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lightningenergy · 6 years

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@lightningenergy and @codyscommandpost proudly present:

Operation Cloudburst, a Pokémon Fan-Fiction

Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright its original owners. The authors only own the plot and original characters. Any representation of real persons, dead or alive, is purely coincidental unless it makes a damn good reference.

Chapter 8 - "A Desperate Battle! The Monster Living in the Sand!"

May wasn't completely sure if she would confide in her partners about her revelation on the Snagged Altaria. The whole situation was pretty ridiculous no matter how you looked at it, and it was doubtful that they'd accept the truthfulness of her claim. In the end, she decided to keep a secret for the time being. She still had to purify it, of course…

She checked Altaria's Shadow Meter. The first segment had completely emptied and the second segment was slightly diminished as well, more a testament to how much traveling she had accomplished than anything. But now, having rekindled the bond with the Pokémon, May was determined to see that Altaria was returned to normal. She would have to battle with it… Shame I can't purify it by using it in a Contest, she thought, smirking slightly. But maybe once I finish up here and can go back home…

Her stomach squirmed at the thought but she ignored it. She would see this duty through to the end, and there was nothing more to it. Taking a deep, measured breath, May slipped Altaria's Poké Ball into her bag and headed back down to where her companions were waiting. Just go one step at a time, she told herself. Look too far ahead and I'll miss where I'm walking.

Looker was setting up a couple of tents, albeit with some difficulty. It appeared that the agent had access to all sorts of equipment, for which May was thankful: the idea of sleeping directly on top of piles of sand was not an entertaining prospect. Smidge preferred to watch rather than help, snickering as Looker poked himself with the poles and tripped over the fabric covering.

Manya was absent for the moment, having volunteered to round up some supplies. She returned within an hour after a quick trek to some sort of small market laded with food (among them about five different varieties of cup ramen, at May's request), a few dozen tubes of sunscreen, and a handful of Poké Balls. "Thought you could use it," she shrugged, handing them over.

"Thanks," said May, slipping them into her bag. She peeled back the cover of her ramen cup and poured in boiling water from a kettle (heated by a portable stove provided by Looker). The familiar smell enveloped her in an instant, causing her heart to lighten and a smile to spread across her face. May preferred home-cooked ramen, but she wouldn't turn down an easy sampling of her favorite food.

The sun was finally dipping towards the western sky, shifting from blue to a mix of orange and purple. This cooled the air but did nothing to remove the dry humidity. May stared out the gap in the ship's hull as she chewed her noodles, experiencing both relief and terror at the day coming to an end. She had only arrived in Orre this morning, yet she felt like it had already been an entire year.

"If I may," asked Looker, as though desperate for an excuse to cover up the sound of May's overly enthusiastic slurping. "What is our next move on this intricate chessboard?"

May could feel everyone's eyes on her as she gulped down the last of the cup ramen. She took careful care in setting the now empty container on the ground, placing her chopsticks inside. "I'll be honest," she told them, her stomach squirming in what was becoming an all too familiar sensation. "I really have no idea."

Her admittance was met with silence. Smidge was the only one who appeared agitated; Manya gave her a small nod in understanding while Looker's expression was stony and blank. She should have expected this, of course: she had assumed leadership (more accurately, it happened somewhat on its own), and a leader not knowing what to do results in a loss of morale.

"What a fine mess," Smidge said, throwing up his arms in exasperation. "We're outta in the middle of th' desert, and we have no idea what ta do. I shoulda never followed ya in th' first place."

"You're welcome to leave if you want," Manya told the boy flatly. "No one's stopping you."

"I'd rather not add abandonment to the list of things I'm worrying about," May told her, and Manya smiled back somewhat sheepishly. May addressed Smidge: "It's obvious that you're unhappy with how we're going about things, but I'd rather err on the side of caution when we don't have an exact idea of what we're up against."

"A mature way of doing it, I would say," approved Looker before Smidge could respond. "Even an experienced agent such as myself would do such a thing. Being confidential, of course, I cannot tell you how many missions I have worked on that ended prematurely due to such head-strong recklessness…"

"Fools, the lot of ya," Smidge growled. He stood up, fury and irritation flaring in his shadowed eyes. It didn't leave much of an impression, given his miniscule stature, but his language made up for it. "Abyss'll cause even more trouble with ya sitting with yer thumbs up yer asses…"

Manya was decidedly unimpressed. "Need I remind you, shorty," she said, arms crossed. "That you claimed to have no idea of what Abyss is up to?"

Smidge stared around at the three of them, stalling to formulate his answer. "Well… yeah, but —"

Looking at May with a smirk on her face, Manya held out a hand towards Smidge as though to say, I rest my case.

"— whatever it is," the boy continued. "I know it's not good, an' I can't believe you'd rather sit 'n wait —"

"Because we've been clearly doing nothing this entire time," May shot back, perhaps a little angrier than she intended. Something about Smidge's accusation caused her temper to rise… after all, he wasn't the one who was given the Snag Machine. He wasn't the one shouldering the majority of responsibility of preventing Abyss from accomplishing whatever their plans were. He wasn't the one who suffered through a panic attack…

"I suppose you think just barging in through their front door will accomplish everything all nice and neatly, huh?" she continued, standing up. She towered over Smidge but the boy remained defiant, glaring at her from under his bandanna. "Or maybe we should ask nicely? 'Excuse me, you're plotting something sinister, would you mind stopping for the peace and prosperity for all?' I'm sure they'll listen to that."

"You jus' got here, you have no idea how crazy these guys are —"

"You're right, I don't, which is all the more reason I don't want to put any of us in a position where we get overwhelmed just because you think we should be marching up to them with swords drawn and banners flying!"

Smidge crossed his arms, gazing at May's stern face. Then he smiled in an ugly, smug sort of way. "Ah… I geddit. Okay. You're scared."

May was taken aback. How did this little turd figure that out?! She blinked a couple of times in an effort to appear as though she wasn't as put off by the assessment as she actually was. Manya was glaring at Smidge with even more seething hatred than before. Looker was observing the scene with passive indifference, though a deep frown creased his face.

"I'm not scared," May rebuked flatly. I'm horrified, she clarified mentally, once more becoming all too aware of her heart launching into overdrive. She could feel the nervous sweat coating her body, prompting a chill to cascade down her spine. I should be more on guard, it's pathetic that he managed to guess that…

"What a crock," Smidge jeered, his laughter fake and hollow. "We get some people who're interested in doin' good and they're too worried 'bout being cautious than courageous."

"You have no idea what this is like," May said before she could stop herself. Blood pounded in her ears, her rage fueling a desire to be heard and understood. "This isn't something you can just clobber with pure force. I've faced people like Abyss before: if they want something, they'll go after it, no matter what it takes. I couldn't tell you how many times I almost died — don't you dare!" she snapped, for Smidge had uttered a huff of disbelief.

"Saw-ry." said Smidge, holding up his hands in surrender. "I didn't realize ya used ta be such a daredevil. Wonder what got ya inta bein' such a coward —"

"The talking is done," Looker interjected firmly. Everyone jumped slightly: he had been keeping so quiet that they had forgotten he was there. "Both of you." he added, for May had opened her mouth in rebuttal. "Now is not the time for it, and if we cannot figure out what to do we shall, as the phrase goes, sleep on it."

Smidge glared up at him, but faltered under the agent's gaze. He stalked over to the smallest tent of the three Looker had set up earlier and ducked inside. Manya approached May, her expression tender and inquisitive.

"You alright?" she asked quietly, brushing her fingers against May's arm.

"M'fine," May mumbled. Shame and embarrassment immediately replaced her fury: while laying into Smidge felt cathartic, she knew it was another blow to her unofficial leadership status. Their chances of surviving this battle had slipped even further out of reach, and she had no one to blame but herself.

"I can tell you're not," Manya soothed. "But you know you can't lash out at him like that."

"Like you wouldn't." May said, regretting it instantly.

"Point taken. But we've been going at this all day: we're exhausted and it won't do us any favors to keep powering on without sleep."

May stared out the gap in the hull. The deep navy blue of the night sky was gradually forcing the sun under the horizon, bringing with it a bitter chill that swept across the desert. She recalled something her mother had said once after arguing with Norman: it's okay to go to bed angry, because you say very stupid things when you're tired.

"I guess," May sighed, a wave of soreness and fatigue washing over her body. It was still difficult to believe only a day had passed. Just twenty-four hours ago she was back home in Petalburg, in her own room, with her own bed…

She heaved another sigh and crawled into the tent she and Manya would be sharing. Carefully removing the Aura Lenses from atop her head, May settled into the squashy purple sleeping bag. Despite her unending cascade of nervous thoughts and panic of what plan she'd have to present tomorrow, she set her head down on the pillow and instantly fell asleep.

Despite floating in the half-conscious haze of awakening, May's first thought of the morning was surprised relief at having gotten through the night without any nightmares. She felt rather comfortable for lying on dry, dust soil in the wreck of a cargo liner.

Her sleep hadn't been entirely peaceful, however: she appeared to have squirmed out of her sleeping bag, as it was lying in a crumpled heap at her feet. Manya, still fast asleep to May's left, shifted a bit as May reached down to straighten out her sleeping bag. At least one of us is getting to sleep in…

May slipped out of the tent, the warm morning air washing over her. She was too physically and emotionally drained last night to bother changing, though her outfit wasn't dirty enough to warrant it anyways. Her bag was still lying on the ground next to the portable stove, and May removed a collapsible brush from the depths within, attempting to get a bead on her mood.

Arceus, I hope I don't become dead inside after this, she thought, running the brush along her hair. Smidge is impatient, I'm indecisive and scared… I can't even imagine how Manya's feeling. May glanced back at the tent, as though Manya would produce a thought bubble outside the shelter. She didn't bother considering Looker, as she was sure he'd become immune (or perhaps numb) to these sort of feelings with the sort of things she imagined the International Police did.

Her stomach rumbled suddenly, and, as if on reflex, May tossed the brush back into her bag before turning on the portable stove. Within a few minutes she had devoured two cup ramen, stacking the cups within the one from last night. Neither Smidge nor Looker had made appearances yet, but Manya stepped out the tent with a yawn as May was finishing applying sunscreen on her face.

"Morning," Manya mumbled, her hair sticking out at odd angles.

"Hey," May replied, glancing up at her. "You look rested."

"You don't," the other girl replied, sitting cross-legged next to her. "I wasn't snoring, was I?"

May shook her head, flashing back to several nights' worth of sleep lost back in Hoenn due to Ash, Brock, and Max all being obnoxiously loud snorers. "Nah. Just… y'know. Trying to juggle all of what's going on."

"Well, don't hesitate to distribute tasks among us," Manya said, cramming half a protein bar into her mouth. "Don't be afraid to put us on the front lines."

"But I am," May murmured, now applying lotion onto her shoulders, though she couldn't quite reach some parts. Her stomach squirmed unpleasantly again and she briefly feared for having to revisit her entirely non-nutritional breakfast in reverse.

Manya snatched the bottle and moved behind her to help. "'Courage isn't the absence of fear, but rather action in spite of it.'"

"Sounds like a quote," smirked May, reveling in the sensation of someone rubbing her shoulders.

"Another television show I used to watch." Manya explained. "Geez, you're tense up here."

"Yeah, can't imagine why."

A loud, echoing rumble outside caught their attention, shattering the morning silence. They both whipped around towards where the sound had come from, ignoring the surprised yelps from the tents nearby.

"That sounded like… an explosion?!" May hurried outside for a better look: visible over the top of the canyon wall were multiple plumes of thick, black smoke. Manya came up behind her and they exchanged expressions of shock.

"Looks like it's from the other side of the canyon… what did you say was over there?"

"Team Snagem's hideout…" Manya answered, watching the smoke stain the bright blue morning sky. "But why would it explode…? As far as I know, Snagem wasn't planning on quitting anytime soon…"

A flash of panic pierced May's heart as she reflected on what Smidge had told her the night before. "I don't think they had a choice… I think this is Abyss' doing."

"What?" blurted Manya, her face contorted in confusion. "Why?"

"Smidge said that Snagem used to work with Cipher at one point then broke it off," May said, turning to face her. "And from what I know about bad guys, they're not always willing to give up their ambitions for someone else."

"I think you're making a leap in logic here," Manya said as Looker and Smidge ran up to them, gaping at the smoke columns.

"I wasn't done: what if Snagem broke off from Cipher so they could try and take control of things for themselves? If I was Abyss, I wouldn't want another organization trying to interfere…"

May turned to face her companions, about to tell them to head back inside the shipwreck, when Manya's earlier words flashed through her head: don't hesitate to distribute tasks among us. "Guys," she blurted out. "Head for the wreckage and see if you can get anyone out of there."

"Wha — are ya crazy?!" Smidge said, eyes wide.

"What are you gonna do?" Manya asked, already pulling on her boots, face set in steely determination.

May pointed off in the distance: three shapes were moving away from the explosion site, their silhouettes flickering in the morning sun. "Going after those guys. I'm betting they're the ones who did it. They don't like they're injured or anything."

"Let me go with —" Manya started, but May cut her off.

"No." she said bluntly. "Sorry, Manya, but I'd feel better if you did what I asked: your Solrock can shift things around telekinetically."

Manya looked like she was about to object but nodded instead, taking off after Looker, who was already making his way over past the canyon wall. Due to his hesitation, Smidge was lifted up by his collar and carried away by Manya in a surprising feat of strength. May watched them hurry off before running towards the shadows she had spotted earlier.

"Hey! Wait!" May scowled as she dashed to catch up to the three men walking away from the site. She could tell that the one in the lab coat was the one in charge: he had an air of importance about him, and a ridiculous haircut shaped like a Kingdra's head crest. The other two men cloaked themselves in black. Modified gas masks with a skull decal sprayed on the front obscured their faces.

The Kingdra-haired man turned at May's voice and frowned at the sight of her. Pale blue-gray eyes gleamed with disdain from behind thin wire-framed glasses. "We have an important schedule to keep, girl. The great Doctor Nemo can't bother to trifle with you!"

"You're with Abyss, aren't you?" May demanded, her heart still pounding from her spontaneous sprint. "You just blew up that compound, huh?" Her fists clenched, fingers digging the fabric of her gloves into her palm. "I don't think I'm supposed to let you get away."

"I have no time to answer." replied Nemo, glancing at the watch on his wrist. "My superior demands my importance presence." He spat out "superior" with certain venom. "I cannot grace someone unimportant with the presence of someone as important as I."

May felt her anger bubbling up again. Of all the people to commit such a violent act, it had to be someone as foolish as this? "Prove how important you are, then: battle me! If you're so great, you should demolish me completely, right?" She pulled a Poké Ball out from her bag. "Or is your bravado just for show, like that stupid haircut?"

She could tell she had touched a nerve with that last remark. Nemo's eyes flashed, but rather than stepping forward to meet her challenge, he addressed one of his bodyguards. "Keane," he barked. "Dispose of this insolent pest immediately."

The bodyguard stepped forward. He walked smoothly, with purpose. Every inch of his body was covered with sturdy body armor. The gas mask covering his face appeared to be connected to an oxygen tank strapped to his back. The mask's lenses were blackened and opaque, exuding a sensation of blank yet willing obedience.

Nemo smirked over at May, as though telegraphing that he had more knowledge of his agent's capacity than she did. "Now then…" he told Keane, adjusting his coat. "Do not disappoint me. The great Doctor Nemo does not appreciate failure." With that, he and the other man turned and disappeared into the cloud of sand kicked up by the wind.

May directed her attention back towards Keane, who had already tossed a Poké Ball up into the air, where it burst open. A Slowking tumbled out, slightly dazed and unimpressed, its red-and-white collar fluttering in the breeze. The gem of its Shellder crown on its head glinted as Slowking yawned widely.

The Aura Lenses starting beeping, and while May readily pulled them over her eyes she already knew what to expect: the smoky, violet aura of a Shadow Pokémon. She wondered if Keane was taunting her: he would have to know she was snagging Shadow Pokémon. Was this an indirect dare for her to snag it? Or was he just oblivious or (perhaps more likely) apathetic?

May's first instinct was to send out Venusaur: while her Poison-typing would be a disadvantage against the Slowking's Psychic half, May would've pressed the advantage of Grass over Water. She changed her mind, however, and sent out Altaria. As the Humming Pokémon settled gracefully onto the ground, the Aura Lenses sounded off again, which May ignored, well aware of her Pokémon's Shadow status.

Okay, what's my best move here? May thought, biting her lip. She remembered that Shadow-type attacks appeared to be super-effective against non-Shadow Pokémon, but what would happen when two corrupted Pokémon battled? There was, as the phrase went, only one way to find out…

"Shadow Rush!" she called, her heart dropping as Altaria leapt into the air and dove at Slowking. It pained her that she had to use Altaria like this… but she wanted to get its Shadow Meter down, since regrettably the Pokémon couldn't be purified yet…

Slowking's eyes glowed blue, and Altaria halted in midair, inches from making contact with its target. With the same Psychic attack, Slowking raised an arm, launching Altaria into the air; Slowking brought its arm down, and slammed Altaria down into the dusty soil.

Nuts. May thought. Slowking's telekinetic abilities were definitely going to be a problem, especially if all Altaria had for offense was Shadow Rush. Watching Altaria pull itself upright, May noticed all the dust particles jumping up from the ground, and a light bulb went off in her head.

"Altaria, kick up as much dust as you can!" she called, and Altaria stared slapping its wings against the ground, sending up dust and sand with each and every impact. Soon it was hidden within a miniature sandstorm, the sounds of its wings flapping serving as the only indication it was still there.

She spared at glance over at Keane, but the Abyss member had shown no indication of surprise (or any other emotion) at May's sudden shift of tactics. Granted, his face was hidden behind a mask, but even his body language hadn't shifted. He did, however, send an order for his Pokémon: "Surf."

A massive surge of water materialized out of nowhere from underneath Slowking, and the Pokémon was lifted up atop the wave as it reached its peak. Then, with Slowking leaning forward, the wave charged ahead, easily dwarfing Altaria's attempt at hiding. With a massive spray of water, Slowking's Surf collided into the ground, drenching everything within its reach.

May threw up her arms to shield her face, small droplets of water splashing against her sleeves and skin. They offered minimal relief from the excruciating heat, evaporating almost instantly. She looked back at the battle just in time to witness the remnants of the Surf fading, either due to the thirsty earth or the desert heat. Altaria, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen…

… At least immediately. May caught motion out of the corner of her eye and could see Altaria soaring overhead, apparently no worse for the wear. Back on the ground, Slowking was glancing around, using both the eyes of its face and those of its Shellder crown to locate its opponent.

"Shadow Rush!" Altaria rapidly shifted into a dive, striking the Slowking before it had a chance to react. Slowking didn't appear to be bothered by the attack much, however, recovering with a mere shake of its head.

Huh… okay. So it looks like Shadow moves aren't very effective against Shadow Pokémon, then. That could be a problem: Slowking had access to non-Shadow moves, but Altaria did not. May glanced at the Snag Machine. Its screen had changed to display the status of her Pokémon, with both a health meter and the Shadow Meter visible. Was it her imagination, or had Altaria lost some more Shadow during the battle…? The fourth segment seemed to have emptied a bit…

The Aura Lenses emitted a sharp, piercing alarm, causing May to start. She focused her attention towards the heads-up display: "Altaria's emotions rose to a fever pitch. It has entered Reverse Mode."

Wait… Reverse Mode? May looked at Altaria: the smoky aura around it had enlarged somewhat, flowing around the Pokémon almost like a whirlpool. She had seen this before: it happened with Galli's Crawdaunt during their battle. Lily and Krane had mentioned it, too, as well as how to remove it... though why can't I remember?!

She cried out automatically — "Altaria!" — and the moment the word escaped her lips the Pokemon turned towards her. Its aura settled down to how it had been previously. As May attempted to register what she had done, the Snag Machine started beeping once more. "What now?!"

The fourth segment of the Shadow Meter was now completely empty, and a message had appeared on the screen: Altaria has remembered the move Dragon Claw.

May stared at the message, her overwhelmed brain fogging up even more. Why did Altaria suddenly remember a move? Was it because it had entered Reverse Mode, or that May was able to calm the Pokemon out of it? Not that this is the time for speculation…! "Altaria!" she called up to the Pokemon, her heart pounding. "Let's go! Dragon Claw!"

Altaria's feet glowed briefly, and became surrounded by emerald-green energy, which quickly flexed into large, curved claws. The Humming Pokémon shot up into the air, and, just as suddenly, dived at Slowking. In a flash, Slowking stumbled backwards, battered by two simultaneous swipes.

Alright! May's celebration was short-lived as Slowking quickly righted itself, but she didn't care. Altaria had regained a move they could actually use, even if it was only one for the moment. But I feel like we have a better chance now…

"Ice Beam," said Keane, and a narrow beam of cryogenic force burst from Slowking's mouth, which Altaria swerved to avoid.

Yeah, figures he wouldn't make this easy, May thought, directing Altaria out of reach of the continued subzero assault. She guessed a couple more direct hits would lower Slowking's health enough for her to snag it, but based on its attacks so far, she wasn't going to have an easy job. Altaria didn't have any projectile attacks, and Slowking would easily disrupt any physical moves with its Psychic.

Huh… wait a minute. May watched Slowking prepare another Ice Beam and an idea rushed into her brain. It was a risky idea, but what idea of hers hadn't been lately? As Altaria aileron-rolled around the latest attack, May called, "Go for a Shadow Rush straight at it!"

Altaria dived, its aura flaring up again. If Keane was surprised by this, he didn't express it, simply ordering yet another Ice Beam, which was exactly what May was expecting he'd do. Just as Slowking inhaled deeply, May cried out, "Now! Switch to Dragon Claw!"

The attack materializing around its feet once more, Altaria twisted around in midair, driving a solid backwards kick into Slowking's stomach. Slowking's breathing shifted into a loud choking noise, and it toppled over backwards along the parched soil.

"Once more, Altaria!" May said, already preparing a Poké Ball with her Snag Machine. Slowking was struggling to stand upright, though it never got the chance: Altaria landed another Dragon Claw from above, forcing the Royal Pokémon back down with a dull thud.

The Poké Ball in May's right hand flashed gold, and she tossed it at Slowking as Altaria fluttered away. The capsule opened and sucked Slowking inside, clattering to the ground. It wiggled for a few moments before clicking shut, its center button glowing red.

"Got it!" May rushed forward and snatched up the Poké Ball. Sparing a glance up at Keane, the Abyss solider hadn't reacted at all. The sight of his decaled mask sent a shiver down May's spine, and she hurried back to where she had been standing. Geez, can this guy even talk? It's kind of horrifying…

She almost wanted to make some sort of joke, but there was an almost unidentifiable shift in the atmosphere that convinced her otherwise. A sense of rage radiated from Keane, as though May snagging his Slowking had seriously triggered his temper. He made a sudden move, hand reaching for his belt, and May was half-convinced he was reaching for a pistol until she saw an Ultra Ball soaring through the air.

A massive bipedal figure appeared from it, standing at well over six feet tall. It was a monstrous creature, resembling a dinosaur carved from rock. Thick, green armor covering its entire body. Spikes at least a foot long jutted out of its shoulders and along its neck. A massive tail slammed into the dried-out ground with a heavy thud. The Pokémon unleashed a mighty roar that caused May to break out in sweat.

She had never seen a Tyranitar before, at least outside of her Pokédex. She had heard rumors and stories about how fierce and powerful they could be, and now there was one standing right in front of her. Its narrow eyes focused on Altaria hovering above it, a low, agitated growl emanating from its throat.

The Aura Goggles hadn't gone off when the Tyranitar appeared, which prompted an unpleasant realization that this wasn't a Shadow Pokémon at all. There would be no snagging this Pokémon: May was going to have to knock it out. But could she even do it? Fragments of Pokédex entries flashed through her head: can't be harmed by any sort of attack… overwhelmingly powerful… an insolent nature… a mobile disaster.

May would have to switch out her Pokémon: while Altaria had regained a valuable move, she highly doubted that it would be able to cause enough damage against Tyranitar. Raising up a Poké Ball, she called up to her Pokémon. "Altaria, I need you to come back!"

"Pursuit."

With astonishing speed for its size, Tyranitar managed to intercept Altaria's dive. Despite its rather small arms, the Armor Pokémon had enclosed Altaria's neck in a powerful grip, and slammed the Humming Pokémon into the ground.

Altaria squealed in pain, May's heart constricting in her chest. The Poké Ball's beam ensnared the Flying-type, withdrawing it into safety. May felt her fists clench up again, her blood boiling. The sneak attack drove both her anger and anxiety skyward, and for a brief moment, she was paralyzed, unsure of which instinct to focus on.

Then, from the back of her mind, a voice spoke up. Don't let them push you around, it whispered, stoking her rage. Show them just how powerful you can be.

May swallowed, her throat as parched as her surroundings. Reaching behind her for her bag, she felt around for another Poké Ball. Shaded from the sun, the casing felt cold to the touch, even her wearing gloves. It split open when thrown, dispelling the Pokémon inside: a dark blue turtle with a brown shell that reared up onto its hind legs, furry ears and tail wiggling as it stretched itself out.

"I'm counting on you, Wartortle," May said. She was honestly somewhat surprised that her voice hadn't quavered as she spoke, but, she reasoned, that was probably a good thing. The last thing she wanted to do was grant Keane any insight into her emotions. I'm not gonna let him mess with me… I'll show him the skills I've built up as a Coordinator!

"Let's start with a Water Pulse!"

Wartortle fired a large, pulsing ring of water from its mouth that rapidly expanded as it shot across the desert landscape. To May's surprise and horror, Tyranitar made no effort to avoid or nullify the attack: it merely allowed the move to splash harmlessly against its armor.

… Oh, crap.

Tyranitar charged, mouth agape, fangs bared. Deep black projections appeared around its jaws, increasing the size and reach of its Crunch. It lunged for Wartortle, but the Turtle Pokémon withdraw into its shell and spun out of the way, skidding along the sand. The two Pokémon glared at each other briefly, and then Tyranitar suddenly faded from view.

"What the --?!" May's eyes flickered around wildly, attempting to locate her opponent. A fierce breeze blew by, and something sharp grazed her cheek. She touched the stinging spot and berated herself for not noticing sooner: Tyranitar's Sand Stream Ability had caused a sandstorm.

Wartortle paused the rub some sand out of its eyes, and in doing so almost missed using Protect against the blast of electricity that burst out from nowhere. It scowled, eyes flashing between shadows that blinked as the sand whirled around. Its ears twitched, apparently attempting to catch any sounds Tyranitar was making, but the wind was howling quite loudly.

This was not a favorable situation at all. Not only was Tyranitar shielded from view, but the sandstorm would also chip away at Wartortle's health. May and Wartortle had to overcome Tyranitar's defenses while avoiding its outrageous power. One wrong move and Tyranitar would shatter them into pieces. Who knew what other tricks it was capable of?

Hard to believe this guy's just a bodyguard, May thought, narrowing her eyes at Keane, still impassive as ever. No wonder that snooty jerk left him behind to battle me…

Another Thunderbolt jumped out of the sandstorm, and Wartortle leapt aside to avoid it. May quickly had Wartortle fire another Water Pulse from where the Electric-type attack had come from, but to no avail. She was about to curse when she noticed something in her peripheral vision: a large, hulking shadow just barely visible through the airborne particles.

"Wartortle, behind you!" she cried, pointing. "Ice Beam!"

Her Pokémon whipped around and fired, the light-blue beam cutting through the sand and solidifying around Tyranitar's legs. They had obtained an advantage, however slight… now she just had to take advantage of it, and quickly. May wasn't sure how long the ice would remain solid under the harsh sun, and Tyranitar could break free at any moment.

Adrenaline flooded May's brain as she issued her next command for Wartortle: "Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle's tail became sheathed with spontaneously generated water, and the Turtle Pokémon took off at a run towards its target. It leapt up, gathering momentum for its attack. The moisture around it dispersed the sand, clearing the view. With a cry of "War!", Wartortle smashed its tail directly onto the Tyranitar's head.

… Or, at least, what it and May had assumed was Tyranitar. As she gazed through the path Wartortle had cut through the sandstorm, a horrible, sinking feeling developed in May's stomach. Standing there, lower half encased in ice, was something resembling a large plush doll. At first glance, it could easily be mistaken for Tyranitar, or any other monster-like Pokémon, but they had been fooled into attacking the Substitute instead.

With an abrupt, ear-shattering roar, Tyranitar charged out of the sand from behind Wartortle, its heavy footsteps mirroring May's terrified heartbeat. One of its fists was drawn back and glowing white, and before May could scream for another Protect, Tyranitar swung and clobbered Wartortle with Focus Punch. Caught completely off-guard, the Turtle Pokémon barely had time to exclaim in surprise before it was slammed into the ground hard enough to leave a small crater.

"No —!" gasped May, her mouth completely dry. She stared unbelievingly at Wartortle's unconscious form, lying in the impacted ground. She made an underestimation and now both she and her Pokémon had paid the price. Unconsciously, she rushed forward to grab Wartortle, to pick it up into her arms and apologize for letting this happen…

Something hard brushed against her head and knocked her sideways. She tumbled slightly and jerked her head up: she had gotten too close to the Tyranitar and it had whacked her with its tail. It sneered at her before disappearing into its Ultra Ball, Keane walking up as the sandstorm faded away.

Overwhelmed with panic and fear, May scurried back as far as she could, not daring to take her eyes off of the Abyss member. This is it, she thought, unaware of the small yet steady flow of blood running down her temple. I lost, he's going to do it, he's going to kill me…!

Keane stopped a few feet away from her, standing between her and her Wartortle. Without a glance at either of them, he bent down and scooped up something from the ground. He stared at it in the palm of his hand for a moment, though May couldn't tell what it was at all.

Sand crunched underfoot as Keane turned and walked away in total silence. May's hollow, raspy breathing echoed in her head as she sat there, waiting until his footsteps finally died away before scurrying over to Wartortle, stumbling as she did so.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, reaching out and tenderly placing her hand on its shell. "I'm so sorry…" This was hardly her first loss, but the magnitude of her situation meant this was, at least currently, the most difficult to tolerate. The guilt of causing her Pokémon so much pain would haunt her for time to come.

May doubled-over, her breathing becoming halting and sudden. Her heart threw itself against her chest, and the familiar icy-cold chill of sweat washed over her. Waves of emotion crashed against the shores of her brain: disappointment with herself for having lost; fear of Keane's stoic brutality; shame and guilt for putting out Wartortle against the Tyranitar; frustration over not maintaining control of herself…

Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit! She sat down, overwhelmed with silent, aching dejection. Blood from her forehead wound dripped across her lip, the taste of iron compounding with the bitter sentiments. May closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands. She knew somehow that, despite it seeming impossible, she would recover. For now, however, she was shattered, her confidence as barren as the expanse of land surrounding her in every direction.

To be continued...

#pokemon #may #fanfiction #operation cloudburst #codyscommandpost

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