"This is your fault!"
She stayed quiet while the rest of the crew gave her dirty looks and insults.
They had a hard time hunting today, not really because of her, but because the team was overconfident and decided to hunt closer to a hill, a place that used to be a tourist point, but was abandoned after a Beast Tide.
A lot of high-grade Demonic Beasts still roam around the place, and their team of middle-grade hunters with only her, a snipper, as High-grade, couldn't keep up.
So yeah, things didn't end up well and now they're lost in the forest close to the hill thanks to the team leader's girlfriend, who stole the map and refused to let her help.
And she couldn't even walk properly, since she got hurt while they were running, also because of the team leader's girlfriend, who led them to a bad terrain full of middle-grade beasts.
She kept rearing the insults, and, even when the leader was about to slap her face, she didn't do anything.
If it was in the start, she would dough, she would try to explain herself, would try showing them that it was their fault. But now? It was useless, the guild master would only believe their lies and her rank in the guild was even lowered because of this.
All because the team leader was the guild master's cousin.
She let a quiet sight escape when the hand hit her face, the only sound now was the heavy breath of the team leader.
She calmly raised her head, looking at the group with a blank expression and tired eyes.
"I'm sorry" She said.
"You better be!" The girlfriend said, shoving the map on her "Now take us out of this place"
She would already have done that if It wasn't for the little…!
With a heavy sigh, she controlled herself, pursing her mouth.
"Yes" Was the only thing she said, turning her back to them.
She was ready to guide them through the woods when she heard something.
"In positions!"
With a fast move, she took her emergency pistol from her waist, ready for a fight, while the others cursed at their breath, clumsily holding their weapons.
She could hear the movements around her and the strange cries getting close, it was just that for a good time, until it suddenly stopped.
Well, most of it.
"Boot!"
Something flew from the middle of the woods, falling face first on the ground in front of her.
She was shocked and confused, while she watched the thing lift itself with what seemed to be a groam, rubbing its face and staring daggers at the forest, before looking at them with confusion.
It froze for a second, staring at them with astonishment for a few moments, before standing up and putting some distance between them.
She and the creature stared at each other for a few moments, both looking ready to fight.
Well, she looked ready to fight, the creature was slowly trying to go back from where it came.
Until a loud screech echoed.
"Koko!"
In a blink of eyes, a new beast appeared.
It looked like a giant bird head, floating right in front of her.
Until the thing opened, revealing the true appearance of the creature.
It's looked at her with a playful disdain, analyzing her the same way she realized it.
They stayed like this for some time, not moving or doing anything.
Until its eyes stopped somewhere lower, and she knew it was looking at her obviously sprained ankle.
It knew she was hurt.
That she was easy prey.
She saw it move, expecting an attack, but, instead, it disappeared, leaving both she and the other creature stupefied.
Just to appear again, moments later, with a bag with a red cross, laying on the ground in front of her before turning to the other one while pointing at her and making a much calmer screech.
"Ko"
Now that was something.
***
He didn't know how he and his sister got here, nor why, they were looking for a trainer when a light covered them and soon they woke up in this place, with a boy talking to them.
The boy was strange, in all meanings, he was the only human in this place, but took care of everything, even the pokemon, without help, he could do anything pokemon-related without problem, but sometimes would have difficulty doing simple things like mopping the floors or doing laundry, and, more importantly.
He sometimes doesn't feel human.
He didn't know how to explain, but he and the others… 'rescues', like the boy called them, could feel it.
Like a ditto disguised as other pokemon, everything looked the same, but it was easy to tell them apart.
The boy was no different, they all could tell what make him not feel human.
But they really don't care, as the boy gave them a place to stay 'till they could find a home.
So he would stay calmly with his sister in this place.
___
'Calmly my ass!'
"Fight me properly!"
"You seem to have learned a new word huh?"
He had his arms around Tapu Koko's neck while the deity dodge the attack of a young Zarude, who was born a few months ago.
It was his turn to be in charge of these two while they explored the forest and fighted each other.
The rescues have made a schedule of shorts to take care of the most problematic pokemon in the ranch after a particularly bad incident with these two.
The boy knew about it and thanked them a lot, he was already on the edge and no-mon wanted to repeat what repended on that day.
Every-mon was ok with this, like, how hard keeping an eye on a deity and a kid could be?
Well? To damn hard!
After a few months, all he wanted now was to strangle these two.
And give Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele a piece of his mind.
And ask Tapu Bulu how he deals with the three.
For Arseus sake, these guys are deities! Shouldn't they be more serious?
Tapu Koko is a fighting junkie, Tapu Fini breaks everything without even trying, and Tapu Lele keeps putting fuel to the fire by convincing the children to fight the electric deity.
It didn't help the fact that Tapu Lele permanently unlocked the fighting spirit of a young Zarude.
Tapu Bulu is the only chill deity among the four, but he really couldn't do much, as it was three against one and he too had his duties, making sure the Orchard is fine and growing well.
And no-mon wanted to risk the only food source 'round here.
But now here he was, in the middle of a forest with strange and dangerous creatures that could bite his head off while making sure these two idiots wouldn't go too far from the ranch and leave the territory.
Luckly, Fergus was there.
Unlucky? Fergus couldn't keep up on land while Tapu Koko and the young one moved on the top of the trees.
So yeah, everything was just fine!
"Can't you stop dodging?" The Zarude asked after the attack.
"Maybe when your attacks stop being so sloppy" The deity teased "Haven't you been getting some practice with the rescues?"
"I have!" The young mon bickers "I was even praised!"
"Then put more passion on these attacks!"
"I think it's enough passion" He couldn't help but say "And how about we slow down a bit? Fergus can't keep up and I will puke on you if you keep moving like this!"
The deity and the young one let ao groan of frustration, finally stopping.
But not without a pay back.
Tapu Koko stopped abruptly, making him goes flying forward
"Dammit!"
He falled face first on the ground.
He slowly got up, staring daggers in the direction he knew Tapu Koko would be, before looking forwards.
Just to see a bunch of humans.
At first he was confused, after all, it's been a long time since he saw a human (if you don't count the one from earlier), so it took time for him to understand.
But when he did, he couldn't help but retreat.
There's humans on the territory.
There's humans on the territory.
And none of them came through the visitors path.
He kept his eyes on the group, specially on the female on the front, who seemed the most prepared for a fight even though she seemed to be one step away from fainting.
He respects the spirit but girl, chill! No way he'd fight a human, he tried it before and didn't end well.
Well…the circumstances weren't the same, but regardless.
He would just retreat slowly 'till he was back in the woods and not in this guys field of vision, then make a run for it.
"Intruders!"
Or Tapu Koko could be a d*ck.
The deity moved fast, appearing between him and the humans.
He cursed in his mind, mad at the fact Taku Koko would start an unnecessary fight with humans.
But then he didn't.
He was just… standing there, doing nothing.
That's until he disappeared, returning shortly with a first-aid bag, then turning at him.
"Fix her"
It confused him for a moment, but then he took a good look at the female.
Soon he saw her ankle.
He couldn't help making a face.
It was obviously hurt, to a point he couldn't believe she was still standing, that without mentioning the big red mark on her face, that seemed really bad too.
He looked at the other, but, apart from a cut or two, nothing looked so bad.
She was the only one in such a condition, which… was honestly concerning.
Ignoring the quiet voice of speculation, he approached the female with caution, but she raised her pistols.
He raised his paws, showing he didn't mean harm, using his feet to point at her ankle.
She gave it a quick look but didn't lower her arms.
Well, that might be difficult.
He looked around 'till his eyes stopped on the young Zarude, who stayed among the bushes, an idea came to him.
He needed to convince the human to let him help, and what better way than talking?
"Kid! Throw me a stick!"
_______________________________________
After the strange call, a stick came flying from the bushes, falling right beside the lopped ear creature, who took the stick and started using it on the ground before starting pointing at it while looking at her.
She was confused, but looked, widened her eyes for what she saw.
(You're hurt/ Let us help)
She stared at the words, then at the creature, then at words again.
"It can write?!" One of her teammates said behind her.
It nodded.
"And can understand us too apparently" She said.
"Why are you helping us?" She asked.
It looked at her with exasperation, before writing.
(Want to Help/ Why would we need a reason to some-mon?)
"Some-mon?" She muttered, confused.
It froze for a second, its ears twiching, then erased the word with its feet and wrote 'someone' in its place, seeming embarrassed while the other one seemed to be snickering.
'Ops… seems like it heard me'
The creature started writing again, ignoring the other one.
(Tapu Koko brought medicine/ Let me take a look/ Looks painful)
Then it pointed at her ankle again.
She hesitated a little, taking a look at the other one, its name being Tapu Koko, it seems.
It was looking at her with expectation.
She heard scribing and turned to look at the smaller creature.
(Ignore him/ Can feel your strange/ Want to fight you after you heal/ His an idiot/ Would fight God if he could/ I think he tried/)
Ok, so 'Tapu Koko' is a male and he wants to heal her to fight her?
She took another look at Tapu Koko, who now she could tell had a childlike gleam in his expectant eyes.
She could feel his desire for a fight.
Honestly?
The most healthy situation she had been in the last few years.
Just someone wanting a good fight, no second intentions, no malice, just a fight and that's all.
If it was a normal situation, she would most definitely agreed.
But now was not the time for this.
"I don't really mind a good fight-"
"What are you even saying!?" The team leader whispered, but she interrupted.
"-But I'm not only hurt, but also have no resources to put up a fight, even if I were healed, I couldn't give you the fight you wanted."
That made the smaller creature snicker while the other had a desolate look in its eyes.
"But if you really help us" She continued "I could prepare myself to a battle in the future"
The gleam returned, he nodded happily, and she could see the smaller one smiling a little before writing something.
(You're smart/ Tricked him well/ Luckily he can't read/ Can I look now?)
So she wasn't as discreet as she thought she was huh? And he can't read? That's good to know.
"Sure" She said sitting on the ground
Who is she to go against a creature that possibly tried to fight God and his friend?
(I can feel a misunderstanding / Forget whatever you imagined.) It righted quickly.
She couldn't help but bark a laugh while it approached.
It didn't take as long as she thought it would for the treatment, and she even had the chance to see the stick trower.
It was at the end of the treatment, where the creature called out the one in the bushes, and, after some time the thing came out, revealing an ape, slightly taller than the bunny-like one, caring to tick branches that were used on her ankle.
The ape kept staring at her and the others, looking curious, and chatting with the other two in weird cries.
(The kid never seen humans) She saw the bunny-like one write (Find you weak/ Can't understand why Tapu Koko want to fight/ He think he's a better opponent/ Also an idiot who can't stop fight/ Also can't read)
So the ape was a kid, and also liked to fight, but with Tapu Koko.
"And you?" She asked "Don't you like to fight?"
(Some times) It writed, seeming relaxed (But can't a guy prefer a more peaceful environment?)
With this he got up, putting his paw on the bag and taking a pear-like fruit out and offering it to her. She took the gift with confusion until she saw the new words.
(Sitrus berry/ Eat it) It says (Good for healing)
She hesitated a little before biting it down.
Well, it was worth the its name.
She forced herself to finish the fruit at the sound of the creatures snickering, but was satisfied when she saw how much it helped.
Her ankle wasn't as bad as before, she wasn't feeling as much pain as before too, from both her face and ankle.
What a curious fruit.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the bunny.
(Better now/ Have stabilized/ Would be good to take you to our place to see Tapu Lele/ She can heal completely)
So there's more Tapus? How curious.
"It would be good to be completely healed" She said "But how far is your place, and wouldn't it be dangerous to go around the woods full of beasts.
She saw him smiling, before righting.
(Don't worry/ Our ride is on the way)
Just when she was going to ask, she heard loud noises, a neigh and then a large figure appeared.
A giant horse jumped from the woods, with tick hooves and mane that seemed a bit dirty.
She was scared for a moment, but was stunned when the ape ran to the horse, who got down on the ground and chatted quietly with the kid, who looked annoyed.
She saw the bunny write on the ground, looking satisfied.
(Fergus is a gentle giant and a really fast and strong Mudsdale/ He can take us back safely)
She looked from the words to the horse and from the horse to the words.
You call that a ride?!