Chapter 12: Forest Showdown

As the group journeyed along the forest path, Tyson observed the damaged trees and bushes. He thought to himself, 'The slash marks on the trees and bushes confirm my suspicion of Skarmory possessing a slashing move. The way these plants are cut suggests the move has a wide hitbox, likely a ranged attack such as Air Slash or Air Cutter.' Meanwhile, the sounds of battle echoed, and several Pokémon were seen fleeing past them. "That answers where the Pokémon went; they must have been frightened away during Skarmory's attack," Tyson remarked.

The group quickly reached a new clearing, dotted with a few trees, and were met with a gust of wind as crescent-shaped energy streaks whizzed by, narrowly missing them. Fortunately, the trees were spared from a direct hit, though branches were severed and slash marks marred different parts of the trunks. Nearby on the ground, a small creature was visible, heavily bleeding and covered in cuts. Resembling a dog, this quadrupedal animal boasted bristly fur marked with a zigzag pattern. Its stripes consisted of alternating bands of cream and brown. The creature had a brown head with pointed ears, a black nose, and brown eyes set within a black mask-like marking. "A Zigzagoon! This must be one of the Pokémon Sophia was searching for," Tyson thought, glancing at a shocked and distressed Sophia by his side.

Sophia rushed forward and quickly reached the small dog's side, beginning to inspect it. "You're so injured; we need to get you to a nurse," she said, examining its various cuts. Meanwhile, Tyson maintained his calm, searching for the source of the earlier attack. Before he could spot Skarmory, a second volley rained down, this time threatening to hit Sophia. "Watch out!" Tyson yelled, turning to Larvitar to issue a command. "Use Ancient Power!" At his command, Larvitar conjured two large boulders above its head and hurled them towards the incoming assault. The collision of the rocks and energy waves erupted with a thunderous boom, scattering fragments of stone around Sophia leaving her relatively unharmed.

Tyson and Larvitar rushed to Sophia's side, assuming a defensive stance, while Eric checked her for injuries. Before the group could catch their breath, a loud cry of "Skar!" rang out. Accompanying the shout, a large silver-gray avian Pokemon with a long metallic blue neck, legs, and tail landed not far from them, its gaze fixed on Tyson and Larvitar. 'This is exactly what I dreaded,' Tyson thought, his frustration mounting. 'We came in search of the lost Pokemon, only to encounter the Skarmory we were hoping to evade. With its ability to fly escape will be difficult'. Turning to Larvitar at his side, Tyson said, "This is going to be a tough one, buddy. Are you ready?" He received a huff from Larvitar, which he interpreted as an assertive "Anytime." Without glancing back at the two behind him, Tyson shouted, "Get to cover; we'll hold it back!"

Outraged that its attacks had been thwarted, Skarmory swiftly advanced towards Tyson, its beak emanating a faint blue glow. Tyson, caught off guard, leaped aside, narrowly dodging the oncoming bird. Although the attack missed its intended target, a piece of Tyson's shirt was torn during the fleeting assault. Incensed by the attack on his partner, Larvitar issued a defiant "Lar," provoking Skarmory, which turned to confront Larvitar with a furious screech. "Let's do this, partner! Use Ancient Power!" Tyson yelled. Larvitar immediately sprang into action, summoning two large rocks and hurling them towards Skarmory. The avian, having seen that move before, quickly ascended, evading the incoming rocks. 'Tch, this bird's smarter than I thought and definitely accustomed to battle,' Tyson mused as he watched the Skarmory hover. 'How does it even fly with those thin wings?' He wondered as he continued his thoughts 'We need to ground it long enough to strike; there are too many risks in this battle with it hovering in the air, especially with our type disadvantage.'

With a shout, Skarmory's wings started to shimmer in a bright blue, sweeping through the air and unleashing a barrage of crescent-shaped blasts. 'Air Cutter! That's the move it's using,' Tyson realized as he instructed Larvitar, "Use Dragon Dance to evade". Obediently, Larvitar's aura shifted to a deep purple, its speed increasing as it moved with greater strength, trying to dodge the onslaught. Despite its efforts, a few strikes managed to graze it. Although the attack inflicted minimal damage on Larvitar, it still succeeded in chipping away some of Larvitar's stamina. With a frown, Tyson thought 'Let's try this' as he issued a swift command, "Return to my side, Larvitar!" taking Larvitar by surprise. It had braced for an order to keep attacking, but instead, it received one to retreat. Although a frown of disapproval appeared on its face, Larvitar believed Tyson had a plan and so it obeyed its trainer and dashed back towards Tyson, with Skarmory in pursuit. Realizing Skarmory was closing in, Tyson shouted, "Turn and use Ancient Power!" At his command, Larvitar whirled around and conjured two boulders, hurling them at Skarmory. Tyson's plan was to compel Skarmory to narrow the distance using its predatory nature against it, aiming to surprise it with a quick counterattack. Caught off guard with little room to evade at this distance, Skarmory was hit by one of the boulders, which sent it reeling backwards. 'Good!' Tyson thought; he knew with Skarmory's aggressive nature it would not resist its instincts to chase and corner its prey.

The furious Skarmory unleashed another volley of Air Cutters, hurtling towards Larvitar and Tyson. Returning to Tyson's side, Larvitar summoned four massive boulders, employing them as barriers to block the onslaught. Months of training had allowed it to improve its mastery of ancient power as it now had the ability to summon up to four boulders. Also, constantly employing the move in battle taught it that the move extended beyond mere projectiles. The strikes began to erode the rocks, and Tyson understood they wouldn't hold much longer. Thinking quickly, he leaned down and whispered, "I have a plan, and we've got one shot at this, so listen closely." As the barrage ceased, the rocks lay in slices and rubble, creating a thin veil of dust that obscured Skarmory's view. With the dust settling, Tyson was visible, kneeling alone, his gaze fixed on Skarmory, eyes brimming with defiance. The Skarmory, taken aback by Larvitar's absence, scanned the area in search of it. Tyson's voice then pierced the silence, "Hey, foolish bird, too frightened by my partner to notice me? It seems you're the type of Pokemon who preys on the weak and cowers from the strong," he taunted, provoking Skarmory to cry out "Skar!" in indignation at the insult from a mere human prompting it to lunge forward.

As it dove towards Tyson, its wings shimmered with a silvery white glow, and its yellow eyes burned with fury. Now as it was only a few feet from him, Tyson yelled, "Now!" At his command, Larvitar, previously concealed behind Tyson, leaped onto his shoulder, using him as a launchpad and sending Tyson tumbling backward. As Tyson fell, his eyes remained locked on Larvitar, who now hovered above Skarmory. "Stomping Tantrum!" he commanded. Larvitar's feet ignited with a dark brown aura, and with a powerful surge of momentum, it slammed down onto Skarmory's back. The impact resounded with a loud crash, and the two Pokémon hit the ground, creating a small crater mere inches from Tyson.

(Note: In this universe, flying types are immune to ground type moves only when they are airborne, which differs from the game mechanics.)

Leaping out, Larvitar took its stance in front of Tyson, eyes on the crater as Skarmory started to lift its head. With a powerful flap, Skarmory ascended from the crater, hovering mid-air, its gaze locked on Tyson and Larvitar. Tyson, eyeing Skarmory, declared, "If you want to keep going, we'll dance all day," which only fueled Skarmory's anger. Yet, it refrained from attacking once more, hindered by the two footprints indelibly marked on its back. Suddenly, a small creature sprang from the side, its head slamming into Skarmory, its jaws snapping shut on Skarmory's neck, drawing a cry of pain. Tyson watched the Pokémon and identified it as Trapinch, which had leaped in to aid in the battle, now employing Crunch, as he noticed several cracks forming on Skarmory's neck.

Writhing in agony, Skarmory struggled to keep itself airborne, its flight erratic. Spotting the opportunity, Tyson shouted, "Larvitar, use Ancient Power! Target its wings!" Without hesitation, Larvitar sprang into action. Conjuring two hefty boulders, it hurled them with all its might at the floundering Skarmory. With a loud crash, Skarmory was once again forced out of the sky, its wings battered by the collision with the rocks, sending it plummeting to the ground. As it lay there, the damage to Skarmory's wings was evident; numerous feathers were missing, and a sizable dent was visible.

Remaining conscious despite the pain, Skarmory flailed wildly, which caused Trapinch to loosen its grip. With a forceful twist, Trapinch was finally thrown off, tumbling over to where Tyson and Larvitar stood. "Trapinch, thank you for your help" Tyson expressed gratefully earning a huff from Larvitar. The small ant smiled in response to Tyson's praise and nodded as the trio turned to look at Skarmory, who, despite its injuries, was gradually getting back on its feet. With trembling legs, the Skarmory glared at the group, furious over its damaged wings and the loss of flight. Suddenly, a cry echoed from the forest, and a large bird emerged from the tree line. It was a grayish-brown avian creature adorned with black and white markings, its head and upper body mostly black, distinguished by an "M"-shaped pattern across its white chest.

"A Staravia? They're not uncommon, though they usually travel in groups," Tyson thought as he observed several other Pokémon emerging from the forest behind the Staravia. One of them resembled a flat, circular, blue-green creature. Six dark blue spheres protruded from its rim. It had two round, yellow eyes and a large, nose-like sphere encircled by four smaller circles at its center. "A Bronzor as well; these must be the last two Pokémon Sophia was caring for," Tyson thought, observing the group of Pokémon encircle the Skarmory, which now displayed a look of fear, although its eyes still blazed with a readiness to battle.

Just as the situation was about to intensify, Sophia spoke out loud for the first time, "Everyone stop!" As Tyson and the other Pokémon turned their gaze toward her, she flinched but persisted, "W-we've already found the little ones, and Skarmory is so injured, I don't think we need to resort to killing it." Listening to Sophia's words the Staravia yelled in anger as its eyes fixed on the injured Zigzagoon, the Bronzor motioning in agreement with its cry. Witnessing Staravia's fury, Sophia approached and said, "I know you're angry about Zig's injuries, but he's still alive and needs medical attention. We must get him to the nurse immediately." Her pleading tone made Staravia hesitate. Then Tyson added, "We've contacted the Pokémon Ranger Base and reported the Skarmory's presence. They're likely to relocate it after treating its injuries."

Upon hearing Tyson's words, Staravia gradually relaxed and flew to Sophia's side, its expression one of concern as it gazed at its wounded companion. Tyson addressed Sophia and Eric, "Take Zigzagoon back to the school for treatment, and inform the teachers about Skarmory's whereabouts. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Skarmory until the rangers get here." Upon hearing Tyson's words, Sophia and Eric nodded and swiftly departed, with Staravia and Bronzor in tow. Curiously, Trapinch chose to stay, which surprised Tyson, yet its company was welcomed. The trio refocused on the wounded Skarmory. Tyson warned, "Move and we won't show any mercy," while Larvitar added a menacing "Lar." Trapinch joined in, stamping its feet to intimidate the metallic bird. Assessing their stance and its impaired ability to fly, Skarmory opted to stay put. Time passed, and soon, the sound of approaching footsteps became audible.

Two figures clad in durable orange and black attire, with devices attached to their hips, stepped out from the nearby bushes. Accompanying them were two Pokémon: one resembled a fully-grown lion. While its face, hind legs, torso, and the back of its front legs were blue, much of its body was covered with shaggy, black fur. The other was a diminutive, light green bipedal Pokémon with three thorns atop its head, black eyes, and lengthy eyelashes. A small band of yellow encircled its neck like a collar, and it clutched a rose in each hand—one red in its right, and one blue in its left.

The man at the front, upon seeing Tyson, said, "You must be Tyson; your friends have informed us of the situation." As he turned to the injured Skarmory, flanked by Larvitar and Trapinch, he his face hardened as he added, "I'll take it from here. Please follow my partner back to the school." Tyson nodded in acknowledgment and replied, "Thanks for the assistance." The man responded, "I'm just doing my job. However, you should brace yourself for the punishment that awaits you at school for your reckless stunt." With a wry smile, Tyson followed the other ranger as they started their journey back to the school.

- Pokemon School Faculty Office

Upon returning to school, Tyson, Eric, and Sophia were summoned to the faculty office by the principal. Though they had helped resolve the wild Skarmory's rampage, their actions were considered reckless since they were neither registered trainers nor did they possess the necessary experience to handle a rampaging Pokémon. Fortunately, their actions resulted in a minor reprimand; they were assigned to clean the second-floor classrooms after school. Before a frustrated and visibly exhausted Mr. Mathews, Tyson and Eric bowed their heads. "What were you thinking? Especially you, Eric; you should have either stopped them or reported the matter immediately."

Mr. Mathews was disappointed with Tyson and Eric's actions but also impressed by Tyson's ability to manage the Skarmory in a direct confrontation. "Remember, students are not permitted to venture deep into the Celestic Forest without a teacher's accompaniment. Please ensure this does not happen again" he concluded. The two youths nodded in unison as they were dismissed. Before leaving however, Tyson inquired of the reason behind the Skarmory's appearance as it was not native to the Celestic Woods. With a sigh Mr. Mathews stated that the Skarmory more than likely came from the Michina Ruins a fact that surprised the two youths. Apparently, there was a disturbance caused by members of the Solaceon Town Trainer Guild which caused a few Pokemon to wander away from their territory. Thanking Mr. Mathews, the two then exited the room.

(Trainer Guild mentioned in chapter 6)

Turning to Eric, Tyson said, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Eric," to which he received an immediate smile and response from Eric, "Don't worry about it. I've been in trouble before for helping a classmate, but this has been the most thrilling experience so far." 'Thrilling, well that's one way to describe what happened today' Tyson mused as the two chuckled at the harrowing experience they had earlier. Upon their arrival at the school entrance, Tyson was met with a sight more daunting than a rampaging Skarmory. His grandmother stood there, her gaze fixed on him, her frown deep and pronounced. 'It seems my week is only going to get tougher,' Tyson thought, bracing himself for another round of reprimand.

Pokémon Team:Team Rank: 1LarvitarGender: MaleType: Rock/GroundAbilities: Guts, Sand Veil [Undeveloped]Held Item: NoneMoves: Rock Throw, Bite, Payback, Leer, Scary Face, Dragon Dance [Inherited], Ancient Power [Inherited], Stomping Tantrum