29: A Friend In Need

My expression and mindset changes from shock and horror to anger. “You filthy little… You had better tunnel right back to Munna and tell her to let him go or-“

“Or what?” One of the Excadrill chuckles, mockingly. “You gonna bleed on us until we drop dead?” I let out an involuntary angry hiss. Guess that’s from me being a snake-like being. “If you care about him so much, ‘hero,’ you should go to the top of Holehills and rescue him.”

“Not that you’ll get very far.” The other replies. “My claws make sure of that. See you there, ‘Alex.'” And with that they burrow back into the ground. Presumably back to Holehills.

“What sort of morons do they take us for?” Hydreigon chuckles. “It’s such a transparent trap. They can’t possibly think we’ll fall for that. Come on Alex.” Hydreigon continues forward. However, I stay where I am. I can feel myself fuming with rage. How could they do that to him?! Keep him tied up and use him as bait for his best friend?! I cannot let them get away with this.

“Hydreigon…” I start.

“Hm?” He turns around.

“…I’m going after him.”

All three of his heads stare at me in disbelief. “You can’t be serious…”

“I’m dead serious.”

“It’s so very clearly a trap! When you get there they’ll kill you!”

“And if I don’t do anything they’ll kill him! I can’t let that happen!”

“Alex, let it go. He’s a lost cause. We can’t do anything for him now.” 

“You’re wrong!” I yell, “I don’t care if it’s a trap! Thunder is my friend! And I owe him my life! He was there when I fell to Pokèmar! The first Pokemon I met! And he took me in. He gave me a place to stay, a source of income to pay for necessities, and someone to confide in. Without Thunder I would probably be lying dead in some mystery dungeon! Killed by some random outlaw! If you think that I’m just going to leave the person who did so much for me, then you need to go get some actual sense.” I take a moment to calm myself. “Sorry… That was… Uncalled for. But the point still stands. I physically cannot leave him to die. He means too much to me. And I’d never be able to forgive myself if I did. I hope you’ll come, but I’m going, with or without you. And you’re not changing my mind.”

Hydreigon hesitates, unsure how to respond. “I would prefer to have you with me, though.” I continue. “I mean, look at me. I’m in absolutely no condition to fight. If I go up alone I’m dead. Please… Come with me.” I watch as Hydreigon contemplates his options. Meanwhile I’m questioning if this is truly the right thing to do. I am putting myself, and by extension the entire planet, at risk. But… No. I can’t bring myself to abandon him. I care too much for him.

“…alright.” Hydreigon says. “I guess it would be wrong to just abandon someone. I’m coming with”

“Thank you, Hydreigon. That means a lot to me.”

“So, do we have a plan?” 

“Well… 12% of a plan…”

“Only 12?”

“I kinda have to make this up as I go. Time is in short supply at the moment.”

“You’re making me really nervous here, Alex.”

“Look, I’m sure by the time we get there I’ll have a better idea of what we’re going to do.”

“You have any ideas, Alex?”

“For the tenth time, I’m working on it!” Man, he’s nothing if not insistent. “I’m making progress, but you constantly asking is not helping.”

“I’m just not keen on dying is all.”

“Neither am I. Wait… What’s that?” I point to a blue object lying on the ground. “Hold on, I recognize that… It’s a frism!”

“What is this doing out in the open like this?”

“I don’t know… We found some during our first trip to the great glacier-“

“Wait a minute! You were there?!”

“Yeah, but I had no idea it was the home of a life ending entity. Look, that’s a subject for another time.” I inspect it closer. “This isn’t Thunder’s frism though. The patterns on the sides are all wrong. This is wavy lines and dots, not sawtooth edges… It’s got a recording on it as well.”

“Should we listen?”

“I don’t see why not.” I breathe over the ice that covers the top. Within seconds it melts and its recording begins to play.

In the recording I hear something hit the ground followed by Thunder grunting in pain.

“Get up.” Toxicroak says.

“Munna… Why are you doing this? Alex and I have done nothing to you.” Thunder’s voice asks.

“Why do you keep on insisting on knowing?” Her voice says, annoyed. “I’ve already said, I’m not telling you. I’m not brain dead. If I told you and you somehow managed to escape, you’d have the necessary information to try and stop me. I’m not going to take that risk.”

“Odds are that when Alex gets word of this you won’t have the option to refuse.”

“I highly doubt your ‘Team New Hope’ could do anything to stop us. But, I still am taking the necessary precautions. Purugly. Put him in the cage.”

“With pleasure.” And just like that, the recording ends.

“I think I know what they’re doing.” Hydreigon comments. “They’re trying to work you up so that you’ll be careless and ignore logical reasoning.”

“Yeah?” I respond through another angry hiss. “Well they’re doing a fricking good job of it!” I kick the frism in anger and watch it roll forward on the rocky terrain. “I swear, if she hurts him, I’m going to hit her so hard her head goes through her rear end!”

“Alex, calm yourself. Don’t let them get to you. If we’re going to do this, we need a level head.”

I start taking a few deep breaths. I feel a fraction of my rage flow out with each breath. “Ok… I’m feeling better.”

“Good. Now, we need that plan. Just waltzing right into their clutches will end badly.” Wait a minute, hold up… Waltz right in… So… What if… Yeah… Yeah, that could work! “That smile…” Hydreigon says. “That’s the smile of someone who just had an idea.”

I chuckle slightly. “That’s right. I know how we’re going to attack this. And with a bit of luck it should work.”

“Well, let’s hope Ho-Oh looks fondly upon us.”