FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The doors to the abandoned boarding house opened slowly as Sandjaw stepped in, alerting his henchmen in the living room that he had returned. They rushed out to meet him - three Krokorok, all members of his old gang from the West Continent, brought at his request by Calhoun as they were the ones most familiar with working under the infamous Krookodile. He had always preferred working with his own kind, especially for missions like this one, bringing the city of Blackcoast over to the side of the Dark Crusade.

A mission, it seemed, only he was left to carry out.

"Boss, you're back! We started to worry 'bout ya," the first of the three stated. "What happened to ya?"

"Those damned Rescue Teams are still out there, obviously," Sandjaw replied. "Where the hell have _you_guys been?"

"We did go looking for you," the second Krokorok offered, one with a higher voice than the others and differentiating himself with a blue bandana around his neck. "But, we couldn't find you."

"I've mostly been underground, hiding until the heat was off a bit," Sandjaw replied. "Those do-gooders took out Holgan. I saw the abandoned district is still standing, so I think they got Hydra too."

"Whoa, they got them?! How?"

"I don't know, dumbass, you tell me!" Sandjaw snapped at his second, glaring at him. "Fact is, we're outnumbered here. If even someone like Holgan couldn't stop these guys, we need some backup."

"What about that Typhlosion that you arrived with?" The third Krokorok, who wore a leather harness, asked. "The one that seemed off in his own little world? Couldn't you get him?"

Sandjaw shook his head. "Calhoun sent him off on another mission," he explained, not mentioning that Sol was not so 'distant' as his henchmen thought. They didn't need to know that. "He's been tasked with burning down a section of the woodlands east of here to start clearing the land - for what, I don't know. But no, I'll have to go find Calhoun himself and ask him."

Unbeknownst to the Krookodile, in a hollow below the floor, a certain three sets of ears were listening to his every word. Each of the Dugtrio's three heads were pressed against the floorboards so that he could hear everything that was being spoken between Sandjaw and his lackeys as clearly as possible. He especially flinched when he heard that he was going to speak to Calhoun about his next move, which almost gave away his position had he not firmly planted the rest of his body into the ground to keep him completely still as he eavesdropped on the conversation.

'Holy shit, the big man himself is here??' Doug thought frantically to himself, taking a moment to calm his nerves before he pressed his heads back against the floorboards to listen in for anymore info.

"So where we going next, then; straight to where Calhoun is?"

"I don't know where he is, just how to contact him. He left a radio transmitter at the edge of town which will send a signal out to his boat, letting him know I need him," Sandjaw explained. "I'm not supposed to use it unless it's real important but considering half of the people he sent here to take over this city are back in chains I think it counts. Right now, I'm hungry - where's the food?"

Okay, it looked like Doug had some time before Sandjaw headed out. He _had_to notify the others!

Without a moment's hesitation, Doug tunnelled back into the ground and proceeded to a safer, more secluded area of Blackcoast. Thankfully he was familiar with the layout of the city by now, and had managed to pick out a few nooks and crannies for him to hide in while contacting his allies; the closest being an abandoned warehouse located near the center of town that has soft enough soil for him to dig through and surface at his leisure.

He made a beeline straight for that hidey hole, travelling in a straight line until he was sure he was under his destination, then proceeded to tunnel upward until he broke through the surface. Sure enough, he was exactly where he wanted to be, and was quick to turn on his radio and contact Volcan back at the hideout.

"Yo, birdbrain! Answer the phone, I got some intel for ya." He said into his earpiece, even shaking his heads a bit to make his helmets rattle, hoping the added noise would catch Volcan's attention.

~~~~~

Back at the penthouse, Volcan motioned for quiet in the room, pausing the sparring session between Hank and Lashanne as he put a finger to his ear. "I hear ya Doug. What's going on?" He asked.

"You want the good news, or the bad news first? I'm cool with either one, but they're both pretty big pieces of info, so ...you might_wanna sit down."_ Doug replied.

"Is there a way to let the whole group hear this?" Volcan asked, looking at the others. "It sounds like we _all_need to."

"Put your radio on speaker and place it on a solid surface." Doug instructed.

Volcan extracted the radio from his ear, searching the tiny device or the speaker button and carrying it over to the table where he set it down. The others formed a circle around the table, and Volcan gave Doug the signal that they were ready once everyone was standing still and quiet. "Go ahead, Doug."

"Alright, well the good news is we've managed to make Sandjaw nervous. I just overheard him talking to his lackies about the guys we already bagged, and that he's considering calling out for reinforcements."_The Dugtrio remarked. _"He also let slip where Sol is right now. He's out burning down the forest East of the city, and from the way he described him, it's almost as if he's not really himself at the moment."

"Wait, the forest?" Sickle asked. As he continued his question, Lashanne turned and went over to one of the windows that faced east. "Why would he send Sol out to burn down the forest - what's the gain?"

"He didn't say...or rather, he didn't know. Apparently the big baddie didn't exactly leave him enlightened on what his plan is." Doug replied. "On that note, that's where the bad news comes in... Sandjaw's heading to the edge of town to signal directly to Calhoun for help. He's bringing in the big guns."

The very mention of Calhoun's name made Minato's fur stand on end for a brief moment, and his eyes shrink into beads as he stared at the radio on the table. "...You mean, he's here?" He asked.

"No, he's out at sea right now, but apparently he was left a transmitter to signal for him if he felt he needed the extra muscle."

"Even so, the game just changed here," stated Volcan, his eyes narrowing. "Is Sandjaw already heading for it?"

"Not yet, but he will be soon. If you guys are planning to bag him, this might be our last chance before the crap hits the fan."

"Well then what are we doing sitting on our asses here? Let's go get the bastard before he makes the call for help." Hank remarked casually.

"Hold on, guys. This is huge," Volcan stated, bringing the group's attention back to him. "We now know where Sol _and_Sandjaw are. We can't pass up this chance."

"Sandjaw was right about where Sol is. I can see a big column of smoke out there in the woods," Lashanne commented, pointing out the window. "Looks like he's already gotten started with his torch work out there."

"But what's the motive?" Sickle asked. "Calhoun wouldn't burn down the trees if he needed lumber so why set fire to the forest at all?"

"Maybe lumber's not what he's after," Blaster offered. "Calhoun's building an army, and an army moves on its stomach, right?"

Sickle caught on. "You're thinking he's clearing the woods to turn it into farmland?"

"People are always starving in this city," Blaster replied. "If he controls the food, he can control _them._They'll work just for a chance to have something to eat. By burning the forest down, the ashes will fertilize the soil left behind, which will make the land ideal for growing crops. But, if the fire gets out of control..."

"It could be carried south with the wind," Sickle added. "To Bluegrove... even as far as Azure."

"And Sol is not exactly the definition of 'control'," Volcan added, letting out a huff. "We can't tackle these two separately - we need to hit 'em both."

"Well, you're the brains behind this group," said Hank. "But I'm not looking forward to taking on Sol again..."

"My team will take on Sol," Volcan stated. "Sickle, it'll be up to you to take out Sandjaw. Your group stands the best chance of both intercepting _and_overpowering him. Take Hank with you too - you'll need him for subduing Sandjaw."

Hank let out a sigh of relief. "Thank fucking Arceus..." He said, wiping his claw along his forehead. "That guy I can probably handle." He looked at Volcan worriedly. "But uh... you got a plan for dealing with him, Chicken Legs? Cause I mean, once he starts going berserk, he ain't gonna stop until you're dead." He cautioned.

Volcan nodded. "I do have a plan," he said. "It's a longshot, but I've had a while to work on it. I'm pretty sure if we all play our cards right, we can stop Sol before he gets out of control."

"All I can say is good luck, and hope that plan of yours pans out well." The Zoroark remarked with a nod. "You just better make sure you come back alive buddy, and not just for our sake."

"I know," replied Volcan.

"Should I prep the airship?" Lashanne asked.

"Not a good idea. If we're going after Sol, the last thing we want is something he can turn into a flying fireball," replied Volcan. "We go on foot, full sprint. We'll approach from the west and spread out, try to get the drop on him."

"And what about Calhoun?" Sickle asked.

"You need to stop Sandjaw before he can call him," replied Volcan. "If you're too late, retreat back here and dig in until we come back. Take off in the airship if you have to - we'll have Toby keep it ready for a quick takeoff, but do _not_engage Calhoun. We're not ready for him."

Again, the mention of the Dark Blaziken's name made Minato's paws clench tight against his sides briefly. The fact that he was so close meant that if he _did_arrive, he'd finally have a chance to avenge those slain on his former island home... Part of him even hoped Sandjaw did succeed in his call for help, but he didn't voice his opinion, instead opting to remain silent and keep his composure as the other formulated their plan of attack.

"Alright, we have no time to lose," Volcan stated. "Sickle, you guys head out first - time's more pressing for you. Rendezvous with Doug and get after Sandjaw as fast as you can."

"We're on our way," Sickle returned firmly. "Team Kama, and temp," he nodded to Hank, "let's move out!"

"Right behind ya, lizzie!" Hank remarked with an a-ok sign with his claw before following after Team Kama out the door and to their assigned target.

"One-side, fuzzball!" Kaen barked excitedly as he zipped around Hank's legs to take the lead, running almost raptor-like to catch up to Sickle as they started down the stairs. "I'm ready for some action!"

"Oi! Watch it before you trip up something bigger than you!" Hank retorted with a hearty laugh.

Howler and Blaster were quick to follow the three out, and Volcan waited until their steps were distant before he turned to Minato. "I trust you haven't forgotten how good I am at spotting subtle changes, Minato," he said. "You tensed up twice at the mention of Calhoun's name."

The Lucario let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping before giving Volcan a sidelong look "...Part of me _wants_Sandjaw to make his call to help," he admitted to Volcan. "Just knowing that he's _that_close to us fills me with both anxiety and rage all at once, that I could finally put that bastard down and avenge all those he killed back home..."

"I know you want to face him, but we're not ready yet," Volcan stated. "The last time we encountered Calhoun he mopped the floor with everyone who made even an attempt to fight him. He's far more dangerous than you know, Minato - believe me, I'd give anything to see him taken down, but we can't beat him yet."

"Lest we forget the trump card he used against us in Hadleigh," Lashanne added pointedly. "Which we know was only _one_of the aces up his sleeve. He still has Mewtwo under his control - even if we were to one-up him, there's still _that_to deal with."

"Let's just concentrate on Sol for now," Volcan urged Minato. "Calhoun's time will come, I promise you."

He sighed and gave a small nod. "Alright..." He relented, rolling his shoulders a little before that smirk presented itself again. "Taking on someone who has powers of a god should serve as a decent warm up until then."

Volcan shared the smirk with him, giving a nod. "Alright. So, I've been working on a plan for fighting Sol - it's a lot of theory, but I built the strategy around info I got from Luke. Sol is _very_powerful - in a straight up fight, so as loathe as I am to do it we'll have to be a bit underhanded. I'll fill you guys in on the way - we better get moving."

"Fair enough. Lead the way." Minato returned with a nod.

~~~~~

Sickle's team trekked quietly through the city, following directions from Doug to make their way to Sandjaw's hideout. As they cleared the buildings and stepped out onto the street, they walked cautiously along the sidewalk leading up to the building Doug had described to them, ready for the Krookodile to come charging out as soon as he detected their approach. As they got closer, Sickle noticed a break in the concrete, and the exposed dirt underneath it shifting. He watched as Doug emerged from below ground, and spotted the Grovyle. Sickle put up his hand, motioning for the rest of the group to stop, and knelt before Doug so that they could keep their voices low.

"Any updates?" Sickle asked.

"When I came back, the place was empty," Doug informed Sickle, cocking one of his heads in the direction behind him. "He must've eat and run to get to the transmitter."

"Howler?" Sickle called, bringing the Arcanine rushing to his side. "Do your thing."

Howler nodded, taking the lead and lowering his nose to the ground, beginning to sniff the pavement as he sought out a scent, moving briefly to the door of the hideout to sniff inside before going back to the pavement.

"Follow him," Sickle directed the others.

"I'll stay underground and follow from below." Doug replied before his three heads disappeared into the ground, where he would follow the group and keep his senses sharp for any seismic activity in the event Sandjaw might be tunnelling through the ground as well.

Howler increased his pace steadily as he continued to follow the scent of Sandjaw and his men, bringing the others to a brisk jog as they kept pace with the Arcanine, though Howler did come to a stop as a figure leapt out of the alley ahead. A Toxicroak stood in their path, but quickly seemed to change their mind about whatever they had been planning to do when they saw the size of the group. They immediately ducked back into the alley, getting out of the team's way.

"Wuss," Kaen shot at the Toxicroak as they passed.

As they continued, some of the group noticed the number of eyes watching them was steadily growing. Every time they looked up, they saw shadows in the windows of buildings they passed, or looked down an alley to see other Pokémon watching them. The air of tension was slowly increasing.

"Guys," Blaster began. "It's starting to look like we're getting into the heart of the city as we get closer to the coast."

"I noticed too," Sickle commented. "Are we in a gang's territory?"

"Can't tell. Haven't seen any markers or anything that might give it away," Blaster answered. "Still doesn't mean there isn't one present."

"Everybody stay alert. An attack could come at any second," Sickle instructed. "Hank, can you cover us if we need to make a quick getaway?"

"Already got a trick or two ready just in case." The Zoroark replied with a nod. "Just say the word and we're gone like the wind."

Sickle nodded, and positioned his arms in readiness to extend his leaf blades the moment he needed them. Blaster angled his cannons, prepared to let off a stream as soon as a target showed itself.

The eerie silence of the street continued loom over then like a dark cloud. Their footsteps along the stone-paved street seemed deafening, even though they tried to stay as quiet as possible. Every corner seemed like it could be hiding an assailant, waiting to launch a sneak attack on them, yet the attack never came. Still, the revelation of there being no ambush did not help quell the tension the group was feeling.

Then, Howler came to a sudden halt, and the others stopped behind him. "Howler?" Sickle asked. "Why'd you stop?"

Howler did not look back at them. He was staring ahead, toward a fork in the street, his eyes on the left lane heading down what looked like it led into a marketplace. Sickle, following Howler's eyes, looked down the street, and then to Howler. "Sandjaw went left?"

Howler shook his head, lifting his right paw, but still looking down the left street.

"I think he senses something's waiting for left of the intersection here," Blaster said. "Could be an ambush."

Sickle tapped his foot on the ground twice, trying to get Doug's attention. The Dugtrio poked only one of his heads up in response and look to Sickle inquisitively. "Whatcha need?" He asked.

"I need you to scout ahead a bit," Sickle began. "Head down the street on the left - see if something's waiting there."

"Can do. One moment." Doug replied, then he was gone, speeding down the left street for a fair distance, keeping an eye out for any seismic activity until he found a soft spot where he could pop out and survey the area.

The sight that awaited him briefly made the Dugtrio's heart skip a beat. In the square beyond the left lane, which was indeed an old marketplace, he saw numerous Pokémon waiting, concealing themselves behind whatever cover they could find. There were many different kinds of Pokémon present, but one consistency he did notice was a trio of Clawitzers and a lone Mandibuzz positioned on a roof overlooking the square. The three water-types, possessing pincers capable of delivering a powerful pinch or firing a concussive force of water at a distance, were eyeing the street carefully, their claws twitching eagerly in readiness to attack.

Seeing all he needed to see, Doug quickly retreated back into the ground and returned back to the group as fast as he could tunnel. He popped up behind them and whistled to get their attention before giving his report. "Yea, we can't go down that way. There's a whole bunch of mean looking Pokémon ready to attack the second we head down that path." He explained.

"Well, we aren't going that way, right?" Kaen asked. "Howler said Sandjaw went right, so we're going right, right?"

"Even if we do, what's to say they won't pursue us?" Blaster poised the question. "We have to cross that street even to take the other way - they'll see us pass and know we're onto them. We need a diversion."

Hank started to chuckle a bit. "Well then, it just so happens you've got someone well suited for the task." The Zoroark said confidently as he stepped up to the plate. "I'll keep em busy until you're clear, then regroup with ya afterward."

"Okay. But be careful," Sickle cautioned. "We'll move as soon as you give the word."

"Hey. It's me we're talkin about here." He said with a wink before stepping past the Grovyle. "Though it's touching that you care so much about me." He added with a snicker before vanishing into nothingness with his illusion.

"...I swear, I've worked with him for so long and he's harder to get a read on than Kage is sometimes..." Doug pointed out absently.

"You should have met Kari," remarked Kaen.

"Okay. Get ready to move, team," Sickle informed them, lowering himself and preparing to run.

Hank kept up his invisible trick as he infiltrated the ranks of the enemy gang until he was smack in the middle of the group, snickering to himself as he prepared for his big reveal. "Time to do what I do best..." He muttered before he dropped his illusion and exposed himself to the masses. The cluster of Pokémon spun in his direction, an incoherent uproar erupting between them as they pointed at the Zoroark, their voices so muddled in the mass he could barely make out anything being said.

"Awww you guys got a party all together just for lil ol' me~? Shiiiiit ya shouldn't have!" He exclaimed.

"Idiots, he's a Zoroark! He might not even be the real one!" One among them, a scarred Zangoose, shouted in an attempt to calm the situation.

'Hehe, hook, line and sinker.' Hank muttered to himself before he artfully leapt atop one of the market stands and blew a raspberry down at the crooks. "C'mon, sleezebags! Try and hit me if ya can!" He goaded, even going so far as to turn and wiggle his rear at them while slapping it with his claw.

"He's mocking us!" One of them growled. "You stupid shrimps, blast him!"

One of the Clawitzers on the roof turned and took aim at Hank, firing a water pulse at him, but the agile Zoroark easily managed to leap to another market kiosk before the blast could even touch him. The kiosk was demolished as the water pulse struck where he had been standing. Once he landed, Hank decided to up the ante by casting his Illusion ability again, this time making several more copies of himself appear all around the thugs from every angle possible.

"Who's up for a game of whack-a-fox?" He further taunted. "First one to hit the real me gets a prize~"

"He's in there somewhere! Everyone, pick a target and waste him!" The Zangoose growled, going for the nearest copy of Hank, swiping his claws at it.

Each time one of the illusory Hanks were hit, the attacks passed straight through them. The cluster of illusions ran about in a frantic fit, shouting taunts and making faces at the gangsters, irritating them into breaking rank and pursuing, trying to find the real one. The Clawitzers could not get a clear shot on any of the copies without risking hitting their own, leaving Hank with little worry about taking any hits even if they did pick him out from the growing frenzy below. Little did they know that he had already moved out of the confusion, turning invisible and making his way back to his friends while his illusions kept the bandits busy.

He reached the corner where he'd left them, letting out a 'psst!' to announce himself, but keeping his eyes in the direction of the ambush to maintain his illusions. "They're pretty distracted now if you wanna make your move. I got 'em eating outta my claw right now."

"Good job," replied Sickle. "Let's go before they catch onto the trick."

Moving quickly, they group rushed down the street on the right, getting back on Sandjaw's trail while the would-be ambushers were left fighting amongst themselves as by the time Hank's illusion wore off they had bashed each other often enough, infighting had ensued. The group was long gone by the time any semblance of order was restored...

The dock area of Blackcoast was as shabby and rundown as the rest of the city, with neglected, decrepit structures barely managing to stay standing as time passed. The ocean waves crashed against the shore, each coming tide bringing in debris or carrying it out to sea with it when it receded. Pieces of the piers and wharfs, old boats and various junk littered the shoreline, which was infested with Trubbish and Grimer fighting over scraps found among the debris.

Team Kama had followed Sandjaw's scent to the dock, or more specifically, the old lighthouse overlooking the sea and surrounding buildings, standing tall and vigilant. While still clearly in disrepair, the lighthouse appeared to be the most solid structure among those in the area, showing no sign of giving in to the passage of time. Furthermore, they arrived in time to see Sandjaw entering the lighthouse, leaving his three henchmen outside to stand watch at the edge of the rocky outcrop where the lighthouse sat.

The team was assessing their best option to approach, although it was fairly clear cut. They had Sandjaw's henchmen outnumbered, and time was of the essence. They couldn't hope to sneak up on the three Krokorok, as the surrounding terrain offered little cover they could use for flanking, leaving Sickle was only a single begrudging option

"Guess we're taking the direct approach. Not my personal preference," the Grovyle remarked, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, so be it."

"Bet yer happy about that, ain't ya knuckle head?" Hank teased Kaen while nudging his side a bit. "Ya finally get to cut loose fer once."

"I am _ready!_Just give the word!" Kaen said with a grin, shuffling his feet in readiness to charge.

"I might be able to take out all three of them from here," Blaster offered.

"Oh come on, at least save me one!" Kaen moaned.

"Howler. Soon as we have their attention, you head for the lighthouse. Bust that transmitter before Sandjaw has a chance to use it," Sickle instructed.

The Arcanine nodded, understanding the plan.

"Okay guys, it's now or never. Blaster, guy in the center is yours. I have the left, Kaen you go right. Hank, Doug, you guys are on overwatch - if they or Sandjaw try to bolt, you're up," Sickle explained.

"Gotcha. He ain't outrunning this demo man." Doug said confidently with a nod. "Go kick their asses."

"Alright..." Sickle began, tensing his legs in preparation to charge. "...Now!" He barked, running out of the hiding spot and making a beeline for the trio of Krokorok, followed by Kaen coming in behind him.

"Hey, who's that?!" One demanded.

"You two are headin' for trouble!"

At that, Blaster emerged from hiding and, taking careful aim, fired a double Hydro Pump at the Krokorok in the center. Sickle, as if knowing the water was coming, moved aside to give it as much room as possible. The sand croc let out a yelp before taking the full brunt of the attack, launching him several feet backward and momentarily distracting his comrades - a distraction that cost them any chance they had for a counter-attack.

Sickle rushed in with a leaf blade, landing a shallow cut across the chest of his target before landing a kick that sent him into blackness. The other started to turn to attack Sickle, only to share in the fate of his comrade as Kaen sprang at him with a Focus Punch, landing the punishing blow on the sand crocodile's cheek. He hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, and lay there senseless on the rocky ground.

Howler took that moment to charge the lighthouse, his body a blur as he surged forth with Extreme Speed. He raced up the tower stairs, moving in a spiral through the narrow body of the structure, before he emerged from the trapdoor leading onto the crown of the lighthouse.

Up there was Sandjaw, who turned and looked over his shoulder as he heard the Arcanine emerge to find him standing over a radio transmitter. "Who-"

He had to duck aside as Howler breathed a Flamethrower at the radio in front of Sandjaw, the side immediately becoming red hot under the flames and sending the radio into a short circuit, sparking and crackling violent.

"Gah! Damnit!!" The Krookodile exclaimed after the flames died down and he noticed the radio was damaged beyond repair. He glared angrily at Howler before he opened his mouth and spat out a Sand Attack at the Arcanine in order to distract him, then he turned on his heel and dove out of the window behind him, spinning like a drill as he plummeted to the ground below.

From their vantage point, both Doug and Hank saw Sandjaw falling from the tower. The Zoroark raised his claw to his ear and raised the others. "Dude's falling to the ground on the opposite side of the lighthouse!!"

"I'm on it!" Doug hollered before he disappeared into the ground and took off to where the Krookodile was going to land.

He felt Sandjaw hit the ground and start tunnelling through it, then change his direction from down to left. "He's heading for the outskirts! I'm gonna try to cut him off!" Doug hollered as he continued his pursuit.

"Keep after him! We're in pursuit!" Sickle called, looking back as Howler came out to rejoin them and the five started running after the Krookodile.

Once more Sickle and Blaster resorted to their shell surfing maneuver, to match pace with the others as they ran ahead, hot on the trail of their target.

Sandjaw sensed that someone was tailing him from behind, as he too could sense seismic activity while below the ground. He scoffed irritably, suspecting the pursuer was a Ground-type like him, and slowly gaining ground.

With that being said, the Krookodile had a wicked grin on his face as he started digging through the ground in an erratic fashion, confusing his pursuer as he chased him through the earth. Sensing that Sandjaw was up to something, Doug was about to warn the others before the ground suddenly started to jolt and shake violently, causing the Dugtrio to be tossed about and get his heads bashed against the shaking dirt. Thankfully he was saved from critical damage thanks to his helmets, but the poor Dugtrio was definitely feeling the effects of that Earthquake attack, as would those on the surface as well.

Seeing the ground trembling ahead, Sickle hurriedly warned the others. "Wait, stop!" He called.

Kaen, Howler and Hank did as directed, each one skidding to a halt. Blaster ceased pumping water from his cannons, but the momentum still carried him forward. A chunk of stone pavement, pushed up from the earth, served to stop his slide, and launched Sickle clear off him, sending the Grovyle hurtling through the air over the area of the earthquake.

Collecting himself, Sickle managed to get his feet under him, landing in a tumble roll to break his fall as he landed and shaking off the disorientation. "Everyone okay?" He called back to his friends across the broken street.

"All good here!" Hank hollered back while lifting his claw up for Sickle to see. "Just a bit shook up, but we're still goin' strong!"

Sickle put a claw to his ear, pressing the transmit button. "Doug, can you hear me? You okay down there?" He asked, looking at the ground for any sign of the Dugtrio.

There was static at first, but soon his voice could be partially heard from the garbled transmission. "...banged up...caught in his earthquake...pinned down...time to break free..."

Though the signal was unclear, Sickle pieced together enough of it to get the intended message. "Can barely hear you, Doug, but I got the message. Do you need us to dig you out?"

More static before Doug's garbled voice came through again. "...Won't work ...caught...bedrock ...too tough for you...keep going..."

"Damn," growled Sickle, thinking quickly on how to proceed. "Okay, here's what we're going to do," he began. "Howler, can you carry two?" He waited for the Arcanine's answer - a nod. "Okay. Hank, you're with me. We'll ride Howler back to Sandjaw's hideout. Hopefully that's where he's going. You guys take a different route back to the hideout - best not go back the way we came with those thugs back there."

"You're leaving me behind?" Kaen argued, appalled. "But you need me to take on Sandjaw! Heck, you need Blaster too!"

"Howler can't carry Blaster and Hank's the only one who can subdue him," Sickle returned. "But if we wait too long he's going to get away."

"Hate to say it, but the leafy lizard's right on this one, squirt." Hank remarked with a helpless shrug. "Besides, we kinda got a man down for the moment, and we can't stick around until he gets himself free. We're gonna have to make do without him fer now."

"Exactly. Plus we don't even know if he's going there - I'm only making a guess, but if he is, we have to get there first or we're going to lose him," Sickle added.

Howler stepped forward, lowering himself onto his stomach to let Sickle and Hank climb on. The Grovyle was first, sitting closer to his neck, with Hank behind him. "Alright. Soon as Doug is free, you guys start making your way back. We'll stall him until then!" Sickle called as Howler stood and started to run.

"You better not finish him without us!" Kaen called after them. "Watch yourself, boss!"

"You too!" Sickle shouted back as Howler picked up speed. "Hang on, Hank - this is going to be quite a ride!"

"I dunno, I've been on pretty crazy rides before." He pointed out with a wink before he hopped on behind Sickle, grasping his hips as he settled on Howler's back. "Alright, so...do I have to say something like 'mush?'" He asked with a chuckle.

"Only if you want to walk!" Sickle replied as Howler started to accelerate, prompting Sickle to grip Howler's neck fur to secure himself. "Now, hold on tight!"

"Holding oo-OOOOH SHIT!!" Hank exclaimed as he felt Howler achieve a sudden burst of speed almost knocking Hank off of Howler entirely were he not already gripping around Sickle's hips for dear life.

~~~~~

With Howler's speed, the trio had reached the hideout within minutes, skidding to a stop outside the door before the Arcanine collapsed onto his belly, fighting to gather his breath. Carrying two had taxed him to his limit, and Sickle ordered him to take cover and rest while he and Hank approached the hideout cautiously. The Grovyle had already extended his leaf blades by the time he kicked open the door, darting inside and doing a fast sweep of the room while Hank followed. The entryway was clear; they moved onto the next room, passing an old receptionist counter - or at least what they guessed to be one before they moved into the wider open room beyond it, where they found themselves surrounded by old furniture.

"A furniture store? This is his hideout?" Sickle asked, speaking lowly. "I was expecting a gravel pit or somewhere else of his element."

"I guess he didn't have much time to renovate the place...either that or he knew he wouldn't be staying too long." Hank replied, lowering his own claws once they confirmed no one was there. He then cursed under his breath as he took a quick gander around the room they were in. "Seems like he either ain't here yet, or he hasn't and probably never will come back here..."

"Well, it was a longshot anyway," admitted Sickle, lowering his arms and retracting his leaf blades. "Damn... I guess he wouldn't be a master bandit if he was predictable."

"Well there's gotta be SOME kinda clue as to where he'd go." Hank remarked with a shrug. "I mean, c'mon. Even master bandits fuck up. For all we know, maybe he's got some kinda backup hole he retreats to whenever his main base gets found out or raided."

"I agree, but the question is where he'd go," replied Sickle. "Even after Howler rests, he can't track him if he went underground, and he got too much of a head start for Doug to track him when he gets here." He rubbed his chin in thought. "If we're going to find him we're going to have to think like him."

"So basically we gotta think like a scumbag." Hank remarked before rolling his eyes. "This would be one of those rare times where I wish Froggie was here. He'd figure this shit out in no time flat." He said with a sigh.

"So what we know about the guy," began Sickle, "If I remember the profile correctly, he's a coward. Ge will not take a direct approach without the numbers advantage, and we've seen him run away twice. He ran to Holgan after Volcan and I caught up with him the first time, and then went into hiding after we caught Holgan. Now we've cut him off from his support and took out his henchmen - what would we do next in that scenario?"

"Well if he keeps up with his track record, then he'd probably go hide behind whoever else is left here." Hank answered with a casual shrug, before his eyes widened and his ears perked up quickly as the answer came to him. "...Oh shit."

"Then he'll be looking for Sol - assuming Volcan's group hasn't already found him, he'd be Sandjaw's only backup now," agreed Sickle. "So then he'll be heading for the forest, looking for a way out of the city without being noticed. Which won't be hard since he can tunnel underground."

"And without Moleman, we can't track him if he does go below." Hank remarked with a heavy sigh.

"We know where he's going. If we can't intercept him, we'll link up with Volcan and help him," replied Sickle.

"Guess that's a better plan than no plan." Hank concurred. "Let's bust a move. The sooner we leave the better chance we'll have at running into the fuck."

"We can't, without the rest of the team," reminded Sickle. "They shouldn't be far, so long as Doug was able to extract himself." He put a finger to his ear. "Sickle to Doug; copy?"

"Barely. I'm still tied down from that earthquake, but I should be free in a few minutes or so." The Dugtrio answered back, now with better reception than before. "What's up? You find Sandjaw yet?"

"That's a negative. We got to his hideout but it doesn't even look like he's been back here. Hank and I think he might be heading to link up with Sol in the woods - he's the only ally Sandjaw has left here."

"Oh jeez, the hell are you still standing around for!? If he unites with Sol, you guys won't even be able to touch him!" Doug exclaimed anxiously. "Don't worry about waiting on me, just go find that sumbitch before he finds Sol!"

"Yeah, you might be right," Sickle reluctantly agreed. "Okay, we're on our way. We're heading straight east from Sandjaw's hideout we'll approach the woods from there once we clear the city limits. Will you be able to find us?"

"Yea no prob. Once I'm free I'll head your way and hopefully be there to back you up." Doug responded. "Just be careful, that Sandjaw's a pretty slippery bastard. Put his sneakiness with Sol's nearly indomitable strength and you might as well be at ground zero of a firebomb."

"Alright, make sure you bring Kaen and Blaster with you," Sickle instructed. "We're on our way out now."

"Gotcha. Good luck out there." Doug replied before the feed was cut.

Hank rolled his head along his shoulders a little and limbered up as he approached Sickle. "Never thought I'd be putting up my dukes against Sol ever again... Fucker still gives me the willies after last time he creamed us." He muttered.

"Volcan is certain he has a way to beat him," Sickle reminded as they headed out of the shop. "Have faith in our, heh, 'chicken legs'. He hasn't goofed yet."

"Yea true that...I've yet to see any of his plans fail." Hank said with a reassuring smile. "If we move quick enough, we-"

"Howler!" Sickle cried suddenly in horror, interrupting Hank.

Howler was lying on his side, fresh wounds visible on his flank and legs where something had attacked him from below. His breathing was laboured, and he seemed to barely be holding onto his consciousness.

"Holy shit!" Hank hollered as he trailed after Sickle as the Grovyle ran to check on his colleague. The Zoroark knelt down next to Howler and checked his wounds carefully, making sure not to touch them in case they were infected. "Shit, what the hell happened??"

"Look over there!" Sickle alerted him, pointing with his claw at the disturbed soil near where Howler was lying, where they could see a large, recently dug hole. By how the soil and loosened vegetation lay around it, it was clear the hole had been dug from below and not above.

Hank narrowed his eyes in suspicion before he scooted over to get a closer look at the recently disturbed hole for himself. Slowly he ran his claw along the soil and scoffed. "This ain't even a minute old." Hank turned, looking to Sickle. "Someone was here recently. They jumped on the poor guy and dove right back in before he could figure out what hit him."

"Jumping a mute who can't even yell for help? That's low!" Sickle growled, extending his leaf blades. "One guess who it is! Seems he did come back after all, we just got here first!"

Hank also stood up and flexed his claws. "I don't like this..." He said as he cautiously looked around their immediate area.

"Any suggestions?" Sickle asked.

"Move somewhere other than here." The Zoroark remarked as he turned to pick Howler up from where he lay, though he quickly found he could barely lift the Arcanine.

Sickle moved to try to help him, but even between the two of them they could barely even shift him - he was simply too big and heavy for them. That would be the least of their problems though, for the second Hank and Sickle tried to get their comrade off the ground, the entire street they stood on started to shake violently and spider web as a result of the localized earthquake. Seconds later, the entire street gave way under their feet, dropping the three of them into an underlying pit of shifting sands that hungrily swallowed up their feet and restricted their movements before slowly starting to consume them afterward.

"It_is_ a trap!" Sickle shouted, instinctively trying to jump out of the sand pit, but his feet were already caught in the sand. "I'm stuck!"

"I fucking called it!!" Hank hollered as he tried to lift his feet up to gain some purchase in the shifting sands. "That mother fucker played us like a fiddle and we fell for it hook, line and sinker!"

"Emphasis on the last part." Came the Krookodile's voice from behind them, causing the two to look over their shoulders and see their target standing on part of the street that was caught in the artificially generated quicksand. "I knew you goodie two-shoes would follow after me to my hideout. In fact, I was counting on it ever since I made good my escape from the lighthouse." He added while guffawing triumphantly.

"You really_are_ a coward!" Sickle called out to him. "Do anything to avoid a fight, won't you?" He took his eyes off Sandjaw as he saw the semiconscious Howler about to go under, grabbing his head and lifting him to keep him breathing.

"I didn't survive in the West as long as I have by charging headfirst into fights I knew I couldn't win." Sandjaw replied callously. "It doesn't matter what part of the world you're from. Survival of the Fittest has always been the law of nature, and from where I'm standing, you three don't have too much longer to survive."

"Get bent, fuckwit!!" Hank hollered, before he fired off a Shadow Ball at the perch the Krookodile was standing on.

The attack caused the debris to shatter, sending the Krook plunging into his own quicksand and giving Hank and Sickle a window of opportunity to escape as he momentarily lost control of his sand trap.

"Come on, Howler!" Sickle pleaded his teammate. "You have to get up!"

The Arcanine shifted in response to Sickle's words, pawing at the sand for purchase and trying to stand, but it was no good. He was still exhausted from running across the city and battered from Sandjaw's ambush. He didn't have the strength to escape from the sand pit without help, and neither Sickle or Hank were strong enough to pick him up alone - even together they could barely move him.

"Fucking hell! There ain't any greenery I can bring forward with my Grass Knot!" Hank growled as he continued to struggle to push Howler to safety with Sickle, the sands hungrily swallowing Sickle and Hank down to their hips. "Kinda really wish your species knew Vine Whip right about now!" He said as he looked to Sickle with a worried expression.

"Kinda wish we had Tristan right now!" Sickle replied, before turning his attention to Sandjaw. If he couldn't extract Howler, maybe he could at least get _him_before he started up his sand pit again.

Extending his leaf blades once more, Sickle leapt free of the sand and charged at Sandjaw, blades ready for a cross-slash - likely X-Scissor. At that moment, Sandjaw had righted himself and looked to see Sickle lunging at him, making him yelp in surprise before he dove under the surface instinctively, causing Sickle to miss his mark and splash into the grains once more.

Then Sickle heard Hank cry out from behind him, making him turn back to see Sandjaw was now bearing down on the Zoroark, snapping his jaws and making Hank struggle to get away from the Krookodile. He let out another pained cry when Sandjaw landed a successful Crunch on his arm, drawing blood from Hank and causing him to grip his arm with his other claw before he turned to attack Howler next, sinking his teeth into the Arcanine's back and shaking him back and forth like a ragdoll, dragging him through the sand to add to his injuries.

Howler's hoarse but clearly pained growl caught Sickle's ears, and he turned sharply to see what Sandjaw was doing. "You bastard!" Sickle shouted before he charged at Sandjaw again, leading his attack with bullet seed this time as he closed in.

This time Sickle's attacks hit their mark, causing Sandjaw to instinctively recoil from the super effectiveness of the attack. He turned just as Sickle was about to bear down on him, grinning as he quickly disappeared again under the sand just as Sickle landed next to Howler and Hank. He barely had any time to recover from the missed attack before they felt the sand start shifting again and pulled their bodies into the pit once more, with Sandjaw surfacing farther away from the group and climbing onto solid ground before turning to watch them flounder.

"Damn it!" Sickle cursed as he felt himself being pulled under again. "You son of a Trubbish!" She shouted at Sandjaw.

"Like I told you! Survival of the Fittest!" Sandjaw called back, cackling as he crossed his arms and watched his Sand Tomb finish the job for him.

"Lizzie...! I can't keep Howler above water!" Hank called to Sickle, grunting as tried to use his only working arm to keep Howler's head above the surface, all while pushing himself down to his chest in the process. In his efforts, he kept his injured arm high above his head, not wanting to get any grit in his wounds and cause any infection as a result.

"Hank!" Sickle called, trying to move closer to him, but by now he had been pulled under to his waist, the shifting sand offering his legs no purchase and only pulling him further under when he moved. He feebly clawed at the sand, trying to find something to lift himself out so that he might help his friends, but there was nothing.

He could only watch helplessly as they sank further under, Howler only kept with his head aloft thanks to Hank, but the Zoroark was nearly up to his shoulders already and had only one arm to use. A ringing filled his ears as all other sound seemed to wane away, leaving him only able to hear the ring and his rapidly increasing heartbeat. He was scared, but at the same time furious - afraid for his friends and hating Sandjaw to his very core. He looked up at the Krookodile, watching in smug satisfaction as his opponents sank deeper and deeper to their demise... he couldn't even hear the Sandjaw taunting him for the look on his face.

But then, something snapped within Sickle, and a surge of power rose up from within him. His eyes widened and the slitted pupils narrowed to paper width as he grit his teeth, an almost feral growl escaping his throat loud enough for the other three to feel a chill creep up their backs.

Then, Sickle threw back his head and roared in fury as his entire body became engulfed in a white glow...

The Grovyle's body began to expand within the light, the first change to occur being the leaf growing stop his head, shedding off from his scalp and disintegrating into thin air, the leaves on his arms growing longer as he held them up, and the wind seemed to begin to rush into the hole itself. He was still wrapped in the white glow as he thrust his claws down, using the force of the Razor Wind to part the sandy ground and launch himself into the air - the rift in the sand exposed Hank and Howler's legs giving them a chance to pull themselves from the depths.

Meanwhile, above, the glow around Sickle continued to expand as he fell toward Sandjaw, his tail leaves merging into one before growing into a much larger appendage, and as the glow faded, a much larger Pokémon extended a leaf blade and slashed at the stunned and barely cognizant Sandjaw as he fell toward him.

"WHOA SHIT!!" The Krookodile exclaimed as he brought his claws up to catch Sickle before he eviscerated him.

While he succeeded in avoiding a fatal blow, the force of the impact was enough to throw Sandjaw off of his feet and get sent crashing into the ground, partially winding him and giving Sickle the opening he needed to apprehend the criminal.

Sickle fell upon Sandjaw immediately, his leaf blade now held at Sandjaw's throat. With a voice that barely sounded like it had belonged to the Grovyle he had been mere moments ago, he uttered one single, threatening word.

"Yield."

Sandjaw could only gulp in fright as he looked up at Sickle, blinking rapidly. He then gave a disarming smile and tried to move his head away from Sickle's Leaf Blade, but was obstructed by the ground underneath him.

"Uh... parlay?" He asked.

Sickle's other hand snapped forward, delivering a well-aimed punch to the Krookodile's head, sending him into blackness. "I wasn't asking," he retorted, before he grabbed the sand croc by his tail and dragged him back over to the sand pit, looking over. "Hank? Howler? You two okay?" He asked.

Half buried in sand, both Hank and Howler were staring up at Sickle in shock. Hank's mouth was gaping as he struggled to find the words to say

"S-S-Sickle," he said. "Look at you! You're...a Sceptile now!"

"I'm a-" began Sickle, and then trailed off. His voice was different, he could hear it. He also realized that the ground seemed to be a little further away from him than he remembered. He bent his now much longer neck forward and looked down at himself, gasping in surprise "W-Whoa! You're right! I-I finally evolved?" He asked, taking a moment to check himself out.

While anatomically he was largely the same - bipedal with clawed forelimbs. His legs had become thicker with muscle, the tail he had lost after evolving from a Treecko was now back, ending in a growth closely resembling a pine tree, and six bulging seeds grew from his back. The red undertones that had once dominated his torso had receded to only his lower jaw and a red stripe across his abdomen.

His head had become more angular and the ridges atop his head had become sharper and more pronounced, as well as the head leaf being made absent. All that remained of his old body were the familiar armbands, black with the crossed kamas he wore around his bicep. His eyes had become more furrowed as well, yet they still carried that amiable character now that he had calmed down.

"Well shit! If I knew being in mortal danger was gonna be the trigger to push you to your next level, I woulda jumped off a cliff ages ago!" Hank joked, laughing for a bit until he let out an agonized yelp, gripping his arm again and hissing as the pain in his arm doubled in intensity now that the adrenaline had run its course. "Fuck, that hurts!"

"Hang on, I'll get you guys out," Sickle said, descending into the sand pit and digging at the ground with his claws.

Eventually, Hank was able to wiggle free of the sand, and between the two of them, they managed to extract Howler as well, bringing him onto solid ground. Hank sat on the pavement and looked at his arm where Sandjaw had bitten him, and was already reaching into his waist pouch for a Sitrus Berry.

"Let me see," said Sickle, stepping over to him and checking Hank's arm, studying the various puncture wounds carefully. "Some of these went pretty deep - they might need stitches," he said. "Doesn't feel like the bone is broken though. You got lucky on that one - Krookodile are notorious for their bite strength. We can patch you up, but," he looked back at Sandjaw, who was already stirring. "Better subdue him first."

"Right. I'll get right on that." Hank said as he scurried to his feet, taking a moment to look at Sickle from head to toe one more time before smirking in approval. "Ya know, Luke's gonna throw a fit when he sees how handsome you've become." He said in a teasing manner, winking and sneaking a quick nuzzle along his neck as he walked past the Sceptile over to Sandjaw.

Sickle blushed. "Come on, he's spoken for now," he reminded.

"So am I. Don't mean we can't visually eat you up like the eye candy you've become," The Zoroark remarked as he stood in front of Sandjaw, crouching low and forcing his eyes open. "Nighty night, shithead." He remarked before his eyes flashed yellow, casting an illusion on Sandjaw that terrified him to the point where was rendered unconscious from shock.

"Will that keep him down until we get him to the prison?" Sickle asked as he checked on Howler, tending to the Arcanine's injuries.

"Please, my illusions are the best in the world, bar none. If they can keep a giant like Holgan down, keeping this wimp sleeping like a baby is child's play." The Zoroark remarked confidently. "Now, if ya don't mind. I'm gonna find somewhere with some grass and try to patch myself up until we can get some proper medical treatment for my arm." He added before turning and heading off toward the forest.

"Hang on, Hank - you shouldn't go wandering off alone," Sickle called, almost scoldingly. "We have supplies back at the penthouse, but you need to clean and cover that arm first. Maybe there's some water and something to use as bandages in Sandjaw's hideout."

Hank paused for a moment. "...Yeah that's probably a better idea." He admitted before turning on his heel and trotting over to the furniture store.

He scrounged around for some fabric to use as gauze after he found a sink to clean his wounds with, ultimately resorting to tearing off some of the fabric on a carpet and using that to wrap around his forearm. It felt starchy and firm, restricting his movements, but at least it was protected from the elements, at least until they returned to base.

As Hank stepped back outside, he found to his delight that Kaen and Blaster had arrived on the scene - likely Doug as well, though probably still underground.

"Hey! Howler!" Kaen called before running over to the Arcanine, only to stop behind him and blinking in surprise at the Sceptile standing over him, his jaw falling open. "Whaaaa..."

"Sickle? Is that you?" Blaster asked, equally stunned.

"It's me," Sickle assured, nodding.

"And... he...?" Kaen asked, pointing at the comatose Sandjaw.

"Yep. We got him."

A short pause, followed by Kaen throwing his arms into the air. "Oh come on! I missed the fight! All I got to do was knock out a henchman lackey?!" He complained. "What am I, a background character in a comic book?!"

"Eh..probably best that you missed this one." Hank said as he lifted his bandaged arm for Kaen to see. "Bastard tried to bury me and Howler, and took quite a bite out of us too. You would've been snuffed right out little man." Hank added, jerking his head to the now still quicksand that Sandjaw generated earlier with Sand Tomb.

"Shit... If I had freed myself sooner, I coulda been there to cancel out his Sand Tomb," Doug remarked somberly, lowering his heads in shame.

"It's not your fault, Doug. It all worked out," assured Sickle. "Now... Blaster, can you carry Howler? He needs medical attention. Hank got wounded too, so we better-"

Boom!

The group jumped almost in unison - even Howler, in his weakened state, raised his head in alarm. All eyes turned eastward. The air above the forest had changed - the smoke had lessened, but now a storm cloud lingered above the forest. But another battle seemed to be brewing as they saw a tree toppling over from another part of the forest.

"What's going on out there?!" Blaster demanded.

"That raincloud came out of nowhere - the sky was clear," Sickle added. "Hank, does Serena know Rain Dance?"

"Yea, she used it once during our raid against that fortress, remember?" Hank returned. "Why do ya ask?"

"That cloud must be her doing then," said Sickle. "But then... who knocked down that tree? Something else is going on..." he looked at Blaster. "Can you carry Howler and Sandjaw?"

"Howler's huge, and Sandjaw's just as big as him. Maybe if Tristan were here, but can't pick them both up myself," replied Blaster.

Howler let out a grunt, all eyes turning to him as he began to slowly stand up. His legs trembled as he stood, several times nearly buckling under him. He was panting heavily but he managed to stay up. He looked at Sickle, and nodded to him. Even without words, Sickle knew Howler was telling him he could walk himself back to the penthouse

"...Okay bud, but don't push yourself," Sickle pleaded. "Blaster, take Sandjaw. Hank, Doug, you guys go with them. Kaen, you're with me - we're going to find out what's happening in the woods."

"Oh hell yes! Recompense!" Kaen cheered.

"Aight, but be careful you guys." Hank remarked as he stood next to Blaster. "You're stronger now, but with that new body comes some more drawbacks that yer gonna have to overcome. Don't go in over yer head, ya hear?"

"I can speak from experience on that. It took me ages to get used to the fact that I now have three heads instead of one." Doug piped up.

"I know, and normally I wouldn't push myself so soon. But there's no time for that now. Volcan might need our help so let's move!" He turned and broke into a run, with Kaen quick to follow, eagerly racing beside the Sceptile as they ran off toward the edge of the city.

"Good luck guys!" Doug called after them as they made good their exit, then he turned to the others and gave each of them a nod.

Blaster hoisted Sandjaw up, looping him over the upper back of his shell and draped around him like a giant neck wrap. As he adjusted himself to the weight of the Krookodile, he looked at Hank. He saw the turmoil on the Zoroark's face, and reached out an arm to Hank, patting his shoulder.

"I'm sure Sickle knows what he's doing," Blaster offered, though even he didn't sound entirely certain, clearly worried about Sickle's new body causing him problems on the battlefield, leaving his desperately hoping his captain would return safely.