REALIZATION — SEGMENT 02

Chapter 12.2

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Realization

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When the group crested the hill…a gentle breeze blew across.

 

Tall grass swayed in the cool spring air.

 

The morning dew still yet hung and glistened in the sun…they now stood before the vast expanse of Breezy Plains.

 

 

Avery took a deep breath through his nose as he looked out at the plains. He hadn’t been back here since that first day…this was it.

 

“Alright. Let’s track those bandits and bring them in.” Aver punched his palm.

 

“Ha! That’s the spirit!” Rikzyod cheered, punching the air. Vizon unfurled his map of Arcea to look it over.

 

Still so close to Arceliaze, the area was hardly uninhabited. In fact, the group stood by one of the microvillages of the Village District, sat here at the top of Arceali valley. A brick building or two sat here along with wood buildings. A few Poke’mon milled about out here, including a flash merchant with his carpet rolled out under the shade of an awning outside a small local restaurant, clearly here to accept anyone first entering the city.

 

Jolvia stood by, watching the three guild members with interest. Nivanee took out a compass.

 

“Alright, Avery. We’re currently facing south, toward Taeriana. The path to Souljraan goes west before curving towards the south, following the edge of Tall Woods before turning west again to Souljraan on the southwestern edge of Breezy Plain.” Nivanee explained, her eyes tracing the path. “Keep that map handy, we’re going to need it to keep our bearings. Breezy Plain is a big place without many landmarks.”

 

“Oh trust me, I know,” Avery huffed, giving Nivanee a little smile. “I dropped down here in the afternoon, and by the time I got to a road it was basically already dark. But…if we’re going to start with the tracks…we should work our way down towards the Tall Woods, seeing if we can find any tracks that would fit the description of one of the Old Wanderer’s members. Maybe some soliciting for info would be a good idea too…” 

 

Vizon nodded, looking at the landscape then over at the buildings nearby.

 

“Well…we can start by asking anyone if they’ve seen anything.”

 

Nivanee nodded at the suggestion. Jolvia and Rikzyod followed behind as they all made their way to the brick buildings. Nivanee was first up as she walked to the merchant under the awning.

 

“Good day. Nivanee, Team Duskwalker at the Arceali Guild.” Nivanee turned on her ‘professional voice’, addressing the merchant. “We’re investigating the trail of the Old Wanderer. Do you mind if I ask after anything you might have seen or heard?”

 

The merchant, a Skitty, perked up, nodding softly.

 

“Oh ho ho, yes! Yes! Do ask! Ask away!” The skitty agreed, bouncing. She was clearly starstruck by Nivanee, the Eevee smiling warmly at the reception.

 

“Thank you very much! The Old Wanderer was observed attacking guild members out west in Tall Woods and is believed to be out in Breezy Plains. Tell me, did you notice anything yesterday or last night?”

 

“Well, yesterday ’twas raining. Not much to see. Just a quick shower, ‘course.” The Skitty replied. “I had to pack up me effects during it.”

 

“What about after the rain?”

 

“Well, by the time the rain stopped ’twas about…evening?” The Skitty pondered, trying to remember. “I got me stuff back out in a jiff, just as the sun was hitting the horizon and it gets real dark.”

 

Nivanee nodded, Vizon was already scribbling in his notebook.

 

“Only strange thing I noticed the whole night…mmm…oh, wait, I remember, how’s this? I remember me mate, Holus, sweet Raichu man, he was out having a puff of Totter while there were no customers at his bar. While I’m mouthin’ off to him about some story he stops me sayin’ he saw some kinda flash waaaay out in the dark of the plains.”

 

Nivanee cocked an eyebrow, urging the woman to go on.

 

“I says ‘flash, what flash?’. And he points out south. And on my life we sees this…dot? Lil dot of light way on the horizon, squint or you’d miss it, tiny lil’ thing. Orange ‘r red. Might’ve been a smoke plume with it but it was real dark and it was gone by the time Sanshiyad raised in the sky.”

 

Nivanee hummed.

 

“So…a mysterious flash and glow south from the city exit, hm?” Nivanee repeated, Vizon scribbling.

 

“Weird…” He mused.

 

“Anything else?” Nivanee prodded.

 

“Naught, says I. Other than that strange happenings, it was a quiet night.”

 

“Well, I do thank you very much.” Nivanee said, bowing softly, turning to Avery and leading him away. “Alright, Avery…sounds like there wasn’t much else to see. Our Skitty friend here sounds like she was out all night.”

 

“Hm…a flash south of the city exit. That’d be over that way,” Avery mumbled, looking slightly southeast. “So we have two leads. The tracks and the flash.”

 

Jolvia reached for the dossier, Nivanee letting her take it as she reviewed.

 

“Emolga…Pachirisu…Nidorina…Pikachu…Rattata…” Jolvia read, nodding. “We need to look for telltale signs of one of these.”

 

Nivanee hummed to herself, Jolvia handing the dossier back.

 

“But a flash…I wonder what that could be…” Nivanee wondered.

 

“Avery, what’s say we follow the path and see if we find any tracks?” Vizon suggested. “Lahnae said if tracks would be anywhere they’d be on the west side of Breezy Plains.”

 

“Here’s hoping there’s anything left. Mind you recall the path is traveled multiple times a day by carriage and occasional foot traffic.” Jolvia put in, Nivanee and Vizon both sucking in a breath at that.

 

Rikzyod, as ever, looked lost.

 

“Nghhh…too much thinking…” He grumbled. Avery nodded.

 

“The trail’s definitely the one that could go cold faster. The glow south might have already gone cold, so…I’m thinking we go trail first.”

 

Nivanee nodded, letting Vizon pass and lead the group along the path. The buildings were soon far behind them, the path trailing west toward Souljraan. As it cane near the forest it curved,now heading south alongside the forest. A little ditch was dug between the forest and the path, still partially filled with water. The path was moist but not muddy, still drying from the shower last night.

 

For a long time the group walked, all eyes peeled on the dirt path for any tracks, any footprints, irregularities.

 

Just as there seemed to be nothing of note on the path something might catch your eye…there was a line in the path ahead, a break.

 

Vizon perked up, Nivanee too, the pair bounding ahead to see.

 

 

“Look…we found them…” Nivanee said, looking back as Vizon examined the oval, blobby disturbances in the mud.

 

“Are you sure?” Jolvia asked. “This muddy path is like clay to every passing creature or gust of wind…”

 

“No no, look…” Nivanee pointed out, Vizon leaning in with his notepad. “They’re angled east-west, with mud kicked westward, meaning whoever left these was heading east. Deeply set, it’s a run not a gait. They’re a little messed up so they’re unclear but considering these are in the area Lahnae mentioned…these are definitely the tracks we’re looking for. Has to be.”

 

Vizon wrote in his notepad, Jolvia nodding, satisfied.

 

“So…do we follow them?” The Riolu asked.

 

Avery looked down at the tracks, bending down to look them over.

 

“First we should verify for sure that this is one of our five suspects.” Avery said, eying them closely.

 

‘Nidorina. Pikachu. Emolga. Pachirisu. Rattata. Does this match any of them…?’

 

Unfortunately, wear from passerby and carriages reduced these tracks to indistinct blobs. Avery vaguely saw a scrape of small claws but that alone didn’t narrow it down between a team of rodents.

 

“… Nidorina’s pretty big compared to the other four,” Avery said, looking at the others. “They’re too washed out to make specifics, but the rodents have pretty similar foot shapes to me, and Nidorina’s paws would be much bigger.”

 

Avery put his own paw next to the footprints to measure his own paw’s size to them, similar as they were. He also looked at Jolvia’s paws, trying to contrast them together. If this fit either of them…they had a lead. It was hard to determine…the tracks had been widened…or did they shrink as they dried? But they were somewhere between Avery’s paw size and Jolvia’s…

 

“Mmm…close. You have the right idea, Avery…” Jolvia noted, setting her own paw by the track. “I think it could be closer to yours, but we may need to find clearer tracks. These were made messily and have quickly deteriorated.”

 

“… Well, I can’t verify them,” Avery said slowly. “Not beyond a doubt, anyway. But I think it’d be worth it to track them anyhow. We might as well see if they go south of the city, where the Skitty saw the flash.”

 

Jolvia nodded, following after Avery as Vizon continued jotting down notes. Rikzyod trailed behind with Nivanee, the Eevee keeping an eye on the trail as it continued into the grass.

 

Avery could see patches of grass crushed in a line. It was subtle…if one weren’t looking for them they’d have never noticed the broken stalks of wild grass and weeds. Due to the grass the footprints in the dirt were too light and subtle to make out clearly.

 

The trail continued eastward, farther and farther from the line of trees, deeper into the plains. The team occasionally has to pause to look carefully, making sure they can still see the path. But soon, Vizon stopped, holding Avery’s shoulder.

 

“What’s wrong, Vizon?” Nivanee asked, stepping up beside. She looked side to side looking over the tracks…

 

Except, when Avery looked closely…the tracks seemed to split. One set of tracks continued eastward while another set seemed to go south. The eastward set of tracks seemed to double-up, as though the tracks went east then came back. Vizon pulled out the map, trying to pinpoint their location…

 

 

Avery looked down at the tracks, frowning deeply.

 

“Hmm… I wonder if the Old Wanderer split up? The easternmost tracks work the best with the glow last night, but we still don’t know what caused that, or…if that was even the Old Wanderer. Do you think it’s worth it to split up ourselves, or should we stay together in case of a possible ambush? “

 

“Split up…?” Vizon mused, flipping through his notebook. “You think The Old Wanderer was traveling with someone?”

 

“But there’s only one set of tracks from Tall Woods to here.” Nivanee put in.

 

“Ah, but, those tracks leading south…could they have instead been heading north to this spot?”

 

“You mean someone meeting up with the Old Wanderer? Then both of them going east, hence two sets of tracks?”

 

Jolvia nodded, looking to Avery.

 

“Whatever the case it’s important we stick together. Thinning our ranks will mean a tougher battle against a strong Poke’mon.” Jolvia continued. Nivanee huffed at Jolvia’s explanation.

 

“I coulda said that…” The Eevee grumble.

 

“Either way, where we heading, Avery?” Vizon asked.

 

“… If this was going to the woods… But there’s the… Hmm…” The Plusle’s frown deepened. “Why is there only one set of tracks here? Where did the other set go when they converged…?”

 

Avery looked back towards Tall Woods.

 

“And when did they go back there? Before or after the flash?”

 

Avery tapped his arm. He didn’t really get it. Vizon shook his head.

 

“Well, no, the way the mud was kicked up on the path by tall woods showed whoever made those tracks was leaving Tall Woods, probably right after Team Spade was attacked…” Vizon said, flipping through his notes. “Here’s how I see it:

 

1 – Team spade, ATTACKED!

 

2 – The Old Wanderer’s Team SCATTERS, the real Old Wanderer running directly east.

 

3 – The Old Wanderer BURSTS from Tall Woods, running across the muddy path by the treeline, into the grass

 

4 – The Old Wanderer reaches this spot and??? Meets up with someone??? Who approached them from the south???

 

5 – They???? Head together????, continuing east, giving us our two sets of tracks heading that way.

 

“At least that’s what it seems like right now…” Vizon admitted.

 

 

“Thus…maybe this isn’t a split at all? But a meeting?” Jolvia hummed, sounding unsure, even though she were the one to posit the theory. The Plusle nodded in thought.

 

“… Hmm… You think maybe the rest of them scattered, one of them went south and met the others here, which means…” Avery folded his arms. “There’s two of the five here. If we find the glow…”

 

Avery looked further east.

 

“Maybe that’s where the rest of them met up. Three of them are electric types so that’s not too far fetched…”

 

Nivanee nodded, facing east with him, walking ahead through the grass, Vizon following behind.

 

They all trudged a short ways, everyone keeping an eye on the tracks, until-

 

“Ow!”

 

Nivanee flinched, stepping back. Vizon nearly bumped into her, Jolvia tripping forward past Nivanee, yelping. The Eevee lifted a paw, a small cut on her pad….but instead of red…it oozed purple.

 

“Tingling…” She muttered, looking ahead. In front of the group was a massive patch of purple, twisting, coiling thorny vines.

 

“Poison bramble…” Vizon sighed. “And a whole lot of it, too.”

 

Nivanee sighed, taking a Pecha berry from her bag and swallowing it immediately. Even the small prick had inflicted severe poison on her. Jolvia, meanwhile, lied face-first in the patch of poison bramble, slowly getting up.

 

“Ow…ow…” She muttered, getting up, lifting a paw up at an offered Pecha berry. “No, no, I’m immune, remember? Just a little prick.”

 

She stepped out of the bramble, everyone backing from it, taking a look at the tracks.

 

The tracks seemed to go into the bramble…a few crushed stalks of vines showed where the two tracks seemed to…converge.

 

…or, rather, it seemed to be one set of tracks all along, going into the bramble a ways then turning around and heading back.

 

 

Vizon scribbled on the map, updating it.

 

“…That’s the Nidorina,” Avery mumbled, squinting down at the spikes in the ground. “…It has to be. Are you going to be okay, Niv…? That seemed really nasty compared to how little of a prick that was.”

 

He looked back at the rest of the team. Rikzyod and Jolvia would be fine, they couldn’t be poisoned if memory served…but Viz, Niv and he would have to be very careful about it.

 

“Do you guys think this is where the glow was?” Avery suggested. “Maybe there’s something more here…but I wouldn’t want anyone endangering themselves by going in there. Rikzyod and Jolvia are the only ones that wouldn’t get poisoned up the kiester by going inside…and I don’t feel comfortable sending only two people to investigate. It could be a trap.”

 

“Hmm, I don’t know if it’d do any good to investigate further anyway…” Jolvia noted, pointing down to the ground. Nivanee perked up looking down, followed by Vizon. On the ground Avery could see..

 

 

…a pecha berry, bitten into and discarded. Its insides were getting mushy, it had been here a few hours.

 

“Oh…” Nivanee stroked her chin. “Does that explain the two sets of tracks? Why the tracks loop back from the bramble?”

 

Avery looked down at the pecha berry. This…was pretty far fetched, but…if the teeth marks looked rodent-like, that might be a team of the Old Wanderer poisoned themselves.

 

“Why would they go into a patch of poison bramble just to double back…?” Avery asked. “Unless they’re trying to lead anyone tracking them down the garden path.”

 

“Guess they don’t expect to be followed.” Jolvia mused, staring down at the pecha berry. “They’re being sloppy. If this is our Old Wanderer…doesn’t it make sense that a showboating blowhard would try to run through a patch of poison bramble only to scramble back out and quickly eat a pecha or two…or three and a half. Hubris, hubris, and their hubris is only going to compound with all these amatuer mistakes.”

 

“Amatuer…” Nivanee muttered, leaning over to the Plusle and whispering. “…Avery, who is this lady???”

 

Avery just smiled and gave a helpless shrug. Jolvia was as much of a mystery to himself as the identity of their quarry. Nivanee gave Jolvia a sideways glance…but conceded, saying no more. Jolvia turned back to face them, pretending not to notice.

 

“So that confirms one thing.” The Nidorina said. “The Old Wanderer tried to brave the poison bramble patch but got severely poisoned, eating Pecha berries to recover.”

 

“…Which crosses off the Nidorina as a possible suspect,” Avery said, looking at the others, “….considering we have an example here.”

 

He nodded to Jolvia.

 

“Jolvia can’t get poisoned, which means unless this is a Nidorina of a different type, the Nidorina suspect can’t either. And considering the berries here…I’d say the Old Wanderer did get poisoned.”

 

Avery looked back, a smile on his face.

 

“So that’s one down, four to go.”

 

“Let’s head back to where the path branched, ok?” Nivanee suggested. “We’ll follow the footsteps south.”

 

Vizon nodded, updating the map:

 

 

The group began making tracks toward the split, following the old patches of crushed grass west. They all turned, now following the path to the south. The way south was a tad longer, the footsteps no more clear this way. Vizon looked worried, clearly hoping they were making the right deductions so far.

 

“Well, at least we only have to choose between four…” The Riolu muttered, looking to the team leader. “We’re really doing it, Avery!”

 

Jolvia looked back to the two, smiling, that ever mysterious glint present in her eye as they all continued south.

 

Then, something caught Avery’s eye. A patch of bare dirt, no grass. The area was cleared…and there were objects left behind.

 

Jolvia tsk’d, shaking her head.

 

“Sloppy…”

 

Avery saw a large black piece of tarp with a sigil on it…some piled wood…the footprints led right to this spot.

 

“…Has the Old Wanderer been known to be this sloppy?” Avery asked suspiciously, looking between Nivanee and Jolvia. “First the poisoning themselves, then the camp…I wonder what happened after they attacked Spade last night. Were they being chased, or something…?”

 

Nivanee hummed, shaking her head.

 

“I don’t know…I never got a chance to do a thorough investigation…” She admitted, padding carefully around what appeared to be…an abandoned campsite. “Maybe all this time being uncaught has made him cocky.”

 

“All the better for us.” Jolvia replied flatly, following Avery as he carefully got closer to the tarp to see if he recognized the sigil.

 

 

“A tent, left behind…” Vizon noted, scribbling. “…that is sloppy.”

 

Avery looked at the tarp for a moment.

 

‘Them just leaving this behind seemed…odd. Why would they leave a perfectly good tent behind if they weren’t trying to leave in a hurry?’

 

His thoughts were interrupted by Nivanee’s voice.

 

“We’ve got him now. Look at this.” Nivanee said, gesturing to the wood pile.

 

 

Clear as day, it was an old campfire. The wood was charred as expected, but something caught Avery’s eye..

 

“You know what this is?” Jolvia asked, smirking.

 

Avery paused, turning to the pile of wood. It looked almost like the beginning of a campfire, if not for the odd pattern on the top.

 

“It looks…somewhat scorched, but from the top. If that was a normal campfire, the bottom would be burnt up too…”

 

“Flash and glow.” Jolvia said, a smile spreading across her face, recalling the Skitty’s story. Nivanee looked around as Vizon lifted the flaps of the dismantled tent.

 

“…Oh!” Avery’s eyes lit up. “So you think this was a flashbang or something?” Avery asked. Jolvia only hummed in thought.

 

“A flash bang…or a move that could light a fire.” Jolvia thought out loud as Vizon looked over the tent.

 

“What kind of hurry were they in?” Vizon mused, voicing Avery’s thoughts.

 

“Scared, I’d reckon!” Rikzyod laughed, lifting the black tent suddenly, making Vizon yelp. The Riolu looked confused. Avery looked over at Rikzyod and laughed a bit when he yanked the tent up.

 

‘He probably thought he’d find one of them cowering beneath it.’

 

“Scared? What for?” Vizon asked the Geodude.

 

“Of us!” Rikzyod laughed. “Immediate retaliation for attacking the guild! We’re not but a stone’s throw from Arceliaze! They were in quite a lot of danger.”

 

“Which means we need to hurry.” Jolvia urged, standing up. “Wherever they are they could be packing up camp and running off any second now.”

 

“We’re getting hot on their trail, Rik, we’ll get to skirmish yet.” Avery rubbed his paws together.

 

“Mmm..” Rikzyod mused, looking at the pattern on the tent. A schism sigil was printed on, again, different from the ones Avery had seen before. This time a lightning bolt went through a lightning pattern. He dropped it with a huff, Vizon puffing his cheeks.

 

“Alright…which way now? Are there any more tracks?” Vizon asked.

 

“Here.” Nivanee called, pointing to another set of crushed grass tracks heading east. Vizon nodded, updating the map again. “This must be where the Old Wanderer ran just this morning.”

 

 

“All the clues up until now have been from last night. Now, everything we see will have happened more recently, I’d say.” Nivanee noted, Jolvia nodding.

 

“Alright, so if it was this morning, this must be only hours old.” Avery said, smiling. “They can’t have gotten far…!”

 

“Watch out, Old Wanderer! We’re coming for you!” Vizon cheered with him, Nivanee beaming at their combined energy, Rikzyod SMASHING his fists together. The team began to move eastward, hot on the trail of the crushed grass.

 

It wasn’t long until the trail ran right toward something, what looked to be an old, old splintered wood fence. The fence was overgrown, tall grass and vines surrounding its slowly rotting frame.

 

“Wow…guess there used to be a micro village out here.” Nivanee thought to herself as they approached the fence. “This could be decades or even a hundred years old…”

 

Just as the group was about to duck under the wood posts, Nivanee stopped, looking close at the under side of the fence.

 

“Ohhh…gotcha now.” She smirked, beckoning Avery and Vizon closer, Rikzyod and Jolvia leaning in as well to see…

 

 

…a bit of blood. Fresh blood. And a small tuft of yellow fur. Avery looked at the fur, frowning in thought.

 

“…Pikachu,” he mumbled, staring at the fur. “None of the others have yellow fur. Just Pikachu. If this is the Old Wanderer then they’ve had a rough past twenty four hours…poisoned, scary location to camp, cut on the fence. I almost feel bad.”

 

“Psh, I don’t.” Vizon huffed. “Serves them right for hurting Loshjno.”

 

Nivanee nodded in agreement while Jolvia nodded at Avery’s assessment.

 

“It’s looking likely to be the Pikachu, but let’s make sure to keep our eyes peeled.” She said as the group began to go under or around the fence, continuing the follow the trail. “Any clue is still worth holding on to.”

 

Vizon scribbled in his map as they all continued…

 

 

In short time past the fence, Nivanee stopped, halting the group, peering ahead.

 

“Gah, more poison bramble. The trail continues up north. Guess our wanderer learned his lesson from last time.” She snickered, pivoting northward as Vizon continued to update his map…

 

 

Avery looked at the poison bramble, narrowing his eyes.

 

“Is this…normal here?” He asked, feeling worried. “When I was here before, I didn’t notice any of these. I’m…glad I didn’t come upon any of them, it would have been the death of me, I think…”

 

“Yeah, it’s fairly common, you really were lucky…” Vizon noted, stepping away from the poison bramble.

 

“I always have to watch for Poison Bramble when crossing Breezy Plains…” Nivanee put in. “Of course in the dark or in a panic it’s easy to lose track of the stuff and fall in…”

 

Avery shivered a little at the thought of it.

 

‘I could have absolutely died.’

 

The group continued as the trail curved eastward again, the end of the bramble patch reached. As they continued to move they came upon a tree, seemingly rare for these plains. But as the group approached…Avery could tell there was something worth looking into with this tree.

 

 

Avery approached the tree, looking at it carefully.

 

“Three points of interest I see. Claw marks on the tree, like they were trying to climb it. Broken branch. Footprints beneath it. They tried to climb up onto the branch, and it broke, maybe?”

 

‘Broken branch…

 

 

Claw marks on the tree…

 

 

Footprints beneath the branch…’

 

 

“Yup…looks like it. And look, looks like that surprise hard landing left the clearest footprints yet.” Nivanee noted, leaning in with Avery as everyone examined the tree.

 

“Lahnae said the Old Wanderer was up in a tree, so they’re clearly a good climber…” Vizon noted.

 

“But perhaps too heavy for a branch…” Jolvia put in.

 

Nivanee stared deeply at the footprints.

 

“…and bipedal.” She finished

 

 

“…No Rattata, no Nidorina,” Avery said, looking down at the prints. “And from them not being good at trees, I’m going to say no Emolga or Pachirisu either, since…those are both very at home in trees.”

 

He looked back at the others.

 

“If we haven’t made any mistakes…I think we have our culprit.”

 

Nivanee smiled at Avery’s assessment, Vizon nodding.

 

“All the pieces are coming together.” Vizon said, Jolvia and Rikzyod going on ahead as the trail continued south. In the distance Avery could see an old wood post and hill.

 

“We’ve got to be getting close, though. Stay very very alert, you two.” Nivanee warned, slowing her pace as she followed behind Jolvia.

 

As they all approached the post Avery spotted something…fluttering on it…Vizon saw it too, pausing. Avery stopped, squinting his eyes as he leaned forwards, trying to figure out what the thing was. Another piece of fabric…?

 

 

Indeed, there on the post a ripped bit of green fabric fluttered in the wind. Vizon made a final update to his map.

 

 

‘This seems almost like a diversion. There was no way they wouldn’t know that we’re on their tail now.’

 

“…even if they get away,” Avery whispered, “…we have a very strong idea who the Old Wanderer is. And that’s…very valuable information.”

 

“Yeah…we got him now. Even if he gets away, his little shtick of hiding in the group is shot.” Vizon said, the rest of the group continuing onward quickly. Nivanee beamed with pride as she watched Vizon and Avery, the pair shooting her a smile back.

 

No matter what, they were in this together.

 

The others in the group began slowly creeping up the hill. Nivanee got low, Jolvia crawling on her stomach in the tall grass. Vizon looked back at Avery, putting his notes away.

 

“This is it, buddy…” He said, giving an encouraging smile. “…you ready?”

 

Avery took a deep breath.

 

“We can do this. Everyone, it’s time.”

 

In. Out.

 

“Let’s ground this wanderer.”

 

Vizon nodded, patting Avery on the shoulder. Then, he crouched, getting low in the grass, letting it obscure him. As they both crept forward towards the hill, the tension built…and built. The others were already at the top, Vizon just ahead of Avery as they both joined them.

 

Slowly, as they came to the top and looked out…they saw…

 

 

Vizon gasped silently, Nivanee silent as the dead, staring intensely out at the Pe’mon spread far apart from one another, dotting the hills amongst their tents. They kept low, hidden by the grass, observing the bandits, the Thieves Guild…the Old Wanderer’s team.

 

“It’s just like the dossier said…” Nivanee muttered. “Scattered, ready to bolt at the signal flare should one of them be attacked in order to preserve the identity of The Old Wanderer…”

 

“Not that it’ll help him now…” Vizon muttered. His breaths were deep and slow. Jolvia looked back at Avery.

 

“…Okay,” Avery whispered. “They’re probably ready to bolt at the first signal. So…I think instead of trying to bring in all of them…we just need to bring in one. I don’t even know if it has to be the Old Wanderer, since…we know who that is now.”

 

“I’d rather we book the real one…” Nivanee said, eyebrow knitted. She looked determined. “I don’t want to let him get away again.”

 

Nivanee turned her head, opening her satchel to take out her spyglass, handing it over to Vizon.

 

“Do you see him…?” She asked as he lifted it up to his eye.

 

He looked out, tracing the horizon. Avery watched him, breath held. After a bit, Vizon hummed in thought.

 

“What?” Nivanee asked.

 

“I dunno…I’m having second thoughts about this guy’s identity…” He muttered. He looked over to Avery, handing him the spyglass. “Avery, take a look. What do you think?”

 

Avery looked at Vizon.

 

“What’s giving you doubts…?”

 

Vizon squirmed.

 

“The Emolga looks hurt…on its yellowed wing…” he replied.

 

Jolvia hissed.

 

“Which means trouble using the wing flaps to balance.”

 

“Mutliple bipeds…” Vizon continued, shaking his head. Avery furrowed his brow, taking the spyglass from him. “Even the Nidorina…look for yourself. Let’s make sure we’re certain.”

 

Avery frowned.

 

“…Right,” he mumbled, narrowing his eyes. “We know it’s not the Nidorina though – they were poisoned. But if it’s hurt…we did see old blood, which…”

 

The Plusle lifted the spyglass, trying to get a clear look at each of the bandits. He brought his spyglass up to the first Poke’mon, the Rattata…green and red scarves…

 

 

“We’ve already knocked off the Rattata, right?” Vizon muttered.

 

“Yeah, has to be a biped.” Nivanee responded. “No idea if they can climb trees, but they’d be susceptible to poison…”

 

“Yeah, no way it’s them…” Avery muttered. He brought his spyglass over to the Emolga, taking a good look. “And remember, they have to be wearing green, too, from the scrap we saw.”

 

 

There she was, the Emloga. Fresh cut on her wing, clearly would leave a tuft of yellow fur. Susceptible to poison and mostly bipedal and in no condition to properly navigate a tree.

 

“I dunno…” Vizon muttered. Avery could hear him stroking his chin.

 

Avery cringed.

 

‘That…looks like a nasty cut.’

 

“…Bipedal. The wing’s torn. Can’t fly with that. Susceptible to poison. But…” Avert squinted. “…No green. She’s wearing orange and yellow.”

 

He paused, looking at Vizon.

 

“What’s up…?”

 

“Nervous, that’s all…” Vizon said. Avery could practically feel his heartbeat from here. Nivanee’s breathing was slow, focused.

 

Avery nodded and went to move to the Pachirisu next

 

 

There was the Pachirisu. Bipedal…green scarf with a clear tear. Looked to be bad with the tent she was building. If anyone would leave one behind it’d be the one struggling right now, surely.

 

“…But no yellow fur, and no reason to fall from a tree,” Avery mumbled. “The only yellow’s on her cheeks, and the scarf isn’t soaked with blood to suggest an injury.”

 

To be sure Avery went to the Nidorina. Just to make sure they weren’t possible.

 

 

There was the Nidorina. Seeming to be enjoying a snack of…Pecha berries, which seemed an odd fixation. She looked to have several in her pack.

 

“…Hm. The Nidorina’s eating Pecha Berries,” Avery whispered. “…So immunity to poison might not be a knockout on its own. But…no yellow fur, no green scarf. Tent’s set up.

 

Finally…Pikachu. The last one.

 

 

There in the back, the Pikachu. No Pecha berries. Bipedal. Yellow fur…

 

Avery’s eyes went wide.

 

“…There. Her scarf is torn. The same pattern we saw on the post. Bipedal. Yellow. Green scarf.”

 

He looked back at the others.

 

“Her elbow is injured too, from the looks of it. Can’t see her back, but I’d bet you there’s a scratch there too, from the fence.”

 

“You think she’s the one?” Vizon said, squinting. “I didn’t even see the elbow or scarf tear…”

 

Nivanee was silent, only giving Avery a sideways glance. Jolvia piped up.

 

“Alright, sounds like you’re satisfied.” She said to the Plusle. Nivanee and Vizon nodded in agreement. “We’ll need to keep low and circle the perimeter to remain unseen…ready to nab the Old Wanderer, Avery?”

 

“…” The Plusle frowned. “Do we…do we think…do we have any hangups about this? Niv? Viz? Jolvia, Rikzyod, any of you think it could be someone else…?”

 

“Nope…” Vizon sighed, grinning to him. “…I trust you, Avery.”

 

Nivanee lifted a paw, patting the Plusle’s back.

 

“Likewise…I trust you.” Nivanee said.

 

“I think you’ve got it perfectly.” Jolvia said, not taking her eyes off the Pikachu in the distance.

 

“Let us SMASH this Old Wanderer, uh? And hope he puts up a good fight!” Rikzyod said merrily.

 

All four of them smiled at Avery, their full trust in him.

 

‘Deep breath. In. Out.’

 

“We’ll have to be fast.” Avery said, nodding to his team. “Knock ’em out and send ’em away with our badge before the others have a chance to get away with them. Be prepared for dirty tactics. Flashbangs, bombs, that sort of thing.”

 

He clenched his fists.

 

“Let’s do this.”

 

Everyone nodded.

Chapter 12.2

~

Realization

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