The days passed slowly for Henry while they trekked a winding path through the forest. Avoiding the territories of powerful Pokémon was difficult, especially when capturing them led to a bigger payout. However, attempts to do so were not slated until the end of their patrol, when the fallout of the Pokémon disappearances would not affect them.

  For now, the two of them were forced to rely upon traps. The devices were necessarily simple, as too many Pokémon were capable of sensing or even disrupting basic electronics. At the same time, anything hardened against them was costly and closely monitored by both the League and regional governments.

  As such, the traps had to be checked periodically to ensure that they were still in place and to capture any Pokémon that triggered them.

  Which meant being constantly on the move.

  Not that Henry minded. Unlike others who despised camping or merely walking the Routes, he enjoyed it. Wild Pokémon, a foraged meal, and a campfire to warm his battle-weary body. Not to the extent that others did, of course, just enough to get the blood flowing.

  "This is the life," Henry declared, earning a blank stare from Jared. He merely grinned, soaking up the fading sun.

  The storm rolling in did little to damper his mood. While some Pokémon hid from the rages of nature, others flourished. If he was lucky, they might even come across some old monster. Then he and Lee would be able to really stretch their muscles.

  More likely, however, he would have to settle for some scuffles at the dam. Some of the stronger Pokémon were likely to resist, though they should know by now to expect them.

  "But no one ever accused a Bibarel of thinking too hard," Henry muttered with a snort.

  Fortunately for the beavers, the admins decided that they were better used maintaining the dam than capturing.

  "Jared," he called out. The other man was likely nearby, though Henry was not entirely sure he would be. "Time for a break. I'm not walking through this soaked."

  His partner did not respond, but Henry was not expecting him to. Stopping against a tree, he tugged off his pack and pulled out the tightly rolled rain cloak. Much like the gear they were currently wearing, the cloak was heavily camouflaged with scent eliminators woven throughout.

  Slipping it on, he tightened several straps to hold it close to his body. It was important to keep the rain from leeching his body heat as much as possible. Beyond a simple sickness that could render them immobile until they recovered, there were far too many Pokémon that used other methods of detection.

  With the rain and surrounding terrain, Jared and Henry would quickly find themselves the hunted instead of the hunters.

  Before he was finished donning the cloak, a light drizzle began. Henry rushed to clasp his bag closed, and protect his belongings from the soaking rain.

  Meanwhile, Jared appeared, emerging from the surroundings like a ghost. Henry refused to be alarmed and only acknowledged the man after he was ready.

  The storm quickly grew heavier as they stalked the forest. The trees helped block the wind, though there were moments where they had to steady themselves from a strong gust. There were few Pokémon braving the weather, mainly small pods of Woopers splashing in the forming mud. Their evolved forms were rare too far from the river, as the amphibious Pokémon preferred clean water.

  Occasionally, they spotted the bright yellow form of a Psyduck. They hurriedly circled around such sightings, not wanting to be near the migraine afflicted ducks when thunder sounded.

  With the rain falling, Henry was forced to keep his commentary to a minimum. While he was sure that his partner enjoyed the relative silence, Henry could not say the same. The hours passed slowly until they were eventually forced to make camp by flashlight.

  With the muddy ground, Henry was loath to sleep on the forest floor.

  Clipping free one of his Poké Balls, he enlarged it with a press of the button. Jared's face curled deeper into his natural grimace, but Henry ignored it. If the man wanted to sleep in the mud, he was free to do so.

  Releasing the Golbat, she coalesced with a shriek. The water quickly soaked through her fur and weighed down her leathery wings.

  "It's just some rain, Gol," Henry said encouragingly. "Think of it as training. You're learning to fly with the additional weight!" he continued brightly, the idea popping into his head as he talked.

  "Actually," he hummed distractedly. "Not a bad idea," he muttered.

  Oddly, the Golbat did not display the eagerness for training that he expected the Pokémon to. Shrugging, he figured the large bat would come to enjoy the exercise after enough sessions.

  Tugging a rope free, Henry held it out to the Golbat.

  "Grab this, Gol, and loop it around a thick branch," he instructed, making sure that his words were clear enough to be heard over the storm.

  The Pokémon screeched, eliciting a snarl from Jared. Struggling to stay aloft, the bat grabbed the rope with her claws. Henry saw that the Pokémon was barely able to grip the round material and noted it for the bat's training plan.

  "The faster you get this done, the faster you can return and dry off," Henry said to the Golbat.

  She shrieked once more, as harshly flapped her wings. The action sent a spray of water into his face, a gleam in her eyes appearing before he lost sight of her eyes.

  It took several minutes for the bat to do as he instructed, the rope jerking in front of him from the motions. Soon after, she dropped down and shrieked at him.

  Henry ensured that the rope would hold them before returning the bat, much to her annoyance.

  "Not much reason to return you, only to send you back out if the rope was too loose," he said with a roll of his eyes as he clicked the Pokéball's button.

  The red beam of light struck the Golbat, quickly returning her. Henry minimized the ball and clipped it at his side before grabbing the rope. The braided fibers were turning slick from the rain, but there were irregular knots along it to provide a grip. Hauling himself up the tree, he set about stringing his hammock from the branches.

  Not bothering to strip, Henry climbed into the hanging tent with water dripping from him. Despite the heavy rain, his body was still dry. Openings in the bottom of the hammock would ensure that the water drained instead of pooling inside. While not comfortable, per se, it was suitable.

  With the wind rocking him to sleep, he slept peacefully until a loud crash of thunder awoke him. Grumbling, he shifted, still half asleep.

  Unfortunately, he could hear Jared begin to wake as well. The man's tent hammock rustled as the other man moved about and Henry sighed. Leaning forward, he pulled out a protein bar from his pack and slowly ate it.

  While the meal was meager, he appreciated the escape from the wet cold. It would be a long hike to the river, without the time for another break. Enough time had passed for the river to swell and the wild Pokémon to gather at the dam.

  If they were too late, then many of the Pokémon would escape from the small lake to head downriver. This was a prime opportunity for a mass capture, one that they had planned for.

  Chewing the tough bar, Henry envisioned fighting one of the territorial leaders in the forest. His skin was itching and he felt the need to stretch his muscles, something he was sure his Pokémon felt as well considering he felt the Hitmonlee's ball shake.

  The Vespiquen were the worst, with an entire swarm of Combee to defend them. The small bugs made the fight a nuisance more than a challenge, a battle of attrition rather than sheer strength.

  A pack of Heracross laid claim to a large section of the forest, though far from their current location. They were led by a vicious fighter that he was particularly excited to meet. Unless the old monster was overtaken by another, it should be getting on in age, leaving Henry few remaining chances for a proper fight.

  There were a few powerful birds flying around, with flocks to command. However, only Staraptor put up a fight alone, too proud to rely on others. It was the Honchkrow that he had to watch out for, the powerful bird, a nocturnal predator that used Murkrow as Vespiquen used Combee.

  Finishing his meager meal, Henry tucked the wrapper away and began the arduous process of putting away the hammock. Jared mimicked him, the two of them straddling the tree branches as they rolled up the canvas. Proper packing would have to wait until after the storm.

  Lightning and thunder accompanied the two of them as they traveled. The rain fell in heavy bursts or a drizzling fog, seemingly without end. Jared led the way, the man's keen senses able to track a Buneary through a sandstorm.

  Eventually, the sound of the flowing river could be heard over the storm and Henry hurried after his companion.

  "How much further?" he called ahead, water soaking his face.

  A near inaudible grunt was his only response and Henry dropped back to a more comfortable distance. Henry took the answer to mean that they still had a ways to go before stopping.

  "Champion's balls," he swore under his breath. "You're an ass."

  He eyed the river through the tree break. The water was flowing high and fast, with scattered boulders giving rise to body breaking rapids. Swimming through them with nothing but 'Lee for company was a rush, offering excellent training for a reactive mindset under adverse conditions. Still, even he recognized that doing so in a multi-day storm was foolish.

  "Maybe another time," Henry muttered with an excited grin.

  If he could ignore Jared's excess, then it was only right the man returned the favor.

  Forcing his eyes away from the frothing waters, Henry focused on following his partner. Not soon enough, at least in his mind, Jared came to a stop. He gestured to a rocky overhang, the two taking shelter from the rain.

  Taking off his bag, Jared removed an ungainly contraption. A large net, made of thin fibers and dotted with miniaturized Poké Balls.

  However, instead of normal Poké Balls, the net was fitted with ones specially crafted for catching schools or swarms of Pokémon, aptly earning them the name of Net Balls.

  Pulling out his own Poké Ball, Henry released 'Lee. Golbat would have too much difficulty flying in the downpour to be much use. Not to mention, it was 'Lee's time to shine.

  The Pokémon vibrated angrily, upset at not having been released since the rain started.

  "Hi, Hit."

  "I know, tough guy," he began. "But you need your strength. We're at the dam and I need you on guard."

  The Fighting Type grudgingly bobbed in acceptance, but emphasized himself by dodging side to side.

  "Absolutely," Henry answered excitedly. "Hopefully, after this we'll have a break where we can go wild," he said with a fierce grin.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "Monlee," the Hitmonlee vibrated, kicking out with a leg from eagerness.

  Henry turned to face Jared, having noted that the man stilled upon the release of 'Lee. Eyeing him carefully, Henry hesitated briefly before speaking.

  "You should release your Hitmonchan," he advised. "We'll need the extra guard with all the rain."

  The words were reductive, as they both knew what he should do. Still, the man was loath to release his Pokémon unless absolutely necessary, even going so far as to returning the Poké Ball to the Team when not patrolling.

  Jared grunted with a grimace, pulling out his loaned Poké Ball to release the Hitmonchan without fanfare.

  The humanoid Pokémon appeared with a silent shout, its fists immediately punching out as it began to warm up. A crown of hide covered-bone rose from its skull, protecting the back and sides of the puncher's head. A similar protrusion's shielded the Pokémon's shoulders, while its arms ended in swollen fists of pure muscle.

  Badly healed scars decorated the Pokémon's dark hide, flexing as the Pokémon stretched. Hitmonlee glared at the other fighter balefully while the Hitmonchan seemed to ignore him. However, neither Henry nor his companion were fooled.

  Afterall, there was a reason the other man and Pokémon were paired with each by the Team.

  Ensuring that one of them was facing the punching Pokémon at all times, Henry helped Jared carry the net outside. Upon contact with the falling rain, the Net Balls expanded, making the device that much more cumbersome.

  Striding downstream, they kept close to the riverbanks. While they were forced to watch their feet, the two Fighting Types had an easier time navigating the rain. The Hitmonchan passed the time striking out at raindrops. Not to be outdone, Hitmonlee kicked out forcefully, until Henry ordered him to stop.

  The Hitmonchan smirked and 'Lee bristled.

  "Enough," Jared growled, his voice audible despite the storm.

  Instantly, the Hitmonchan retreated, dropping his swollen fists to his side. The two Pokémon returned to watching their surroundings, ready to intervene in the event of an ambush.

  Fortunately, they continued onto the dam without interruption. The river quickly grew wide as it transformed into a small lake. Fish Pokémon and other Water Types were known to congregate in the ample waters as the dam hindered their travel downstream.

  Despite the downpour, the colony of Bidoof and Bibarel continued to build the structure holding back the river. The swelling waters helped the beavers transport the trees easier, making storms ideal times to build the dam up further.

  Their Pokémon partners were instantly on alert, watching for any potential hostiles. Not that they expected any. Despite the collection of Pokémon, few were strong enough to put up a fight.

  Still, that was exactly what he was hoping for.

  "Come on, 'Lee," Henry called out. Dropping his end of the net, he stepped forward excitedly. "It's time for us to shine."

  Punching a fist forward, he pointed at one of the biggest Pokémon in the lake. A Kingler, it was far from the largest he's ever seen. The giant crab scuttled on the rocks, snapping at prey in the water. Intent as it was on feeding, the Pokémon had yet to notice them.

  "Let's start off with a Bulk Up," he ordered.

  The kicking Pokémon paused, compressing its coiled limbs tightly. As he did so he concentrated on the giant crab, finally gaining the Water Type's attention.

  The wild Pokémon snapped angrily, brandishing its large claw in their direction. A crown of hard spikes grew upwards from its vibrant red shell, protecting the crustacean from attacks originating from above. The red and white shell hardened further, gleaming slightly despite the rain.

  When the crab was finally ready, Henry decided to make the first move.

  "Low Kick," he snapped out, following his own words by kicking out with his leg.

  "Lee!" His partner mimicked Henry, except his kick extended across the water to where the large crab perched.

  The Pokémon was unprepared for the move, not expecting the Fighting Type to attack from so far away. The advantage of his partner's extendable legs won them many a fight, at least until his opponents wizened up.

  Unfortunately for the crab and other Pokémon in Sinnoh, Hitmonlee was not native to these lands and Henry gave few second chances.

  The kick landed neatly, the crab's colors making it an easy target. Despite that, the distance lessened the force somewhat, pushing the Kingler back only slightly.

  Not that Henry minded, fighting from a distance was excellent training in his mind.

  "Yes!" he shouted, practically vibrating in place as Hitmonlee's leg retracted.

  The Kingler retaliated with a Water Gun, the directed spray launching out its larger claw.

  Henry did not bother to move, and neither did 'Lee. The attack struck squarely on his partner's leather body, splashing Henry in the process. While Henry grunted from the forceful water, his Hitmonlee was barely swayed.

  "That's nothing for us," Henry shouted. "Right, 'Lee."

  "Hi, Hit," his partner agreed, flexing his coiled limbs.

  "Let's double it!" Henry snapped, his leg snapping up to kick in two quick motions. He nearly fell, forgetting about the slick rocks, but managed to catch himself in time.

  'Lee lashed out his one leg, landing another strike on the Kingler's shell. Forced to wait until his limb returned, he kicked out with the other as soon as he was able.

  In the extended time between Double Kick, the crab's claw gleamed metallic and suddenly snapped out. The unwieldy pincer moved deceptively fast and clenched around 'Lee's spring leg before he could retract it.

  "Mon," his companion cried out from the pain.

  Despite being trapped by the claw, Henry bared his teeth in a grin.

  "That's alright, 'Lee," he said. "Let your leg pull you to the crab." he instructed.

  The Hitmonlee paused only briefly, dropping to his free limbs and using them to propel himself forward.

  Not expecting the unorthodox move, Kingler was surprised when the full force of 'Lee's body struck. His partner converted the motion into an impromptu tackle, earning a cheer from Henry.

  The giant crab hissed, a Bubblebeam spraying out to strike the Fighting Type from up close. Unable to dodge, Hitmonlee took the full force of the exploding bubbles.

  "Time to go all out, 'Lee," Henry shouted. "Close Combat."

  His partner did not hesitate, lashing out suddenly with his coiled limbs. The Kingler could barely react as the arms and free leg rapidly extended and retracted. Several blows did not land, but ultimately it did not matter.

  Performed so close to the body, Hitmonlee was able to strike with the full force of his coiled muscles, the springs amplifying his already considerable strength. Even from here, Henry could hear the crab's shell crack ominously from the repeated blows.

  When the Kingler collapsed and weakly tried to retreat into the water, Henry cheered.

  "Absolutely!" he shouted. "Great job, 'Lee. Show that crab who's king of the rock!"

  His partner bounced in place from the excitement, recovering from the intensive move.

  The duo's celebration was interrupted by a beam of light that lanced out to strike the Kingler before it could escape.

  "C'mon" Henry complained, his celebration cut short. "I bet the crab still had some fight left in him."

  Jared ignored him with a simple grunt, putting out the Poké Ball in one of their transport bags. They were bulky and a pain to carry around. Fortunately, they only had to carry the bags until the time for a pickup neared.

  The other man hefted the ungainly net, waiting for Henry to grab the other end.

  "Fine," he grumbled. "But that better not be the last battle for today," he said with warning.

  Picking up his side of the capture net, Henry counted to three as they swung it back and forth. On three, the two tossed it into the lake. It took several days of training before they were able to do it in tandem, properly spreading the net as it was meant to. A leading string was held in Jared's grip and he waited a minute for the heavy material to sink beneath the surface.

  Soon after, red lights began to flare beneath the water. The surface roiled as Pokémon were suddenly captured and others tried to flee. Pulling on the rope, Henry helped Jared drag the net to the riverbank.

  When the Pokémon trapped by the net, but uncaptured by the Poké Balls, were revealed, Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee struck out. They knocked the flailing Pokémon out, swollen fists and clawed feet forcefully subduing the Water Types.

  "Good haul," Henry grunted out as he pulled the net closer.

  While Jared held onto the material, Henry pulled out a bag of loose Net Balls and quickly captured the Pokémon stuck by the net fibers. When he was done, the two of them moved further away from the shore to free the balls that indicated a successful capture.

  Both were sure to check the other's work, as any Net Ball that lost to the waters was heavily deducted from their pay. Not only were the special Poké Balls expensive, there was always the chance of some Ranger coming across the evidence.

  Something none of them wanted.

  There were too many stories from grunts successfully escaping encounters with the multiregional organization. It was hard to believe that the same concerned, well-meaning Rangers could be just as ruthless when operating outside the bounds of the Routes.

  Henry caught Jared's eye, indicating that he was finished. The man's burned face was shadowed by his water-proof cloak, though his eyes still burned clearly despite the dark.

  Not all scars were a result of Pokémon.

  Grabbing the net, Henry looked up to see Hitmonchan bullying the few Pokémon to foolishly remain near the surface. Hitmonlee vibrated in place uneasily, relaxing slightly when the two men moved to toss the net again.

  They moved away from the first location, hoping for another bounty. With the count of three, they tossed the net into the water again.

  "Don't see any of the Buizel," Henry commented while waiting to haul in the net. "Hoped to fight a Floatzel, but there's not even a single weasel here."

  Jared paused and turned his head, inspecting the lake. Henry could see the man thinking, and it suddenly put him on edge. While his partner was relatively unconcerned at the best of times, it was when he became focused that Henry grew alarmed.

  He relaxed slightly when Jared began to reel in the net. That was, until he saw how careful the man was moving. Instead of pulling on the rope bound to the net in harsh tugs, he was using slow, smooth motions.

  Jerking his head up, Henry caught Hitmonlee's eyes. He jerked his head to his side, silently indicating for the Pokémon to be on alert.

  The Pokémon's oblong body froze before spinning to peer at the surroundings. He was tensed, prepared to move at the slightest hint of trouble.

  When Hitmonchan noticed the other Fighting Type's action, he crouched slightly and lifted his muscled fists. Together, the two Pokémon stayed on guard while Henry and Jared hurried to pull in their catch.

  Before they could remove the net from the water, the lake surface began to roil violently. A frothing disturbance rose, clouding the water. The few Pokémon in view ran away, escaping to the edges of the lake or into the forest.

  "Faster," Henry snapped, pulling harder on the rope.

  Jared grunted, reaching out for the net when it was finally revealed. Together they dragged it to the shore as the lake waters turned violent and the sky darkened.

  "What in Cynthia's pearly white tits is that!" Henry spat.

  There were no reports, or even rumors, of changes in the Alphas across this area of the wilds. Such an event would not have gone unnoticed, even this far from the Ranger outposts.

  The lake water bulged before abruptly exploding in the sky. Rising from the violent spray, a serpentine form curled into the air. Large blue and yellow scales adorned the giant Pokémon, with dangerous spiking fins running down its back.

  Henry looked on in horrified excitement as the Gyarados opened its fanged jaw to roar. The angry bellow from the atrocious Pokémon caused the very air to vibrate, repelling the rain around it.

  Henry's eyes gleamed with wild abandonment as he took in the enraged Pokémon. The monsters were heavily regulated by the League, the Ranger Union, and the regional governments. Seen as Pokémon of uncontrollable destruction, few Trainers were approved to carry a Gyarados. Even less used them outside of the well-regulated Gym Battles.

  As such, this was a rare opportunity to fight such a beast.

  Laughing, Henry waved to gain Hitmonlee's attention. As he expected, his partner was as eager as he was, already buffing himself with Focus Energy and Bulk Up.

  The Gyarados was looked to be smaller than average, likely an early evolution. It either showed great promise or adverse conditions to push a wild Magikarp to evolve in such a way. The evolution must have happened recently, certainly less than a month ago.

  The dragon-like Pokémon twisted, writhing in the air until it found something to inflict its ire upon.

  Henry bared in teeth in the proximity of a smile.

  He barely noticed Jared retreating into the trees, dragging the net with Hitmonchan's help.

  "Feint into Sucker Punch," Henry shouted, voice rough from the effort to be heard over the bellows of the angry Pokémon.

  Hitmonlee bobbed, lashing out with one of his weaker upper limbs. The Gyarados followed the approaching limb, only for Hitmonlee's leg to kick out and catch it on the side of the Pokémon's face.

  The flying serpent howled in fury, more angry than hurt.

  Reacting as it was, the Pokémon missed when Hitmonlee bounced forwards to position in its blind spot. There, the Fighting Type lashed out with his other foot, planting it solidly on the other Pokémon's softer yellow scales.

  The monster's cry cut short, but it recovered quickly. Turning its large, finned head in Hitmonlee's general direction, the Pokémon bared its fangs. Steam hissed out, quickly followed by a powerful stream of water.

  The attack partially missed, instead striking the Hitmonlee's coiled limbs. His partner screeched in pain as the force of the water stretched out his right arm and leg.

  "Fight through it, 'Lee! This is what we trained for." Henry shouted. "Now, Brick Break! Try to interrupt it."

  Hitmonlee spun to the side, using the strength of the Brine to aid his rotation. With the extra force provided by the spin, he kept his limbs extended as he crashed his clawed foot and hand against Gyarados's side.

  The flying fish bellowed, once more angered by the attack. Henry knew that 'Lee was at a disadvantage, with Gyarados being a Flying Type. Worse, his partner was fighting from the ground, giving time for the Gyarados to recover and retaliate. Hitmonlee's spring extremities could stretch only so far, and doing so strained him more than fighting up close did.

  "It's all just training," he grinned widely, adrenaline rushing through him. "Blaze Kick, aim for the underside." he shouted.

  Still new to its ability to fly, the Gyarados was struggling to remain in the air while fighting. Only its instincts and rage kept it aloft so far.

  Fire bloomed to life around one foot, even as he retracted the other. The flames hissed and steamed in the rain. As the blue and yellow large Pokémon fell towards the water, Hitmonlee landed a powerful uppercut with his burning foot.

  The attack snapped Gyarados's jaw shut, and Henry could see a large fang break loose. The serpentine fish landed in the small lake with a thunderous splash, spraying water and creating choppy waves.

  "Move around," Henry urged. "Try to kick it when you can."

  The water and darkness hid the Pokémon from view, despite its size. Hitmonlee leapt from boulder to boulder, repositioning.

  The battle was causing the riverbanks to flood, nearly displacing Henry. He ignored the waters tugging at his legs, watching the lake intently.

  Focused as he was searching for the Gyarados, he missed the forming Whirpool. Hitmonlee was caught by surprise as well, easily swept off his feet by the fast moving water.

  "'Lee!" Henry shouted.

  Before he say anything else, the Gyarados rose from the center of the small lake. The beast's mouth was opened in a silent roar as sparks danced around its head.

  Eyes wide, Henry fought against the pull of the lake to retreat out of the water. However, instead of the Thunderbolt he expected, lighting was discharged into the sky above.

  The Gyarados seemed as surprised as him, tilting its head in a moment of confusion despite its rage.

  Together they watched the lightning crawl across the sky. It painted the dark storm clouds, turning night into day.

  The uncontrolled Thunderbolt seemed to ignite the storm, as more natural lightning reached out to meet it.

  Henry was immediately blinded by the explosion of light, and deafened by the thunderous boom that followed.