Dangers everywhere
Lucario moved and dodged away from the poachers that he and his team had finally busted after three months of investigation. Cypress was fighting one on one with the second leader while he and Arcanine were holding off the Pokemon that the leader had released. Their new mega evolution forms helping them make quick work out of the Pokemon. It also helped that the Pokemon only attacked them half heartedly. The rest of the Rangers were scattered around the poacher camp.
Group five consisting of Rux, Pidgeot, Houndoom, Flareon, Umbreon and Espeon were helping the Pokemon escape from captivity. Group 4 had healer Joy with Chansey, Meganium, two Parasects and Chimecho were taking care of the Pokemon who were hurt. Group three had Max, Electabuzz, Hitmonlee, Luxray and Emolga taking care of downloading any files they can from the server to their device. Group two had the three of them, Cypress, Arcanine and himself handling the more powerful Pokemon and finally Group one had the leader of the Rangers, Ace and his team of Ghost and Psychic types, Gengar, Alakazam, Chandelure and Espeon bringing the whole camp down.
Lucario frowned, -This is too close to home for comfort.-
Arcanine who had just subdued the fire types growled, -I agree. I may not have liked the idea of our cubs growing up so soon but I shall support and help you with their training.-
Lucario blinked, -Thank you!-
Cypress, "You have lost poacher. Give in and surrender."
The poacher smirked, "You will never get anything from me."
The poacher's body began to convulse and his face turned gray, then, the next thing you knew he was already dead. Cypress cursed the coward out, but did not waste time on him. Instead, he moved on to help the others finish the job as soon as possible. He had not been home for a whole month and he was missing his family. As the battle slowly ended, both canine Pokemon came out of their mega evolution forms.
Lucario looked at the dead body with a cold expression, -Coward, you have the guts to commit crimes, but no guts to face responsibility. I shall pray you suffer in Giratina's realm.-
Arcanine grumbled, -Next time, we knock them out. Death is too easy of a punishment for creatures like him.-
Lucario looked around at the Pokemon who were hurt and the ones who were already dead and made a face. He could never understand the cruelty of some humans, he had asked Cypress about it once but even Cypress said, he didn't understand them. He shook his head and joined his partner in helping the clean up of the battle. Arcanine joined the other canine Pokemon searching for more victims among the camp. Although, it was rare sometimes the poachers would kidnap the trainers as well to make their Pokemon comply with their demands. Then from one of the buildings the leader's Gengar and Alakazam ran out carrying two teens who were not looking well.
Ace grimaced, "Shit! Find out who these kids are and search the missing persons list."
Max approached after a few minutes, "Ace, these are the two teens that had gone missing two and three months ago. According to this report, they have been kept to make their fully evolved Pokemon listen. Their pokeballs are in the third building. Electabuzz take Hitmonlee and search for those pokeballs."
Electabuzz gave an affirmative while Cypress checked on the two teens. They were badly beaten up though there were no bones broken, probably to make sure their Pokemon did not go ballistic. Lucario watched this scene with a dark expression, he couldn't help but imagine one of his own pups in that predicament. He growled angrily, before turning around and leaving in a huff for the forest. Cypress watched him go worried but trusted him to be safe.
Joy was puzzled, "Where is Luc going?"
Cypress was making sure the two kids were not hurt too much answered, "Don't worry, he is no doubt going to get some herbs that can be used as medicine for their bruises and cuts. Not long term of course, it will be more of a patch job, but till we get back to base and get them proper treatment, it will have to do."
Joy looked fascinated, "I had no idea the Lucario line knew about medicine. I thought, they were mostly combat Pokemon."
Cypress smiled bitterly at him, "The Lucario line are not healers, not really, but my son has a hobby of collecting herbs and medical plants. Luc there follows him and his friend everytime they go to the forest. So even if he is not a healer like the Chansey line, he knows his plants."
Max grinned, "So that means, your Lucario is like a Jack of all Trades, ey?"
Cypress got up not seeing anything wrong aside from bruises from beatings and malnutrition, he ran his hand through his hair as he sighed, "Something like that, what did you find Max?"
Max's grin dropped, "A few things that neither of you guys will like."
Ace nodded, "We'll go through it at the base."
As they were finishing the clean up, Arcanine had Alakazam and Gengar help him set up with a cauldron to heat water. As the water was heating up Lucario returned with a roughly made vine basket carrying a couple of herbs and tree bark. He went to the boiling water and dropped neem, tulsi and crushed tomato berry into it. He then took the two stones that Arcanine had prepared and turned the Kingsfoil, kiering and pecha berry into paste.
Lucario hollered, -Cypress, once the water is boiled tell healer Joy, he can used it to disinfect the cuts the Pokemon have. I'll clean the cubs.-
Cypress blinked, "Of course! Ahem, hey, Joy you have a cauldron of disinfectant here ready to be used. Lucario will take care of the bruises on the kids."
Joy looked up surprised, "Oh my! This I must see."
He looked at the mixture and tried it, it was pretty bitter in taste, just like the medicines his grandma used to make, "This is well made. You have done this before, I presume."
Lucario who was busy applying the paste on the bruises with the help of other Pokemon nodded in response. The two trainer's Pokemon were now sitting around them after they had been released from their pokeballs. There was a minor scuffle but once everything was cleared, the Pokemon settled down next to their respective trainers. They could not do anything before because everytime they had gone against these people, it was their trainers who would be punished in front of them. They had no choice but to listen and do as they were told or watch their trainer suffer.
Lucario finished applying the medicine, -Done! This paste will help the bruises heal. You all are going to have to make sure the two of them eat properly to combat with the malnutrition though. Luckily however, we don't have to worry about broken bones. Now, you all need a check up too, go get one. Your trainers are safe, but they will need you to help them recover.-
The Pokemon were reluctant to leave but thanks to Chansey and Blissey corralling them they finally settled down for a thorough check up. Lucario understood how they felt, even he had not wanted to leave Cypress's side when he had been hurt. But like his tutor once told him, take care of yourself before trying to care for others.
Max came back after going through the files, "Here's the identity, the boy is Hayato, fourteen years old from Fuchisa city and the girl is Haru fifteen year old from Vermillion city."
Joy eyed the teens, "We can send them home. They need to recover, being with their families may help."
Rux nodded before noticing her partner's dark look, "That's not all, is it Max?"
Ace came out rounding up the Pokemon who belonged to trainers before, "No it is not. Turns out the poachers would force the Pokemon to train and become stronger in order to increase their value. And once the poachers were satisfied they would either kill the trainers or sell them in the human trafficking market."
Cypress grimaced, the two teens in front of him were barely older than his eldest son, "Are we going after the black market too?"
Ace answered trying to hold his anger back, "Most probably, yes. I hope we are. But let's head to base first. Our pick up is here to take the dead bodies and the sick ones."
They filed the hurt Pokemon and pokeballs on the larger vans and the two unconscious teen into the ambulance and drove back to base where they would get better treatment. Lucario and Arcanine ran with the vehicles to take out the last of the adrenaline from the battle. Lucario looked around the area as he ran forward, half watching the vehicles and half keeping an eye on the surroundings.
Ace, 'The gym leaders of Fuchisa and Vermillion city are not going to be happy about this.'
The drive was quiet and luckily uneventful all things considered. It was with great relief they reached the base without any trouble. The two teens woke up as well after being taken to the medical wing, hysterical at first but calmed down on seeing one of their Pokemon with them. The Pokemon stayed close to them as they were questioned on how they were caught, where and what they were doing in the area. The trainers were questioned separately and the answers were troubling to the Rangers. Hayato turned out was training in the forest area trying to get his grass types to evolve while Haru was actually travelling through the plain area on the outskirts of the forest. They were both ambushed when they had taken a break from the training and travelling.
Lucario was listening in using his aura and keeping Arcanine informed, -I'm talking to Cypress tonight. Do you wish to join us?-
Arcanine, -Yes, this is worrying. We not only have to worry about them stealing Pokemon but also hurting the cubs.-
Lucario, -Yes indeed.-
Cypress soon left for a break and another Ranger took over his shift, Lucario walked over to his partner and handed him a cup of hot brew. The man looked at it and chuckled, it seems his partner picked up some easy to make drinks. Cypress gave a relaxed sigh at the cooling affect the Pine top tea had.
Cypress, "You two alright. I can tell you want to tell me something."
Lucario nodded, -It is about Red and Green. I wish to train them in hand to hand combat.-
Cypress stopped moving but after a second continued drinking, "Is that so?"
Arcanine rumbled which Lucario translated, -We think, it'll be much safer for both of them this way. They will be able to defend themselves and escape. Maybe teach them how to identify poachers too.-
Cypress thought back to the two teens they had found, "Perhaps. You make good point. They still have around nine months before going on their journey. I believe, we can teach them the basics at least up to mid level. It has been getting dangerous out there."
Lucario nodded before settling down to relax next to him and Arcanine. They would have patrol duty in two hours and that lasted for five hours before they can sleep. The exhaustion set in after a while and Arcanine decided to get some shut eye before waking up to slug through the hours again. They half wondered what shenanigans their kids were up to and hoped they did not cause much trouble. The discovery of mega evolution stones in Kanto had caused quite a stir and were attracting not only trainers but also questionable people.