Chapter no.13 Marked by the ‘R’

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Austin strolled leisurely alongside his bicycle, gripping the handlebars lightly. The wheels crunched over the forest floor, littered with leaves and twigs. Beside him, Nobunaga consulted a large, well-worn map of Viridian Forest, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"So, you live in Viridian Forest."

Nobunaga nodded, his eyes not leaving the map.

"It's easier that way. I'm close to business, and I don't have to pay rent."

"I am curious, where did you get your Pinsir?"

"A gift from my father. It's my starter."

Their conversation ended abruptly as they heard the buzzing and humming of countless wings—a sound like rapid, crackling static. As they turned, they saw a swarm of Beedrill flying aggressively towards them.

"Is your cabin close?" Austin asked quickly, swinging his leg over his bike, ready to move.

"Yeah."

"Then hop on," Austin said, releasing Vee into the bike's basket.

"Vee, use Helping Hand on Pikachu," Austin commanded. Vee's paw glowed warmly as it touched Pikachu, who seemed to pulse with increased power, its cheeks sparking energetically.

"Thundershock!" Austin yelled. Pikachu leapt from the basket, sending a massive surge of electricity into the swarm of Beedrills descending towards them. The effect was immediate: several Beedrills were knocked out, some fell to the ground paralyzed, while others twitched, trying to recover from the shock.

Austin pedaled hard, the muscles in his legs burning as he picked up speed with Nobunaga on the backseat, leading them through a narrower path that snaked its way deeper into the forest.

The trees blurred past as Austin focused on the path ahead, his heart pounding.

Finally, Nobunaga pointed towards a structure partly hidden by the dense foliage. Austin followed his gaze to see a modest cabin built of rough logs, its small windows peeking out shyly between the trunks of towering trees. A thin wisp of smoke drifted lazily from a stone chimney.

Inside Nobunaga's cabin, simplicity ruled. The furnishings were sparse—a few stools, a low table, and a rugged, handmade shelf. One corner of the room was dedicated to tools for string crafting—spindles, shuttles, and fine hooks, all meticulously arranged on a homemade wooden rack that stood beside a sturdy workbench.

As the Beedrills' angry buzzing grew louder outside, Nobunaga acted swiftly. He hurried to a corner and grabbed what looked like a weed sprayer, but Austin recognized the distinct scent—it was Pokémon repel. Nobunaga worked quickly, spraying around the entrance before dashing back inside just as a louder buzzing heralded the arrival of a larger swarm of Beedrills.

"Is this normal?" Austin asked, eyeing the windows where the repel formed an invisible barrier against the agitated swarm.

"No, most Beedrills don't leave their territories unless provoked," Nobunaga explained. Austin knew all too well the likely cause of this chaos—Team Rocket.

"You want me to get you anything? Water, food?"

"Thanks, but I'm good. You guys need anything?" Austin responded, glancing at his Pokémon. Pikachu and Vee shook their heads, their attention fixated on a silk string yarn ball lying near the corner of the room.

"Austin, can I tell you the truth?"

"Yes."

"I don't exactly have your prize money," Nobunaga admitted. "Didn't you say that you kept all your money in your cabin? That's why we were coming here," Austin said, confusion evident in his tone. It was not a large sum—merely 200 dollars at most.

"I know, I know," Nobunaga hurried to explain, "but originally I was going to have you stay in the cabin while I ran to Viridian City to get Gary to give me my reward for battling the Pallet Town trainers. I was going to give you your money from that."

"That's fine by me."

"But there is a problem," Nobunaga continued. "Today was the deadline for the offer, and with the swarm outside, I don't think I can..."

"Don't worry, man, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay. You're the winner, and you deserve your reward," Nobunaga insisted, standing abruptly as a thought struck him. "Hey, would it be alright to substitute the money for something else?"

"Sure."

Nobunaga rushed to a shelf and grabbed a box, placing it on the table with a sense of purpose. He pulled out what appeared to be an old war map, marked extensively in red ink.

"Last year, I bought this treasure map from an antique store in Viridian," he explained, his eyes lighting up with excitement. It had taken him months, but he had managed to decipher the cryptic symbols and coordinates scrawled across the parchment.

"You really want to give me this after all your hard work?"

"The thing is this place is a little deeper into the Beedrill territories of the Viridian Forest. Even if I wanted to, I'm not strong enough to go there," Nobunaga admitted, reluctantly handing over the map.

Just as Austin took the map, examining the intricate details, the unexpected sound of helicopters flying above startled them. Austin peered anxiously through the window as the helicopter emblazoned with Team Rocket's menacing red 'R' approached.

His heart sank.

Out of the corner of his eye, Austin noticed Vee trembling, the small Pokémon's body shaking uncontrollably with fear.

"Hey, the rangers have come to rescue us."

Austin grabbed Nobunaga's shoulder, his grip tight.

"Nobunaga, do you want to live?"

"What?"

"If you don't listen to me, you'll die," Austin said urgently, his voice low and serious.

"What are you talking about?!"

At that moment, the door of the hovering helicopter swung open, and a Pokéball plummeted to the ground near the cabin. It snapped open upon impact, revealing a Starmie that floated in the air, held aloft by its psychic powers. The swarm of Beedrills, already agitated, directed their fury towards the new threat. They dove at the Starmie in a frenzied attack, their stingers slashing through the air in multiple swift movements of Fury Cutter. Despite the onslaught, the Starmie maneuvered with ease, its star-shaped body spinning gracefully as it dodged each attack. The scene resembled a dance, the Starmie almost toying with the storm of angry Bug-types surrounding it.

A cold and emotionless command rang out: "Star! Use Ice Beam!"

In an instant, a chilling beam of white light shot from Starmie, striking the swarm of Beedrills. The impact was horrific. The bug types were instantly frozen mid-flight, their bodies turning into brittle ice sculptures. As they hit the ground, the frozen Beedrills shattered with a sickening crunch, their blood splattering the ground in a gruesome display of red and ice.

Austin and everyone at the window recoiled in horror.

Nobunaga's hands trembled uncontrollably, his knees buckling as he collapsed to the ground. His wide eyes were fixed on the lifeless Beedrill scattered across the dirt. His breath hitched, shallow and erratic, as his mind struggled to process the scene before him.

"I… I didn't…" His voice cracked, barely above a whisper, his chest heaving with the effort to breathe. "I-I didn't mean for this to happen… They deserved it, didn't they? They had to…"

His words were frantic, a desperate attempt to convince himself, but the horror in his voice betrayed the truth. Nobunaga's face was pale, his lips trembling as if his body were rejecting the mere sight of death.

Austin knelt beside him, placing a steady hand on the boy's shoulder. He didn't blame Nobunaga for his reaction—not everyone could face death without falling apart. Austin himself had once felt the same helpless, nauseating terror. But now? Now he could look at death with a grim calmness, a survivalist's detachment.

"Breathe," Austin said firmly, his voice cutting through the boy's spiral. "Focus on me. We don't have time for this."

Nobunaga turned tearful eyes to Austin, his expression equal parts pleading and lost. Austin could see it—the doubt, the guilt, the fear consuming him whole.

"They… they're just Pokémon," Nobunaga stammered, his voice breaking. "They can't… it's not supposed to be like this."

Austin shook his head, keeping his own emotions tightly locked away. "Not now, Nobunaga. If you freeze, we're next."

That snapped something into place for the boy. He nodded shakily, swallowing the bile rising in his throat. He didn't trust himself to speak, so he simply wiped at his eyes, trying to push down the overwhelming nausea clawing at his gut.

Austin turned his focus outward, forcing himself to block out the heavy weight of the scene. He needed a plan, and fast.

Think. Think.

His gaze darted to the window. That was it. Without hesitation, he pulled it open, letting the cool night air rush into the room.

"What are you doing?"

"Not dying," Austin shot back tersely. He yanked off his shoes, tossing them into his backpack before stepping outside. He purposefully pressed his feet into the soft soil, leaving deep, deliberate footprints that veered off into the distance.

"Vee, I'm going to need some fur," Austin said quickly, turning to his Eevee.

The Evolution Pokémon tilted its head for a moment, then bit down on a pen Austin held out, allowing him to pluck small tufts of fur from its coat.

"Sorry, buddy," Austin said, meeting Vee's eyes with an apologetic look. "It's for our safety."

The Eevee nodded, understanding in its gaze despite the discomfort.

"Pikachu, Vee, return," Austin commanded as he quickly returned the two Pokémon to their Pokéballs.

"W-What do I do?" Nobunaga stammered, his hands shaking. Despite his fear, Austin could see the trust solidifying in the boy's eyes.

"Climb up that chimney. Release Pinsir inside to help you stay secure."

Nobunaga's instincts kicked in, and he scrambled toward the chimney. Meanwhile, Austin turned his attention to his injured Spearow.

"You're going to have to fly, buddy," Austin said softly, pulling out a potion from his pack. He sprayed the Spearow's wounds, watching as the bird's posture straightened and its injuries healed rapidly. "I need you to scatter Vee's fur and lead them away from us. Can you do that?"

The tiny bird Pokémon grabbed the tuft of Eevee fur and took off, rising into the sky.

With Nobunaga climbing and the Spearow creating a false trail, Austin knew it was his turn.

He crouched low, waiting for the helicopter to land, the roar of its blades slicing through the air.

They have the high ground, General Kenobi, Austin joked to himself, though the tension in his chest made the humor feel hollow.

He glanced down at his feet, caked in mud from his trek through the woods.

No use getting caught because of something so stupid, he thought, quickly slipping on his shoes, careful not to leave any incriminating footprints.

What he was about to do next required precision—and no loose ends.

As soon as the helicopter's landing gear touched down, Austin moved swiftly, his body low and his steps light. He pressed himself against the rough bark of a nearby tree, testing its strength with a firm push. Satisfied, he began his climb, his hands moving quickly but deliberately, fingers finding grooves and sturdy branches.

The chill of the air bit into his skin, sharp and unrelenting, but Austin ignored it. He focused on his goal, his breath steady as he pulled himself higher into the tree. The dark canopy offered cover, but he knew he had to move fast.

Reaching the top, Austin scanned his surroundings. His sharp eyes locked onto the cabin roof, just a few feet away across a narrow gap. The tiles gleamed faintly in the sunlight, the space between them a void he couldn't afford to miss.

With a deep breath, he crouched and sprang forward, leaping across the gap. His heart thudded as his feet hit the roof. The tiles shifted slightly beneath him, but he landed firmly. Exhaling slowly, he stayed low to keep his profile hidden.

Without wasting time, he climbed higher up the sloped roof, each step calculated to avoid loose tiles that might betray his presence. He finally reached the base of the chimney, pressing his back against its cold, soot-stained surface.

The narrow space offered just enough cover. Austin crouched there, his breath clouding in the frigid air. From his vantage point, he could see everything—the helicopter below, the Team Rocket grunts disembarking—and then, he saw her.

The woman was a striking figure, tall and imposing, her long teal coat fluttering as she stepped off the helicopter. The prominent R on her coat gleamed ominously in the dim light. Her silver-colored hair, slicked back with a widow's peak at the front and four cowlicks sprouting out, added to her commanding presence. Beside her floated a Starmie, its gem pulsing softly.

"Sird," Austin muttered under his breath, his stomach sinking.

Sird was no ordinary Team Rocket operative—she was one of their infamous "beasts." Ruthless, cunning, and dangerous.

But Austin knew better.

"She's not even really Team Rocket," he whispered to himself.

She's a double agent for Team Galactic.

The realization sent a cold chill down his spine. Sird wasn't someone to take lightly. She was the type to hunt him down like a dog if she caught even the faintest whiff of his presence.

Why am I encountering so many things from the Pokémon manga?

He clenched his fists, forcing the thought aside. Now wasn't the time to dwell on the mechanics of this strange world. He had to stay hidden—stay one step ahead.

His eyes remained fixed on Sird as she prowled below. For now, she didn't seem to notice him. But Austin knew one thing for certain: if she did, things would spiral out of control fast.

The grunts sprang into action. Flames crackled as they unleashed their fire-type Pokémon. The acrid scent of burning Beedrill carcasses mixed with the smoke, forming a foul haze that clung to the air.

Austin pressed himself tighter against the chimney, holding his breath.

Don't move. Don't make a sound. Wait.