Opal & Topaz

S1 ep18: Freedom. At last.

Within seconds, all hell broke loose.

A lot of the Pokémon's first instinct was to attack. And dear god, attack they did. It shook the walls and floor beneath his feet. Much more of this, and the whole cave would collapse.

Hank felt a shiver up his spine, before he started pushing through the crowd of Pokémon in an attempt to distance himself from the chaos. He didn't particularly feel like becoming a human pancake.

Anyway, it was good that Sparks was doing what he wanted for once. That being following him. Based on a glance he took to make sure Sparks was still there, they looked terrified. All the better. At least they wouldn't carry on and complain if Hank told them to do anything.

Hank felt Daz hold his shoulders tighter as they lowered their body closer to Hank's. Both of them were doing what he wanted, at least. Staying well out of trouble.

There was some shouting from his end of the hall. Then running. Hank froze, flustered by all the noise and general chaos happening around him. Thankfully, the few guards that were there ignored him, instead going to fight the massive gathering of Pokémon further in the tunnel.

It took a few seconds to register that he wouldn't be team aqua's focus. Not for a while, anyway.

"Daz, do you remember the way out?" Hank knew, realistically, Daz didn't understand a word he was saying. But he hoped that his tone was clear enough for them.

Daz croaked as the tunnel became dark again as the Pokémon were herded further down the tunnel. They stayed tightly holding onto Hank's shoulder, so maybe he wasn't getting across what he wanted clearly enough.

"Daz, I want to leave." Hank said, trying to make his voice as 'get me the fuck out of here' sounding as he could. Another croak, to which Hank sighed, figuring he was on his own, when Daz finally let go and jumped back up to the ceiling.

He held his hand out, giving Sparks a second to find it with their nose, before following the sound of Daz crawling along the ceiling again. While Sparks' warm breath wasn't exactly comfortable on his screwed thumb, at least he knew Sparks hadn't wandered off somewhere.

The tunnels became twisted again, and Hank kept bumping into the occasional wall for a while, when they came across somewhere familiar.

That old warehouse looking area. At first it was a relief. Then, the electrodes came to mind. Without a second thought, he dashed through the area. He wasn't letting those damn balls trap him. Not again.

Although he couldn't see, he could smell the salt of the ocean nearby. He'd never been so happy to smell salt before.

It occurred to him that Sparks couldn't swim across, at least, not as quickly as Daz could. With that, Sparks was returned to their pokeball.

This wasn't happening without a fight, though. Sparks ended up forcing themself out of the ball, growling as they returned to shape. Despite being unable to see, Hank could imagine their expression. Bared teeth paired with 'well fuck you, too' eyes.

"Fine, but don't complain about getting tired on the way back." Hank couldn't be bothered to argue. Not with everything that happened tonight. And definitely not with a fucked thumb.

There was some more growling, but it quickly died down as Hank kept moving. Light was pouring into a tunnel ahead, and the relief he felt could be matched by nothing else. Sweet freedom. At last.

Hank took a moment to breathe in the fresh air. Sure, it was overpoweringly mossy and thick, but it was alive. Unlike the chalky cave air.