Liv’s Journey - A Pokemon Fanfic Part 3

A young woman covered in ash stood over yet another dead body, a fully grown Watchog. Her sapphire eyes shifted to a stubby, limbed companion. He stared back at her; she knew that under his tan and pink fur – which was greyer now due to the ash. He closed his eyes, which had heavy bags under them, the feelers under his floppy ears stretched out, searching the wind. He let out a chime and began jogging through the streets, dodging from one rubble pile to the next. The young woman followed not far behind.

The Audino entered a building that was about half the size it should be – the other half was scattered throughout the city. When a large bird blotted out the noon sun, she hurried into the building after him. A loud screech sounded from the sky. She watched as the bird veered away. “They’ll be here soon.” She said, turning back to her partner. He let out a chime and made some motions with his hands. “That’s alright, Allie. Let’s just hope we find one before they show up.” His feelers flicked just as Liv heard a grown and cough sound out. “Lead the way.” He nodded hard, fist clinched.

They climbed two sets of broken stairs and down a hall of the once modern-styled building. Allie entered an apartment, it had no door or roof. It seemed to have been the impact point that had caused the building to collapse. She wasn’t hopeful. There was no one in the room. All the debris and ash had been affecting Allie’s ability to sense. But I swear I heard a… A cough rang out somewhere in the room.

Before she made another scan around the room again, Allie was already across the wreck of a living room and knelt near a collapsed wall. Liv took a centering breath and moved to him, feet away from the wide opening in the wall that hung three stories up. A man lay half-conscious under a drywall and bricks. “Sir, can you hear me?” She called out. A groan and cough that was probably the best confirmation she’d get. “Hold still, we are going to get you out. Allie, if you wouldn’t mind.” She said with a smile.

A faint glow emanated from his eyes as the bricks and pieces of drywall floated off the man. He drifted it out over the ledge, letting it fall to the ground below. “I’m still surprised on how well you’ve picked that up with just a few days of training,” Liv said to her partner while checking over the man. “Sir, can you talk? Are you in any pain?”

The man groaned but didn’t say any clear words. He had a broken leg, multiple lacerations, and probably hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in at least twenty-four hours, a few days if this was one of the buildings hit in the first wave. She placed her backpack on the ground and, rifled through it, and pulled out a small spray bottle. After applying it to his cuts, she pulled out a splint and carefully placed it around his leg.

In the silence after the man screams of pain, Allie let off two sharp bings and pointed out to the perfectly clear sky. A large bird soared not far away. “Shoot! They’re faster than I thought.” The man at her feet had stopped groaning; his eyes were even open, locking onto her. She knelt back down, “Here, drink this. It’ll rehydrate you and help with the pain. We have to go. We’ll be back, though, I promise.” The man simply nodded, downing the bottle of berry-infused water. She smiled at him and turned to flee.

“Where exactly do you think you’re going?” A strong female voice said from the doorway. Liv froze for just a moment. Contemplating, she peered over the ledge. At the bottom of the three-story drop was a massive orange and black striped dog. It stared up at her, its mane flowing in the ashy wind. “Nuh-uh. We’re not letting you repeat last time.” Liv looked at Allie and shook her head. His eyes dimmed with a nod. A heart-stopping screech made the injured man almost jump to his feet. She placed a hand on his chest and calmed him back down, informing him just because he was numb didn’t mean he was healed.

The large bird kicked up all the dust in the room and lowered itself to the ledge, releasing a man safely from its talons before perching. “Man, I was really hoping you were going to jump again.” The man said, adjusting his square glasses. “I was going to nab you right out of the air.”

“Sorry to disappoint. But the Arcanine was a bit of a discouragement.”

“Come on, Liv. You can’t keep doing this, " the woman said, stepping closer. Her golden hair gleaming in the sun’s rays, seemingly untouched by the ash-filled air.

“I can’t keep doing my job?”

“You can’t keep running off.” Behind his glasses, his grey eyes fixed on the man lying on the floor. “How bad is he?”

Liv bit her tongue, complaining to these two would only go so far. “He’ll make it. Now. Another day or two trapped here. No food or water…” She shook her head. “You think, you and Ruffle can fly him back to camp?”

“Not without a stretcher. I wouldn’t want to risk hurting him anymore than he already is. Cyrra?”

The other woman crouched by the man as well; she still wore her Opelucid police uniform. “Do you think you can handle riding on a seven-foot dog for a few blocks?” The man’s wide eyes looked deep into Liv’s calm blue ones.

She nodded with a smile, “Just wait to strach behind his ears until we get to camp or else we won’t be going anywhere.”

“Oh, like Allie isn’t the same,” Cyrra said, scrunching her nose. “If you put a bowl of those spicy candies in front of him, he is totally useless.” Allie chimed loudly, nudging her on the shoulder with a small pink fist. “You know it’s true.” She ruffled his fuzzy head, causing a small dusk cloud to form around him.

“Kneal, help us get this man downstairs.” He stood at the building's ledge, his dull grey eyes scanning the horizon. “Kneal!” He jumped, slipping on the ledge. His Braviary flapped, leaving its perch – moving to catch him. But he regained his footing. The Arcanine whelped as a few rocks dropped on him.

“I’m sorry. What?”

“Come help us move him downstairs!” Cyrra said, rubbing her nose in irritation.

“Sorry, but umm…” Kneal raised his arm, which was wrapped in a white bandage. They both knew it went clear up to his shoulder. An injury he got just a week ago, Liv had treated it herself. What kept surprising her was Ruffle, his Braviary, whose scars from being on death’s door were still red and fresh. How he was flying, much more caring Kneal around was just short of a miracle.

“Right. Hell. Well, Liv, looks like it’s just me and yo…” Allie’s eyes glowed, and the injured man was lifted off the ground.

“Just relax, stay calm. We’ll get you to safety in no time.” Liv was standing to look the man in the eyes just before Allie hovered him out the open wall and slowly down onto the massive dog's back.

“Very nice! Alright! Meet you guys back at camp. We’re going to do some scouting. Make sure we’re not followed or that there no ambushes waiting.” Kneal said. His Bravery grabbed him and took off into the sky.

“Yeah. I’m sure that’s the only reason.” Cyrra rolled her eyes.

*****

An hour later, they returned home – four large ash-covered tents stretching between debris and broken buildings – also being used as shelter. Much to Liv’s dismay, a tall older man stood in front of a tent with a large white ball on it – her tent. His dark blond hair was highlighted with streaks of silver. He was a wall of a man; under his thick military gear, he was pure muscle coated with countless scars. Having worked on him twice in just the few days they had been working together, Liv was still baffled how the man lived long enough to reach the rank he had. After failing to convince Cyrra to leave ‘to protect herself,’ Liv took a deep breath and finished her approach toward the Major.

“Look…”

“Stop.” The Major said, looking at the man on the back of the Arcanine. “Get him in there. Check on your other patients. Then. We’ll talk about your insubordination.” With a sharp turn to the left, he clipped his boots together. “I expect you to be no longer than ten minutes.” With that, he marched off.

A chilling breeze swept through the shaded campgrounds. Cyrra looked to Liv, shrugged, and walked Arcanine into the medical tent. It was no comparison to her Center in Opelucid, but it had been her home for the past three days. Currently, there were seven, now eight, patients here. Out of those, only two weren’t on the road to recovery—not yet, at least. With glowing eyes, Allie lifted the man from his seat and gently placed him on a bed.

Stretching the allotted ten minutes for as long as possible, she walked around to each patient, checking bandages and tubes, talking, and even rubbing bellies. All but three of her eight patients were Pokemon, once loving partners of adventures and badge seekers. Now, victims in a war no one was ready for. Most of their partners had volunteered to help and many were now lost. After checking on the unconscious Grumpig and a Heracross with third-degree burns, she decided she had put it off long enough and headed to the Major’s tent.

“You know when the General told me to personally keep an eye on you,” he said as she entered his tent. “I don’t think he meant it literally.” His back was turned studying a map full of different marks and pins. “Olivia,” He turned to her, “If I didn’t have direct order to keep you, specifically you, safe. I wouldn’t care about these… little outings of yours.”

“Outings?” She and Allie both crinkled their noses. “What? You think I’m just out there finding a good place to relax? Propping my feet up on the rubble of people’s homes? I’m out there doing my job, what I’m meant to do.”

“I guess that’s why they call you the best.” The Major moved toward his makeshift desk, two long crates placed on their sides with another laid over them. “I understand, as a nurse, you feel like your duty is out there helping people. But you’re a military nurse now. Please understand how precious a resource you are; we can’t risk the enemy getting their hands on you. Or worse, following you back here.” He sat on a stump – his makeshift chair. “Let me put it this way.”

Liv held herself from rolling her eyes. She was still trying to get used to taking orders. In her five years as a nurse, she had only ‘worked under’ someone once. And that was right after graduating. Foggy memories of her school years flashed in her mind, and she grabbed at the small loop in her hair, remembering why she was truly here. “… And only two of those platoons are lucky enough to have an official nurse. Us, here at South Gate Post, and them at East.” He pointed to the map without even looking. “You know why?”

“For we are their last lines of defense.” She recited.

“Right.” He crossed his arms and leaned back. “We have lost two of our cities already, with others teetering on the line. Most are held only by one of the Elites. And as much as it pains me to say, but those cities mean little.” Liv’s eyes grew wide but quickly relaxed. She understood. It was just hard to hear out loud. “We hold this line, for if the enemy gets through us, through Route 4, and takes Castelia City. This war is over. Team Cruor wins.” He let out a huff. “So you don’t only risk yourself, our camp, your friends – who have to come after you and bring you back to camp. You risk everyone, the whole country, falling to the whims of some kid who calls us evil slavers but then uses Pokemon to destroy people’s homes and whole cities.”

She took a deep breath. “I understand, sir.”

His eyes challenged her, something that also dug up memories. “I hope so. No more outings, unless you get it approved by me first. Focus on the patients you have already.” He stood from the stump, nodded, and returned to the map. “And get that Grumpig conscious. I don’t like not knowing anything about it. Seems so strange for it to just be in the middle of the street unconscious but otherwise healthy. I’ve seen less subtle spy tactics work. I’ll be in to interview the man you rescued today in an hour.”

Liv got up silently. Allie’s feelers brushed against her as they returned to their medical tent.

Allie chimed and made some motions with his arms. “Yeah. I get his point, too. But come on, who knows how many people are out there that need our help, enemy or not.” He chimed again and swayed his body. “I know they managed to evacuate ’a lot’ of people. But come on. You Felt that man if we hadn’t found him today…” She lowered her voice, not that she thought any of the other patients would be listening or caring. “He would have been dead by tomorrow – the day after at most.” He let out a few bings. “I’m just saying. I’ve done everything I can do here. And I’m thankful that these patients are healing well. But we’ve seen how bad things can get, even before all this started. I just… I just wish…” His feelers brushed up against her, then he wrapped her waist in a hug. It put a smile on her face. “Well, I guess you know what I wish.” She rubbed his dusty, coarse head.

*****

Managing to control herself, she did as she was told. The day after the talk with the Major, she had completely stabilized the burnt Heracross. But the reason for the Grumpig's unconsciousness still eluded her, which was frustrating. At least the Pokemon was stable—she just wouldn’t wake up.

On day two, they were anxious and ready for work. They tried to distract themselves by talking to the patients or Cyrra and Kneal. They walked around camp, checking in on everyone’s health. They focused on strengthening some of Allie’s moves – especially the new ones.  On the third day, they packed their backpacks and casually strolled to the edge of camp. Just an hour or two. She thought we’d come right back.

“I didn’t realize you needed a full backpack just to walk to the edge of camp. Working in a war zone has made you soft, it seems.” A voice called from behind the corner of a building – just the corner. The building it came from was most likely destroyed a block or two away.

“Don’t make me lie to you, Kneal.”

“Would you lie to both of us?” Cyrra asked, rounding the corner as well.

A hard sigh escaped her, she looked to Allie. He stood in his inspiring pose – fists clinched, brow furrowed. “Seems Allie thinks we can take you.” Liv chuckled. “Look. I don’t want to get you guys in trouble, just turn around and forget you saw me leave.”

“You remember; you are the one who brought us here.”

“To be honest,” Kneal leaned over, pretending to whisper. “I was going to volunteer either way. I mean I was already fighting Team C on my own.” He lifted his still bandaged arm and jester to Ruffle with his fresh scars as he landed on the tip of the corner.

Cyrra grimaced at him. “As would have I.” She indicated to your uniform. “But that’s not the point I’m trying to make.” Looking back to Liv, she continued, “My point is that you asked us here. And why was that again?”

Liv rolled her eyes with a smile and sighed. “Because as a nurse, I am required to have protection. And who else better to protect me than my friends?” Old memories cleared through the fog, and she grabbed the loop in her hair. She knew the truth; friends can’t always protect each other.

“Then why are you dodging us like we’re just some common military goons?” Kneal said, checking around them for anyone in the military – after practically yelling it in this wasteland of rubble. But no one ever came out this far, that is why Liv had picked this direction to ‘go for a walk’.

“Well, I’m use to her dodging me.” Cyrra said with a forced frown. “She’s owed me a date for almost two years now.”

“I agreed to a night out. Not a date.”

“You still owe me it.”

Liv’s nose cringed. “There’s a really good roof restaurant in Castelia. They have the best steaks.” Kneal offered.

“You would pay to eat a hundred feet in the air, wouldn’t you?”

Kneal eyed her, “I don’t have to pay for it.” He pointed to Ruffle, “we eat on patrol together all the time and much higher than a hundred feet.”

At his flat tone, Cyrra stopped her laughter. “Serious? I just don’t think I’ll ever get use to your love for heights.” She shook her head and waved her hands. “Not the point.” She locked her eyes on Liv, who had made some progress away from them. “You can’t leave without us anymore.”

“But one way or another, we’d have to report to the Major. And you think he is going to let us just leave like that?” Liv said, hefting her backpack higher on her shoulders. “He’s happy to just let citizens die out there.”

“I mean,” Kneal shrugged. “Have you tried just asking him for permission? The dude is a hard ass, but he isn’t heartless. You should hear the things he talks about when we’re in the bunks at night. Ah… Uh…” Kneal opened his eyes to the two women staring him down with fiery eyes. He cleared his throat and looked to the sky.

“I understand.” Cyrra said, dragging her eyes away from Kneal. “But at least give us a heads up. That way you have time to leave, we can still report to Major Dugger, but we can still catch up to protect you. We all win.”

Liv’s brow scrunched. “I… Yeah. I guess that could work. Having your Arcie’s sense of smell would help. Allie has trouble sensing through so much concrete and steel.” Cyrra winked as the four of them smiled at each other. “We’re going to head back to the apartments to the West, starting with the same building you found us in the other day.”

“Just be careful. Team C is supposedly camping out at the Stadium, just a few blocks away.” Cyrra said with a hug. “We’ll be right behind you.”

*****

Moving through the streets, Liv mourned as they passed the ruins of the subway station. When they first arrived in the city, Allie sensed a few people still down there. Unfortunately, there was no way to search for them without an excavation crew. Which, of course, would draw attention, causing the problems the Major was worried about. She whispered, hoping that they had gotten out. A furry paw rested on her shoulder. He asked her again if she wanted him to try Feeling, to see if they were still down there. She shook her head, and they moved on. She couldn’t handle any more guilt.

A fall breeze clawed through the apartment complex as they searched each room, each floor, unable to help but steal a glance at the big stadium just across the river when she could. Unlike the rest of the city, it stood undamaged. However, it still held the cold, dead feel as the rest of the city, nothing compared to its former glory. No dancing lights, no music blaring, no people bustling about. Just buildings, rumble, and fear of when the occupants of the large dome building would strike next. Liv clinched her fist, wishing they had the power to just strike the building down.

Allie chimed with a frown. “I’m sorry. You’re right. They’re people, too. I just… It’s just Him. Their leader, Ghytis, that I want to… If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have lost my memories so many years ago. We wouldn’t have lost… So many people have been hurt because of him. I just wish he could feel that pain.” He nodded and went to say something when his feelers flicked and his eyes widened. Liv backed away from the edge of the broken building and dropped to the ground.

Laughter rang out through the cold and silence of the city. Being careful not to disturb any rocks or debris, Liv inched herself to the edge. A voice echoed through the hollow building, making whomever it was sound like they were everywhere at once. Peering over the ledge, she saw… Cyrra and Kneal wandering through the dilapidated streets. With a sigh, she called out to them. So much for being stealthy…

They reunited on the ground moments later and spent the next three hours searching the apartment grounds. Only to find five dead bodies, one only a day or two old. Liv begged to keep looking, but the sun was halfway through its decline, and even Allie said they should head back.

“Look, we’ve search this whole area twice, just today. And I know you’ve been out here more than that.” Cyrra said as they walked back. “There’s no one else out here.”

“There’s more apartments out on Route 16.” Liv said, washing some of the dirt from her face with water from a canteen.

“Hardly,” Kneal said, staring up at the sky with longing in his eyes. “It’s mostly just charred trees and rubble there. Same for Route 5. If I had to guess, there was a team using Magnitude that broke apart the whole road. There’s a reason they had to ship us to Castlelia and marched us through the desert to get here.” He gazed at them momentarily before snapping back to the sky – pretending he didn’t see the hate from Cyrra’s glare.

“More importantly.” Cyrra cleared her throat. “There’s no way for you to get there without Team C spotting you. We can’t have that. And unfortunately, it sounds like it’s worse off there. So…”

“So. Just give up. Let anyone who might be out there; holding on to hope, clinging to life. Just let them die?”

“No… But you have to think about the camp. The patients you have already…”

“Now you’re sounding like the Major.” She grabbed at her loop, thinking of Joyce.

“He has a point though.” Cyrra spoke as Kneal opened his mouth. “What if you were followed back, and the camp got attacked. Is the forty members of our camp worth the one person you might end up finding?”

“Well at least if our camp got attacked, I’d have something to do!” Liv’s yell echoed through the streets. The walk was silent for a long time, aside from Ruffle periodically screeching from the clouds – code to let Kneal know if there were threats or not.

Liv cleared her throat as they passed the subway and waved something to Allie. “I’m sorry guys. I just… Things feel so out of my hands you know. I’ve healed everyone that needs it. I haven’t been able to help in any of the fights that have happened. All I want is to see Team C pay for all the people they’ve hurt…” She grabbed at her loop again. “And to go back to not having to worry about so many people being hurt.” They all nodded.

The still, fall air fell back into silence for a bit before Kneal finally spoke up. “So, umm… How’s your training going with Allie? I saw you guys working the other day.”

“It’s going well.” Liv smiled. “He can lift up almost three hundred pounds with his Telekinesis. He can use Protect five times in a row, almost six. And he can extend his healing pulse to three targets now. Depending on their size and distance from him, at least. And his Last Restort is quite a power house, if you ask me.” Allie chimed and swayed, slightly embarrassed.

“That’s awesome…” Kneal said, nodding excessively.

With a chuckle, Liv asked, “And how is your training going?”

“Oh! Thank you for asking! We’ve been doing everything to increase our speed to make our dive bomb attack even stronger. Sawn, my Swanna, has one of the most powerful Ice beams you’ve ever seen! And her Water pulse is getting there.” The girls laughed at him as they entered the camp.

*****

After being berated by the Major once again, Liv and Allie checked on their patients. As usual, they were all recovering nicely, except the Grumpig and the man she saved from the apartments. He was developing a worrying fever. She administered some antibiotics and Allie gave him a Lum berry with his dinner. An hour later, after the man’s temperature dropped a few degrees, they entered the back of the medical tent – their living area. She chuckled over the thought that most Pokemon nurses could easily double as medical nurses, but medical nurses would never be able to take over for a Pokemon nurse without an extra two years of training, at least.

With a heavy sigh, Liv crashed into her cot, barely thicker than her pinky. She lay there for a moment, watching the cool, fall breeze flap the roof of her tent. After a few breaths, she lifted herself and looked to Allie. “So… Did you do it?” He chimed with a nod. “Do I want to know?” He swayed with a low chime. She huffed in and out, “It doesn’t matter if I want to, I got to know. Did you Feel anyone still down in the subway?” The pause before he answered stretched on; the tent flapped in the background as the chilling breeze swept through.

He chimed, binged, and moved his hands this way and that. Liv’s heart dropped. Than it pounded, she couldn’t take it anymore. She stormed out of the medical tent. Two young men stood guard, stopping her from baring her entry. They argued for a brief moment until a large Braviary peaked through the entrance to the Major’s tent. It screeched at the men, then waved its head – sighing for Liv to follow. The dark blue and red bird was at least a foot, if not two, bigger than Ruffle. It was also covered from beck to talon in scars. To a normal person, it’d be intimidating; to a warrior or another Braviary, it was impressive, respected even. However, to Liv’s medical eye, it was fascinating; she saw at least two scars that looked deep enough to have killed her. It was missing one talon on its left side as well as a chunk of feathers on its right wing. Liv doubted it could fly anymore.

“Well! Why are you harassing my guards at a quarter past ten?” Major Dotal’s voice snapped Liv out of the dazed stare of his companion. “Get on with it.” He was sitting at his makeshift desk, inspecting reports and maps – as always.

Liv cleared her throat, trying to muster her heated emotions before studying the bird. “I. I have something I’d like to report.” Her heart began thumping again, slow but growing fast the more she thought of what Allie had told her. She glanced behind her; Allie stood there as always – fist clenched, brow furrowed – encouraging her. She furrowed and whipped back to an expectant Dotal. “I have confirmation that there are still people stuck down in the collapsed subway system.”

“Conformation, hu?” He focused back on his papers. “Well I have conformation, documents, that say the subway was safely evacuated the day Team Cruor started their attack in Mistralton. So, your report is faulty and useless. Dismissed.”

“Excuse me!” Liv shouted. She grabbed at her loop for comfort.

He looked up for just a moment. “I’m not going to trust you and your little fuzz ball’s ‘Feelings’ just because you do. You have snuck out of camp six times and have only retrieved two injured citizens, one of which is still unconscious. Clearly, your ‘Feelings’ don’t work.” Allie huffed with a sharp bing.

“There are… The buildings and… I don’t have to explain myself to you!” She spun to leave.

“I’ll be increasing guard duty for the next few days. I’ll tell all of them to watch you’re every move. Seeing on how I can’t rely on your friends to report on you.” She froze, he continued. “If something happens, my men need their medic here in camp. Not out risking capture, or worse bringing back an enemy pretending to be wounded or even just have one follow you back.”

Allie held her gaze, trying to strengthen her but also helping keep her calm. She focused back on Dotal, who thumbed at a map. “I understand the risks I take. But I have to do something. I have no work here in camp. And I always wait for Kneal to find me, so as we head back Ruffle can make sure we’re not followed.” She threw her hands up. “And you know what fine! Despite knowing your answer. Major Dotal. I would like to request a search and rescue operation on the local subway in hopes to save any trapped civilians down there.” She rolled her eyes.

“How many operatives?” A force pushed through her. Her brain worked while her mouth didn’t. But then she saw the smirk on his face. This was just normal procedure. He is just giving me hope but will still shoot me down.

She sighed, “Umm… Two soldiers, two medical personnel, six companions.”

The night air hung silent, aside from the wind and him scribbling something on one of his papers. “Denied.” She tossed her hands up, acting surprised, and turned to leave again. “Private Kneal leaves his Talonflame and his Unfezant here in camp. So we can track you easily if something goes wrong.” Allie’s eyes widened, mirroring Liv’s. “You have until I have to write my next report to the East camp. Twenty-four hours.” Looking up from his papers, he smiled, “All I wanted was subordination. Thank you.” 

*****

Even only being able to sleep a few hours that night, Liv woke up bright-eyed and ready for anything. She made her rounds with the patients and ran to make sure Cyrra and Kneal were awake. She spat out everything that happened the night before and ordered them to prepare. Kneal made some off-handed comment that was basically an I-told-you-so, but Liv was too excited to register it. This was her chance. She was not only going to prove her usefulness, but she was also going to be able to save multiple lives.

An hour passed and Liv stood at the edge of camp waiting on her two ‘bodyguards’ to get ready. Finally, they were off, sneaking through the streets, with Ruffle’s watchful eyes overhead, Arcie sniffing the air, and Allie reaching out with his Feelings. When they made it to the rubble of the station, Allie confirmed again that there were definitely people down there. He couldn’t say how many or in what condition they were in, but he knew they were down there.

“So… Anyone got a hungry Larvitar on hand?” Kneal said as they walked around the ruined building. “We could be down there in seconds.”

Cyrra laughed sarcastically, “Yeah, right. Let’s just hope for a flock of dragons while we’re at it. We could end this war here and now. OH! Better yet. What about the legended Pokemon Groudon? We could just have him wipe the whole continent clear.”

“Enough bickering!” Liv said, tossing a piece of rubble. “Let’s think realistically here. Someone back at camp might have an Excadrill or… Even as rare as they are here, I think I remember seeing a Sandslash.” She shook her head, “No. We only have fifteen hours left, and it’d be too noisy. Not to mention the Major only approved us for this mission.”

“Oh! Why not Allie? Can’t you just use Telekinesis to lift the rubble?” Cyrra said, walking over to Liv.

“I mean he could… But that’s a lot of strain on just him and it’d still take hours. Not to mention floating debris might draw attention and there’s a risk of collapsing everything on top of the people down there.” Kneal kicked at a rock as they each thought in silence.

The breeze changes direction, sweeping past them – toward camp. Arcie perked up, sniffing at the air wildly. For a heart-stopping moment, Liv thought he was going to howl. Instead, he let out three soft, low barks. “He smells people. Not far away.” Cyrra interpreted.

Kneal let out a sharp throat noise, sounding much like a Rufflet. Ruffle cried back, short and high. “We don’t see anything…” He shrugged.

“Well we do! This way.” They followed Cyrra and Arcie.

After passing a few buildings, Allie’s feelers twitched and flicked in a way that made Liv uneasy. Just before they rounded another corner, Allie halted them. Liv had been hoping for more citizens, maybe even the ones from below, finding their own way out somehow. But no… A group of Team Cruor members stood just inside a broken building. Cyrra flashed a mirror of Kneal’s I-told-you-so face. He pointed to the roof the members where under and shrugged.

Arcie and Allie confirmed there was no Pokemon nearby before settling down and inspecting the members. Liv watched intently. She didn’t want to waste too much time, but there was no way to proceed with these members so close by, and intell was intell.

An hour passed, with the members doing nothing but chatting and playing cards. Finally, two more members appeared exiting from the building, one with a Gurdurr and the other with a Drilbur, all covered in dust. The humans began talking. “I got to get closer,” Liv whispered.

“Don’t you!” Cyrra grabbed for her but would’ve caused too much of a stir if she actually chased after her. “Damn… This is your fault.”

Kneal threw up his hands, “What? Wha…” Cyrra crossed her arms with a humph. “Oh… Whatever.”

+++++

Larry tucked his extra aces into his sleeve as the others were distracted by the return of some of the crew from below. “Man, it makes no sense down there.” One of the returning members said he thought her name was Donna. “Doesn’t make any sense to me to have multiple tracks and all but one actually go anywhere.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the thinking of the Slavers,” Derik said, still red-faced from Larry beating him for the fifth time today. “‘Wouldn’t it be cool to have battles on a train?’ ‘Oh, like have a car dedicated for battles just in case anyone wants to force their pets to kill each other while in transit?’ ‘No. No. Just a subway system for battling our friends. Just for bragging rights, nothing more. The trains can just go in circles as far as I’m concerned.’ “Wonderful! Sounds great to me!’” A few of them chuckled and nodded their heads.

“Well, how’s it coming along?” Larry said, finally joining the group after ‘putting the cards away.’

“Pretty fair, actually.” The other returning member said. Larry had never even seen him before. “We’ve gotten through all the rubble, and I’d say we’re… oh, over half way to Route 4 by now.”

“Nice! Those damn fools in Castlelia will have no idea what hit them when we emerge right out from under them!” Derik laughed. “We’ll finally be able to wipe them out and begin Ghytis’s plans of freedom for all!”

Gravel shifted, and three of the members spun – hyper-alert. Debris dropped from the slave-built building. “Yeah, let it all crumble,” Donna said with a huff. “So… Cards?”

“You play?” Larry spun around, forgetting the noise of the collapsing buildings. “Stakes or no stakes?”

“Oh, I’ll play for stakes. As long as you take those cards out of your sleeve.” Donna chuckled.

+++++

Liv didn’t turn to look as one of the five members began yelling. She didn’t go to meet back up with her friends. She didn’t try to be subtle and sneak through the city. She simply sprinted straight for camp.

“Major!” She yelled, trying to push through the guards at his tent. “Major! I have critical news!” She broke the guards’ grip and stumbled into his tent. “Major!”

“Not now!” Major yelled. His tent was disheveled, with his map and papers all over the floor and his makeshift desk toppled. His large frame paced awkwardly in his small tent. Two steps, turn, two steps, turn.

“I… Major.. I’m sorry, but…”

“I don’t have time to learn of your success or failure. And by the Legends, I hope you failed.”

“Excuse me?” She dusted herself off after standing.

He took a deep breath, flipped his stump right side up, and took a seat. “I just received my first report of the day… The Elites that were holding Undella and Opelucid have been beaten. We’re not sure if they’ve been captured, retreated, or worse.” He stood and began pacing again. “More important than Team Cruor getting a hold of the ports in Undella. They are directing reinforcements here as we speak. There’s going to be a press for Castlelia in mere days. And, frankly, I don’t think we can hold them.” He stood in the center of his tent, facing away from her.

All the information washed over her, she tottered for a moment. Each new bit of information was a Munchlax placed on her chest. At least two Elites were beaten. Possible attacks started in Nuvema, hitting the last few safe cities. Team Cruor just sailed straight into Castlelia after everything they did to ensure the ports were guarded. Or worse, they attack from all angles… North. South. And from right under our feet.

“Liv! What the hell!” Cyrra said, bursting into the Major’s tent. Allie passed her and went to Liv’s side. She cleared her throat and made a hard solute. “Sorry, Major Dotal.” He still faced the opposite wall.

“Below.” Liv’s voice cracked.

“What?” Cyrra and the Major said together.

“None of that matters. They’re going to attack from below.” She cleared her throat and lifted her head. “The subway is full of people. It’s full of Team Cruor, digging a tunnel right under the desert and toward Castlelia. They plan on rising up from the ground and attacking in the heart of the city…”

“I… Wait… What? Are you sure?” Dotal began pacing again at her nod. “By the Legends… This can’t be happening.” He snapped toward the girls, hands firm behind his back – a strong stance. “Private Matis!” One of the guards out front popped his head in.

“I’m sorry sir, we tried. But we…”

“What was your two-mile score in your last PT?”

The young boy snapped to attention, mirroring the Major – except with a salute. “Eighty-five, sir!”

The Major raised an eyebrow, “Just over fourteen minutes, very nice. You are relieved from guard duty.” The boy’s head twitched, confused. “Your new responsibility is Messenger. You will report these next words to East camp within the next fifteen minutes.” He cleared his throat. “Pull back. Unite. Route 4. D.D 449.” The boy nodded, dropping the salute, and took off.

The camp was packed up by the time the sun touched the horizon. Most of her patients were transferred to the back of Pokemon. However, three of them—the Grumpig, the still-recovering Heracross, and the man from the apartments—had to be carried on stretchers. Thankfully, many of the squads fighting type Pokemon volunteered.

As the last of the sun crept below the tattered land, Dotal finally gave the order to move out. The journey wouldn’t be long, just a few miles, but it had to be methodical – being sure they didn’t draw any unwanted attention. Plus, the idea was to make Team Cruor think they were still in the city, hopefully slowing their journey through the city with fear of an ambush. The army would need all the time they could get to reform and develop a new tactic.

*****

The already cool fall air grew frigid as they approached the desert. Liv’s wrist and face numbed in the steady wind while she and Allie covered their patients with blankets. Still, they pushed on. Dotal insisted they got a least halfway through Route 4 before setting up camp – for some unshared plan he had. Two hours after leaving their campsite, sand began to crunch underfoot. It slowly piled up, in corners and on cloths and fur, until the road they followed was completely covered. Although the biting wind did carry sand with it, they were lucky it wasn’t a full-fledged sandstorm. Liv was sure they’d see their fair share of them, but tonight, when they needed it most, the air was gracefully clear.

Liv heard her name being called over the sound of the shifting sands and hushing winds. She followed Allie through the chilling night winds, checking her patients as she passed. A soldier stood next to two muscular fighting types, waving her down. With a quickening heart, her brain formed an idea of what the problem was; Liv strolled up to the young woman. “Not sure when it happened. I just looked over and its eyes were open.” She walked with them a few steps. “It said it wanted to talk to you.”

“Said?” Liv slid in the sand slightly, stopping so suddenly.

“Yeah. Like in my mind, it said ‘Please get me who is in charge.’” The soldier cocked her head. “I’ve only ever raised a Stoutland. I just thought since it was psychic…” She shrugged.

Liv spun and yelled an order to Kneal; he was immediately swept up by Ruffle, heading to the front of the moving squad. But it wouldn’t be fast enough. Even as the dust Ruffle kicked up with his wings still hung in the air, Cyrra appeared at Liv’s side. A purple glow consumed the midnight dark, illuminating the small valley. “You are the one that was so insistent on waking me, were you not?” An oddly familiar voice sounded in her head. The glow strained her eyes for just a moment as it grew closer. “Retreating so soon? But I liked you right where you were… No. Not just a retreat.” Her eyes focused on the Grumpig, its eyes a purple sun in the night. And Ghytis’s voice echoed in her head again, “Where are you going? Scared that I’ve halved you precious Elite four?”

A pink light began to rival the purple. The Grumpig frowned, looking toward Allie. “No.” A waving line distorted its way straight into Allie’s chest, knocking him back. Cyrra cried a command, causing sand to rain over them as Arcie leaped overhead. The few Pokemon back this far in the squad began to square up, baring fists and fangs alike. The Grumpig looked around with a smirk, “Oh well, I will be upon you soon enough. Some surprises might make this war more fun.” Liv went blind. Without the purple glow, everything was one tone – dark. But it was just for a moment. A flash of iridescent pulsating light blasted forth from the Grumpig. A Snorlax-sized Girafarig hooved all of Liv.

A moment of weightlessness.

Black.

*****

A sharp tinging stirred Liv. The blazing light above dragged her out of her slumber. And the pain shot her out of bed. She grabbed at her right arm – Hammer Fists pounding on it. She gritted her teeth, and everything again went black as she tensed her eyes. Taking deep breaths, she moved the oddly heavy arm to her lap. Four pointed stars danced in the black of her tight-lidded eyes. Her pained arm, now only thumped with a dull ache, rested in her lap. With another breath, she pried her eyes open.

Her arm was wrapped from shoulder to wrist in a white bandage with four splints, two on each side of her forearm and upper arm. Short, sharp breaths mirrored the deep, pulsing pain. It consumed her mind. Something grabbed her left shoulder. She jumped, and the jerk of her arm sparked a fresh batch of stars. Soft fur brushed at the tear running drop her face. Cracking an eye open, Allie, with a half-smile, filled her vision.

“Oh! You’re safe!” She wanted to hug him so badly but didn’t dare move her arm again. “What happened?” She looked around for the first time since being forced awake. Sand covered the floor of the small tent, which currently had no walls. Outside, members of the army scurried around setting up tents and moving supplies. The sun burnt overhead, and despite it being fall, Liv guessed it was easily ninety degrees.

Allie chimed and began moving, swaying, and gesturing to everything that happened after she was knocked out. “Lucky, East camp was so close behind us. Where is their nurse?” Groaning, she shifted to the edge of the cot.

“Right here. And I don’t think you’re ready to get up just yet.” To her surprise, the deep voice was familiar.

“Tyrese.” She opened her teary eyes. “But you’re not… You couldn’t? How…”

His laugh relieved more pain than just in her arm. “Well, for starters, I have to say, I like the loop. She’d love it.” She released her hair and lowered her left arm back down. “Secondly, it’s crazy what ten years and the loss of your beloved can do for you.” The smile didn’t hide the pain in his eyes. “With my background and Shale’s letter of recommendation, after doing three surgeries in front of him, the military was happy to have me sign up.”

“Well that’s one of us.” She chuckled, “Took me days to convince them.” She breathed through the wells of pain – trying to stand. Not only her arm but her whole body felt bruised.

“A-A-ah.” Tyrese scolded. Gently guiding her back down to the bed. “A single day of rest is not going to heal such a strong psychic blast.” He cleared his throat. “You’re lucky. For being as close as you were, coming out with only bruises and a broken arm. You’re… you’re lucky…” He shook his head.

“How many?” Liv said, all her pain returning.

“The two Gurdurrs that were closest to the Grumpig. Almost everyone in the area came out with some kind of injury. A Throh and Sawk are still in critical condition. I’m having them and three other humans transfer down to Castlelia. Since I have to get back to my squad in a few days…” His eyes drifted with a sigh. “I… There are a few more nurses, medical nurses, coming up from the city to help. Another day or two. I think you should let one of them relieve you. In your condition…”

Liv shook her head, “No. I can still help.” Her body shuttered as she tried straightening her back. “I’ll be fine.”

“Your arm… You won’t be able to do surgeries. Much less wrap a bandage.”

“That’s what Allie’s for.” He looked to her heavy-faced companion, then down to his tiny hands – holding a syringe that barely fit in them.

“No, offence little buddy. But he’ll be as helpful as my Bouffalant in a surgery.”

Her body had a Gigalith sitting on it and her mind was a Grimmer. She collapsed onto the bed. “I’ll argue more with you once I wake up.” She popped her eyes open, but her body refused to sit up. “How is Cyrra?”

“Not near as bad as you. She’ll make it.” Her heavy eyes crawled shut. Tyrese whispered, “Thank you, buddy, for administering that. It was the best thing for her.” And she drifted off.

*****

The world around her rattled as the sound of a mountain collapsing thundered through her. Liv popped up, groggy but ready for a fight. Her arm throbbed, but it was tolerable. It was held in place, just below her ribs, by a simple sling. Even the air around her seemed to tremble as the sound boomed through camp again.

Her tent was dark. The walls had finally been put on it, and judging by the temperature, it was most likely sometime late in the night. Pulling the blanket off her cot, she stumbled to the tent’s door, passing the other patients. Everything quaked again. Liv propped herself against an empty bed—dry blood crusted the sheets. She moved on, pulling the tent flap open. Her pains flashed away in the anguish of her worst fears.

They are here. The attack has begun.

She spun, hoping there was something she could do to help those in the tent. She was captured in the arms of an enemy. She struggled against them, yanking her right arm away. Stars punched in her vision as she dropped to the ground.

“Liv! Liv!” A voice streamed through the deafening sound of the ground quakes.

“By the Legends, you are a fighter, aren’t you.” A deeper voice said. Faces began to appear as the pain stars faded.

“Cyrra? Major?” She took a deep breath, “We have to get these people out of here!” She thought of pushing herself off the ground and instead extended a handout. Dotal pulled her up gently with a chuckle.

“This is no attack, not even a test of defenses. Sorry to have scared you like that.” Wiping his oddly soft hands off on his pants. The ground quaked again, followed by the sound tearing through the air. Yet, Cyrra and Dotal seemed unphased. “Come on. Come look at what we’ve accomplished.” Cyrra stood at her side, helping her stay steady as they made their way toward the massive dust cloud where another bomb just dropped.

With a command from Dotal, the dust cloud was cleared with a strong gust. A vast chasm stretched in front of them. Sand still cascading down its sides from just being formed. “By this time tomorrow, we’re hoping to have it cut all the way across Route 4. We’re going to make those cowards face us one way or another.” He let out the first true laugh Liv had heard from him.

A small hand touched her side, startling her. Looking over, she dropped to her knees and hugged Allie. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay.” Allie rubbed her back, letting out a soft hum.

“Alright. Let’s get them back to work. We don’t know how far a long Team C is down there and we’re hoping to get it done with them none to wiser. Plus, I need to talk to you.” The Major clicked his boots together and marched back toward the tents.

“And I have a lot I need to talk to you about.” Liv said to Allie, following Dotal as quickly as her pained body would allow – Allie and Cyrra at her sides with watchful eyes.

*****

“You can’t just send me back!” Liv yelled. “I can still help!”

“Really?” Dotal had a new makeshift desk. Larger, yet still just as, if not more, cluttered than the last. “Write your name for me.”

“I… What?”

“Simple enough, right? Just write your name.” He pushed a blank sheet of paper and a red color pencil toward her. She stared at it. The freezing night wind pushed one wall of the tent inward, but the whole tent felt like it was shrinking.

She reached for the pencil, winced, took a breath, and grabbed it with her left hand. The signature wasn’t terrible; it was definitely readable. But it was no elegant, swirling work that she normally had. Dotal simply huffed. “And on top of that, I have orders to send you home if you’re even the slightest bit injured. And a broken humorous and forearm are definitely a bit injured. It’s not personal, I just need a functional nurse, and I have orders.”

As her heart dropped to the floor, it ripped a hole in her lungs. She gasped, once, twice, and thought of Allie – just outside the tent. She looked back at him. “My patient’s? Your men. Who would take care of them? The new nurses coming from the City? You’ll be lucky to even get two nurses that can even half treat Pokemon, much less to replace me. Tyrese? He has his squad to take care of. You need me.”

He eyed her, then a few papers. “You have a day and a half. If you can’t prove you’re still useful. I’ll have no choice.”

“And what of the orders?”

“Prove yourself before the other nurses get here. And maybe you’ll be too busy for me to even notice you’re injured.” They smiled at each other.

*****

Laying in sweat-soaked sheets, Liv watched the tent flip and flutter in the hot, sandstorm wind outside. Tyrese got up and made another round, checking on patients in the tent, checking supplies, and waiting for the driven fools currently braving the storm to get bandage up when their jobs were done. Liv wanted to be out there with those fools, or at least at the fissure site.

Allie traced a feeler over her arm, and she patted his head. “Has anyone thought of anything a one-armed nurse can do yet?” Kneal said, breaking the repetitive scratching sound of sandblasting against the tent.

“Have you thought of anything?” Cyrra said, fanning herself with her police cap. “Or were you just hoping someone would do it for you?”

“Not helping.” Liv said, placing her hand on her forehead.

“Well actually. I might…”

Liv perked her head up but stayed lying down. Tyrese made his way back over, and they shared a half smile. “We’re listening.”

Kneal fidgeted, took a deep breath, and cleared his throat. “I could be your hands…” They all stared at him. Cyrra busted out into a laugh.

“How do you mean?” Liv asked, sitting up with the help of Allie.

“You can’t be seriously considering this. Can you?” Liv ignored her, eyes fixed on Kneal.

“Well, I mean… I’ve done some studying of nursing. And you’ve seen my handy work a few times; stitches I’ve made on the fly.” He chuckled to himself. “Sometimes literally. Make shift, homemade braces. And I’ve spent more time in a Center than the average person. Remember how I watched over your shoulder when Sawn got that bad burn a few years ago.” She nodded, “I’m just saying I have some experience. With some guidance from one of the best nurses of, at least, this generation, I think I might be able to help.”

The storm outside died to a slight breeze, leaving the tent in a void of sound. A patient’s cough rang in everyone’s ears. “It’s not terrible.” Tyrese said. “I have a few more days here. I could start his training while you still recover. And then, as long as he’s still learning Dotal couldn’t send you away.” Cyrra crossed her arms with a huff. “My suggestion was going to be; try to think of some kind of strategy. Your Major seems to really like his plans and preparations.”

“And you sure you’re going to be okay with the blood and what have you?” Liv looked back to Kneal, who looked around at the patients. He nodded. Cyrra jumped up, kicking up sand as she stormed out of the tent.

“Man… What’s her problem with me?”

“So you don’t know either?” He shook his head, “I’ll ask.”

*****

Spending the first day of Kneal’s training in bed was torture for Liv. How could she know Tyrese was teaching him correctly? He had been out of practice for years… What if Kneal was learning wrong? Would Tyrese notice the blank stares and address them? Would Kneal ask the right questions? Maybe I’ll just get out and… Allie’s paw pushed her back onto the bed. “But..” He waved the paw in her face with a scolding cling.

The second day was more frustrating than the days she woke to find that she had three broken bones. Her body wasn’t as sore, and her numbing spray did wonders for her arm. She still couldn’t properly use it, but she could at least move without terrible pain. Allie allowed her up only after she swore to stay away from Kneal and Tyrese. And she did. But only because she had something else on her mind. Tyrese had a point, Dotal did love strategy, and Liv wanted to protect people. So, she spent some time forming the best strategy for both of them.

The chasm stretched almost two miles and was at least half a mile wide, and even Major Dotal wasn’t sure how deep. “They won’t be getting across without us noticing, or without having to surface.” He turned away from the fissure with a smile that reminded her of her dad when she graduated. “I’m glad to see you up and about. I have a project for you.” He snapped, and a young blond soldier ran over.

“Well actually, that’s why I came to talk to you. I had something I wanted to run by you.”

Dotal nodded, “That fine. But this first.” He took a paper from the boy and held it out for Liv. It was a map. The chasm and the camp were marked on it. The camp stretched in a line half the length of the chasm. “This is the new design of the camps. Not the best defensively, but we have to be prepare from Cruor’s to surface anywhere. What I need from you is to come up with a better defense for us.” The beginnings of a storm were whipping up. “I know you’re not a military type, but too many of our ranking officers are already giving orders and devising strategies for the offensive. You know types, moves, and you have plenty of time. So, here you go.” He took a few more papers from the blond. “This is a list of all the soldiers and companions that aren’t currently being used in offensive positions. You have, at most, a day before that list changes.”

The few papers were bricks in her hand and a rod through her heart. It was the exact reason she came here, but he’d given it to her. She hadn’t been able to prove her usefulness by coming up with it herself. Internally, she shook off her thoughts. No. He still gave it to me. He believes in me; he’s just trying to help. With a nod, she and Allie hurried back to the medical tent as the wind filled with sandy daggers.

Being the best asset, the list gave her all the Pokemon and their movesets. However, it didn’t tell her how long they’d had them or how proficient they were with them. While the sandstorm raged outside, she’d just have to make do with ages and what other Pokemon the soldier had.

By the freezing hour of midnight, she had finished to the best of her ability. With the storm still bombarding the tent and her arm beginning to throb, even through the numbing spray, she decided to wait for morning. She rose with the sun.

Making her way passed the now camouflaged tent – half covered in sand from the twelve-hour storm yesterday, she wondered. If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought Dotal caused the sandstorms on purpose to give them more cover.

“Well of course I did!” He chuckled. Every day that passed, every day close to Team Cruor breaching the fissure and starting the assault, he got slightly more jovial.

“For a bird trainer, you’re using the ground a lot for advantage.”

“Skyla is the last of my team of four. Before the Battle at the Bay, years ago, I also had a Krookodile, Steelix, and a Camerupt.” His Braviary cooed along with his regret-filled sigh. “But enough of that! What do you get for me?”

“Well I wish I knew if this was the definite final formation. I was really hoping we could double up on tents. Making two rows, maybe. But…” She looked over the plans again.

“I told you the list might change, not the formation.”

“I know. I know. Here. I’d like to know how long these Pokemon have known these moves.”

He glanced at her list, “The Private first classes have had the same move sets for a year, at least. The Corporals at least two years. Mathis! The young man came into the tent. Between his sunburn and, Liv only assumed, baring the sandstorm last night, his arms and face were raw. “Hunt down these recruits. They have orders to report to me or their Major. Immediately.” The boy snapped his boots together and took off. “Before you say anything. He volunteered to stand watch over this section of the chasm yesterday. He stood out all night so no one else had to. You two have a lot in common. And I respect both of your determination.” She gave him a half smile and began breaking her plan down to him, modifying it for the formation she hoped could change and lack of knowledge on move sets.

The plan was to put a Pokemon in every other tent that knew some kind of barrier move, with ones that knew some form of a protection move between them. Thankfully, many of the Corporals knew Wide Guard, meaning they could protect two or even three tents at once. It was almost like… “You already planned this… This is just standard formation, isn’t it?”

Dotal smiled, “I was told you were going stir crazy by a little bird…” He laughed. “I knew you’d be able to figure it out, and I wanted to see if you’d come up with something better. Do wish I would’ve done it before the sand storm though. Just to see if your formation would be better.” He shrugged. “Great work. Once Mathis comes back, I’ll get that information to you and we can move soldiers around accordingly.”

“And me?”

He smirked again. “Well, it seems like the city nurses came, and those we need to go, went. Must have slipped my mind with all the planning I was doing.” She smiled back, then returned to the medical tent. Her arm began to throb again.

*****

The day that Tyrese had to leave came and went. Too much was going on to celebrate or mourn. The soldiers were redistributed to their new posts. And now she had a purpose again. With Tyrese gone, she could begin training Kneal, watch over him, and guide him.

Guide him to do nothing… Tyrese and Kneal, and apparently Allie, had made sure that all the patients were as stable and healthy as possible or had been shipped out to the city. The patient with the worst condition was her. She was happy for those who got to return to the city's safety. When the first blasts were fired, this would be no place for badly wounded people. But still… She longed for something to do. In the past week and a half, she had wasted days on an unconscious telepathic spy, gotten crippled by said spy, and wasted time recreating a forty-year-old military defense strategy.

At her sigh, Cyrra scooted closer. Due to the insistence of Allie, they sat outside the medical tent. Liv couldn’t go any farther away. Despite the beginning of winter only a few weeks away, the sun blazed overhead, not a cloud in sight. But at least there hadn’t been a sandstorm today. Liv stretched her neck, adjusting the strap of the sling. Who knew my arm weighed so much. Cyrra placed an open MRE in her lap with a wide smile. “What’s going on with you?” Liv said looking down at the prepackaged food, a berry patty. It is a very rare find, not only because it is one of only two non-meat options but also one of the best tasting, according to Kneal and Cyrra.

“I’m about to get my date with you.” Cyrra chuckled.

With the roll of her eyes, Liv cracked a smile. “Ah yes, a wonderful date; in the noon sun, in the middle of a desert, with a military ready to eat meals.”

Cyrra faked a frown but was still clearly pleased. “Come on, give me this. I need something to rub in Kneal’s face.” She began opening her meal, some kind of dried meat Liv had no interest in.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s just… Well. He had said that you two should go out for dinner after all this. And you agreed. Instantly. And well, I just…”

“Got jealous?” Liv chuckled. Cyrra’s face drooped. “You know. I did the same thing to you. Or else am I just miss remembering all the times you’ve thrown that back in my face?” Cyrra swayed. Before she could argue, Liv said. “Plus, he has a girl he is crazy about back…” She stopped herself. Back home… Opelucid City is no better off than Nimbasa… or here, for that matter. They’re all just devastated wastelands now. “She and her family are safe in Castelia. He was just meaning as a celebration. And if I remember correctly, he invited you as well.” With a scrunched face, Cyrra took a bite out of her ‘steak.’

After the fairly pleasant meal, in the oven heat, Cyrra and Liv returned inside the medical tent. Allie and Kneal hung out, applying a light salve to the young blond, Dotal’s bodyguard. Cyrra made a joke at Kneal with an honest smile on her face. Kneal joked back. Allie chimed, applying the numbing spray to Liv’s arm.

Their laughs were lost in a blare of horns. An explosion resonated through the camp, echoing through the chasm half a mile away. The warning horns blared once again. Mathis stood, but they all four forced him back on the bed. They’d be safe, hidden in the tent, if only for a moment. Liv and Allie would be on watch, peeking through a small window in the tent. Ready to throw up a protection barrier at a moment’s notice. We keep this tent standing, even if it’s the last one.

Flashes of fire and illuminating arcs of electricity caught her eye. Their first line of defense converged on the opening Team Cruor had made in the chasm, bomb-barding it with attack after attack, hoping to knock out as many enemies before they even touched land.

Another explosion concussed the air. Smoke and dust rose from the chasm, almost perfectly in line with the medical tent. Sand burst forth in her side of the fissure. Her eyes narrowed, searching the cloud of dust and showering sand. Half of the first line of defense split from the first hole, but it was too late. Creatures of all sizes flooded out to the surface on an unseen ramp, bridged over the chasm.

The war had begun again.

The defense system was thrown up immediately. So much for the camouflage. The screens of light reflected or defused the occasional stray attack. None of the tents had to resort to protection moves. Not yet.

Reinforcements barreled from the tents, joining the fight at the second hole. Liv watched as the team at the first hole departed, deciding either they’d done enough damage or that the hole had only been a distraction, and joined the fight at the second hole.

A beam of pure solar light flashed, Liv yelled to Allie. The beam burst through the screen just as the tent was covered in the shimmer of pink hexagons. The gold beam blinded Liv as it ricocheted off the bubble Allie held, flying directly up. Another barrier replaced the shattered screen as Allie dropped the bubble around them. Liv watched as more barriers down the line were replaced at the same time, as other beams and blasts shot through the fight at the chasm. Either we were losing, or Team C was getting so desperate they were taking every shot they could.

Sand kicked up with a growing wind. Mathis stood up, grabbing the red and white balls at his hip. “It’s our distraction. Time to switch out troops. Get the injured to safety. I have to go.”

“You are an ‘Injured’ and you’re already safe.” Cyrra said, closer to Liv than she’d thought. “We all understand your sense of duty, but how good are you going to be in that storm? You’re already cut to pieces as it is.” The young boy slumped. She thought he might even have sobbed once, but her eyes had been off the fight for too long.

The sand obscured everything. She couldn’t even see the barrier mere feet in front of her. Liv told Allie to throw up a protection, just in case. The air shook with a concussion. Smoke blacked the sand cloud that buffeted the tent. She had no idea where it came from. “Drop the Protection!” Liv yelled as soldiers tapped on the shimmering dome.

Three soldiers and five Pokemon entered the tent, bloody, burnt, and bruised. Two collapsed face-first into the sand. “Cyrra, watch the battlefield. Tell Allie when to throw up a shield. Allie focus on being prepared. Kneal time to shine. Mathis!” The boy halted at the tent’s exit. She hadn’t even turned to look at him. “Get over here and help Kneal get these people on beds. Now!”

The storm began to die down, but not before three more patients entered her tent. Despite Liv’s order, Allie helped move patients with his Telekinesis. In a panic, Cyrra ordered him to throw up another shield. However, the blast passed with a thunderous crackle right between their tent and the one next to them. When everyone was in bed, a bong sounded from Allie as a wave of energy and health infused Liv and the others. He did this three more times for everyone in the room. Cyrra called another safe but unneeded protection.

Though thoroughly beaten, none of the soldiers were critically injured. Hurting and damaged, definitely. But the worst was only missing a few fingers. Kneal took it in stride. Liv was surprised to see how effectively he passed from one patient to another. Gazing, applying salves, and even quick stitches, nowhere near her standard, but as well as you’d think you’d get in the middle of a war.

Jealousy washed over her as she handed him the necessary tools and ointments. But in an odd clarity, she found a new respect for Allie. Kneal didn’t need her here helping. He could have easily done all this, adding only a few extra minutes to each patient. Yet still, he waited for her to hand him things and asked for confirmation, the same way she would/did with Allie.

Only three hours after the battle began, everything returned to calm. Team Cruor retreated back into their hole, and many of the Army’s soldiers rejoined the ranks in camp, many being dispersed to the few medical tents. Mathis left, as did many of their patients. Dotal wanted to keep Liv’s tent as close to empty as possible since it was the closest to the battleground. He didn’t expect them to use the same hole when they returned, but it was better to be safe.

“When they return?” Cyrra asked.

“Definitely. This was a simple test of our strength.” The large man surveyed the medical tent. Allie and Kneal were still cleaning the beds. “It’s hard to say if we impressed, scared, or encouraged them… But I hardly saw any war Pokemon. Large ones. Tanks. You know? No small fries, but not nearly as bad as I’ve seen before.”

“And you don’t think that’s promising?”

He simply looked a Liv, casting a shadow over her hope that this would end quickly.

*****

Horns blaring threw Liv from sleep. With a limping sprint, she went to the small window of the tent, peering out to the chasm. Not only did the enemy arise from the ground as before, but they also stormed the land. Stampeding through the valley of Route 4. With a wish they would’ve barricaded that path, Liv called to the others. The barriers of reflective light dropped in front of them moments later.

Time passe. But Liv did not, could not, keep track of time as she watched in horror. Team Cruor gained ground. Their barrier was bombarded with beams and blasts, shots, and missiles. Rocks cracked the translucent wall of light, and spears of ice shattered through it. Down the line of tents, a new wall glimmered every few seconds.

“Allie!” Their barrier flickered in and out, losing its strength. The dome shimmered into place as a ball of spiraling blue light sped toward them. “Kneal!” The tent was lit with pale blue light for a moment. “Grab that bottle of red liquid. Run it to the camp next door.” She eyed the window. Allie’s dome dropped. Now!”

Kneal was gone and back in time; it took the smoke to reach them from another nearby explosion. The barrier before her reappeared, glowing strong and bright once more. The winds kicked up the sand once more, and waves of soldiers poured into her tent under its cover. The battle was at most four hundred yards away now. From her quick glances, she saw twisted limbs, bone-deep gashes, two third-degree burns, and Kneal trembling. “Cyrra, switch!”

Liv peeled herself away from the window and jumped to Kneal’s side. Allie was already placing the most injured gently onto beds, even those it was too late for. She slapped him. His eyes expanded and focused. “Are you here with me? I need you with me to help these people.” He nodded wildly. She made him drink a dirty green liquid and saw the calm wash over him. “Good. Now…”

“Oh. No.” Cyrra whispered from the window.

“What?”

A wild gust blew open the tent flaps. Liv fought against the spray of sandy mist and snapped it closed. The tent shook. She peeked over Cyrra’s shoulder. The sandstorm had been killed. Exposing retreating troops and reinforcements in the middle of their exchange. In the now clear sky were multiple winged Pokemon flocks: from Butterfrees to Crobats and all kinds of birds. All flapping in unison to deaden the storm with a breathtaking crosswind.

The crosswind faded, and black smoke pillowed from a few tents down. Exposed, injured soldiers returned to the fight. Too many good fighters would be lost today.

A coconut-sized mass plunked into the sand, completely bypassing the light barrier. Liv screamed to Allie, pulling Cyrra to the ground. Pain resonated through her body as they landed. The tent rattled from an explosion. She forced herself on her back. Three more explosions echoed in the distance. Light burned through her eyelids and her skin. Fresh sweat evaporated off her as quickly as it was produced. Blinking through the pain, Liv opened her eyes.

Cyrra was already back on her feet, moving to return to the small window that was no longer there. It was now a massive hole. Allie had been barely quick enough, covering only enough of the tent to protect everyone. The front left corner and half the left wall were now a smoking-tattered mess. The tent was only held in place by some hastily sprayed webbing by one of the patients.

The smell of ash tightened her throat. Smoke infected their tent. With a flash of light and a familiar screech, a small gust cleared her vision and lungs. Her eyes, still cast out the fresh hole in the tent, found that the smoke originated a few tents down. She did some quick math, with a groan, she tried to push herself up. “Our neighboring tent no longer has a Protector!” She whipped around. “Cyrra, you need to keep an eye out for them as well. Allie.” With a nod and a rejuvenating ring, he ran closer to the now-open wall.

Ruffle stood in the center of the tent next to his antsy owner. “Kneal I need you to…”

“To join the fight.” A burly shadow engulfed her. She turned once more. The Major entered through the hole.

“Excuse me? No. What of…”

“I’m sorry. I wish it was different. I don’t want this for these men either, but the full power of our air team is needed. Or else more will die.” His own Braviary shook the sand from his wings and eyed Ruffle. Respect flitted in both of their eyes as they scanned the other’s scarred body. “Trust me. I don’t want to leave my post either, but it has to happen. We’ll lose some, have lost many. But when we win, less will fall.”

Kneal moved to the Major’s side. “I’m sorry, Liv. But this is my true post. I have to… I’ll return as soon as I can.” With that, they flew off. Kneal released his other three birds as they ascended.

Liv dropped to her knees, stunned, overwhelmed, and feeling betrayed. Allie’s bell did its best to heal the room again, helping Liv return to herself. His dome flicked over the neighboring tent. He gave his look of encouragement, and she stood once more. She might not be able to perform surgery or stitches, but she could still help, even in the smallest ways.

Grabbing a red tonic, she ran it to Allie, not waiting to watch him drink it. She grabbed her numbing spray and moved from bed to bed, starting with the worst-off patients. Then she grabbed other premade berry and herb tonics and rushed them to those they’d help most. As she tried to figure out the least painful way to carry around a bowl of ointments, Cyrra called out to her.

They watched as the battlefield turned in their favor. Many of Team Cruor’s fliers had been either grounded or taken out altogether. And now, with the Army raining down attacks, they seemed to be pushing them back. They cheered as the few remaining air troops began to retreat. They pushed them passed the chasm, bottling them into the valley. Cheers from the camps echoed in the quieting battlegrounds.

It was almost over. Liv still wished she could have seen Ghytis fall, captured, or even show up to the battle. She hoped he was out in the fray somewhere, but she wouldn’t know until everything settled. For most, she needed to get her patients taken care of. They would all have to be moved due to the exposure of the tents; she could see wounds being covered in sand already. Maybe she could transfer them to Tyrese’s tent so she knew they’d get the best care. She looked at the field of bodies. Once Kneal returns, we can stabilize everyone…

“Wait,” Cyrra said, squinting. “What’s that…”

A blistering beam of white light blasted from the valley, tearing a line through the desert. “Oh m…” The blazing line chained a trail of explosions from its origin to well past the Army’s defense line.

Fear permeated her body; all sense of pain or being was wholly absent. Liv watched as a wave of Pokemon she had only ever read about stormed from the valley. Members of the Army made vain efforts to retreat as another beam of pure energy erupted into the ground around them. As mountain eaters and dragons trampled, soared, crushed, and sliced through their ranks.

“Allie!”

Another white beam swept through the row of Army tents. Allie leaped out between the medical tent and its neighbor, doming them and himself as the beam atomized everything around them. He held it through the consequential explosions. They took a breath of charred sand and smoke. Liv ran to Allie, handing him their last Leppa berry mixture. Who knows if we’ll even get a chance to use it anymore anyway…

The wave of Pokemon, almost as powerful as the legends of old, moved closer to the Army’s line. Almost ignoring the feeble attempts to stop or even damage them. Liv’s eye was drawn to one of the dragons. Riding on one of its three heads was a pale green splotch. Her heart retched as he swooped down a mere yard away, confirming it was him. And there, on the back of a diamond-winged beast, was the former gym leader of Opelucid not far behind.

Their infantry had been more than decimated. Their squadrons had been expunged from the sky. Even now, the few units that were held back, our strongest, the last line of defense, barely even stood a chance. Bouffalants, Krookodiles, and Scolipedes against Dragons. Beasts so rare and powerful there were only two trainers she had ever known to use them, Opelucid’s gym leader and the champion – who hadn’t been heard from in years. They could’ve really used her now…

Only two things could save them now. A freak blizzard, or… “Allie!” Three glimmering domes formed as another beam vaporized more of the charred sand. She only hoped that some of the other tents could hold out. But Allie was one of their best protectors, and he might only be able to handle one more blast. But Ghytis and his team had at least two more Hyper Beams, if not more before their dragons would have to rest again.

As the smoke cleared from the last blast, another swept through. Almost as if they just wanted to know which tents remained so they knew where to aim. Allie’s domes flickered and guarded them once again. “Allie. Come back!” He’s at his limit. Six was the most they’d ever done. If this was the end, she wanted to be next to him. She watched as a ball of energy formed between the axe-like protrusions of another dragon. She ran to him.

A pink hexagon shimmered before her, knocking her to the ground. Another dome shimmered around the neighboring tent. She pressed her hand against the dome and watched. Hope sparked in her heart as a dome clawed up around Allie. It flickered and faded. Still, he held the other two.

Her heart dropped. The illumination of the white beam grew closer, but all she could do was watch him. As he strained to hold the protective domes. Fist clenched. Brow furrowed.

The beam cleansed the area. The domes rumbled and faded. Leaving the tents and Liv in a cloud of black.

“Liv! We have to go.” Cyrra grasped her sides – trying to force her up.

“Where?” They were surrounded by a crater at least four feet deep. “And you want to just leave everyone else behind?” Wounded soldiers reached out, desperately trying to pull themselves out of bed. Even the two, who literally only had a leg to stand on, pulled themselves up – ready to hop out of bed. 

“I’m sorry… But this is my job…” Cyrra grabbed the ball at her hip. The almost four-hundred-pound dog appeared from thin air. Another of the dragon’s mouths began to glow. So he died for nothing. Just for me to feel this. Just before going on myself. Limp, her limbs dragged below her as she was snatched up by Arcie and placed on his back. Cyrra yelled something, and Liv jostled as he leaped from the barely standing tent.

A purple haze permeated the air. Followed by a sudden darkness. A shiver crawled up through Liv’s numb spine. A laugh echoed from all around them.

The charging dragon dropped its head – aimed and ready. A shadow within the creepy darkness leaped up, forming a dirty, stitched-together teddy bear. It came up with the speed of a blink, snapping the dragon’s mouth closed. The held energy released – causing an explosion rather than a beam. The concussion knocked many of the nearby fliers out of rhythm – some even falling to the ground due to eviscerated wings. The mangled teddy was gonna just as quickly as it came. Leaving a crater where one of the most powerful of the enemy’s ranks once stood.

The growing battlefield made Liv long for Allie. If only we could have fought. But what difference would it have made? She counted at least seven of the beasts just within her field of view. Seven dragons grew in size. Arcie wasn’t fleeing the battle; he was running towards it – at extreme speed.

“Cyrra?”

“It might be my job to protect you. But that doesn’t mean I can’t protect others while I do it.” 

The purple winds chased after them, darkening the desert noon noon-high sun. A chill ran over her. She shook it off and finally saw Arcie’s target, and it gathered all her attention. This was the only thing she wouldn’t want to miss in the war, especially not due to some ominous mist. The laugh echoed around her once more as multiple glowing blue orbs materialized around them. One turned and laughed with a distorted face within the flames before rushing off in front of them. Each entered one of the dragons seemingly harmlessly. But within two pads of Arcie’s feet, Liv saw signs of second, even third-degree burns originating from their entry points. Four shadowy hands formed as two glowing red eyes opened in the purple mist behind them. Arcie leapt.

They were moving too fast for Liv to notice them being airborne, but she felt the impact. Crashing into the three-headed dragon sent a flurry of maroon and black feathers flying. Plummeting to the ground, Arcie and the Hydreigon were a tangle of bites. One of the extra heads cracked Liv’s ankle. Streams of sand and ash sprayed out as they crashed into the ground. Liv was launched from Arcie’s back and skipped across the sweltering sands. Plumes of plum lights flashed in another barrage from the dark mists.

Her whole body was a bruise; Liv managed to lift her head and spit out what sand she could from her mouth. She watched as the mangled teddy bear hopped from shadow to shadow at an astonishing rate – fooling attack after attack. She watched as Arcie, with arcing fangs, chomped into the powerful beast – as it returned each blow with crunching force. As an animate chandler with gold, beady eyes moved from one enemy to the next cast a torrent of fire over them, not burning them, yet still leaving lifeless bodies in its wake. But even through all that, something caught her eye.

Her body screamed in pain. Pushing, pushing, she threw herself on her feet. Her right foot twisted in agony. The world narrowed, a personal ominous tunnel of black. She hastened toward the end of that tunnel.

Each hop, limp, or stumble – whatever she could manage – pained her. But she pushed faster than she would’ve thought, for she was on her target before they realized someone had noticed them trying to escape. Her ankle cracked at a different angle. Unwilling to give in, she flung herself, grabbing a handful of pale green hair. Pulling it and him to the ground with her.

She held through his punches and screams. When he got leverage and tried to stand, she grabbed him with her right arm. The pain was nowhere near as important as this. She held as sand sprayed over her as his Scrafty landed inches from her. As the Scrafty kicked her, she held. As the tunnel tightened, the world plunged into black.

She held; fist clenched…

*****

A weight of five Snorlaxes laid across her whole body. But what she noticed most was the soft fur that her hand rested on. Peeling her eyes open, the light of the world bloomed like Allie using flash. With excitement in her heart, she scanned the room, looking toward her hand. But she did not find her partner. Instead, Arcie laid beside her – head rested under her hand. His was wrapped in bandages from neck to haunches, but he stared at her with puppy-like eyes. “Of course. I’m by your side for four days straight. But Vileplume breath over here is at your side for four minutes, and you wake up.”

Laughing despite the pain, Liv looked over to Cyrra. “I think it was because of his breath. Better than any Smelling Salts I’ve ever used.” Arcie let out a low whimper. “Oh, I just kid buddy. I’m sorry.” She scratched his head with her four free fingers.

She was bound almost, if not worse, as he was. With a cast from knuckle to shoulder, from metatarsal to femur, and bandages on everything in between. She could tell at least two ribs were cracked, and her face ached with at least one black eye. She took a pained breath, “Four days, hu? And I guess since we’re both here…”

“We won. Woo.” She gave a little cheer – with no heart.

Liv couldn’t bring herself to ask; she knew better. She saw what happened after all. “Kneal?”

“Just a few rooms down. Lookin better than you for once.” They chuckled. “Oh!” She limped over to a table in the small hospital room, and for the first time, Liv saw she was covered in cuts and bruises as well. The TV hanging over head flicked on.

“…Off the streets.” Two news anchors shared a laugh. “But in other news, the trial of former gym and gang leader Ghytis is still under way. Though there is no question for the verdict. Him and his Team Cruor will definitely be…”

The sound cut off. “Sorry. Don’t want to hear their terrible puns.” She turned to face Liv. “We did it. You did it. If you hadn’t sacrificed yourself and held him long enough for me to get over there. He would have gotten away. Just to do this all again.” Liv flashed a hollow smile. “I know things didn’t go like we’d want… But at least we won.” Even though she questioned what she was saying, Liv appreciated the effort.

*****

It was a long road to recovery. After being discharged from Castelia Medical three months after the war, she moved back in with her parents to help with getting to her physical therapy. But as her tears flowed almost every night, she knew, mainly, it was because she couldn’t handle being alone.

Six months after the war, now with only a crutch, she walked into the therapy center for one of her last sections. Kneal held the door open for her. When her parents weren’t available, he, Cyrra, and Tyrese each took turns helping her to and from her appointments. It’s almost like having him still…

Twin soldiers stood outside her designated door. Kneal excused himself. She entered alone. The Major and the General stood watching out the large bay window; her doctor was nowhere in sight. “Sorry, I must have the wrong room, " she said, placing her crutch beside her chair as she sat.

“It’s time.” The General said, turning to her. His cigar protruding from his mouth – unlit. “We are calling on your services again. As agreed.”

“I’m sorry. But, physically, I cannot join another war. And emotional…” A lump formed in her throat. She grabbed her looped hair, now dyed the same shade as Allie.

“No war. Just another service. As you know we have lost over half of our already thinly populated nursing field.” She nodded. “We have a program, one already implemented into the police force. Unfortunately, not soon enough to help with the war…” He pulled the cigar from his mouth and waved off the thought.

“A program? Like a school? Isn’t the problem not the education but the fact no one wants to train to be a nurse? I don’t think forcing people into the field is a good idea.”

“We wouldn’t be forcing them. They will want to be there as much as you do.” The Major said as the General struggled to not light his cigar, choosing to trim it instead. “I want you to keep in mind, this will happen either way. We just hope you’re willing to help us.”

“I… Professor Shale is a much better teacher, if that’s what you’re getting at?” Her loop flared out, and she rolled it into a bun again.

“Shale is an old quack. Plus, you are the best fit for this.” He placed the cigar in his mouth again. “This program will guarantee a steady flow of nurses throughout time. In just a few years we will be able to replace those we lost. In six years, we will have enough to have a nurse in every town and city. In ten, every town/city in every region.”

“Sounds like a… miracle. Impossible even.”

“Miracle of science, yes. Impossible, no.” The General smiled. “I don’t say this lightly. You are one of the best Pokemon nurses we’ve had since I can remember. You have one of the best survival and fastest recovery records in all Centers, all of history. Now imagine, you at every Center across the globe.”

“I find that very impractical.” The General face scrunched. “I’ve worked some long shifts in my days, sir. But that’s just not possible. Unless you are suggesting I split myself in to more of me. Or what, use Dittos to clone me? They wouldn’t have my knowledge.”

The Major stared at the General, who was grinning, “Not without your help.”

She cocked a brow, “You want me to train Dittos to be nurses?”

“No!” He waved the cigar in the air. “Much more than Dittos. You, yourself. Trained by you, raised by you.”

Her mouth hung open for a moment. “Clones?”

He nodded, “Like I said we have a program like this already in motion. Maybe you noticed some similar looking officers around different towns? Cloned from an Office Jenny over in Kanto.”

“I’ve seen both her and her clones in action.” Dotal spoke up, “They are highly skilled and tactical – nothing lost between them. But Office Jenny herself helped us to make sure that happened. She trains them personally.”

Liv wanted to laugh, but they were just too serious. This would be one odd joke from men like them. Many questions later and even a few meetings with some Jennys, Liv was still skeptical but agreed, “With one condition.” She fondled her loop, and the deal with struck.

*****

A dirt road gave way to a clearing with a single building. Cyrra pulled up beside it, “You sure you’re ready for this?”

With a flutter in her heart, she nodded as she read the sign over the building entrance. “It’s going to be odd to have a family now… after everything.”

“You’ll be a great mom.” Cyrra shoved her slightly as she stepped out of the police car. “And hey, I still expect that dinner.”

Liv cast an angry glare back at her, “We’ve gone out for dinner at least once a month for years now.”

Cyrra smiled, “Im just saying, I expect us to continue.” Liv shook her head.

“Will Kneal be joining us?”

“I don’t think so; his kid has a school event for… something.”

“Alright.” She winked, “I’ll let you pick me up. See you in a few hours?”

“Oh, thank you for that optional privilege.” They both chuckled, and Cyrra drove off. And Liv entered Olivia Joy’s School of Nursing for the first time. Ten girls, looking close to the age of six, spun to watch her enter; their pink hair glimmered in the sunlight of the open door. It tugged at her heart but brought a smile to her face. “Hello, girls.” They echoed a hello back. “First lesson.” She matched to the front of the room. “How to make a perfect loop with your hair.” The class giggled, and Liv beamed. “Would you like to know about who taught me how to do this?”