DPA: Rivals

Chapter 38: In The Open

April watched quietly from the bushes, about half a mile away, in shock and awe at the unbelievable damage that Daryon's Magikarp had done to everything around it. She had been poised to attack, using surprise to her advantage, and take revenge on the people who helped ruin her chance to become a high-ranking official of Team Rocket.

But that Magikarp...there was nothing she could do against that thing. She would have to steal Magikarp when they were asleep if she wanted to even stand a chance. Even considering that, April began to realize that she was vastly outnumbered. Rather than take them all out at once, maybe the best idea would be to divide and conquer...

"Let's do a Mass Heal," Ero said. He had swapped out some of his team for three Chansey from his ranch. All three Chansey stood in a triangle formation around the group, simultaneously directing the move Heal Pulse towards the injured group members: so, everyone.

Daryon could feel the healing energy surge through his system, as the pain in his rib cage quickly faded away. The stinging pressure in his leg began to subside, and he could actually see the small cuts and bruises on his arms close and fade away. Even the ringing in his ears went away, leaving him feeling healthier than he had ever felt before in his life.

"Everyone feel better?" Ero asked as he returned each Chansey to their respective Pokéball. Everyone replied with some variation of "yes" as Ero used his surprisingly undamaged smartphone to return the three Chansey back to the ranch, replacing them with his normal team.

"I think it's time to go to bed," Daryon said, noting the sun setting. "After all of, well, whatever that was, I think we could all use the sleep."

"It's getting close to Max's bedtime anyway," Skye said, holding a sleepy Max in her arms. Max, in turn, was holding a sleepy Poliwag in his own arms.

"I think I'm going to stay up for a bit longer," Cameron said. "Pidgeotto and Charmander have been in their Pokéballs for a while, I don't want them to get restless."

"They won't," Ero said as he took off the lab coat that he wore literally everywhere. "Pokémon enter a sort of stasis when they are in their Pokéballs. Essentially, time doesn't pass for them. A Pokémon could be in its Pokéball for a hundred years, and when it comes out, from its perspective, not even a second has passed."

"Oh," Cameron replied. "Well, I still want them to have some time to enjoy the cool night air."

"It's up to you," Ero shrugged. "Now, if you excuse me, I am going to go to bed. If I'm going to be trekking through the Underground Path, I'll need all the sleep I can get." He walked into the giant tent that Abra had set up earlier, the only thing Abra had brought that was still up and intact.

"Cameron, you should get some sleep," Daryon said. "You've been through a lot."

"I don't need it. What I need is to strategize. How am I going to defeat Sabrina? That's what I have to figure out." Cameron picked up his glasses off the ground. They had been knocked off during the blast, but fortunately managed to stay in one piece.

Daryon sighed. "Then I'll stay up with you.'

"Daryon, you don't have to-"

"I know. But you're my friend. Besides, it'll be nice to have someone to talk to. If you need to."

Cameron looked down at his feet. "Okay," he agreed. "But there's nothing to talk about."

Daryon and Cameron went to work collecting sticks, throwing them into a pile. Each of them sent out their own Charmander, who both used Ember in unison to light up a nice campfire.

Cameron whistled. "Beedrill, come sit next to me."

Beedrill floated towards Cameron, who had plopped onto the ground next to the campfire, before settling down beside him. Cameron opened up another Pokéball, sending out Pidgeotto. He also called out for Mudkip, who had sneaked its way into Ero's more comfortable, more extravagant tent. Mudkip tiptoed over from Ero's tent to where Cameron was sitting, trying to avoid tripping over any of the debris from the earlier battle.

All of his Pokémon beside him, Mudkip on his lap, Cameron looked up at the sky, the sun having set, the moon out. Out in the open, in the quiet, with his friends nearby and his Pokémon right next to him, he felt calm for the first time since Cerulean Cave. Without intending to, he closed his eyes, and fell back, asleep. Pidgeotto and Charmander caught him before his head hit the ground, gently laying him down.

Daryon, Pikachu on his shoulder, looked at the sleeping Cameron, and smiled.