The Great Bulk Part 16: A Long Road

Bad Hand

I thought I've been through pain, but I wasn't prepared for this. My shooting arm was shattered, my bruises and burns ached like they hadn't been before, and I felt as though I should've been dead. I would have, if it weren't for Makuhita being a naive idealist, but what I was feeling almost made me wish I wasn't spared.

I was able to craft a makeshift sling for myself, but all it did was stabilize my worst injury. The trail soon gave way to tall, yellow grass, and its sheer height made me feel anxious. It was tall enough for Pokemon to hide in. There could be an ambush at any corner. Thankfully, a town was nearby, but I had to wait until night to enter it as to not attract too much attention. When the moon was finally out, I ventured into Grainfield, and what I found was an agricultural settlement.

There were lots of farms and wooden buildings that seemed designed to jump out at you visually, and oddly enough, I felt as though Cacturne would've been at home here. I didn't know why; it was just a gut feeling. I snuck around the main street in hopes of finding a place where I could swipe some medical supplies. It seemed to stretch on forever, and for some reason, I felt as though I was being watched. I couldn't detect any hostiles around me, but I knew that I could still be passively monitored and not know it.

Conveniently, my prayers were answered: I saw signage on one of the buildings indicating that it was a clinic. It felt too good to be true, but I had very little choice at the moment. I picked the lock and slowly opened the door, trying not to make any noise. I was very delicate and cautious while looking around, being sure to maintain the silence of the night, and after some looking, I found what I was after.

I grabbed some herbal painkillers and changed into a proper, well-made cast, while also stashing more medical supplies and bandages away for later. I was thankful that nothing had gone wrong, but those thoughts were dashed by the sound of tiny, delicate footsteps. I raised my sole working arm, which was shaking while I scanned the area for the source. A few moments later, it presented itself: it was a Clefairy.

"So, did you find what you needed?" She asked. I didn't show it, but I couldn't help but feel a chill down my spine. She wasn't drowsy as if she was recently awakened, and her words made it sound like she expected me. Those two must've been here!

"I know you've seen that Meditite," I told her. "If you want to live, you'll tell me where she is headed." I wasn't in the best position to make threats, but I didn't have much left to risk. She didn't look to be the fighting type, so perhaps this would work.

"You sure love looking for trouble, don't you?" She teased. "You look like you belong in a morgue, but you're still pushing your luck. You'll never reach Capim in the shape you're in." Wait, so they were going to Capim after all? Maybe my injury to Asana's leg was worse than I thought, and Makuhita went there to pursue treatment? It was no wonder why this woman had met them.

"Why don't you take a look outside?" She asked. I could feel a barrage of hostile intent all around me, almost overwhelming my senses! I couldn't tell which direction my enemies were from, which meant that I was surrounded! This was a setup all along!

My breathing hastened, and a few drops of sweat trickled down my forehead. "I loathe whatever plan you and the locals cooked up, but it was ingenious," I observed. "You knew I needed medicine, so you used yourself and this business as bait. You do know I could easily use you as a hostage, right? You're as much of an idiot as the one who didn't finish me off."

"You catch on fast, but let me answer your assertion with a question," she began. "Who is it that treats victims of bandit attacks here in Grainfield?" She asked, pausing for emphasis. "I'm the one who has to look after them. I've seen what they do and I loathe it all," she told me. "However, you're worse than a mere crook. They told me what you did, and I knew you'd be following them."

That damn Clefairy smiled at me, confident in her own convictions. "I know you won't use me," she said with confidence. "You're a real squirrely sort, so you'll probably just run!" Unfortunately, she was right.

I had no choice but to flee. I was already pretty quick with my legs and my Mach Ribbon, and I could use my last Rainy Orb to give a temporary boost. I hated the thought of doing it, but this was the only realistic option for my continued freedom. I grabbed it from my bag and dashed out the door as quickly as I could, activating it as soon as the sky was above me. None of the ambushers were fast enough to keep up with me, but I still heard them firing at me.

This was more nervewracking than what happened the first time I met Cacturne! A Copperajah was nothing compared to an entire posse out to apprehend me! The entire town, which seemed endless before, went by me like a blur. I never stopped once to catch my breath, and it took until I was far away from town to finally rest.

After a day or two more of travelling, I still wasn't out of the fields. My body felt as though it was at its absolute limit, and I felt as though any more exertion would cause me to pass out from sheer fatigue. I stationed myself in a small clearing to catch my breath, and much to my misfortune, I could hear the nearby grass rustling.

Of course my bad luck caught up to me! This must be an ambush of some sort! I pointed my one good arm forward as the culprits revealed themselves:

An Inteleon wearing a hat and poncho was at the center, flanked by a Spidops wielding some sort of rope and a Gourgeist that towered over me. Their attire reminded me of Cacturne's, and if it weren't for the locale, I'd swear this was the place where his tribe migrated from. That place was another desert, and not a prairie.

"Hey, traveller," the Inteleon begun. "Hand over everything ya got. If you don't, you're gonna get beaten even worse than you are now." By the looks of things, he must be the one leading this operation.

"Don't threaten me," I responded. "I'll have to use lethal force if any of you do so much as approach me. If you value your friends' lives, back off."

The Spidops erupted into chittering laughter for a few moments. "This lasso's made with silk, boy. You won't be able to do a damn thing once I get you caught." He prepared to throw it, which prompted me to reflexively shoot him in an attempt to defend myself.

I hit him in the arm he was using to wield that rope, prompting his companions to act as well. While their leader began to aim, the Gourgeist charged, their hair bunching up in a manner that resembled fists. It was interesting, but I had no time to gawk. Reflexively, I fired at them, multiple shots piercing through their torso. It wasn't as accurate or clean as I wanted it to be, with some Bubble Beams merely hitting their side, but it was enough to cause them to stumble back and fall to the ground.

I then began shooting wildly at the two remaining Pokemon. A single shot hit the ringleader in his stomach, the pain forcing him to stop aiming, while the Spidops was grazed multiple times. They threw their lasso, making me dive to the side. I shot at them a few more times from the ground, and thankfully for me, a single shot went through their head. I felt sick that I was forced to resort to such barbarism, but I couldn't afford to take any chances with how injured I was. I used my sole working arm to brace myself and get up, and upon doing so, I saw the last remaining member of the group glaring at me.

"I told you what would happen if you attacked me," I said. "I apologize for inflicting such an injustice upon you, but you forced my hand. Perhaps if I was healthy, I could've subdued your group non-lethally, but as it stands, I can barely even aim. Don't bother trying to attack me from behind, either. If you try that, you'll be joining them." With those words said, I resumed my trip towards my next destination.

I lucked out again, seeing as my opponents were amateurs. They left themselves open too often, and the bruiser of the group even charged at me. If no more complications occured, I'd be able to reach Cotton Valley in a few days.

Inching Closer

This settlement felt like something out of a foreign painting. Flowers were blooming all around me in a quantity and quality that surpassed anything I seen! With what I've seen in here and Grainfield, the soil must be especially good. That didn't matter, though. I needed to get through here without being called out.

That's why I made sure to bandage up both of my arms. My scar was quite distinctive, and if I only covered that one arm up, it'd draw suspicion to me. If I had to talk to anyone, I'd speak in the cadence my father used. I remember a time where I used to be ashamed of the accent I adopted from spending so many of my formative years by his side, thinking it marked me as a bumpkin, but everything had its uses these days. I was rusty at it, but what mattered was that I sounded like someone else.

I snuck through most of the town successfully, eventually making my way towards a field of flowers. Sunflowers were especially prevalent, their sheer height making much of the greenery I've seen in my life look insignificant in comparison. I travelled through the area, but eventually, I saw someone walking at me.

A Sunflora tending a field? How stereotypical. "You look kind of suspicious," they told me. "A couple of Pokemon who travelled through town said something about a Lombre chasing them, and then you come by here in the middle of the night. Who exactly are you?"

I began to speak, slipping into my native accent. "I'm just an unlucky traveller," I lied. "I almost got robbed while travelling. I beat the bandits, but they hurt me pretty bad. My original destination was Treasure Town, but I heard there's better doctors in Capim, so I had to make a detour." This lie was based only off of what little I knew mixed with a couple of assumptions, so I prayed it'd work.

"Aren't you a bit too old to be an explorer?" The Sunflora asked, seeming a bit skeptical of my claim.

"Better late than never," I replied. "I put off my dreams for far too long. Besides, I've got something younger Pokemon don't have: I have trickery and skill, and that's how I defeated those three hoodlums, although they were tougher than I expected them to be."

"So, you're in a mid-life crisis?" They joked, having accepted the explanation I was given. "I don't know if you're spinning a tall tale or if you've just got guts, but you don't seem bad. The outlaw they talked about was pretty violent. They said he sank an entire ship, although I have a hard time believing that without seeing it."

I laughed back at their remarks, doing so in an attempt to disarm them even further. "So, I've got a doppelganger running around?" I quipped. "I better not see his ugly mug around these parts. I don't take kindly to people slandering my name, even if it's unintentional."

The Sunflora nodded at the false assertion I had made. "Yeah, I hope this situation gets cleared up," they stated, becoming more comfortable with my presence. "Do you want some sunflower seeds for the road?" They reached into a satchel on their person and retrieved a bag, offering it to me.

"Sure," I said, taking it and stashing it in with the rest of my supplies. "Thank you for your generosity. I do wish you luck in your endeavours."

"Same to you," they replied. After that farewell, I continued my march towards Capim, sampling the seeds I was given on the way. I would definitely buy more if I got the chance.

I continued my journey, and after about a day or so, I came across another field of flowers that was somehow even more well-maintained than the last one. I didn't have time to admire them, though. I hadn't rested often ever since I failed my latest assassination attempt, and I could feel the effects of that catching up to me. Every step I took was forced by sheer strength of will, and I felt as though I could drop dead at any time.

Unfortunately for me, I couldn't continue onwards. I stumbled and fell into a patch of flowers, quickly falling into unconsciousness. The last thing I saw was a small Pokemon entering my field of vision, although my mind wasn't clear enough to tell who or what they were.

A Bad Omen

"Thicket, why did we bring in this guy again?" I asked. "He gives me bad vibes. Why would a half-dead, middle-aged Pokemon be wandering around in this neck of the woods?"

"Makau, I had to do something!" My boss protested. "Sure, he crushed some of my flowers, but I can get an apology from him later. He might not have lived if I didn't have him pulled in here."

"What if he leaks out our location, though?" I said, raising my greatest concern. "You shouldn't be letting strangers in here on a whim if this place is meant to be a secret!"

"I know 101 different ways to ruin a Pokemon's life if they betray my trust," Thicket reassured me. Her words were truthful, especially considering the bombing runs the other Rattata and I have had to go on. "If he stabs me in the back, he'll never have a roof to sleep over again!"

She was good to us, but the way she said that so jovially made me shiver just a bit. "Can you change his bandages?" She requested of me. "I don't want anything getting infected."

I nodded and did as I was told, starting with his arms. One odd thing I noticed about our patient was that he had a long, jagged scar running down much of his left arm. I couldn't help but think he was either a troublemaker or a magnet for misfortune, and neither possibility comforted me. He was jinxed!

After I was done, I could hear him mumbling. I took a few cautious steps back, and I saw the mystery man's gaze meet mine. He looked kind of out of it, and what came out of his mouth raised even more questions:

He murmured something I couldn't understand. It sounded too clear to be nonsense, so he might've been speaking in a foreign language.

"We can't understand you," Thicket politely informed him. "If you know what I'm saying, please switch to a tongue we can understand."

"My apologies," the Lombre stated, looking far more cautious and alert than before. "Where am I, and how did I get here?"

"I found you while I was tending my field," my boss said. "I don't like ignoring those in need, and plus, you needed to live so you could apologize to me. You squashed some of my flowers."

"Oh, it was yours?" He replied. "If they mean a lot to you, I'm sorry for any damages I've caused. I used to be the artistic type myself, so I understand how I've upsetted you. If one of my projects was destroyed, I'd have been crushed."

"You seem awfully civilized for a walking corpse," the Floette joked. "I accept your apology. My name's Thicket, and my little helper is Makau. I do have a favor to ask of you while you're here, though."

"I'm..." The Lombre trailed off for a few moments, looking as though he was considering his options. "Call me Tallarin," he finished. "It was the name my father gave me."

That definitely wasn't his real name. I could see the hesitation in his eyes when she asked him that! Knowing my luck, he probably owed something to someone, and a bunch of goons will be busting down our doors in a week!

"I see you're the cautious type," Thicket responded. "I can tell that isn't the name you go by, but that's okay. I'm not using my real name, either. Promise me that you won't tell anyone where this place is, we aren't exactly lawful Pokemon."

"Tallarin" chuckled to himself. "That's okay," he reassured her. "I'm in the same boat you are. If I am to guess, this is a moonshining operation?"

How did he know that so easily? Even my boss was taken off-guard at how quickly he deduced it! "How'd you know?" She questioned. "I didn't even tell you anything yet!"

"Gummis changed me up a bunch," the Lombre said dismissively. "I've got the nose of a Boltund, and that's just the most mild new thing I have to deal with."

"I've seen that happen sometimes," the Floette mentioned. "Do you want me to tell you what you need to know about this place now or later?"

"Do it now," Tallarin told her. "I hate wasting time."

The two talked to themselves for some time, leaving me to think. Everything about this guy spelled danger, and she didn't even care! I knew she was smart enough to tell that he came from a sketchy background, but she was unphased. All I could do was hunker down and wait for everything to come crumbling down on our heads.

Yet, like it or not, he was a guest, and I had to treat him well. I scurried off to check on the other Rattata, aiming to distract myself with work. He was my boss's problem, not mine!

Epilogue: Setting Sun

Once I was sure that the Lombre who I confronted was gone, I took a long look at the bodies of my friends. I led them to this, didn't I? It was my idea to make a posse of bandits. I told 'em they could get rich quick, and look at what happened.

They were dead, and it was all my fault. I should've known there was a catch: opportunities like the one he presented always come with something bad hidden within. I got to digging their graves, and without a shovel, the work was long and hard. It gave me plenty of time to think about what I did wrong, and what to do next.

That Lombre was a hardened criminal. The water he used could pierce through flesh like it was nothing, and I'd surely be courting my death if I went on the path of vengence. Yet, there was nothing let for me but that. I had to develop my own tricks if I were to have a chance at beating him, but I was willing to play the long game. It'd give me plenty of time to plan things out.

With my friends' bodies buried, I went on my way. My next stop was the big city. It'd hold more opportunities for me, and I needed them badly.

Spinner, Bradie, I swear on my grave I'll pay that man back for what he did. Even if it costs me everything, I'll keep fighting until the bitter end.