyone and that plenty can't stomach battling but... stealing Pokemon?" Aurea asked exasperatedly. "How is playing Team Rocket a solution to, well, anything?" She nearly tripped when her foot got stuck under a root and nearly blew a gasket trying to pull it out.

"We can beat it out of them when we've rallied the troops," Hilda declared vengefully, stopping to wait for the Professor. "Pidove, I need you to zip back to the campsite and update us on what those creeps are doing before they think of skipping town." She looked up at her feathered friend. "Sound the alarm to the whole wood."

Pidove stopped to grin back at his best friend. [Consider the cavalry called,] he promised with gusto before revving up his Normal-type Energy. [My old man's got connection out Northeast.]

The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon flew off in the opposite direction at breakneck speed, weaving around the trees and disappearing from Hilda's sight.

"Gramps, think you could set a trap back at the ranch?" she then asked into her X-Transceiver. "We can lead the thieves back towards the research center if worse comes to worse."

"And it always does," Cedric replied scratchily, his video feed freezing. "I'll rig up something or other."

Aurea had only just pried her foot out of the root when she looked up before cringing at the sight and the smell simultaneously. A firm faced Hilda was holding up two of her smelly sock right in her face.

"Auntie, I need you to take these socks with you down southwest," the rookie commanded. "My scent will let any friend of mine there know that I need them."

"O... kay..." Aurea winced, taking the dirty pair with the tips of her fingers. "What exactly are you planning?"

"Raising an army," Hilda declared with a triumphant smirk. "If those creeps did their research, they'd know that this is my turf." She spread out her arms to bring attention to the vast woodland around them.

Aurea's eyes went wide in growing realization. "We've got the home field advantage," she murmured with a growing grin.

"And my friends play to win," Hilda vowed, holding up a fist.

To Be Continued...

---

Team Plasma has caught onto one of Hilda's secrets but not all of them. Something that will cost them when they find themselves in a war they have unknowingly kicked off.

Hilda will get all the help she needs when the news spreads like Wildfire.

---

Thank you for reading my fanfiction.

Write up a comment or a full blown review about what you liked or loathed about my work. I can roll with the punches so let me have it.

 

[matt0044]

Aurea rounds up whoever is willing to fight while Hilda makes peace with her oldest friend. However, the Seventh Squadron are no slouches either.

---

Chapter 4: Wildfire

The adult male Unfezant appreciated the high altitude of his nest greatly. As the leader of his flock, it allowed him to hear anything loud and potentially dangerous in his neck of the woods. It also made for a peaceful place to roost with the freshest air that the sea of trees before him could offer him.

Unfezant had only just started to stretch his wings with a yawn and sat down to Roost his power back to one hundred percent when...

[DAD, WAKE UP!]

The Proud Pokemon squawked awake with his eyes wide open and his legs springing up. The pink wattle on his face waved its ribbons menacingly in response to any and all threat. When he saw the tiny Pidove responsible for the disturbance, Unfezant made a stern frown that made his son gulp immediately.

[Oh... you were... resting,] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon sheepishly realized, touching down in the nest. He felt terribly smaller before his father.

[This better be good, son,] Unfezant warned, holding his head up high and mighty. [If Hilda's stuck up another tree, she can find her way down herself.] He was often unaware of his own dad jokes.

Pidove sunk his head into his neck tensely. He was so busy worrying about Hilda that he forgot how his father could be rather uptight as flock leader. The Proud Pokemon often made everyone else's business his business if he felt that it was a disturbance to the peace. So of course, Hilda wasn't exactly his favorite human.

[Out with it, son!] Unfezant squawked. [What's the tomboy gotten into this time?]

Pidove plucked up courage to speak up to his father and minimize Hilda's involvement. [Thieves have just stole the Pokemon from the Junipers,] he reported, his chest puffed up like he was one of his father's Tranquill on patrol. [They've also taken Hilda's starter Pokemon, an Oshawott.]

[What in tarnation are poachers wan' with us?] Unfezant questioned incredulously. [They got any of our own?]

[Not yet, dad, but they're camped out at the cell cabin,] Pidove went on. [I know you have... mixed feelings about Hilda but-]

["But" nothing, son!] Unfezant declared, snapping out of his drowsiness. [I ain't lettin' no crooks squat in my neck o' the woods.]

The Proud Pokemon flapped his wings to go into an immediate hover, nearly blowing a bracing Pidove away in the kicked up draft. The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon caught the breeze in opening his wings and steadied himself.

[Shouldn't we sound the alarm?] Pidove asked, already following his father.

[And send the forest into a tizzy?] Unfezant asked rhetorically while already hovering on ahead. [Best we assest the sitch first, son.]

A strong flap of his wings allowed the Proud Pokemon to surge on ahead and leave Pidove. The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon began to charge up his Quick Attack if only to hopefully keep up with father.

[Thanks for waiting up...] Pidove sighed irately while he picked up speed.

---

Aurea Juniper had often had to get her hands literally dirty to complete her research. One project involving the origins of Trubbish, actual trash brought to life by chemical waste before cleaner energy sources were enforced more. One takeaway that made it into the Pokedex was how long a victim of their poison burps were comatose.

It was one week, two hours, five minutes and fifty seven seconds.

The reason it came to Aurea's mind was that holding Hilda's socks forced her appreciate the stench of Trubbish all the more. Even keeping it at arm's length didn't help period. It didn't help that it took her longer than expected to reach southwest just past the laboratory. The trees at least became less dense thankfully.

"Dad, please remind Hilda to change her socks more," Aurea groaned, turning her head away as far as she could. "Just because she can talk to Pokemon doesn't mean she should stink like them."

"You take what you can get," Cedric reassured on the X-Transceiver, the reception marginally improved. "Have any Pokemon responded to Hilda's, erm, Sweet Scent?"

Aurea looked around at the trees and on the ground. There were indeed Pokemon that were staring at directly at her and visibly sniffing the potent odor she had. However, most from Patrat to Pidove kept their distance whether they recognized the very familiarized face of Aurea Juniper.

"Just bunch of weird looks that I can't exactly blame," Aurea answered in discomfort. "I think Hilda's foot odor might be a new type of Repel."

"Let's not call the Battle Company so soon," Cedric chortled. "Remember, a good Professor waits until-"

The elder Juniper's wisdom of the ages was cut off when Aurea took what could only be described as a cannonball to her spine. Nearly all the wind was knocked out of her before she hit the ground face first and felt her tiny assailant bouncing on her bruised back.

"-inspiration strikes..." was all Aurea could hear from her stupefied father.

[Hilda! Hilda! Hilda!]

Said "inspiration" was a Lillipup bouncing up and down on the pounced Professor's back, barking shrilly yet excitedly. Aurea managed to push up off the ground even with the back pain and quickly recognized who had given her the local greeting.

"Hello... Lilly..." she grunted after spitting out dirt.

Aurea felt marginally better upon hearing a series of low toned barks. Harry the Herdier quickly rushed in and leaped over the Professor while snatching Lilly by the nape of her neck. He placed his surprised little sister down on the ground right in front of Aurea.

[Lilly...] Harry sternly reprimanded.

[But I smelled Hilda,] Lilly whimpered, baby-doll eyes and everything.

[But did you see Hilda?] Harry pointed out, motioning his head towards a recovering Aurea.

Lilly looked to find the Professor standing back up steadily and wincing in pain while rubbing her back. It took a second for her to realize that the taller woman with the wavy orange-brown hair and lab coat was not, to her further surprise, Hilda.

[Maybe... it's the latest fashion?] Lilly earnestly suggested with her brand of cluelessness. [Human dress-ups are weird.]

Harry sighed in beleaguerment. [It's Professor Juniper,] he finally cut to the chase. [Hilda's guardian.]

[Oh!] Lilly realized before her mistake finally sunk in. [Oooooo...]

Aurea, all the while, stood back up after finishing a few gulps of Fresh Water and felt the pain to her back subside.

"Everything under control?" Cedric fretfully asked, hurting for a proper view. "What just happened?"

An angered Aurea was about to give out some choice words about the whole situation. However, a remorseful Lilly came over with such wide eyes of sorrow and whimpers that immediately quelled most of the Professor's frustration.

Aurea sighed in a paternal, her frown melting into a slight grin. "Let's just say Hilda's little friend has been working on her Tackles," she confessed, kneeling down to forgive Lilly with a pet on the head. "Just don't tell her the lure actually worked for the sake of her ego."

"Heh, I remember my first meet-cute with Lily." Cedric laughed knowingly. "My spine still feels like paste."

The Lillipup panted while wagging her tail affectionately when Harry trotted over and brought over the stinky socks in his teeth. Aurea saw the worry in the Herdier's eyes when he set it down and barked inquisitively, reminding her exactly what she was here.

Even Lilly's smile turned back into a serious frown when she saw the socks up close. She remembered how Hilda had been very keen about her little signaling systems in case something had gone wrong.

"I don't need to talk to Pokemon to know what you're worried about," Aurea solemnly guessed, standing back up. "There's a lot to catch you up on..."

---

Simon sat himself up straight to stretch out his back after doing a full read-out on the twentieth Joltik in their haul. Bianca had always been on his case about his bad posture that even he was catching himself slouch more than he was willing to admit it. The small stool that they had to sit at didn't help matters.

"Now I know where the budget didn't go into," he muttered, filing away his scan report. "Sammy, how's shield integrity?" He grabbed a piece of chocolate to keep his sugar buzz going and swallowed just before realizing her didn't get an answer. "Sam?"

Simon turned around to his annoyance but hardly any disappointment. Right behind him, Sammy was bopping to whatever new Anime she'd become obsessed with while typing on what was clearly a web browser. Simon stood up and strolled over to her desk to discover that, indeed, she was typing up a Tumblr draft about Blorbo from her shows.

"Of course..." her twin brother muttered before getting up.

Sammy was just reaching the epic chorus of the song when the swift removal of one of her wireless earbuds throws off her groove. She swung around to find her very irate brother giving her an incredulous "What the actual hell" stare with his hands stretch out.

"For the record," Sammy began indignantly, stepping up to snatch her earbud back, "I was written an encoded message for any would be recruits in my fandom."

Simon knew better than to take her whinging seriously with a moan and a roll of his eyes. "Just tell me if you've helped restore the force-field already," he wearily asked, rubbing sweat off his irritated face.

"I finished that ages ago," Sammy retorted roughly before sitting back down at her laptop. "It's just a simple diversion of power from the generator." She opened up a window that visualized the energy flow to the shields. "Amateur hour really."

"That's barely ever ten percent for the cabin," Simon balked at the fluxuating graphs over his sister's shoulder. "You were suppose to help it regenerate slowly."

"So the air conditioning will conk out," Sammy rolled her eyes jealously. "Serves them right for saddling us with the grunt work." A few keyboard strokes diverted an addition three percent to Simon's beleaguerment. "Plus, I added a little more bounce to the force-field."

A loud WHAM sent ripples through the transparent dome while making Simon jump.

"See?" Sammy gloated, unfazed.

---

Unfezant caught himself with a steadied flap of his wings after what felt like a rubber wall forced him backwards. [Dagnabbit all,] the furious fowl exclaimed, still a touch dizzy. [Now who put t'at t'ere?]

[I did warn you about the force-field, dad,] Pidove panted upon catching up. [Remember?]

Unfezant felt embarrassed but shook his head in order to regaining his bearings. ['course y' did, son,] he assert, straightening his posture proudly. [Jus' feelin' it out so you wouldn't blunder into it.]

[Right...] Pidove groaned. [We should be able to break through it if we batter it enough.]

[Well, why didnja say so, son?] Unfezant exclaimed when he wasted no time in channeling his Flying-type Energy. [Battering bad eggs is my bread and butter.]

[Shouldn't we wait for Hilda?] Pidove insisted, flying in front of his father.

[Wait for what?!] Unfezant balked, flying above his son. [For that tomboy to muck it up as usual?] He made a strong flap of his wing to unleash a pair of energized air currents straight towards the campsite.

---

WHAM!

The sound of what he thought was thunder snapped Oshawott out of his sugar crash. He jumped in fright with a yelp from bad memories of Electric-type attacks and darted around for the incoming attack. The sight of the cage cooled his jets with a dismal reminder of reality until another crash of thunder gained his curiosity.

WHAM!

It was coming from outside.

Bright roused from his nap and rose his groggily head with his Patrat themed sleep mask. "Weatherman didn't say crud about a storm," he groaned in annoyance, stirring on the bed just behind the window.

WHAM!

"Urrrrrrrgh, it's not," Vanessa growled from her futon, not nearly caught up on her sleep. "Some birdbrain probably bashed itself into the force-field." She laid on her front with the pillow over her head to block the sound. "Again!"

WHAM!

Bright, still blinded, went so far as to turn on his earcom. "Contrary to popular belief, loud noises aren't ASMR," he yawned. "Some of us need sleep."

A frantic sounding Sammy didn't even get a word in before Bright carelessly tossed his com aside to snore most ironically.

Oshawott's eyes widened when he finally realized what that "thunder" was. The same noise that Pidove made when he attacked the force-field. In fact, he could make out the force-field's electrical barrier starting to short when he leaned in and looked through the window.

Had Hilda come for him?

Did Pidove really fly back to find her?

Did he dare hope?

---

Cheren and Bianca had been sleeping more lightly when the proverbial knocking at their door began. They didn't waste time rushing out of the cabin while equipping their Armor. Right out the gate, the shield was visible in its growing instability.

WHAM!

"Simon, Sammy!" Cheren cried out, rushing to the twins. "Status report now!"

Simon was hunched over Sammy while she desperately pounded her keyboard. "Some giant Unfezant's actually bombarding our defenses," he replied in exasperation. "They don't even have a Trainer, just... a really bad mood."

"How long can we hold out?" Bianca asked, desperately hoping for the best.

WHAM!

"We could lose stabilization any minute," Sammy cursed, gritting her teeth. "Ten tops unless our feathered friend tires out quickly."

"How are Bright and Vanessa sleep through this?" Simon honestly asked, glaring back at the cabin.

"It's a Castelian thing," Bianca wearily sighed.

Cheren had glanced up during Sammy's rundown to find the hovering Unfezant and found them panting after their consecutive series of Air Slash. Not wasting this opening, he took out his Personal Computer and selected the correct device from his inventory.

"Sammy, drop the shields flat!" the Seventh Squadron's leader commanded.

"Are you-?" Sammy began to question before she turned towards the boss man, "-crazy?" Simon and Bianca join her in surprise when they see Cheren wield a red device tied to his wrist with a white handle for him to grip.

"X Attack: Electric, Activate!" he declared while inserting a yellow disc into his Wonder Launcher's slot. "Sammy, on my mark!" His arm was aimed at the Unfezant when they seemed to be raring for another go.

Now about to argue with a likely madman, Sammy typed away to flip the force-field's kill switch. "Pulling the plug..." she announced with apprehension, "...now!"

---

Unfezant and Pidove shared the same sense of surprise when the force-field just vanished as quickly as their wings flapped. The Proud Pokemon especially had just prepared yet another Air Slash but was left panting heavily from his cut off assault.

[Guess they found me too hot t' handle,] Unfezant proclaimed with a triumphant smirk.

[This seems... too easy,] Pidove suggested cautiously. [Why would they just dropped their protection like that?] He then noticed a shiny glint where Cheren was standing and found the Knight suited up while holding up a strange piece of wristwear.

It didn't take long for Pidove to see that it was being intentionally aimed. Right up towards them.

['cause they know when to fold 'em,] Unfezant proclaimed while flying down towards the campsite. [Not that I'll pull my punches-]

[Dad, LOOK OUT!]

Pidove's warning came in too late right after Cheren's Wonder Launcher fired a glowing yellow disc straight up towards his father. Unfezant was dumbfounded by the sight of something so unassuming until it struck him in the chest. The Proud Pokemon dropped like a rock when what felt like a compressed Thunderbolt burst all over him.

[NO!] Pidove cried while he dove after his father desperately.

"Sammy, restore defenses!" Cheren's voice called out. "Drain the generator if you have to."

Pidove recognized the head honcho's voice just in time to stop while his father hit the grass like a rock. He would've resumed his pursuit if the force-field didn't suddenly reappear around the campgrounds and soon turned invisible.

[Dad?!] Pidove cried while he desperately rammed the shield. [Dad, get out there!] He was too emotional to keep himself from bounce off of the invisible dome.

Unfezant tried to get back up faster but felt his body tense from electrical volts paralyzing his body by the nerve and slowing him down. He managed to get back up on his talons with a few light flaps of his wings and heaved his chest heavily.

[Try t'... sucker punch me... will ya?] the Proud Pokemon slurred from a slight headache. [No more Mister Friendly Feath- OW!] Unfezant was initially annoyed by what felt like a rock hitting him in the head but his frown soon gained shades of dread.

The rock was an Ultra Ball.

[Darn...] was all Unfezant could say before the Poke Ball opened up.

Pidove's heart sank deeper than ever. He could only look helplessly at his father being changed into red plasmic energy and sucked into the Ultra Ball. Only the sight of Cheren coming to collect came close to snapping him out of his cold shock.

[Gotta find Hilda...] Pidove repeatedly panted to himself, urging his wings to get him away. [Gotta find Hilda...]

---

Sammy let out the deepest breath she'd ever taken before leaning back in her chair, her head hanging listlessly. "Shields are back up," she groaned, lack of sleep starting to catch up with her. "Assuming that's the worst of it..."

"Looking like that..." Simon sighed, glancing up sympathetically towards the retreating Pidove. "Boss man sure knows how to get his point across..."

His eyes lowered towards Cheren who was just standing there, looking at the Ultra Ball with disgust. Thankfully, Bianca was saving him and Sammy the trouble by walking up to their leader from behind.

"You did what you had to," Bianca reassured, putting her right hand on Cheren's right shoulder. "We'll release him once we're ready to go."

Cheren still glared down at the Ultra Ball while clenching it in contempt. "I'm afraid you're making it sound too simple," he scoffed intently, adjusting his glasses for focus. "Get your Wonder Launcher ready, everybody."

Simon and Sammy snap out of their weariness on this note from the cold splash of surprise.

"It was just a wild Pokemon," Sammy put forth. "Most will be smart enough to go away."

"That's an order!" Cheren demanded while he made a beeline for the cabin. "Bianca, tell Bright and Vanessa that nap time over while I try to raise communications."

"If you say so..." Bianca gulped while following, a tough unnerved by her partner's sharpened gaze.

Cheren couldn't not think about it all while he closed in on the door. Hilda's talking to her Pokemon. The Pidove. And now the Unfezant. The former Trainer in him was screaming at him that there weren't the coincidences his fellow Knights took them for.

Something had to be done.

---

Over the logs and past the thinning trees. Hilda knew the directions to Watcher's family den by heart after years and was faster about it thanks to some considerable motivation this particular day. She even went so far as to jump over two at the risk of tripping.

However, Hilda had just hopped over the third log when she saw a mumbling Watchog eying a bush for fresh Oran Berries and being very particular. A Watchog with a summer straw hat tied to her head, one that the young lady remember buying.

Hilda stopped to pant and let a smile grow on her face. "Ma Hog!" she exclaimed in a rare spell of delight.

The female Watchog snapped out of her hyperfixation to find Hilda rushing over with a happy wave. [Hilda, mah child!] Ma Hog grinned. [Yerra a sight f' sore eyes!]

She met Hilda in the middle by scurrying up and hugging her across the waist. The rookie happily returned it with a pat on the head.

[Where's t' time gone, honestly?] Ma Hog giggled motherly, looking Hilda up and down. [Ah still remember when y' barely reach my shoulders.]

"Back when you tanned my hide good," Hilda snickered back. "Man, I was such a brat back then."

[Whaddaya mean 'was'?] Ma Hog sassed back. [Now where's that l'il Oshawott of your's.] Hilda's smile dimming down escaped her initially. [Imma pinch his cheeks so good-]

"That's... actually what I was coming to see you about," Hilda uneasily transitioned, remembering that time was uncertain. "Do you know where Watcher is?"

Ma Hog's sweet demeanor shifted to sour in seconds. [T'at troublemaking son of mine's doing his time,] she declared with tight folding her arms, her foot tapping in irritation. [Now t'at yer here, he can finally face the music.]

Hilda gulped ever so slightly at Watcher's mother letting her temper rise and remembered how she could do more than apply blush to one's tush. "You didn't have to-" she began to insist, hoping she could lessen the Lookout Pokemon's harsh sentence.

But a firm-faced Ma Hog cut Hilda off by grabbing her by wristband and pulling the rookie past the berry bush, surprising the human with the lurch forth. [Oh, yes I did,] the mother Watchog fumed, her natural strength barely straining against Hilda's resistance. [Only went easy on 'im 'cause he had the decency to 'fess up.]

"No one snitched on him?" Hilda exclaimed, surprised by Watcher's thoughtfulness.

[Feh, don't give 'im too much credit,] the strict mother upheld. [Jus' make sure he apologizes all proper like, y'hear?]

They briskly past quite a few trees, plenty of idling Pokemon and berry bushes that Hilda snatched a snack or two from when Ma Hog wasn't looking. It did comfort her to see all the familiar landmarks on this trail. A tree stump that she'd read stories to her friends. A patch of dirt that made for a fun mud fight after a rainy day.

A little nostalgia in dark times really helped.

Hilda found herself in familiar territory: a modest clearing with a big hollow tree in the middle. Big enough for a family of Watchogs and their Patrats. Even a lost little girl they took pity on. Hilda would've enjoyed the memories when Ma Hog finally stopped. At least, she would've if she wasn't thrown for a loop by an unusual house guest.

"Old Stouty?" Hilda exclaimed in surprised.

The elderly Stoutland roused from his nap just in front of the den's entrance and smiled warmly. [Hilda, as I live and breath,] the old coot chortled, despite his slower start. [How's the Trainer life treating you, whippersnapper?]

A giddy Hilda couldn't help herself and rushed forward to bury her face in Stouty's thick fur on his left side. The old dog chortled from her tickling nuzzles, remember when she was small enough to bury completely underneath him for warmth.

[Some things really do never change...] Stouty grinned warmly, enjoying the full body pets he was getting.

"Ooooooo, I'm so sorry I never visited more," Hilda happily apologized with such a squeak in her voice. "I didn't even bring you a treat."

['fraid processed foods 're a no go,] Ma Hog cut in, strolling in after allowing their moment. [Lily and Harry moseyed him over here so I could treat his fever last night.]

"Oh no..." Hilda gasped, backing away to give Old Stouty his distance.

[I'll be right as rain in no time, thanks to Ma Hog's bedside manners,] the Big-Hearted Pokemon reassured, weakly getting up to at least stretch. [In fact, I can smell better and tell that you skipped out on bathing this morning from a mile away.]

"That hard to miss, huh...?" Hilda blushed, remembering the Pokemon's greater sense of smell.

Ma Hog clicked her tongue in disappointment. [Ah'd give mah tail for some hot water and t'at shampoo stuff,] she sighed, shaking her head to scold Hilda. [Honestly, y'all humans c'n be so wasteful.]

"Uh... hey!" the embarrassed rookie interjected awkwardly. "Didn't you say Watcher was around here 'doing time,' Ma?"

[Ah put him to work taking care of Stouty's needs,] Ma Hog answered, snorting her nose in disapproval. [Believe me, I ran him ragged.]

"I'm... touched but you really didn't have to..." Hilda assured, squatting down. "He seemed sorry enough when the dust settled." Though the harsh memory made her gaze sink.

[Ah, you humans go too soft on yer youngin's,] Ma Hog dismissed stubbornly, wagging her paw in Hilda's face. [Out here, there's a little thing called 'tough love' if you wan' 'em tusslin' halfway decent.]

"And you wonder where he gets it..." Hilda muttered, remembered the culture clash between wild Pokemon and humans.

[Ah beg yer pardon?] Ma Hog sharply retorted, giving a borderline Leer.

Hilda clammed up upon recognizing the mother Watchog's tone of voice, falling on her bottom. The kind that once preceded a younger Trainer-to-be getting her buttocks too swollen for her shorts. She was thankful when Old Stouty gave out a rough cough to divert their attention.

[Ah, speak of the devil,] the Big-Hearted Pokemon announced, looking to the left of the ladies. [The rabble-rouser's even gotten all the berries I asked for.]

Hilda and Ma Hog turned their heads almost immediately to quite the sight. The rookie felt mildly sorry for Watcher when she saw how he staggered carefully carrying a big pile of berries and blocked his face in the process. Ma Hog, however, folded her arms firmly beneath her equally firm face.

[Y' remembered th' water this time, boy?] the Lookout Pokemon's mother demanded.

[Yes...] Watcher's worn-out voice groaned, held back by the water in his cheeks.

["Yes" what, son?] Ma Hog firmly demanded further.

[Y-Yes, Man,] Watcher hastily corrected.

A very sympathetic Hilda decides to cut the Watchog some slack by stepping forward and meeting him halfway, much to Ma Hog's dismay. She was just in time to keep the Lookout Pokemon from stepping on a loose rock in the grass.

"I'll take it from here," she claimed, reaching out to take some of the berries blocking Watcher's vision.

[Appreciate it, Ma'am,] Watcher started to thank, his load lightening one berry at a time. [I was- wait...] He quickly recognized the voice mere seconds before before Hilda's face came into view.

[Hilda?!] Watcher exclaimed, water spilling out of his jaws. [W-what are you-?]

He was so walloped by surprise that he forgot to keep the rest of the berries in his arms. Hilda backed away fast before she could step on any of them.

"I'll... just get these over to Old Stouty," she offered awkwardly before backing away towards the elderly Stoutland

[F'r some reason known only to the Great Dragon t'emself,] Ma Hog irrately began, eying her son sternly, [Hilda came t' bury the hatchet.]

[Really?] Watcher asked in disbelief.

[Jus' go over to her yourself,] Ma Hog insisted, looping around to push her son forward. [And mind yer manners this time.]

Watcher stumbled forth before looking right at Hilda. There she was, feeding one berry at a time to the weary Stouty and smiling all the while. It was as if his little... exchange with Oshawott had never happened.

But it did.

Watcher slapped both of his cheeks to snap him back into focus and marched right up towards Hilda, insisting to himself to not cop out like a coward. Though this didn't stop his feet from feeling a touch bit nippy when he saw Hilda turn her eyes his way. The Watchog stopped, finding her gaze soft but not entirely forgiving.

[Not that Ah'm 'xpectin' forgiveness or nothing...] Watcher began with a firm enough expression forward. [I am mighty sorry for putting the little guy through it.] He restrained himself from looking away no matter how much he wanted to. [If y' wanna get a few licks in, I... won't-]

However, the back-half of Watcher's apology is cut short when Hilda surprised him with an embrace so big it lifts him off the grass by inches. She nuzzled her right cheek against his furry chest affectionately while his jaws hung dumbfoundedly.

Old Stouty ate his berries one at a time, keeping to himself with a warm twinkle in his eyes.

"You went over the line but I didn't do much to pull back myself..." Hilda promised softly, having had these words stuck in her head for hours. "I didn't realize how jealous you were until... well..." She set Watcher down slowly to look him in the eye. "Even if you messed up, I could never hold it against you."

The Watchog looked back into Hilda's soft eyes and found the warm, fuzzy feeling that they always gave him.

Since the very beginning...

---

The explosion woke the two up with a start.

[Y' heard t'at to, didn' ya?] Patrat asked Lillipup, his eyes snapping open fast. [Some big boom just over yonder.] The Scout Pokemon rose up from their nap under a tree's shade and bounced onto his hind paws, squinting to find the source.

[It sounded like it came from that dirt road,] Lillipup yawned, stretching his stubby legs in getting up. [We're not suppose to go there...]

[What our folks won't know won't hurt us,] Patrat insisted back, feeling adventurous. ['sides, there could be real battle goin' down with real Trainers.]

[Think we can take them on?] Lillipup asked, his tail wagging eagerly.

[Is Ma a pain in the patootie?] Patrat rhetorically asked before scampering forward. [Move it or lose it!]

The troublesome two raced like Ma Hog was on the warpath, eager to take part in the supposed battle with every leap over rocks and roots alike. Lillipup was so caught up in the fun that he tackled Patrat and caused them to tumble down a slope like a soccer ball. They slid to the bottom apart, flat on their backs but laughing from the thrills.

Their laughter died down when a strangle kind of sobbing grabbed their attention. It was female. Human. This made their grins drop into a perfect mix of curiosity and concern. Their ears were sharp enough but it was the unfamiliar scent that narrowed it down to a lonely hollow tree just across the clearing they were in.

Patrat and Liilipup kept their traps shut while they snuck up to the tree one tippy-toe at a time. Each youngster had been warned of Pokemon that will pretend to be weak and helpless before ensnaring prey. They looked into the dark within the tree with their eyes seeing clearly from a distance.

"...mommy... please..."

A barefoot, brown haired little girl had her face buried in her bent knees, sitting in the dark with choking cries. Patrat and Lillipup had seen humans around these neck of the woods here and there but not a kid so little.

[She's mighty pint-sized for a Trainer,] Patrat remarked. [Mighty scared too.]

The young girl slowed her crying to look up at whoever was spying on her.

[I don't think she's a Trainer,] Lillipup remarked, feeling sorry for their find. [She's probably a kid who got lost in these parts.]

She sniffled in intrigue when she saw the two Normal-types in their back and forth.

[This far out?] Patrat hmmmmed with suspicion. [Somethin' don' smell right.]

[Well, I think she smells just fine,] Lillipup pouted before going into the hollow up to the girl.

[Hey!] Patrat protested with a hushed cry.

[Are you okay, Miss..?] He put on his most innocent face with his tongue out, something his folks taught him when approaching humans.

The young girl's eyes still had a few tears but her sad frown has softened into a bemused stare. Still sad yet… endeared by these critters who had come over to check on her well-being.

"H-Hilda…" she sniffed, her nose dripping. "M… my name is Hilda…" She let her knees lower, feeling more at ease with the happy puppy by her side.

[It's good to meet you, Hilda,] Lillipup replied, his tail wagging.

[Wait a sec there…] Patrat began in curiosity, heading into the tree. [Did she just talked back to you?]

[No way,] Lillipup dismissed, looking at Patrat incredulously. [People can't talk to Pokemon.]

"Well… not all people can..." Hilda answered, gulping awkwardly.

[See, she-] Lillipup began before realizing Hilda wasn't talking to herself. [Whoa!]

[Well, pluck mah Pidoves!] Patrat exclaimed, coming up to Hilda with a more excited look in his eyes. [What a find!]

Hilda couldn't help but smile a touch more over the two's excitement over their "discovery" when she felt her stomach rumbling. Rather audibly too as it got the attention of Lillipup and Patrat.

"You... wouldn't happen to know where I could find some food, would you?"

---

[Alright, alright,] Ma Hog curtly cut in, snapping Hilda and Watcher out of their nostalgia trip. [Y'all might be bosom buddies again but t'ere's still an Oshawott that deserves a proper apology.]

[Y-ye'h,] Watcher agreed awkwardly before turning towards Hilda. [If he'll let me...]

"You can do one better," she claimed with a more serious frown. "You can save him from poachers."

Watcher and Ma Hog's expression of aghast went without saying, their jaws dropping simultaneously. However, Old Stouty forgot about his fever and sprung on all fours with a most vicious scowl.

[Not time for bad jokes, Hilda,] Ma Hog concernly chastised, not entirely unconvinced in her tone. [We don' get any hunters in these parts.]

"We do now," Hilda replied without a shred of levity in her eyes. "They're holed up at the campsite around the Cell Tower, checking their spoils."

[Who'd try t' mess wit' the Junipers?] Watcher questioned, still baffled by how much had happen in half an afternoon. [T'ey're either crazy or stupid.]

"We'll find out when we get the team together with Auntie Aurea," Hilda insisted, swallowing hard. "There just might be enough time left... if we're lucky."

[You can count me in, youngsters,] Old Stouty barked from the top of his lungs, making everyone jump. [This dog still knows a trick or two from my day and-]

However, his heroic speech were cut off by his rough coughing. Everyone back away to avoid catching what he had.

[Maybe y' can remember to "lay down" and "stay,"] Ma Hog fussed to her patient. [Unless y' plan to beat 'em with germs.]

[Well... it's a thought...] Old Stouty sheepishly whimpered, hanging his head in embarrassment.

Hilda took a deep breath and tried to put on a more reassuring smile. "Thank you for the offer, Stouty," she warmly promised, scratching the Stoutland on the head. "All goes well and you won't have to bail us out... again."

[Ah know Ah ain't leaving Oshawott for dead,] Watcher promised, pounding his left palm with his right paw. [What can t'em crook throw to us we ain't seen before?] He was just sharing a cocksure grin with Hilda when...

[Hilda, it's dad!] Pidove's squawking pierced through the air. [They got dad!]

Everybody looked up in alarm to find the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon flapping his wings frantically and flying towards them with the most distressed look on his face.

[Just had t' ask, didn' Ah?] Watcher bemoaned under his breath, his dread shared all around him.

---

Hilda regains a friend while Pidove might've just lost his father. Can the Wonder Launchers be countered by A Breakout Hit?

---

Thank you for reading my fanfiction. Write up a comment or a full blown review about what you liked or loathed about my work. I can roll with the punches so let me have it.