To Steal the Heart of a Thief {Pokemon Ranger Fanfiction} (Pokemon Watty Awards 2015)

Chapter 38: End of Shadows

"Soldiers!?" Rena involuntarily shouted her surprise and disgust. "You can't force them to do that, Hall!" She bitterly expressed her opinion, having Mightyena in mind. She would never send her best friend off to war, even if it meant sacrificing her own life to save his.

"Of course I can!" He immediately dismissed her concerns without giving it a second thought as he spat his crazed words to her. "This is the dream energy machine that is fueled by Pokemon! Wouldn't you agree that description is a fitting one?"

"This is the new dream energy you guys have been working on...?" Rena started to look around at the controls of the Incredible Machine in absolute revulsion and horror, flashing back to all of the prior announcements Altru had made about their new developments.

Wheeler raced in-between Rena and Blake Hall anxiously, his broccoli hair fluttering in the night wind. "Mr. Hall, sir. Mr. Hall! If I may say so, sir, your wise words are but sadly wasted on this... Uncouth child." The pudding-cup man that she had grudgingly spoken with the night before interrupted their conversation with his whining, bumbling voice. "Perhaps a light meal will prompt it to leave us be. Eheheheheeeeh!" He cackled to himself once more before turning to look at Rena with his lopsided face. "Listen, child. Let dear old Wheeler here give you a light snack. For my own satisfaction, really. Now what shall it be? A knuckle sandwich? Or a judo chop suey? Or, or... Why don't you become my friend's snack instead?"

Rena watched as Wheeler used the Incredible Machine's great power summon a Pokemon to aid him in this fight, and she was preparing herself for---

...a Bidoof?

"...what." Rena blinked her eyes owlishly at the agitated Bidoof coming straight for her. Its majestic fluffy mane of chocolate fur whipped in the air as it locked its black orb eyes with the thief. "...Seriously? That's all you've got?" She looped her capture line around the small Pokemon one time with the vibrant Styler line and wasn't all that surprised that was all it took to complete the capture.

"Oh? How very, very odd..." Wheeler scratched his head as he watched the Bidoof come to its senses and flee the scene. "But not to worry. Let me catch my breath, and... Say hello to another little friend! Another Bidoof to take its place!"

Before he could do anything at all, he was violently shoved to the side by Blake Hall, who then marched over towards Rena. "Enough of that." Blake snapped at his sorry excuse for an assistant.

"Ah, Mr. Hall sir, I see, I see, indeed! You wish to toy with the child yourself?" Wheeler tried to make sense of what just happened as he retraced his creepy gaze to look over at Rena. "Child, you should feel privileged. This time, your downfall is assured. Eheeheheeeeehh!" He lost control of his evil laugh, creeping Rena out with just how weird it sounded. Mightyena folded his ears as he crinkled his muzzle at the screeches of laughter.

"Quiet, Wheeler. Don't talk anymore." Blake Hall held out his hand to silence the buffoon, showing that even he could not withstand that horrible noise. "What is this idea of bringing out Bidoof at this point in the proceedings? This isn't Ranger School." Rena sweatdropped at the fact that it still felt like she was in Ranger School right now, since she missed out on all other forms of Ranger training. "By the way, Raux." Blake Hall redirected his gaze to the thief as the corner of his mouth crooked into the faintest smile. "I'm sorry, Rena, was it?" He pretended to forget her name briefly out of disrespect. "You don't seem to realize the power of the Incredible Machine. You fail to grasp the enormity of what it represents. Perhaps it's too much for anyone to truly understand..." Blake Hall trailed off to himself before gathering his thoughts. "But everyone will come to accept it when the new dawn arrives. Very soon now, the date will change. Altru will celebrate its new birth. Let me give you a slight taste of what you can expect." Blake Hall smirked as he walked up to the dark purple crystal ball.