Chapter 86: The Squirtle Squad’s Fiery Test

A brilliant orange glow lit up the late afternoon sky over Tarvok City's fire brigade training grounds. Zidaine had set up eight large fire pits in a wide concrete plaza, each blazing with thick, billowing smoke. Some had been treated with special compounds to make them difficult to extinguish; the last even contained gasoline. No ordinary water attack would succeed in extinguishing such a blaze.

"This last pit is more of a gimmick," Zidaine thought, crossing his arms with a small smile. He wanted to test whether the newly formed squad of squirrels understood the difference between ordinary fires and those involving gasoline. 

If untrained, the Squirtles might simply spray water, causing the burning oil to spread instead of extinguishing it. This could indicate the need for more specialized training.

Nearby, a group from Pokémon Biotech stood with mild anticipation: Ethan, who created the team, and a few employees. They watched from a safe distance. The Squirtle lined up beside the truck that had delivered them, each wearing miniature sunglasses and radiating an aura of discipline. Their confident posture said they had trained for weeks to assist the fire department, but never before had they faced an oil-based inferno.

With his arms behind his back, Ethan surveyed the scene. The tension in the air was undeniable - eight fires burning simultaneously. He inhaled the pungent smell of smoke. "Captain Zidaine, you really pulled out all the stops for your first demonstration," he teased quietly.

The captain gave him a knowing grin. "I want to see their teamwork under real stress. Besides, if they can handle these seven regular fires, that's proof enough of their training. And the eighth... well, that's another puzzle."

Ethan nodded, remembering the intense training sessions he had supervised. Squirtle had practiced forming ranks and coordinating jets of water to quickly extinguish flames. The big question was: would they notice that the final blaze was fueled by gasoline?

With a wave of Captain Zidaine's hand, the demonstration began. The troop advanced in pairs to the first seven piles. Their tiny feet pitter-pattered across the concrete floor, echoing in the smoke-filled air. All at once, half the group exhaled solid jets of pressurized water. The rest formed a support line, ready to take over if a comrade tired or if the flames changed direction.

"Jenny, Jenny!" Squirtle barked in unison, sending column after column of water at the flames. The flames hissed and cackled under the onslaught, but soon began to waver. A Pokémon Biotech employee shouted, "They're more effective than I expected. Their discipline is spot on."

James, who had accompanied Ethan, nodded in agreement. "They balance each other's water jets nicely, splitting up so that each group of Squirtle can extinguish a separate fire. Not a single miss."

Ethan let out a faint smile. "Excellent. They're definitely using the team moves we drilled into them." His attention, however, shifted to the eighth fire, the oil-soaked one. It was partially out of range, but the flames flared higher than the others, crackling ominously. Sooner or later, a Squirtle or two would try to put it out with water. Ethan braced himself for the outcome.

Sure enough, an adventurous Squirtle rolled away from the seventh fire and trotted toward the eighth. It shot a jet of water. Immediately, the flames spread and sizzled more intensely, the oil swirling on top of them. The Squirtle reared back, blinking in confusion. "Jennie?" it seemed to say, unsure why the usual tactic wasn't working.

"Hmm, they're not taught how to deal with oil-based fires," Ethan said under his breath. "This could be a setback."

Captain Zidaine turned around, arms still crossed. "I was expecting that," he admitted. "If they fail, no worries. We'll do special training. But if they happen to figure something out, well... that's a bonus."

A wave of murmurs went through the crowd as the other fires began to die out. At the far end, a few last jets of water doused the last embers, leaving curling plumes of smoke. The station's firefighters applauded, impressed by how fluidly the Squirtle had worked. But the oil fire persisted, fueled by improperly poured water.

"It can't be helped," muttered one firefighter. "We can't blame them for not being taught." Ethan frowned. He felt a pang of guilt, but reminded himself that this demonstration was also a learning experience. The possibility of training them to recognize different types of fire was something the fire department would have to deal with next.

Just then, a certain Wartortle stepped forward. The same one that had evolved from a Squirtle hours earlier after being exposed to Ethan's evolution fluid. It scanned the burning mound, sniffed the air, and let out a short, decisive "Cami! Wartortle seemed to understand that water gun would only spread the fire.

Ethan tensed. "What's it up to?" he wondered.

Wartortle barked commands in short, urgent syllables to a group of squirrels. Obeying the signals, the Squirtle retreated from the oil fire, making room. Then Wartortle puffed out his cheeks, a cool breeze swirling around his mouth. Ethan felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle.

In a burst of frigid light, Wartortle unleashed a power no one had anticipated: a freezing beam. An icy beam struck the ground near the burning puddle, freezing the surface moisture. The watery film turned to frost, creeping around the flames with astonishing speed. The oil on top of the water also froze, effectively sealing the fuel from the air. Within seconds, the fire was sputtering, struggling to stay lit as the surrounding ice blocked it from fresh oxygen.

"Holy..." Captain Zidaine muttered in disbelief. Nearby firefighters gaped at the once raging blaze, now half buried in ice. Sensing the opening, a few Squirtle resumed a gentle water spray to help Wartortle expand the icing zone. The flames soon flickered out completely, smothered in frosty residue.

Ethan exhaled in amazement. "I've never seen Wartortle do that before. An Ice-type move? Must be something it learned on the fly during evolution. I guess the training provided a foundation for it to pick up new powers."

Captain Zidaine shook his head, still stunned. "That's... wow. Water trucks can't do that. None of our standard equipment produces a freezing effect like that. Wartortle just put out a fire with an improvised ice beam."

The station's firefighters burst into cheers, some high-fiving each other. "Incredible," said one. "I never thought they'd have ice-based skill." Another stepped forward to pat Wartortle on the back. "Welcome to the team, buddy. You're full of surprises."

"It's definitely a trump card," Captain Zidaine said, turning to Ethan with renewed respect. "You've outdone yourself, Mr. Grave. The synergy of water and ice? We can't replicate that with any machine. This will be a massive game changer for smaller or unusual fires."

Ethan managed a modest shrug. "I won't take full credit. Wartortle discovered it all by himself. These Pokémon are living, learning organisms. I merely provided the environment." He smiled at Wartortle, who had collapsed in mild exhaustion, panting slightly but wearing a triumphant expression.

When the demonstration ended, the firefighters patted Wartortle's shell in admiration. Meanwhile, Ethan thought about how to use such unexpected powers responsibly. 

The station would soon be in the news, and this success story would probably make a big splash on social media. The public would see real-world applications for advanced Pokémon. It also meant that some critics might question the safety of allowing such powerful creatures to roam, even in a controlled environment.

For now, though, the scene was all positive. The firefighters adored their new amphibious team and promised to treat them like family. Captain Zidaine assured Ethan that they would refine their training, especially regarding the difference between standard and oil-based fires. "We appreciate the excellent foundation you've given them," he said, "but we'll keep an eye out for special hazards like chemicals."

"Don't worry," Ethan said. "If you come across anything that you think might require additional gene training, contact me. Pokémon Biotech can help with custom supplements or advanced training."

The entire group strolled back to the parking lot. The Squirtle team lined up once again, beaming with pride at their first major mission. Wartortle stood at the front, his chest puffed out, the tips of his large ears swaying gently.

"Goodbye, boys," Ethan said with a fond wave. "I'll visit you soon." The Squirtle saluted him with little flipper arms, while Wartortle gave a firm nod.

That was the last step. After the paperwork and a few official photos, the squad was officially transferred to the Tarvok City Fire Department. 

By the time Ethan and James climbed back into their truck, the station's social media team was already posting about the demonstration and praising the new recruits. The question that remained was how the general public would react to seeing these Pokémon integrated into human emergency services. Would critics raise reliability concerns? Perhaps - but for now, the station's morale was soaring, thanks to Wartortle's surprising abilities.

Ethan drove off with a sense of pride. "Another success story," he murmured. "Perhaps next time we'll see them take on an even greater challenge." He glanced at James, who nodded in agreement. Pokémon like Wartortle were rewriting the boundaries of genetically engineered life. 

This was just the beginning of a bright new chapter for the partnership between humans and Pokémon, each side capable of wonders the other could never achieve alone.