Chapter 18
Char and Saura once again filed into Team Remorse's planning room, which was like a cramped little office with a small desk at the center stuffed with papers. Char unrolled the map of Ambera onto the desk as Saura dug around in a stack of paper for the task list.
"Okay, let's get this over with and get back to sleep," Saura said, jumping up onto the table and setting down the task list. "What should we do?"
"Something nearby, hopefully," Char said. "Remember, that Scizor is around."
"Oh, I almost forgot about that," Saura said worriedly. "Yeah, definitely. Something close. Um… How's this? Guard Duty at Kestra Town? It's only ten miles to the south of here."
"Guard duty?" Char repeated. "Are you sure that's a good idea? If something bad happens, we'd be responsible to take care of it. We're not that strong yet!"
Saura nodded thoughtfully. "Well, we'll still have Scythe to help us, right? … But that means he'll just take more of our bounty if he has to do all the work. Oh, and the bounty on this one is only four hundred Poké. Lame!"
"Hey, why not check the bounties first?" Char suggested. "Find a nice big one! Then we can think about taking the mission!"
Saura skimmed down the list. "I don't see any," he reported. "I guess this is because it's only the training list. Urgh, It's a shame we have to use this list in the first place, but I guess we're not strong enough for… Hey… wait! What's this?"
Saura pointed at an item near the end of the list. Char couldn't read, but he saw the numbers as clear as day: five thousand Poké!
"Now that's more like it!" Saura cheered. "It's a place called Red Haven! It's pretty far away, but for that money, I could be motivated!"
"Red Haven?" Char repeated. "Isn't that where Team Remorse is working right now?"
"Oh, you're right," Saura said. "That wouldn't be a very good idea. And the risk level is 'A'. Hmm… If I'm right, they wouldn't even let us take that one with our level of experience. Well, let's see what else there is…"
Saura continued to skim down the list, tracing his paw across the bounties. Most of them were pathetic amounts, as could be expected for training teams, but one suddenly stuck out… there wasn't even a number listed.
"This is weird," Saura said. "There's no amount for this one. For a bounty, it just has… question marks. What do you think that means…?"
"Maybe the bounty isn't decided?" Char wondered. "Or maybe it's being kept a secret!"
"That's interesting," Saura said with a grin. "I want to see what the reward is. Want to give it a shot?"
After agreeing to take the mission with the mystery reward, the twosome poured over the map and did some research on the locations involved. This time, they were sure to make note of just what kind of wild Pokémon they'd be up against, instead of assuming based on the landscape. Saura plotted a simple course across the map, one that didn't involve any dungeons, and helped Char to write a list of the directions to follow and the items they'd probably need.
After doing all they could in the limited amount of time they had—everything would be closed for the night once the torches turned blue—they hurried down into the base to run their last-minute errands. Char rushed out to Kecleon's store to stock up on dried food and items, and Saura made his way down to the registration office to confirm the mission for his team. As there weren't very many teams who made a point of getting preparation done the night before—and certainly not any of the training teams, who rarely ever confirmed their missions in this manner—the job was clear to take. Soon, both were back up in Scythe's room, eager to get some rest.
… … …
"Wake up!"
Just as quickly, the rest was over.
"Ugh… Good morning, Char," Saura groaned as he rolled to his feet.
"Up and at 'em!" Scythe cheered, bursting in the door. "Let's head out! There's work to be done!"
Char wasn't going to slouch this time. He jumped to his feet, ready to take on the day. He enjoyed a nice long stretch as he waited for Saura to come to his senses…
"Oh… you two might want to cover your ears," Scythe said suddenly, interrupting Char in mid-yawn.
"WAKE UUUUP!"
The massive voice, practically an earthquake, blasted from the door behind Scythe. It took Char's breath away, knocking him completely off his feet. Saura cringed, his vines tightly plugging his ears.
"Ahh, good ol' Brock," Scythe chuckled, shaking his head. "It's a big day for the whole team, you know. Everyone's got to be up this time! Thanks to a certain Scizor, our hands are going to be full for the next few weeks. We've all got to start out strong..."
"So! Where'd you decide on today?" Scythe asked as the threesome walked down the hall.
"Goldenrod Meadow," Saura said proudly, hoping to impress his trainer. "The mission is to escort a few Buneary children to Sitrus City. Their mother wants to make sure they get there safely, so she's asking for help."
"Hmm, good enough," Scythe said.
Char took a deep breath of relief, thankful that Scythe wasn't horrified at their choice of a mission.
"Got everything you need?" Scythe inquired.
"We sure do," Char said proudly, hefting the bag over his shoulder. "Enough food for all of us, a pecha scarf, since there's a chance we could run into some poisonous Pokémon like Butterfree and Beedrill, a detect band, which should give us an edge against the agile Rattatas, five oran berries, and an escape orb if we accidentally wander into the small dungeon to the north."
"Good!" Scythe applauded. "I'm impressed! You've done your research! Now… got anything for breakfast? I'm hungry!"
"Uh…" Char said nervously, digging through the bag.
"And what about those Buneary kids? They'll need to eat, too! Got enough for them?"
Char bit his tongue. Of all things, he didn't think of that.
"Not to worry," Scythe said as they arrived at Team Remorse's front door. "I know you can't learn everything at once. I wasn't sure you remembered to pack your bag, so I brought one of my own. Off we go!"
With an exaggerated wipe of his forehead, Char mouthed "whew" to Saura.
… … …
As Scythe took up his own bag and prepared to lead the team out into the base, the team members were all starting to creep out of their rooms. Char saw Daemon, Markov, and Ursa out in front, all trying to shake off the weariness and get into gear like they had probably done hundreds of times before.
"Scythe," Daemon called out. "Before you leave, what should we have Team Absolution do once they agree to our deal?"
"We should be fine for today," Scythe said. "Just give them the basic debriefing. If they're willing to come with you today, so be it. Send them off to Red Haven with you. I'll give Kain the whole story this evening when I come back. If not, we can all take one double shift to start out with… It'll be good to get us in the mood."
"So be it," Daemon grunted with a nod. "And Team Ember… I wish you success on your mission today."
"Thanks!" Saura answered. "You, too!"
Daemon turned his attention to the main corridor which connected the team members' rooms. Not all the team members were awake yet; those who were lucky enough to be on their feet already slowly filed down through the hall.
"Team Remorse!" Daemon bellowed, almost at the top of his lungs. "Why do we rise?"
The rest of the team, Scythe included, sounded their reply: "So that he will fall!"
That's pretty cool, Char thought as he headed out. What a great way to get up in the morning—to remember your purpose. Maybe Saura's right. We could use a motto. Maybe something to do with fire? Something about… spreading the fire? The fire that will never die? I dunno… I'll have to think about it.
Goldenrod Meadow
"Oh, thank you so much for helping us!" a Lopunny said to Char as they met at the edge of the gorgeous golden meadow. "I heard rumors that the Master's army has been around lately. I was worried sick! We're moving into the city because it's safer there. Would you please make sure my children get to the city safely?"
"That's what we're here for!" Saura assured the mother. "Just leave everything to us!"
"Oh, thank you!" the Lopunny said once more. "I would take them myself, but… My husband broke his leg last week, and I have to stay here with him until he's healed. Here, let me introduce you to the children!"
Seeing the beauty of the land spread before him in the light of the early dawn, Char was suddenly reminded of his first day as a Pokémon. Was it really only five days ago that he'd emerged with Saura from that first cave? Maybe it was just his Pokémon emotions, but he was starting to feel that he'd spent his entire life in Ambera. Every time he looked at the landscape, especially at this wonderful meadow as the orange light of the dawning sun gleamed off the grass, it seemed like home to him. Whenever he saw it, he knew exactly why so many Pokémon dedicated their lives to protecting it from the Master's evil whims. It was, indeed, a treasure.
"Here they are," the Lopunny reported, tearing Char's attention away from the surroundings. "Wait just a moment, I'll have them awake for you, if you'd like to get going as soon as you can."
A long, flat slab of rock sat implanted in the ground. Char examined it, and saw that a narrow trench had been dug underneath it. The mother bent down and spoke into the hole, gently prodding the sleeping children that lay within.
"Kids! It's time to wake up! You've got a long road ahead of you today! Wake up!'
"Ugh, already?"
"It's so early!"
"Do we have to go to the City?"
"Just a little while longer, please?"
"Sorry, but it's time to go," the mother said sternly. "Your guardians are here. Now, come on! Get up!"
One by one, the Buneary kids crawled out from the hole. The first one looked like a living fuzzball, its unkempt brown fur hopelessly tangled from a restless night's sleep, its ears drooping lazily onto its face. It didn't look very happy to be up. A second little bunny followed, a slightly larger child with much longer ears, its fleece stained with dirt.
"Come on, don't dawdle!" the mother goaded. "Your guardians shouldn't have to wait on you!"
Two more children jumped out from the hole, eyes blinking.
"So sleepy…" one moaned, stretching out on all fours.
As Char was watching the children wake up, Scythe emitted a quiet sound of displeasure.
"What?" Char whispered to him. "Is something wrong?"
"You tell me," Scythe replied. "There are more of them than us!"
Again, Char felt some butterflies in his stomach. The job description never said how many children they'd have to watch for.
"Don't panic," Saura told him. "We can do this."
"Beary…" the mother called into the hole with a displeased tone. "Beary, you come out here right now! Your brothers and sisters are all awake! Ugh, I'm very sorry about this, sirs, Beary is a stubborn one."
"Eehh! No!" a voice cried from inside the trench as the mother reached in for him. "I don't want to go!"
"I'm going to count to four," the mother warned. "One… two… three…"
The last child, the smallest of them all, quickly leapt out from underneath the rock. He didn't look too happy to be following orders.
"So, here they are," the mother said. "The smallest one is Beary, and then there's Meary, Teary, Leary, and Heary. They're very well behaved… except you'll probably have to keep an eye on Beary. He can be a little… energetic at times."
Char looked closely at the littlest bunny. Already, he could tell that Beary was different from the rest. His nose twitched, his eyes darted, and one paw restlessly combed a tuft of grass upon the ground, as if he was being forced to stand on a sharp rock and couldn't wait to move.
"Don't worry!" Saura said, holding his head high. "They'll be no problem!"
"You know how to get to Sitrus City, right?" the mother asked. "Once you get there, you need to take them to Genevieve, my friend. She's a Nidoqueen. She lives near the center of town in the Pearl Dome. It's not hard to find once you get there."
"Not Aunty Genevieve!" Leary whined. "Why do we have to go there?
"Listen, all of you," the mother said firmly. "We've discussed this before. It's not safe for you here right now. You need to be somewhere where you aren't in danger. Daddy and I can take care of ourselves, but we need you to be safe, too, until the danger goes away, okay? These nice Pokémon are going to lead you all the way to the city. You listen to them and do exactly what they tell you, okay? You're all going to be in big trouble if I hear you were disobedient!"
The children all gave a nod, some reluctantly.
"I don't know who you are or who you work for, but I can't thank you enough for this," the mother said, turning to Char. "I couldn't sleep at night because my children are in danger."
"Happy to be of service," Saura said again, smiling brightly. "I've been to Sitrus City more times than I can count. Don't worry, your kids will be home by this evening!"
Saura's really optimistic today, Char noticed. Maybe it's that reward he's after. Yeah, I sure hope it'll be a good one… especially if these kids turn out to spell trouble!
… … …
And off they went. Sitrus City was far up north, far past the meadows and forests that bordered on Saura's old homeland. It had taken a few hours of walking to even reach the meadow in the first place, so now there at least was adequate sunlight to guide the way. The path was very straightforward, but it would take a bit of walking and patience to get there.
Yes, patience. Definitely patience.
"Mister frog!" one Buneary said. "Why is there a big plant stuck to your back?"
"That's just the way I am," Saura laughed. "This seed soaks up the sunlight and gives me strength when I need it most. It's almost like a big battery! Sometimes—"
"Why are you on fire?" another one asked of Char, interrupting Saura's explanation. "Doesn't that hurt?"
Char sighed. "It's because…"
"I'm tired! Can you carry me?"
"I'm hungry! Can I eat something?"
"How long until we get there?"
"Silence!"
The five Buneary kids stopped in their tracks and froze at the violent sound of the voice. Even Char and Saura were taken off guard, turning to Scythe in surprise.
"Has your mother not taught you to take turns?!" Scythe demanded of the children. "We can answer your questions, but not all at once!"
"Answer my questions first!"
"No, don't listen to him! Answer mine!"
"I'm still hungry!"
"Silence!" Scythe yelled again, louder this time. "You must not make a racket. You must be quiet. Talk… quietly. Whisper. Like this."
"Why?" asked Meary, softening her voice as instructed.
"Because, if you don't…" Scythe said in a quiet whisper, "the Master could hear you. And if he hears you… he'll come and CUT OUT YOUR THROAT SO YOU NEVER SPEAK AGAIN!"
Scythe swung a blade inches from Beary's face as he suddenly screamed this, causing all five of the kids to gasp and jump in fright.
That did it. Since then, the kids huddled tight behind Saura's lead, trudging along in complete silence.
"Hey, thanks," Char said quietly to Scythe, glancing back at the kids and the fearful looks on their faces..
"Don't mention it," Scythe said with a smile. "It's what I'm here for."
Twenty minutes passed, and still, the kids followed faithfully behind, never bothering their guardians and never letting their voice rise above a dull murmur.
"Hey… Hey? Mister? Mister frog thing?" asked Teary, the littlest of the two girls, in a respectful voice. "I'm still hungry…"
"We could stop to eat," Char suggested. "I'm in the mood for breakfast, myself."
"We could," Saura said with a wink, "But… is this a safe place to eat? Will the Master catch us here?"
Scythe smiled again. "Hmm, I don't think so," he reported. "We're not safe out in the open here. We need to find a good place to hide before we can stop to rest."
"If the Master tears out your throat, I bet it can be really hard to eat," added Char, joining in the fun.
"Ah, yes, it is," Scythe agreed, shaking his head. "In fact, I once had a good friend… a Houndoom. He was a talkative one. He just would never sit still and be quiet. Then, one day, the Master heard him, got annoyed—ripped out his throat, plain and simple. I never heard the poor fellow speak ever again. And he had to be force-fed for the rest of his life."
"Whoa!" Meary exclaimed. "What happened to him? Did he make it?"
"He starved to death," Scythe said sadly. "Couldn't take the pain of eating. Poor guy, I tried to tell him to be quiet and respectful around his elders, but he just… he just didn't listen… Why, oh why, didn't he listen…?"
Scythe hung his head, pretending to reflect upon the memories of an old friend. Char almost giggled as he heard the Buneary kids give a collective gulp, some even feeling their necks to make sure they were still in place.
"Ah-ha!" Scythe exclaimed, motioning forward to the path ahead. "Look! A tree! The perfect shelter from the Master! We can stop to eat there!"
"Why does a tree shelter us from the Master?" Leary wondered.
"Because," Scythe said wisely, "nobody suspects a tree."
After a good half-hour's walk, the procession stopped at a sizable pear tree near the side of the barren road. Char dropped the bag onto the ground and dug around for some food as the little bunnies all gathered around.
"Dried plums," Char said, pulling out a small pouch. "Who wants them?
"Ewww, yuck!" Leary yelled. "I don't want that! I want a poffin! Do you have any poffins in there?"
"Yeah, do you?" Meary begged. "I want a spicy poffin! Please?"
"Spicy poffins are gross!" Leary proclaimed. "Give me a sweet one!"
"Sorry, I don't have any of those!" Char cried. "Look… you can have plums, or apricots, or apples, or Sunflora seeds. Or pears from this tree."
"Eat up, because we've got to keep moving," Scythe said, skewering a pear on the end of his blade. "If you don't eat, you won't gain energy. If you don't gain energy… you might get worn out along the way… and get left behind."
"Yeah, and then, nobody will be able to save you from the Master!" Saura warned. "So eat whatever you can!"
Leary regretfully picked the sack of plums and tried to open it. "Auntie Genevieve makes the best poffins," he said. "Maybe she'll make some for us when we get there."
"The Master isn't really that bad, is he?" Heary, the oldest of the children, asked. "Would he really… you know… tear out our throats? He wouldn't really do that… would he?"
"Yes," Scythe said plainly. "And worse. The Master… does whatever he feels like. If you annoy him, he may have you tortured and killed. If you oppose him… there's no telling what he'll do to you if he catches you. There are… far worse fates than pain and death."
Char noticed the change in Scythe's voice as he said this; he knew he wasn't just joking around anymore.
"What do we do if he finds us?" Meary asked, slowly munching on a slab of apricot.
"You run away as fast as you can, and never look back," Scythe said gravely. "If he still catches you… you can at least say you tried your best."
Scythe continued to entertain (and frighten) the kids with stories and warnings of the Master as they ate. Char found it hard to tell when he was joking and when he was being serious, but he ultimately realized that it didn't matter: he was trying to instill the children with a fear of the Master, something that could one day save their lives or their freedom… just like it had for Saura.
After everyone ate their fill, the group lounged around the tree for another hour, watching the world around them come alive as the sun rose higher into the sky. Char and Saura took the opportunity to chat with the children and get to know them a little better. As the Buneary kids became more energetic, they were eager to tell Char all about their life in the meadow.
"And then, this one time, this huge Starraptor flew right out of the sky and almost ATE me!" Beary described. "he was huge! Like THIS BIG! And so I dodged REAL FAST and curled up, and he missed me!"
"Nuh-uh!" Meary said. "You did not. You only got away because Daddy scared it off!"
"Daddy's so awesome," Leary said. "He can beat anything in battle! He could even beat a big scary bug like you!"
"Oh, really?" Scythe chuckled.
"Yeah!" Leary insisted. "He protects us from stuff all the time! Someday, I'm going to be as strong as him!"
"No, no!" Beary insisted. "I beat the Starraptor up! With my teeth! And I saved mommy, too!"
"In your dreams, Beary," Meary said. "You're just making this all up to impress people!"
"Nuh-uh!" Beary whined. "I could do it again right now! See that Pidgey up there? See it? HEY, PIDGEY!"
"Shut up, now you're just embarrassing us!" Meary screamed, running to tackle him.
…And so on.
Eventually, the group had to wrap up their little picnic and continue down the road. Having eaten a good breakfast, everyone was now wide awake as ever—especially the kids. It was apparent that Scythe's tricks wouldn't work for very much longer. Char could only hope things wouldn't get out of hand…