The Great Bulk Part 7: A Reunion

A Reunion

Once we returned to our normal way of life, things got hectic. Due to our role in deposing the Shah, we were unmistakable to any Pokemon who kept up with the news. We were constantly badgered with questions and autograph requests. We fled back to Oasis to escape the constant attention – my plan was to hole up in my old home for a few weeks, but instead, Makuhita headed straight towards the local tavern. I followed him in, and for once in my life, I drank. I sipped on my wine as I watched my partner devour plate after plate of food, using his half of the Shah's bounty to feast to his heart's content.

I heard the doors open, which brought my attention to a distinctly familiar Aura. I recognized it as Sonora, of all Pokemon. I had no idea what she was doing away from Redkiln, but I gave her a friendly wave regardless. She waltzed on over to us and took a seat at our table, looking at Makuhita's gluttonous rampage with a bit of concern.

“Is Makuhita always like this?” Sonora asked, adjusting the Gold Ribbon on her head.

“When he has enough Poke, yes,” I replied. “He'll either devour this place's entire stock, or he'll run out of money. I don't know what'll happen first.”

“I can imagine how much he has,” Sonora observed. “I read about what happened up North. I figured I'd check on you and see if you're okay.”

I sighed. “We're alive, albeit only due to luck,” I revealed. “If the citizenry didn't rise up, we'd both be dead.”

Sonora nodded. “I know, Asana, I always do my research,” she told me. “I know you two and your two Northener friends couldn't have done it alone. It doesn't detract from how impressive your feat was, though. It takes a lot of charisma to inspire so many disparate Pokemon to act as one. You had a daughter of a rebel leader, one of the Shah's sons, and everyone fed up with that tyrant's ways fighting under one banner. I heard that even some of his own soldiers deserted him and fought alongside you all.”

I frowned, as the whole fiasco up North felt more like a failure than a success. “I had little to do with it,” I replied. “It was mostly Makuhita who convinced those Pokemon to fight. He said something weird, too. He said that son of the Shah's, Shamshir, had a “similar life” to him, and that's why he concocted that mess of an uprising.” My companion was too busy gorging himself to register the fact that the two of us were even talking. If he even wanted to answer my question, he didn't hear it.

Sonora shrugged. “Well, whatever the reason was, you two did something great,” she said. “In fact, I have a job for you two. It'll probably be the second-hardest job you've had. You won't be fighting against an army this time, I promise.”

I narrowed my eyes at Makuhita before slapping the back of his head. “Quit eating for a minute!” I commanded. “Sonora has a job for us!”

Makuhita rubbed his cranium, frowning as his feasting was interrupted. “Sonora?” He asked. “Isn't that one of the buddies you made while Essy drugged me?”

“Yes, that's me, but what did Espathra do?” Sonora inquired.

“She gave me this brew that made me trip out and have a god-awful migraine for days as part of some “Aura” training,” my partner revealed. “It didn't do me a whole lot of good, either. I can only do that “Sensing” stuff around 75% of the time if I focus, and even then, it doesn't go very far.”

“75%?” I replied. “That's better than when you were floundering around and entirely clueless. You've improved more than you think you have – it's only natural that I progress faster than you, since I was born being able to do it. You'll reach my level in time.” Makuhita nodded in response, reassured by my encouragement.

“I don't mean to rush you, but we still need to talk about that job,” Sonora chimed in. “I want you to help me convince my ex to step down and turn himself in. Even though he still robs Pokemon, I miss him dearly.”

“Well, tell us a bit about him,” I requested. “We can't formulate a strategy if we don't know who we're dealing with.”

“Oh! I forgot to tell you who he was back in Redkiln, didn't I?” Sonora realized. “You're not gonna believe it, but my ex is Cacturne. Yes, -that- Cacturne.”

I froze in place, remembering the brief brush I had with him back towards the end of my career as a sentry. He was barely phased by my attacks and knocked me out in a single punch – if I hadn't been so arrogant back then, I would've known not to pick a fight with him. “I can't believe you,” I muttered. “I'm not saying you're lying, Sonora, but I just can't believe you were partners with him.”

“I get that!” Sonora replied, fishing through her bag for something. After a few seconds, she placed an old wanted poster on the table, depicting both Cacturne and herself.

“Wanted,” I began to read aloud. “Cacturne and... Opuntia? The poster looks like you, but-”

“Oh, that was one of my old names!” Sonora clarified. If I were to tell you all the guises I took, we'd be up until late in the night! “Opuntia” was one of the aliases I used whenever Cacturne and I robbed folks.”

“I don't know if we should take this,” Makuhita spoke. “Didn't you say not to do dangerous stuff, Asana?”

“I said that the two of us should speak to another before we take on dangerous tasks,” I corrected. “I want to hear what we'll be up against first. The only useful bit of intelligence I know is that Cacturne has a new partner. He's a good sniper, but he's weak when he fights head-on.”

Sonora shook her head. “No, no, that's outdated,” she told me. “If you're talking about Lombre, he's been fighting more actively, and the rumors I've been hearing are saying he's improving very fast. It's been a trend for the past... Three months, I think?”

I narrowed my eyes as I heard the last part of my friend's remarks. “That's roughly the amount of time that went by after I encountered him and Cacturne,” I clarified. “This sounds kind of like a conspiracy theory, but maybe Lombre has been improving because of me.”

“I dunno, but either way, you need to be careful!” Sonora continued. “I know Cacturne hasn't changed his hideout, even after everyone learned of its location. It's for good reason, too – it's really hard to get to. The Thirsty Desert is already a bad place to trek through, but he lives in the Parched Gorge, near its center. Some say that place is one of the hottest locations on the planet!”

Makuhita pressed the nubs on his arms that passed for hands together. “How do we get there, then?” He asked. “I think Assy might have a bit of experience in that place, but that place you're talking about sounds as hot as a furnace.”

I slapped my partner. “I told you not to use that nickname,” I scolded. “I know my way around the routes traders take, and that's it. I've never been deep into tribal territory, or anywhere near where Cacturne is located.”

“Well, that's why I'll be guiding you there,” Sonora said. “I'm actually a tribal Pokemon, even if I don't look the part. Cacturne's the same way, although his tribe and mine were enemies. It's why we ran away together and started our criminal careers in the first place. I can't exactly join you in confronting him, though.”

“Why's that?” Makuhita asked.

“Well, it's because...” Sonora trailed off, looking reluctant to answer my partner's question. “I'm scared,” she continued. “I'm scared of what he might've turned into. If he's become a heartless monster, I don't wanna see it.”

“Wouldn't your chances of persuading him be better if you were there, too?” Makuhita queried. “It'd show him you still care about him, although if you're insistent, I won't ask you to join us once we find him.”

“I'd prefer that,” Sonora muttered. “Now, do you two want to help me, or not?”

“I want to at least help provide you some closure,” I replied. “I'm in.”

“This sounds less risky than the Shah, at least,” Makuhita responded. “If Asana wants to help you, I'm all for it.”

“Great!” Sonora said mirthfully. “Now, here's what we need to do...”

The three of us talked about the logistics of our journey up until the tavern closed. To be safe, we decided to pack twice the normal amount of food and water for Makuhita, due to his insatiable desire for sustenance. It all balanced out, though – I eat very little, so we'd still be packing enough food for three Pokemon.

Brawl

We walked through the desert, much of it looking the same. There were nothing but rocks, cacti, and sand stretching all around, and by the looks of things, my partner was beginning to become irritated. “Sonora, when are we gonna get there?” He asked. “I can't tell where we are.”

“That's why newbies shouldn't travel through the desert alone!” Sonora responded. “It's a pretty confusing place if you don't know what you're doing. We should be reaching the halfway point very soon, so don't fret!”

In the distance, I could see and Sense three tall figures. Judging by the texture of their Auras, body shape, and the distinctive hat-like growths on their heads, they were all Cacturne. They weren't the one we were after, but it was still odd to be in range of other Pokemon. “Sonora, there's some Cacturne up ahead,” I warned. I could see one of them pointing towards us, and the three began to march towards our location.

“This is bad,” Sonora muttered. “I didn't think the Saguaro came out this far!”

“What do you even mean?” I asked.

“They're one of the tribes that live in the Thirsty Desert,” Sonora explained. “I'll tell you all about it later, but for now, we need to brace for a fight!”

I channeled some Aura into my limbs in preparation for whatever confrontation was to follow, while my two companions kept their eyes on the approaching Cacturne. Once they got close enough, the one in front began to speak.

“What in tarnation is a Cholla doin' on our turf?” The Pokemon in front said. Their entire existence felt surreal to me. Their manner of speech was like our target, but their voice was distinctly female. “Didn't ya get the memo?” She continued. “We don't want your kind 'round here. Get out, or we're gonna get real nasty.”

“Yeah!” The other two Cacturne behind her cheered.

“I didn't even know this was your territory!” Sonora pleaded. “I haven't been in this stretch of the desert for years, and we need to pass through! I don't even consider myself a part of my old tribe anymore, okay?”

“Once a Cholla, always a Cholla,” the Cacturne in front sneered. She looked behind her, towards her fellow tribesmon. “Spines, Thorns, I think we gotta teach this idiot and her friends a lesson. That means you gotta quit slackin' off for five minutes!”

“Got it, Needles!” The two in the back replied, walking up to the front and blocking us off.

“Asana, I think I can handle these three,” Sonora told me. “Can you and Makuhita sit back for a bit? You two need all the energy you can spare for later.”

We nodded and stepped back some.

“I didn't know you were a cocky one!” Needles exclaimed mockingly. “It don't matter, though. We'll beat ya like the rest,” she assured herself. She threw a punch towards Sonora, but she teetered out of the way. The other two Cacturne tried their luck as well, but she repeated the same song and dance – the phrase was fitting, too, considering that's what her fighting style resembled.

Side-stepping one attack, she countered with a Drain Punch that seemed to rattle the Cacturne she hit it with to her core. As he groaned in pain, his leader began to scold him. “Spines, quit bellyachin' and help us!” Needles complained.

Sonora backed up and fired a Solar Beam from her hand, the desert's heat making it so that she didn't have to charge it. The large column of light washed over all three of the Cacturne assaulting her, and when it cleared, all three were heavily injured. One of them – Spines, I believe, fell over, unable to take any more punishment.

“Why're y'all so damn useless?” Needles yelled. “She's just a single Cholla, we-” She was cut off by Sonora slugging her with a Drain Punch. As Needles stumbled back, Sonora used the same move again, knocking her out of the fight.

The sole remaining Cacturne, Thorns, simply stared on in awe. “I think I recognize ya,” he said. “Pappy told stories about ya. You're the witch that screwed with Burr, weren't ya?”

Sonora's eyes widened – I didn't know who “Burr” was, but she clearly did. “He never liked his real name,” she replied. “However, you're correct. The whole reason we came here was to set things right with him.”

“Set things right?” Thorns asked sarcastically. “Oh, like that time ya abandoned him and sold him out? You might think no one knows about that, but you'd be surprised at how fast word travels 'round!”

“What the heck do you mean, “sold him out”?” Sonora asked confusedly. “I turned myself in, yes, but I never snitched! Breaking his heart like that would be the last thing I'd do!”

Thorns rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, keep peddling that story all ya want. You three can go on ahead – I ain't stupid enough to pick a fight with someone like you. I gotta warn Fatty and Skinny over there, though,” he stated, pointing towards Makuhita, then me.

“I don't know how much ya know about her, but that woman will stab ya in the back the first chance she gets,” Thorns warned us. “There's a reason why Burr's life is used as a warnin' amongst our folk. Ya should never trust your enemies, and keep outsiders at an arm's length.”

“I don't know what he means by that, but we should keep on moving,” Sonora said. “I'll explain what just happened once we get far enough from them.”

---

After some more walking, Sonora stopped us. “Well, we're far enough away now,” she told us. “What do you want to know?”

“Why in the world did all those Cacturne sound so strange?” I asked. “They had the oddest accent I've ever heard in my life.”

“Do you remember how I said the Saguaro were foreign to the Sand Continent?” Sonora reminded me. “We discussed it back during your time in Redkiln, although I didn't mention them by name.”

“Oh, I remember now,” I replied. “Now, on to the next two questions: What's a “Cholla”? They kept calling you that. I'd also like to know who “Burr” is, too.”

“Oh, that's another simple one to answer!” Sonora responded. “They are the tribe I was originally a part of. It's made up of both Maractus and Cacturne, although the latter have a different hat shape than the Saguaro. They don't have their accent, either. As for the whole “Burr” thing, that's the name my Cacturne was born with. He never liked his real name, and he abandoned it as soon as we ran away from our tribes. Discarding his name was a symbolic thing – in his tribe, you only lose your name if you're exiled or betray your folks. It means you're dead to them.”

“Actually, I got a question,” Makuhita chimed in. “It's a pretty important one, too. What did that guy back there mean by calling you a snitch? He made it sound like you stabbed him in the back.”

“I left him because I was tired of hurting other Pokemon, but I didn't betray him like that one tribesmon said,” Sonora clarified. “Once I left our hideout, I marched straight towards the Deputy's office, which took me a few weeks. It was a lot harder getting out of the Great Thirsty alone than with him by my side.”

“There's actually a saying about that where I come from,” I added. “One man starves, while the group prospers.” It stresses the need for Pokemon to co-operate with each other in order to survive in these lands. It's especially important if you wish to travel through this place. Only the greatest of navigators, the suicidal, and the reckless would trek through it by themselves.”

“Exactly,” Sonora affirmed. Bits of sand began to fly around as we began to move again. “I think a sandstorm's gonna start up soon,” Sonora added. “We need to find shelter.”

Makuhita gestured towards some ruins in the distance. “How about we go there?” He suggested. “It looks abandoned enough.”

Sonora frowned, looking a bit nervous. “I don't know if that's a good idea,” she replied. “It's forbidden by all of the tribes in the area to poke around there, and I believe there's a good reason for that. Any explorers who travel there disappear, although we might not have much of a choice.”

“Well, it'd be better than getting blasted by sand,” Makuhita tried to reassure her. “We should probably go there before it's too late.”

“I guess we have no choice, then,” Sonora lamented. “Let's go.” The three of us travelled towards the ruins, seeking shelter from the brewing sandstorm... We would be trapped there for quite a while.

Ruminations

We waited in the ruins, while Sonora looked visibly tense. “Lighten up a little,” Makuhita said to her. “If you're so nervous, why don't we just talk to pass the time?”

Sonora nodded. “I guess that could work,” she responded. “Tell me a bit about yourselves. Makuhita can go first.”

My partner nodded. “Well, I lost my memory after a Tauros rammed into my skull head-first,” he began. “I then wandered the desert and nearly died until Asana found me. She kinda hated me at first, but she warmed up to me. We've been through all sorts of trials together, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I come from a place far, far away from here, and having her by my side has made my stay here enjoyable.”

I groaned. “Makuhita, now is not the time to tell false backstories!” I scolded, irritation building up within me. “Sonora, he always makes up false accounts of concussion-induced amnesia in order to deflect from others actually prying into his background. His condition when I found him was strange as well.”

“Really?” Sonora asked. “What was so strange about him?”

“Well, he had no supplies on him, in spite of being far enough into the Thirsty Desert that he couldn't have travelled from the Midlands to get to where he was without any,” I started to explain. “He had no signs of trauma, either, so he wasn't robbed of food and water. It's like he tumbled out of the sky and fell down in the middle of this region. Yet, in spite of his evasiveness, I do trust him. If it weren't for him, I'd still be wasting my life away on the caravans, stagnating until I grew too old to fight.”

Makuhita looked slightly uncomfortable as I explained how I found him, shifting in place while I did so. “If you knew the truth, you wouldn't believe me,” he replied, his tone sounding unusually serious and stern. “Any lies I say are more believable than what actually happened.”

The room grew eerily silent. It lingered for a few moments, before Sonora decided to break it. “So, uh, where did you come from, Asana?” She said awkwardly.

“My early life isn't of much note,” I told her. “The town you found me in was the one I grew up in. I always wished to become one of the best combatants there was, but I had no friends. I pushed everyone away with arrogance and elitism that I didn't actually earn. I worked as a caravan guard for a while, and I found Makuhita towards the end of that career. On our last run, the caravan we were guarding was attacked by a bandit. My partner and I beat him and turned him in to the authorities, and seeing how much Poke we made, Makuhita urged me to switch careers. I did so. Bounty hunting is far more dangerous than my old job, but I feel more...” I paused, unsure of how to phrase my emotions.

“I suppose I feel more fulfilled,” I continued. “I get to see the Sand Continent. I get to improve my skills. I get to make friends. It feels like I've had a second chance at life.”

Sonora looked deep in thought. “I can see,” she muttered. “My early life was kind of plain, too. I had a lot of friends and family in my tribe, and I still miss them. Cacturne was so important to me, that I had to leave them behind. I wish the tribes we were a part of would quit quarreling. No living Pokemon is left that can remember who the true instigator of the feud was. It's pointless and petty.”

“Some folks are just like that,” Makuhita chimed in. “It's a real shame.”

Sonora walked towards the entrance of the building we were in, and looked outside. “The sky's clear!” She said joyfully. “Let's get out of here, and back on the trail!” The three of us walked out of the ruins, only for me to Sense something wrong – many presences were flying towards us. Before I could sound the alarm, we were surrounded by Sigilyph.

”INTRUDERS DETECTED,” one of the four guardians said. ”YOU ARE BEING DETAINED. DO NOT RESIS-”

Sonora fired a Solar Beam at the Sigilyph, frying it to the point where it couldn't fight anymore. “We need to run!” She yelled. I grabbed Makuhita's hefty body and began to carry it, fleeing from our temporary shelter all the while. Sonora stayed at the back, firing more Solar Beams at any Sigilyph that flew too close to us. After we were far enough away, the sentries flew back to the ruins they were guarding – apparently, they were only willing to remain in a certain radius around them.

“I can see why no one returned now,” Sonora said, sounding exhausted. “No exploration team I know of could deal with so many enemies at once.” Makuhita and I nodded in agreement. We continued our journey to the Parched Gorge, hopefully without any more roadblocks.

Rising Tensions

We had finally made it to our destination. As its name implied, Parched Gorge was unfathomably hot – I could see barely any life in or around it. Makuhita was sweating up a storm, looking visibly exhausted. “How much further until we get to Cacturne?” He asked.

“We're very close,” Sonora replied. “Just follow me.” The three of us walked towards the end of the canyon, and there, we saw a cave entrance. “Well, this is where Cacturne lives,” Sonora informed us. “You two need to stay on guard at all times in there. He's a very crafty Pokemon, you know.”

“Why don't you go in with us?” I asked. “Don't you remember what that tribesmon said about you stabbing him in the back? What if Cacturne believes that, and doesn't want to listen to us because you sent us and he thinks you snitched? Wouldn't you want to clear your name with him?”

Sonora paused, looking visibly conflicted. “I don't know,” she said reluctantly. “You raise a good point, but I still don't wanna see him hating me. Just go in there – if you two get in trouble, I'll back you up.”

“Well, that's an improvement compared to before” Makuhita butted in. “Are you ready, Asana?”

I nodded. I channeled Aura into my limbs, then the two of us walked into Cacturne's lair...

...Only to come face to face with Lombre, who was pointing a claw at us. His finger was dripping with condensation – he would likely use a move if we stepped out of line.

“I could feel intruders coming here,” Lombre mumbled. He examined me thoroughly, squinting all the while. He looked as though he was doubting what he saw in front of him. “I can't believe it,” he said. “You're that guard who got me a few months back.” Lombre turned around. “Hey, Cacturne! I'm holding up our trespassers! You're gonna get a kick out of who came here!”

I heard footsteps. Cacturne arrived shortly after, standing right next to Lombre. He looked downwards, smiling eerily at me. “Well, well, well. Ya either got brain damage, or I didn't beat the cockiness out of ya the first time,” Cacturne insulted. “You're the guard lady Lombre got so worked up about. Did ya really think you can beat us, just by bringin' along some fatty with you?”

“I don't want to fight if that can be avoided,” I responded. “I came here to talk.”

Cacturne stifled a laugh, looking amused at what I had just said. “You're the first bounty hunter who wanted t'talk instead 'a take me in. I don't see why I can't listen to ya – whatever dumb crap you say is bound to be funny.”

Lombre shot a glare at his partner. “Are we seriously going to entertain this woman and her requests?” He asked. “She's probably going to brag a bunch.”

“Lombre, I need a bit 'a humor sometimes,” Cacturne replied. “You're a good buddy and all, but you're all business. Comedy is the spice 'a life.”

I sighed. “Cacturne, why are you still robbing Pokemon? Aren't you growing at least a bit tired of it? Of how you don't have any friends, or having to hide all the time?”

Cacturne's smile grew wider. “Lombre's the only buddy I need,” he affirmed. “Besides, I've been at banditry so long that I can't go back, even if I wanted to. It's simply how I live life; how I survive. Soft townsfolk like y'all wouldn't get it.”

“Yes, but that lifestyle costed something very important to you,” I rebutted. “It costed you your wife – Merry. I know you had to run alone for a long time after she was gone, Cacturne. How did you really feel about-”

Cacturne glared at me. Even though he wasn't a freak of nature like the Shah, the hate in his eyes still instilled a sense of fear and awe within me. “How do ya know that name, shrimp?” He asked. “No one knows about it but me.”

“Well, she's the one that led us here!” Makuhita responded. “She really misses you, you know? She wants you back with her, and she sent us here to try and convince you to-”

Cacturne's ire-filled gaze shifted to Makuhita. “That rat sent ya here?” He spat. “It wasn't enough for her t'give out the location of my lair to a bunch of bounty hunters back then? She had to get a couple of suckers like y'all to finish the job?”

“Oh no,” Lombre muttered, a bead of sweat dripping down his head.

Lombre!” Cacturne shouted. “We're kickin' their asses, and we're gonna get them t'spill where Merry is, got it?”

“I figured it would come to this,” Lombre replied. “I'm taking the Meditite, though. I have some unfinished business with her.”

The Sniper Fires Back

Lombre gained a determined look in his eyes, the water dripping from his claw growing in intensity. “I'm not the weakling you met the first time,” he told me calmly. “I won't go easy on you.”

I used Detect at the first possible moment, seeing into the future. I saw that Lombre would fire several Bubble Beams at me – with the help of my move, I dodged them all, although even with it, it was still a difficult feat. The speed of his aim has improved, and with the Mach Ribbon he had around his neck, he was even faster than before.

As soon as Detect wore off, I took special notice of the Aura in Lombre's muscles. It would always tense a split-second before firing, and it was only through that distinctive tell that I was able to continue evading his shots. It was like a demented madman's idea of a dance – I had to weave and run around, all the while I was in the firing line.

Soon enough, Lombre quit firing, and looked at his claw. “I'm out of ammo,” he grumbled. “I don't know how you avoided them all – you're the first to do that, after all the training I've been through. I'm not done yet, though.” He speeded towards me and began to assault me with a flurry of punches - individually, they were weak, but the sheer speed with which he attacked was highly disorienting.

I couldn't dodge them all. I was forced to block most of them with my arms, as I desperately looked for an opening. Mercifully, I found one, and I used a Brick Break on his chest, causing the outlaw to reel back in pain. Strangely, he still looked entirely calm.

Strange roots began to extend from Lombre's hands, flexing as they grew. I remained on the defensive as he closed the distance, dodging one root. However, as I moved, another one moved independently, striking my torso with great force!

I was sent flying back, hitting one of the cave walls. I fired a Psybeam at Lombre, but using his roots, he grappled the cave ceiling and swung above it, launching into a kick as he flew down towards me. I rolled out of the way and fired a second Psybeam towards him – this time it hit, causing my target to flinch.

He looked badly injured. I moved to deal a finishing blow, but as I drew closer, something bone-chilling occurred.

In spite of his wounds and pain, Lombre remained level-headed. He raised a single hand towards me, roots extending from it and wrapping themselves around me. They began to dig into me, and I could feel my lifeforce being sapped away – his injuries from before closed up. Were his roots some form of draining move?

He then fired what appeared to be an Energy Ball at my bound form. I couldn't escape from his clutches – the orb hit, burning me severely. In that singular moment, he proved to possess an unique danger compared to every other criminal I've faced.

Lombre was frail, but he was determined, skilled, and had a preternatural ability to remain calm under pressure. He had been adapting to me as we fought, unlike any other outlaw I've seen. They all relied on brute force or gimmicks, but he had something far more deadly than any of that. He let me go from his roots and stared at me as I flopped onto the ground, a smirk on his face.

“Who's the pathetic one now?” He asked. “Look at how much good your arrogance did you. How does it feel to be on the receiving end of a beatdown?”

The mocking tone of his words got to me. I forced my arm to move out of sheer spite, reaching into my bag to retrieve an Oran. Lombre tried to snatch it from me, but I warded him off with a Psybeam from my other arm, allowing me to eat the item I desperately needed.

I felt the Oran restore my vitality, as I got up on my own two feet. He looked more annoyed than anything else, and began to fish through his bag. “Of course you're the stubborn one,” he complained. “This'll put you in your place quite nicely.” He retrieved a Rainy Orb, of all things, from his supplies. I had no clue why he put so much faith in such a niche item, but I knew better than to let my foes set up whatever advantages they want.

I fired a Psybeam towards the Orb, breaking it into pieces. Lombre's arms shook slightly in anger, although they stopped in a matter of seconds. “I should've expected that,” he said. “It's time for Plan B.” He took out a Vanish Seed and ate it, his body fading out into nothingness.

Against any other opponent, it would've been a foolproof strategy. However, there was one key detail Lombre didn't know about me – my usage of Aura. The Seed might've hid his body, but his Aura was still very much visible to me. I put on an act, looking around in a false panic. I could feel Lombre moving behind me, his body shifting into position to strike... That was when I turned around and launched into a High Jump Kick that collided into him with full force, sending him flying into the cavern ceiling head-first!

Lombre fell to the ground, his Vanish Seed wearing off. He looked dazed for a moment, but he wasn't out of the fight yet. He extended his draining roots from before, and I used Detect in preparation. Since I could see how they moved ahead of time, I was able to evade them all, and through a miniscule gap in his attack patterns, I fired another Psybeam. It hit him dead on, causing him to flinch in pain. I moved to perform a final Brick Break to end the battle, but he grabbed me with his roots again - the lowering of his guard was a bluff.

“It's a good thing I was the one to deal with you,” Lombre reflected. “You actually could've won against Cacturne, and you almost got me. Your little struggle is over, however.” I could feel his roots dig into me and drain me of my energy again. I attempted to break free, but they were too strong. “You and your friend are going to tell us where Merry is, and we are going to pay her a visit,” Lombre said confidently. “I won't hurt her too bad, but I cannot make the same guarentee for the boss. He's still torn up about how she hurt him. You and that Makuhita should be ashamed of yourselves for helping someone like that.”

As soon as Lombre was done draining my energy, he let me go. I dropped to the ground, powerless as he stole my bag. “You won't be needing that anymore,” he said. Everything was up to Makuhita now, and judging by the way my opponent fought, he'd lose – he always struggled the most against speedier fighters.

Brawn vs Brawn

Cacturne began his fight with Makuhita as he did most others – he shot Pin Missiles towards his opponent's eyes. However, due to Makuhita's eyes being perpetually closed, not a single shot hit him where it needed to. He simply plucked them out of his face and assaulted Cacturne with a series of Arm Thrusts.

Cacturne was able to endure the attack easily and shot back with a Needle Arm aimed as a liver shot. It technically landed, but due to Makuhita's sheer bulk, the attack didn't have the desired disabling effect, allowing him the opportunity to grab Cacturne's arm. He threw the outlaw to the floor with all of his strength, following it up with an elbow drop, which barely seemed to make his opponent budge.

Cacturne got up and shot some Bullet Seeds at Makuhita – they penetrated his skin, but due to his natural blubber, they didn't travel too far. Makuhita Tackled Cacturne as hard as he could in an attempt to throw him off-balance, but he stood firm. The two adversaries shared one trait in common; a single characteristic that would see this battle devolve into a brutal brawl where the first to falter loses:

They were both stubborn bastards. As Makuhita collided into Cacturne, he found himself grabbed and tossed to the ground, where he was fired upon some more with Bullet Seeds. Yet, Makuhita wasn't even close to being done. He got up and strangely enough, started to become slightly muscular. He was using Bulk Up – he needed every ounce of strength he could muster if he were to make his enemy even budge.

Makuhita began to attack with his Arm Thrusts again, and in turn, Cacturne tried to punt him like a soccer ball. However, due to his weight and bulk, he instead stood his ground and caught the criminal's leg, throwing him to the ground again. He attacked Cacturne with a full-body splash, using his great weight against him. The prickly outlaw let out a grunt – it was the first time Cacturne had expressed any sort of pain in their fight.

He lifted Makuhita off of him and threw him against the cavern wall, scrambling up with he was dazed and then slugging him with repeated Needle Arms – each one impacted against Makuhita's flesh, but he still kept on standing. Once he recovered, Makuhita hit Cacturne with a Force Palm, which he blocked with an arm. Makuhita utilized the same move again, and this time around, it caused his target's arm to tense up and stop moving.

Cacturne began to look through his bag for a remedy, but Makuhita side-stepped and grabbed it. The two engaged in a brief tug of war for the bag, only for it to rip in half and have its contents spill all over the cavern floor. Cacturne glared at Makuhita, the holes comprising his mouth forming into a sharp frown. “You're gonna pay for that!” He yelled out, slamming his remaining functional arm into Makuhita's gut.

Makuhita stumbled back as Cacturne punched him in the head with a Needle Arm – this caused him to actually fall over, clinging his head in agony. Cacturne began to stomp on his opponent repeatedly, his aggrevation from their tactics leaking out.

Yet, even in the midst of being trampled upon, Makuhita refused to give in. He grabbed onto Cacturne's leg and threw him onto the ground, quickly climbing on top of him and pulling his functioning arm into a lock. Cacturne tried his hardest to break free, but with his arms either disabled or pinned, any attempts were fruitless.

It was then that Makuhita heared something soaring through the air. He turned around to look at the source, and was hit with an Energy Ball directly to his body. A bit of it hit Cacturne as well, but due to his typing, it hardly did anything.

Makuhita let go of Cacturne due to his heavily injured state. As the outlaw got up, he looked towards the source of the sudden attack – Lombre had pulled through his battle. “Thanks for gettin' me outta that jam,” Cacturne told his partner. “I was in a pretty bad spot there. That blockhead was far more stubborn than he ought to be. He's the smallest 'mon I've seen that can keep up with me in a tussle.”

“Sheesh, these two were tougher than I thought they'd be,” Lombre replied. “Although, come to think of it, I do recognize that Meditite's face from a newspaper,” he observed, as he dragged Asana's body closer to Cacturne. “I can't believe the same guard that messed me up was partially responsible for that fiasco up North.”

“Oh, she's one 'a them folk?” Cacturne asked. “I can figure how metal-head struggled with 'em. That one was a proper moron, an' his men couldn't co-ordinate worth a shit. Anyway, let's get down to business.”

Cacturne stared down at Asana and Makuhita, the two of them still too weak to fight back. “Where's Merry?” He demanded. “The fatty said you were workin' for her, so ya must know where she is. It's about time she gets some payback, ya see?”

Asana groaned. “Makuhita, you blockhead, why did you have to tell him about that?” She asked.

“Well, he would've already been suspicious of us anyway if I didn't say anything,” Makuhita responded. “At least he isn't trying to decapitate us like-”

Cacturne sighed. “I might not be finishin' you off, but boy, I can put you through a whole world of hurt,” he interrupted. “Now quit jabbering, and tell me where Merry is. If ya don't, you're both gonna be my new punchin' bags, got it?”

Asana turned her head towards the cave entrance, having heard something. She saw Sonora slowly making her way towards the four of them, looking very concerned. “Cacturne, I'm right here,” she said. “If you want to talk to me, then so be it.”

Two Halves Made Whole

Cacturne stared at Sonora, as if in disbelief at her presence. “You got a whole lotta nerve, showin' up after what you done,” he muttered. “Gimme one good reason why I shouldn't slug you.” Lombre pointed a claw at Sonora, ice gathering on the tip. “Lombre, hold your fire,” Cacturne ordered. “I want answers first.” He hesitantly complied, allowing her to speak.

“Cacturne, I tried my hardest to persuade you to come with me,” Sonora replied. “As much as I wanted to stick around with you, I couldn't bear hurting others anymore. The whole reason why I tried to have my friends talk to you was so that you could come to your senses, but it should've been me who went in first. I was a coward for not facing you sooner; not fighting for who I care for-”

“Quit fibbin'!” Cacturne yelled out. “Don't pretend you didn't send a bunch 'a bounty hunters after me the moment I didn't give up! I remember them folk as clear as day, Merry.”

“Cacturne, I had nothing to do with that,” Sonora pleaded. “I travelled straight out of the Great Thirsty and turned myself in. I didn't talk with anyone but the Deputy, and even then, I didn't tell him where you were.”

“Didn't I say to cut the crap?” Cacturne chided. “They came to me a week after you were gone. It ain't a coincidence. Now's your last chance t'tell me the truth, or else I'm lettin' Lombre open fire!”

“A week?” Sonora asked. “Cacturne, it took me more than that just to get out of the desert! I couldn't have possibly contacted them then – they must've been tracking us independently before I left!” She fidgeted with the Gold Ribbon on her head out of nervousness, Cacturne's eyes being drawn to it.

“What the heck are you still doin' with that thing?” He asked. “We split up ages ago. You coulda sold it for a few grand, so why carry it around?”

“Cacturne, even though I left you, I never abandoned you,” Merry responded. “This ribbon was practically the only thing left of you I had for years. Thankfully, Magneton kept his word when I told him to hang onto it while I was in prison.” She frowned, tears beginning to form in her eyes. “If I ever lost the Ribbon you gave me, I don't know what I'd do. It almost happened, too, but that Meditite on the floor, Asana, retreived it for me.”

Cacturne paused, all of his anger melting away and being replaced by uncertainty. “Was I wrong t'think you sold me out?” He pondered, the words slowly and reluctantly creeping out of him as he uttered them.

Lombre looked clearly annoyed, the ice crystals around his claw building in intensity. “Boss, don't listen to her,” he warned. “She's trying to trick you. Do you even know how much money you're worth to those two on the floor?”

The air grew silent. “You're worth thirty grand,” Lombre revealed. “I know math isn't your strong suite, but if they split it three ways, they'd get ten thousand Poke each, not to mention everything that's hidden in our secret stash. Merry's the only Pokemon besides us two who know of its location. She knows you're still attached to her, and she's using that to ensnare you-”

Sonora ignored Lombre, continuing to plead her case with her ex-husband. “Cacturne, I wouldn't even dream of betraying you like that. That'd be spitting on all the love we have for each other. Even if you were mad at me, I know you can't bring yourself to hate me.”

“Merry, do you even know what I did with my Ribbon after them bounty hunters jumped me?” He asked shakily. “I ripped it up to shreds. Ya shouldn't have put so much faith in me. I tarnished what we had the moment I was in a bad spot, all outta anger. Just take your buddies and go home.”

“We all do stupid stuff when we're mad,” Sonora retorted. “I won't hold that against you. I want you to come home and change your ways, yes, but I won't force that choice on you if you don't want it.”

Cacturne was speechless. As the gears in his head began to turn, Asana sat up, looking at the scene in front of her. “Cacturne, how isolated is your life?” She asked. “Have you ever had made any friends? Have you ever had any experiences outside of robbery and lounging around in a cave?”

“Come t'think of it, not really,” Cacturne reflected. “Lombre and Merry are really the only two friends I ever had. I damn near went insane while I ran solo – only reason why I didn't become a ravin' lunatic is because I was too bull-headed to succumb to that.”

Lombre steadied his aim, pointing his claw straight towards Sonora's head. “Lombre, don't you dare fire at her!” Cacturne yelled. “If you harm a single spine on her, we're through!”

Lombre grimaced, lowering his arm down. “I'm only trying to protect you,” he replied. “These Pokemon aren't doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. They're after loot above all else. If you want to spend the rest of your life behind bars, I won't stop you, but I do have a warning for “Asana” and her friend.”

He glared straight towards Asana, his normally calm eyes glimmering with a hint of malice. “I've been running scams longer than you two have been alive, so I know them when I see them. If you think you can get away with such blatant psychological manipulation, you're wrong – I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth if I must, and when I find you two again, I'll end your lives myself.” He began to walk towards the mouth of the cavern. “No one screws with my family and gets away with it. Watch yourselves.”

Once Lombre left the cave, Asana looked around, visibly tense. “Do you think he'll follow up on that threat?” She questioned.

“The whole reason why Lombre got so tough was because he was pissed at ya,” Cacturne replied. “He became as strong as me in only three months. I dunno what lengths he'd go to in order to fulfill his promise, but I doubt it's anythin' good.”

“Anyway, to proceed,” Asana continued. “Our lifestyles were different. A caravan bandit and a sentry are on opposite sides of the chessboard, yet we were both confined by our roles. We were both isolated, miserable, and friendless, but it was only due to moving outside of my comfort zone that I broke free from my cage. I won't sugarcoat it – you'll be locked away for a long time if you choose to surrender yourself, but there are programs for Pokemon who wish to change their ways. So-” Asana paused, correcting herself. “Err... Merry went through such herself.”

Sonora nodded. “The road to redeeming yourself is long and hard, but you'll make plenty of friends along the way,” she affirmed. “So, what will it be? Do you want to try to make a new life for yourself, or do you wanna remain here?”

Cacturne didn't speak for about a minute, looking deep in thought. “I'll go with y'all,” he decided. “I'm growin' a bit too old for this business anyways. In a few years, I would've started slowin' down.”

The four Pokemon collected themselves and set off on a long journey back towards Sahra Town. Asana kept an eye out for ambushes the entire time, but to her discomfort, there weren't any. If Lombre was planning something, she'd have to wait until later to see what it was.