Pokemon - Capture Quest

Chapter 13 - Lullaby in the Storm

Kiria's helicopter touched down outside of the base and she barely let the engine die down before getting out, leaving Acerola behind in the passenger seat. The young Princess climbed down after the woman, still in shock and fear for her sister's safety. The rotors whipped up a dying wind as she climbed down, and the door to a white building up ahead opened.

"Where are the others?" Megan asked, still holding the door handle in the light of the setting Sun.

"We ran into trouble." Kiria grimaced, feeling her wrists.

"No... They're alive, right?"

"Ngh..."

"Kiria!" Megan grabbed Kiria's green jacket and desperately pulled her closer. "Are they?! One of them's my brother, dammit! Answer me!"

"I don't know!" Kiria pulled Megan's hands away. This was the first time in a long while that the Ice Queen had lost her cool, and she wasn't coping too well. "The radio cut out not long after they were shot – Alfred said he would crash-land, but-"

"Get inside." Megan turned back into the doorway, pulling out her phone. She walked back into the building.

Kiria took a deep breath and looked down. "Sorry, Kid..." She spoke to Acerola for the first time since landing.

"Please don't give up hope." Acerola said, walking forward. "I heard that man over the radio – he sounded confident." She was almost trying to fool herself into thinking things were ok. "They're not dead...! They can't be...!"

"...Right..." Kiria stood up straight. "Come on in. You'll catch a cold." The two of them walked into the building, leaving one helicopter behind on the airfield, when there should have been two.

*

That night, Alicia, Nelly and I took up rooms in a hotel in Pueltown, whilst Alfred was to spend the next few days in hospital. After checking myself over and showering, it became apparent that I hadn't suffered any injuries. As crazy as it seemed, the crash had left me unscathed. For the most part, anyway. I was still pretty shaken up, but we were all alive. That much was enough.

It was while I was sat looking out through the window that my phone rang. I almost didn't hear it over the sound of the shower going on in the bathroom, but I walked away from the window to pick it up, moving away from the sound of water before answering.

"Toby!" Megan's voice greeted me immediately.

"Hey..."

"You're alive!" She sounded extremely relieved. There was a moment of pause as Kiria and Acerola looked up on her end.

"Yeah, somehow." I said, sitting down heavily on the edge of the bed.

"How's everyone else? Are they-"

"We're all alive." I told her. "Nelly and Alicia are fine. Alfred's in hospital, but his wounds aren't fatal. He should only be in there for a couple of days."

"Oh, thank God..." Megan sighed. "I'm sorry this had to happen... Even I didn't think Team Rocket would try to shoot you down..."

"It's nobody's fault." I shook my head. "Did Kiria and Acerola make it back?"

"They did. They're safe."

"That's good."

"Is my sister there?" I heard Acerola's voice in the background.

"Is Alicia there?" Megan asked.

"We're in a hotel, so she's in her room. I can knock for her."

Megan relayed the message, then came back a few seconds later. "If you could let Acerola speak to her, I think it would put her at ease."