Freedom by Fire

The gross green and slimy consistency is the first thing I don't like about this camouflage or maybe this could be constituted as concealment. It's looks like literally sticking to my skin and giving me goosebumps. Secondly, this smells so terrible that I feel sick to my stomach and now that I think of it don't remember doing this in my training. I've done a lot in the name of survival, but mew help me this is gross! That leads me to my third point. It's like wearing three-week-old vomit mixed with rotten fish guts and eggs. Just the sound of it and imagining the smell makes me want to gag.

It's official, I'm definitely going to burn my clothes once this is done, and I'm going to never repeat this instance ever again. No one will ever know this happened unless I'm under the influence and the odds of that are non-existent. I've seen what it does to you and don't want that for myself.

Cutting my way into a bug was tricky since I needed the both of them alive during extraction. It took some work with the first being my test subject on how to get there. It, of course, died in the middle of the mock operation, but I gathered enough data to know where and when to probe. I used a couple sticks bushes and twigs to keep the carcass open whilst working on the second. It was for the means of cross-referencing. Since the second one was my only chance to get it right without hunting down more beedrill, I worked carefully until I got to the gland.

Took a couple of minutes to carefully slice my way through the layers to the yellowish sack within. Fay was the one that told me how to find it strangely though and knows the biology of these things much better than I. Once I got to the sack, I began to extract enough to shield myself. At the end of the day I still have green stained bandages wrapped around my neck and arms same with my torso to shield my scent. It's working well enough.

I've effectively dodged and evaded my way into the nest. Even if my scent was masked, I had to avoid eye sight. Beedrill interact by not only smell but also movement. Dances that differentiates who's friend or foe. War between territory or nests have caused them to develop this method recently. I smell like one so every now and again one or two came to interact with me. A quick take down and silent finish kept me in the clear.

Speaking of which.

I dove behind a bush and slipped through the shadows of the trees out of habit. Beedrill have eyes capable of seeing from different angles at once and through the shadows of the trees. The most sudden of movements can set them off being why I moved slowly through under the bushes. I picked up some rocks on my way and threw one out in front of me once I got an angle on it. Once the Beedrill turned towards it while hovering I pointed my right hand at it. Metapod landed a direct hit on its wings sealing its flight. I shot out from cover with my hands out and grabbed its head swiftly. With a quick series of twists, it fell over to slowly fade away. I sighed and dragged yet another carcass to the bushes.

Using my hands to dispatch them is risky but necessary. If I cut them or stab them then these things will leak juices and a scent that the rest can pick up. This failsafe is meant to alert the hive of potential threats after death after all most normal trainers and those of authority would use weapons like guns, bladed weapons, or blunt weapons. That or Pokémon. Either way you will breach its skin raising the alarm for the rest to be on guard. I need them unaware of my presence until I reach Meowth and sadly the other two within. Those rangers and scouts haven't dispatched a team yet, to my lack of shock. They always take like five hours to mobilize. Only on television shows are they on the scene the moment it gets bad.

I snuck my way further in as quietly as possible but found some hiding in wait with the aura. They ere like little ninja just camouflaged in the brush, unseen by the untrained eye. Thankfully I had to aura and more than once did I get the drop on these Hunter Beedrill. Fey seemed to know this place well enough to help me navigate which is good. I'm relieved these are Beedrill in a way. Some bug types can see sound waves, or so I've heard, thankfully these can't. "So easy does it Ash." I said to myself. I felt my heartbeat spike a few times and had to stop to get a breather. I've never been in this sort of predicament before. It's one thing studying Pokémon and reading about them but a mission like this… I'm starting to regret not finishing my apprenticeship. At least I'd get points for this towards the next level.

My heart is beating out of my chest at this. I didn't get field training from Ranger training only my book smarts and a couple survival techniques. It helped mold me but my time with Lucario and my friends shaped me for the coming storm. Not this one though. I didn't learn how to stay cool under all of this from Ranger academy only my trips out and I always had a partner help me. I had Ace and Lucario or at least the old man.

I stopped and slump down in a bush to rest myself. I'm starting to get dizzy. "Breathe in…" I took a deep breath. "And out." I let it go. "You can do this. You can do this." I told myself this again and again. Just one sting from those lance-like stingers, or one aerial tackle to the ground, and I'm done. "No," I shook my head furiously. My vision swam a bit from the violent motions as my attempt to get my head on straight. "Don't think like this. Meowth is counting on you," I muttered breathlessly.

"This is just another storm in a different form."

I thought back to the time I survived alone for the first time.

"I need to preserve."

I thought of my training and the hundreds of books I read to prepare myself for this.

"My dad went through worse."

But I'm not him. I'm me.

That lingering doubt in the recesses of my mind tormented me further. I need to focus now and panic later. once my Pokémon and I are out of the oven then I can breathe easy. "Okay, let's do this."

I took one last breath after my fifth stop to repeat this to myself and got moving once more. Flying and water Pokémon are one thing I've dealt with in abundance but bugs like this inhabit dense forest like this. You can't call the collection of trees around Pallet Town a forest only until you push further out. Even then I've never dealt with bug types in this regard. I know I can do this seeing that it's much too late to turn back.

"Kaka," I heard from above but didn't stop. Kakuna above means I'm close to the nest. Not only that though. The slick webbing above is darkening the world around me. Pokémon entomologists venture into controlled nests in Safari Zones where the beedrill are mostly domesticated. I've seen the shows and know the difference. In the nests it's as dark as night and cool for the eggs and the queens, both of which I want to steer clear off. They used light sticks that emit light that these Pokémon can't see through and mask their body. I didn't think to get any because no one plans to go into a nest like this.

I didn't panic though.

I focused and studied the moments of any beedrill around me and moved through nest slowly. The aura guided me though highlighting the outlines of obstructions in my way and to more than a dozen aura close by. Two humans and a mess of Pokémon they've captured. I could see them in the cocoons above me surrounded by weedle and kakuna. I heard buzzing and quickly ducked under a bush covered with silky webbing. I saw a cocoon above being flown by seven beedrill to the top branches of a large tree above. I crawled under one large root and watched. They captured a Raticate by the looks of it.

I watched as the weedle string shot down towards the shoddy wrap job the beedrill make and covered the raticate completely to hang. I watched as the weedle gathered around it and began to do something. I think spit a liquid into the cocoon for some reason or another. I wondered what until Raticate woke up and began to struggle. It cried and groaned until its face was covered with silk next. The aura faded a moment after and the outline of the body began to follow.

I covered my mouth as my stomach began to seize. Now I'm relieved I ate nothing this morning. Even more so when the beedrill gathered around the bottom of the cocoon and… feasted being my assumption. A bit of the liquidated contents in the cocoon dripped down from above and some of it hit my arm. My stomach seized again but even that pain from containing my upheaval couldn't block my senses of touch. I felt this rough stuff slowly drip down my arm little by little until it hit the dirt beneath me. That stuff used to be a Pokémon. I'm starting to see what Misty saw in bug types and why she found them repulsive.

The kid in me was freaking out and hoping not to be next in line of this liquidation they do to eat their prey. The part of me that likes to study and learn more though found this oddly fascinating to witness. I never knew how this worked and logged for later to report how the beedrill find theit prey and bring them here. They use kakuna to encase the prey in silk strands while the weedle inch around using poisonous acid to break down the prey into an oozy substance for consumption.

I felt my stomach seize again as another drop him me again. I took a couple more breaths. "Calm down. Calm down. Calm down." I whispered this mantra to myself repeatedly. Yet again, it's one thing to read about it but to see it and feel it is totally different.

I looked around to a few cocoons with nothing alive in them. A couple beedrill cut one down and began to carry it up to the hive walls. Sun light was getting through I just noticed and the beedrill covered the hole with the cocoon. A weedle that was with the beedrill used string shot to create a seal for the wall as the beedrill used force to push it further inward then cut away at the excess. They use the cocoons of their devoured prey to repair the walls of the hive. Smart and saves time and energy I suppose. These insects have a balance and job to make this all work it seems. I'll send my findings to Prof. Oak later.

They didn't have this on the nature channel that's for sure. They never show the down and dirty details of Pokémon I think to feed the masses half-truths to keep certain instances contained. I wouldn't put it past the government to do this.

I drop this though to focus back on the mission. I need to hurry before this happens to meowth. I can still feel him. I guess that meal was for the beedrill and not the queen. How do they do it? Decide who gets to devour what.

I crawled away under the roots and silk furthered on my stomach once more. I drew my knife and cut my way up once I was through to the base of the tree. I drew my senses up and saw decently sized cocoons… and something else. Something large is up there with many duplicate signatures. I took a breath to steel myself. I reached for the tree but my hand slipped. I wondered how until I looked down at it. In the pitch black of the roots and silk my eyes adjusted well to see better in the hive above. My hands… their trembling.

I'm afraid.

Of course I'm afraid. You'd have to be insane to be cool right now. My chances of success even with my trump card at less than 15% not factoring in my lack of gear, Pokémon for defense, and current mission to save meowth and two humans whom of which I can't leave without feeling like trash. But… are their lives worth risking mine for? I felt bad for thinking this way but couldn't help it. I never had to save people before just take care of myself. People make things hard that's why Lucario trains away from them. That's another reason I didn't bother with people most days. That's why some full-fledged Rangers normally work separately from the Association and other branches. I wondered if my dad would do this if he was in this position.

I took a breath once more in and out. I focused on the aura and nothing else. I just need to calm down and focus on the mission. I need to focus on the ones above. I need to see the humans and plan on a way to reach them. I need to focus on the aura to size them up. These two that seemed a bit familiar but that can't be right. I don't know many enough to care about what they feel like. This pattern though.

It feels like…

"Yancy," I gasped before looking up. I drew my eyes toward the next and focused. A sea blue aura burst next to that of the yellow. "Rick."

No. How did they get caught? What happened? I blinked with my thoughts in a jumble. "You have to be joking." I clenched my fists at this. How did I not noticed once they passed by before? The answer was obvious and made me want to punch myself if it weren't for the fact it'd be a waste of time and energy. It's because I saw people that got unlucky and didn't bother looking closer at them. I need to do something for them but what?

I pondered until an idea popped into my head. They have starters from Pallet town. The old man had a charmander, bulbasaur, and squirtle. If I know these two Gary got the squirtle. Yancy would've taken the charmander to make fun of me. Rick likes water but would take the grass type. Sees grass types more of a challenge. That's two types that can stand up to these bugs. Yancy is very motivated to improve so more than likely has a charmander that knows either ember or flamethrower. Either way it goes this only improves my odds. We can escape if we work together. First though, I need to get up there.

I looked up the tree and took a breath. I grabbed on to the tree, but my hand slipped again. I grit my teeth and punched the tree to make it stop. I grabbed hold ignoring the pain and hoisted myself up. "Metapod. Fey. Keep a look out," I commanded my two partners as I grabbed hold of branch after branch and silk to climb up.

Once I grabbed one last branch up close to my target, I stopped to grab my trump card to put on my belt. Just in case of emergencies always have a bomb on you. Well more like a mixture of cavic rocks I've grounded down packed into the lid of a potion. I added some useful chemicals from my first aid kit to act as primer with the grounded rocks. I made a wick out of sting shot to this that'll give me three seconds to throw once ignited. Potions this cheap are full of chemicals that like to explode if lite up with enough concussive force and heat to ignite. They spray slow enough to use on fire Pokémon well but under the right circumstances you have a flame grenade in the making. I had three potions left out of the ten I had before entering this forest all of which could ignite this entire nest and the surrounding forest. The downside is that I'll be in the middle of this. The cost of survival, I guess.

I have my lighter ready at any time. I placed my knife in my teeth and bit down before climbing further up. In time I reached the cocoons though this was a mood point. Near them are a ton of weedle around the cocoons. All with Pokémon within are in line almost along a branch.

Suddenly a large beedrill cut down one and carried it towards where I was but then shot down. I flowed down as weedle came down upon that cocoon. I slipped down a bit to see what they were doing. The coccon hovered over a funnel or something. This Pokémon was large that's for sure but already gone. It was covered in silk already. The large beedrill from before came under the cocoon and waited. The weedle made a call as if saying feed her and the beedrill stabbed the bottom. A liquid fell into the funnel. I covered my nose as the smell escaped once they popped the cork. That's the best phrase I could come up with for this. I leaned out further but saw nothing except a large line of eggs below.

I took a breath and I waited for the beedrill to leave. The weedle slipped back up to the top along with a few others. I calculated the right place to land on the branch blow before skidding down closer to the branch a bit.

"Haheha," I heard some noise I didn't recognize. It repeated again and again like whimpering.

"What are we going to do Yianna," I heard below.

'Rick.' I thought. And Rick must be panicking if yellow is using Yancy's real name. We call her Yancy because she doesn't like Yianna and that's because it sounds too ladylike.

"I don't know," I heard a tone of tiredness from another.

'Yancy,' I grit my teeth on the leather grip my knife.

"I don't like this," Rick the mighty yellow cried softly. "Mom never mentioned this."

"Richelle just calm down, okay? We-we can get out of this, okay?" Yancy is on her last as well if she's reverted as well to Richelle. Using Rick or Rickie was always easier.

"We started this stupid journey and to what?" Rick snort and sobbed audibly.

"Nono don't cry. Ash is the cry baby not us remember." Yancy reminded Rick. I rolled my eyes at this, but couldn't fault the truth behind this. I cried even when I left home and at Viridian a bit.

"Ash isn't here." Rick snort. "He wouldn't be in this I bet like us. This is all my fault."

"Stop crying," Yancy screamed waking up a couple of the trapped Pokémon that followed.

"Follow your town advice Yanyan!" Rick cried at Yancy who went silent. "You're crying too!"

I found them both in the noise along with meowth with a purple coloring to the cocoon. Exotic food. That's what that means. He'd be last. I took a breath and slid down to the branch once the coast was clear. I thought of something interesting them smiled a bit. I pasted every single cocoon with a live pokemon in it from pidgeotto to Raticate and many more. I reached up to their head and allowed the Aura to surface for ease of communication. "Once fire rains make your escape," is the message I let flow whether or not they understood or not. I cut open the cocoons with ease from bottom to top and they all remained still like I desired. Commanding a couple beasts isn't too hard once I'm desperate enough for an edge, any edge.

I continued this as well went up to the last couple cocoons with the three targets within.

"We can't move, use our Pokémon, and no one is coming for us," Rick dropped into despair.

"We just… dang it," Yancy snort as well and silently cried. She tried to hold it but I watched as the tear fell down her face. "I wish… I wish Ash were here."

I pulled my knife out of my mouth. "Good thing I am," I said as I stopped between the two of them. Both of them shot their eyes up to me.

"Ash!" Rick yelled in excitement, shaking the cocoon with renewed energy. Rick's pitch black eyes met mine displaying the hope that now filled them. My poor cousin here must've been scared. I grabbed cocoon to keep it still and glared up to spot above. I swiftly told Rick to stop. "Sorry," Rick let out with breath.

I nodded to Rick then turned to Yancy. She blinked at me full of disbelief. Something I'll rub everything I heard today in her face later. Sooner rather than later though. Yancy chuckled a bit mixed with sobbing as if she knew was I was thinking like most mind readers do. "What took you so long?"

"A horde of Beedrill got in the way and…" I shot underneath the cocoon with Rick in it as the Beedrill from before came back. It passed slowly over the cocoons as if checking up on them. That beedrill is very small compared to others and yet old as well. Maybe the oldest I've seen with it's wings moving slowing but harder than any other beedrill I've seen. I climbed back up with Rick as cover once it was gone after it's check up.

"Kid?" I heard a familiar accent and walked towards it. I turned the cocoon around to the face of Meowth.

"There you are Meowth. Are you hurt?" I asked first.

"You… you came for me?" He cried a bit seemingly surprised by this fact.

"Duh," I smiled at him with my knife flashing. "Hold still."

"Ash hurry up and cut us out!" Yancy struggled in her cocoon.

"A second Yancy. And remember you owe me for this so do get snarky." I spat her way. She didn't respond so went about cutting out Meowth. Once he was free he jumped at me into my arms.

"Kid!" He held me tightly and I returned the hug. I didn't wait to let this sink in.

"Meowth get into your ball okay?" Meowth smothered his face into my vest for a moment before nodding his head. I rose my pokeball and touched it to his head. He disappeared from me arms back into his ball. I got to say this is working out well so far. "Okay." I sighed and returned to Rick and Yancy. "Who has a charmander?"

"Me," Yancy answered and I nodded to her. She goes first then. I stopped at her cocoon with my knife raised.

"Alright," I rose my knife under where her neck is. She grimaced a bit and said "don't move," in response to this. Yancy just sucked her lips in and bit down on them in preparation of what's to happen. I stabbed down into the cocoon and gripped hard with both hands to drag it down.

"Beeeddd!"

I froze in moments about a tenth of the way down

"Oh God," Yancy gasped. She was looking at something behind me it seems. Something with an aura around the size of a rhydon and a half.

"W-what is that!?" Rick screamed.

I gulped and slowed turned around to see. "Oh crap," I muttered as I was met with around twenty hanging weedle, the beedrill from before glaring at me, maybe four beedrill of a slightly smaller size, and finally one beedrill so large it trumps the rest. It was on the branch using its massive stinger like lances, four of them actually, to push the other cocoons away. It has massive wings and in its rear a large sack of sort attached to it where the stinger should be. I felt my breath hitch in my throat and woozy after a couple seconds. I was frozen in place like a stantler in headlights.

"W-what is that?" Rick squeaked out again.

Somehow and someway I found my voice enough to answer. "That's the queen… and her knights. Vanguard as well," I reported which is strange. The vanguard of the hive is the largest meant to protect the queen and any large assault to the nest. They're normally at the edge of the nest to protect it while the knights served near the queen to shield her. What are the Vanguard and the knights both doing here? How did they mobilize so fast to meet me here?

Now that I think of it I saw few vanguard on my way here and only killed two out of normally a dozen. The knights as well are surrounding us all not at all in a panic. I dare say it's like they were expecting me or something but that can't be possible.

I slowly reached for my bomb formulating a plan. One I won't like. I clenched it and slowly reached for my lighter. With every move the knight beedrill began to surround me with the vanguard above both stingers ready to take me down.

"Kakaka ka," Fey spoke out suddenly and the beedrill stopped.

"Beeebbe," the queen answered of all monsters. I listened to Fey the best I could with my limited knowledge of insect speech. By the sounds of it Fey is… a princess and next queen. Anything else was lost in translation. I know core words by the sounds and frequency I can hear, but my knowledge is limited. I used the time to look for way out that results in use living sadly only a couple thoughts came to mind and none of them good. They all have one thing in common though.

"BEEEE!"

"Kill," I repeated it queen's command. It means all of us. "Took the word right out of my mouth." I lite the bomb and tossed it up. The red and blue attracted them same with the warmth. I aimed right for the nice sized hole with the eggs flammable strands. In a blast the potion stewed fired and powder in the barrow.

"Beebe!" The queen screamed as the hive lite up.

"Sting shot and make it thick!" I pointed Fey at both of Rick's and Yancy's cocoons. She shot the strings sticking them to both. I grabbed hold of the string shot and quickly wrapped it around my right arm.

"Behind you Ash!" Yancy yelled but I knew already that a knight was charging after me same with the Varguard.

"PTOOO!" A pidgeotto came in and slammed into a line of knights knocking them back forcing a smile out of me. More pokemon emerged from the cocoons and one even used a water gun against one of the vanguards that was coming for me. A poliwhirl in fact. Though another was coming down at me, and I'm in no position to dodge so shifted my weight instead.

"Harden Metapod." A green glow came off of him as his defense rose. I leaned out of the way of one stinger and Metapod took the other as my shield. I leaned towards the beedrill and jammed my knife into its body. It was met with resistance but with a little aura reinforcement my knife slid into its body. I bought it back and got the head after that and watched it go still. I force it to the right as a shield against another vanguard that tackled me forcing me to fall back to the branch. They both fell over the side in the end though. I pulled my next bomb out and looked toward the weedle above. I lit the string, and with one last strong toss, it burst into fire. Beedrill hives are resistant to fire when dry being why they don't burn away right way in forest fires. The insides of the nest are moist though because it's cool in here. Once that fire bomb when off the roof was ablaze with fire.

"Holy crap Ash." Yancy yelled at me. "Are you insane?"

"I'll answer that later! Poliwhirl!" I called, and it faced me. I focused the aura, "Follow me." It understood me. In moments the entire nest was in chaos and the hive in total disarray. The fire was really starting to get out of control now with it falling from the roof. It was igniting the string below turning it into a sea of fire. Weedle and Kakuna fell from above and it was time to go. I felt a Weedle coming down from above. I turned and waited until it was in range before lifting my leg in a round house hitting it in the head. It went flying away and hit a beedrill that was trying to sting another pidgeotto I saved.

"Ahh! Ash!" I glanced back and saw Rick's pod about to fall. The fire got it. It's now or never, I guessed. I jumped up to the top of Yancy's cocoon in midst of the fire. I grabbed the webbing holding it.

"Beebe bebee!"

"Ash, the queens back!" Yancy exclaimed but didn't bother turning. I jumped up to grab hold of the silk instead narrowly escaping getting speared through by it.

"Beeddillll!"

"Oh, she's not happy with me," I said before landing back down on the cocoon. "Both of you, hold on." Because this is gonna suck for me and present company. I placed the grip of my knife into my mouth again with the blade on the threads. In sync with the fire above releasing Rick I cut the strand holding Yancy. The queen roared if you can call its raging hisses a roar before charge at us as we fell. I went last as both of them fell over the branch to the roots and fire below. I pointed at the branch and Fey fired as much sting shit as she could muster at the branch. I grabbed in mid air and wrapped it once. I braced.

CRACK!

"Gahhhhhh!" I cried at pain exploded in my right shoulder. "Aha ahhahh!" I grit my teeth on the leather of my knife just so not to bite my tongue. I've done it once when Lucario kicked me hard into a tree. I drew blood and hated the thought to repeat this. I hate this feeling just as much maybe. I felt it give once the combined weight of Rick's and Yancy's fall was halted by my muscle and joints. I held the best I could, but the pain was too much. The best I could do was hang enough with my left to slow our decent enough to not go splat below. We had to be fifty feet up with them a bit past half way. In those cocoons they'll be fine I'm sure of it. My land hand gave and the world around me swirl as much fell. I heard two thuds with mine as the third atop something that cushioned my fall on my back.

"Gahhh!" I cried with my eyes forced closed from this. I don't think I've ever broken an arm or dislocated an arm or any bone like this before. The pain isn't as bad as I imagined but it's terrible, nonetheless. It's like my arm is on fire. A hotter fire than the one consuming the nest. Thousands of needles are stabbing into me repeatedly and worse of all I can't even seem to move it. I'm down an arm.

"Ash!" I heard my name. I whimpered a bit but kept my eyes closed.

"Stop crying and look at me!" I heard a voice yell to me. One equal parts firm but afraid as well.

I sobbed a bit and felt hiccups escape my throat but somehow I found the will to open my eyes. I saw crisp blue but steely eyes before my misty vision. "Ash please you have to get up." Yancy begged me. I'm not sure if I could do that. It hurt so much. I just want it to stop. The hits never stop coming to knock me down.

"Ash!" I blinked and then I saw it. The fire… it was about to take Rick. The both of them before me are struggling to no avail to escape. I can't though. I can't move even an inch.

"Look into my eyes Ash!" Rick yelled at me. I drew my fading vision down towards Rick. I saw golden yellow orbs staring into me. I felt… determined suddenly. I can't explain this but my mind began to clear a bit. I'm not sure what Rick is doing but it's helping.

I grit my teeth. 'Stop being a crybaby Ash and get up. They'll burn alive and you'll die here. Get up!' The words from inside told me what I already know. It's not that easy. It never is.

I planted my hand into the dirt and pushed myself. Every fiber of my being was telling me to give up and give into the pain and stop. I was never a good listener though. "Ahh!" I faltered a bit when pain circulated through my body once more.

"Come on hero get up!" Yancy called out to me.

"You can do it Ash!" Rick cheered as well.

Rick and Yancy both… they believed in me. I'm the inky one doubting me right now. Man that's uncool of me. I forced myself until before I knew it I was on my feet. I was breathing hard and yet didn't feel like I was. I steeled my resolve though. I reached up with my left arm and pulled my knife out my mouth. I stabbed into the cocoon with Yancy in to and fell back using my body wait to cut it open. I tumbled to the ground but she free before the fire reached her face.

I landed against Rick and stabbed down into the cocoon at feet. I climbed up and trailed it across the soft flaming silk threads. Rick's arm came out and I sheathe my knife to grab it. I pulled Rick out just in time as the cocoon two was engulfed in fire. I stumbled back a bit but hit something that wrapped an arm around me.

That reddish-brown velvety hair and those chocolate brown eyes were quite the sight to behold. "I got ya." Yancy, the mighty blue, declared strongly.

I felt arms wrap around my neck suddenly and tug me down. "Thank you, Ash." I was hugged close and let my forehead rest a bit in golden blonde hair. I wrapped an arm around the petite body of the fable shaman capable of instilling hope and healing wounds.

"I should be thanking you Rick." I pushed the fabled yellow away. I never thought I'd ever have that power used on me. To think before I thought nothing of it but it's passed down and revered for a reason. Shaman are known to manipulate beings to an extent after all. I panted and looked down to my last bomb then up to the fires. That trump card of mine was and is just for in case of emergencies because the fire got rid of most of the Pokémon threats but now, we have this issue of escaping said fire. It was everywhere, and I was unsure of what to do to get out of here.

We need a path out.

"Ash, what do we do," Yancy asked me.

How was I supposed to know a way out of this? Everything is literally on fire and smoke is filling up the area. Unless we had a big hose and lots of water I'm not seeing how we can make this work. "We need water or something," I struggled to get out.

"Poli poliwhirl." Almost as if my prayer was answered that poliwhirl from before was coming for us all. It must've made it way down to me to help. I looked up and saw only a few pokemon remained that I saved. I know some fell in battle and one or two ran. The pidgeotto from before was flying out and I followed it to see maybe our way out.

"Okay, Rick take control of that water type. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Rick answered without hesitation.

"Follow my lead," I pushed my senses out to find the area with the least amount of fire. I found it and pointed with my only good arm. "Use a water skill there."

"Right," Rick said and faced the pokemon. "Water gun that way!" Just like in the old days Rick was willing to follow my lead out of the tall grass. Replace the fire with grass or vise versa. The poliwhirl fired its water gun to douse the fire. "Get soaked and follow me. Yancy we need your charmander to cover us through the fire."

"What!"

"Just do it," I ordered fiercely. We don't have time to argue and Yancy knew this. She bit her lip but relented with taking out her charmander before us. The fire lizard is now I expected be. He looked ready to go though so that's something.

"Charmander," I called for its attention. "We need you to guard us through the fire as we crawl underneath." I gestured to silk in fire. "Can you do that for us?" Charmander faced his trainer after that.

"Can you do this charmander," Yancy asked although a bit nervous. The charmander nodded its head and jumped up on top of a root burning lightly, perfectly fine.

"Good, keep every beedrill off us but don't engage the queen, the big one," I clarified quickly and charmander nodded once Yancy repeated. Figures that Prof. Oak would give tamed domesticated Pokémon to the others. I rushed into the water gun to douse myself. "Douse yourself in water and let's go!" I yell and shot away to the roots. That water gun hit the fire above but more importantly under those roots. Charmander is the fire lizard Pokémon that spends most its time in volcanos until it evolves. Fire like this will barely affect it meaning it can provide cover from the many enraged beedrill above us.

I ran to the roots and pointed downward. "Crawl, now with poliwhirl in front. Stay low to the ground." I pointed to the ground but more accurately the opening under the roots. "Use water gun from him to the end of the fire. It's only about thirty feet."

"What about you Ash?" Yancy asked looking to be a bit worried for me.

"Just go!" I pushed her down and turned around towards the chaos. Rick went first and hesitantly Yancy followed. I leaned to the side to grip the strap on my pack holding metapod. It loosened it and he fell. I barely caught him in time but succeeded and set him down. I gripped my limp wrist and held my arm across my stomach. Pain stabbed my shoulder at the slightest of movement but yet again it's not the worst I've expected after it dulled. I let the aura flow into the shoulder to dull the pain further and guide me. I rested my wrist on a root and shoulder on a surface. I reached around and took a breath once I found where my shoulder dislocated. I took a breath with grabbed hold and leaned down. I breathed in and out before dropping down forcing my shoulder up and pulled my hand forcing it forward.

"AHhh, god!" I cried. It was like a fire or hot iron was applied to my skin and bone after that. But as quickly as the pain came it went away enough for me to face Metapod. "Spray my arm with stingshot," I cried. "Do it to the point I can't move it." I can't crawl with my arm dangling around anyway so best get it out of the way.

"Meta." String shot fired towards me and encased my arm in seconds. I jumped a bit and found that it wouldn't budge much.

"Man," I panted to catch my breath.

"BEE!"

I looked up and saw the queen coming down for me. "Okay, let's go." I leaned down and picked my metapod up. I lifted up then slid him back into the straps with the bottom tightened enough to keep him from falling through. I got on my hand and knees and quickly followed.

I crawled through the holes and openings that are moist and clear. They didn't need orders getting out. We're kids sure, but we're Holders of Colors as well. Blue has always been good pushing forward through adversity and Yellow bringing out the true potential of their allies. Red as the commander and lead the way to Victory. Green could plan through the most impossible of situations and successfully. We don't need him here though. I'm already smarter than him in the matters of the wilds and that's what we need the most.

Crash!

I stopped just as a lance came down in front of me. I looked through the hole of silk not yet a flame. The queen is what I saw and out for me it seems. I crawled faster than before. She just doesn't quit and sadly I can't be mad. I just single-handedly killed her children, born and unborn, with my fire bombs and destroyed her hive. If someone killed me and burned our house that person better pray to mew that mama is in a good mood when she's catches them. Her bad mood self is too scary.

I forced my way with my good arm the best I could. I turned a corner and my face hit something soft.

"Yah!" I heard a yelp. The something turned out to be Yancy and what I hit was her butt. She glared back at me staring daggers.

"Hate me later," I smirked then had to dodge a clumsy kick to my face her.

"You're always touching my butt!" She yelled to which I just smirked at her. "And you do it because it gets to me," she finalized on.

"It is pretty big," I commented on thus breaking a rule I knew better to. "And nice to touch," or so I've heard Prof. Oak say once to a lady.

Yancy didn't get angry and instead rolled her eyes. "Better a big butt than a big forehead like you got."

Okay, that was very unnecessary and really mean to say. "It's not..." I turned my head away and Yancy giggled a bit at me.

"I see a way out," I heard Rick announce.

"Keep. Moving." I said between pants. Yancy showed teeth with a deep frown but swallowed her retort for later. I pushed on behind Yancy. My attention shot upwards for the world above us. I used the aura to see the many lives fading away from us. I saw charmander above us following after her trainer. I saw the queen and thankfully she was still behind us stabbing away at the roots.

"Here!" I blinked to see a hand in my face. I followed it to the natural brown shoulder length hair and translucent blue eyes of Yancy. She's using her ability as a paladin it seems.

I reached up for the hand out the opening and pulled myself out with help. "Thanks." I looked back to the tree they build their hive around glowing red from the fires. I saw. Pokemon fleeing off safety but we are not out of the woods yet it seems. We made it out of the core of the hive but have good amount of distance to go out their territory of the forest.

"Poli poli..." I looked up to the poliwhirl that's still here with us and made our escape possible. I dropped down to him and noticed it was on its last legs. It must've been away from the water for a while now because it's running out of slime to keep its body saturated enough to stay alive. But it wouldn't feel right to capture him as he is now. It'll feel like I've taken advantage of him.

"Thanks for the help poliwhirl. There's a water source not to far from here. Do you think you can make it?" I asked him.

"Poli!"

I nodded and didn't challenge his word. If he thinks he can make it I won't tell him the odds of it. Instead I presented my good hand to him and he took it.

"You really saved us. Thanks, poliwhirl," Rick shook the Pokémon's hand as well.

"Yeah, thank you." Yancy came up next. The poliwhirl turned away after and trotted off into the forest away from us. "You as well charmander," Yancy dropped down before the flaming lizard and pat it's head. The charmander purred at the praise from... Her trainer. I had to check my pokedex to make sure. "Return." Yancy returned her charmander to its ball.

"Let's get moving," I said before we could get too far into any congratulations. We still need to get as far away from this hive as we...

"BBEEEE!"

I looked back. "You got to be joking," I gasped as badly burned and very much rage filled queen burst out from the shell of the hive. Fire and burning hot air firing through us and forced me back.

"Let's go!" Yancy yelled and pulled me back by my good shoulder.

"Yeah, let's! Follow me!" I felt my eyes shift red and the aura became one with me. I shot into the dark and smoky forest with Rick, Yancy, and a very unhappy monster of a beedrill behind us. It tanked through the trees and seemed more to crawl after us. It's not moving that fast but after what we've done it's slow us down considerably. The smoke is filling out lungs causing us to choke and my dislocation didn't help went I tripped forward and barely caught myself every time.

"Damn, it just doesn't know when to give up," Yancy cursed. Mainly because that thing is gaining on me. I'm struggling, even I can see that and slowing them both down. That queen is after me as well. I looked back and confirmed this for when I moved it tracked me every time.

I grunted and looked up to Rick and Yancy. They are in front of me and moving fast towards the light away from the fire. Once that I caused and with one that's chasing me. I stopped in my tracks and Yancy did as well. She turned to me but I was running the other way moments after stopping.

"Ash! What are you doing?"

"The queen is after me. Keep straight and you'll get out!" I jumped over a large Lance from the queen that threatened to skewer me.

"Ash!"

"Ash we can help you!"

"This is my fight!" I told the two and faced the queen. "Go!" I yelled before turning around and running along the spreading fire instead of away. The queen screeched and gave chase. That's right, come and get me. I destroyed your life and took away your children. I killed every single one of them and I didn't bat an eye. I even took away your princess so come at me. "Come and get me you stupid bug!"

"Bee BEE!" The queen turned enraged and broke through the brush I'm a mindless desire to kill me. But I won't die here, and I won't die today. I'll finish this fight like I've done every single one in the past.

I felt the aura and my instincts flare and dove to the side. Lances shot and impaled the spot I was in repeatedly. I panted and gripped my chest. That was too close. I crawled back to a tree and gripped it on my way up. The queen screeched once it realized I survived and charged at me. I did a spin until I was behind the tree and ran once it ram into it. I fell down from the shock waze but quickly got to my feet to. Keep going.

"Ah," I felt some manner of pain in my leg and dropped to a knee. I glanced back and saw a purple mark of some sort on my ankle. "A sprained ankle... When did I?" I thought back to one of my bad drops before when Yancy and Rick had to help me up. That's when they took the front instead of me so I could run after them in a direction I knew was clear enough. That last roll before must've been the last straw, using the aura to push my body in ways it wasn't ready for.

"Dang it." I reached up to another tree and pulled myself up. I panted and faced the queen. It leaned over from the tree and glared at me with its crimson red eyes. "Dang it. What are we gonna do now?" I can barely think straight, and my leg is shaking same with my arm a loss. What can I do with what I have now? I glanced back to the light and grit my teeth. I'm so close to the clearing as well. I grit my teeth and glared at me leg and focused. "I am one with the Aura. The aura is with me." I repeated this again and again until the pain began to fade. I heard the thundering drums of my speedy heartbeat. It's tempo slowed as my battle meditation took root.

I looked up and shot to the right just as a stinger stabbed into the spot I was in. I have a bit more left in me and once I get to the clearing, I can make a flame wall with my last bomb. I have one left. I just had to limp my body to the clearing into the light. I pushed and was sent into a tumble just as I broke into the light. I shot to my back and reached for my last bomb. If I can set that brush on fire around the queen, I can kill it with fire. I can...

"Beebbe."

Die' is what it said. I looked up and saw it up above me with its stingers up.

"Too fast," I rose my hand up to protect something, anything, knowing it won't help. The weight alone from the queen can pierce a tree. What hope does a soft and plushy human have to survive? "No!" I cried and cringed back for what's to come. I felt it hit me in the chest and force me back in a skid. It was over. The pain wasnt as bad as I first thought it would be like. It was more like pressure than anything focused on my chest. I coughed as then air was knocked out of my lungs and my back skid against the dirt and grass.

"Meta."

"Kaka."

I opened my eyes and then I saw it. The queen was over my with its stingers focused down upon me. But I'm not dead. I'm not hanging off its stingers. Instead I saw them both at the ends of the stingers. "F-Fey?" My kakuna was stabbed down on my shoulder and chest stopping the stinger cold from piercing me. The stinger though pierced into its cocoon. "Metapod," I gasped in horrors as the singer slammed him down on top of me as well but pierced through.

"Metapod!" I reached for him and kicked and stinger away. The stinger tore out and I dragged us away. I pulled on Fey next and gripped them both. Metapod in my good hand and Fey under my leg to a tree. I looked them over but more closely Metapod. He was pierced straight through. Fey as well was breached and the cocoon beginning to break. "Fey... Nononono." I didn't know what to do. I can't fix this. Are they... I couldn't finish that thought. I could only lean back at this. I've caused this. They're dying and it's my fault.

I glared up to the queen with my last bomb in hand. It glared back and drew closer to me to finish me. "You," I growled at this thing. "How dare you?" I snort and rubbed my eyes. They stung and hurt. I pulled my hand back and saw that it's wet. I snort and closed my eyes. I'm crying, again. "I hate this. My friends are down because of me and I can barely defend myself." I pat Metapod and dragged my hand across its shell.

"Kaka." I drew my eyes towards Fey and suddenly I saw a light burst from the beach of its shell.

"Meta." A light of sorts began to escape from both breaches on Metapod as well.

"What the...?" Are they both evolving? Here and now? Then they aren't dead and maybe we have a chance. I sat both of them down and watched at the cocoons broke and they began to show themselves as they climbed out of their Cocoons.

Fey emerged from the cocoon with that star still on her back with with lines of some sort spreading out along her golden body. She was large as well. Over four feet maybe and probably the largest beedrill I've ever seen just short of the vanguard before. She held up her large stingers and flew up before me between myself and the queen. Fey looked ready and willing to fight for our right to life.

"Free. Freeeee." A large Butterfree flew above me and safeguarded me between Fey and I. Butterfree was maybe half the size of beedrill but regardless held a light in his eye that burned like any fire. Butterfree as well looked to be ready. And I think he need a name as well.

"BEEE!" The queen rose it's stingers once more. I'm not even sure how they can stop it again but sat shocked when Fey was the first to move. It shot to the side just as the queen was about the strike and hit one stinger forcing it off target and impacting the spot next to me. though remained in front of me at the ready to take the attack in my stead.

"Butterfree, you need to mo..." I was brought to a pause as I watched a light green energy surround my pokémon and take the attack with ease. The stinger of the queen even deflected off the surface of the shield Butterfree made and forced it back away from me. Fey fired towards the queen's head then slammed it's own stingers into the head repeatedly coming to sum into five furious hits. Fury Attack and Protect. My piercing spear and stone hard shield. I can't believe this.

"Beedrill!"

"Free!"

I blinked and found them both looking down upon me. It was obvious what they wanted. They needed me to take command and finish this fight. I grit my teeth and climbed up to my feet with help from the tree I was leaning on. I gripped my shoulder and favored my right leg out of both but still stood to finish this fight. "Let's do this. Fey... and Dhul. Are you okay with that name Butterfree."

"Free! Free!"

He agreed with it and seemed to notice some irony with the name. I shook it off and faced the beast of a queen with my vision turning red. I examined the queen thoroughly from its burnt status and then to the melted wings on it back. It can't fly and it's only form of movement comes from it's larger than life stingers and feelers. This wasn't a double battle bit it's one for survival and I'm going to do just that. I pulled out my pokédex from my belt and examined the both of them to see their moveset and their conditions. Green for Fey but yellow for Dhul. It seems that most of Dhul's moves are defensive in nature and the opposite for Fey. She even has Rage. Pure offensive skills and one defensive and it's meant for agility enhancement.

"Okay," I grabbed the bill of my hat and rotated it around until it was behind my head. "Let go!"

Ash food failed to disappoint me. I had low expectations when they should've been as high as possible.

The Ash food can't be constituted as food now though. The Ash is a warrior and if was part of the Hive Kind The Ash would be our most trusted Vanguard with the mind and will to protect. The Ash would defeat everything that drew too close to the Hive. The Ash reached the hive in time to save the cat food. The Ash actually used our own scent capturing against us masterfully in a matter I didn't expect. The Ash infiltrated the hive and defeated many of the Hive's soldiers and even the Hunter's that lie in wait for intruders. The Ash found them and dispatched them. Then the Ash reached the hive and burned it all away. My destiny, my role as Hive mother, and my forsaking of my desired role. Just when I had given up and told them that I was taken the Ash had surpassed her expectations once more through fire. We can't see fire well but we know the heat and the shape it takes as it burns. He used it against the Hive and caused chaos in the Hive. The Ash is a fighter, a warrior, a hunter, and one that she can respect and follow.

I can see myself as his vanguard and imagined the battles before me. Yes, I am me now. I'm no longer part of my old Hive kind. I'm not longer to be the next Hive Mother. Hive mother now desires my life as well as the Ash and she can't have it. It belongs to me now. The Ash is my Hive Brain and I will destroy anything that threatens it. Even injured and nearly dead the Ash risked everything from me and the cousin. It'd take its death over using them to protect it. The Ash is not like any human I have ever seen and even superior to the two human food it saved as well.

I took my dual stance and felt my stingers sharpen. I felt my wings batter furiously creating wings with each burst. My speed is unmatched and my attacking power great. The cousin, now named Dhul, stands with me to protect the Ash. I will finish off the hive once and for all. I will fight my mother here and close this circle.

"How can next hive mother be such a fool!" My mother cursed me. I've always been afraid of her size and strength. She's the strongest of us all after all, but now I can tell that she's slipping. She's barely able to keep up so we might have a chance against her now. I'm larger now as well. I'm vanguard level and I'm confident of my chances.

"I am not the next hive mother!" I raged with my wings beating heavier and faster than before. "I am Fey Hive mother!"

My response enraged her to the point that her golden coat, much like my own, began to take a reddened shade. "Foolish child. Hive child allow food to control the child!?"

"The Ash can have me for it will let me fight and live as I wish. You will fall here and now. Just like is tradition." The Hive mother is destined to be devoured by the up and coming Hive mother. Hive mother is meant to be destroyed and devoured by me. Yes, this will come to being but I won't finish it. If I eat Hive mother I will became like Hive mother. I will evolve past this current state, but I don't want or need that. I want to be free from the hive and from my that fate.

"Hive mother will never be defeated by a child!" Hive mother screeched and forced us back from the blast and attacked.

"Dhul, U-turn!" The Ash commanded strongly. Even incapable of sanding on both of its little legs it sounds stronger and more fierce than that of the Hive mother. The cousin suddenly shot in front of me and slammed into the Hive Mother's head and reversed around just as Hive mother was about to attack.

"Fey, Focus your energy and get ready to move and strike." I focused myself, placing my trust in the Ash. I've witnessed his ability to control the flow of battle and to lead his Hive kind. His eyes, ablaze with fire, demanded her acquiescence. She didn't hesitate and remained still as Hive mother rose it's stingers to attack me. I held mine up and waited as she came down upon me. I felt something suddenly as the world seemed to slow before more. My focus grew to the point that even time bent. Like a sign from up high I saw it. In the middle of Hive mothers body above the center stinger and between the top two was a spot. It was a spot that maybe I'm meant to hit. "Twineedle!" I shot past Hive mother's attack and pierced into the area at the center of Hive mother's body.

"AHHHHH!" Hive mother screeched and fell back from a bit but didn't fall. No matter how much I pushed Hive mother refused to fall.

"Psybeam!" The Ash commanded. Hive mother screeched once more but more importantly she began to fall back. I bat my wings faster and push Hive mother back further hive mother finally fell down to the ground. I pulled my stingers out from Hive mother and examined it. Hive mother wasn't moving so maybe it was over. Suddenly, hive mother roared and bucked forcing me off. A stinger came at me and slammed into me forcing me back away from Hive mother. "Catch her Dhul." I fell back further until I felt my decent slow and left hanging by one of my stingers. I looked up and saw the calm but steely eyes of the cousin.

"Are you okay," the major softy of a cousin asked.

"Fine," I let my wings burst and flew upward. That attack was savage and hurt a great deal but nothing I couldn't handle. Though I'm not sure what to make of that. I thought this until Hive mother stood.

"Die. Die. Die! DIE! DIE!"

"She's enraged it seems," the cousin said before passing by me to get before the Ash. I followed and took the front again, ready for more. This was a fight and my excitement grew with every passing second. "Here she comes, Fey. Are you ready?" The cousin's deep and vibrating tones flowed through my feelers. I've spoken to the cousin for a long time even while the Ash invaded the hive. The cousin seemed to feel highly affectionate towards the Ash and appreciative even to protect that Ash like the Cousin did. Even persuaded me to render assistance to keep the Ash safe. Even now I threw myself in front of Hive mother for the Ash. Never have I done that before. Maybe the mentality of this hive kind is getting to me.

"Fey?" The cousin asked.

"Of course, I am." I glanced back and noticed the cousin dancing a bit. "What?"

"You're not calling yourself Hive child or gatherer anymore. Not even "Next Hive mother' as well."

I spat string at the cousin which he evaded with ease.

"Focus!" The Ash said and was right. Hive mother was coming. "Gust!" That wasn't directed at me for I don't know how to do that.

"Right," the cousin took to my side and flapped his wings rapidly. Just as Hive mother was about to reach us the winds picked up and slowed her down to a near halt. Still, a raging hive queen isn't to be underestimated. I rose my stingers ready to combat Hive mother.

"Channel your rage, Fey." I looked back to the Ash. He desires that I lose myself to the Rage like the Hive mother as well. Does he understand what he's even asking that I do. Even now I can barely control myself enough not to attack the cousin and to evade Hive mother. But, I can't help but feel the urge to fight might with might. The Ash holds that fire thing hard, so he had a plan of some sort. Maybe I should just go with it... Fine. I've a ton of Rage I want to get out of my system.

And like a switch was flicked my mind went blank. All that matters... is that this thing has to die.

I think these two are friends and not the kind I need in the midst of a fight. I'm shocked that Fey would turn to lash out at Dhul when they need to be working together, but then again girls all seem to act the same once you say the wrong thing to them. Regardless of this though I've already got the plan in motion and with Dhul so close it was easy to pass it too him. Fey didn't need to know and it's better if she doesn't. From what I've complied so far these two have opposing strengths of mind and might. Fey is Might and aggressive with an lively desire to do battle. Blood lust I believe Lucario would call it. Dhul on the other hand is Mind. He seemed more focused on misdirection and safeguarding instead. With the plan I have in mind this will play on both sides.

"BEEE!" It started once the bloodlust within Fey reached it's peak. She charged, like a rabid animal let out of the cage, towards the queen in a surprise attack. It slammed directly into the queen and bounced from one open patch of flesh to the next. She lay attack after attack onto the queen but bug attacks like that didn't seem to prove very effective. The queen heeled up and forced Fey back. Then it brought it's stingers down.

"Protect," I said to Dhul and he flew into the middle of the two. A yellow green orb spawned around Dhul and stone walled the queen's assault upon Fey. Each hit though forced Dhul back and seemed to be breaking down his stamina. He survived the assault and the queen backed off giving Fey the opening she needed to rampage once more in midst of her Rage. She shot past Dhul, nearly forcing him into the dirt had he not noticed and flowed to the side to escape the blunt of the charge. Fey returned to attacking in a mad rush. In the aura I could feel the red hot rage that consumed Fey nearly cause me to choke, but it almost paled in comparison to that of the queen. The queen seemed to grow with every attack. In moments the queen lashed back out.

"Confusion," I commanded and Dhul followed my command. His eyes glowed red and a bluish outline surrounded the queen stopping it cold. The queen suddenly convulsed and fell down to the ground. I blinked with shock. It was quite cool to see a psychic move like that in person. I've only seen it on television once or when I scared an Abra once or twice forcing it to teleport. Sort of wish I had one right now to teleport us away now, but we can't run from this battle. We already tried that once.

Fey screeched in excitement at the easy prey before her and charged down upon the downed opponent before us once more. I shifted to the side and Dhul followed closer towards the forest and away from the clearing. The queen shot up, even more enraged than before and on command Dhul used protect once more. This time though it broke through after a moment forcing him back. Fey attack regardless but the queen was pushing us back a little at a time. This continued again and again.

My pokemon both suffered injury during the coming conflicts. The queen was relentless in its counter attacks and didn't seem to calm down no matter how much we tried to push it back. It broke out of a confusion and bat Dhul away into my chest forcing us back. Dhul got back up into the fight but that hurt. Fey was hit with this needle storm attack from the queen and nearly stamped to a tree. This queen, this mega beedrill, was a monster unlike anything I've ever faced in my entire life. It's impossibly large, unfeeling, and on a murderous rampage to destroy the three of us even now. A psybeam from Dhul halted its advanced for only a moment before it lashed out once more nearly cutting Fey and Dhul both in two.

We were pushed back until we got to the forest to use at cover with enough brush and trees around us to make excellent cover. I thought back to my Academy training and the different effects some moves can have on others of a different type. A water gun matched if almost any electric skill can devastate even ground types if used in the right instances. The same can be said now with the cloud growing all the more. I pulled much of the strings from my shoulder off and wrapped it around my nose and mouth. I pulled a strip of my shirt off and covered my eyes as the cloud grew. The plan was in motion and only the aura is keeping me conscious at this moment. It's holding my lungs still and slowing my heart so keep with my breathe steady in my body.

Fey's rage waned and she began to realize that she couldn't overcome this raging monster of a mega tank queen beedrill. Dhul would offer protect and psybeam when he could but the rest was left up to Fey's superior speed and agility once rage waned. "Down Fey and shift left." Fey hit a branch with her stinger forcing herself down. Needles past over her and then she used on side of her wings to force her into a twirl to the right just as a stinger threatened to take her down. They did well to keep the attention off of me enough to get ready. It was difficult to so the least to climb up a tree but the branches hung low enough to grab with my good hand and used my legs extensively above. "Keep using your sleep and poison powder," I whispered not that Dhul could hear me. He did this without my input masterfully until the air was thick with powder from both of them.

Fey cried as she was forced back through the cloud and the queen followed until it was below me. Fey looked up to me and nodded. I returned if and Fey shot at the queen. She flowed through a stinger attack and slammed into the back stinger. Then Dhul came down from above and used a psybeam on the wings earning a screech from the queen. My aim though wasn't to hurt the queen, but to make an marker for me.

I lit the bomb by the silk string with the bomb in my bad arms hand and light in my left hand. I dropped down upon the queen from up high as Fey sweep the stinger out from under the queen. I stabbed my knife into the marker and slid a bit. The superior metal of my knife broke into the exoskeleton of the queen, and I used it to keep myself from falling off. I felt my dulled vision turn red and used to aura to project these next commands. "Confusion! Fury Attack!"

"Freee!"

"Beee!"

In a collaboration the queen went still under the weakened psychic move but broke out in moments. Fey came in from above and slammed its stingers into the queen again and again, forcing it down. I gashed open the wound then slammed the remaining bomb into it. I breathed when I couldn't hold my breath anymore and coughed. I sheathe my blade but fell over as the powder hit my lungs. I fell but something took hold of my shirt and picked me up. I looked up and saw Fey to my right holding with her stingers under my arm pit. Dhul was to my left and grabbed hard to my hand to keep me up the best he could as we glided out into the clearing. I landed hard into the dirt once the weight proved too much for the both of them sending us into a tumble.

I land hard with my back hitting the tree and gasped. I reached up and ripped the small band from my eye a moment later. I pulled the webbing from my mouth and coughed once this glue was off my face. I gasped for the air and wheezed harshly to get as much as I can. Then, we heard it.

BOOM!

I looked up and saw it. The chemicals that are within poison powder that poison emit are deadly sure for obvious reasons but so is sleeping powder in the right conditions. It's nearly useless against that of bug types in their natural habitat but once meshed with that of the other it nearly nullifies the effects of the other. It makes them both more toxic in the way it makes it hard to breathe but these bug types are adapted to function in such conditions. Me on the other hand would've died if I got in more than two breathes of that now toxic powder. It made it hard to breathe because of what it does to the air. I'm not sure about the specifics but I know it had a nearly explosive and slicky flame like effect once ignited. Carpet bombing if you will for it spreads and rains like a liquid and sticks to anything within.

I watched, with my pokédex up, as the queen burned. It cried. It screeched. It wailed. The dome of fire it found itself in didn't seem to care. It was like a living thing with how well it spread around her and burned away the queen. I felt almost sad for what I've had to do in the name of survival. I feel very bad for the lives I've ended today and for what. A meowth and two of my childhood color mates all of which are a bit holder than me. I watched just like Lucario would tell me to. He told me, no matter if it's a success or failure, I must live and embrace the consequences of my actions. Watching this… its one of the worse, but I can't seem to turn away.

"Free… Free." I looked down to Dhul as he struggled to make his way to me. I reached out for him and brought him closer to me. I looked up and noticed Fey to the side watching as her mother and queen faded away in fire much like the rest of her hive. I didn't find this sad though because I don't feel sorrow from the pokémon. Instead I felt joy at everything we did and contentment. I leaned back and rested my head against the tree of this forest and watched the smoke before him and in a distance rising up to the sky.

I reached up to my hat and fixed it back the way it was before. I rested my head then closed my eyes. Today wasn't a good day that's for sure. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good.

"Ash!" I opened my eyes and turned my turned eyes towards the direction of that call. My vision was blurry, but I could make out the color code of the few people I know. I felt them in the aura as well. They weren't alone as well strangely enough. They had someone with them.

"Ash!" Yancy dropped down in front of me, but I couldn't make them out that well. I blinked and looked up to another person with them and frowned. I can't see the face but I know those colors and wanted to growl at what I saw.

"Took you long enough, ranger." I growled at the ranger. I sent them that emergency response not five hours ago. It took them this long to dispatch. I heard helicopters as well meaning they've finally mobilized. This is another reason why I quit and why my dad probably didn't bother with the Ranger's Association as well. Because of stupid politics they don't come in until things get really bad and by that point it's too late. Unless it's world ending or changing they never step in because of the blasted government.

"You know…" This man spoke but stopped once he looked me over. I'm sure he's recognized the patch on my shoulder of a cadet by now. I've never worn this vest much but because it's the only one with reinforced inserts that I have I've kept it. My cadet vest fits me well still and protected me from the fire and much more. "You did a good job cadet."

"Don't bother," I spat at the man and broke into a fit of coughs.

"Ash, calm down." Yancy pushed my down so not to hurt myself further.

"Ash, I'm so happy your okay." I felt a pair of soft and warm arms wrap around me. I took in the scent of the great Rick and smiled. The calming effect of the aura surrounding my old friend has always helped me.

"That makes two of us," I muttered. I grit my teeth when I felt someone fist the top of my head.

"You idiot! You almost died!" The pressure increased. Yancy must wanna drill a hole in my hand. "Idiot!" Suddenly she let up and I felt an arm from her wrap around me as well.

"Sir!" I heard and sensed someone through the aura. "We did a round and contained the fire. The SOB's are in the area as well same with the P2A (Pokémon Preservation Association)."

"We have three wounded. Did you pick up the others?"

"The two young ladies and man? Yes sir?"

"Misty, Jessie, and James?" I questioned the man reporting to the Ranger.

"T-Those are the names they gave us, yes."

"Thank god," I sighed.

"Friends of yours?" Rick asked only for me to shrug my good shoulder.

"Not really for two and not sure for Misty. She's a mystery to me."

"Oh, Ash got at girl fri… ow! Rick!"

"Shh!"

I snickered a bit. "My pokémon… can you return them to their balls."

"I got ya," Yancy mumbled and reached down to my belt. I heard the sound of two pokémon returning to their balls.

"Get a stretcher and get this cadet up. Pewter City." The ranger ordered.

"Yes sir."

"We can help," Rick spoke up, but was denied.

"We can handle this. Get on the helicopter and we'll fly you in along with the rest." The ranger instructed. It left no room for argument and they both left me to the plane.

In time I was rolled onto a stretch and escorted to the helicopter.

"Ash! Oh god!" That was Misty that's for sure.

"Pika!" And even pikachu is here.

I felt Ace nearby in time, but someone returned him to his ball as well. Misty told whoever did not to do the same to Pikachu. I felt him nearby and that's all that mattered to me. I've long closed my eyes as the medical team looked me over. I've lost my gear, but I still have my knife. I felt one of the medical team pulled my head up to place a mask over my mouth. I swat it away from me and opened my eyes to glare at the man. I can't see him clearly, but I can get my message across. I was checked over and in time I felt something puncture my arm. I felt the darkness coming once more just like when I was at Viridian City. I wanted to get to Pewter City by air, but I didn't expect it in this regard.

In the end beggars can't be choosers. My, Prof. Oak is going to have a field day when I submit my next report once I wake up in Pewter City. Better have a bonus ready for me.

A/N: Welp that's the end of the chapter and now we are on our way to Pewter city. Let's see how things go.