Chapter 3: For The Birds part 1

Chapter 3: For The Birds

"Good lord, I hate it when they put up a fight," groaned Bright. He was trying to hold onto the net but Oshawott flailed and thrashed about in attempt to escape, even trying to bite the durable ropes. Managing that and keeping a grip on his jetpacks handles proved to be challenging to say the least. He was at least glad he recapsulized the net launcher and detached the net from it.

[Lemme out!] shouted Oshawott, shaking the net up. [Let! Me! OUT! Give me back to Hilda! Now!]

"Oh, for the love of..." sighed an sleepy and irritated Vanessa as he veered in closer to Bright and looked straight at Oshawott sternly. "Look, squirt. You're about 30 or so feet up in the air and Bright's exhausted as all hell. So unless you fancy yourself a accidental 30 foot drop that I doubt even you could survive, chill out and shut up!"

Oshawott felt intimidated by Vanessa as the hopelessness of his situation began to sink in. He lost his freedom, he lost his Scalchop, he lost Hilda whom he was truly beginning to love as a Trainer, he lost everything at once. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he started to cry like a baby to everybody's displeasure. [It's... not... fair...] he managed to say through all the sobbing.

"Well, thank you, Vanessa," quipped Bright sarcastically. "I was hoping my ears would bleed."

"Well, can you blame a girl for trying?" retorted Vanessa.

"Funny thing is, I can. And I will. Remind me not to let you babysit any kids of mine."

"You? Kids? Not even in your dreams-"

"I'd hate to interrupt your regularly scheduled lover's quarrel," said Bert, flying up ahead with Jan and irritated by the banter behind them, "but we're almost at the campsite. Wouldn't want to smack into the forcefield, now would you?" He pointed straight ahead at a wide-open field that was custom-made for anyone planning to rough it out which they rented. He was referring to the transparent forcefield produced by a satellite tower powered by a generator that they set up in the center and could see meters away.

"No, boss, we wouldn't" Bright and Vanessa grumbled while eying each other viciously. Thankfully, Oshawott's sobbing was beginning to settle down as he just laid in the net very melancholy.

"Good," said Bert. He pressed a button to stop and just hover with others following suit as they were now near the forcefield protecting their campsite. "And for the last time, don't call me boss. Jan, get Simon and Sammy on the horn ASAP. I can't reach my cell like this."

"Already on that, sweetie," replied Jan as she took out her tablet phone from her chest pocket. She looked down at the campsite where two people were each working at a laptop computer on desks connected to the satellite tower while facing away from each other. "Simon, Sammy, make an opening in the shield for us. We're coming in for a landing."

"Right away, Jan."

"Roger dodger!"

In a few seconds, the transparent shield was now more visible as a hole opened up in it for the four Knights to ease their way down through it. When they landed on the ground and recapsulized their jetpacks, the hole closed and the shield was hardly visible again.

"Honey, we're home," quipped Bright comically.

Bert walked over to Simon, the young man wearing a T-shirt, shorts and glasses. "Did you the Pokemon we sent?"

"Yeah, all sixty of them," said Simon. He pointed to a Capsule container filled with thirty Poke Balls right by his desk and then to the box of Poke Balls near Sammy's desk. "Sammy and I split the balls into two container since they could hold only so many. As for the Transfer machine, well..." He took a pair of pliers to pick up a Capsule that was smoking from overheating. "...we really put it through it's paces. Hope this doesn't come out of my allowance."

"Excellent. We're on a pretty tight schedule as it is," said Bert. "We have about an hour until the Shadow Triad show up and every minute counts."

Meanwhile, Sammy was sneaking a peak at her Facebook account when she saw Oshawott in the corner of her eye while Bright and Vanessa were talking. She turned her head to see it better and saw that he was calm yet somber as he hung around in Bright's net.

"Oh. My. God," squealed Sammy as she got up to get a closer look at Oshawott. "It's even cuter up close." She looked up to Bright and Vanessa with sweet Deerling eyes and spoke in the more adorable voice ever. "Oh, please, oh, please, let me watch it for you guys. Pretty please?"

Put off by the cutesy-wootsy act, Bright and Vanessa caved in at once. "Go ahead and keep an eye on him," said Bright as he handed the net to Sammy.

"And take this to better confine him," said Vanessa, handing over a cage Capsule to Sammy. "He can stretch his flipper better like that and he's too weak to bust out. Just be careful if he cries again"

"Aw, the poor thing's just scared as all," cooed Sammy as she went back to her desk and brought out the cage on it. She then opened the cage and took Oshawott out of the net to put him in the cage where he solemnly didn't put up any fight, knowing it'd be futile if they had Pokemon. "Cheer up, little Wotter," Sammy said brightly, kindly taking note of Oshawott's plight as she locked the door. "You'll feel so much better once you're rehabilitated for the wild. No more humans bossing you around during battles. You'll be your own Mon then."

Oshawott sniffed as he faced away from Sammy. [But... I want Hilda...]

"That'll be enough of that, Sammy," said Bert as he took out a Capsule. "You and Simon are to analyze the lab Pokemon one by one as per Ghetsis's orders." He pressed the button and gave the Capsule a toss so it could burst and become a small cabin. "Jan, Bright and Vanessa, you three join me in delivering our report to Ghetsis himself."

"Yes, boss!" Bright, Vanessa and even Jan responded with as they saluted. Jan smiling mischievously as Bert made a stern frown.

"Not you too, Jan."

"Dad, where are you?" shouted Professor Aurea Juniper as she ran back into the laboratory, hoping desperately that the so-called "inspectors" hadn't hurt him. She was just passing the bathroom when she heard something on the inside ramming the door. She could hear a familiar voice speaking as well.

"Aurea! Hurry up and open this door!"

"Dad!" she said in surprise. Taking out her set of keys, the Professor quickly put it in the lock to open it up. She pushed the door in open as Cedric fell down to the floor, tied up by the silk of a String Shot attack. "Are you okay?" She reached down to undo his tied up wrists.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" retorted Cedric, clearly in a foul mood all things considered. "Those two phonies knocked me out and had me tied up on the John. The worst part of it was that I really had to go. What about you?"

"Well, to make a long story short, the two that came with us took Oshawott," answered Aurea as she undid Cedric's bound wrists and began on his bound ankles. "I don't know where they went but we need to call the cops ASA-now!"

Cedric began to stand back up when he noticed something missing from around his neck and under his shirt. "My ID card?" he asked frantically. "They must've taken it but why?" The answer hit him like a ton of bricks and he gasped. "No, they couldn't have!"

"What's wrong, Dad?" asked Aurea, concerned. "What did they do?"

"Follow me!" yelled Cedric as he made a run for the Pokemon Storage Room with his daughter close behind. Please let me be wrong. Just this one time...

Aurea didn't like how her father was acting out of character like this. Could it be any worse?

When they arrived at the door, Aurea swiped her ID Card in the reader to let themselves in and see the shocking truth. To the right, the computer had been used and to the left, many Poke Balls had been taken just as they had feared. They walked in further horrified and speechless. Aurea went over to the shelves to see how many were taken while Cedric went over to the computer, finding a note taped onto the screen. He gulped as he read it.

"You will no longer subjugate these Pokemon to your cruelty," it read. "In the name of our King, we liberate them from your vile clutches and will help them find solace at last. We pray that you are wise enough to reflect on the error of your ways from here on out." At the very end of the paper was an insignia shaped like a black and white shield with a "P" and backwards "z" on it. The same insignia marked on the Knight-esque uniforms the faux-inspectors donned during their escape.

Bert, Jan, Bright and Vanessa sat on a couch in the cabin's living room to get comfortable and set a tablet computer on the table. Once it was connected to the satellite tower, Bert keystrokes to get in contact with their superior, Ghetsis, who was second only to the King himsef. At last, an audio-only transmission was established and the four heard a voice they knew all too well speaking to them.

"So, I assume all went well," said Ghetsis, his voice distorted on the off-chance someone was intercepting the transmission. "How many did you manage to save?"

"Sixty in all," answered Bert, proudly. "We didn't get them all but it was enough to send a strong message to them." He broke into a yawn before stopping himself on that. "Many apologies, Lord Ghetsis, for my rudeness."

Kissup, Bright mentally groaned whilst rolling her eyes. Vanessa groaned as if to agree with him.

"It's quite alright," responded the Sage. "Your team was awake all last night going over the plan that you hadn't been able to properly rest up. Allow me to suggest that you take this time to fully revitalize yourselves before the Triad arrives in one hour. Consider it a reward for your hard work. Don't worry about the police, I've seen to it that they're kept busy for as long as possible."

"You heard the Sage," said Bright, cheering up and getting up to head upstairs for bed. "Let's catch some Zs already."

"I call the top bunk!" said Vanessa, following her partner.

"Before you two go, I forgot to ask," said Ghetsis abruptly. "Is Oshawott being guarded by Simon and Sammy outside?"

"Yeah, she insisted," answered Jan. "Is something wrong with that?"

"Absolutely not, Jan. As a matter of fact, all is going according to plan..."

As good of a runner she was, Hilda had to stop to catch her breath while leaning on a nearby tree. She wiped the sweat off her brow and panted heavily. She stood straight back up to continue on faster than before when she heard the rustling of running footsteps and sighed solemnly, knowing who was coming. Soon enough, Cheren and Bianca had caught up to their friend and stopped to catch their breath as well.

"That's far enough, Hilda," said Cheren sternly as he panted alongside Bianca. "I know just what you're planning to do and-"

Hilda turned around to face them and cut Cheren off, not in any mood to listen to his usual lecture. "If you're going to spoon feed me that same old 'you're being to reckless and headstrong' spiel, then stow it and just go away." Her harsh tone of voice and furious facial expression was jarring compared to her usual upbeat self and it threw Cheren and Bianca for a loop there even if they knew it well.

"But... Hilda..." Bianca tried to speak up despite how scary her best friend seemed. "Let the police handle this. It's too risky!"

"Oh, I know all the risks," said Hilda, starting out slow but building in fury. "I'm outnumbered, I have no Pokemon or any kind of protection and those thieves could kill me in cold blood. Maybe I could leave this to the police but I can't just willingly sit on my ass while they're doing who knows what to Oshawott. I promised him that I'd help him get stronger if I could and I am NOT going back on my promise if I never see him again." Her fist had clenched up and her teeth gritted as her rage built up more and more. Then tears of sadness flowed from her eyes and she began crying through her anger. "I'd never forgive myself if that happened. Maybe it's stupid, maybe it's the most idiotic thing I've ever done period, but I'm not going to chicken out and let Oshawott just be captured. If you don't like it, fine. Just let me try and be a good friend."

And like that, Cheren had nothing to say. Even though he firmly believe that this whole "superhero" act was foolish, he couldn't say that Hilda didn't have a point and it was clear that she would stubbornly refuse to turn tail and run. Just then, Bianca stepped away from him to walk over to Hilda and take out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I help you," said Bianca, turning her frown upside-down out of determination. "We'll get Oshawott back together. Lord knows you've help me plenty times before. Consider this my repayment with interest."

Before Hilda could thank Bianca, Cheren spoke up then and there. "Then I'm coming too," he said to everyone's surprise. "I know what I was trying to say before and all but I might as well see to it that you guys don't get killed. Plus, Oshawott will need this soon." He took out the Scalchop he found on the battlefield from his pocket

Feeling touched as she took the Scalchop, Hilda smiled warmly, glad to have such great friends at a time like this. "Thank you," she said softly. She teared up out of joy as she hugged both of them. "What would I do without you guys?" She caught herself and added on as the hug broke up. "Erm, don't answer that question."

Before any of them could begin to say something else, the ringing of Hilda's X-Transceiver derailed any train of thought they currently had. Seeing the Caller ID said it was from Cedric Juniper, Hilda wasted no time in touching the screen to answer it.

"What is it, Professor? Is something wrong back at the lab?"

The grim look on Cedric's face worsened. "I'm afraid 'wrong' is putting it mildly," he said before moving the arm to aim his X-Tranceiver at the almost empty shelves. "Those other phony inspectors knocked me out and transferred sixty Pokemon we were using for research out of here."

Cheren leaned over next to Hilda along with Bianca to see and were just as shocked at their best friend was.

"So they weren't just after Oshawott," said Cheren.

"I did wonder where that other pair was during our battles," said Bianca.

"Do you know where they sent those Pokemon?" asked Hilda, intensely.

"As luck would have it, we were able to trace the signal where they transferred the Poke Balls," answered Aurea, stepping in to show herself on the screen. "Seems that in their haste, they never bothered to cover their tracks. They're in the woods west of Route 1, specifically a campsite straight ahead from where you guys are."

"Hey, yeah," said Hilda, jogging her memory. "They mentioned a campsite once or twice as they made a run for it. That must be their base of operations."

"They could ready to make a run for it by now," suggested Cheren.

"Or they're looking over what they stole," Bianca put in. "I mean, they were in a rush..."

"That would explain why they haven't taken down their satellite," said Cedric. "If they're doing a thorough job, we may have enough time to act..."

"In that case, let's get the cops to help," suggested Cheren.

"That... might be a problem," Aurea replied. "The whole police force is tied up with a incident in downtown Nuvema. They probably won't be able to respond in time."

"Well, that's oddly inconvenient," said Hilda confusedly. "What do you want us to do?"

"It's risky, desperate move and as a parental figure, I'd abhor it," Cedric started to say, "but I have no choice but to ask for your help in getting the Pokemon and Oshawott back. I won't force it if you don't want to since as Trainers you make your own decisions but-"

"We'll do it," said Hilda. "Hell, we were about to head over there and beat the snot out of them."

Cheren cleared his throat indignantly. "I wouldn't put it like that..."

Aurea smiled. "Guess that saves us the trouble then. We'll help you from here since if those goons return to finish the job, we'll be ready. Although as your teacher, I still believe in you."

"Thanks, Teach," replied Hilda smiling from the compliment along with Cheren and Bianca.

"But wait, how far away is the campsite from here?" asked Bianca curiously. "We might not get there in time even by running for all we know."

"I'd tell you the exact distance I have on my computer but I doubt that'd help unless you could see it from where you are," said Cedric.

That last part of that statement gave Hilda an idea. She looked at their surroundings for a tall tree and as luck would have it, there was one to her right. "I got this covered, Professor," she said as she ran over to the tree and began scaling it like she was an actual Patrat, even using the sturdy branches for help. "It's just like with Watcher and the gang. I might be able to at least spot the cabin from up there. Assuming they brought one via Capsule."

"Somethings never change," sighed Cheren as he and Bianca tilted their heads up while watching Hilda go up higher.

Eventually, Hilda stopped near the top of the tree where she could see above all the rest and had better reception for the X-Transceiver. She stood on a small but study-looking branch as her eyes were drawn almost instantly to the satellite tower dead ahead in the distance as well as a cabin right behind it.

"Professor, I think I found them," said Hilda. She moved her arm so the camera would show Cedric and Aurea the tower. "Take a look."

"No doubt about it," said Cedric. "And it seems to be close enough for you three to get over there in less than twenty minutes or-"

*SNAP*

Before Cedric could finish what he was saying, the "study-looking" branch turned out to be be weaker than expected, breaking under Hilda's weight and causing her to fall down towards the ground to everyone's horror. As Hilda screamed bloody murder and fell while hitting some branches, Cheren and Bianca sprung into action in attempt to get into position and catch their friend. Hilda shut her eyes and prepared for the worst but before she hit the ground, a small but powerful whirlwind caught her and gently helped her down to the ground on her feet. Hilda sank to her knees, shaken, shocked but immensely relieved.

Cheren went over with Bianca to help up their friend. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Hardly," said Hilda, panting. "But whatever that was, it saved my life."

[Just business as usual for me,] chipped a familiar bird-like voice. The source of it made itself known as a gray pigeon-like Pokemon landed on the ground in front of three Trainers. [Aren't you a little old to be climbing up trees, Hilda?]

"Pidove!" exclaimed Hilda as she stepped forth to squat down and see her forest friend. "What are you doing here?"

[Well, I do live in the woods, don't I?] Pidove jokingly quipped, getting a smile out of Hilda. [But anyways, I woke up late for our get-together and when I got there, Herdy said you were already at the lab. So I flew there but I couldn't get inside. When I saw you go into the woods, I flew after you guys and managed to save you in the nick of time.]

Cheren cleared his throat to garner everyone's attention. "Your little reunion is nice and all but we have work to do, remember?"

"Exactly," said Cedric. "Time is of the essence here."

[What's all the hubbub about?] asked Pidove, still in the dark.

"Well, to make a long story short," began Hilda. "My starter, Oshawott, was taken by these thieves who disguised themselves as inspectors for the laboratory and now we have to get him back from the campsite up ahead. We also need to get sixty lab Pokemon they also stole from the Professors and we have to do this while not knowing when they'll leave. You follow?"

[Kinda lost me actually,] said Pidove, struggling to process all the information at once. [But I'll help anyway I can.]

"Glad you said so," said Hilda as an idea formed in her head, "because I know a way you can."

"But how?" asked Bianca.

"Reconnaissance," Cheren started to explain. "Pidove can fly over to the campsite and report back with what he saw. We'll have a far better plan of attack when we know who's there and what to expect."

"And if anyone spots him, they'll think he's just another Pidove with no connection to us," added Hilda before turning back to Pidove. "Think you can do that? You'll know where it is once you spot the satellite tower."

[Consider it done,] said Pidove, confidently before spreading out his wing and flapping them to fly off as fast as he could in the direction of the campsite.

"It would help if you three caught more Pokemon so you'd have greater chances of winning," suggested Aurea. "We have no idea what to expect..."

Pidove didn't either. He flew straight towards the satellite tower and was entering the campsite below when he unexpectedly smacked right into the transparent forcefield that bounced him back. He nearly fell to the ground but he flew right back up, panting from the shock of it all.

What the heck was that? he asked himself in utter confusion as he hovered in the air. It's like a wall but I can't see it anywhere.

Seeing as he couldn't get in, Pidove looked down at the campsite so he could tell Hilda what he saw. He saw a cabin right behind the tower and two big desks in front of it. At said desks, there were two humans, Simon and Sammy, sitting at each one with their backs facing each other as they seemed to be using a laptop (at least, that was what they looked like from what Hilda showed him once).

He also saw a pile of Poke Balls by each of their chairs as they took one and used a device hooked up to their laptops to analyze them one by one before putting them into a box to their right. By the size of the piles, they had quite some time before completing their job. Last but not least, he recognized Oshawott (thanks to a picture Hilda once showed him) in a black cage. With all of that information taken in, Pidove decided to fly back to Hilda, Cheren and Bianca ASAP. Hopefully, he'd remember everything there.

Sammy sighed out of boredom as she held the scanner up to the next Poke Ball and had the data on the Pokemon displayed on the laptop. It felt good to know she was helping the world become a greater place as a noble Knight of Team Plasma but times like these could be tedious at best. After saving the data and putting the Poke Ball in her Capsule box, she heard the growling of Oshawott's stomach and looked at the cage where Oshawott was laying on his side facing away from Sammy to his sad face.

Sammy's heart sank. The poor little guy, she thought. This must be happening to him so fast. She reached into her pocket and took out a plastic bag that contained three fresh Oran Berries which she opened up to take two of them out. She reached over to quickly open up the cage and throw in the two before closing it which got Oshawott's attention.

Curious and hungry, Oshawott sat right back up to take one berry in his paw and looked back at Sammy in confusion.

"Why the long face, cutie pie?" whispered Sammy, smiling softly. "Everything will be just fine once your rehabilitated."

A brief recollection of Hilda flashed in Oshawott's mind thanks to Sammy's sweet-hearted voice and smile and the pain of losing his Trainer so soon returned. He turned around to munch on his berries as tears soaked into his furry face once more. Even if he was replished and busted out of the cage then and there, it would still do him no good and he'd never reach Hilda. Sammy frowned, wondering what she may've done right.

"Don't you have a job to do?" said Simon, having heard enough without having to turn around. "Those Pokemon aren't going to analyze themselves, you know?"

"Oh, right away, Simon!" said Sammy, resuming her duties.