Earning Respect

After exchanging numbers and Stella being surprised at Vali having a Pokenav rather than a Pokegear, Stella told Vali about herself. She was from Viridian city and twenty years old. She came from a mixed region family with a Sinnoan mother and a Kantoian father which is where her hair color came from. She started out with a Snover and Snorunt which started her onto the journey of becoming an Ice-type specialist though she was beginning to stretch out into Water-types since so many shared the same typing. She'd joined Ace after her second Conference upon being approached by a recruiter not long after the Conference was over and hadn't regretted it since. Whenever she had a long period of time off, she went over to Sinnoh and spent time with her younger brother who was working as an Archaeologist.

Vali ended up introducing Stella to Seel who began giving her some tips after receiving the customary greeting much to Stella's amusement. Stella released her Dewgong who looked upon the younger member of its evolutionary line with amusement before gently spraying some water at him. By the time they were due back at the meeting point, Vali felt a lot better about everything in general and knew more about raising Seel up thanks to Stella who didn't mind being emailed whenever she was struggling.

Vali rode on Balto's back feeling a bit awkward at having to wear the armor many Ace and Rangers did. The fact it was ill-fitting and far too big too made the entire thing more uncomfortable than it needed to be. Even the smallest piece of human armor they had was too big for Vali and it would take too long for them to commission anything for her to actually use, they also felt it would be worthless to do so since she was a growing girl. Once she stopped growing, the League would commission actual armor for her, but until then they'd leave it be. Though Vali was hesitant to remind them it was only until Blaine's apprenticeship was done that she'd be working with them, Anthony had commented that both gym leaders had seemed thoroughly angry at the Leagues actions.

Currently they were tracking some of the poachers, a team of Rangers had managed to stop some of the Poachers from catching a small pack of Arcanine and Growlithe not too long ago. They'd come across evidence of it and Alisa had caught the scent with Balto not following her not too long afterward. Balto was following his elder's cues with careful eyes and keeping pace with her. The Ranger team would be going back to base and getting more Ace to cover them since there was no telling what the Poachers would do now. At least one or two humans were injured with their pokemon in various states of injury not to mention consciousness, it was unknown if they'd try to attack or teleport back to their base.

An electric crackle buzzed unfamiliarity in her ear. She jumped a bit, but easily brushed off Balto's concern with a pat on his back. It was the comm-unit she'd been given. Stella's voice sounded from the ear-piece, 'We can just barely pick out movement ahead that isn't wild pokemon.'

Another voice sounded, a male with a soft tone, 'They're erratic. Sypher says their minds are filled with pain.'

A second male voice called out, a grin could be heard even through the comm, 'Fear and pain, I don't need to be a pokemon to smell blood in the air.'

"Hold yourself together, Marcus," Anthony barked with a shake of his head, "Cullen, Sypher is sure its them?"

'Their psychic signatures match up with those we continue to encounter, Anthony,' The now named Cullen replied, 'Shall we engage them now?'

Anthony was quiet for a moment as he considered his options. Stella spoke up, 'Anthony, it'll be the three of us against them. From what the Rangers told us, the group was only six strong and they ended up with most of their pokemon knocked out. All of ours are at full strength, they're healthy and haven't seen battle in awhile. You'll be meeting up with us in a couple of minutes with the kid. Think of it as us buying you time to catch up, ya know?'

Anthony grunted softly, "Very well, you'll go ahead, but do not make me regret this."

'Aye, Captain!' They chorused before the comm went dead.

Vali looked at Anthony as they raced through the slightly darkened forest. Anthony kept his eyes forward not even giving her a glance. The silence reigned for a couple of moments before he finally spoke, "Once we get there, I want you to stay out of it. My team and I can handle ourselves. I don't have any idea why the Gym Leaders stuck you with us and I don't give two shits. Keep out of our way and I'll be happy, got it?"

"Got it," Vali replied feeling a bit bitter even if Stella's words from earlier repeated in her mind.

Vali watched the fighting going on with Elrond while also keeping an eye out for anyone approaching. It was carnage in a pure and simple way with the Ace operatives ruthlessly operating to take down their enemies. Marcus took seemed to take after his dark-types in the worst way with the way how easily readily he took each life. Cullen was more reserved and cold as the battle progressed though no less ruthless. Stella coated the battlefield in ice and froze her enemies until their movements were almost completely still while the others tore through them. But Anthony took the cake, he seemed to dance through the Poachers as if they were merely stand-ins and leave them withering on the ground.

The wounded Poachers managed to meet up with a small group of fresh ones, but with the Ace, it wasn't difficult to work through them in small numbers. Vali reached up to scratch Elrond behind the ear as he commented, "Strong. They're strong."

"Very," Vali murmured in a soft barely audible voice, "We'll reach this level one day,"

Vali just hoped that she wouldn't become like Marcus or Cullen when it came to taking lives. Elrond leaned into her shoulder slightly before stiffening. She glanced at him and was about to ask what the problem was when he spoke, "A void and a human are circling the fight towards us. Based on the fact I'm actually able to sense the void, my guess its some kind of mix like a Houndour or something. The Human is aware we're here, but not what. He has no idea that you're not an Ace or I'm here. What should we do?"

Vali felt her anxiety kick up at that information and glanced towards the fight. They wouldn't be able to get anyone's attention since the group of Ace was still in the thick of it. The Void would need to be taken care of. The human would be a problem. Vali looked at Elrond, "I'm going to move away from the fight. If they continue to follow, we're going to set things up to capture this one."

"Is that a good idea?" Elrond asked as Vali started on her plan.

Vali moved while making sure to keep out of view of the fight, "They need someone alive, right? We need to prove ourselves somehow to these guys and I want to be useful. Besides Anthony said to stay out of their fight."

"True," Elrond hummed softly, "They're continuing to follow us and the void is a Houndour. It's curious of you, but that's hidden beneath a high level of aggression. It's ready to kill the one beside it,"

Vali grimaced at that and shook her head, "I feel sorry for the poor thing. Please inform the others of our situation, I'll be needing their help."

Once Vali deemed they were far enough, she quickly released Pele and had the Numel set up a trap. She had Pele settle down underground where the Numel would be protected and easily be able to set things off when Elrond gave the signal. Elrond spoke as she began fiddling with her pokenav, "They're approaching. Is Pele the only one you'll call on?"

"Tell Smaug and Terra to be ready to release themselves," Vali replied while pushing an image of what she wanted the two to do upon their release through the connection earning a hum of approval, "Elrond, have Celina release herself once the trap is done. She'll need to clear everything away,"

"Right," Elrond nodded as his body grew a bit stiff, "They're here,"

Vali was given no sign of it, but she took Elrond's word. She let out a soft hum and put away her pokenav. She spoke into the trees, "You know, Poacher. You should've picked a diffrent occupation. I'm not saying this out of self-righteousness or any childish reasoning like it's bad. You do know that the pokemon you're sending off are going to be in hell, right? They'll never lead regular lives again. Forever bearing scars both mental and physical, they're probably never going to recover even if the League manages to save them."

Elrond's head shifted towards the right, "He's annoyed."

"I'd much rather we not fight," Vali said to the empty air in front of her while rubbing the pokeballs on her waist, "We can end things peacefully here. You come in without any fighting and they won't take your legally captured pokemon,"

"Bullshit," An unknown male voice snarled, "Poachers don't get that right, Kid. They'll take everything I've got just because they can. You can talk like the best, but you know nothing,"

"I know more than you apparently," Vali replied with an eye roll.

There was another snarl though this time it was pokemon in nature and the human male shouted, "Houndour, don't!"

A black, red/orange, and white shape came hurtling out of the right side of the clearing. Two of her pokeballs split open just as a loud rumble sounded, a loud yelp echoed through the air as black smoke and gritty sand filled the air. Vali had a feeling that neither of her pokemon were responsible for the yelp based on the flesh against stone sound that preceded the yelp. Terra's cool body leaned against her as Smaug engaged the Houndour. The human man let out a shout of surprise and Elrond spoke to her, "Pele has successfully captured him."

"Have her grab his pokeballs," Vali said as she rubbed Terra's head noting that the Larvitar had grown a tiny bit.

Pele appeared next to Vali holding a belt in her mouth. Giggling a bit, she patted Pele on the head before taking the belt and scanning the pokeballs carefully. She found the only one that felt cold to the touch and aimed it into the cloud around her where the sounds of fighting was coming from. Almost immediately the sounds stopped as the pokeball became warm in her hands, it shook slightly and with a careful touch, she locked it. She locked each pokeball as Celina released herself and cleared away the clouds. The Poacher gaped at her, "How? You're just a kid."

"I'm a bit more than that," Vali replied with a slight grin before looking at Pele, "Yawn on him,"

Elrond was quick to protect them as Pele Yawned at the Poacher. The Poacher scowled at her, "I'm going to escape this. When I do, I'll ensure you're going to the first person we g-go after..."

The Poacher's eyes drooped and he yawned. She snorted softly, "Good luck with that."

Once Vali was sure the Poacher was asleep, she used her comm-unit, "Anyone there?"

'Kid?!' Vali flinched at Anthony's voice, 'Where the hell are you?'

"I'm not exactly sure of my co-ordinates, but I can have my Charizard or Pidgeot fly up for you guys to see," Vali replied as she ran her fingers over Terra's head, "I'm currently babysitting one captured Poacher and his locked pokeballs while some of my pokemon are patrolling to make sure that no one is coming to kill him,"

There was silence over the comm before Stella burst out, 'You captured a Poacher by yourself?'

"He only had a Houndour out and didn't expect much of me," Vali replied while switching to Pele, "To be honest, it's a little insulting,"

'Shit, Kid,' Marcus laughed loudly, 'You've got balls,'

'Send up your Pidgeot,' Anthony grunted through the Comm.