Adventures Beyond!

Chapter 7: The Road to Escapism

Oliver nodded a response as they began to navigate the ventilation system once again.

With Jacob

A familiar Pikachu groggily opened his eyes. He tried to lift his head, but his neck resisted with the motion, as he had slept in an uncomfortable position the night prior. He groaned a bit, feeling himself getting carried.

"Finally awake?" A voice asked, making his ears perk up.

"Uh...?" Jacob tried to say, but his whole body felt strangely weak.

Jacob was currently being carried by Binks, who wore a confident smile as he let hot air blow from his large nose.

"Don't try to speak or anything like that." The Emboar told him. "I put a sedative on your back, and as long as that's there, you won't be able to resist."

"Wha...?"

"You might be trying to ask why, and I'll tell you." Binks spoke, "Today's the day where I finally get you out of my fur. Mind erasure day."

"Oh no..." Jacob's eyes widened, "I'm an easy target like this... I need Ollie and Sophie to get here fast. I'm useless in this position.."

The Pikachu clenched his teeth together and closed his eyes, trying to see if his attacks were limited by the sedative as well. His cheeks sparked a small amount of electricity, signaling that it would take a little bit of time, but it was possible to summon his electricity.

"Okay..." Jacob smiled to himself. "If I can control my Thunderbolt in this state, then I might have a chance to stall for time."

Meanwhile...

Sophie and Oliver crawled through the vents in silence, occasionally looking around at the metallic walls around them that they were only barely able to crawl through comfortably.

The Snivy thought for a moment before speaking up. "Hey, what's up with your friend's power?"

"Huh?"

"Your friend. He has some strange abilities."

"Oh... I don't know what it is." Oliver looked at her, "Neither does Jacob. We've seen small sparks throughout our childhood, but not like the one recently."

"What was the one recently?"

"The one where he shattered his right paw and arm." The Oshawott looked down. "That one was the most explosive and powerful."

"True, your friend told me about it." Sophie nodded, "It was two days ago when he told me, I think."

The two suddenly went silent, not sure of what to say next. Oliver was thinking over the fight with that Charizard again, and how Jacob saved his life. Sophie was thinking over the odds of meeting someone with strange abilities as well.

"So... What about you?"

Oliver's ears perked at the sudden question. "What?"

"Do you have any strange, powerful abilities that your friend knows about?" Sophie asked, looking back at Oliver.

The Oshawott let out a faint sigh. "No, I don't." He replied, a note of hesitance in his voice, "I've just been... Normal ever since I was hatched. Both parents, no strange abilities, decent childhood, anything a normal Pokémon would grow up with."

"Really?" The Snivy asked, "I'm not trying to be mean, but your friend said you went against that Charizard before he did. I'd expected that you had some untamed, strange ability, too."

"Well no." Oliver interjected. "I just use strategy and knowledge to my advantage. Nothing else."

"What about attacks?"