First Blood

After a weeks worth of preparation, we were finally ready to begin our attack.

Crouching behind some boulders, I look to my companions in the trees. Several pink puffs were perched. Spritzee.

'When Da gives the signal, use misty terrain. After that, use fairy wind to catch the stragglers, we are not letting a single one escape.'

'Got it.' They chimed.

Holding my spear at the ready, we watch and wait.

Down in the meadow, a group of orange Pokemon truanted about. Some stood taller then the rest with red Mohawks, while the others only had a small tuft. It seemed like they were wearing baggy pants, but I knew better. It was a highly elastic epidermis. Something I very much look forward to messing around with.

Moving leaves across the glade alerted me to Honedges position. The plan was for Honedge to attack them head on, while we closed off any escape.

Now that he was in position, we just had to wait for Da to kick things off. Glancing up at the starry sky, try to see if Da was ready yet. Minutes passed until I saw the silhouette of a certain cat Pokemon. Following closely behind him, were little blobs along with a large package. The rest of the Spritzee and Oddish's hard work.

'Get ready.' I warned.

Gentle wisps of energy gathered around Spritzee's forms. I doubt any human could ever detect it without a reception field. Another reminder of my inhuman body.

Turning back to Da and his group, I see him preparing to begin.

A blue glow encompassed the boulder sized package. Smaller pink lights came from the Spritzee. In a fraction of a second, the packages burst, releasing yellow dust across the meadow. Shocked by the downpour, the Scrafty and Scraggy got up ready for an attack.

Before they could, pink wind beat down from the air, ensuring every last one was covered in dust. They tried to move out of the painful breeze, but they were unable to move properly.

Honedge dashed out from the trees, decapitating several Scraggy in seconds. Following were Spritzee, each firing a purplish pink orb down on the Pokemon. Scarfty and Scraggy screamed at the assault. Some tried to get away, but paralysis prevented fast movement.

Everything was going to plan.

And then it wasn't.

From the forest behind Honedge, a throaty roar echoed. Goosebumps prickled my skin.

A giant blur appeared from the woods. 'What is that thing?!?' I call out.

Before any could answer, it appeared in front of me. Looking up at the towering behemoth, I recognize it.

'Crap.' I jumped away from its meteoric fist.

'Why is there a Snorlax here?'

Spritzee used fairy wind and psychic to hold it down. It was ineffective. Snorlax pulled back for another swing, when I called, 'Fall back!'

Most did, but two were still hit. They rocketed into a tree, dead.

Seeing them fall so easily, tears dripped from my eyes. Clenching my spear, I jump and bash it in the side. It groaned, but remained ineffective.

"Honedge, keep fighting them off here. Don't let a single one escape!" I physically yell.

He wanted to protest, but seeing the situation, he let it be.

Turning back to the Snorlax, I call, 'Hey big and ugly, come get a piece of this!'

I hit it again before running into the forest. If the thundering footsteps were anything to go by, he was following close behind.

When I could no longer hear the battle, I turned for our brawl. The Snorlax lumbered up close, ready to clobber me.

'Before you turn me into mush, mind telling me why your working for the toad? You know he is going to destroy the ecosystem here right. I doubt you have enough food stashed away to satisfy your diet.' Now that I look at it, the Snorlax looks extremely thin. Relative to a normal Snorlax of course.

'It doesn't matter why I do what I do. You will be dead regardless.' He said.

'Such a shame.'

There was something in his aura that told me something was wrong. There was no way a Snorlax would willingly work for someone that threatens the food supply. Wait, maybe its…

I rolled away from his plummeting fist.

Swinging my spear club around, I struck where his wrist would be. The fat absorbed most of the impact. Guess I'll have to go to plan B.

Changing grip, I stab his belly. He roared and slammed both arms at me. Narrowly dodging, I stab again in his right arm. The cut was deep, but I had to pull out before his other arm smashed into me.

Going in, I aim for his legs, he dodges. Following up, I cut into his side. I dodge another strike, panting the entire time. Changing tactics, I swing and club the open wound on his arms. He roars and I get another strike to his side.

I repeat cutting and hitting the cuts repeatedly, till he jumps into the air, going for a body slam. I stab the end of my spear into the ground and let his own weight drive himself into the spear. The wood groaned and the spear head snapped out from the shaft. Both the spear and the Snorlax tipping over, I see the spear blade in his shoulder. His breath was labored and his body was covered in blood.

Walking up to him, I said, 'I have some questions for you.' Grabbing the spear tip and twisting, he cried in pain, 'And you're in no position to refuse.'

...............…..

Returning to the clearing, I find the corpses of Scraggy and Scrafty covering the floor.

'Honedge, Da!' I called.

I spotted them pilling a bunch of bodies in a pile in the center of the meadow. Hearing my call, they floated over.

'Status report.' I command.

'We wiped them out. Two escaped, however the rest were slaughtered.' Honedge recounted.

'I have counted fifty bodies so far and the two that escaped were the outliers in camp. The stun spore didn't get to affect them as much.' Da said.

'Good job. While the two escaping could be a problem later, we can't be perfect.' I pause, ' As soon as you have the bodies tied up, meet me in the woods. I have something special that needs to be carried.'

They nod and go about their tasks. It was so nice to have almost everything go my way.

...............…..

In a cave hiding a dark forest, things were not so swell.

'What the hell do you mean the Scraggy gang was wiped out! They weren't weakling you just find anywhere; I trained them myself.' Toxicroak glared at the Scrafty before him.

'We were ambushed. Paralyzing dust rained from the sky catching us off guard. Before we knew it, they were slaughtering us.' The male on the left said.

'What about Snorlax? He was there to watch over you idiots.' His anger dripped from his words.

'Killed. A human lead him away before killing him.'

A vein bulged by his eye. Fast like lightning, he struck the wall, cracks forming around his fists.

'Get out of my sight.' He commanded.

The scampered away, not wanting to face any more of his fury.

Messaging his eyes he called, 'You little brat, get me that stuff we stole from the humans. Beer or whatever its called!'

Startled, a pair of feet tripped deeper into the cave.

'Stupid little mutant brat.' He muttered. Moments later, a scrawny green Croagunk came back, carrying a dark brown bottle. 'Here you are father.' He said.

Snatching the bottle from his sons hand, he yelled, 'Get out of here. I need to think on what to do with this little twerp and his merry band.'

Dejected, the little toad left the cave.

'Dumb father one day, I'll get back for everything you did to me.' He muttered under his breath.

Once outside, the little one gazed at the stars. A small smile played across his lips. 'Yes, I'll get my revenge and I'll enjoy it to.' A malignant chortle filled the air that night. One that spoke of vengeance and pain.

...............…..

Back at base, I gazed at my new pile of materials.

'Alright, time to get to work.'

Honedge and Da moaned.

'Don't be such a baby, I'm helping this time to.' I showed them my short sword; however, their souls were leaving there bodies.

'I wonder if Am will help? She has been asking for a more active role lately. I hear she has been wanting to get back to training too. I think I'll invite her.'

They were up and dismantling before I even finished.

'What are you doing? These bodies aren't going to skin themselves you know.' Honedge remarked.

'Right, right.' Da added.

I laughed.

...............…

After cleaning up, I was left with over sixty hides and super dense skulls. I planned to use the skulls as helmets while using the skins in leather making.

'How do you suppose we should tan these? I would hate for them to be as stiff as my previous attempts. That would be a serious waste.' I said.

Da glanced at the hides. 'You know, I think the problem is that you don't stretch the hides at the right time. Every time I look at your leather, I see a lot of the tiny strands bind up. Perhaps if you broke them as they dried, you would have less problems.'

I'm an idiot. Of course it was something that simple.

Falling to my hands and knees, 'I want to crawl in a hole and die. I feel so stupid.'

Da patted my shoulder. 'Nobodies perfect.'

I just groaned.

...............…..

Turns out Da was right. All I had to do was stretch it out after cleaning it. As it dried, I broke all the connective tissue that binds it up.

The end result was a springy, elastic hide that was soft enough to make a bed out of. Now I just needed some stuffing and I'll have comfortable furniture.

I couldn't wait to try the method out of soft, fluffy Pokemon. Fur coats and blankets, here I come!

All the Pokemon in the den watched my maniacal laugh confused.

Pulling myself from my jubilee, I said, 'We need to call a meeting, I want damage reports and the other members of the coalition.'

Honedge nodded before speeding through the air.

...............…..

That afternoon, all the leaders of each group gathered at the meeting site. It was a glade with a circle of stones that we all sat on. It was a central location and well hidden from listening ears.

'May this war meeting begin.' I announced.

'You and your ceremony boy.' Gloom said.

'Indeed.' An old Gogoat agreed.

'I heard about the attack you lead seven moons ago. Next time, invite us to the brawl. We are always itching for a good fight.' A gigantic Pangoro bellowed.

'Speaking of.' I prostrate before Aromatisse, 'Please forgive me. Because of my ignorance, we lost two of you kin. I don't know how to make it up to you. Already, I have nightmares of there deaths and it troubles me greatly.' It was true, every night, I see the Spritzee taunt me from the grave.

'Please raise you head. While I am touched at your care, you are our leader. You must command our respect and that is impossible from the ground.'

'But...'

'No nothing. We all knew there would be casualties. We hunt, we fight, we survive. That is the way of nature.'

I sigh. Wiping the tears, I calm down before saying, 'We need to discuss our next move. While we won the last battle, Toxicroak will want to retaliate. Aromatisse, watch the skies and the ground below. Toxicroak will target you, because of your direct hand in the battle.' I pause to catch my breath. Its so hard to sound like a leader. Am told me that to earn their respect, I have to act like I deserve it.

'Also, we need to prepare for our next move.' I finished.

'What do you have in mind?' A blue Golduck asked.

'I propose a two front assault. A group will head and take out Gulpin, while another goes to handle Talonflame.'

Agreeing grunts pass from around the circle.

'Any volunteers?' I ask.

Pangoro raised his hand first, 'My tribe can handle the forest munchers no problem; however, Roserade and her gang could pose a problem.'

'Several of my Spritzee can accompany you and give support.'

'That's not a bad plan.' I begin, 'Golduck, do you think you and a team of Psyduck can handle Talonflame? I imagine with your water attacks and confusion, you could take them out.'

Golduck rubbed the bottom of his chin. 'Its possible, we do need someone to watch our hatchlings, they still have trouble controlling their headaches.'

I remember when I first met the Psyducks, one nearly blew up part of the forest. Psyducks may seem useless in the anime, but they can cause some damage.

'Aromatisse, do you think you have a Spritzee or two to spare. Sweet scent should help with the headaches.'

'Yes'

'Good and I will also have Am go with you Golduck. She knows charge beam and is a heavy attacker.'

Golduck stiffened like a board.

'Do you have to? We are pretty strong on our own.'

I shook my head, 'I would rather you have back up.'

'Fine.'

'Also, I need to mention, Toxicroak has managed to get the Snorlax on his side.' I said.

'What!?!' They shouted.

'From what I was able to gather, he is holding the Munchlax hostage.'

'That's awful.' Aromatisse intoned.

'Exactly, which is why me and Gogoat will be leading a rescue mission. I plan for you guys to be a distraction, while we exfiltrate the Munchlax. Once that's done we'll have a force of heavy hitters that can brunt force our way just about any where.'

'How do you know they will join us?' Pangoro questioned.

'I have my ways.' I smiled.

Everything was falling into place. Soon, Toxicroak will be defeated and the mountain will be free.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon in any shape or form.