The Durrant hill

Within the Wild North, the area was beautiful and untouched save for the pokemon that called this place home. Taking pictures in this place was wonderful. Vali enjoyed it and her pokemon loved the gigantic amount of space they got run around in. Surge stole Vali a couple of times when she had free time and took her for some training. It was nice to keep training especially since Surge had new techniques for her to play around with. So despite so much anxiety running through her about this mission, she was enjoying it greatly.

Delia wasn't mad at her for sneaking out late at night. Sirius was a little angry, but got over it. Ash and Gary were a little pissed off though she wasn't too worried about it right now. Lance and Steven were more disappointed than angry. Lance had wanted to go for another flight. Steven wanted to go to Celadon with her for a bit. So Vali would probably need to make it up to everyone for leaving in the middle of the night with no explanation, she wasn't looking forward to it.

The night time photo-taking was the most interesting for Vali since she got to see a lot of nocturnal pokemon. She was currently in one of the deeper valleys and focusing her camera on a larger than normal Stantler grazing before pausing. She carefully zoomed in and snapped her picture before taping her ear to activate the earpiece, "Dominic, I got something. You still nearby?

"Of course, Fire-girl," Dominic sounded like he was grinning, "Whatcha got?"

"Just get over here," Vali took another picture when the Stantler moved in a way that let her get a better picture.

It took five minutes for Dominic to arrive during which a Stantler of similar size arrived allowing her to take more pictures. Dominic landed besides her, "Fire-girl, you got something?"

Vali pointed at the Stantler, "Look at their necks and the bases of their horns, you tell me."

Dominic looked at her then at the Stantler with narrowed eyes. He took out his binoculars and took a closer look at them. It didn't take him long to spot what she'd seen, "They're marked. Holy fuck."

"I've seen that mark on two other species of since I started taking photos," Vali told him as she put her camera in its case after saving the photos, "I think we might've just found a way to track down these people,"

"Maybe or there might be a poacher," Dominic muttered under his breath as he continued to look at the Stantler for a moment, "Regardless, we should go tell Serval,"

Vali nodded in agreement, "In the morning though, he's asleep and did just finish up a full forty-eight hour shift."

"In the morning," Dominic agreed as he looked at Vali, "We'll stay out for another hour. I hope we can find more evidence of those marks,"

Serval looked over the photos then at Dominic's report, "And you found three Stantler last night?"

"In addition to two Pidgeot and a Rydon," Vali answered as she pointed to the other pokemon, "As far as I've been able to tell, they're bigger than normal though not of the King variety. Nothing else was different between them and the rest of their species,"

"Alright," Serval nodded to himself, "I'll take this to Sargent Gold and we'll see what happens. Good work you too and Vali?"

Vali looked at him curiously, "Yeah?"

"Nice photos, they'll really help in the future," Serval told her.

Vali looked over her camera carefully taking note of the slight ware taking hold in it and clicking her tongue in annoyance. Elrond peered at the camera in confusion, "Is something wrong? I would think you'd be happy about the ware and tear."

"Normally I would," Vali put it back together with a slow sigh, "But the knowledge that some of this ware is caused by taking those pictures," A shudder ran through her at the though and bile wanted to rise in her through, "Elrond, I hate knowing that I took pictures of pokemon branded by those people. Knowing that I'd taken pictures of corpses not even a day later, we had to make people see their bloody mutilated bodies that had been desecrated by people,"

Vali didn't close her eyes knowing that she'd see those bodies again. The twisted bloody limbs with blood still leaking out in some places. A Raticate with its head cut off and laid carelessly against the base of a tree with blood splattered around it. Shattered bone pieces scattered about the bloody grass just beside various bodies, a Nidoking lacking a horn while a Stantler stared eyelessly at the sky with an shattered ribcage. The completely ruined bodies of a Nidoran pair and a Rattata lay not far from the Nidoking missing various body parts. Surrounding the bloodstained clearing was a jagged circle of rock with teeth pointed jaggedly towards the corpses within, it was a massacre plain and simple.

Vali forced her mind away from it as bile began forcing its way up her throat. A soft whine sounded from her side as concern filled her flame and warmth cuddled against her side as Thorin pressed into her. She set the camera down and grabbed him in a hug, "I'll be okay, Thorin. Give me a minute."

Thorin nodded as he snuggled a bit deeper into her arms. Elrond spoke as Vali let herself sink into the comfort of Thorin's flames, "I'll try to help a little bit more. I'm sorry for not noticing before."

"It's okay, Eli," Vali murmured as she closed her, "We've been through a lot lately. The stress is bad, so don't worry about it,"

Elrond floated over and hugged her arm, "One step at the time, Vali. One step at a time."

Vali nodded as she opened her eyes, "Just have to get through things and we'll be in the clear."

"Alright!" Sargent Gold slammed her hands on the table in front of her, "Everyone! We have quite a few things ahead of us. Thanks to the work of Virgo Squad and Vali, we have managed to triangulate the main base of operations for our targets. With that in mind, we'll be rolling out in two days to storm their base,"

Sargent Gold spent the rest of the meeting giving everyone their orders. Vali and Virgo Squad were going to be sticking on the outskirts of the fighting much like the first League mission she'd been apart of. It felt like fate was repeating itself with this mission only she hoped that things didn't turn out like her first mission. Blaine waved at her as the meeting ended and she headed over rather than meet up with the members of Virgo Squad to discuss the meetings details. Blaine waited until everyone save for Surge and Sargent Gold had left the room. He spoke as she sat down him at the table, "You did amazingly today and the last few days. I do have to ask how you're doing," He kept his face somewhat blank, "You did see something rather horrible."

Vali nodded as she leaned against the chair, "Elrond and the others are helping me sort myself out. I've been using my therapy techniques."

Blaine smiled a bit, "I'm glad to hear, Brat. You've got a choice."

"Choice?" Vali looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean by choice?"

"You can either join in the last mission on the field as planned or stick to the back on base to help take care of those that need it," Blaine told her earning a shocked look.

"While you've grown so much stronger, Kid," Surge added as Vali processed what they were offering her, "You're still bearing the marks of what happened from your first field mission. While they won't prevent you from going onto the field, you've got to make a decision,"

Elrond and Thorin both looked at her sharply. Elrond spoke as Vali looked at her hands, "What do you think, Vali? It'd be safer for us and easier on your body."

"It would be safe for us to stay here," Vali said as she closed her eyes, "But if we do this, I know we'll be able to face the future without having to look towards the past,"

Elrond nodded with a sad look, "Alright, Vali."

"Very well, Vali," Sargent Gold nodded to her, "I will ensure things are set up. While I would prefer it if you were not in the field, I am glad to have another with us,"

The Sargent left quickly as Surge shook his head, "While I'm not surprised that you're taking this option, why, Vali? The base would be safer."

"Because I still have nightmares of that day," Vali told them as she rubbed Thorin's head, "And so does my team even if they don't admit it. We're haunted by that day and need this to help clear away some of the pain it caused. If this helps, I'll take it,"

Blaine sighed deeply, "Frustrating Brat, you know that. You better get out of this in good condition."

"You guys trained us so we would," Vali reminded him earning a snort, "I should go talk to Serval and find out what's going on,"

"Go get to work, Brat," Blaine told her as Vali stood up.

Vali grinned at them feeling somewhat shaky. She left the room as Elrond spoke, "Two days of planning. Everyone is going to go nuts."

"We need to face our nightmares," Vali told Elrond as she walked the path towards Virgo Squad's office, "It's time,"

"Are we even ready?" Elrond asked as they paused for a moment.

Vali shook her head lightly and offered him a tear filled smile as fear coiled through the bond they shared, "No, Darling. There is no way we're ready, we've got to be though. I won't let anyone in our pack go through what we did last time."

Thorin pressed into her with Elrond doing the same. Vali took what comfort she could though it was fairly hollow considering what hell she'd agreed to befall them.