Search for the Sword of the Mist! Ch.3

CHAPTER 3 Up in Smoke...Literally.

Continued from Chapter 2.....

Buizel stamped his paw into the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"Why...?" he muttered through sobs. "Why is this happening...?"

Riolu cocked his head at this unusual Pokemon. "What all is the matter?" he asked. "Why are you crying?"

Buizel gave Riolu a look that seemed mixed with both sorrow and hatred; a very rare sight for any Pokemon to have. "What do you think...," Buizel growled. "That was the only house I could call home. And now look at it!"

He pointed at debris that was gathering around the circle of ashes.

"It's gone...!"

Riolu took no argument. He continued to watch the flames, wondering on what could it all mean to burn down one simple house. And a house far from any civilization to be sure!

Buizel broke into another round of endless tears. He dashed for the Water type extinguishers, leaving Riolu in a trail of confusement.



A Poliwrath sat on a boulder, observing the chaotic flames lick the surrounding landscape, but were quickly extinguished by the Poliwhirls he sent to stop them.


*It’s all very strange…* thought the Poliwrath. *Fires usually don't start in the Winter's ending.*

He crossed his arms in bewilderment. *They always occur halfway through the Spring...*

A nearby Wingull flew on the branch that stood right near Poliwrath. "The flames may have gotten the first punch, but Squad Three happens to be taking the advantage, sir!" he reported.

Poliwrath paused, taking in the information. He wanted to take the rest of the Squads hanging around the nearby walkway to help douse the fire.

Then again, he also wanted the current Squad to handle it on their own to gather their expierience for years to come. He agreed with this option, thinking it was necessary.

"Good to hear," replied Poliwrath. "Make sure Squad one and Two cover those area along the south side. It's getting a little rough over there. Have we heard anything from the Pelipper yet?"

"Not yet, sir. They've seen to have taken a casualty. It's what you would call...wind blockage. They've run into some fierce storms right over the beach. The delay may be a bit of a stalemate."

Poliwrath cursed under his breath. "The weather has become too unpredictable. I don't know if we can take much more of these last minute delays before the fire starts to spread," Poliwrath answered as he close his eyes and began to think.

"But won't the Squads be able to hold off the fire before it even BEGINS to spread?"

Poliwrath shook his head. " I don't think it possible."

"You don't think anythings possible..." the Wingull muttered.

"Care to repeat that?"

"No, sir."

"Then I recommend you get the rest of your troops and send a report of this to the Village Elder. Let him know that this is the fourth time something like this has occurred."

Wingull cocked his head. "Why should we remind him?"

Poliwrath gave him a look like he was the stupidest recruit he had ever laid eyes on. "He's supposed to be seventy-seven years old," Poliwrath said with a bit of an edge added into it.

Wingull paused, then suddenly his eyes burst open like he had been shot. "Oh," Wingull said. "My mistake. I'll get right to it." And with that, the Wingull headed off towards the south towards the small bands of huts that stood underneath the shade of the palm trees that sprouted below.

Poliwrath grunted as he kept shaking his massive noggin. "New recruits these days..."

"Captain Poliwrath, sir!" shouted a voice.

Poliwrath looked up, half expecting it to be another Wingull. His instincts proved him wrong. Usually they did.

Instead it was a Vaporeon, rushing up with a Golem.

Poliwrath sat up from the boulder, revealing his muscular appearance. "Yes, Lieutenant Vaporeon, what is it?"

The Vaporeon paused for a breath, and ended up being run over by the Golem, who failed to stop himself in time.

"Watch it, boulder-for-brains!" hissed the Vaporeon.

The Golem got up with a smile so well-knowing that it gave Poliwrath the hint of jealousy. He peered at Poliwrath.

"Feisty one, ain't she?"

He was knocked backward by an Iron Tail that was delivered by the Vaporeon. "Call me anything like that again and I'll be sure you won't roll down one of those hills in the sky!" she hissed once again.

Poliwrath had to use every ounce of will not to laugh. "Don't judge her because of her gender, Golem. That seems to be her little..." he paused.

"My privacy..." Vaporeon murmured.

"Yes, so it is," replied Golem after rubbing his injured outside body.

"What news have you brought me, Vaporeon?" Poliwrath finally questioned.

"Well, sir, I've come to report that the Squad's overall progress has become successful," Vaporeon answered in a regular tone.

Poliwrath nodded his head. "We may not need the Pelipper now if we keep it up. But I won't take any chances until those flames from hell are put down for good."

Golem nodded in respect. "I see you've got your work cut out for you. Nice work, Captain."

"Thank you. It really comes down to strategy when fighting a fire."

"But are you sure that nothing will test your skills to the test? Y'know, like..." Golem shrugged as he said this. "Like if your recruits weren't cut out for the job? Or maybe you would need to get into the action yourself?"

"Golem, I've been Captain of these fire fighters for two years now. Besides, do you think that I look like a Magicarp to you?"

"Good point. My mistake, sir."

"But enough of that," Poliwrath answered, waving his hand impatiently. "What's the news?"

"Well, sir," answered Vaporeon. "We've received-"

She was cut off as Buizel rushed in, a complete mess by the looks of it.

"My friend was in there!" he cried, seeming re-energized with a new spark of anger. "What's the news on that?"

Vaporeon glared at the newcomer. "Calm down, young'un. I was getting right to that."

"Well, la-di-freakin'-da! Go on with it!"

Vaporeon muttered something under her breath about stubborn Water-types nowadays. "Well, sir. If my hypothesis is correct, Golem here might have a clue on what may have happened."

She glared her icy blue eyes at Golem. "Go on. Out with it!"

"Ok! Ok! Sheesh..." Golem replied.

"I'll sheesh you if you don't tell me what happened to my friend!!" shouted Buizel through clenched teeth.

Riolu had came in and pulled Buizel out of the way. "Calm down! You're going to get us into a mess of trouble!"

Poliwrath stood puzzled by the fact that he had never seen a Riolu in the village, but quickly chose to ignore that feeling and turn back at Golem. "Continue."

"Well, sir, there have been reports of the missing Wartortle that was in the building during the burning. The Squad gave me enough clearance to...," Golem hesitated. "To receive the body."

Buizel's heart sunk. "W-what?"

Golem ignored Buizel and continued. "I received the body so we could perform a proper burial ceremony. On the way out though, I had come to a shocking conclusion."

Everyone in that particular spot stood utterly confused in anticipation for the news.

Poliwrath squinted one eye. "What was that?"

"Well...I took a closer look at the body. What I found was this," Golem paused, adding dramatic effect. "It seems that the body was already killed before the fire."

Vaporeon shook her head in bewilderment. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"The body was killed before that someone set fire to the hut. I took a sample on what was barely noticeable and put it in this needle..."

He took out a needle filled with a strange purple serum.

Buizel shook himself loose from Riolu's grip. "What the hell is this stuff?"

Golem hastily snatched the needle back. "Careful with that! This just happens to be Nearotic Acid Poison!"

Vaporeon shook her head again. "Nearo-what?" she asked.

"Nearotic Acid Poison. It has the ability to kill others with only one shot. It's not hard to miss. It turns the blood of their victims red."

The air hung with the word still dangling in the breaths of all five of them.

"R-red?" Vaporeon asked, her voice trembling.

"Just like..." Poliwrath whispered, doing a mildly good job at not letting his fear overcome him.

"Ekans..." Buizel whimpered.

Golem looked around at the sorrowed souls. "What's wrong? Is this a problem?"

"More than a problem. But we can't really talk about the subject here," Poliwrath said after regaining his posture. "Thanks for the...information. Take the body to the church. You mission is done here, Lieutenant Vaporeon."

"Yes, sir..." she whispered, still hanging in disbelief from the troubling news.

She and Golem walked off towards the other Squads, with Golem acting casual about the whole thing.

"Well, I say I got the feisty one to be somewhat scared, eh?"

She smacked his face with one of her paws. "One more word outta you and I'll make sure you don't wake up tomorrow!" she growled.

Poliwrath focused his attention on Buizel and Riolu, who stood as horrified as he was. "Listen, Buizel," Poliwrath whispered as he put one of his enormous hands on Buizel's shoulders. "I know that this is the second time you've lost someone close to you. I wish I could help, but..." he dwindled off the sentence.

"Don't worry about it," Buizel murmured through closed and dissapointing eyes. "Just finish off what you've started here..."

He slowly sulked off towards the south.

Riolu looked at him with sad feelings. "Where are you going, Buizel?"

Buizel halted at the fact that Riolu called him by his name for the first time. "I'm off to see the Village Elder. I want to know what I need to do with my life now..."

Riolu caught up with him and placed his small and cut-up paw on his shoulder. "What? How will this Village Elder help you?" he asked.

Buizel shrugged. "He just does. I need to figure out what I have to do now, since my house has been burnt to a crisp."

"Then I'll come with you," replied Riolu.

Buizel turned to Riolu, both eyes still moist from crying endless rivers of tears. "Why? Why would you want to come?"

"Because," Riolu replied. "You helped save my life once. It's also the best I can do since I feel bad that you have lost a friend of yours."

He looked at Buizel with his turquoise eyes, which seemed to have lost the angry red that hinged the edges and were replaced with a childish like sorrow. "I feel bad. Honest. It's the least I can do for you."

A pause was exchanged between the duo.

Buizel's sadness seemed to slowly turn into a small smile. " I suppose..."

They headed towards the south, heading for the village.

"So...what's so 'strange' about this...Village Elder?"

"Trust me. You'll know. He's not...uh...Pokemon-like. I'll just say that," Buizel finally managed to get out.

The smoke above seemed to dwindle as they headed for the village, with the death of Wartortle still hanging from the air.

TO BE CONTINUED....