The Viterals

Chapter 10: Farore Aggagol

Feebas continued to splash and frolic.

"Ready, now?"

"Sorry, Farore," Makua said. He returned his Feebas to him, tucked the Pokeball back into his belt. "I wanted Feebas to get some time out of its ball."

"No problem. Shall we?" Farore held one hand out, inclined her head. "There's a stone bridge not far from here. We can cross that instead of swimming across. There are things deeper inside that will pull you in."

Bambi wouldn't have minded that path except for the banana now in her hand. She peeled away the skin, bit into it.

Farore led the way along the bank. Her shoulders swayed back and forth with childlike innocence.

"Why do we have to be careful about letting our Pokémon out anyway?" Bambi asked. "Because of the recent Pokémon attacks?"

"Pokémon attacks and poachers," Farore said. "There are trainers out there who can steal Pokémon that already belong to other trainers."

"That's illegal!" Makua went red, suddenly embarrassed by his outburst.

"They don't care. Those poachers are ruthless."

"How is it even possible? Poketechnology should prevent something like that. The Pokémon itself won't let that happen."

"I haven't seen it for myself," Farore admitted. "But I hear there is new technology—technology that's stronger than the old ways." She sighed a heavy sigh. "It's a shame really the way things are changing. My friend said she looked away one second and the next her Persian was gone, just whipped away, like putting a banana's foster in front of my grandma. That things gonna be gone in seconds."

"Were poachers the ones that attacked the Academy?" Makua asked.

Farore turned her head as she noticed the stone bridge on her right. "Its very possible. I hear they're getting bigger, gaining more members."

"Poachers?" Bambi couldn't believe it. What were people doing stealing Pokémon. "There has to be a motive, some sort of plan. People don't just steal other people's Pokémon for fun." She felt beads of sweat reach her hairline again.

"I don't think it's for fun," Farore said. "But I don't know what they're doing it for. I imagine there is a motive, Bambi."

Hearing her name called her back to the moment. The crispness in Farore's voice calmed her somewhat. Farore was a safety blanket.

The river roared louder now. The more downhill they moved, the more rapid the current flowed. Ahead, the water gushed against the stone bridge.

"I think I'd rather be pulled under where the water was more calm," Makua said. His body shook involuntarily. "What was so bad back there, anyway?"

"Its better you don't know," Farore said. She took a deep breath, let her shoulders well up with confidence, and then said, "you might want to use a Pokémon for support here." Farore squared up, faced the blocks of stone that led to the other side. "Go, Scizor!"

Her red, metal, mantis-beetle Pokémon emerged with the same ferocity Bambi had first seen it display.

"Scizor!" it said, slashing its hammer-like claws in the open air.

Bambi studied it, saw the way it responded to Farore's movements.

"Move slowly!" Farore announced. "These rocks are slick!" She took one final look back at Bambi and Makua and then began to move over the rock bridge.