This world is inhabited by creatures that we call pokemon. People and pokemon live together by supporting each other, but now the scourge threatens the safety of the entire region. Kohaku has become a dangerous place, where children stay at home and only brave souls go adventuring.
Welcome to KOHAKU. Come for the nightmares. Stay for the tea and crumpets.
The season is SUMMER. It is easy for survivors to forage for food from the land, as there are entire abandoned farms ready for harvest. On the downside, you can smell the corpses.
swarms
GRAND OPENING !
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It wasn't long after the Lillipup was taken out that Bardrick decided he needed to leave, and fast. While he hungered for more information on the infection plaguing the pokemon of the region he knew that knowledge meant nothing to the dead. On top of that, he figured he'd already risked his pokemon enough. For now at least. So, as quick as he'd come Bardrick fled Lake Pax and the ruined institute. From there he went to the next nearest town, Bacchus.
As he expected, the road to Bacchus was rough. It involved a lot of quiet footsteps and evasive movement. There were infected all around, and knowing how hard that battle with a young Lillipup had been he didn't want to take any chances drawing a swarm. When he got to Bacchus he found a surprising amount of disappointment when he arrived to a ghost town. No people, no activity, but no damage to be seen. It was unnerving. Still, it gave him a chance to rest. He went through his resources, pulled out his sleeping bag and some food for both himself and the pokemon, and set up in one of the empty buildings. After making sure there were no infected within the house he boarded up the windows and shut the door. There was no lock, so he left it as just shut.
While he and the pokemon ate, Bardrick thought about what he'd seen. His notebook sat on his lap and he made scribbled notes between bites of food. Most notably about how much stronger that Lillipup, who couldn't have been very matured, was in comparison to his novice but still more experienced Gligar and Grimer. It was as if the infection empowered its victims beyond logical strength. Another worry to stack on the others.
Bacchus Town was a mess, and every moment she spent in it reminded her of why she fought so hard. When she had herded everyone into her underground lair of a home. Since then, the resistence was her cause, and she planned on helping anyone who had the same intentions as her - to wipe out the Scourge and send them to the hell from whence they arose from.
A lookout had found someone making their way from Lax Pax - a place that was said to have been deserted. Anyone who was in Lake Pax either ran or was killed, and now here she was, watching someone walk with what looked like an unvaccinated Gulpin from the one place that was sworn to be uninhabitable.
If there was one, then maybe there were more?
Keeping her Gliscor and Swampert close, Nenia had left the underground from a hatch - quickly locking it before making her way to where the stranger made his refuge. In a pack that she carried along with her was supplies that she was certain he'd need - the poor guy looked like he went through hell and back - as she knocked on the door that could have been boarded up at the time.
Bardrick's hand continued to scribble notes as he finished his food. Now however, the notes were questions as to how to deal with it. Obviously, if a pokemon got stronger when affected by the infection it would make sense to go two versus one against it, but even then it offered more extreme threat. Instead of exposing just one pokemon you were exposing two. Or more as the case may be. This was a danger to every trainer who decided to use this method. But then again, what wasn't a danger lately?
Suddenly, Bardrick was pulled away from his notes by the sound of something falling over. At first he thought that something must have been bumped by one of the pokemon, but then he saw that it was one of his pokemon who had fallen. Irony was a cruel, cruel mistress. When he looked up he saw Gligar, struggling against something unseen as she attempted to stay standing. Her eyes were going dull, and her emotions seemed to switch between fright and rage in an indecisive way. The only response Bardrick could give was a sigh.
"Gligar, I'm so sorry." He mumbled as he stood up, "Grimer, back away from her, she's infected and turning fast." After taking a few steps towards her Bardrick kneeled next to Gligar. The pokemon looked up at him in an almost pleading way. Bardrick would have saved her if he could. But that wasn't an option. Not right now. In fact, he had to do just the opposite. He had to put her down before she became a threat. There was an issue there though. He needed fire to put an end to an infected. At least, that's what he suspected after seeing a large number of burnt pokemon corpses on the way to Bacchus. The sound of knocking suddenly pulled his attention away from yet another problem.
With a tired look on his face Bardrick walked over to a window by the door and looked out. The sight of a woman and two powerful pokemon was a surprise, but a pleasant one. Maybe they'd be able to take care of Gligar, for once she turned she would be much stronger than Grimer.
"Just in time, there's a problem I need your help with." The statement was a sigh as he opened the door.
The door opened and she was met with the face of an exhausted looking man. He had to have been a researcher, that was the only way he could be coming straight from Lake Pax. It couldn't have made sense otherwise. "What kind of problem?" She asked, stepping around him and entering whether he wanted her to or not ( what insane guy wouldn't, though? ).
Then she saw it, the surefire sign that there was an infected poke'mon. It looked angry, it had the same dull eyes, and Nenia let herself frown as she looked up at Bardrick. "It's turning into a Scourge and you have to light it up." She muttered, looking up at him. "Sorry, but it's a loss everyone has gone through at this point."
Swinging her pack around, she opened it up and started digging around. "Luckily for you, though, I brought some matches and lighter fluid just in case. The fire stops the spread of the disease and keeps your Grimer and my other two poke'mon from catching it."
"Heads up." Taking out the two objects, Nenia tossed him both. It was his poke'mon, and while she was just going to douse it in lighter fluid and light it up just outside, she wasn't sure if Bardrick wanted some form of a funeral or not.
In response to the girl's question Bardrick simply pointed over to his Gligar, who by this point was really no longer his Gligar. No, she was gone. Instead there was a snarling beast that seemed barely able to restrain itself from attacking everything in the room. If it was a few months ago, Bardrick would likely be crushed by watching a pokemon in this state. But this wasn't a few months ago. He didn't see the point in wasting time grieving over a pokemon he hardly knew. Instead, he took initiative.
In just a few seconds he managed to get his hands on a shovel. It's blade was made of strong iron, just what he needed to take care of the problem. After placing the matches and lighter fluid on the floor he rushed Gligar. Wanting to knock the pokemon down he swung the shovel with all his strength, slamming it against the back of Gligar's skull. Instantly he felt the bone mold to the shape of the shovel's blade and the pokemon go limp. This would put it down for at least a few seconds. Long enough to move it out of the wooden house so he could burn it without danger.
After scooping Gligar onto the shovel he walked out of the building. With a sigh he emptied Gligar onto the ground, allowing it to lie in a heap as he went back inside to retrieve the lighter fluid and matches. On his way back out he caught sight of Grimer's expression. The pokemon seemed stricken by what it had just watched. In fact, it had a look of determination in its eyes.
"Sorry Grimer." He returned the pokemon with those two words. That determination was something he recognized. It had been in some of his pokemon's eyes when they tried to stop him from putting down the infected within the cabin at Lake Pax. He couldn't let Grimer get in the way. What if it wound up with him getting infected too?
With all the obstacles out of the way Bardrick made his way back to Gligar, who was already beginning to twitch and stir. Sighing, he emptied the lighter fluid over the reviving pokemon's body. Just as it began to rise to its feet he lit a match and threw it onto the soaked pokemon. The sound was horrible. Crackling flames and shrieking cries. It was enough to make Bardrick cringe, but it was what had to be done.
"Now, where did you come from, and what do you know about the infection?" Bardrick addressed the girl, calling over his shoulder. An attempt to ignore the dying pokemon.
Bardrick was gaining her respect with each passing moment, as he took the shovel that was in the corner of the room and did his poke'mon's head in. It went unconcious and, well, out the door the two of them went. The Grimer on the other hand had more sympathy from Nenia than anyone else in the room (after all, her Swampert and Gliscor were more than turned off to their emotions on the duty to be done), but it seemed that the Grimer was a new one. Walking over, Nenia squatted down next to the pile of purpleish slime.
The sudden sound of pain-filled cries broke through the somewhat silent barrier. Nenia didn't wince, but she saw her Gliscor give the faintest signs of it, the sounds of his own burning. She waved her hand to dismiss the poke'mon, who left out the door to stand vigil for the fallen comrade.
It was a sign of weakness that she allowed.
Nenia motioned for her Swampert to follow her back out to Bardrick. Tossing her backpack to the larger poke'mon, they both left the wodden house to stand by the entrance when Bardrick yelled something over the piercing sounds of the screams.
"I should be asking you the same thing." The smug frown could be heard through her voice as she leaned against the doorframe. "Everyone was certain that Lake Pax was abandoned, and now suddenly there's a strange man walking, albeit badly harmed, from the exact place where the infection started. Sounds a little strange how you're the one survivor, isn't it?" No, she didn't sound bitter at all.
Jerking her head in the direction of the Swampert and then the Gliscor, she let her hard gaze fall back on Bardrick. "We're part of a resistance. You're highly underleveled to be here, though. Compared to us, you're a civilian who needs to get back to Juno City to pick up the essentials, get briefed, and then come back up here to help out."
Frowning, Nenia wasn't sure if she was ready to openly say the next part. She'd much rather not be the one who was assigned to come up and greet this man. "What's your purpose here?" Once he wasn't deemed a threat, she was going to escort him to the underground.
"I was one of a few researchers at Lake Pax when the infection broke out." Bardrick went straight to answering her questions, "I was the only one able to make it back to the cabins. I got in, boarded myself in, and was there for what I think was a year." Memories of that year earned a frown, though he kept his tone neutral. Not at all the smug tone the girl was speaking with, or the sadness one would expect from such a recounting.
"After losing half of my team to the infection inside the cabin, I figured it would be smarter to take the rest of them and the two research pokemon still alive and get out. Otherwise I wouldn't have a team strong enough to take one step out of the cabin." Now it was more of a challenge to keep his voice steady, he knew the recording he had telling the same story was anything but, "It was a disaster. I knew some of them would die but I didn't think they all would. Pokemon I'd had for 16 years, who had been through so many battles and had been strong enough to face gym leaders and trainers of all kinds. They were nothing when against the hoard of infected. The only survivors were the research pokemon who I had kept in their pokeballs. Gligar was one of them."
With a sigh he turned to face the girl, looking her in the eyes for the first time, "Lake Pax was abandoned. The institute is in ruin, though someone has been keeping it clean of the infected for the most part. The way here is absolutely swarmed with them. The only way I've been able to make it from point A to point B is because I've spent multiple days hiding and moving as stealthily as I can." At the civilian comment he could do nothing but nod, "I'm currently on my way to Nerio, and then from there I'll move on to Juno. I was actually hoping you could give me some kind of briefing. The only knowledge I have on the infected is kept in my notebook. Notes I've taken from my own experience."
"As for my purpose here, I'm just passing through. I want to get from here to Nerio as quickly as I possibly can." Bardrick held the pokeball with Grimer inside, "If I could get some help though, that would be great. If Grimer winds up getting infected and dies before I reach the city I'll be in trouble. I'll die and lose my chance to redeem my pokemon by helping with this cure." With a raised eyebrow he looked at the girl again, glancing at her Gliscor and then Swampert.
"If you're available you'd fit the bill pretty perfectly too."
She listened to every word of his explanation, and little grateful that he went into such details. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he was going to be flat-out lying to her just to see where she managed to get supplies, or where the rest of the population of Bacchus was. Though, his recollection of everything was just a confirmation that he wasn't someone who was out for his own gain.
"The most I can do for you is show you the underground of Bacchus where everyone who can fight is, and then escort you to where the most dangerous poke'mon running around are wild ones." She pursed her lips, motioning for her Swampert and Gliscor to follow her as she started walking in the direction of the heart of the city. Whether Bardrick followed her or didn't - considering the only option if he didn't was to be ripped apart by the Scourge that infiltrated the city, he probably would end up following her in the first place.
Casting a quick glance at him, Nenia took a deep breath. "I'll have you know that what we know about the infected, while it isn't a lot, is enough to get by. They're incredibly strong, to the point where I've seen more poke'mon and humans alike go down than what I'd like to count. When any physical attack is landed or, hell, when you land one yourself on a Scourge, you're subject to catching the disease."
Getting closer to the heart of the town, Nenia nodded at the Swampert, who took off ahead to get a start at unlocking the hatch. "Any other questions?" She asked, turning to look at him, before quickly heading in the direction that her Swampert disappeared in.
When they got closer, the big, blue poke'mon had what looked like a reinforced steel sewer door above it's head. "Down you go." She muttered, motioning for him to go down first.
Bardrick was a little disappointed at the lack of things that could be offered. Both in favors and in information. While he wasn't going to complain to her about it, all the things about the infection that she told her were things that he'd known for days at least. Even the bit on the disease being spread through physical contact was something he'd assumed, and which had been proven when Gligar caught the infection after hitting the infected Lillipup so many times with Night Slash. Still, he couldn't help but say 'thank you' when she offered to lead him to a safer area.
"Any other questions...hmm. Well, I guess I'd have to ask if you know anything about the progress on a cure. Can we treat it yet? Is there any way to prevent a pokemon from catching it?" As they walked Bardrick asked his question, motioning with his hands to present the different focuses of it. If he was going to help with a cure effort he had to know where they were in that effort as soon as possible. Other than that though, he couldn't think up any other questions.
When they reached the opened manhole Bardrick couldn't help but grimace. Into the sewers? It wasn't a hoard of infected, smelling of death and decay, but it was still nasty. Bardrick found it kind of funny that he almost reacted worse to the smell of the sewers than he had to his burning Gligar. Dark humor, but still enough to urge a small chuckle from him. One of a very few he'd taken a part in during the last year or so. The humor he'd found and the urging from the girl were enough to get him down the sewer. That, and the prospect of people and supplies. Probably more the latter than the former.
"So, do you have any supplies to spare down here?" He called up to her, listening to his voice echo as he climbed down the ladder, "Because I'm starting to run low. With Gligar gone I should have enough pokefood to last Grimer awhile longer, at least until Nerio, but I'm running low on food for myself. I could also use some more batteries for my flashlight, and some first aid items in case I find myself in need of it. Bandages, rubbing alcohol, the works. I have some money if I need to trade for it." He finished his thoughts as he reached the bottom of the ladder, hopping down before checking to make sure nothing had fallen off or been left behind. Bardrick let out a silent profanity.
"If we're not planning on passing back by that house, I'll need to buy a sleeping bag too."
At the question of a vaccine or cure being made, Nenia felt her face turn into a smile. "No cure, yet - the researchers are working diligently on that. There is a vaccine, though, but it's expensive as hell and has yet to reach us. They've been distributed as far as Nerio, but the Scourge that surrounds Bacchus has been keeping trainers away. The last I heard was that they were gathering in Nerio to head down and start taking out Scourge one by one." She left the it's about damn time hang in the air silently as she watched Bardrick disappear in the hatch.
After returning the Gliscor, she nodded to Swampert, who placed the door over the hatch after she climbed in. After it was locked, she landed on the ground next to him, returning her Swampert as well. "I know it's no high-tech resistance headquarters, but it gets the job done. You get used to the smell." She started walking along what could have been called a corridor, listening to him go on about supplies. "There's no need to buy anything. We'll give you what you need and send you on your way. I, of course, will be escorting you as far as half way to Nerio. From there you're on your own."
"I'd go with you but Bacchus needs me more." She murmured, nodding when he mentioned needing a sleeping bag. "Just do me a favor and make it known that we need reinforcements here stat. I'm getting sick and tired of waiting." There was a bit of a bite in her words, but it wasn't aimed at Bardrick.
Stopping in front of a door, she looked over at him. After a brief moment of hesitation, she opened it to reveal what seemed to be a large room. There were crates littered about, sleeping bags huddled together, off to the side was what looked to be a makeshift kitchen. There was also, notably, less than a city's worth of humans around - some poke'mon wandering about as well, though most were kept in their balls to preserve space.
Nenia walked over to an area where a bunch of crates were clustered together. Tossing Bardrick a pack that she pulled out, she also gave him one of the few remaining sleeping bags. "Take what you need from these crates, then meet me over by the kitchen, we'll talk about how soon to get you going." By going, she meant headed to Nerio.
Bardrick nodded as he listened to the girl explain the state of the cure, and then the state of the little resistance she'd led him to. Really, all he payed attention to was the statements on the vaccine. While she was kind enough, he wasn't going to make a point of advertising her little underground hideaway. People would get here when they got here, and any of his urging would do little but potentially slow the process.
On his way to the crates Bardrick looked around, curious about the numbers and set up here. It seemed there were only a few people, but each of them seemed well equipped. He saw a lot of strong pokemon, and his urge to encourage the flow of reinforcements was further dulled. Really, he wasn't worried. They all seemed more than capable. What he was worried about however, was his supplies, which he was happy to restock up on in the crate room.
Batteries, some food, a few rolls of bandages and a bottle full of rubbing alcohol. Everything he need was there. As a finishing touch he grabbed one of the rolled up sleeping bags and hooked it up to his backpack, which now had some legitimate weight to it with its collection of supplies. Satisfied, he made his way back to the girl, adjusting his backpack so that it sat more comfortably on his shoulders.
"Thank you for the supplies. If you're ready, I'm prepared to head out now. The sooner I can reach Neiro, the better." Bardrick spoke, adjusting his glasses, "I'll probably be back to help once I've got all I need from Juno City and managed to get another team of pokemon. I'll try and bring some of the vaccine with me. Perhaps the cure if I really take that long. It's the least I can do to repay the help you've given me." Despite his lack of worry over the state of Bacchus, he wasn't one to just leave a debt unpaid. If Bacchus was still in need of his help after he gained a team strong as the one he lost only a few days ago, he'd be more than happy to come help clear out the city.
When he appeared, she gave him a quick nod before motioning that her Swampert was to follow her.At his mentioning of how he'd probably be back, with vaccines on top of that, she gave him a small smile. "That's the best news I've heard in a while." Then she went back to business, the smile disappearing to her usual frown.
"Let's get going, then." With that being said, Nenia securing the poke'balls dangling off of her belt as she headed towards the entrance. After some uneventful minutes, the two of them were surfaced, Nenia waiting for Bardrick to come out of the hatch before latching it back up.
Then the two would be on their way to Nerio city - and Bardrick would be on his way back to safety. So long as the Scourge didn't decide to come and get the two of them first.
Bardrick simply nodded. As he said, he was more than ready to get out of here and get over to Nerio. Hopefully he'd be able to get his first vaccine there, and hoping that Grimer made it to Nerio, he'd have at least one permanent pokemon. Permanent as long is it wasn't torn apart, at least.
The climb up was a bit harder than the climb down. Mostly because his backpack now had legitimate weight to it, something he couldn't boast even when he left Lake Pax. When they got back to the surface he was greeted by the same glum setting. Dead buildings, their inhabitants gone but their corpses left untouched. The sight of infected pokemon, only occasionally coming into view as they walked between distant buildings.
"Let's go." Bardrick began walking again, sending out Grimer as he did so, "I know you're tired and worn from that last fight, but we need all the hands we can get."
Resurfacing always had a different effect on her. Sometimes, Nenia felt nothing as she peeked up through the hatch, preparing for a days worth of searching and possibly kicking out any Scourge that wandered too close. Though, sometimes, she could actually feel the sense of loss in her stomach, as though she'd almost accepted that Bacchus would probably never be the same again.
It was something she fought for every day, though. To keep her hometown so that maybe it would be able to be back to its own strength - bright, happy, and without the air of fear and death that drifted around. The moment she was fully on the ground, she moved the hatch back to covering up the ground, kicking the latch shut before sending out her Camerupt.
"If you see anything that looks out of place, you dose it in fire, you hear?" Without waiting for so much as a nod, Nenia was off in the opposite direction that they had come. "Nerio is a ways away, and I'll take you as far as I can go without having to turn back. Just keep an eye out for Scourge when I'm gone, because if you're found dead on the side of the road it's going to come back at me."
Comforting words, but she didn't want Bardrick to know that she felt for him. The last thing she needed was some newbie thinking that she cared about much of anyone.
