Story Notes:
This is my first story on AGNPH, an attempt to scratch an itch that was first brought on by a wonderful friend and RP Partner, Matt, aka The Z-Byte. Him and Pokegirl gave me a lot of support in writing this. Thanks you guys, and I hope I won't let you down. Comments and critiques are appreciated!
The first fifteen minutes dragged by at an agonizingly slow rate, compounded further by the unbearable heat of the day. I quickly drained another bottle of water as I baked under the mid-afternoon heat, watching from what I hoped was a relatively safe distance. I could see the Pokémon steadily becoming more and more restless as they stood there, save for the herd of Tauros, who continued to wallow contently in the muddy waters. The cries were becoming louder, more aggravated, and definitely more hostile. The fuse had been lit and, at this point, a confrontation was inevitable...
A realization which became even more apparent from the Pokémon gradually making its way towards the watering hole.
Now, I've never seen all the Pokémon species that reside in the Safari Zone, there's just too damn many to keep track of, but nearly everyone whose worked here knew of this one. The approaching Pokémon was definitely one of our more "special" residents, and one that the Tauros would be hard pressed to fight off...
The Lairon lumbered calmly forward, taking his time as he pushed his way towards the water's edge. Well...he didn't so much as push as he did part. The crowd of Pokémon quickly moved out of the way once they noticed him, not a hard thing to do with the way his metallic plates reflected the blinding sun. They still shrieked and fussed, but did so at a safer distance. Thirsty as they were, they knew better than to invoke the Larion's ire.
I just hoped the Tauros would be as smart...
Adjusting the binoculars, I turned my gaze back to the Tauros, trying to see if they would be willing to let the Larion drink. Normally, the Larion were known for drinking from springs filled with ore and iron supplements but as we had no mountains in the area, they typically contented with drinking from the pools or lakes, finding their minerals elsewhere. Usually, they were peaceful, opting to live secluded from others of their kind, only fighting when another Larion strayed into their territory or for the favor of a female Larion in heat. However, that didn't mean they wouldn't fight other Pokémon for invading "their" territory.
The Larion had just made it to the water's edge, bending his head down to drink, when one of the Tauros bellowed, half rising from the water, pawing his hoof in the mud as a threat, one that the Lairon blatantly ignored. He was thirsty and he was going to drink, regardless of whatever was going on. The Tauros in question bellowed again, lowering its head and charging him. Unlike the other Pokémon, the Lairon didn't flinch or run away from the oncoming Tauros, he just looked back up and watched him. Once the Tauros got closer, the Larion pulled his head back, his metallic body suddenly brightening.
I openly winced as the Tauros slammed its head into the Larion's, hearing the muffled crack from where I sat. The impact hardly budged the Larion as the Tauros continued to push at it, muscles straining as it tried to dig its hooves into the thick mud and shove the Larion away. The Larion just stood there, unimpressed, before moving its head to the side, slamming the side of the Tauros', and quickly following through with a silver slash of its claws. The Tauros stumbled back into the water, dumbfounded at how easily the Larion was able to contest it.
There was an unsettling stillness as the Pokémon watched, the sudden silence deafening. Then... everything exploded before my eyes.
The other Tauros weren't going to let this new Pokémon show up one of their kind and were advancing threateningly, bellowing loudly and charging up attacks of their own to take on the Larion. While that was happening, the other Pokémon, seeing how easily the Larion had handled the one, opted to fight rather than turn and run. As surprised as I was at this sudden display of unity by the Park's Pokémon, I couldn't let them go through with it. A battle of this size, unorganized and fueled by heated tempers, would ruin most of the surrounding area and leave dozens of Pokémon injured, or worse.
I didn't have time to radio for assistance, every second counted. I grabbed for the Pokéball at my waist, the ball swelling to fill my hand even as I snapped it open to release her. "Kastha! I need you!"
With a flash of crimson light, she emerged just as the first volley of attacks went off at the watering hole. Several Pidgey had banded together to release an impressive Sand-Attack on the Tauros, the powerful gust whipping up a blinding cloud of dry soil and grass, beating the muddy waters into a frenzy. Kastha clashed her sharp blades together, letting out an aggressive cry.
"We've got to break them up, Kastha." Vaulting out of the Jeep, I ran into the tall grass, grabbing my backpack and digging around for the supplies that I would need. I turned to give her instructions but she was already gone, launching herself into the fray, somehow knowing exactly what needed to be done. I swore loudly, pulling out what few items I had on hand, a few PokéDolls and some Bait. They might not be able to break up a fight of this size, but if I could at least thin the ranks a little, Kastha might be able to handle the rest.
Fully equipped with what little I had on hand, I cautiously made my way to the edge of the battle, staying just far enough away to hopefully not get pummeled by a stray attack. I couldn't see Kastha over the frantic battling, there were too many clashing bodies and random attacks. A powerful Thunderbolt struck the ground only a few feet away, knocking me flat on my ass, my ears suddenly ringing loudly.
"Shit!" Covering my ears, I was barely able to hear myself. "Kastha!" I tried to call above the raging, feuding Pokémon, although I doubted she could hear me over the noise. "Focus only on the Tauros!" I hoped that if she could take out most of the instigators, the rest of them might consider fleeing. As a herd, Tauros would fight brutally. But, individually, they would flee. If we could break them apart enough, then the rest should run. The other Pokémon might pursue them, but I was hoping they'd be too content with victory and too exhausted to do much more.
Uneasily rising to my feet, still disoriented by the blast, my ears faintly ringing through the noise of it all. I started with the PokéDolls first, hurling them as far as I could into the fray. I didn't pause to see if the Pokémon attacked the dolls, played with them, or ran away, I didn't care. I only had ten of them on hand and I was too concerned with breaking up the fight to care about how they worked.
The Bait was next, a mixture we made and gave to trainers to use as a lure and to keep the Pokémon distracted while they tried to capture them. It wasn't water, but it might make some of the Pokémon reconsider fighting when presented with the treat. I tossed these near the edges of the battle, hoping the scent would draw some of the combatants away.
A Pikachu suddenly scurried past my legs, a PokéDoll clutched in its fangs, being chased by two others. I quickly turned back to look at them, only to miss being clipped in the head by a Pidgey's wings. It carried what looked to be some of the Bait in its claws. I was relieved to see that I was at least making some progress. There were still more Pokémon involved in the battle than I would have liked, but we had decreased the numbers a bit. Looking at the center of the battle, a sudden flash of green darting amongst the muddy Tauros caught my eye.
"Kastha!"
This time, I could faintly hear a hasty reply before the blur vanished again. Kastha quickly darted around the confused Tauros, keeping them separated and distracted. I could see the shimmering flashes where she struck at them with her bladed arms. She also kept the other Pokémon from attacking the Tauros, none of them willing to attempt to make it past her whirling form. She was moving fast enough that there even appeared to be more than one of her at the same time, making it so the Tauros couldn't decide which one to charge. In the mean time, they stomped in the mud, bellowing in rage, shaking their heads and waiting till they could get a clear shot in.
There had to be something else I could do to help, but I was out of supplies and I couldn't just charge in there. I looked about hurriedly, trying to think. I needed to radio for any Rangers or Trainers in the area, there were going to be lots of wounded Pokémon that would need medical attention after this. I looked back quickly at the fight behind me once more, before rushing back to the Jeep. I jumped back into the seat, ignoring the burning heat of the leather as I grabbed the radio from the dash.
"This is Drake! We've got a major incident at Grid Marker AF-23! I need any available Rangers or Trainers here right now. Bring any medical supplies you can!" I tried not to shout but I found it hard not to, what with the adrenaline pulsing through my system the way it was.
"Drake, this is Marshal Jenny, what's going on?" Her voice was urgent, completely alert. I'm pretty sure I had the attention of every Ranger in the park at the moment.
"The Pokémon started fighting at the water hole, a Lairon got involved. Kastha's keeping them broken up, but there's more than I can handle by myself. Kastha can't keep this up forever, either. Just get everyone over here now!"
I quickly looked back towards the muddy puddle that had been a watering hole only moments before. The Lairon, having sat through most of the battle without so much as a twitch, finally reached the limits of its own temper. The combination Steel and Rock type raised one of his heavy legs into the air. "Kastha, look out!" The Lairon smashed his leg down into the muddy water, sending out a powerful Mud Slap. The sudden splash of mud caught Kastha off guard, blinding her.
My blood ran cold as I saw her crash down into the slop, the nearest Tauros bellowing as it reared up on his hind legs; bring his weight down on top of her. "Kastha!" I cried out, almost feeling a physical blow in my own chest. I dropped the radio before I even heard Jenny's response, starting the Jeep's motor and revving the engine. I slammed my hand down on the horn of the Jeep, a loud blast of sound that echoed out over the savannah. The Pokémon closest to the Jeep bolted in panic, darting off into the brush. I shifted into drive and almost raced the short distance down to the muddy pool, slamming on the brakes, my hand still on the horn as the jeep slid partway into the pool.
The Tauros looked my way, snorting and bellowing in confusion and anger at the new intruder. I honked again, holding the horn for a few seconds. I also flipped on the powerful fog-lamps, hoping that the loud sound and bright lights would discourage them, rather than anger them further. I kept my hand laid on the horn until even my ears felt like they were going to bleed. The Tauros snorting at the Jeep like it was a pesky fly before wandering off, having enough. Only the Lairon remained, standing idly at the edge of the watering hole, drinking contently in the resulting silence.
I scrambled from the Jeep and waded into the waist-high, dirty water. "Kastha!" I shouted as I sloshed over to her limp form. She had been trampled by the Tauros and the trauma had knocked her unconscious. I just hoped that she hadn't inhaled any water while she was comatose. I hooked my arms under hers, her head slumped against my chest as I lifted her up as best as I could. I dragged her out of the water, laying her out on the ground. I rushed over to the Jeep and grabbed the remaining water bottles from my pack. Returning to her side, I unscrewed the caps and poured the water over her body, trying to wash off the mud and dirty water, allowing me to see how badly she was hurt.
Her exoskeleton was heavily scuffed and cracked in the places where the Tauros' hooves had struck. I gently rubbed her head, checking her wings to make sure they were undamaged. They would be the hardest to heal if they were... She stirred weakly in my arms, making soft noises of pain. "Relax girl, it's alright, I'm here, I'm here..." I assured her.
I stood and ran over to the Jeep, grabbing the few Potions I had, hearing Kastha make a pained trill that broke my heart. She didn't want me to leave her side. I hurried as fast as I could and grabbed the Potions, swooping back down to be next to her. "It's okay, Kastha. You're going to be alright. I'm going to treat you with a few Potions then get you to a PokéCenter. It's alright..." I lifted one of the purple spray bottles so she could see it, placing my other hand on her shoulder. "This will...sting a little, okay?" She only whimpered in response.
I lightly sprayed the worst of the wounds with the Potion and she cried out, her eyes squeezing tightly shut. Kastha's arm blades dug into the trampled earth, which was probably for the best, they would be less likely to accidentally slash me if she moved while I was treating her wounds. "Easy...easy." I closed my eyes and exhaled, spritzing some of the other cracks in her exoskeleton. She trilled sharply and I just gripped her shoulder a little tighter. This was the best thing I could do for her right now. I could hear the sound of an engine growing closer in the distance, the tanker that had been called in.
I looked back towards the road for a moment, shaking my head. They had arrived too late to be of any real help... I lifted another Potion and looked for any more major cracks that I could seal. I almost didn't want to recall her, but her Pokéball would be the safest place for her right now...it would keep her stable until I got her to the Pokémon Center to recover. I rubbed her head softly.
"I'm going to put you back in your ball now, okay? It'll keep you safe until we reach the PokéCenter..." I told her, grabbing the Pokéball and pointing it at her. She may have made a soft sound of protest, but I couldn't hear it over the sound of the recall beam.
I couldn't wait for the others to arrive. I jumped back into the jeep, threw it into reverse, the tires sucking at the mud before the Jeep wrenched free. I spun the Jeep around and tore up the dirt road, blasting past the arriving tanker, bouncing over the ruts in the dirt road. I tore past other Rangers coming to help, and even Marshal Jenny, but I didn't stop. I quickly informed her over the CB of what I was doing, racing by the Headquarters and out the front gate to the Safari Zone. The tires squealed in protest as they found themselves suddenly gripping pavement, but the Jeep leaped down the road as if it had been taken off a leash.
The Pokémon Center was a few miles down the road from the Safari Zone, but I covered the distance in only a few minutes. Thankfully, the roads were usually empty around here. Pulling into the parking lot in front of the Center, I jumped out of the Jeep and rushed inside, looking around for Nurse Joy. She wasn't at the front desk, and for a moment, I had to force myself to calm down. I took a few deep breaths of air, trying to get my heart rate down before I threw up. The adrenaline in my system was slowly starting to drain.
The upbeat chime of Nurse Joy's Chansey rang out inside the lobby, and I spun around to face the pink, egg-shaped Pokémon as it plodded into the room. The startled Pokémon froze, staring at me for a second, before it dashed off the way it had came, babbling excitedly.
Nurse Joy rushed out of her office, the Chansey following close behind. "Drake, what happened?" She asked urgently, her expression furrowed with concern.
"There was a. Fight. At the...watering hole." I swallowed, my throat painfully dry. "Kastha got hurt bad. Tauros. Her exoskeleton is cracked..." I reached down and grabbed the Pokéball from my belt - my hand trembling slightly - and handed it to her. "Please tell me she's going to be okay."
Nurse Joy gave the ball to the Chansey, who rushed off with it, taking it to the rejuvenation chambers. "I won't sugar-coat it, Drake. A cracked exoskeleton is serious, but I'm positive that she'll be okay. But you should sit down and let someone take a look at you, you're hurt as well."
I blinked in confusion, I wasn't hurt. I would have felt it by now... Looking down, I saw that my legs had been burnt from the Thundershock that came a little too close. Now that I had acknowledged the injury, the pain came, mercifully not as bad as it could have been. "O-Oh." Suddenly, standing sent needles of pain shooting up my legs, and my brain wanted them to stop. Short of just collapsing to the ground right then and there, I managed - just barely - to make it over to a bench up against the wall.
Nurse Joy strode off to go tend to Kastha, while a Gardevoir quickly rushed in, carrying a bottle of ointment and a roll of gauze. The Psychic Type Pokémon looked up at me wordlessly, before applying some of the ointment to the burns. I let out a soft hiss of pain, before my thoughts dissolved elsewhere.
I hoped Kastha was alright...
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