Chương 31: 31-Moribund

Amelia slowly runs a finger down route 111 as it appears on their map, without a pair of callipers eyeballing their distance can only give an estimate, but.

"I think we'll get there by this evening." The trainer hums.

"Right?" Tanya tilts her head slightly, checking her solar lock and the distance to their destination.

"... It'll be close." She concludes.

"It's downhill so it's an easier walk, but if there are any complications and we push on we might be walking the final distance in the dark." Her partner nods, folding up the map and straightening to her full height.

"Right! Double time then!" She cheers. Continuing on, Tanya fights back a yawn as exhaustion presses at the edges of her mind. Despite Amelia's agreement to keep awake during the night watch, the former soldier found her confidence shaken that she'd follow through, so she'd kept awake though Amelia's shift to ensure her partner would truly honor their agreement.

Thankfully observation proved the girl to be true to her word, even doing occasional walkabouts around the perimeter of their camp in the night to both keep awake and a better eye for potential threats. Of course, this had consequences, and Tanya is enduring one of them. They march on, hours pass, and as they go, they plan.

"... I'm thinking…" Amelia starts.

"Whenever we're in a battle, we need to get a better handle on communications." Tanya looks over with a tolerating eye at the suggestion. Every time Amelia has been present during a fight, she's called out instructions and orders that were either ignored or been something she'd been already planning on doing. It's not a hindrance, but defining the scope of each party's duty could be useful, especially in a fight where calling out her plans could give up the element of surprise. Actually… Tanya blinks.

Every video has some amount of trainers commanding their partners, some sort of cultural expectation that –at the highest level– does have merit. Having Amelia shout false commands could offer a rather useful tactical advantage… The 'mon files away the thought for later, and continues.

"Alright." The trainer nods back.

"Ok, so!" She says with a clap.

"Top trainers all have full strategies and move strings prepared beforehand with a codeword. But I think just bundling general strategies will be enough for us, like; if I say 'four,' you know to play defensively because–" Ah, wrong direction.

"Amelia." Tanya cuts her off with a sigh.

"I respect your aptitude in team building, but… I feel you would be more effective if we were to focus more on you giving me information to act on my own initiative."

'And not ordering her around' goes unsaid. The trainer pauses, squints slightly for a quarter second, then hesitantly answers.

"You want… oh! Well that can't really work, the point of us shortening commands is because giving you all that information can't happen fast enough. Not to mention you're in the middle of a fight where you can't give full focus on strategy." Tanya nods at the point, acknowledging its legitimacy. Regardless, she's making several assumptions in her logic.

"Isn't that the point of creating a verbal shorthand?" She asks rhetorically.

"Your argument also presumes you'll have perfect vision of the battlefield at all times, despite being a limited observer from a distance, similarly you're assuming you'll know my disposition and strength better than me." Amelia pauses for a moment, then sighs in frustration.

"I– Well… This is just how trainers do it. And most of the time I have a better view of the arena." She counters, reaching into a pocket of her backpack.

"The last battle was a sweep, but look, example; when you fought the zigzagoon I told you to throw him away. You didn't, so you got hit with a full strength pin missile and almost lost your grip before you could get a seismic toss off." The 'mon shakes her head.

"I was well aware of the risk." She counters.

"Zigzagoon's ability to shed his fur at will came as a surprise, but I'd decided the potential damage was worth getting into a position to win quickly." She was grabbing the equivalent to a porcupine, it'd be illogical to assume she could do it without taking a hit. She was also right, her decision resulted in a near immediate surrender. Amelia seems to know this too, huffing in agitation and giving a few nonsensical half words.

"... Alright, fine. I get your point." She says with a slightly indignant huff as she pulls out her notebook and pen.

"Well… we've not seen them yet, but disorientation and confusion moves are going to be a problem, plus there are psychic attacks that can mess with perception. We need to be prepared for when we encounter a 'mon like that." Tanya blinks, caught off her rhythm as her partner makes a point she doesn't have an immediate response to. She's dealt with illusions, and working in an… addled… state of mind. The thought of someone being tasked entirely to cover for that weakness is very tempting indeed.

So, after a moment of thought, the 'mon grunts in agreement.

"Fair enough, I assume you have something prepared already?" She asks, continuing at her partner's nod and rapid page turning.

"Good, lets run though it, I'll give notes, then we start drilling once we modify it to something workable."

"Right." Amelia affirms, coming to a stop at an early page and tapping it with her pen.

"It's a modification of a code set I found in a book. The way it's organized the commands can work for most types of 'mon, I'd like to keep that ubiquity for when we–" One of Tayna's whiskers twitch. A noise, airspeed whistle. Unknown object approach, heightening pitch suggests accelerating approach doppler effect, five o-clock high, closing speed 450 km/h–" Get down!" The soldier screams, straining against too-slow flesh to turn and face the enemy.

Leaping toward the treeline even as she tries to rotate, her mind scrambles for options to counter the surprise attack–"Wh– ow!" Amelia shouts, staggering as a blue and white blur resolves itself into a small taillow as it rapidly slows down, having ripped the notebook out of her hands.

"Hey!" She shouts in agitation. The taillow doesn't seem all that happy either, adjusting his grip on the item as he flops to the ground a short distance away.

"What's this piece of junk!?" He screeches, tapping an open page with his beak.

"Where's the food!?"

"Give that back!" Amelia shouts back as she drops her bag and runs after the 'mon as it makes fluttering hops away, pointing an accusing finger at the bird.

"That's mine!" Watching on, Tanya feels a flare of embarrassment turn into irritation as she realizes she'd reacted so… strongly at nothing more than a thieving bird while the taillow stares at the human, an idea clearly forming behind those eyes.

"... oh you want this?" He screeches.

"Well I want some of that human food! Dried berries, the purple ones! G–"" You." Tanya states, keeping a careful mask of neutrality to avoid showing the irritation she's feeling toward the avian.

"Will return her property. And get nothing." Tailow's eyes widen as his head twitches so the side of his head so one eye is directly facing her.

"O-oh yea!" He stutters, momentary hesitation disappearing in an instant.

"Is that a challenge fatso!?" Tanya doesn't respond, merely flaring her eyes purple as she drops her own bag, wraps the stolen book in her telekinetic grip, and wrenches it from his talons.

"Huh– No fair!" He chirps, flapping his wings in anger and to recover balance after the sudden yank.

"Oh it's on!" With that he launches into the air with a puff of dust, shooting off into the thick trees bracketing the trail. At this point Amelia starts talking, but Tanya inadvertently tunes her out as she watches for flashes of the 'mon as he navigates the forest, weaving through trees and underbrush, obviously trying to use it for cover to get a surprise attack. But her attention isn't focused on his plan, rather on the skill of its execution. Simply put…

Tanya grimaces as Tailow appears in a gap in the foliage, flaring his wings to slow down as he tries to slalom between two trees. He's just awful. Watching the 'mon stumble though the forest, that irritation only grows as he tries to build speed for his 'surprise' attack. Despite not flying though any foliage dense enough she'd actually lose eyeline. She is almost caught off guard by his approach however.

Only because some part of her didn't believe he'd actually commit to such an abysmal attack vector when she can clearly see him. But he does, flinging himself out the forest barely faster than when he came in, giving up even the illusion of the element of surprise by releasing an aggressive hissing call. Upon which he flies right into an area of amplified gravity that surrounds her, a strategy she'd realized a few minutes after fighting Poochyena yesterday.

Taillow tumbles, wings beating wildly as he slides through the dirt, creating a shallow trench as he comes to a stop right at the base of Tanya's feet. Pausing to see if the 'mon is still struggling, Tanya sighs as her opponent begins to rise to his feet, body shaking as he strains against her gravity. Then his desperate struggle pulls him to arm level and Tanya punches him in the head, sending the 'mon back into the dirt.

Staring down as he struggles to breathe in the enhanced gravity, Tanya pushes down her first instinct to lay into him, screa– carefully explain every fundamental fault in his flying technique, down to the seeming conscious rejection to the conservation of momentum. But, after a moment of wrestling with her professional frustration, she closes her eyes and takes a breath. She's under no obligation to point out the deep, fundamental, insulting flaws in his flying technique, and he's in no position to hear them.

After a moment, she opens her eyes and realizes Tailow might be unable to breathe right now, so she returns gravity to normal. Just as a red and white orb flies from behind, plinks against Tailow's torso, and he disappears in a flash of white. The pokeball's aperture pulses red as the ball shakes. Once. Twice. Thrice. Then clicks. And lies still. … Tanya blinks. …… What? She looks down at the ball, picking it up off the ground. Amelia captured him?

The 'mon flips the ball in her arms, squinting down at the offending object. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Why was he captured? She's reasonably sure she didn't hit him too hard at any point, so it's not a medical reason, and they've talked over dozens of potential team comps, not one of them mentioned Tailow or his evolution.

Not to mention he's a flying type, he'll be next to useless in the electric playground that's Wattson's team, so he cant be a temporary counterpick her partner was planning on trying to recruit short term. Turning around, Tanya holds out the pokeball with an inquisitive expression on her face.

"... Why did yo–" She's cut off as the ball is snatched from her arm by her partner in a flash and held close to her chest. Any further questions are answered as she sees Amelia's face, staring down at the little orb like it's the most wonderful thing in existence. Tanya's eyes widen slightly, then nods lightly to herself. Ah, cultural influences strike again. Clearing her throat, the 'mon tries to carefully add some reality to the fantasy clearly running though her partner's head.

"... We do still have to recruit him, if you'll recall." The trainer jolts, looking up from the ball with an embarrassed expression.

"Ah. Right." She says sheepishly.

"He's a flying type anyways, so he'd just be training until after Wattson, taking up time and resources." She stares at the aperture in thought.

"I've run through some team comps with taillow… they're reliable, the normal typing doesn't help… but that speed…" Tanya holds back a snort at her partner's awed tone at the lackluster performance, then blinks as she realizes something. He's a local. Who demonstrated enough intelligence to answer questions. She glances back the way they came, where Amelia's bag sits abandoned.

"Amelia." She starts unnecessarily, holding out an arm for the ball.

"Tailow wanted to trade your book for dried berries, I'd suggest grabbing your bag and getting some to open recruitment on a positive note. I'll heal him up while you do." The trainer's eyes flick between the ball in her hand, the bag, and Tanya's arm, then nods and places it in her partner's grip.

"Right," She says, turning and calling over her shoulder as she speedwalks back to her bag.

"But don't start without me!" Tanya nods as she fiddles with the aperture of the pokeball, trying to open the device. It won't be hard to avoid trying to sell the idea of joining up. Sure, she'll halfheartedly try when Amelia gets back, but she's not all that interested in working that level of skill up into something tolerable. But before any of that. The ball pops open and sends out a stream of liquid light. She's got some questions.

—-- –_– —-- Taillow tries to take a few gasping breaths while shaking off the moment of stunned confusion that was stretched into nearly a minute by some kind of gentile pressure to rest, keeping him exactly as he was at the moment of capt– The fog disappears in an instant. He'd been caught!? A swirling mixture of frustration, anger, and denial rises within at the thought he'd been caught by just some random trainer using just one pokemon. A chansey of all things! Worse, he'd genuinely challenged them!

They didn't sneak up or try to get an unfair advantage, they just stood there and challenged him properly! So he got caught for real! His mental grumbling reaches a fever pitch. Could this day get any wors– He's abruptly brought out of his head by waves of healing energy as they make soft motes of green light float in front of his eyes, and he can feel the emotion of the move as it flows over him. But as the healing energy enshrouds and soothes every ache and pain, he realizes something's…

wrong with the move being pressed into him. He's been healed before, before he could fly he'd fallen out the nest, and his mom took him to a chansey far away, she'd healed his sprained wing with a touch and the overwhelming feeling of caring love. So powerful and all encompassing that the injury had simply nowhere to be. This… it's not… An unblinking stare into the abyss, daring the universe and its 'certaintly' to try something. A will unbroken, promising no obstacle too large or sacrifice too great.

The skies will blacken, the seas will boil, and the ground will give way beneath her feet. Always, until her last breath and beyond. They will never come to harm. Because I will rip them apar –"Feeling better?" A voice asks in cold neutrality, causing Taillow to flinch back and almost cry out in alarm. Looking up, he looks eyes with the chansey and flinches again at what he sees within. Those pure black ovals stare down at him, assessing, as if breaking him down into pieces and finding each part wanting.

Hesitantly, he nods, trying to find his composure as those cold eyes watch him behind a gentle smile.

"Y-Yea." He stutters out.

"Feeling good."

"Good." Chansey nods, glancing behind her for a moment.

"Now, my partner has a proposition, but before that I have a few questions I'd like to ask you." She stops and, after taking a moment to realize she's waiting for him to respond, he nods.

"... Ok?"

"Good, I'm working on understanding the tactical situation here, and I'm missing some important data. So tell me:" She says calmly.

"Have you ever killed someone?" There's a stunned silence.

"... What!?" He crows, baffled.

"I– What!?"

"Perhaps I should be more specific." She says, in that same eerily calm tone.

"My research says your line prey on wurmple, but equal documentation says only rarely, and almost always in times of drought or famine. So, again. Have you ever killed someone?" Taillow sputters, abject confusion making him look around as if to ensure this is actually happening." No!" He screeches.

"No I've never killed someone you–""Then have you seen someone die? Or a heavily injured body half eaten?" Chansey interrupts quickly, eye flicking behind her once again as the human kneels down to the thing she'd been carrying on her back that she'd dropped.

"A fight going too far? Injuries left untreated and turning infected without the aid of a healer, or being too severe without a pokeball to stabilize–""No! None of that!" He interrupts.

"What are you talking about!?" Why is she asking this stuff!? It's like she wants'mon to be killing each other! Chansey opens her mouth again, but she interrupted by the human's voice as she approaches.

"Hello Taillow!" She calls out, holding a crinkly bag in both hands as she kneels down and reaches inside.

"Good fight! Your speed and maneuverability to weave through trees was just amazing." She smiles as she holds out a handful of dried berries, yellow and orange. Normally the compliment and food would attract his full attention, but as he looks at the offered food, he can still see the shiny black eyes looking down at him. Why would she ask stuff like that? It's almost like… The human presses the berries closer.

"C'mon, you said you were hungry! Here!" Chansey gives a shallow nod.

"Eat. Healing takes calories." Hesitantly, the 'mon steps forward and begins pecking the offered fruit from the palm of the human's hand, and as he does, her face lights up in a wide smile.

"There you go!" She giggles.

"My name's Amelia, I'm on my journey, and I'm wanting to be the best." She pauses as she reaches back into the crinkly bag for more berries.

"When you challenged me I was super impressed with your speed and maneuverability, and I think with us working together you could be even better!" At her words, Taillow notices Chansey's face twist into a disgusted grimace as she stares at him, but in a flash it's gone, back to neutral placidity. Amelia continues.

"I understand if you don't want to join up, we're fighting a bunch of electric type 'mon pretty soon, so if you want, I could unbind the ball for you to find someone headed in the other direction." She says, sounding slightly anxious. Taillow shivers at the thought of electricity, an instinctive aversion rising in his core.

He knows he should join up, he challenged them and lost, but running into a situation with electric 'mon as strong as Chansey strengthens an already loud voice in his head telling him to reconsider. Sensing this somehow, Chansey chimes in.

"I understand your apprehension, but I assure you, you'll be much safer with access to a pokeball and medical care. If you choose to join I can guarantee every effort will be taken to ensure your health." Taillow almost allows the apparent platitude to roll over him as he begins to shake his head. But then he pauses, stomach beginning to drop as the pieces fit together in his mind. … Is she… No! But… Widening eyes glance at that unmoving face, then drop to the dirt. …

Is Chansey threatening to kill him if he doesn't join up!? He ruffles his feathers to shake off the insane idea. Surely not, there's no way she'd… He sees those pure black eyes staring into his, dispassionate and measuring behind that same everpresent smile. S–She couldnt… he could fly awa – Chansey's eyes glow a blackened purple and a blue cylinder full of some liquid floats to her mouth. She doesn't blink. … she… wouldnt…

Those eyes burn with the parody of love, boring into his with cold assessment, waiting for him to choose. For a long moment, no one moves, then Amelia cuts through the silence.

"Um, if you… if you don't want t–" Chansey's eyes twist into disappointment.

"I'll do it! I'll do it!" He yells out, nodding hard enough he can feel his brain bouncing in his skull and hopping into the offered hand, knocking the berries out in the process.

"I'll join up! I'll work as hard as I can! I can do it!" The trainer pulls back, surprised at the sudden enthusiasm, but smiles wide once Taillow starts trying to climb onto her shoulder and head to get away from that crazy chansey! The human laughs and says something, but Taillow isn't listening. Instead, he's watching the pink 'mon as she holds her gaze for a long moment. Then she nods, taking another drink from her metal cylinder.

"I'll hold you to that." Taillow shivers.