Arata's POV
Orin shone brightly, light pouring out of him. His small frame stretched and bulked, his fur thickening as his limbs lengthened, claws sharpened, and shoulders broadened until he towered nearly eight feet tall.
Ursaring
With a bellow that shook the leaves from the trees, Orin, now an Ursaring, sank both his massive paws into the Arbok's mouth. His muscles bunched as he ripped outward, tearing the snake's jaws free in a spray of venom and blood. Orin didn't stop. He slammed the cobra's head into the ground once, twice, then twisted with brutal, final force. We heard the sharp crack of bone, and the Arbok went limp.
He then rose to his full height, his chest heaving, eyes filled with rage. He turned toward the thugs and their Pokémon, who were frozen in terror.
Then he roared again, raising both arms high and bringing them crashing down, unleashing a massive Earthquake. The ground exploded outward, the entire clearing buckled and split. I grabbed Maggie and hauled her against me as the earth crumbled around us.
The thugs and their Pokémon werent so lucky as they were thrown off their feet, tumbling down like broken dolls.
He's lost himself to rage, I thought frantically.
It was a known phenomenon upon evolution for certain Pokémon. Orin knew to control the direction in which his attack would propagate, and he would never try to attack where I would be. Instinctively, I reached through our bond; all I could find was blinding rage.
The large Ursaring snarled and charged toward the downed groups with surprising speed, his body glowing with brown, earthy energy as he built up momentum—Bulldoze. The broken ground churned and rose with him as he continued towards them like a freight train.
Shit, he's going to kill them. I couldn't allow that to happen. If he killed them, I would have to go through an investigation, even if we were in the right, doubly so if it was ruled that my Ursaring was out of control.
"Orin! Stand down!" I yelled in vain, feeling my panic increase. Livia reacted.
My Pidgeotto dove like a brown bullet, her large wings glowing bright metallic as she accelerated, slamming into Orin's side with devastating force. The impact was thunderous; dust and debris exploded as she shoved the massive Ursaring sideways, canceling his charge.
Orin tumbled hard across the torn earth, skidding to a stop, enraged. His head snapped up. A lance of dark purple energy erupted from his mouth—Dark Pulse—ripping toward Livia. She twisted mid-air with impossible grace and shot upward, dodging the attack by inches.
Just when I thought I would have to forcefully return him, locking him in his Pokéball, Caesar barreled into him, slamming shoulder-first into Orin's chest with a heavy thud, using his full weight and momentum to drive the Ursaring backward, pinning him down, and roared directly into Orin's face.
For a second, I thought Orin would fight back.
Slowly, the red haze in Orin's eyes faded and his rage drained away. Caesar kept him pinned until Orin finally gave a low, submissive rumble and wiggled beneath him. Only then did the big Fraxure snort and step back, releasing him.The moment Caesar moved, Livia swooped down again, comically smacking Orin on the back of the head with one of her wings in a loud whackas she landed, letting out a couple of sharp, angry chirps.
Orin rubbed the spot with one massive paw, looking thoroughly sheepish, and through our Bond I could feel his guilt and shame.
All I could do was smile in pure relief. There you are, I thought, sending a strong pulse of pride and affection back through the link. Still my soft little bear underneath all that muscle.
I crouched down and gently pried Maggie off my side. She was quiet and subdued now, staring wide-eyed at how Orin had just torn an Arbok apart like it was nothing.
"It's okay now," I murmured, brushing dirt from her cheek. "Come on..."
I walked forward and reached Orin. He dropped down onto all fours, still towering over me, to make it easier for me to reach him. I rubbed the broad bridge of his snout, feeling giddy and proud all at once.
"Look at you..." I whispered, my voice thick.
I pulled out my Pokédex and scanned him. The device chimed softly as it recorded his stats. Orin then let out a deep, happy chuff and turned toward Maggie, who was still a little pale. She brightened instantly at his ministrations, stepping closer and reaching up to rub his thick fur, babbling nonsense at him.
I glanced over at Caesar and Livia, giving them both a nod and a small smile, which they returned. Then I looked toward where the thugs had been, realizing a second too late that they were gone within the time Orin had rampaged. I cursed under my breath. Livia screeched, tilting her head, asking if I wanted her to hunt them down.
I considered it for a second and then shook my head at her. It would have been fine if we had captured them, but I wasn't going to go out of my way to hunt down an enemy with unknown motives and without any backup...
I realized something wasn't right, looking around the clearing.
Where was Titania...?
Just as I opened my mouth to call her name, a bush to the side rustled. My little Larvitar stepped out proudly, stubby arms held high like she was carrying a trophy.
"Larv~!" she exclaimed, presenting a discarded Poké Ball with both hands.
I walked over quickly and took it from her. "What's this, girl?"
She pointed her nose toward the dead Arbok with a proud little huff. I ruffled the top of her head.
"Good find, Titania," I said softly. "The cops can have some kind of lead with this..."
The owner must have discarded the Poké Ball the moment they realized their Arbok was finished. It was solid evidence, a direct link to the thugs who had come for Maggie. I slipped the ball into my bag, glancing at the time, close to when I was supposed to meet Marrie back at the Center.
"We need to get back," I said, keeping my voice light. "If Marrie isn't there already, we're going straight to the police."
I recalled Caesar, Orin, and Titania in quick flashes of red. Only Livia remained out. I looked up at her. "Stay above us and keep an eye out for any trouble."
She gave a sharp, affirmative cry and flew high into the sky.
I turned to Maggie and forced a reassuring smile, even though my heart was still hammering. "Let's head back now, okay?"
She nodded quietly, still looking a little shaken by everything she'd just witnessed. She slipped her hand into mine without being asked, and we started walking fast back toward the city proper.
Pokémon Center
Vermillion City
I kept a wary eye out for any signs of trouble all throughout the journey back to the Center. I had recalled Livia once we hit the city proper, but I kept my hand close to my belt, ready to grab a Poké Ball at a moment's notice. I didn't want to be caught unaware.
Clearly, someone wanted the girls and was willing to go to extreme means to get them.
What did I get myself into? I thought with a sigh, but caught myself as I looked at the little girl holding my hand in trust. It's nothing I can't handle, and if it gets too much, I have people I can rely on.
We finally reached the Pokémon Center. We slowed down at the door, waiting for another trainer to pass through, my mind racing through worst-case scenarios.
If Marrie wasn't inside, things were going to get complicated fast. I'd have to hand over the discarded Poké Ball from the Arbok to the police anyway, but if we can't find Marrie? That's another problem entirely... I'd have to figure out what to do with Maggie.
The professor would have to get involved...
Just as we stepped through the sliding doors, I heard her.
"Maggie?! Where's my sister?! Has anyone seen a little girl with a straw hat?! Someone's trying to kidnap us!"
Marrie was standing at the main desk, voice loud and cracking with panic. A few of the staff and nurses were trying to calm her down, assuring her that the city police had been contacted and were on the way.
"Marrie!" Maggie cried out.
The older girl whipped around. The second she saw her little sister, the blonde bolted across the lobby.
"Maggie!"
The two collided in the middle of the floor. Marrie dropped to her knees and pulled her sister into a crushing hug, burying her face in Maggie's hair. Maggie clung back just as tightly, mumbling something into her shoulder.
"Some people came to take us, but Orin saved me..." she said, her voice muffled. "He got really big and strong, too..."
Marrie's eyes lifted over Maggie's head, giving me a questioning look. All I could do was give her a tight look and say,
"There was a situation..." That's an understatement, I thought dryly.
Before I could continue, a tall, serious-looking male nurse approached us quickly.
"Excuse me," he said quietly but firmly. "We've already called the police. Would you mind stepping into one of the private rooms? It'll be quieter, and we can wait for the officers there."
I have to deal with the police again, do I...?I thought, letting out a long breath and nodding. "Yeah... that's probably a good idea."
Marrie stood up slowly, still holding Maggie's hand. The three of us followed the nurse down a side hallway into a large room. It had a long couch, a couple of chairs, a small table, and a video call station mounted on the wall. The door clicked shut behind us, cutting off the noise of the lobby.
The moment we were alone, I wasted no time going up to the video-calling station. I pulled out my Pokedex, connected it, and dialed Professor Oak to get confirmation on the girls' situation. The call connected after two rings.
"Arata, I was just about to message you..." Oak greeted, his expression shifting from pleasant to concerned the second he saw my face. "... and it looks like you've had a day."
"That's putting it mildly, Professor." I quickly ran him through everything: the ambush in the clearing, Orin's evolution, the thugs possibly targeting Maggie, and the discarded Poké Ball we'd recovered. I did my best to explain it all clearly without missing too much.
At the end of my explanation, I glanced at the girls to silently ask him what he wanted to do.
Oak listened carefully, rubbed his chin, and said, "I wasn't expecting this... Why don't I talk to the young lady there?" I glanced over at Marrie, who was busy smoothing down her hair. I could tell she was clearly nervous, but she straightened like a soldier called to attention and stepped closer.
Seeing this, the professor now had a warm, grandfatherly smile. "Hello, Marrie. I'm Professor Samuel Oak. I've heard quite a bit about you and your sister."
Marrie gave a small, respectful, yet shy bow. "H-hello, Professor. It's good to meet you."
Oak's eyes softened. "It's good to meet you too, dear. To put it gently, I'm aware of your sister's very unique gift, but we can table that discussion for later." He leaned forward slightly. "So tell me, what are your plans regarding your situation?"
Marrie hesitated for only a second before answering, determinedly. "I was planning to go to Vermilion City with Maggie. There's an audition for the Contest Circuit sponsorship program, and if I get selected, they'll sponsor me for contests and give me enough support to send Maggie to the PokéTech Academy in Cerulean City."
Oak nodded thoughtfully, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That's very responsible of you. It seems you've clearly thought this through."
He paused for a moment, considering. "I can handle Maggie's enrollment at PokéTech. Full scholarship, housing—everything will be arranged."
Marrie's eyes widened. "Professor, I appreciate it, but I can't accept that. That's too much, and why would you?"
Oak chuckled kindly. "You're right, there usually is no free lunch in the world. But in this case, it's partly because of your sister's rare ability. More than that, helping young trainers and children in need is the entire reason I do what I do. It's been the purpose of my life's work."
I felt a quiet wave of admiration wash over me as I watched the old man on the screen. There was some real weight behind those words.
Oak continued, "Which is why I'd like to suggest something. Why don't you travel with Arata toward Vermilion? He's heading that way eventually anyway. It would be good experience for you as a trainer, and I have full confidence he can keep the three of you safe if any more trouble arises."
Marrie looked surprised, then slowly glanced at me to gauge my reaction. At my smile and nod, she answered the professor, "Thank you, Professor. Really." We ignored the way she quietly wiped her eyes.
Just then, Oak's eyes shifted to me, bright with excitement. "And congratulations on Orin's evolution, Arata! A truly—"
The door to the room suddenly opened.
Officers Ken and Ainya stepped inside, their expressions carefully neutral. I saw Professor Oak mute his end and lean back into his chair.
Ken gave a small nod. "Mr. Ishida. Ms. Marrie. We meet again."
They walked further towards me but both paused for a solid second when they noticed Professor Samuel Oak's face on the large video screen. Ainya's eyebrows lifted to her hairline in surprise but managed to school her features.
"The Center called us after Ms. Marrie arrived at the reception desk in distress," Ken explained, glancing between us. "Said she was asking about her sister rather loudly."
Marrie, still holding Maggie's hand, took a small step forward. I remained quiet, letting her tell her story. She explained how a gang had been threatening her for months over her deseased father's supposed debts, and how they'd cornered her earlier that day and threatened to take Maggie to force Marrie's compliance.
When she finished, I stepped in and gave a brief account of what had happened in the clearing, handing over the discarded Poké Ball from the dead Arbok.
"This could maybe come in handy," I said.
Ken took the ball with a nod. I could tell both officers wanted to press me about the Ursaring I possessed. It was rare enough for veteran trainers with years of experience to own one, and keeping one inside city limits usually required special permission. Officer Ainya's eyes had narrowed the moment I mentioned it, but after a quick glance at Professor Oak on the screen, she kept her mouth shut.
I decided to cut things short.
"We'll be leaving the city immediately," I said, glancing at Marrie and Maggie, who both nodded vigorously.
At that, Professor Oak unmuted himself.
"Well then," he said warmly, "I'll take my leave. Arata, please send me the full Pokédex scan of Orin when you get a chance." He then turned his attention to the officers. "Thank you for assisting my lab trainer, Officers."
Ken gave a respectful bow. "It's an honor, Sir."
With that, Oak gave us all a final nod and ended the call.
I turned back to Ken and Ainya. "If there's nothing else right now, we'd like to get moving."
Ken studied me for a moment, then nodded. "We'll follow up if we need anything more. Stay safe out there." With that, we departed the center.
It was time to leave the city.