PMD - Flight

About time this Zergling got around to making another large drawing. Should make a fine desktop background.

Oh, and a short story to go with it, Charmander hasn't gotten any nicer.

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Spinda’s Café was packed full, even though it was early afternoon, when most Pokemon would be busy working. Every resident of Treasure Town was present, including the members of Wigglytuff’s guild as well as members of Team Guardians. A few visitors were also present, such as Team Raiders and Team AWD, and other such eminent Exploration Teams. 

A makeshift podium had been set up at one end of the café, which was empty for the time being, while the Pokemon were seated around the many tables, chattering with each other. Spinda had quite the work cut out for him, scurrying through what little space was left in the café so that he could serve drinks.

One of the tables was oddly silent, however. This table was mostly empty, save for a Charmander, Raichu, and Linoone, all wearing the red neckwear that marked them as members of the same team. The Charmander was silently poring over some documents, paying no heed to the Raichu who was trying to keep the Linoone from getting too restless, like a mother tending to a bored child. Strewn across the table were several bottles of Max Elixirs, some full and some empty. It seemed that most of the Pokemon at the café did not want the company of these three, particularly the Charmander, preferring instead to congregate at other tables despite how packed the tables had become. 

The chattering did not die down as Wigglytuff and Chatot assumed their positions behind the podium, Chatot perching on top while Wigglytuff happily danced around with his precious Perfect Apple. Since Wigglytuff seemed rather…distracted, Chatot went ahead and spoke on the Guildmaster’s behalf. 

“Ahem, everyone, please settle down,” Chatot announced, as he hopped onto the podium, barely heard over the conversations pervading the café. The room did not go quiet. 

“Everyone, please settle down!” Chatot tried to squawk loudly, to no avail. 

“It would be wise to not waste my time.” Charmander stepped up beside the podium. 

The effect was like magic. The entire room became hushed in an instant, no Pokemon wanting to even slightly annoy the Charmander, who was now scowling at everyone. Save for Linoone, of course, who was too oblivious to take the cue and was eagerly gulping down a new bottle of Max Elixir. 

“U-um, thank you, Charmander.” Chatot cleared his throat again. “I know word has gotten around already, but I will say it here to make it official. The Exploration Guild has decided to name Charmander of Team Guardians as Guildmaster.” Chatot raised a wing to halt any sort of response. “I know some of you may have mixed feelings about this, but the Guild committee was unanimous in its decision, and we should honor it. Please, give a round of applause to the new Guildmaster.” 

A few Pokemon began clapping half-heartedly, and as Charmander continued to scowl, the rest of the room joined in, not wanting to be singled out for being unsupportive. The only one who still refrained from clapping was Quilava, who was standing in a dark corner, apparently not too worried about drawing Charmander’s wrath. 

“Move.” Charmander waved a claw, and Chatot obediently hopped off the podium, landing on Wigglytuff’s head. 

Charmander’s gaze did not waver as he addressed the audience. “I wish to make this point clear—my title is just a formality. I’ve always been in charge here.” 

The members of Team Raiders and AWD looked away in disgust, while the others just looked down at their drinks and snacks, their appetite gone. They knew Charmander had been the one in charge for a while, of course, but hearing Charmander’s remark made them feel even more helpless in his grip of power. Charmander controlled every resource available to the Exploration Teams operating on the continent, meaning every team depended on him to continue exploration activities. And Charmander directed the teams as he saw fit, while any team that defied him would face harsh retribution enacted with cold precision. 

Charmander waited a little to let the message sink in, and then continued. “Now, there are a few announcements I must make, which is why I called you to gather here; my new title is of little concern.” Charmander gestured towards an Audino that was seated next to Nurse Chansey. “We have a visiting nurse in town, Arduino the Audino. She hails from an up and coming settlement called Lively Town, located on the Water Continent, and her goal is to perfect her work by studying under Nurse Chansey.” 

There were murmurs and whispers among the townsfolk. It seemed that none of them had heard of the Water Continent before, and they had certainly never seen an Audino before. 

Charmander quickly restored order by raising a claw for silence. “I realize that this is novel information for you, but it should not be surprising that our continent is not the only one in this world. I have been made aware of two nearby continents, the Air Continent directly north of us, and the Water Continent in the northwestern direction. There may be other continents farther out, and I intend to obtain that information in the near future.” 

“Here is the crucial announcement. Now you know that there are other continents, and I plan to begin expanding my influence to those regions. These continents have their own settlements and organizations; the Air Continent has what is known as the Pokemon Rescue Organization that commissions Rescue Teams to assist Pokemon in need, while the Water Continent has a relatively new group called the Expedition Society. These organizations function similarly to ours in that they assist Pokemon in need while exploring the continent for treasure and knowledge. It is my intention to merge those organizations with mine, and eventually unify all the continents under a single entity, for maximum efficiency.” 

This was certainly not happy news for the Pokemon gathered here. Was there no end to Charmander’s ambitions? They feared what would happen once Charmander gained control of such vast resources, and they felt nothing but sadness when they thought about the suffering that was to come to the residents of these newly discovered continents as Charmander tightened his grip over those regions.  There was no joy to be found in Charmander’s success. 

“I will be diverting a significant portion of our resources into this expansion effort,” Charmander continued. “Every ground-based member of Team Guardians must learn to travel by flight and be able to engage in aerial battles. We have three primary members for aerial transportation – L, Lat1, and Lat2. I am already well-versed in coordinating with them in flight, and I will begin training other members of the team. In the meantime, Team Guardians will temporarily cease running missions from the mission board; therefore, other Exploration Teams under the Guild will be expected to cover the missions we cannot. In particular, Team Raiders and Team AWD will have to cease most of their exploration to handle the difficult missions that would otherwise be completed by myself, which is why the Exploration Guild has reassigned the two teams to Treasure Town. I intend to make contact with the residents of the Air Continent within the next six weeks, and establish a fully-functioning team base on the continent along with a resource transportation route within two months. Our influence should grow quite quickly on this continent, as they are still recovering from a series of natural disasters that were rampant several years ago. Their infrastructure is relatively weak, and they will be very eager to accept our assistance, such that they will eventually become dependent on our resources.” 

“The Kecleon Brothers will receive a list of goods to be shipped to the Air Continent once contact is established. Kangaskhan will assist in managing the goods and will receive a warehouse at the outpost, and later, at the Air Continent’s primary settlement. Feel free to request additional personnel as needed. Nurse Chansey can expect to collaborate with the medical group on the Air Continent, but do not forget that your service to Treasure Town is the highest priority. Duskull Bank will expect to expand operations to the Air Continent, but I will be closely managing the monetary policies. All other businesses will operate in this town as before and will not be considered for expanding to the Air Continent until I have determined that it would be cost-efficient.” 

Charmander scanned the audience to affirm that everyone had listened properly. “Now I will conclude the town meeting. If you have any relevant questions or concerns, submit them to the team mailbox, and they will be answered if they are worth answering. There are still about five minutes left in our allotted time for the meeting, so use that time to finish your food and drinks. I expect all of you back at work immediately afterwards.” 

As Charmander swiftly turned to leave, the café became a bustling hub of activity once again, with all the Pokemon quickly trying to gulp down their Gummi shakes that they had forgotten during Charmander’s speech, or otherwise packing up their food so that they could get back to work. Absolutely no one wanted to be caught not working after the five minutes had elapsed. However, no Pokemon made a move towards the exit, as Charmander was leading his team out, with Spinda hurriedly passing a small snack box for the team to Raichu before she fell too far behind. 

The team members were all silent as they made their way across Treasure Town to Sharpedo Bluff. Arduino followed after them, having been sent by Nurse Chansey to receive initial assignments from Charmander. Once they were at the entrance to the team headquarters, Charmander stopped to give instructions for the upcoming flight training. 

“I already mentioned the three primary fliers,” Charmander began, gesturing to Lugia, Latios, and Latias. “However, we have four grounded members, which include Raichu, Linoone, Quilava, and myself.”

Raichu instinctively pulled Linoone closer to herself. “Char, you can’t be thinking of having Linoone fly…he’ll hurt himself.”

Charmander showed no concern whatsoever. “He will learn, like the rest. If he gets in an accident, all the better for the team. I do anticipate some injuries during the initial stages of training, which is why I will set a height limit until I have determined that you are competent enough to avoid slipping off. As an additional measure of safety, Mew and Jirachi will stand by to catch anyone who is in danger.” 

Mew certainly wasn’t thrilled. “You mean I have to sit around doing nothing? That’s no fun…”

Charmander’s eyes flashed with a slight bit of annoyance, and he reached into his bag and produced a Gravelerock. With no sign of hesitation, he threw the Gravelerock directly at Mew’s head, striking the top of the skull with a resounding CLACK and sending Mew to the ground in tears. If this were a few months ago, Mew would have attempted to teleport out of the way, but Mew had long since given up because Charmander would always predict the location to which Mew would teleport and would send a variation of Shadow Ball to the location—and that hurt much more. 

Charmander pushed Raichu away to prevent her from tending to the hurting Mew. “If I ever catch you failing to maintain proper surveillance during training, thus compromising the safety of the training session, I will do much worse than throw a rock at your head.”

Mew sniffled and nodded, and Charmander motioned for Arduino to tend to the bruise on Mew’s head.

“Arduino will provide medical assistance during training,” Charmander stated. “I expect some minor injuries to occur during early training. You will probably become quite proficient at treating Linoones, just as Nurse Chansey has.” 

Arduino shrugged. “I have read her published journals, so I know she is an expert at treating Linoones. Is he that prone to accidents?” 

Charmander ignored the question and looked at Quilava. “You will receive private training later in the day, after I have trained Raichu and Linoone. I will be riding L, since L is less maneuverable. Lat1 and Lat2 are better for beginners.” 

Shaymin shyly raised a paw. “What about me? Do I get a vacation?” 

“You are to continue the rejuvenation of Sky Peak, before another untimely, unfortunate accident burns it down again,” Charmander flatly said. “I believe everyone has been properly assigned to tasks. Training begins in fifteen minutes; I expect everyone involved to meet at the beach within that time.” 

Thus, Team Guardians entered Charmander’s strict flight training. Most of it was done above the sea, and every day the trainees would return to the team headquarters absolutely drenched and reeking of seawater—even Latios and Latias became soaked because the riders would keep falling into the sea, and Charmander did not give them time to dry off. The early stages of training typically involved Raichu and Linoone clinging desperately to Latios and Latias, while Charmander angrily and futilely yelled at them to stop being statues and to shift their weight according to the maneuvers. 

As the trainees became more comfortable with balancing themselves during flight, Charmander demanded more from them, particularly with more complicated and more physically strenuous maneuvers, and at higher speeds. The training became quite physically demanding, both for the fliers and the trainees, but Charmander knew exactly how much to push them and squeezed every bit of energy out of them each session. And as much as they hated being forced to train to the point of exhaustion, they were always more afraid of Charmander than they were tired. 

Quilava seemed to have an easier time learning, since he was a lot more focused and less prone to fear. Quilava was actually quite motivated to learn, since he knew that increased proficiency in flying would probably mean more versatility in his missions—anything that allowed him to kill his targets more effectively was a welcome addition. Still, he was absolutely tired at the end of his daily training sessions, just like the others, and Charmander did not treat him any better for his enthusiasm. Quilava would always return to the team base with his eyes burning in sheer frustration, and there was no better punching bag than Linoone. 

Eventually, the trainees were allowed to fly without height restrictions. Raichu slightly regressed in her training as the result of her discomfort with height, clinging onto Latios for dear life. Linoone seemed to run into a wall, no longer progressing in his skills and ending up having to be rescued by Latias, whose patience was worn thin from having to frequently catch the squirming, panicking Pokemon. Charmander knew that Linoone had reached the limit of his training but did not stop the training in hopes that Linoone would eventually make a fatal mistake. Fortunately, or unfortunately for Charmander, Linoone had very powerful survival instincts and would always manage to grab hold of Latias before slipping out of reach. 

Nurse Arduino eventually became quite idle, with the rate of injuries going down, but her work picked up again once the team moved onto combat training while in flight. Coordination was a particularly difficult aspect to learn, as the riders were not as perceptive as Charmander was of the habits and preferences that the fliers had in their movements. Mew and Jirachi were put on very high alert, having to catch Raichu and Quilava quite often, though at least now they had plenty of time to react due to the height at which the Pokemon were training. Linoone was eventually taken off the training, to allow Raichu and Quilava to do some sparring against each other. They also sparred against Charmander every once in a while, and Charmander never showed any mercy, resulting in painfully one-sided battles every time. 

It was hard, frustrating work, but after about a month of strenuous training, Raichu and Quilava had become skilled to Charmander’s expectations. They would continue to hold reduced and less regular training sessions, but now it was time for them to apply their skills in actual missions. Charmander wanted to move ahead with his plans to establish contact with the other continents, with an outpost already under construction on the northern shores and a route established for transporting materials. 

“Normally, I would take Jirachi when entering new towns,” Charmander said from his work desk to his small audience of Raichu, Latios, and Latias. “However, I have decided that the party will consist of Raichu, Linoone, and myself. The three of us appear more like a traditional team, and since I will be more personally involved in interactions, I will not require Jirachi’s social skills.” 

Latias could not help but interject. “Not sure you count as having social skills—” Latias shut her mouth quite quickly when a Geo Pebble hit her head. “Okay, I deserved that…” 

Charmander moved his gaze to glare at Raichu. “Linoone got into the collection vault again. If you cannot control his impulsive behavior, I will stuff him full of empty Max Elixir bottles.”

Raichu did not meet his gaze. “I’m sorry, but he really wants that badge for some reason…” 

Charmander opened a drawer and produced the badge in question, shaped like two intersecting circles, made from three different materials—two crescents of Lapis Lazuli and black Onyx, and a sapphire center. “The Guardian refuses to take this back. My only option is to let the idiot have the badge. I have already registered this badge under Linoone’s name, and have deactivated his original badge.” Charmander tossed the badge to Raichu. “Remember, if he gets in the vault again, I will take him to a cave and tear his insides out.” 

“Th-thank you, Char,” Raichu said, trying not to be unnerved by Charmander’s threat. “This is a very kind gesture.” She gave Charmander the sweetest smile she could manage. “I think you do care about Linoone a little, even if you don’t admit it.” 

Charmander waved a claw in dismissal, seemingly ignoring Raichu. “We will make first contact tomorrow. All of you, use the remainder of the day to rest and regain energy. I will not tolerate any sign of weakness in front of the residents of the Air Continent.” 

So the next day, at the break of dawn, the party was assembled at the top of Sharpedo Bluff. They only stalled for a little bit to tie Linoone to Latias to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid, and then they were off, with Charmander leading the way on Lugia. Their first stop was at the northern outpost, so that they could pick up some basic goods to offer to the Pokemon they would soon meet. They did not spend much time at the outpost, since Kangaskhan had made sure the packages were all ready to go before they arrived, so they were soon flying over the ocean, headed north. 

At the speed they were flying, it was not long before they saw the coast of the Air Continent. They began following the coastline in the western direction, knowing that settlements were more likely to be established near the ocean. Charmander quickly spotted an ideal location for a costal settlement, a river that emptied into a bay, bordered by a cliff on the northern side. As they ventured closer, they spotted a settlement situated on top of the cliff, looking a little worn down but still quite lively. 

“I see that this town also uses Pelipper for mail delivery,” Charmander observed, pointing at a pair of Pelipper flying out of a building shaped like a Pelipper. “I also see a Kangaskhan-themed building, perhaps a Kangaskhan also provides item storage services. Perhaps then the town’s store will be run by Kecleon.”

It seemed that the residents of this settlement had spotted the team approaching and were gathering at the central area. Charmander directed the group in that direction, ordering Lugia to swoop down very close to the ground, hopping off with practiced grace and ease that only Charmander could achieve. Lugia swooped back up and disappeared into the sky, as its other assignment was to continue surveying the continent while Charmander handled business at the town. 

Raichu and Linoone made less impressive entrances, unable to handle jump from a stomach-churning swoop. Latios and Latias simply slowed to a stop near the ground and let Raichu off—and shake Linoone off. Latios and Latias had their surveillance assignments as well, so they quickly flew off, leaving the townsfolk in awe at both the legendaries and the team that had ridden on them. 

Charmander was the one to break the silence. “I am Charmander, the leader of Team Guardians and Guildmaster of the Exploration Guild. Our organization operates on the Grass Continent, located south of this continent, and our goal is to explore, gather resources, and assist Pokemon in need—” 

Charmander was momentarily distracted when he noticed that Raichu was struggling to keep Linoone still. Linoone seemed to be looking this way and that, shouting something about a “Seb,” and seemingly recognizing the town. Of course, this only made Charmander’s anger flare up, until Raichu dug out a Max Elixir for Linoone, who took the drink and happily forgot about whatever was concerning him before. 

As Charmander redirected his attention back at the townsfolk, a Blastoise stepped forward and introduced himself. 

“I’m Blastoise of Team Hydro. We are a Rescue Team. Welcome to Pokemon Square. You said you came from another continent? Never knew such a place existed.” 

“Your former ignorance is irrelevant.” Charmander gestured to the packages that Lugia, Latios, and Latias had dropped off. “I am aware that a rescue organization operates here. You have been suffering from a series of natural disaster, and understandably you are pressed for resources. I am here to offer our assistance and our resources, in order to expedite your recovery.” 

Blastoise was a little taken back by Charmander’s blunt attitude. “We’re capable of handling ourselves, thank you. We have plenty of teams with powerful Pokemon. Frankly, you don’t look like much to me, a mere Charmander, and you say you’re a Guildmaster? Why would a little Charmander be leading a group like that, if it’s true?” 

“You are terrible at assessing other Pokemon,” Charmander flatly replied. 

A flash of annoyance crossed Blastoise’s face, and Blastoise pointed one of his cannons at Charmander. “Don’t insult me. One blast from this will knock you out cold.” 

Charmander’s reaction was almost instant. Two beams of light entered Blastoise’s cannons, and Blastoise could only grunt as a dull explosion could be heard from inside of him. Blastoise collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. 

Charmander coldly spoke to the unconscious Blastoise, even though the Pokemon would not hear him. “If you point a weapon at me, or ready an attack towards me, I will retaliate. Do you think a competent opponent will stand there and allow you to prepare an attack?” 

A Feraligator angrily stomped his way towards Charmander. “What have you done to our leader? You do not come here as a guest and then attack in cold blood!” 

Charmander was not intimidated in the slightest. “Your leader foolishly threatened me. It is not my problem if he was unable to properly defend himself from my retaliation.” 

“And you say you wanted to help us?” Feraligator shot back. “We won’t accept help from someone with your rotten attitude!” 

“Assistance is assistance, regardless of the personality of the source,” Charmander calmly replied. “Only a fool hindered by his idiotic emotions would reject necessary assistance.” 

Feraligator seemed to be on the verge of attacking Charmander when a voice sounded from the crowd. 

“Feraligator, stop. We will take it from here.”

The crowd parted as an Alakazam, Charizard, and Tyranitar walked into the area. From the way the crowd was looking at them, and from the way Feraligator quickly obeyed and backed off, it was clear that these three Pokemon were quite respected. 

The Alakazam made a slight bow towards Charmander. “Welcome. I am Alakazam of Team A.C.T. We are one of the highest-ranking teams in Pokemon Square, and among the most influential.” 

Charmander quickly scanned the three Pokemon before replying. “Perhaps you will behave less erratically than Team Hydro over here.” 

Someone from the crowd yelled, “Don’t insult Alakazam! He has an IQ of over 5000!” 

Charmander was not impressed. “I doubt your society has any proper method of quantifying intelligence, so your number means nothing to me, and you should be ashamed of yourself for taking that number seriously.” 

Alakazam turned his head to look at the crowd. “Please, do not interrupt, people.” He turned his head back to face Charmander. “I can see your personality reflected in your eyes; you are no ordinary Charmander. You are also psychically shielding yourself from me, a surprising feat considering the kind of Pokemon you are. Do not worry, since I have no intention of attacking you, and I am willing to discuss your goals.” 

“I will establish a branch of the Exploration Guild here,” Charmander stated. “It does not matter whether or not you accept my offers. My establishment is quite reasonable and is perfectly legal, the same goes for my teams’ running missions on this continent. I will establish stores and provide various services such as banking, and you cannot deny me my right to do so. You may try to refuse me, but your refusal will have little impact. Your acceptance will only make it easier for you during this transition, but I will not be relying on your making rational decisions.” 

“You insolent little…!” Charizard could not help stepping forward and growling dangerously at Charmander. “This is our town, with our rules! You’re not going to just barge in here and have things your way!” 

“Calm yourself, Charizard.” Alakazam moved to slightly block Charizard’s way. “Charmander, I appreciate your desire to help, but I don’t think you will get very far in earning our favor if you keep antagonizing everyone.” 

“It is not my fault if these Pokemon are so angered by mere words.” Charmander narrowed his eyes a little. “I highly discourage violence, but I will defend my interests here from anyone who decides to use violent methods. I suggest that you do not waste my energy or yours on meaningless battles.” 

Charizard was starting to growl bursts of fire from his mouth. “Alakazam, we should really teach this little guy a lesson. Take his attitude down a notch or two.” 

Alakazam looked very reluctant to answer in the affirmative, but the crowd was starting to chant in support of Charizard, wanting to see the little Charmander get beaten up. Alakazam could only shut his eyes and sigh. 

“Fine, you can go ahead, but I will not be participating. But I do not approve of your aggression.”

Tyranitar stepped beside Charizard. “I got your back, that little prick needs to learn his place.” 

Charizard sneered. “I won’t need your help, it’s just a Charmander. I’m two evolutions above him.” 

“Consider his teammates.” Tyranitar gestured towards Raichu. “One Thunderbolt from that one and you’ll be in trouble.” 

Charmander was already handing his bag to Raichu. “You need not worry about my teammates. They will not participate in the battle. However, I will not object if your teammates join.” 

“I’m going to enjoy smashing your arrogant little face.” Charizard stood right in front of Charmander, completely dwarfing the little Pokemon. “Here, I’ll let you have the first move, see if you can make me even feel your puny attempts.” 

“Very well.” Charmander briefly looked around him to gauge the space around him, which was widening as the crowd backed off to give the fighters some space. “I will initiate the battle.” 

There was a crack of thunder, and Charizard stood there for a few moments, his face frozen in shock. Charmander lowered his claw from which a huge bolt of electricity had left, having gone through very specific parts of Charizard’s body before exiting into the ground, leaving Charizard completely paralyzed in all muscular movements required for battle. Charizard, unable to maintain his balance in this state, soon toppled over, only able to take raspy breaths while lying helplessly on the ground. 

Charmander returned to his neutral stance. “You did not lie; you allowed me the first attack, without putting up any defense aside from what your body would naturally provide. Had you been monitoring the electric potential around my body, perhaps you would have broken your promise. Now, will the Tyranitar continue the battle?” 

Tyranitar was briefly silent, surprised that his teammate had fallen so quickly, but he regained his focus and stepped into the circle, while some of the townsfolk dragged Charizard out of the way. “Very clever, no one would have thought you could use electric attacks. You won’t catch me by surprise that easily.” Tyranitar stomped the ground with his feet to gain firmer footing. “Everyone, take cover!” 

The surrounding Pokemon scrambled to get away, as Tyranitar gave off a huge roar, and a powerful Dark Pulse erupted from his body, tearing through some nearby stands and completely cutting through some trees. 

But Charmander was unfazed. He simply created a series of boundaries to completely reflect the part of the Dark Pulse that was headed towards him. Most of the reflected wave was scattered elsewhere, and Tyranitar did not feel the little bit that was reflected directly back at him. 

Charmander did not attack back, but instead made a biting remark. “Congratulations, you have damaged everything except your target. Did you think I was behind you? Why would you send a wave in that direction?” 

“Shut your mouth!” Tyranitar yelled, before attempting to Crunch down on his little opponent. 

Charmander easily dodged the bulky Tyranitar, whose body was not very ideal for agility and speed. Charmander nimbly made his way around the Tyranitar, causing the Pokemon to instinctively stomp around, trying to squish the adversary. Charmander did not have any trouble dodging the sluggish feet, at the same time performing what looked like very light punches around the Tyranitar’s legs, which Tyranitar did not seem to feel. 

Tyranitar was becoming very frustrated and annoyed at Charmander’s antics. “Will you stop running around me? Stop playing and actually fight! You’ll never hurt me at this rate!” 

Charmander made some final punches and then darted away to put some distance between him and Tyranitar. “Perhaps you should have realized your lack of agility and stopped wasting your energy trying to step on me.” 

“I’m going to Earthquake you into oblivion.” Tyranitar bared his teeth and glared at his opponent. “See if your speed will help you then.” 

Tyranitar raised a leg in preparation to smash the ground with his foot. The crowd began to completely flee the area, no longer interested in watching the battle when there was the danger of a full-power Earthquake. Tyranitar’s leg came crashing down on the ground…and Tyranitar was instantly roaring in extreme agony, as cracks ran up all over his leg, causing him to lose his balance and flail about with his other leg. As soon as the other leg hit the ground with enough force, it also cracked, sending Tyranitar to the ground and leaving him gasping from the shock of the pain. 

“I placed weaknesses in the crystal structure of your legs,” Charmander called out, not caring that Tyranitar was probably not listening. “I had plenty of time to pinpoint the optimal locations while you were clumsily stomping around with your legs. I lacked the necessary force to exploit the weaknesses, but you provided it for me. You assisted in your own defeat.” 

The townsfolk were beginning to gather around the central area again, curious after they had not felt the earthquake that they were expecting. They were in awe and shock when they saw the fallen Tyranitar reduced to gasping and groaning, completely incapacitated. And Charmander showed no sign of injury or exertion, as he walked to his teammates to pick up his bag. 

Charmander turned around and ran his eyes over the hushed crowd. “I am prepared to continue, if anyone wishes to keep battling on Tyranitar’s behalf.” He waited as the crowd remained silent. “Then I will declare my victory.”

The crowd did not dare interrupt as Charmander began addressing all of them. “If these two were among your best, then I am…not disappointed, as I came with low expectations. I will repeat what I said before—you can expect retaliation against any attempt to hinder my operations here. You need not necessarily fear my team, nor myself; my primary goal is to ensure timely recovery of this continent, and then contribute to development of your society afterwards. You will see that my efforts will be ultimately beneficial, but I will not tolerate any illogical, misguided resistance.” 

Charmander then approached Alakazam, who was trying to use his Psychic abilities to alleviate Tyranitar’s pain. “I require a large enough plot of land in this central plaza to establish a team base, a store, a bank, and a warehouse. I will pay for them, of course, and we can discuss the price and the form of payment after we have agreed upon a suitable location. You must also send a message to the Pokemon Rescue Organization, requesting the leading members to meet with me in order to discuss cooperation between our organizations for future missions. And do not concern yourself too much about your fallen teammates; I did not cause life-threatening injuries, and any practiced medical facility should be able to treat them.” 

Alakazam was in no mood for further confrontation. “Very well, we can get started once I have made sure my teammates receive some treatment.” 

Thus Charmander’s first step in establishing a foothold on the Air Continent was completed to Charmander’s satisfaction. Alakazam and Charmander ended up agreeing to clear out the area between the central plaza and Makuhita Dojo, which Charmander paid for with a financial package for the town’s much-needed repairs. Construction of Charmander’s facilities began that very day, with a rudimentary shelter being completed before nightfall. While the construction was going on, Charmander took the time to gather more information about the town, receiving a tour of the facilities and learning more about the types of missions that the Rescue Teams ran. Charmander did run into Charizard and Tyranitar later in the day, but they were too ashamed to acknowledge Charmander’s presence.

Lugia, Latios, and Latias returned to the town somewhat late at night to avoid attracting too much attention. They were quickly ushered into the team’s shelter, where they helped identify locations on the map of the continent that Charmander had obtained. Lugia was somewhat familiar with the continent, since it had once lived in a dungeon known as Silver Trench, but since Lugia had rarely ventured out of its home, it was unable to provide too much information aside from what it had obtained from scouting. Latios had found a second settlement on the continent, reporting that it appeared rather new compared to Pokemon Square, while Latias had little to report aside from the discovery of a supposedly scary dungeon called Pitfall Valley, which she said unsettled her when she ventured close. 

“I ran into this Shiftry who said you beat up a Charizard and a Tyranitar,” Latios said, before sipping on a cup of tea that Raichu had made. “Our first day here and you’re already making enemies.” 

Charmander was busily entering some records into his logbook, and he did not bother to look up from his work. “They are no longer enemies. My victory was so decisive that they will not challenge me again. By winning this battle, I have won all future battles.” 

Lugia stared down at its own cup. “Yes, you’re very good at crushing one’s spirit at the first encounter.” 

Charmander shifted his gaze to look directly at Lugia. “Is that resentment I detect in your voice?”

“Yes, but it’s not like I’m going to rebel,” Lugia swiftly replied, its voice shaking a little with fear. “You’ve won all future battles against me.” 

Latias looked out the window of their shelter. “As this town will find out. Poor saps don’t know what’s coming.” 

Charmander narrowed his eyes. “I grow tired of your implication that you disapprove of what I am doing. If it were not for my leadership, all of you would be wasted bags of flesh, unable to do anything efficiently. I will ensure all resources in this world are used properly, and if you cannot understand the reasoning behind it, then you do not deserve any autonomy.”

“Right, right…sorry, Char.” Latias floated towards her brother for comfort. 

There was no further conversation. No one wanted to risk saying something that would earn them a scolding from Charmander, or worse. They simply finished their evening tea and went to sleep, still feeling nothing but pity for the once-happy town that would soon feel the weight of Charmander’s ruthless control. What made them feel even worse was the fact that they were instrumental in spreading Charmander’s control across the world, and that they had no choice in the matter. They were resigned to their fate, and so would the residents of Pokemon Square. 

--- 

Meanwhile, under the night sky, above the ocean and far away from both continents, a Pelipper was gasping for air as it struggled to maintain its breakneck speed. Its mailbag was stuffed full—full of anti-Charmander flyers to be delivered to the Pokemon living on the continents that Charmander had yet to visit, warning of Charmander’s ambitions and plans. Hopefully, with this delivery, the other continents would be able to prepare for Charmander’s arrival and resist his cruel methods of spreading his control. 

The Pelipper’s body would probably not survive the flight at this pace, but death would be welcome as long as the Pelipper was able to deliver its cargo. It thought about what had happened to the rest of its flock, and the blazing inferno that had consumed the post office from which it had fled. The fire had started just as the ceiling had collapsed, trapping all the Pokemon inside. Pelipper was only able to survive because the other Pelipper had used what life they had left to douse it with Water Gun, letting it withstand the fire until a wall had weakened enough for it to break through. 

This fire was no accident, neither was the collapse of the ceiling. Charmander must have caught wind of their plans and sent Quilava to silence them. Quilava almost succeeded, but surely he couldn’t keep up with a Pelipper flying at full speed, and now that Pelipper was above the ocean, there was no way the fire type could continue the pursuit. This was no reason to relax, however, as Charmander would surely send a flier to give chase once he learned that Quilava had failed. Pelipper wasn’t sure how long it would take for Charmander to receive the news, so Pelipper would fly as fast as it could to ensure its mission succeeded. Pelipper would make sure its family and friends had not lost their lives in vain. 

Every ounce of Pelipper’s focus was put into keeping its wings going, so it did not notice when some of the stars above were obscured by a dark figure. It did not notice as the dark figure, which would otherwise blend in very well with the dark sky, began diving directly towards it. But it did notice the enraged, red eyes of a Quilava once the Quilava leapt off the dark figure and plunged a poison-tipped Iron Thorn right into the tired bird’s heart. 

--- 

No one was watching as a Honchkrow flew in from the ocean and dove into the nearby forest, perching in the privacy of the shadows provided by the leaves. Quilava dismounted from the Honchkrow’s back, already producing a tongue of flame from his paw to heat the bloody leg of a Pelipper. 

As Quilava hungrily watched the leg cook in front of him, the Honchkrow grimaced and gave off a bright glow, its form changing until the light dissipated, revealing Mew. 

Mew continued to grimace, clearly not enjoying the smell. “Are you really going to eat that?” 

Quilava gave an annoyed growl but replied, “It’s been a while since I’ve eaten my victim.” 

Mew was trying not to look in that direction. “Last time you did, you were ill for a week, and Char was pissed off because you couldn’t get through your hit list. Face it, you’re a vegetarian. Are you really going to risk getting sick again? It’s grossing me out, too.” 

Quilava stared at the nearly-done Pelipper leg, and with a snarl of suppressed rage, he threw the leg away. “I’m not a vegetarian. It’s that I can’t digest some meats, according to Charmander. How about I try you instead? Keep Transforming through the list of Pokemon, and I’ll take a bite each time. I’ll eventually find one that agrees.” 

Mew cautiously floated away from the possibly-insane Quilava. “No thanks. How about you stop scaring me, or would you prefer to walk home?” 

Quilava readjusted his bag. “This time, Transform into something more comfortable.” 

“Sure, sure.” Mew was enveloped in light once more, turning into a Salamence. “Flatter back, perfect for sitting, I think. Better?” 

Quilava simply hopped on without another word. Mew took that as a sign of approval and took off, this time heading towards Treasure Town, whose lights could be seen in the distance. Quilava, already very accustomed to flying, slightly relaxed on Mew’s back and dug out his hit list from his bag, along with a piece of Charcoal that Charmander seemed to get plenty of near the end of each year and was conveniently useful as a writing tool. Using the moonlight to look over the list, Quilava crossed off the final one on this page: “Northeastern Pelipper Post Office—every inhabitant.” Quilava made the most menacing smile as he filed the page in his mission profile folder, in accordance with Charmander’s preferences. He had finished this week’s list with two days to spare. Tomorrow, he would rest, and perhaps the day after he would get an early start on page two—after all, he enjoyed his job, and Charmander would probably not run out of lists anytime soon, with the new continent and all. Quilava had to try very hard not to light his flames with anticipation. 

As for Mew, it could only shut its eyes and shudder when it sensed what was going through Quilava’s mind.

  

The End