Chapter 3
Even after braving the dungeon, it had all been for nothing. Char could not live up to the promise he'd just made with new companion.
They had gotten themselves captured.
"Please, try to make this easy on us," the Scyther ordered, thrusting the ends of his blades against their backs to prod them along. "It's been a long night. We're quite tired, and I'm sure you are as well."
"Who are you?!" Char demanded, speaking for Saura.
"We should be asking the same of you," the Sandslash muttered as he led the procession forward. "I haven't seen a Charmander in… well, I can't remember how long. But it's certainly not a normal thing you're here. That's why we're going to have to take you with us for the time being."
"If it's me you want, then let why not just let this Bulbasaur go?" Char pleaded.
"No, he's coming, too," the Scyther said. "We need you both. Just in case."
"Why!?" Char blurted. "Who are you?! Where are you taking us?! And why you do you need us?!"
"If we feel you need to know, we'll tell you," the Sandslash said, though his tone was not quite reassuring. "But for now, unless you intend to make pleasant conversation with us, I'd appreciate if you'd not incessantly question our motives. It will get us nowhere."
After that, both the Scyther and the Sandslash remained silent.
They walked for quite a while, saying nothing, as the sun gradually revealed more of itself above the eastern horizon and cast illumination onto the beautiful golden meadow around them. Char glanced to his friend very often, but each time, he always found himself afraid to say anything. Saura looked pained and torn, as though he was fighting an intense battle within his own heart.
"Well…" Saura finally spoke, hanging his head dejectedly and watching the ground pass. "We still did it. We made it through the dungeon all on our own! But… I guess I should have known better that this would happen. I'll always be proud of what we did today. I guess that's all that matters… I guess my life is complete. I'm sorry it had to be this way, Char. I'm sorry we didn't have very much time to spend together."
Char felt it again: that restless sensation of his stomach flooding with fire.
Deep down, he realized he wanted to resist the soldiers, even if Saura was too afraid to try. He had made a promise. If he could do something, anything, for the Bulbasaur, he felt like he needed to try.
The Charmander within him wanted to fight. And, little by little, so did he.
Char eyed the Scyther, weighing the odds. His breathing deepened, and his pulse escalated.
He knew what he had to do. He'd spin around, jump at the Scyther's face, quickly attack the Scyther with his newfound fire breath, then get Saura out of the way as fast as possible so he could make his escape. He only had to wait for just the right moment…
As he felt the Scyther thrust at his back once more, his frustration became too great. He could taste the fire in the back of his throat. It was begging to be released.
Here goes nothing, Char said to himself with clenched fists. Saura, this is for you!
Char leapt.
The next thing Char knew, he was face-down in the dirt from a powerful counter-attack. His head throbbed, and his side stung like mad. He'd been knocked to the ground so quickly, he did not quite remember what happened. He released a violent and painful cough, expelling thick, black smoke from his mouth.
"Char…!" he could hear Saura calling sadly. "Char, why…?"
Grunting, Char pushed his arms against the ground and tried to climb back to his feet. It was then that he noticed the long, thin slice on the side of his hide. He fell back to the ground and clutched his wound to help ease the pain.
Char glanced up. He saw Saura staring at him with a look of pained disbelief. He saw the Sandslash watching him with a look of indifference. He saw the Scyther standing some feet away from him, clearly infuriated, with his blades raised in the air. A tiny line of bright red blood dripped from the Scyther's right blade. His blood.
"The moment a Charmander decides to fight, its tail flares," the Scyther explained gravely. "You had no element of surprise at all."
As Char struggled to sit upright while keeping a hold of his gash, Saura rushed to his side. Coughing again, Char discharged a stream of smoke onto the ground.
"Char…" Saura said simply as he offered to help his friend to his feet. "You didn't have to do that! Are you okay?"
Instead of answering, Char turned to the captors. "Where are you taking us?!" he demanded again in a pained voice. "Who are you?"
"Scythe…" the Sandslash said, "Perhaps it would be appropriate if we offered our companions the benefit of the doubt?"
"Hmm, I don't think that would be wise," the Scyther growled, but in a thoughtful manner. "All they need to know, at the moment, is that we need them to come with us and we can't afford to have them running away."
"I think you've made that pretty obvious already," Char shot back. "What else?"
"Don't bother with it, Char," Saura spat, growling at his captors. "I know exactly why they're here. They're here to take me to the Master so I can be his slave."
The Scyther and the Sandslash eyed each other for a moment. The Scyther looked surprised; the Sandslash made a sound like an ironic chuckle.
"What?!" Saura demanded, frowning. "What's so funny?"
"Well," the Sandslash said, "Let's just say that you're… cold? As in, your guess is far, far in the wrong direction."
The comment even got a single chuckle from the Scyther. Saura blinked obliviously.
"So… you're not the Master's soldiers?" Saura asked, mouth partially agape.
"He wishes we were," the Scyther said with a grin.
"Indeed, I bet he'd give anything to employ our services," the Sandslash said. "But to him, nothing of ours is for sale. And before you ask us 'who are you' again, let me remind you that our answer won't change, no matter how many times you repeat the question."
"But… you're not here to enslave us, at least?" Char inquired.
The Sandslash nodded. "You have no reason to be afraid of us. All we want to do is to… check something about you. After that, you'll both be as free as a Swellow—provided you pass our test. It's a promise. Despite how this may seem, we aren't kidnappers."
"And if we don't pass?" Saura wondered.
"That's something we will discuss in the event that it becomes necessary," the Sandslash said, "…and it looks highly unlikely from my point of view that we will need to. For the record, my partner here is the one who wanted to check you in the first place. Had it been up to me, we'd never have bothered you at all. Now, are we going to continue, or keep wasting time? We still have quite a way to go."
From that point on, the Scyther walked side-by-side with Char and Saura, presumably because he had gained their trust and was confident they wouldn't try to run away again. Char was glad to see Saura in a better mood once again, although the Bulbasaur had a look of puzzlement frozen to his face and seemed too lost in thought to say anything.
Yeah, this isn't making very much sense to me, either, Char realized. And this cut still hurts. Owww.
Great Flatlands
In what seemed like a brief moment, Char noticed his surroundings changing once again. The flourishing meadow had ended, turning into a boring, endless span of brown and tan-colored dirt. The gorgeous golden grass had almost disappeared entirely; here, it only existed in ugly, scattered patches. Char wondered if the was headed into a desert or a wasteland.
"Saura," Char said, quickly growing uninterested the new environment, "you've been quiet. How are you feeling now?"
"I feel a lot better," Saura admitted, coming out of his daze and forcing a smile which soon became a sincere one. "I still wish I knew what was going on. But as long as they don't work for the Master, it's a weight off my back. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens."
"The Master…" growled the Scyther, "My heart races even at the mention of his name. He… is my worst enemy."
"Really?!" Saura blurted.
"Indeed," the Scyther said, keeping his gaze turned forward. "When I was young, I was chosen by him as a servant. I have seen with my own eyes what the Master wills upon the world. And… by force, I have carried out his works with these very blades! But then, after plotting for two and a half years, I escaped him. Ever since, I have spent my entire life, my entire being, opposing him."
"Wow!" Saura gasped. "You escaped the Master? That's incredible! How did you do it?"
"Why do you care?" the Scyther said, casting a glance at them.
"Because Saura was also chosen by him," Char told him. "It was just yesterday, too! That's why he ran away from home!"
"… Really," the Scyther said, his tone of voice changing. "And you ran from us, because you thought we were the soldiers who were to come and take you away?"
"Exactly!" Char exclaimed.
"You know," the Scyther said with a smile, "under those circumstances, I would not have acted any differently than you did. You did well, Bulbasaur, to run away from them, and so did you, Charmander, to stand up to me. I applaud both of you."
The Scyther and the Sandslash eyed one another again.
"So, it turns out we have found another one of the Master's chosen," the Sandslash said quietly. "They have reason to fight him, just like you. Do you think…"
"Yes, I can see that," the Scyther said thoughtfully. "I'm starting to think it wouldn't be a bad idea to tell them what they want to know."
The Scyther and the Sandslash stopped walking.
"I am Scythe," the Scyther said, turning to Char and Saura and offering a respectful gesture to them. "My partner here is Shander. We are members of a 'resistance team'."
"What's that?" Saura asked. "A 'Resistance Team'? Wait! Do you mean that, like, as in, you resist the Master?"
"Precisely," said Shander. "We are part of a vast, underground organization of Pokémon who fight against the Master. We couldn't tell you this because we couldn't risk accidentally giving the Master's forces more information about us, but now that it's clear that you both are opposed to the Master for personal reasons, it's much safer to tell you. Currently, we are on our way to our base of operations, which is known as the 'Gold Division'. It exists within a network of chambers under our feet, deep beneath these very flatlands. The entrance is located not one mile from here, and that is where we are heading at this very moment."
"The Pokémon of the resistance number in the hundreds of thousands," Scythe explained. "We are not some tiny guerrilla force without hope; we have been growing and expanding for decades. In fact, there are three grand divisions of the great resistance: there is the Emerald Division, which operates in northern Ambera, the Gold Division of central Ambera, and the Black Division of south-eastern Ambera. Though we are all allied, it's difficult for each division to work closely with one another, both because of the distances and the risk involved. So, each division operates independently."
"Wow!" Saura exclaimed, starry-eyed. "So, you two are part of this Gold Division?"
"Each Division is made up of dozens and dozens of Resistance Teams who operate as units to carry out the missions needed by the Division," Scythe said. "My team is known as Team Remorse. We consist of twelve Pokémon who take turns running missions in small groups, such as Shander and I. In all, fifty-two resistance teams make up the Gold Division."
"Not our remorse," Shander chimed in, "but the remorse we plan to instill in the Master when our efforts succeed."
"Was it your mission to capture us?" Char wondered.
"No," Scythe laughed. "Our mission yesterday involved grueling treks through several mystery dungeons. We found you completely on accident."
"Oh…" Saura said. "Well, I guess we owe you an apology, then. Char and I are sorry for making you chase us through the dungeon! We had no idea!"
"And I owe you one as well," Scythe said. "I apologize for harming you, Charmander. Your wound should heal very quickly."
Char looked at his wound, and although it still stung a little bit, a sticky scab now covered the cut. Char began to wonder if a Pokémon's wounds would naturally heal faster than a human's.
"What's so special about us?" Char asked, caressing the scab. "And just what are you going to do with us when we get to this base?"
"Always full of questions, are you?" Shander said. "That, we still can't tell you quite yet."
This time, Char decided not to argue. He was content with everything he had learned so far. Falling silent, he continued to follow Shander's lead as they ventured deeper into the featureless countryside. It struck him as odd, though, how Shander would occasionally re-direct his route, making both sharp turns and minor adjustments now and then, even though there were no landmarks that Char could see by which to follow. Even the horizon soon became one unbroken ring all around them, with nothing protruding from it and into the sky except for the looming sun.
"Hey… Scythe?" Saura asked meekly after recovering from a massive yawn, "Do you think… we could stay at your base for a while? You know, to hide from them?"
"That could be arranged," the Scyther grumbled. "But you could not stay with us forever."
"Oh…" Saura said in disappointment. "Why not?"
"The division base is not a safe haven for civilians," Shander explained. "It is not a refugee camp. It is a base of operations. Although we could offer you some temporary quarter, we could not house you indefinitely… that is, unless you were to join us."
"Can I?" Saura squealed. "Could I join the Gold Division? Please? And Char, too! What about him? Could we both work for you?"
"Being on a Resistance Team is not an easy lifestyle," Shander warned. "One mistake could cost many Pokémon their lives, you see. You were running from the Master because you dream of living only a free life, yes? If you were to join us, I can assure you that you would be giving up this dream of yours entirely. You would need to endure our training until you are confident enough to perform our work, and then you would need to follow our every command without fail. "
"Regardless, we have never turned down a willing Pokémon," Scythe said, "and if I have anything to say about it, I intend to keep it that way. If you despise the Master and want to oppose him, that's good enough for me."
"That's what I want!" Saura exclaimed vigorously. "The only thing better than being a free Pokémon is fighting so that other Pokémon can be free. I'll train! I'll fight the Master with you!"
"And you, Charmander?" Scythe inquired. "This Bulbasaur seems to be putting words in your mouth. Do you have anything to say in your own defense?"
"Char, this is perfect!" Saura said before Char could even reply. "You've got to trust me on this one. Join the Gold Division with me! I'm sure it'd help you learn lots about everything, too!"
Wow, Char thought. If I choose to join this team… How deep have I gone in such a short amount of time? Saura might be right; I might learn a lot about the world of Pokémon from this team. And I do need some sort of role to play for the time being. Who knows? Maybe this isn't all happening by coincidence, either. Maybe this is the road that will lead me back to where I came from.
"Okay, Saura, I'm with you," Char decided. "If you want to join this team, I will, too."
"Thank you!" Saura said, beaming with pride. "I'm sure this is the right thing to do. I can feel it!"
It was about six in the morning as the group finally arrived to their destination. Scythe's eyes were barely staying open. Shander shook his head frequently, trying to stay focused.
"This is it," Shander finally reported. "We're about to enter the base."
"Here is what will happen," Scythe instructed. "We'll guide you straight to Team Remorse's living quarters. There are going to be a lot of Pokémon down there. Don't talk to anyone. Don't touch anything. Understood?"
"Got it," Saura said with a nod.
"Once we arrive, we're all going to take a well-deserved rest," Scythe continued. "We've all stayed up all night, I have no doubt that our bodies are begging us for a good twelve-hour sleep. Our teammates will take over for our duties today. I want you two to stay in the living quarters until I tell you otherwise. Then, at this time tomorrow, we can continue discussing matters."
"Brace yourself," Shander warned. "What you are about to see might confuse you."
Char and Saura glanced around expectantly, wondering just what to expect. But the scenery was still just as dull and featureless as ever.
The ground shook. To Char, it felt like a fissure was about to open up below his feet. He jumped up, afraid that the ground was about to swallow him whole. But it lasted only for about five seconds before stopping abruptly.
"What was that?!" Saura cried, trying to figure out what had changed. "Was that an earthquake?"
The Scyther and the Sandslash did not answer. They stood still, waiting for something.
And then, a mysterious voice sounded from seemingly nowhere. It was only a tiny mumble, something that could barely be heard unless one was waiting for it.
"Lay low, wait and grow," said the raspy, barely-audible voice. "Seeds of strength to reap and sew..."
"Lay low, keep ahold, await the day of power untold," Scythe and Shander replied in unison.
After the words had been spoken, a massive crevice appeared in the ground before their very eyes.
"Whoa!" Saura cried. "Look! It's like the ground just faded away!"
"It's a very well-hidden entrance," Shander commented. "And we have our sentry to thank for that."
"Ah, ha ha, Welcome back," the voice said.
A Haunter floated up out of the dark crevice, smiling and bowing before the travelers.
"Good morning, Gate," the Scyther said, returning the bow.
"It's good to see you," Gate replied with a gleaming smile. "Some said you wouldn't make it back. But most of us knew better, of course. Team Remorse can take care of itself."
"Bulbasaur, Charmander, this is Gate, our sentry," Scythe said. "He remains here at the entrance, day and night, projecting an illusion over it."
"Our code words come from a lengthy ballad all Division members are required to memorize," Shander added. "It's a nonsense poem. He recites a line of the poem to us, and we must complete the verse to gain entry."
"Nice to meet you," Saura said awkwardly.
"Ah, ha ha, and who are you?" the Haunter laughed. "A pair of new faces for me to memorize, eh?"
"Yes," the Scyther said. "These two will be staying with us for the time being."
"Very well, very well," Gate sang. "Proceed on in. I bet you're all worn out. You newcomers, you might want to mind the step! Once again, good to see that you two are safe."
Scythe nodded to the ghost, and Gate slid back into the ground and out of sight. Char peered curiously into the new passage. It was a large, descending staircase leading down into black nothingness. The stairs were cracked and crumbling, starting to resemble a jagged ramp more than anything. In fact, the first stair had been completely chipped off, leaving a scary-looking drop from the surface. A dusty smell rose from the pit.
"This is really the main entrance?" Saura asked. "It looks… creepy. And deserted!"
"This is our back entrance," Shander said. "The base has a total of four entrances, and the others are even more cryptically hidden than this one!"
"I'm about ready to collapse," Scythe growled. "Let's get on in already. Don't be afraid, you two. Just follow me."
Scythe took the lead, and Char and Saura did as they were told. Char took the utmost care to land on his feet when climbing down onto the first stair. Saura followed, using his vines to balance himself down the uneven surface.
The staircase went down quite a ways. As the last of the sunlight faded from view, Char once again realized how thankful he was for his fiery tail. He realized he'd never have to worry about being trapped in the dark.
"Ah, what I'd give to have the element of fire on my side," Shander commented, also taking note of the unfamiliar light. "Perhaps one day, when Pokémon solve the mysteries of the evolution stones, we could engineer a brand new Sandslash evolution…"
"Right, and I could be a dragon," Scythe groaned sarcastically. "But Shander is right. The element of fire is a useful and devastating one, Charmander. Be thankful it is on your side."
At last, the staircase ended and leveled into a long, dark hallway.
"Hey, this isn't another mystery dungeon, is it?" Saura asked. "It sure is a long way!"
"It needs to be this way," Scythe said. "It's for security. This hallway is lined from end to end with traps."
"Traps?!" Char yelped, jumping a foot in the air. "Where?! How do I keep from activating them?"
"Relax, relax," Scythe said. "They can only be activated all at once, and from elsewhere. Gate is in charge of them. He'll activate the traps if an unwelcome Pokémon somehow barges in."
Char's eyes glazed over the stony walls, his stomach still a little upset at the thought of standing in the middle of a death trap. They looked like perfectly normal walls to him.
Finally, after walking for ten more minutes, the group turned a corner. A brilliant orange light shined from the end of the corridor.
"Here we are," Shander reported. "Remember: stay close to Scythe. Follow him. Don't bother any other Pokémon."
Gold Division Base
The moment he stepped through the archway and into the base, Char felt his breath leave him. Dozens of passageways carved out of stone wound around the walls as ramps and into countless hallways. Hundreds upon hundreds of burning torches hung from the walls, lighting the cavern as if it were early evening. The ceiling was impossible to see from the ground floor, the view blocked by protruding rocks from walls and bridges anchored to the ground with thin stone pillars.
Pokémon of all shapes and sizes swarmed the place, filling the room with all sorts of voices and cries. A Hypno and a Marowak crossed his path, eying him suspiciously. A Dugtrio popped out from a nearby wall. A flock of Pidgeotto swooped through the air and weaved between the suspended bridges, a massive Starraptor leading them. A Graveler and an Onix emerged from a large side-tunnel.
"Saura…" Char said, struggling to speak. "I can't… breathe!"
Char found that his heart was beating uncontrollably now, flooding him with such intense excitement that he felt he would faint. The sight of the cavern was inexplicably beautiful to him. He felt the overpowering urge to dwell here for a very long time, that it was somehow perfect for him. He felt that he wanted to trawl and memorize every last tunnel and chamber of the complex.
"Char, calm down. It's only your instinct," Saura said, helping the quivering Charmander to stand. "Charmander live in mountain caves that look like this. All this torch-fire is probably getting you all excited, too."
"Charmander! Bulbasaur!" Scythe yelled, already from across the room. "Please, try to stay with us!"
Char shook his head to regain focus, then rushed back to the Scyther's side, with Saura following close behind. They exited the large chamber, entering a lengthy network of side-tunnels. The halls were just as well-lit as the main chamber, brilliant torches lining every wall, but the wandering Pokémon became scarcer the farther down the tunnels they went. Finally, the hall they walked was completely deserted, save for one Exploud which had passed by at once point, gesturing to Scythe as it did so.
Scythe led the group to a large white stone slab pressed into the wall. It was a door.
"We're here," Scythe told them. "Now, let me just take you to my room, so you can sleep— "
Suddenly, the door slid open with astounding speed. A large, gruff-looking Houndoom stood in the doorway.
"Good morning, Daemon," Scythe said in a surprised but very respectful voice.
"Scythe," the Houndoom acknowledged him. "Welcome back. Good to see that you've returned. I trust that nothing went wrong yesterday?"
"There were no mistakes," Scythe confidently replied.
"I knew there was no cause to worry," the Houndoom said with a smug smile. "Now, who are these children with you?"
"They are… visitors," Scythe said, gesturing toward Char and Saura.
"I see," the Houndoom said. "In that case, let me walk them to the guests' quarters for you. You look very tired."
"The visitors will be staying with us today," Scythe insisted. "They will be staying in my room. I will take care of them."
The Houndoom shook his head, a scowl forming upon his menacing face. "I'm afraid that can't be done, Scythe. We have rules. Visitors must—"
"They will be staying with us today," Scythe repeated, more forcefully. Shander stepped up to Scythe's side, as if to help add strength to his demand.
The Houndoom didn't answer for a moment. A scowl appeared on his face, and with a snort, he forced his way past the crowd and down the dark hallway.
"Who was that?!" Char wondered quietly to himself so only Saura could hear.
"He didn't look friendly," Saura whispered back. "Better stay away from him."
"Come," Scythe said, guiding them into the chamber. "There is so much that needs to be done with you two, but I'm afraid it all must start with a day's rest."
Once Char and Saura had been ushered into Scythe's room, Shander whispered to his partner.
"Scythe… Are you sure you are ready to take this gamble? Do you truly think the Charmander has the Call?"
Scythe hung his head, wordlessly expressing his disappointment.
"Sleep well," Shander said as he turned to head to his own room. "We've got our work cut out for us tomorrow."
"Don't we always?" Scythe muttered, entering his own.