Chapter 3 - Escape!

Man I have got to have the worst luck stat. Reborn with no clue or goal on what I'm meant to be doing, no allies, had to fight soon after and now I'm captured. At least I have my health haha…this sucks. Argh, I can see why writers don't write about the travel scenes in books and movies because I'm bored out of my mind. We have been traveling all day, we aren't even allowed to talk with each other. Wherever we try to, we get interrupted. Really makes getting to know someone harder.

The captures only stopped once for a quick snack and toilet break. We did get an apple and some water at least. Also found out why they muzzled Sneasel, she had some rather…'choice' words to say towards our captors. The types of words that would make an overly Christian mother faint at the mere mention of them.

After a while we seem to have reached our destination, the wagon has come to a halt and the captors bark some orders to each other, then start to make camp. We stopped in a less dense forest at a run down looking campsite. Like the one Kangaskhan and I were at, just more aged. Strange though is I think we just went through a Mystery Dungeon like in the games. The captors described the woods as the 'Ever Change woods'. They are woods that would change their layouts throughout the day. I have no clue how that works. Do the trees come together for a meeting then agree to a layout or do they just get up and walk off to another spot?

As we travelled our captors did get lost a couple of times, so I'm guessing mapping the area is off the table. They also had to fight off some roaming wild Pokémon like a Heracross and a Beedrill. Poor things didn't stand a chance against Machoke's Vital throws.

While they were setting up all their tents and equipment, I wasn't just sitting there not doing anything. I was looking for my tool to aid our escape. I have an escape plan built up, I just need the means to break out of this cage. My plan is to open the cage dead at night and sneak off to the Ever Change Woods. If we make it there we would have a good chance to lose our pursers as the place is randomized. Like searching for a needle in a haystack that keeps changing locations. Sure we might have to fight some Randoms, but I would rather fight them then end up wherever our current destination is.

I continued searching their camp. Come on there must be one, every basic set up should have at least one. I get a good look at the layout of the camp whilst I am searching for my prize. The Waggon we are in is in the smack middle of the camp with everything else spread out around it. There are some sleeping bags, boxes and crates with some food and other things. A tent was set up for the boss Machoke must be nice being king. There is also a wall of dense trees with a mountain range to our left and right, like someone cut through the mountain to make a path through. We would have to either keep pushing to where we are going to make a retreat as we won't be able to climb a sheer cliff. Ariados made her bed to a tree Hanging down a branch all bat-like.

This layout would be easy enough to deal with if it wasn't for the Tauros who has decided to make his bead next to the wagon. Glad he didn't decide to sleep at the entrance. There I found it, the tool to aid in our escape. A knife. Yes this will do much better then the key, after all its always on Machoke person, making it more tightly guarded. If I get that knife, I can give it to the Mankey who can cut the Sneasel's claws loose. I'm just really hoping she can cut open the bars.

I overheard them discussing their sleeping shifts. One person is to be on watch at all times, they must patrol the area regularly, keep an eye on the captures and DON'T fall asleep. They all looked at Nuzleaf when that was said.

Night hits as everyone has gone to sleep besides for the patrolling guard, Sneasel and i. Sneasel has not stopped watching me, I think she knows I'm up to something.

After 2 Captors had rotated their sleeping shifts Nuzleaf was woken to take watch. I was waiting for him, he out of everyone here would have the hardest time seeing in the dark, plus I'm hoping that he does the classic fall asleep during shift scene in the movies. Even though he was idiotic the entire trip up I don't believe it would be that convenient.

He does a full round of the camp, keeping a lookout for intruders, moves to one of the tables, sets up tables, and starts fiddling with the knife. Great, now I have to wait for him to leave.

I've almost fallen asleep a couple of times, watching him is so boring. Wait, is he moving? No way…he's fallen asleep. I can't believe he actually did that, well no point wasting this golden opportunity. Carefully I extend my vine from my back plant, it takes more effort since it's tighter than normal, the webbing is loose but still got a slight grip making moving more annoying than it should be.

I gave the Sneasel a wide smile with my vine now in the air waving at her. Her eyes In return were trying to leave her sockets with surprise. Ok time to focus, I look towards my target and make due towards the knife. I slither my vine to the ground like a snake, I know Nuzleaf is asleep but if others wake up for a toilet trip it would look awkward if they see a floating vine coming from a prisoner. I have to raise it slightly unfortunately over Torus , it should be unnoticeable, hopefully. My vine reaches the table and starts to climb up a leg, it slips a couple of times before I'm able to grasp the concept but I manage to get it up. Heh get it up, argh no focus.

Unfortunately the Nuzleaf had fallen asleep on the knife while, what looks like timber carvings. No clue how he did too far to see. My vine makes it to the top, peeking over. It slithers over to its prey moving some loose objects out of its way, stopping at the knife held by Nuzleaf. Now comes the hard part, not waking up Nuzleaf. Very carefully I raise the tip enough to land on the knife's blade. Putting pressure down, I attempt to slide the knife away from Nuzleaf. I do this multiple times, slowly moving the knife inch by inch away.

This is hard, I have to keep up so much focus making sure my vine doesn't slip at any point. Unfortunately when I attempted to move the knife the vine slips knocking some of the little nick knacks over, making a small but noticeable cluttering noise. her making a small but noticeable

'Snore' Nuzleaf raises his head slightly "uh wa?" 'Snooooooore' as his head has returned to his sleeping position. I Swear my heart almost jumped out of my mouth then. I glanced over the Sneasel and she looked like she was about to explode from the pressure.

Returning to the task at hand I placed the vine on the blade again, luckily for me when the Nuzleaf moved, his grip weakened on the knife to the point where he had a finger only on it. Freeing the blade I wrap my tentacle around it, raising it up slightly on the table. I breathe out all the held breath I've had. Ok now to retract the vine, then to wake up Mankey. I can hear the Sneasel doing something to my right but I ignore her, I have to concentrate.

I retrace the path the vine took, returning it into my back like slurping noodles only without the slurping noise. Almost back now, just got to raise it now so it doesn't graze Tauros. There was only a small enough gap between the vine to the floor between the Tauros, so I had to focus on the blade's positioning.

"Huh wa what is it?" I hear to my right where Sneasel was. This sudden shock almost made me lose my grip on the knife. I manage to regrip the knife better, once I do I turn to look at the Sneasel who had her foot to the Mankey's mouth shutting him out. He looked surprised and a bit angry but when he looked over, seeing me with my project he calmed down.

Returning to my task at hand I bring the knife through the gating. I release all the pent up tension with one breath. My vine was shaking, I was so nervous. I move the knife over to Mankey. He grabbed it with a confused look, and I pointed to Sneasel's hands. Understanding, I think anyway, he begins to cut loose the Sneasel.

In a dead quiet whisper I begin to awaken the others. "Hey wake up Zigzagoon, we are getting out of here."

What? Poomf" I shove my vine to his mouth cutting him off making a Shh noise at the same time.

"We are gonna escape, I need you to be quiet now, ok?" He nodded so I removed the vine from his mouth. I did this to the other 2 one after the other. Wynaut almost screamed in joy when I said we were gonna escape, luckily I was quick to shut her up before she woke everyone. The Poliwag was able to catch himself before though. So I didn't have to gag him.

After some trouble the Mankey freed the Sneasel enough that her claws were able to help finish the job. She cut her mouth free, moving it around. Unfortunately the knife was a mess in webbings making it useless now.

With the Sneasel enjoying her freed claw I point her to the gate. "Can you cut the lock of the door or something? This needs to be quiet."

She rolls her eyes, walks over to the lock, picks it almost instantly with no noise too. Impressive. She opened the door with a slight 'screeeee' noise. Once open enough Sneasel jumped down with a ninja's grace making no noise whatsoever. Next was the Mankey, he wasn't as quiet though. He almost fell over, luckily Sneasel caught him. For the others I grabbed them with my vine and lowered them down to Mankey. So far so good, now for me. I move over Mankey is just tall enough to grab me, he almost fell over though. I'm not that fat I tell you!

"Now what?" Zigzagoon asked.

"We retreat back through to the Entrance of the forest, if we can get in there we should be able to lose them completely. Sneasel, can you lead us safely through the camp?" I replied

"Only because if you lot wake them up, I will have a harder time getting away." Sneasel agreed, crossing her arms in the meantime.

She leads us, all single file like through the camp. With ninja grace we are able to avoid waking anyone up. We are miraculously deathly quiet. No one wanted to wake the captures up after all. We made a beeline straight for the Ever Change Woods.

This is going much smoother than I thought it would be. I half expected someone to knock into something waking someone. We got a good distance away approaching the woods, we hurried our paces up. I began to hear loud distant shouts from the camp.

"Better speed this up" I say. We began to sprint now, we have to lag behind a bit to keep up with Wynaut. I could see the Entrance to the woods approaching, I can tell this by the approaching sign with writing only a child could be proud of. So all we need to do is run through the forest, avoid all the wild Pokémon and find our way out. I'm just hoping there is a Guild and if there is one with patrolling teams. I doubt we would run into any if there were especially at night, but you can't help a Bulbausr for wishing. We continued to move as a group, running to the Entrance.

We got closer before Wynaut fell over. I turned back to her "Are you ok?" I asked.

"Owwiee my leg hurts, i don't think i can walk." She sniffled, sounding like she's about to cry.

"We can't stop, leave her" The Sneasel coldly said.

"Nooo please don't leave me!" She wailed to us.

"What? We can't leave her behind, we have to help her." Poliwag said, pleading to me.

"Of course we won't leave her behind. Mankey, can you carry her?" I asked Mankey

"Yep yep, coming." He hopped over.

I helped Wynaut onto the Mankeys back as he supported her with his arms behind his back.

"Argh ok, ok are we done yet? Let's get moving before someone shows up.'' She begins to run off before she is intercepted by a rolling ball, knocking her over. The ball cuts off the entrance to the woods, turning into a Nuzleaf in a fighting position.

"Found you! Thought ya could pull a fast one over Nuzleaf here did ya? Well think again!" He said with a thumb pointed to his chest.

In a hushed tone I whispered to the team. "I'll distract him alone, when i say run to the forest, I'll join you shortly after."

"Fat chance, I'm gonna smack his stupid face." The Sneasel basically growling, staring daggers at the Nuzleaf.

"I can fight too," Zigzagoon offered.

"No you help Mankey, he will need your help if there is trouble in the woods. I will join you as soon as I can." Mankey will need help after all with his hands in use.

"Ok don't take too long you hear." Zigzagoon gave me the equivalent of a fist bump.

"What, what are you saying? Speak up! Argh enough waiting and more fighting!" Nuzleaf said

Rude much, he began again to perform a rollout, this time aiming for the Mankey. I step in front brandishing my vines and really put my back into it smacking into him changing his course to wizz right past us. "Go!" I scream to the others. They do as I say and make haste for the path again.

"Oh no you don't!" He goes for another rollout

"You're mine!" Sneasel announced, when did she sneak off?

He dodges the scratch from Sneasel juking past her, making a bee line for the others currently running away. Not having it I rushed my vine out towards him at an insane speed, wrapping around his leg, tripping him over face planting to the ground. With great strength i didn't know i had to toss him back away from the others towards Sneasel's direction. When the Nuzleaf lands the Sneasel immediately takes advantage of the situation. She readied her claws, sending waves of scratches to Nuzleaf. I kinda felt bad for him, he was starting to get cut up after all.

"If you think I'll go down that easily!" he screams "Think again!" Nuzleaf started to glow a faint silver shimmer over and over before the Scratching bombardment stopped piercing him. Only light grazing's now. Oh crap that was harden, this is gonna be a long fight. With his new hardened body he catches one of Sneasel's claws, bending it so she can't retract it away. She attempts to free it by sending in her other claw but it too was caught in the same manner.

"Hehe, got you." The Nuzleaf with murder in his eyes said. Nuzleaf's hands began to glow green. The green travelled from his hands to Sneasel's hands. After a second, small green bubbles formed on the Sneasel flowing down her arms and into Nuzleaf. It's almost like he's absorbing the bubbles… oh crap Absorb, he's a grass type of course he's got a move like that. I Sprint in to stop this, I'm not having the boss heal on my watch.

Sneasel grunting from the pain, is unable to escape Nuzleaf's grasp. So I decided to break the moment by tackling them both. I knock over both, effectively freeing Sneasel from that sucky situation.

"Are you ok?" I asked Sneasel.

"Yeah I'll live." She replied with huffing breath. That attack took a bit out of her. I look over to Nuzleaf who he has gotten back up, luckily he hasn't fully healed from that. Still leaking red liquids here and there.

"Here I come!" Nuzleaf shouted. Curled up into a ball he charges back towards us, we dodge but he quickly turns around. He continues to charge with each passing second getting more speed. I try Vine whipping him out of it but I can't react in time. Boy be fast.

Nuzleaf connects to us a couple of times, from grazing to straight up bowling us over. Over and over he charges at us, with his hardening we can't really hurt him. Plus since i cant hit him with my vines, we can't do damage to him. Also how isn't he dizzy?

"We have to do something!" Sneasel said "we aren't going to last too much longer like this." She's right, we have taken quite a beating now and I'm getting tired. Thinking is quite difficult at the moment, I have to focus on dodging. Man, I wish this body was more nimble.

"Yeah, being squished like a pancake doesn't sound all that fun. Sneasel, what moves do you know?" I ask, dodging a Nuzleaf's charge.

"You ask that now?" she said, dodging the rolling ball. "I know 3 moves: scratch, Taunt and quick attack." She launched a quick attack towards Nuzleaf, but with hardened still active all it did was move his direction slightly.

"Sneasel, come here. I think I got something." One order of half baked plan? Coming up!

"You got a plan?" I nod in response. We meet up again and I'm able to tell her bits of my plan.

"Sneasel I need you to Taunt him. If it works I also need you to not move at all understand? stand perfectly." It's hard to focus on talking when you have a bowling ball of pain charging at you.

"That's your plan?"

"I don't see you making a plan, Just do it." She didn't reply, staring at the Nuzleaf.

"Ah fine." She takes a deep breath. Eyes slightly glowing. "Hey Nuzleaf what is it like being the most useless in the group? I mean you cant even defeat a us in a fight, talk about pitiful.'' Now these words were not meaningless, there was a purpose. This was the move taunt.

"You what! I'll show you who's weakest!" he screamed curling back into a ball, charging directly at Sneasel.

"He's getting close." Sneasel said, doing as I asked of her, just stood her ground, reading herself. "Whatever you got planned, you better do it soon." I just stood there waiting. "Bulbasaur…Ace!" Before Nuzleaf could collide with Sneasel I jumped forward, meeting Nuzleaf head on. With the Nuzleaf now out of his ball form I initiate part 2 of my plan. I wrap Nuzleaf in my vines completely, making sure he can't escape. Oh yeah there's the head throbbing pain.

"Hey look, pretty stars." I say out loud, my head is spinning, I swear I can actually see twinkling golden stars floating around my head.

"Well that was one of the dumbest things I've seen. But since you have our friend here all tied up for me." Sneasel chuckled as she launched another set of scratches to the now bound and struggling Nuzleaf. Scratch after scratch is landed effectively wearing out his armor. He really is struggling though, it's taking all my effort just to keep him wrapped still, plus this splitting headache isn't helping.

"Ah! ouch, stop it. stop it! STOP IT!'' Nuzleaf screamed. His head leaf started to glow, with a wave motion he swung it towards the vine shooting of a green arc of razor leaf, cutting it in 2 freeing himself. As Nuzleaf was unwarping himself from the remaining vines still on him Sneasel glowed slightly, instantly smacking into Nuzleaf sending him scuttling across the floor.

Good news, I don't feel pain when the vine is cut. Instead I can kinda feel my back plant's anguish. As if angered by the audacity of cutting a splendid vine, my plant started to glow, filling me up with what I presumed to be stored up energy. I can't think of another explanation at this time. Strangely though with this new found energy I feel like I have better control over my vine, like a channel opened up allowing more flexibility and power to my vines. What is this? Energy, better plant manipulation, kinda like a buff. Growth maybe? Who cares time to whoop some Nuzleaf.

I look over to where Sneasel is. She is attacking Nuzleaf trying to slash at him, with an occasional quick attack, occasionally dodging his counter attacks. He tries to go into his rollout attack again, but I launch my vine out to him, much faster and with more power than before. It connects to his shoulder leaving a nice new mark for him to enjoy. In retaliation to this he sends a Razor leaf to me, I'm able to dodge the 1st one but the 2nd connects.

After taking in the pain I opened my eyes to see the Nuzleaf rolling towards me full speed. I ready myself, there's no way I have enough time to dodge it. As Nuzleaf approached something crashes into him at a blinding speed effectively launching him away. Sneasel is on the ground now where the Nuzleaf was, she doesn't seem to be in good shape though. She is not down for the count but she's taking a while to get back up.

Seeing her sent a wave of determination to me, if she's willing to take a bullet for me, then I'm gonna end this now. I run over to where Nuzleaf is stumbling while getting back up. I rocket my vine out towards him, wrapping around his midsection. With all my remaining energy from growth I shoot my vine straight up into the sky. Once he got to the max distance my vine allowed, I reeled it back full speed. Nuzleaf Smashes into the ground leaving a cloud of dust lingering around him.

"You are grounded, mister." heh one liners, love them.

"That was awful. Don't think he will get back up from that." Sneasel said, limping over to me.

"I hope not, welp no point standing around." We began running before I heard something calling behind me. Don't know what it is nor do I care. I'm out, peace. I try to run as fast as I can, but I'm sore and tired, making it extremely difficult. I don't think Sneasel is faring much better as I'm able to keep up with her. As we are running, small chunks of something rain over us, spelunking onto the ground. Those look like…oh crap it is spider web, ball form.

"Oh crap its webs! Don't get hit!" I said out loud to Sneasel. We kept running as they kept raining down upon us. As we are running one such blob smacks Sneasel in the back of her foot, trapping it making her fall over. I turn back over to see her frantically trying to cut her way out, with little luck. I contemplate leaving her for a second. I mean she did want to abandon Wynaut.

"Ah, I'm stuck! Please, please help me" She frantically said. Something inside my mind, deep inside surfaces. A very old memory, from someone I respected very much 'Help those in need Ace, for one day they might help another. Spreading goodwill all around, making the world a better place.' Ok grandpa I will.

Making my mind up, I turn around and make my way over to Sneasel. I pull my only vine out wrapping it around her midsection. Once I got a good grip I began to pull. She's quite stuck to the floor alright. After a couple of seconds pulling I can feel her slowly freeing from the floor.

"Hurry it's almost here" Sneasel said practically panicking

Looking up, Ariados is indeed fast on the approach. She would get here in a couple of seconds. With renewed vigour I put my all into this pull, face probably full red with how hard i was pulling. With a 'Plop' noise Sneasel is freed from her sticky situation. Unfortunately, since she is no longer stuck she was launched, crashing into me tangling us up on the floor. I begin to untangle us from my vines that have wrapped us.

As I start to get back up from that tangling I feel something wrap around me, stabbing into me. It feels like claws .

"No no NOOOO! I can't go back to that awful place!" Sneasel wailed. With her claws digging into me, threw me back towards Ariados, who was right on top of us. I collide with Ariadose's, stopping her assault. Smacking to the ground with even more pain building up. I opened my eyes, and began to get back up with extreme effort. I feel like I have run a marathon after a sugar rush. I walk away, trying to get into a jog before I'm bombarded with spider webs. One after the other I'm hit, slowing me down to a crawl, before I can no longer move. A couple more are shot at me before they finally stop. Talk about over kill.

I'm now just stuck on the floor not being able to move, even in the slightest. I can't even free my vine, it is blocked. I watched Ariados try to make chase but gave up when Sneasel reached the forest. She returned, walking past me where I can no longer see her. I got a nice good view at Sneasel running away though, running away to freedom. Freedom that was only possible because I was here, because I came back for her. A buzzing noise has begun to form as my thoughts fill with notions of betrayal. I CAME BACK FOR HER AND SHE BETRAYED ME. My mind swirling with thoughts like, continued, amplifying. This world is just like my old one, nothings changed. people will still betray you if it means saving their own skin. The buzzing noise has increased in intensity.

I can't hear anything, nor process anything at the moment, just my thoughts and this buzzing noise that just won't leave. I'm awakened from my trance by being dropped to the ground. When was I picked up? When did we get back to the camp? I look around to see Machoke approaching. Once standing over me he looks down to me.

"Where are the others?" Machoke asked in a very one note, cold voice.

"Ah ah we…I lost them" Nuzleaf said looking down, rubbing his arm.

"And how did they escape? There should've been someone awake, watching over the camp. Am I correct"

"…y yes, I was on guard, but…but.."

"But what?"

"…But I fell asleep…"

Machoke walks over to him, putting his hand on his shoulder. "Oh don't worry we all make mistakes."

Nuzleaf looks up to Machoke with a look of relief and confusion before…SMACK! "And that's why we punish those who make them, to prevent future occurrences." Machoke smacked Sneasel in the stomach so hard making Sneasel throw up his dinner. He is on the ground coughing and gasping for air.

"You," he says looking at me now "I'm going to make your life a living misery when we arrive tomorrow. So rest tonight, you are going to be needing it." he reels his hand back into a fist and delivers a punch, putting me to sleep.

I'm outside, in a forest. No not a forest, there are trees just nowhere near enough for a forest. There are mounds lined up next to each other with grey slabs lined up at the ends of them. The atmosphere almost feels grey, dead even. Oh, it's a graveyard, one that goes on for as far as the eye can see. I hear noises behind me crying, and murmurs. I turn to look to see 5 by 8 rows of chairs, a carpet rolled out in between separating the rows in half. In the chairs are people of various sizes and clothes murmuring to each other. What really stands out is a coffin at the end of the carpet, with a blurred out portrait. Whose face is that?

I move towards the coffin making the murmuring stop all at once. They all turn to look at me with blanked faces. I should feel creeped out, but I don't feel anything. I look forward to the coffin. There is a crying woman to the left she's sobbing into her hands on the floor. I approach the coffin and stop, looking at the woman and the portrait trying to figure out who they are. The coffin door opens revealing what lies inside.

I approach the coffin, peering over to see what is inside. It's a young boy, a familiar boy, a dead boy. I study his face, it's blurry like the portrait but the more I stare the clearer it becomes. Something overcomes me and I just speak to the boy. "I'm so sorry if I didn't make us go there you wouldn't have died. It's all my fault. Please don't leave me, you are my only friend." His face has formed showing that it is indeed, my only friend.

The sobbing stops, but I don't care, I just keep looking at his face. Something pulls me out of my deep thought, a slow breathing over my left shoulder. I slowly turn my head. To see the crying woman, with hollowed out eyes and her mouth unnaturally wide open hovering over my shoulder.

"Your Fault!"

I jerked my eyes open, breathing heavily and painfully through my nose, not able to do so with my mouth. I'm sweating but I can't move. I'm just stuck in place as I try to calm down from that nightmare. I thought I was done with that dream.

After a while I'm finally able to calm down. Ok, let's think, what happened. Oh yeah I was knocked out by a punch to the face, no wonder my nose is hurting so badly. What else happened, we escaped from our cage, fought Nuzleaf…betrayed by Sneasel, leading to my capture. I look at my surroundings, I'm in the wagon but stuck to the floor of it with no way of moving. It really sucks as I can't breathe through my mouth so I have to use my noise only which is hurting from the punch.

We are still traveling to wherever we are going. I'm really taking in the sights and making memories with my fellow travellers. Nah I've just been stewing here in my mind pot of boiling hatred. We arrived at a rather large clearing expanding a few meters across, both vertical and horizontal. Seems they are digging for something. I can't get a good view of the digging site from this angle so I just lay there, thinking about how crappy this whole situation is.

"Here we are," Machoke said, tapping the cage after we came to a stop at the entrance of the dig site. "Home sweet home, you are going to be here for a loooong time and I really can't wait to 'break' you in." With extra emphasis on the 'break' you part.

Fun. Cant f***ing wait.

End chapter 3