Chapter 17: Deep Underground…

Professor Juniper peered at the subject on the Pokemon Center table. “...I’ll admit, this is a new one on me.” She acknowledged as she looked at the ghost fox. “Are you our third daughter, a separate child… grandchild?”

“The first. When you adopted Sakura you adopted me, in a way. I’m ‘Other Juniper’ for all intents and purposes. Well, at least until I figure out what the hell to call myself,” the newly made Hisuian Zorua shrugged, not looking all too concerned at the question. “That said, mother, may I get off the table now? It’s making me rather uncomfortable, given Sakura and I’s shared memories.”

Juniper nodded, sweeping her scanner over her one last time. “Well, dear, you’re perfectly healthy, with very high growth potential.” She tucked away her scanner, then scooped the Zorua into her arms, absently scratching behind one ear. “Come on, let’s get you back to your sisters.”

“That feels good…” The fluffy fox murmured, tail wagging. “...going to need to learn how to shift into human shape soon…”

“Tell me how well that works. It’s rare to have a ghost willing to explain their powers and motives.” At the languid blink from her newest child, Juniper chuckled. “Libra is a very unusual example.”

“Libra is half insane from isolation as well, so I assumed as much,” Other replied laconically, shaking her body briefly before settling down again. “Nee-san is going to poke me with a stick, isn’t she. Metaphorically, that is.”

“Only when under supervision!” Juniper said. “Rin may understand moral scientific exploration, but she still needs more time to internalize it. And she’s not qualified to work on Pokemon yet.”

“And I would keep her from going further than you are comfortable with,” Sakura said as Juniper carried her sister-pokemon into the room. She and Ren stood, walking to them. “Is she alright?”

“She is perfectly healthy.”

“And capable of speaking for herself.”

“Yes, I knew that, but both you and I know that we have a horrible habit telling the truth about how we actually are,” Sakura tutted with a grin, one that Other immediately matched. “Hmm, that said, I assume you’re still ok being my Pokemon?”

“Yes. You are I and I am Thou,” Other intoned gravely, before breaking down into a fit of giggles.

“Persona is a very interesting game,” Rin mused, approaching from the other side. “All good?”

“All good, nee-san. All good, nee-san.” Two voices spoke as one.

Juniper coughed. “I’m glad you all are having fun, though I do have some things to say now that the immediate issue is resolved.” Her smile dropped into a frown. “Two weeks, and you’ve already fought a gang battle, beaten an overstrength gym leader, and dealt with a kidnapping. Please tone it down, for papa’s heart’s sake if nothing else.”

“We’ll do our best, Mom, but we make absolutely no promises,” Rin replied idly, freezing moments later as she processed what she’d said. “... Anyway, the point is, Unova is on the verge of an all out gang war, so at this point we’re going to get wrapped up in more violence sooner or later.”

“No pessimism,” Professor Juniper shot back, waggling a finger. “There is a full network of gym leaders and Ace Trainers, an organized police force, and the Elite Four on tap if you find anything.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, tapping on it. “I’m sending you both the contact information for Amadeus and old man Alder. If you run into more gang trouble, call them. Understood?”

“Yes, Mom,” all three girls chorused in tandem, before looking at each other and breaking down into giggles.

“...I suppose that’s the best I can hope for.” Juniper stowed her phone, then grabbed them all in a big hug. “I didn’t realize just how quickly you’d wormed into our hearts. If things get too rough, don’t hesitate to come home for a bit, alright?”

“Thanks, mom.” Sakura murmured, savoring the warmth before disentangling herself from one of her moms. She picked up her backpack and accepted her other leaping up to her shoulder as Rin swung her own satchel over her cloak. “Safe travels, mom.”

“Back at you, dear,” Juniper replied as her daughters reached the doors of the Pokemon center and cantered off into the midday sunshine.

Halfway out of town, Sakura looked back at Rin. “Do you have that Future Sight gem working yet?”

“Nope.” Rin sighed, shaking her head and sagging, “But Agate says there’s darkness on the horizon, and she said it rather ominously.”

“So… I bet we run into trouble in two days,” Sakura said back.

“Three days,” Other offered.

“I give it one, honestly,” Rin sighed, ever the realistic pessimist.

--------------

Sakura clicked her tongue as she eyed the [NO SIGNAL] bar on her phone. “...well, you win, Other. It took three days.” She looked up at the cave walls around her, then looked back at the crevice she’d slid down to find herself in the cave network. “...think sis is having any more luck than we are?”

“Probably not. This seems rather intentional.” Other shrugged her shoulders, shaking her fur to get rid of some dust that had fallen on her while she’d been climbing around like a monkey to see if they could spot anyone else nearby.

“Intentional for normal journeying children. Not for us.” Sakura muttered as she peered through the darkness. “...hmm. I thought you took my darkvision with you when you left?”

“Nah, you still have all your intrinsic abilities that I was limiting you from using,” Other answered casually. “Before you grumble at me, it was entirely unintentional and a result of the trauma required to form me in the first place.”

“Well, I’m not complaining,” Sakura muttered, patting her sister/other’s head. “Keep an ear out; please. If I know anything about this sort, they’re either going to send someone after me immediately, or when they’d think I’d be good and scared.” Her thoughts turned grimly to a blue-haired boy before she shook her head.

“You got it, boss,” Other nodded, turning around to face the entrance of the cave with a beady eye. It didn’t take long for her ears to swivel. “Smelly git incoming.”

Sakura tapped both her balls, releasing both Ren and Ana, both of whom adjusted instantly to the darkness. She narrowed her eyes, motioning towards the corners of the cave, Ren into the more exposed corner, and Ana into the less. “Ren, draw their attention when they step in. Ana, non lethal knockout blow.” She ordered in a calm, low tone. “Other, you’re on watch for any unexpected variables.”

With a flick of each of their tails, they took their positions, watching quietly as a dim light shined into the cave, illuminating the blackness briefly, though it did not detect any of the waiting Pokemon nor the hiding human. The lanky man walked into the cave, Crobat on his shoulder and lantern swinging as he rounded the corner. “Alright kid, on your–”

Ren, stepping out into the open with a gleeful smirk on his muzzle, used Flash, those aware covering their face as the bright light totally destroyed the vision of all those who’s vision had been adjusted to the darkness outside, all the while sending out a Screech towards both of them. In the same instant, Ana sprung forward, slamming into the back of the gang member and wrapped her vines around his neck, choking him out to slowly knock him unconscious.

Meanwhile, with malice dripping from her aura, Other spat a quartet of willow-wisps towards the Crobat, the ghostly flames burning the poison type before a sextet of ghostly energy surged around them, Other’s Hex slamming into the bat and exploding.

Sakura sighed as she stepped on, and then over the unconscious man, pausing only to scoop up his lantern as Other yanked out his wallet. “For someone calling themself a Reaper, they don’t live up to the hype. Let’s go find sis.”

“Right,” Other ground out around the leather wallet, spitting as Ana pulled it from her mouth with a vine. “Ugh, nasty. Why are we trying to find Rin first? We can cover more ground going it alone.”

“Linking up with Agate and Libra is far more advantageous than staying separate, given that Agate has yet to master point-to-point teleportation using auric signatures,” Ren explained to his newest team member, throwing his towards Sakura. “Additionally, Agate can teleport us all out of the area if we can link up with Rin.”

“Okay, sure. But these guys are chumps. We can thrash all of them.” The group rounded the corner to find a man with a pair of mangy Houndoom lounging at his feet, beneath an exposed bulb. “...oh shit.”

The man looked up, shock written on his face before he shifted himself upright. The long black coat covering his upper body was accented with a red and white scarf, while his eyes were concealed by a pair of blue sunglasses. “How the hell did you kill Kenny, brat?” he snarled, before jerking his hand forward. “Dark pulse! Flamethrower!”

“Ren, Snarl! Other, Bitter Malice! Ana, Protect and tank those attacks!” Sakura barked immediately, Ana throwing herself in front of Ren and Other to take the attacks before leaping out of the way, leaving room for the two attacks to slam into the Houndoom, neither move being very effective, yet providing a status down effect to both of Houndoom’s attacking ‘stats’.

“An Umbreon? Man, I always wanted one of those…” The man muttered. “Dooms, Smog them out!” Both lanky hounds panted, purple mists forming in their jaws then spilling forward along the floor.

“Leaf Tornado, blow it away. Other, continue with Bitter Malice, Ren, quick attack,” Sakura ordered professionally, mildly changing the inflection of her final command, Ren giving a minute flick of his tail to acknowledge that the order was received as he began glowing with white light.

“Hey, that’s not–” The man got out before Ren slammed through the gathering poison, head crashing into the skull of one of the Houndoom with a crack of bone on bone. With a quiet whine, the dog fell over unconscious, even as Ren shook off his headache. The Houndoom’s partner turned to look at their unconscious body, then howled before launching themself at Ren.

“Ren, Payback. Lock that Houndoom down. Other, Ana, knock out the man,” Sakura called curtly, little mercy in her eyes as she began pulling a bit on her own psychic powers, eyes glowing ever so slightly as she grasped the man’s foot as he processed her orders and opened his mouth to say something. He didn’t have the time before his foot was yanked out from under him and Other landed on his chest, eyes glowing.

“Sleep.” As the man conked out, Other chuckled. “Hypnosis with actual Magecraft backing it up. Works wonders.”

Ana pivoted, vines lashing out to snag the Houndoom’s horns, dragging his jaws away from Ren and giving the Umbreon the chance to deliver a headbutt. “Laugh it up, reinforcing vines is a better trick. They don’t even burn as well now!”

“When I get my jaws on you, snake, I am going to–” The Houndoom’s words were cut off as Ren rammed his throat again, causing him to gag. Ren’s eyes widened, and he barely managed to backpedal before the canine belched flames mixed with bile onto the floor.

“Ewww…” Ren muttered, smashing the Houndoom into unconsciousness with an Iron Tail. “Would I have been poisoned, burned, or both by that shit?”

“No idea,” Ana said, withdrawing her vines, then frowning. “This was… just one of the grunts, right? And he had two evolved Mons as his team?”

“Pokemon don’t evolve purely through strength and such. Sometimes the bond they have with their trainer is enough to supplement whatever they’re lacking, and these folks don’t seem to be mistreating their Pokemon at all,” Sakura guessed with a shrug, though Ana had raised a good point. “We should be more careful, though. No need to engage grunts anymore if we can avoid them. Stick to the shadows.”

Other and Ren both immediately sunk into their own shadows, shifting to move along the walls. Ana looked back at her trainer with a deadpan expression. “...I don’t think you can join them, and I know I can’t. So how are we going to hide like that?”

“... Just hide near or in the shadows cast by the various things around us, Ana. Conceal yourself, no need to actually hide in your literal shadow, though I am curious as to how Ren is doing that.” Sakura sighed softly, shifting off the main trail herself.

“Other taught me how to turn Feint Attack into Sucker Punch, and Sucker Punch into Shadow Sneak a while back.” Ren’s head poked out of the shadows near the wall. “This seemed like a natural progression, and it’s sneaky. Dark types like sneaky, so I’m told.”

“That doesn’t explain anything. Or… really, it doesn’t explain enough,” Ana grumbled, then smiled. “You know, I’m really glad we met up, Sakura. I’m learning new ways to get strong every day.”

“I’m glad we met as well, Ana,” Sakura replied softly, before putting a finger to her lips, “But we should be quiet as we advance right now.”

Ana nodded as the group rounded the corner, padding towards what looked like a line of cells. Other poked her head out of the shadows on the wall.

“I think these guys are capturing Pokemon for sale or ransom. They don’t have any captured humans, at least none right now.” The Zorua explained. “There’s a couple of Reapers watching over the captures, with a couple of bruisers accompanying them.”

“No way to execute an alpha strike on them?” Sakura queried, receiving a shake of her former ‘Other’s’ head. “Alright, then here’s the plan. Other, I want you to charge into the clearing wearing an Illusion of any intimidating Pokemon native to this area. Meanwhile, Ana and Ren are going to sneak up on the trainers and attempt to knock them out. I’ll be supporting Other with Magecraft and my limited psychic abilities. Sound good?”

“Got it,” The group agreed, Other pulling herself free of the wall and shifting into an illusion of a massive, four legged boulder.

“Gigalith,” Other spoke, trundling around the corner as Sakura peeked the edge. Two men were playing cards on a table with a pair of Pokemon; a duck-mouthed fire type and a bulky simian electric type. As Other’s form got closer to the lit table, Pokemon in the pens, cells, and cages nearby flinched back as all four figures looked up.

“Well shit,” One of the Reapers exclaimed. “... Yo Jaz, run or fight?”

“Fight, dumbass!” The other swore, pointing forward. “Electabuzz, use Brick Break!” The bulky ape grinned, lashing out with a punch glowing with orange light. The strike hit the illusory Gigalith, and fizzled out on hit.

“...okay, that should’ve done something.” The Electabuzz muttered, scratching his head dumbly.

“Trouble getting it working?” His Magmar buddy chortled, putting her cards down, then violently tossing a Flame Burst at the apparent rock-type. The flames hit the illusion, and the form collapsed even as Other sprung backward, cold air forming around her to tamp the fires which spring up on her body. “Thought so– huh, is that a Shiny Ghost Zorua? Hot damn, that’s-”

Whatever else the Magmar was going to say was rudely interrupted by the sound of her and her friend’s trainer hitting the floor with a rough thud, two figures blurring towards their respective opponents even as a rock slammed into her.

“Cobalion’s left testicle, that hurt!” she screeched, before Ren slammed into her, driving her back a step. She grimaced and smacked him with a fire punch. “Stupid bloody Dark Types, what is it with you and your trainers going after ours, huh! No ho-”

Her… misguided rant about honor was interrupted by another rock slamming into her back, this one propelled far faster than the one before, the Umbreon taking advantage of her momentary shock to brutally slam into her again with a Foul Play, sending her flying into one of the many nearby ledges, cratering the impact zone.

“...fucking shit. Buzz, get your act together, stop playing with that little snake and get punching! I know Jaz was teaching you ice punch, fucker!”

“Teaching me, not taught!” Electabuzz snarled, backpedaling even as he smashed vines aside and spat small bolts of lightning to keep Ana occupied. He winced as another blast of leaves peppered his face. “Okay, that’s it. Mar, ground out! DISCHARGE!” He slammed his fists together, a corona of electricity flaring around him and blasting outward.

With a grunt of protest, Ana absorbed as much of the blow as she could, the small grass-snake tanking much of the blast with admirable grit before slamming a glowing tail into the Electabuzz in retaliation, sending the electric type reeling backwards.

Ren took the hit with a snarl, but Other fared far worse, the latter screaming in pain as she went down, her still newborn body not able to take the punishment. Though she wasn’t unconscious, it was only through sheer spite that she was standing, and she was shaking like a leaf. With a growl of fury, Ren, who had brushed off the blow with relative ease, leaped into the still immobile Magmar’s face with a unholy snarl that send shivers down her spine, using every dirty trick in the book to put her down in an expedient manner, even as another rock slammed into her back, this one far larger than the last, and infused with so much malice that the Magmar genuinely considered giving in to the approaching blackness of unconsciousness.

She was not given a choice as a small, black boot slammed down on her face. The still standing Electabuzz looked up, eyes widening, as Rin stepped into the room, Libra perched on her hat and Agate at her side. She snapped up a finger, nearly snarling. “Gandr.” The entropic curse slammed into Electabuzz, sending him back to the ground. As he struggled to stand, both Eevee siblings slammed into him, burying him under a pair of furious beasts.

Sakura smiled as she moved over and scooped up Other. “Good to see you, nee-san,” she said as Electabuzz slumped into unconsciousness, Ren moving back to her side. She barely spared the pair of unconscious Pokemon a glance. The pair had made their bed, and were now lying in the consequences of their choices.

“I’m glad that I wasn’t wrong that you’d be fine on your own, Sakura,” Rin answered back, smiling honestly before it twisted into a look of fury at the sight of the caged Pokemon. “I see that we’re dealing with the worst sort of scum. Again.”

“...they don’t seem like rapists…” Sakura said dryly. “Just thugs.”

“I need healing,” Other interjected in a forced deadpan, her exhaustion and pain bleeding through even through the forced tone. Rin winced, stepping over as Libra began levitating items out of her satchel.

“...it shows how different our lives have been that I didn’t even think about that,” she said to her sister, even as she fed a nutrient broth and regenerant to the fox in her arms. “Anyway, this is just proof that we’re outgunned.” She looked at the unconscious simians. “The Reapers here seem to be going for quality over quantity, unlike the bastards we’ve dealt with before. Libra and Agate fought through Swoobat, Lopunny, and Roselia. Without our new friend–”

Sakura perked up. “Oooh, did you catch a new Pokemon, nee-san?” the younger of the pair clearly excited. At the same time, Ren and Other’s ears perked up, tracking a rather unfamiliar sound.

“Not caught, yet. But he seems… very fond of me.” Rin reached up, tilting her hat back, revealing a baseball-sized ball of yellow fluff.

“Jol-tik?” The bug murmured, blinking at Sakura, mandibles clicking. “Huh, hello?”

Sakura blinked then looked back down at her sister, who deadpanned before looking back up at the little bug. “Thank you for helping my sister, sir.”

“Anytime lassie. Would any of your fine young ladies mind telling me where in the bleeding world I am though? I woke up with a right hangover in the middle of some rather unfamiliar woods,” The Joltik replied, his voice somehow defying conventions by being hilariously deep for a creature of such small statue.

“You are in the Cooper Mine, an abandoned mine within the Pinwheel forest.” Sakura replied. “Are you from White Forest? The Moor of Icirrus? Lostlorn?”

“How in the bleeding hells did I end up Unova of all places!” The Joltik asked no one in particular, clearly bewildered. “Last I remember was a right old party in the Slumbering Weld. Then I was awake in the bloody Pinwheel Forest of all places.”

“Who knows, Sir Joltik,” Rin shrugged, mentally counting down the seconds until the Pokemon did a double take at Sakura’s response.

“Oh. Delightful!” The spider cheered instead after processing Sakura and Rin’s words, turning the latter’s expectations on her head. “Been a while since I met a human who could communicate with Pokemon. Aura, Psychic, or Magic?”

“Psychic, myself,” Sakura explained. “My sister has technological help.”

Libra peered over from the top of Rin’s hat. “Been a while? How old are you, good sir?”

“I have no idea!” Ser Joltik exclaimed cheerfully, turning his body to look at the candle. “No real reason to keep track of such trivial things when you’ve spent your entire existence traveling!”

“Did you have a name when you encountered humans who could speak to you?”

“No, though… There was a friend I made who went by Gordon. If you need to separate me from the locals, I’ll use that,” the now-named Joltik responded.

Sakura smiled. “Wonderful. Well, I suppose we shall be your companions for a time.” She turned, peering down the tunnels. “...I would have expected a response from someone at this point. Nee-san, how quiet was your fighting?”

“Not that quiet,” Rin muttered. “...we should probably get moving. Last thing we need is to be ambushed.” She looked over her sister’s team. “Have the potions done their work?”

“They’re starting to. I’ll return them in cycles to give them a chance to rest,” Sakura nodded, a professional mien settling over her. “Your team, Rin?”

“Good, but they’ll need rotation as well. Agate and Litwick have been doing well against the riffraff they’ve thrown against us so far, but they’ll need a break soon,” Her sister reported professionally, assessing eyes staring at her sister before smiling. “You’ve grown a lot, Sakura.”

“Thank you.” Sakura murmured. “We should try to find a way out quickly. These men are not weak, and we’ll be overwhelmed if we have to fight too long.” She glanced over at the cages, where the gathered Pokemon watched quietly. “...if we let them loose, we could use the distraction.”

“Alternatively, we could take them with us, if they wish,” Rin suggested, eyeing the cages as well. “Might be a better idea, honestly.”

“There’s no way for us to be stealthy, in that case,” Sakura murmured.

Other yipped, trotting up to the cages. “Bastards. They’re even too cheap for unregistered Pokeballs.” She growled. “Hey, how many of you can really fight?”

The Pokemon shifted around, before a Noibat fluttered through the group to grip the bars of the cage. “About a quarter of us have been trained, if that’s what you’re asking, bonded,” Her voice was tense. “But if you mean can we fight trainers? About half the rest of us are wild. We know how to scrap.”

“Perfect.” Rin smirked viciously. “Sakura, you start on the left side, I’ll start on the right. Work our way to the middle.”

“Got it, Nee-san,” Sakura murmured, heading over to one side. As she reinforced her camp knife to start cutting through the bars, she looked back at her sister. “...I don’t know if this is better or worse than it would be in our world. These men don’t have guns, but…”

“That’s only because the Unova of this world has very strict regulations on firearms, Sakura,” Rin shook her head. “And because the escalation it causes isn’t viewed as worth the benefit. If they thought the guns would help, they’d be using them.” Rin paused, before nodding. “I think they’re worse, honestly. Because the society they have here is so much kinder than ours, at least, from what we’ve seen.”

Sakura chuckled. “Focusing on the minutia again, sis. I was more wondering what was worse; facing guns as a magus, or having to fight phantasmals as any kind of human.” She pulled the bars off the first cage. “Though we do have some weapons of our own, to continue the metaphor.”

Rin blushed. “Ah. My bad. Sorry, Sakura.” She looked back at the cages. “Well, at the very least they’ll have to fix all of these,” she muttered, cutting open another one. “Once everyone’s out, then we can plan our escape.”