Scheming and Flight

“Are you sure it was the rancher you saw?” Huo said, frowning over what his son had just told him. “Is she really...?”

“Yes, Father,” Syzygy replied. “I saw her change through the window. There’s no other explanation; our master is a Pokémon, the same as us. Well, not exactly the same. As I stated, she’s some sort of small bird.”

Huo turned, looking toward a small shack in the distance. “This could be a good opportunity for me.” The Growlithe hybrid gave a sinister grin. “You two. Gather all the Pokémon from this ranch you can and meet me at the heart of the ranch.”

With that cryptic statement, Huo started for the disheveled shack at a run. Syzygy stared after his father for a few moments, that floated off to follow the order. Bad Wolf seemed uneasy, and so she took a moment longer to follow her brother. She had a bad feeling about this that she just couldn’t shake, but she had to put her father’s order first.

“Syzygy?” she ventured, running at full sprint. “Do you know what Father has planned?”

“I could venture a guess,” the Solosis responded after a moment, without turning to face Bad Wolf. “He did run toward the place where our master keeps the item store, after all. What do you think he’s after?”

“Items?” The Charmander scrunched up her face in worry. “What could be in there that he needs? And what does it have to do with Kitaya?”

“I can only take a guess, but maybe he plans to evolve?”

“Maybe... I’m just not sure, though,” she said, just above a whisper.

“You have doubts,” Syzygy stated. “Do you want to back down? No one is making you help.”

“NO! Of course I want to help!” she snapped, her breath coming in a little ragged. “He’s my dad and I love him! I just—I’ve just been worried about him since he fought with Uncle Ya. He’s been different since then, and I don’t like it.”

Syzygy slowed down, causing Bad Wolf to stop short. He finally turned to face her.

“You’re worried father may attack our master again, aren’t you? Or that he’ll attack someone else.”

“K-Kind of...” Bad Wolf panted a little and wrapped her arms around herself. “But most of all I don’t want him to hurt himself. You weren’t there when he fought Ya and Snow White. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I see.” The Solosis nodded. “Then we will simply have to make sure he won’t hurt himself. I believe we can manage that, between us.”

“...”

“You’re still not convinced?” Syzygy tilted his head. “You know what Father is like. He may not like help, but he will accept it if absolutely necessary. And if things get bad, I will grab him and we’ll flee. Does that make you feel more confident?”

“It... does, sort of. Thanks, Zygy.” She smiled a little.

“You’re most welcome. Now please hurry up, as I cannot wait for you forever.”

“Hey!”

Bad Wolf took off after her brother once more, feigning anger as she chased him.

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Misfit gasped in pain as they hit the floor, and once again as Huo’s paw stepped onto their side.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” the four-trait purred, putting more pressure on Misfit’s aching side. “When I take over this ranch, I’ll be sure to give you something nice.”

“What are going to do with those items?” the left head hissed, oil leaking from her damaged eye.

“You can’t just take them,” the other head wheezed. “Only Kit can use those!”

Huo snarled and blasted the Vulpix hybrid with fire. Even though they were a fire-type themselves, Misfit’s steel delta was causing them to suffer under the heat. There were no more complaints this time, as Misfit had been knocked clean out. Laughing and taking a single Evolution Scale in his jaws, he felt a surge of power run through him as he evolved into an Arcanine/Charmeleon, and further still into an Arcanine/Charizard. Yes, soon everything he ever wanted would be his.

Huo made his way out to meet his children, failing to notice a set of pale blue eyes which had seen the entire spectacle...

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Kit stood at the edge of the couch, unaware of everything that was going on with Huo elsewhere. She glanced at the floor, which wasn’t too far down but just far enough away to be uncomfortable. She scowled as much as her new beak would let her and backed up a step.

“No, Mommy! You gotta go the other way!” Schism chided, holding his paws up. “Jump!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get it this time!” Termi said, smiling nervously.

Once Termi got back with reinforcements, Schism had decided (without Kit’s permission) that he was going to teach her how to fly. He figured if his Mommy was going to be a bird from now on, she needed to learn to fly like one. His idea of teaching her however, was making her flap and jump off the couch. Repeatedly. Termi was trying to help, but Kit was nonetheless extremely unamused.

“C’mon, I can catch you,” Schism said, giving Kit his cutest Lillipup eyes.

She hissed, but moved back toward the edge of the couch. She just couldn’t say no to Schism when he got like that.

A jump. A bunch of futile flapping. The sound of a bird hitting carpet.

“I’m sorry, Mommy!” Schism squeaked. “I tried to catch you, I really did!”

Kit picked herself up and brushed off her feathers. At least the carpet was plush, so she hadn’t hurt herself with her repeated dives.

“Schism, I think your Mommy needs a break,” Termi offered, lifting the little legend and handing him to Razz. “Razz will play with you, right Razz?”

Razz nodded uncertainly, and led Schism off with the promise of helping make some food for “Mommy”. Termi and Kit breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief while Stormageddon just rolled his eyes.

“Peasant child,” the Dark Lord muttered. Kit and Termi chose to ignore him.

“Sorry about the, ah... ‘help’, Kit. They were the first few ‘mons I found,” Termi said, scratching the back of his head with a feeler. “Everyone’s running about, saying there’s a gathering near the Heart Tree. Not to mention I didn’t even want to ask certain ones for help...”

Kit nodded, making a dismissive motion with her wing. She could understand not wanting to bring someone like Happy or the twins in. They’d probably cause more harm than good. Termi was just happy Kit seemed relatively alright (that, and of course that the potion seemed to have no effect on Pokémon. That made him VERY happy).

“You don’t think this potion thing is permanent, do you?” Termi asked, half toward Kit and half toward Stormageddon (as he was the only other ‘mon in the room).

“You ask as though you think I know anything about magic,” the large four-trait snorted. “Better to ask a Mismagius or a human spellcaster.”

Termi frowned at Stormageddon, but opted not to say anything sarcastic since Stormageddon had agreed to come help Kit. Kit herself just shrugged, only to make an undignified noise as Schism returned to pick her up.

“Mommy, we’re gonna start flying practice again~” he chirped.

Termi couldn’t help but feel sorry for Kit as Schism dragged her off like a kidnapper. Razz followed after the two a moment later, probably having lost track of Schism for five seconds and letting the young legendary sneak off. But before Kit could make another attempt at flying, Termi’s daughter Resi came through the doggie door (‘mon door?), panting like she’d run a mile.

“Resi!” Termi was immediately at his youngest daughter’s side. “Are you okay!? What happened?”

“Hu... huuuuooo...” she wheezed between breaths. Termi paled slightly.

“Huo? What about him? Is he hurt, or did he—?”

“Trr-rrrouble,” Resi growled, grimacing at her inability to speak properly. “Cccome, sheee.”

Termi glanced over his shoulder at Kit and the others, then back to Resi.

“I’ll go,” Razz said, looking more nervous than usual. “We’ll be back if there’s any big trouble, okay?”

Termi nodded. “Thanks, Razz.”

Termi himself would’ve volunteered to go, but he already felt bad about leaving Kit for the short time he had before. It was clear Razz didn’t really want to go and possibly confront Huo by himself, but the Umbreon ross was putting on a brave face.

With a last look at her father, Resi started back out that door and began leading Razz to the problem as fast as she could. She could only hope she wasn’t too late.