Sunday, April 30th, 1989

Lioa pressed his face against the window, watching the pokémon flying around. He had sworn a few times he had seen the rare white squawkabilly, but he had been called a liar. His brother had fallen asleep on his shoulder and was drooling down at him. He glanced over to see Kitiku scrunched up and holding onto his knees. He pulled out the little pin he had found earlier and played with it in his fingers. "I wonder what will become of him. Mr Bourbabel, I mean. I bet the guy could take on the whole Elktan army on his own. That pokémon was totally level fifty or something. That makes him a mega-aggron. I bet he had an Aggron."

James puffed at Lioa's comments and leaned into the window. What happened out there? I lost control of Okta. The foliage had become thicker, and the train was slowing down. The beauty of Kithuk was on display, a city next to Marsten and Fehahra. James could see and smell all the different types of flowers through the tiny crack in the train's carriage in the corridor. Way cooler than Fehahra. I bet there are some awesome pokémon here. I wish I could catch them all and join the army.

"I'm sorry."

"Li?" James looked over to Lioa.

"I just wanted to make my dad proud, and maybe my mum would want to keep us. It's tough, you know? I mean, you get it. You don't have parents. Since they killed my dad... all I've wanted to do is join the army and kill them all." Lioa clenched his fists. "If mum finds someone else, they can just throw me and Rew-Rew onto the streets. That's the law." He stared out the window.

Silently, James nodded, looking out the window at the station platform. He watched as some people got on the train. Come on, hurry up. Relief washed over him as the train began moving again. The train rumbling along the wonky tracks continued, and the glittering moonlight on the river broke up the lush scenery.

Crash.

The train jolted and shook. The windows shattered, spitting glass everywhere. James jumped up, looking at Kitiku and Andrew, who had been shaken to attention. James rushed into the corridor. What the fuck?

The storage carriage had been ripped open, and a thunderous clanging came from behind. Amid the crates lined with Elkran supplies, a figure dressed in a black coat stood. His hat tilted forward to cover his eyes. However, the burn scar on his face was unmistakable. Beside him stood a much taller man with long green hair and a scowled scrunched face.

"N-no. It can't be you. You died in the fire!" James fell back, scrambling on the floor beside the hole in the carriage. The tracks below flicker in beat with the rickety train's traversal of the countryside. The man's twisted grin was uncovered when the moonlight glanced over him.

Hanson Rei, the mass murderer, stood opposite him. His left hand gripped his dagger's twisted handle. The point was already dripping with the blood of his previous victims. His right hand pressed against the poké ball. "Kill the boy and his friends too, Lornixo." The latch whipped open, and the ball bounced, returning to his hand. A large gengar emerged, his purple fur stood on end, and his purple skin was wrinkled at the front. His red eyes glowed almost as much as his fanged grin.

The man behind him touched his poké ball and released a machoke onto the shattered storage carriage. He slammed his fists down on the metal coupling. The train shook from the force. He leapt over the gap and approached James.

Quickly, James scooted back further until his back was against the wall. Sweat dripped down his face. To his surprise, Lioa dashed out in front of him and grabbed him. He pulled him back. "Li?"

"Get up and run, you twat!" The two bolted down the shaking carriage. The shattered windows let the thundering air echo down the narrow corridor. The roaring machamp swung its arms around, smashing up the train. The tracks under the train buckled, and the carriage swung over a ten-foot drop.

Lioa looked forward to the door at the end of the carriage. "Open the damn door, Rew!" He pushed on the door and grabbed Kitiku, who was waiting on the other side with Andrew. Lioa pulled Kitiku behind him into the path of the machoke. "Be useful and be a distraction," he called out. All your life, you have been a coward. If you were brave or had some talent, you would have been a guard. You had the luxury of trying out for the guard, unlike me. I deserved it way more.

The fist of the machoke collided with the wall, and its leg swept Kitiku's shin. A loud crack shot through his leg, and he was swept down the broken carriage, smashing his body against the chairs. The train came to a halt, flinging him off the ten-foot drop and onto the grass below.

"Oh wow. You are more ruthless than me, boy. You really should join us." Hanson Rei walked past the machoke, his gengar in tow. "Bite him." The gengar's mouth foamed purple and ripped into James's arm. Hanson Rei looked at Lioa eagerly and lunged forward, striking him with his knife.

James shouted, thrashing around on the ground. He tried to kick the gengar off, but his legs passed through. "What the? Get off of me!" As his words escaped his mouth, the gengar was blasted back into the carriage's wall.

Mr Bourbabel stepped out of the door and sprinted forward. "Hish'ak!" White light shot out from behind him.

"Quk, join in," Sergeant Sutton called out, and beside the alakazam, a volcarona appeared. Her large autumn-coloured wings surround its cocoon-white body. "Boys, get back. I'll take on the machoke." Sergeant Sutton grabbed Lioa and pushed him behind him. "Where is Kitiku?" He froze in place and saw the boy holding onto his leg on the ground, shivering and screaming, but no sound came out. The volcarona flapped her wings, and the air swirled around her. Sergeant Sutton raced forward, drawing his knife and slashed down at the man. The knife's sharpened edge caught the edge of the man's hand, and blood leaked out.

An eternity passed by in Sergeant Sutton's mind before he could move back again. He could feel the sharp pain of electricity shooting through his body. The crackles entered his ears, and he stumbled back. His chest felt numb, and his vision blurred. Where am I? He pressed down against the ground with his hand but couldn't feel a thing. His ears were ringing through and through.

A rush of wind surged through the train, pushing the machoke backwards and into the gengar. The gengar dodged, hopping from foot to foot, and began glowing bright white and only turning his head to see the machoke being blasted into the wall by a psychic wave.

Mr Bourbabel felt a rush in his arms and dived forward at Hanson Rei .

Hanson Rei slashed upwards with his dagger.

However, Mr Bourbabel pressed his hand against Hanson Rei's chest, and a soft boom echoed through the carriage.

Hanson Rei stumbled back but was swung at once again by Mr Bourbabel's left hand. I changed my blade's hand, and I bet you didn't see that coming. He slashed up, catching the fingers on Hanson Rei's left hand. Before his foot could touch the ground, he felt a sickening feeling in his stomach, and purple gunk dripped down his shirt. "Hish'ak, blast him with psychic!" Mr Bourbabel jumped back two steps as the gengar's long twisted claws lunged at him. "Fuck..." he muttered under his breath. The claws of the gengar had ripped through his shirt. With his knife, he swung up at the gengar's eye, piercing it and kicked him in the middle of his body.

Hishrak raised his yellow hand and lifted the gengar, flicking him back into the carriage behind them. However, as his eyes scoured the carriage, he couldn't see the hide or hair of Hanson Rei or the man he was with. Rolling his eyes, he shook the gengar like a sauce bottle.

Mr Bourbabel pulled himself back onto his feet and placed his hand over the wound on his stomach.

"N-no, not you..." James said, looking at him.

"That's right, James, I am the Elkran Captain. My braviary is already on the way to get help." Mr Bourbabel leapt off the train and landed on a small protective shield produced by Hishrak before jumping again down to the grass. "Kitiku..." He stared down at the boy's body. He is fortunate; he is in significant pain, but it looks like the bulk of his fall was on his leg and then shoulder. Although, that leg looks really bad. He is slipping in and out of consciousness from pain, and there isn't much I can do.

Sergeant Sutton, wobbly, clambered down the overhanging train and came over. "Well, shit. That's really bad..." he huffed and turned to the boys. "Are you all okay?"

"More importantly, we must prepare details for when the medics arrive." Mr Bourbabel took his jacket off and placed it over Kitiku's upper body. He glanced over at James, whose arm was bleeding and oozing out a purple and black goo. Shit, he is poisoned. One of us needs to put pressure on Kitiku's wound, and one needs to tie James's arm to slow the spread – it might already be too late. In the supply carriage, there may be some pecha berries... He looked at Lioa. Lioa might be bleeding, but his cut isn't intense, and Andrew seems unharmed. Sutton is suffering from the aftereffects of temporary paralysis. He can move, but he is sluggish and might be unable to move if he aggravates his wound. As for me, it will leave a scar, but I'll live.

Swaying from side to side, Sergeant Sutton looked at Mr Bourbabel. His volcarona flapping behind him, hanging upside-down as if nothing had happened.

"Right," Mr Bourbabel said, taking his navy blue tie off. He grabbed James's arm and wrapped it around just above where the bite was. Shit, he used searing toxic. This is bad. He tied a knot around and sat James down. "Don't move. Lie on your back." From the corner of his eye, Mr Bourbabel saw a purple glob hurling through the sky. It survived the attack?

The gengar lunged at James, no longer in his mega form. His single red eye refused to blink as he chomped down, drooling. It twitched its ears and lunged. Knife out, Mr Bourbabel body-blocked the gengar—the sharp claws of the best slashed across his stomach again.

Does this thing have no empathy? What is wrong with it? Why is it attacking the kid and not me or Sutton? Mr Bourbabel rushed forward, panting, and dived into a roll underneath the gengar's claws and using the back of his knife, he slashed upwards. However, Mr Bourbabel's swing was met by the claws of the gengar's left paw before he was fired at by his right paw by a glob of purple gunk. The glob hurtled towards him, and his heart raced. I have to back it up and draw my sword. Using my knife here is just exposing me. Mr Bourbabel rolled back and pressed his knee into the ground. His stomach ached from the cuts, and blood trickled down his trousers.

Hish'ak, where are you? Mr Bourbabel scanned around the area, looking for a glimpse of his alakazam. His feet bounced off the ground, avoiding swing after swing from the gengar. Currently, things aren't good. Hish'ak is doing what he does best, his own thing. Ba'ook is getting help, and Falebe'ot is still injured from the festival. On the surface, that leaves me with three pokémon, but in reality, if I send another one out and we get attacked again, I will only have two. Damn it all. I will risk it. "Miskiak!" Mr Bourbabel tossed his poké ball forward, and a houndoom jumped in front of an attack to protect him.

"Iron tail!" James stood, holding his arm. His onix swung her tail down, breaking the ground between the houndoom and the gengar. "Hey! Come get me!" James pointed at the gengar. "I am the one you want, right?"

Kill him, James. Then, hunt down the poison stone wielder and kill him, too.

"I will kill you!" James called out, his heart pounded, and the blood from his arm flowed down his hand. "Okta, kill him!"

Not good, Mr Bourbabel thought, turning to James. Now I have to take him out, too. I get wanting to win, but killing? No... The air began to vibrate and ripple, strong enough to see them slammed into the gengar, knocking Mr Bourbabel backwards.

"Am I late?" Lieutenant Tomilson jumped down from his dragapult. He dangled one foot off the side. They are hurt pretty badly. That gengar is out of control, and James is shaking really badly. He is afraid? Lieutenant Tomilson jumped down beside James and saw the lump in his pocket. "Where is the trainer?"

"Gone." Mr Bourbabel rolled in the mud; a gunk shot attack rolled over his head.

"Right, sir, do you ha-"

"I do, but I don't have an opening right now. It wants James."

It wants James? But why? Lieutenant Tomilson reached into James's pocket and grabbed the poké ball inside, but James swung his fist into Lieutenant Tomilson's gut. Damn, kid, you punch hard for a squirt. He tossed the poké ball in his hand and threw it with a curve at the gengar. Smack. The poké ball smashed into the gengar's bloodied eye and sucked it inside. It rocked back and forth on the ground before clicking shut. Relief covered Lieutenant Tomilson's body, and he looked to James, who was crying beside Kitiku. "What happened?"

"H-h-he will k-kill me. I just can't. I don't know!" James screamed and planted his foot into Lieutenant Tomilson's shin. "I-I am so scared, and Kuti is dying, and I want my Okta to love me, and –"

"And you need to breathe." A tall man with glasses and a long blue jacket approached. His blue hat was in his hand, and his shirt tucked in. "I cannot move him yet. I need to know what is wrong with him." The man knelt beside Kitiku, "Can you hear me? I am Lord Ikur, and I am a doctor." He moved Mr Bourbabel's jacket as he heard Kitiku whimper, clearly in pain. He is breathing, but it seems staggered, probably due to his pain. One hundred percent has gone into shock, but judging by the chaos which unfolded with the gengar, I doubt he was taken care of. The soldier is being sick still, and the other boys seem clueless. The Lord lifted Kitiku slightly and rolled him so he was on his back, and then, with his spare hand, he pushed Kitiku's leg from the knee to straighten it.

Kitiku raised his hands and signed, "Stop." His face was incredibly pale.

Moving the bone would be bad. I'd need to get him back to the hospital before doing any concrete checks, but his leg is purple and red from the swelling, so it is clearly broken. Lord Ikur ran his hand above Kitiku's leg. "Okay, well, that's a serious compound fracture. Very serious."

"How do you know?" Lieutenant Tomilson asked, glaring at Kitiku. His head tilted slightly.

Pressing his glasses back onto his face with the tip of his index finger, Lord Ikur glared at Lieutenant Tomilson.

Lieutenant Tomilson shivered, and Lord Ikur said, "Because his bone is sticking through the skin in not one but two places, and part of the bone is missing, you moron." He stiffened up.

This could get infected. That idiot didn't cover th bone. At least he covered the boy to keep him warm, though. I might need to have the leg cut off, though. There is a lot of damage here. Lord Ikur reached into his pocket and opened a small case. He cast his fingers over a small syringe and took one of the vials out. He drew a yellow powder-like liquid into the syringe and pressed the needle into Kitiku's arm. That will do for now. He will sleep. The others will need to be checked over, too. "What about you?" He turned to Mr Bourbabel. "Who are you, and are you hurt?"

"Just a gash. I am fine, Sutton and James got it far worse. I am Captain Clarence Rehan Bourbabel."

"Bourbabel, huh? Yes, yes, I have read about you." He reached over, grabbed James by the collar, and pulled him over. "Well, I suggest we get that bandaged once we return to the hospital." He turned to see the sawsbuck coach arriving. The spring cut leaves blooming from their antlers. "Okay, so we must get the boy with the broken leg in first. I have no stretcher on me. My machamp will have to carry him."

Kitiku fidgeted on the floor, wriggling to try and move away from Lord Ikur.

"You Elkran jerk. He got hit by a machoke." James spat at Lord Ikur. "Hey! Ow, that fucking hurt!" He rubbed the side of his cheek.

Lord Ikur sneered at him. "You will first use my title; if you do that again, I will break your jaw. Got it?" He sighed. Of course, I wouldn't really break his jaw. That goes against the oath I took. However, hopefully, it will frighten him.

Captain Bourbabel walked over to Kitiku. "Maybe Hish'ak can carry him?" He pointed to the Alakazam, who was floating a pecha berry. That's where you went, huh? He took the berry and placed the berry in James's hand. "Eat. You are poisoned and very lucky you didn't get a burn, too."

James scowled, but with shaking hands, he bit into the berry. Too sweet, he thought, as he felt the smooth pink fruit sit on his tongue. "Let's just go, I want to go home." James pushed past Lord Ikur and jumped into the coach. Lioa promptly followed him with Andrew in tow.

Wrapping his arm around Sergeant Sutton, Captain Bourbabel helped him limp into the coach before stepping back and guiding Hishrak.

The consequences of this fight could last for a while. Do you think Lioa was stupid to do what he did? Did you foresee the Captain being Clarence?

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