Squirrely Sparks: Chapter 5
Selfishness and Selflessness

The shrill of a female Pokémon broke the tranquility of the early morning in the Fever Flats, shortly accompanied by a loud thud and a yelp of pain. On the shores of a muck-filled pond within the swamplands, a female Emolga clad in a cobalt midriff halter glared at a male Pachirisu with a similarly colored vest as he laid on the ground and clutched his head in pain. The two electric squirrels had been out doing last minute practice for their upcoming battle with the witch Gilgamarsh, firing salt-laced arrows at the lifeless, Goomy and Sliggoo-like creatures known as Marshoids that remained in the isolated pond. Noting the Pachirisu’s trouble with hitting his targets, the Emolga attempted to improve his aim by gently grabbing his paws and showing him the proper posture to take when firing an arrow, only for the former to remark at how romantic it was for her to hold his hands, prompting her to slug him in the back of his head in response to his act.

“Honestly Patch, of all the times you would try to hit on someone, let alone me, you picked a very lousy time to do so!” the Emolga shouted with a slight blush on her face, “How can I improve your form and make you a better marksmon if you treat this like some sort of date! Do you want me to tie you up on one of those slimy creatures and fire arrows at you again?!”

“It was just a joke Eth, calm down,” the Pachirisu replied nonchalantly as he stood up and shook the mud off his vest, “besides, I’m starting to get the hang of this bow and arrow stuff, so I’m one step towards turning that big pile of goo into…into…well, the point is we’re going to defeat him and bask in the glory of being among the ‘mons who saved Tabira’s water.”

“Well, you’re not going to win any fame if you can’t hit your targets,” she exhaled, “Now, let’s try again.”

Patch took a deep breath as he turned himself perpendicular to his left side and straightened his posture, placing the arrow on the rest as he aimed the bow towards the ground. In one swift act, he raised the bow and pulled the string back towards his right cheek before releasing the arrow and watched as it flew towards its target.

The arrow sailed past the intended target, grazing it on its left side just enough to spread a little salt into the cut, leaving it only a matter of time before the Sliggoo-like creature would shrivel up and dissolve back into the muck from whence it spawned. As the arrow flew further away, two grey and white-colored figures emerged from the other side of a dead tree, startling the two squirrels for fear that the arrow would harm an innocent bystander. Before the duo could call out to warn them, however, the larger of the grey figures snatched the arrow from midair, inches from striking the smaller creature’s right ear as it fell into the free hand of the larger figure.

It was at that moment that the two squirrels recognized the two figures as a Cinccino and a younger Minccino, in part because of the unusually unkempt fur and the latter’s magenta bow on her neck and the walking stick in her paws that was held up to block the arrow. Their names were Emily and Minnie Mint, next-door neighbors from back in Tabira that they had not seen since Patch and Ethlyn volunteered to help the guilds solve the water crisis. Though the two were pleasantly surprised by their appearance, the near disaster that had nearly happened created more concern for their wellbeing than joy from seeing their friends once again.

“My apologies, Mrs. Mint, Patch’s aim was just slightly off,” Ethlyn said as she bowed her head, “If I had known you were watching us, I would’ve had him move over to the side a little so he wouldn’t hit you.”

“No need to apologize Ethlyn, it’s as you say, we didn’t announce our presence beforehand,” the Cinccino replied, “By the time we were ready to call on you two, Patch had already fired his arrow…”

“We did get a little giggle seeing you hold Mr. Reeses’ hand before you pummeled him, Miss Monica,” the little Minccino quipped, prompting Ethlyn to blush and Emily to give her a funny look.

“Ah, but I am nonetheless pleased to see you come all the way here to see us,” Patch said in his trademark flirtish tone, taking Emily’s paws before she could back away, “it’s good to know that we’re missed back in Tabira.”

“In some ways, hardly,” the Cinccino deadpanned as she shook him off, “Patch, you know I had to have the last of my belongings moved over to our house, so I couldn’t help even if I wanted to.”

“I don’t doubt you at all Madame, but I could still tell you wanted to come with regardless, especially after what happened with Morgan…”

The girls nodded their heads, briefly reflecting on the time Minnie was kidnapped by the Vulpix witch and her Woobat apprentice. Though the Vulpix managed to escape and remained at large, the water crisis caused by the more powerful Gilgamarsh was a more urgent matter compared to the threat she posed.

“Hey, you two wouldn’t happen to be Patch and Ethlyn, right?” said a voice from behind the two squirrels.

The quartet turned their attention just as a Weavile with violet eyes, navy blue scarf, and a petite, yet feline build hopped down from a nearby branch, leaning up against the tree in a cool, flirtatious manner. A large grin appeared on Patch’s face the instant he caught sight of the Sharp Claw Pokémon, and before Ethlyn and Emily could even inhale air for their sighs of disgust, the Pachirisu had rushed over to her side, lustfully gazing at the Weavile as she chuckled to herself.

“You’ve come to the right place, and they sent the right kind of messenger too! So, my wintry weasel wonder, do you have a message for us, or are you and I going to go out under the darkness of a moonlit swamp?”

The Weavile held a claw up to her mouth in a vain attempt to conceal her laughter, “So this is what it’s like to be hit on by the infamous Patch Reeses. Addy was right about how you couldn’t resist the sight of a pretty girl, I can’t believe that there really is someone in Tabira that flirts with practically every girl he sees.”

“Did Addy want us for something? Are we about to plan our attack?” Ethlyn spoke, placing a paw in front of Patch’s mouth to prevent him from stalling whatever the Weavile was trying to accomplish.

“That’s pretty much the gist of it, and the sooner you all get back, the better. I’ll even help carry the little one over there if you want, but the rest of you are on your own.”

The Weavile held her arms out for Minnie to hop on, grabbing on to the Minccino firmly before leaping up to the branches high above. As Ethlyn followed by gliding up to the treetops, Patch summoned a rope of grass and lassoed a branch high above.

“My treat,” Patch said as he offered a paw to Emily, only to be met with glaring eyes that made it clear she’d rather walk…



Far from sanctuary of the Karuka Caverns, on a hill overlooking a lake comprised of a slimy liquid, the Tabirans and the local allies from Fernford Village and the Fever Flats had gathered their collective army. Though united in their goal to end Gilgamarsh’s reign of terror, they had come up with a plan to split into five groups to meet the needs necessary to achieve victory.

Near the collection of ballistae, catapults, and other forms of siege weapons were the Pokémon designated as the attack team. Led by Chandra of the Scholars and Gnarl and Lydia of the Trackers, this group primarily consisted of several strong fighters eager to put the monstrous Goodra witch down for good. Near them were a battalion of ‘mons known as the suppression team, commanded by Kassi and Topaz of the Artisans and Sibyl of the Trackers. These ‘mons were more interested in capturing the witch alive in a giant Apricorn Cell, and each of them capable of wielding debilitating maneuvers and techniques to tire out their target. Behind these two teams were the medical teams, managed by Gemma and Sinclair of the Keepers and the recently rehabilitated Alice of the Scholars, who were already hard at working getting ready to treat any injuries that were certainly to come from the upcoming battle.

Further behind the line was another group directed Menthe and Darius of the Scholars and Cetra of the Artisans known as the communications team. It was here that Emily and Minnie volunteered to help coordinate the attacks between the teams using small, short-range variants of Voice Stones to communicate to each squad, a larger version installed nearby to keep the locals aware of the situation.

The last of these groups was Patch and Ethlyn’s, comprised of those who were more fleetfooted than the rest and chosen specifically for one simple task: to keep Gilgamarsh away from the others and draw his attention to them. As far as the two were concerned, however, they might as well have been called cannon fodder, given that they were the ones who would have to take the hits if need be. Fortunately for the two squirrels, there were many other Pokémon who had come to take join in their decoying effort, including a few familiar faces they had worked with before.

The first of these the duo noted was Prier, the Absol that had caused so much controversy shortly before their travels began by being seen around the witch Morgan, and seeing a Pokémon that was not very trusted and of a species stereotyped for bringing ill omen made the two uneasy. Fortunately, they were not the only ones that were nervous around Prier, for a young Rattata girl named Chip was next to him, her face glowing a light red color as she seemed to struggle to even talk to the Absol, shyly turning away the moment she tried to open her mouth.

The next of these was the Weavile the duo had met earlier out at the mucky pond, wishing a Lucario and a gold-yellow colored Buizel luck on their tasks before joining with their group. Her name was Samara of Team Lancer, and during their trip coming back to the caverns, she didn’t appear fazed by Patch’s attempts to flirt with her, seemingly playing along as he tried to court her. Nonetheless, having an Ice-Type in their group provided some comfort, knowing that her attacks would be of major help against a Dragon-type like Gilgamarsh.

The last ‘mons they noticed were clustered around a strange, hand cranked mechanism that appeared to be a sort of cannon, only with several, smaller chambers instead of just one from which anything loaded into the weapon could be fired. Atop the weapon was a chocolate-colored Chespin with a gauntlet on his left paw that concealed sharp claws, standing pridefully upon his creation as he gazed upon their surroundings. Below him, a female Houndoom and a Summer Coat Deerling rested next to the strange mechanism, the exhausted looks on their faces suggesting they had been pulling the weapon through the mucky terrain for quite a distance. Fortunately, a young Phantump with a ghostly white-colored trunk was there to make sure the two could recover using a Symbol of Charity much like the one that had been given to Patch and Ethlyn by Gemma of the Keepers Guild.

Patch smirked as he gazed upon the Chespin’s weapon and the exhausted girls by it, seeing an opportunity not only to bring comfort to the girls the only way how, but also a chance to make himself look good in the upcoming battle. He could only manage a step forward towards them, however, before a male voice froze him in place.

“Patch, Ethlyn, Vander wants to see you two now!”

Patch’s gleeful thoughts of raw firepower and new love interests instantly turned to dread, the nerves on his face tingling with an old discomfort from an injury suffered long ago at the boxing gloves of the Tracker leader. He slowly turned towards the source of the voice to find a jet black Umbreon with blue markings in place of the species’ usual yellow colors, sans the ring that was absent on his long tail, silver eyes, navy blue markings zigzagging around his ankle, and an upside down, hollowed star in place of a ring on his forehead. It was Nox, whom Patch had recently worked with on his failed attempt to capture the witch Madeline, and though the thought of him trying to “steal his glory again” danced in Patch’s head, Vander’s request to see him still held a more powerful grip on the Pachirisu’s mind.

Ethlyn, on the other hand, was glad to see the Umbreon, thanking him for trying his best to keep Patch out of as much trouble as possible and asking him to lead the way to Vander as quickly as possible.

“What’s with him?” the Umbreon asked Ethlyn, “That’s not the Patch I’m used to seeing.”

“He has a bit of a history with Vander, to put it lightly,” Ethlyn explained, “Needless to say, you won’t have to worry about him flirting with anyone for the time being.”

Nox nodded his head, a slight smirk appearing on his face as he imagined what Vander could’ve done to Patch to make Tabira’s most infamous flirt shudder in fright. He turned around and beckoned the two electric squirrels to follow, an audible gulp echoed from the Pachirisu’s throat as they began following in his footsteps...



Amongst the cluster of decaying trees near the shore of a polluted river, just out of sight of the main decoy team, a loud crunch of bark being crushed sent shivers down Patch’s spine, an ill omen that made him briefly think with more certainty that Vander was going to pummel every bone in his body to dust. As he followed Nox past a large, fungi-covered tree, he further fell into a state of near-panic, witnessing Vander wiping sweat off his brow while walking away from a small tree that had bared the brunt of one of Vander’s mighty punches. Had he been practicing for the fight against Gilgamarsh, or for Patch’s beating? The Pachirisu could only look upon the Tracker leader with dread for a few moments before opening his quivering mouth

“Y-y-you wanted to see us, Vander?”

“Mostly you, Patch. Ethlyn and I agreed to have this meeting before we went off to fight Gilgamarsh,” Vander answered in a calm, yet firm manner as he leaned against a tree, pointing at a nearby log with his left glove, “Have a seat, we’ve a lot to discuss and little time to do it.”

The Pachirisu urgently nodded his head, taking his place in between Nox and Ethlyn without once looking away from Vander, even as the Umbreon briefly let out a brief snicker that quickly caught glares from both Ethlyn and Vander.

“T-t-this is about that whole thing with Madeline, right?” Patch asked, “Look, I think having Ethlyn and the others using me as target practice was punishment enough. I-I mean, I nearly wet myself when all those arrows came at me!”

“I did hear about that, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t get a small chuckle out of it,” Vander sighed, “but what we’re here to talk about has as much to do about today as it does have to do with the other day, and we really need you to listen to what we have to say about it!”

“It’s no secret the reason you went after Madeline was because you wanted to court Holly and Menthe by capturing her and finding a solution to Holly’s de-evolution,” Ethlyn began, “You were intent on going it alone, even after I had warned you to stay out of trouble while I was helping forge weapons, entering the poisonous gas-filled cavern to pursue her, and ultimately getting clobbered by her in the end. If it weren’t for the fact you had Hunter, Nox, and all the others that came with you, who knows what would’ve happened!”

“And while I was being carried to safety, Nox and a few others managed to capture Madeline without me,” Patch said, turning his head towards the Shiny Umbreon, “To think, I could’ve had Holly and Menthe swooning over me, or at least thanking me for what I did for them.” Patch paused as his face became a very uncharacteristic scowl, “What, is Sonya not good enough for you, Nox?”

The Umbreon barely held back a blush as he growled at Patch, “W-what does she have to do with this? I did it because I wanted Madeline to pay for what she did to her own daughter and get back those totems. There was only one ‘mon on our group that was hunting Madeline for selfish reasons, and that ‘mon was you Patch!”

“That’s enough, both of you!” Vander shouted, the arguers flinching upon hearing him, “Patch, the point is that it was your recklessness, your eagerness to do anything and everything to woo females that got you in that mess, and I know that same mentality is the reason you want to fight Gilgamarsh, correct?”

“You read me like a poster on a wall, Vander,” Patch answered, vainly trying to regain some of his pride back with his reply, “I’ll do anything to get a girl to call my own.”

The trio rolled their eyes at his typical response before Vander continued, “Patch, this is a very serious matter. Gilgamarsh is one of the most powerful witches we’ve encountered in recent memory, and if we’re to defeat him, we can’t have that glory-seeking attitude from you.”

“Lives are at stake. Everyone is going to do what they can to bring down Gilgamarsh,” Ethlyn commented, “Showboating in a battle like this puts yourself and everyone in this fight in danger.”

“And so help me, if someone gets killed because you tried to be a standout, we will do everything it takes make sure you’re his next victim, understand?”

Patch gulped as Vander emphasized his point by pounding a fist into a glove. It had been quite a while since he had truly stared into the face of someone who could make a threat and looked capable of carrying it out at once, and in the face of such a formidable look, Patch rapidly shook his head vertically.

The Hitmonchan relaxed his stance, turning his back on the trio as he began to walk away. “Very well, if we’re in agreement, we should regroup with the rest,” he spoke, “We don’t have long before we attack.”

Patch exhaled heavily as Vander turned past the trees and vanished from sight. “What a way to kill the mood to fight. I can’t do it if Vander’s threatening to break my bones for good…”

“Patch, all we’re asking is for you to show that you can be selfless instead of being so selfish, to put everyone’s needs ahead of yours” Ethlyn said as she put a paw on his right shoulder and leveled her eyes with Patch’s, “we’re all going to be recognized for what we’re about to do, it’s just a matter of what you do during the battle that’s going to determine how everyone is going to look at you, and if you asked me, I think you’ll earn a lot more respect, and perhaps a girl or two, if you don’t try to take all the glory. If someone else can strike at a weak spot, help them make sure they hit their mark, instead of going after it yourself. If someone’s in danger, but you have an opportunity to strike, make sure they’re safe, even if it means you miss your opportunity. This is not just your fight, but everyone’s fight, and we all need to make sure everyone comes home and shares the victory together!”

Patch nodded once more as he stepped back, his face showing a look of determination as he grabbed the bow holstered on his back and held it tightly in his paws. “Alright Eth, I’ll show you what I’m capable of,” he said with an unusually serious tone, storming off in Vander’s tracks to regroup with the rest of the decoy group.

“Do you really think he can manage to do all that?” Nox asked, “I’m doubt he can change his attitude that quickly and keep it that way. I just don’t see it in him…”

“Maybe, but as I’ve learned by living with Patch, once he sets his mind on something, it’ll take a lot to dissuade him from it. It’s just how long he can go without doing things the way he usually does that worries me the most, and what happens when he does…”

Ethlyn grabbed the bow from her back and closed her eyes, holding a silent prayer for everyone she knew to be safe, for Patch to stay true to the difficult task he was given, and for her to believe in Patch…



The blast of psychic energy striking the monstrous Goodra from a container Menthe held in her paws signaled the beginning of the attack, the three teams of attack, suppression, and distraction converging their attacks and weapons upon the colossal witch. Patch listened as Emily relayed the orders to charge through a miniature, short-ranged Voice Stone attached to a headband and fitted on the right side of his face, watching as Ethlyn and the rest of the decoy team headed into battle. He was slow to join the rest of the team, the discussion he had with Vander and Ethlyn weighing heavily on his mind, to the point that in the whole time he spent in position awaiting the order to attack, he never once made advances towards either Emily via the Voice Stone, or Addy as she stood next to him, both they and Ethlyn noting how unusual this behavior was from Patch. As much as the cobalt vest he wore usually gave him a sense of confidence and willpower, there was an increasing desire to vomit in disgust of what he had turned into that was killing much of that boldness he had.

The earth trembling voice of Gilgamarsh broke Patch’s daze, turning his attention just in time to see the Goodra swat Addy out of the air in the middle of his response to Chandra of the Scholars, crashing down next to the chocolate-colored Chespin as he aimed his mechanical marvel at the monstrous dragon. Patch began running towards the injured Artisan as she clutched her thigh in pain, quickly tended to by the Spring Form Deerling named Ginger as the Emolga gingerly got on her back to be taken to safety. He cursed in his throat at a chance to impress Addy by helping take her back to the medical teams, but he knew that given how she was up there with Holly, Menthe, and Cris as guild members he had hit on frequently, any attempt to help would almost certainly be seen by others as another attempt to court her.

Patch turned his attention back towards the skies to watch as Ethlyn joined several other flying Pokémon in circling around Gilgamarsh’s head, dodging his flailing arms and swinging tail with acrobatic grace. Landing on a branch exactly between the canopy and roots of a nearby tree, she readied the bow strapped to her back to fire at a wound on the Goodra’s body that appeared to be leaking green blood, or at least something equivalent to it. A bright pink light stuck the Goodra moments before Ethlyn could fire an arrow at the abomination, a loud hiss accompanying the impact as he fell on his back and the mass of light began to break apart into several tendrils of energy.

Both electric squirrels stood in awe as the foliage began to rapidly change color, as if the seasons were changing right before their eyes, only to wither and fade as the leaves disintegrated into nothing. They joined a rapidly growing group of Pokémon as they turned their eyes towards the source of the bright explosion to find Gnarl, one of the high-ranking members of the Trackers Guild, standing before the trail of destruction, watching as Gilgamarsh slowly rose again, roaring as the pool of pus began to ripple, summoning row upon row of Marshoids with each wave that washed up on shore.

The Chespin cranked the handle on his weapon, firing several blasts of salt at the onslaught of fake Goomy and Sliggoo that slithered towards him, each Marshoid stuck vaporizing in explosions of salt and goo. Even though Patch was nearby watching their advance and armed with his bow, the Marshoids were focused on the larger threat to their existence from the siege weapon. With each creature that disintegrated, more would replace them, and not even the mechanical marvel could keep up with the growing numbers as they threatened to overrun the weapon and its operator.

“Get outta the way!” the Pachirisu shouted as he ran towards the weapon, firing his arrows at the Marshoids to ward off their advance. The arrows failed to hit their marks despite the crowds, and soon the Chespin was forced to hop off his weapon to fight off the monsters surrounding him with his claw gauntlet. Just as the Spiny Nut Pokémon was about to be swallowed up by the sea of slimy abominations, Ethlyn swooped in and snatched him away from their clutches, robbing their creator of a Grass-type he could absorb to boost his power.

“Patch, what are you doing standing over there? Get in and do some distracting already!”

It was Vander who had called out to the Pachirisu in the midst of another flood of Marshoids, Ice Punching his way through the crowd as Samara and the Houndoom named Penelope provided cover for the Hitmonchan. As the Pachirisu struggled to find a way to contribute to the fight once more, he noticed the weapon the Chespin had used was no longer surrounded by the Marshoids, having gone to find other targets to swarm now that it was no longer occupied. Patch grinned for the first time since the battle started, opportunity was knocking on his doorstep to try the weapon on his own and pump that witch full of salt.

The gargantuan Goodra roared as Patch ran towards the weapon, light blue waves of energy swirling in front of witch’s mouth before unleashing a beam of energy that swept in front of the electric squirrel. The blast that followed sent Patch rocketing into the air, the bow and several arrows coming loose from his grip as he crashed down upon the ground mere inches out of the pool of muck. His weapon wasn’t as fortunate, several small audible hisses and thin trails of smoke billowing from the muck marking the fate of his bow and arrows and how close Tabira’s most infamous flirt was to meeting a horrific end.

“AND JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING, SQUIRREL?” the Goodra’s voice boomed, the creature lowering his head to his level as a sinister smirk appeared on his face shortly before he lunged, the impact of his landing shaking the ground and causing Patch to stumble and fall over, rolling on his back to recover and face the monster once more. “FOR SOMEONE WHO WAS BROUGHT HERE TO FIGHT, YOU HAVE NOT DONE MUCH OF IT? ARE YOU INTIMIDATED? HAVE YOU WITNESSED MY POWER AND WISELY DECIDED TO STAND BACK AND WATCH AS YOUR ALLIES STRUGGLE AGAINST ME AND MY CREATIONS? OR ARE YOU SIMPLY NAÏVE TO THINK THAT YOU COULD BE OF ANY HELP?”

“Truly your reputation has been woefully underrepresented,” the Pachirisu replied, his chest puffed with pride in trying to mask his nervousness, “To see the mighty Gilgamarsh up close and personal, well, I just couldn’t believe it until I saw it myself.”

“AND DO YOU NOW?! FLATTERY WILL NOT SAVE YOU OR ANYONE ELSE, SQUIRREL.”

“But I, Patch Reeses, am not here for flattery,” Patch smirked, “You see, you’re not the only one with a reputation known to many in Tabira.”

The Goodra rose as he gave Patch an intrigued smirk, towering over the tiny electric squirrel in a display of intimidation. This was immediately met with a barrage of lightning bolts, flames, and salt-laced arrows, prompting Gilgamarsh to splash his right arm through the puddle beneath him and unleash a wave of acidic water at his assailants to drive them away.

“YOU SAY YOU HAVE A REPUTATION, ONE THAT YOU THINK CAN EQUAL MY OWN?” Gilgamarsh roared towards the sky, the heavens answering his call by rapidly filling with dark, ominous clouds. Thunder roared, a torrent of rain fell upon the battlefield, “GO ON, PATCH REESES, AMUSE ME. WHAT DO YOU CLAIM TO THAT CAN POSSIBLY MATCH MY OWN?”

Patch gulped as the weather turned in Gilgamarsh’s favor, knowing from the briefings that his ability to summon rain was capable not only of improving his recovery from the scars of battle, but also providing a boost to his already mighty attacks. Despite the gooey dragon’s display, however, Patch needed to provide some form of distraction for the next attack, and with one last deep breath he stared the mighty witch and began.

“I am Tabira’s most infamous flirt, no pretty female escapes my eye! I have traveled much of this continent in my quest to defeat you, and wherever I go, girls swoon at my captivating presence, handsome looks, and charismatic personality.”

The voice stone in Patch’s ear erupted in shouts of protest and warnings from Ethlyn and Emily, one complaining that he should focus on fighting Gilgamarsh instead of telling about his exploits, the other advising him to expect a salt bombardment in a matter of seconds. Gilgamarsh cackled as the voices carried out like a chorus in his ears, diving into the muck he stood in to dodge the incoming boulders of salt that peppered the area and emerging once more to taunt the electric squirrel as he emerged from sodium chloride that had buried him.

“WHAT YOU ARE, PATCH, IS A TERRIBLE LIAR!” he said as he swatted away a group of small bird Pokémon that charged him, “LISTEN TO YOUR ‘GIRLFRIENDS’, DO THEY SOUND AS IF THEY’RE MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU? I WONDER HOW LITTLE OF YOUR CLAIM IS TRUE. I DOUBT YOU EVEN HAVE ONE FEMALE TO CALL YOUR OWN!”

Another volley of attacks covered for Patch as he struggled to find words to counter the witch’s claims, but even as the massive Goodra blasted several of his attackers with his Thunder, he found nothing that would turn his case back in his favor. Beams, salt bombs, and shards of ice struck the Goodra from behind, his subsequent fall nearly crushing the Pachirisu under his bulk. The Goodra grimaced momentarily from the pain he had endured, but he refused to stay down for long, and soon he was back on his slimy feet to taunt the electric rodent once more.”

“TO THINK THOSE FOOLS STUCK ME FROM SUCH AN ANGLE. WHAT WOULD’VE HAPPENED IF YOU HADN’T HAD AS MUCH WARNING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY? OR PERHAPS IT WAS MEANT TO BE THAT WAY SO THAT YOU COULD BE CRUSHED?”

“Oh baloney, you adjusted your fall so that you could use the momentum to flatten me.” Patch sneered.

“AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN THIS FIGHT? YOU AND THAT GLIDING SQUIRREL AREN’T STRONG ENOUGH TO TOPPLE ME. YOU’RE ONLY MEANT TO BE MERE DISTRACTIONS, AND GIVEN HOW MUCH YOUR…REPUTATION, SEEMS TO BE DESPISED AMONG THOSE YOU FIGHT ALONGSIDE, IT’S CLEAR THAT YOU ARE BEING USED AS A MEANS TO AN END. THE VALUE OF YOUR LIFE MEANS NOTHING TO THEM, FOR WITHOUT YOU, THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE ANYONE TO BOTHER THEM IN SUCH A WAY. YOU ARE WEAK, RODENT, JUST AS I ONCE WAS AS A GOOMY…BUT NOT ANYMORE, AND NOW YOU, ALONG WITH ALL WHO HAVE MADE ME ‘THE BEAST OF THE WASTES’ HAVE COME TO KNOW AND FEAR MY ABSOLUTE POWER!”

Another bombardment interrupted the Goodra’s boasting, his Dragon Breath counter demolishing a row of siege weapons up on the edge of the hill overlooking the battlefield. A group of fliers were the next to feel his wrath, his Thunder attack engulfing the entire force in an explosion of sparks. The Goodra smirked as several of his flying foes fell helplessly into the clutches of the Marshoids waiting below, a large mass of allied forces lead by Chandra plowing their way through in hopes to rescue the victims before they were dragged into the acidic muck surrounding Gilgamarsh.

“I HAVE BEATEN THOUSANDS! CONSUMED A SWAMPLAND OF FLESH AND WATER AND FOLIAGE! MY CREATIONS, INFINITE! MY SKIN, ACID! MY LIGHTNING, INDIGNATION INCARNATE! MY BREATH…DEATH!!! THOSE THAT MADE THIS PLACE THEIR HOME NOW GAZE UPON A MONUMENT TO ALL THEIR SINS, FOR A SENTENCE I NEVER DESERVED…AND ALL IMPOSED!” His boasting complete, he turned once more to the trembling Pachirisu that had stayed in place through his attack, horrified at the carnage he had wrought upon the Tabira and Fernwood allies. “NOW DO YOU SEE HOW YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS PALE COMPARED TO MINE, PATCH REESES?!”

“All you are and ever have been is a selfish monster!”

A single arrow flew towards Gilgamarsh, piercing the lower portion of his neck and drawing a gush of the green, blood-like substance as he roared in pain. Patch turned to an expected and welcome relief in the form of Ethlyn, who had already drawn a bow and aimed at his chest, a noticeable wince on her face as she held the arrow’s feathers.

“SO, THERE IS A FEMALE THAT CARES FOR YOUR SAFETY,” Gilgamarsh snarled, “BUT IT MATTERS NOT FOR BOTH OF YOU SQUIRRELS, FOR OUR LITTLE GAME ENDS HERE. SO TELL ME, PATCH REESES, HOW DO YOU TWO CHOOSE TO DIE?!”

Electricity crackled between the Goodra’s back antennae, another Thunder attack charging up to smite the two squirrels with all his fury. Even as Electric-Types, a direct hit would prove severe, if not lethal, but Patch’s fear and Ethlyn’s aiming were keeping the two in place, and the arrow flew just as the first sparks began to discharge into a tremendous bolt of lightning.

” Custodes!” cried a familiar voice just before the crash of thunder drowned out all the sound from the squirrels’ ears, the two bracing for the blow that was to come. As the light faded and the roar died down, however, the two were still standing in place, a silvery glow surrounding their bodies briefly before fading away as a Nox, Samara, and several other Dark-types stood in between them and Gilgamarsh.

“Patch, Ethlyn, fall back! Sinclair’s cleared a path for you to get back to the medical team!” Nox shouted, his legs noticeably shaking as he stared down the Goodra witch.

“David and I can handle this with Nox, a few salt bombs should do the trick!” Samara said as she tossed a couple of the sodium chloride explosives towards Patch and Ethlyn, “Here, take these just in case some Marshoids sneak up on you guys.”

“YOU WILL NOT EVADE ME, PATCH REESES!” Gilgamarsh roared as the two electric squirrels fled into the woods, Ice Shards, salt bombs, and Dark Pulse blasts blocking the monster from pursuing them...



The aftermath of Gilgamarsh’s attack on the ballistae created a swell of activity in the area squared off for the medical team as each volunteer scrambled to get as many Pokémon treated. Many of the newly wounded hobbled into the vicinity for injuries sustained from either the direct hit from Gilgamarsh’s Dragon Breath attack or the subsequent destruction of several siege weapons and the flying debris that came with it. Shortly joining them were the various flying Pokémon that bared the brunt of the witch’s Thunder as they were stretchered in with their grisly burns suffered the electrical shocks, an unlucky few fished out of the acidic waters and covered by sheets as they screamed in agony from the pain.

Such a scene would’ve scarred anyone that bared witness to the parade of casualties flowing in, but Emily’s concerns were not on the wounded that passed by her, but the lack of any response from Patch and Ethlyn to her calls from her Voice Stone, the crash of thunder the last sound to come through. This fact coinciding with the monstrous Goodra still putting up a fight and that he seemed to be communicating with Patch during the battle filled both her and Minnie with dread.

“Excuse me, you wouldn’t have happened to see an Emolga or a Pachirisu come by recently, have you?” Minnie asked a passing Pangoro with a rice hat and a knit shawl as she emerged from the tent with a bandage on her arm.

”Wǒ méiyǒu, nor have I seen if any of my teammates have gotten hurt,” she replied, “but I’ll try my best to keep an eye on them when I get back to the frontlines.”

Minnie thanked the Pangoro for her answer, only to sigh and droop her ears with concern, leaning on her walking cane as she pondered the fate of her neighbors. Her mother placed a paw on her shoulder to comfort the Minccino child, swiping off a bit of dust from the back of her head with her free hand.

“Do you think Mr. Reeses and Ms. Monica are okay mommy?”

The Cinccino exhaled as a determined expression appeared on her face, having made up her mind of her next course of action. “Minnie, I need you to stay here and keep trying to hail Patch and Ethlyn, tell Menthe or Darius that I’ve declared myself for the attack team.”

The Minccino’s eyes widened as she realized her mother’s intentions. “Mommy, you’re not thinking about going out to fight that witch, are you?”

“Even though it’s been quite a while since I’ve been in a fight like this, I’ll be fine,” she assured her daughter, her free paw digging into her scarf-like fur, “besides, you know I’ve got my secret weapon for occasions such as this…”

“But if you use it too much, you’ll hurt yourself mommy,” the Minccino hugged her mother, who reciprocated in kind, “I don’t know what will happen if you overexert yourself…”

“I’ll use as much I need within reason, Minnie. Besides, it’s about time I repaid them for saving you…”



Under the veil of trees just outside of the battlefield, Patch and Ethlyn rested on a high branch to catch their breaths. Though they had managed to escape to a spot where they could strategize a new attack plan, the static-like sound filling their ears prompted the two to look upon the mini Voice Stones they had been wearing, only to find that the stones were cracked and covered in static electricity. The two had managed to survive Gilgamarash’s Thunder attack thank to Nox’s spell, but it was not enough to protect their equipment from damage.

“Great, now there’s no way we can communicate with anyone and let them know we’re okay” Patch commented.

“At the very least, we can have a brief respite from all the fighting,” Ethlyn sighed, firmly clutching her right paw.

“Something wrong, Eth? I saw you wince earlier when you aimed your arrow.”

“I must’ve dipped my hand in the goop when I was getting out of the way of Gilgamarsh’s Thunder attack.” Ethlyn held her hand out to reveal first degree burns covering almost her entire paw, “If I hadn’t pulled out my hand at that instant, it might’ve been worse…”

“Have you gotten it treated? Leaving the burns like that won’t be good for you, Eth, and you know I’d hate to have those beautiful paws of yours get so disfigured.”

At first, Ethlyn glared at the Pachirisu for making another flirty comment towards her, her uninjured paw looking to smack him on the head as punishment. A light tearing sound stopped her in her tracks as Patch tore a small bit of his vest, taking the Emolga’s paw and wrapping it up before letting her go with a smile that seemed more genuine than his usual sly grins.

“That’s the only relief I can provide, Eth, that burn needs to be treated by a medic. In the meantime, let me have the bow and arrows, just in case Marshy and his slimy goons get in the way.”

Ethlyn motioned her free hand towards her back, grabbing the grip of the bow and gingerly pulling it out to give to the Pachirisu. Just as he was about to take possession of the weapon, however, she suddenly pulled back and clutched it close to her body, her scowl returning to her face as she stared him down.

“Patch, how do you know I can trust you with this?” she asked.

The Pachirisu returned her question with a confused look, “What do you mean? Is this about all those times I missed those goopy goons while trying to help that kid?”

“It’s not just that. You’ve been hesitant to help at all, even going so far as to strike up a conversation with Gilgamarsh about your exploits in Tabira when you could’ve been fighting him. What were you trying to accomplish by doing so?”

“Honestly Ethlyn, what else could I do? My bow and arrows were knocked into the muck, and I’ve been distracted by thoughts that helping out would get me punched in the face by Vander!”

The Emolga was taken aback by the anger in Patch’s expressions and the usage of her own words that she normally used whenever Patch did something wrong. “Patch, that’s just preposterous! The reason we talked to you privately was so you’d get the hint not to do anything rash during this fight—“

“And you did a very good job at it, so much that I couldn’t effectively fight or even play decoy the way I wanted to! You’re all asking me to not be myself, and I’m trying to do everything to meet your demands, but I just don’t feel right about, well, not being me.” The Pachirisu exhaled as his face changed from anger to sadness, “Yet…talking to Gilgamarsh, I kinda saw a lot of myself in him. I mean, we’re both driven by some desire, girls for me, conquest for him, and we go to extreme lengths to achieve those goals. Maybe my motives are selfish, that I do annoy a lot of ‘mons like you, but it’s not like I try to make everyone’s lives miserable! This whole contamination of Tabira’s streams and waters thing affects all of us one way or another, someone’s gotta stop it, and I want to be at least one of those someones. I help stop a witch and save Tabira’s water, and maybe someone will notice my work and want to go out on a date with me. Simple plan, right? I may be seeking some sort of glory just so I can get a girl or two, but what I do also helps those I care about, even if they’d rather see me become that guy’s lunch or taken out by friendly fire… the happiness of all the ‘mons I love is what makes things worth fighting for, even if I don’t ever get that love back.”

Ethlyn placed her uninjured paw on the Pachirisu’s shoulder, the same depressed look reflecting on her face as she stared into his eyes, “Patch…I’m sorry for making you feel that way. I should know better… I mean, you help at the Wonder Room without much problems, you and I even live together, and not every moment is of you hitting on me. This is a side only I seem to be able to see from you, the one that’s kind and loyal to those who catch his eye, and that’s exactly the kind of ‘mon that I wanted everyone to see, that you’re more than just a flirt…you’re the kind of ‘mon that can be depended on when you put your mind to it!”

The two squirrels stared into each other’s eyes as soft smiles appeared on their faces. To have connected in such a way after all the challenges they had faced that day brought a sense of relief to both, a reminder of what made them such good friends in spite of all the trouble Patch usually caused. Ethlyn moved her paw off of Patch’s shoulder and grabbed her bow’s grip once more, holding it before Patch as a sign of confidence, a gesture he accepted in kind by taking the bow into his own paws.

“HOW TOUCHING, YOU TWO REALLY CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER,” a certain witch’s voice bellowed, “BUT NOTHING YOU DO WILL SAVE EITHER OF YOU!”

The two squirrels ducked down, narrowly avoiding the gooey arm that smashed through the top half of tree they rested on. Though the cloud of splinters and leaves, Gilgamarsh emerged to tower over the squirrels once more. Though his body had endured several blows and many of the eye-like boils on his body had burst open in a goopy mess, the scars of battle still failed to dampen the daunting posture he displayed.

“Still standing, eh? What a persistent creep you are,” Patch sneered as he and Ethlyn rose to their feet, “Oh well, at least the others still left enough of you to turn into muck beneath our feet!”

“IS THAT A THREAT?” the Goodra snarled, “WHAT CAN YOU DO THAT THE REST OF YOUR PITIFUL ARMY HASN’T DONE?”

As Patch pulled the arrow out of quiver on Ethlyn’s back and tied one of the salt bombs that Samara gave them, the Emolga simultaneously discharged a small amount of electricity into the arrow’s feathers and at Gilgamarsh’s right arm, magnetizing the two to help give Patch an advantage in striking the Goodra witch. Gilgamarsh smirked as Ethlyn’s Thunderbolt struck him, his typing making it feel like nothing more than a mere tickle, but the moment of amusement quickly changed to intense pain as the arrow and its explosive cargo struck an open wound on his upper arm, the salt spreading as a mist into the body as it turned the ooze leaking from his injury into a white color, and in his anger, he unleashed his mighty Thunder at the squirrels below him.

Ethlyn quickly motioned towards the last arrow in her quiver the instant the previous arrow hit its mark, but the witch launched his counterattack before she could hand it to Patch, leaving both in the line of fire. As she braced for impact, Ethlyn felt a shove on her chest, knocking her off the branch she stood on and briefly into a state of freefall as the roar of thunder deafened her ears. Spreading her wing-like membrane wide, she glided down onto the grass below as a cloud of leaves and wood splinters descended upon her, forcing her to tuck her head the instant she landed to avoid getting hit by the flying debris in a crucial spot of her body.

As the carnage died down, Ethlyn came to realize that Patch had shoved her out of harm’s way, undoubtedly taking the full brunt of the mighty bolt of lightning’s power, and the instant she turned back towards the tree she was pushed off, her fears were made true.

By the Emolga’s feet he rested, electricity crackling and smoke rising from the burnt fur, the bow and arrow now cinders of their former selves, the salt in the last bomb providing a small smokescreen as Gilgamarsh’s footsteps shook the earth.

“NOW THAT IS A PITY. WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW, GLIDING SQUIRREL? HOW NOW SHALL YOU CHALLENGE ME? YOU AND YOUR… FRIEND, HAVE NOTHING LEFT BUT YOUR OWN DEATHS!”

Ethlyn desperately shook Patch, calling out his name in hopes that he would rouse from his state of motionlessness, knowing that escape would be impossible if she were forced to carry Patch. Her hopes that Patch was still alive began to fade, and as she stared down Gilgamarsh and the Dragon Breath energy forming in front of his mouth, the Emolga embraced the immobile Pachirisu in her arms, bracing for their certain demise.

A painful roar echoed through the Fever Flats, prompting the Emolga to open her eyes as the Dragon Breath energy destructively scattered through the area, leveling the trees and bushes in the space between Ethlyn and Gilgamarsh. As the dust began to clear, she noticed that Gilgamarsh’s right arm was gone, a large formation of ice covering the gaping hole that was left as he grunted in agony and anger. An icy chill blew past Ethlyn’s fur, the remaining dust forming a small funnel before dispelling to reveal a Cinccino with unkempt fur standing before her, paws held out towards a floating sapphire stone encased in a silver, rectangular octagon-shaped casing.

Ethlyn stood in awe as the icy winds began to funnel once more, their energy forming in front of the jewel as an ice-blue sphere of light as Emily strained to contain the power channeling through, her scarf-like fur becoming more ragged as time passed.

“Emily, since when could you use magic?” Ethlyn spoke.

“Whether I use magic or not should be of no concern right now,” the Cinccino grunted as several other Pokémon lead by Chandra and the Shaymin named Mirya began to stand by her side and charge their own powerful attacks, regardless of whether it was some sort of magic like Emily’s, “what matters is that we finish this once and for all, and I will not stand for any more harm towards my neighbors!”

“WHO ARE YOU TO CHALLENGE ME?!” the Goodra witch bellowed, defiant even after all the pain that he had endured.

“Your reign ends here and now, Gilgamarsh! Go back to the muck from whence you came!” the Cinccino closed her eyes as the ice blue sphere glowed brightly, inhaling deeply as she recited her incantation…

” Oh xoia da furia glacial inexplorado, resaltar a túa enerxía da luz conxelación de proscribir os malos nunha prisión tan frío como o corazón do mal!”

The ice-blue sphere of light unleashed a beam of ice cold energy, combining with the other ‘mons’ attacks, enveloping the area in a blinding white light…