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Cactus Fields General Task 1 A (Cobalt Blue Moon)

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Roaming in the Desert
Part 1: A New Leaf
From Nanuq's Journal
I thought Ace might have been hiding something, and just when I got rid of that idea, he came out with it.

He's looking for his brother, Spade. Apparently he ran away from home one day and never came back. Ace doesn't dislike his father after all -- in fact they're on good terms.
I'm surprised that he's been keeping that a secret all this time. I can't be mad at him, though. After all, he told me the truth in the end; that's infinitely preferable to a scenario where I find out about it on my own.

In all the drama, though, we missed out on the expedition to find a path through Basalt Halls. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Apparently, Ace would have preferred we'd gone with the Explorers back when we first arrived here. Doesn't matter now, I guess. He's satisfied we're here now, and so am I.


A later entry, undated:
Things are ramping up. There's a much bigger expedition getting underway shortly. We have a path through the Basalt Halls now, and it goes straight to the Geoda Desert. Can't say I'm thrilled to be in a desert, but Ace wants to check it out. I'm sure he'll do everything he can to keep me safe; after all, I plan to give him the same courtesy.


Haven't had a chance to write about the whole trip. I think I saw a team Ace and I helped out a while back -- not sure of the name, something to do with wind? But if it was them, then the Cubone was the same one that treated Ace's arm the day Atlas came to life (Not sure I mentioned it yet, but we're calling the Guardian Statue "Atlas" now.) Hopefully we'll end up helping each other out at some point.

Stepping out of that cave and into the desert… There was a draft bringing some of the warm, sun-baked air inside. It wasn't that warm, though, and definitely not enough to prepare me for how hot it actually was outside. It's… incredible. I'm just glad I'm not actually made out of ice!

Anyway, the desert's surprisingly chilly when the sun's down, and that's a good thing, too. It's a nice reprieve from when the sun was bearing down us, that's for sure. It's still really dry, though.

The locals are nice, offering to guide us to Geoda City in two days' time. Until then, we're camping out in Cactus Fields -- and supposing deserts have fields of anything -- cactuses , in this case -- this is pretty much what it would look like.

Somehow someone got the idea to have a cookout, tomorrow night after sundown. A lot of Pokémon are helping to set it up; for everyone else, it's practically business as


"Cact-tie."

Nanuq stopped writing and looked behind him. Somehow he'd failed to notice that a Ryhorn had been peering over his shoulder. "I'm sorry?"

He  stared right at him. "Cacti," he repeated. "The word for more than one cactus is 'cacti,' kid."

He stuck his pen in between the pages and closed the journal. "I didn't know that," he said. "I've never seen any before."

The Rhyhorn did something closely resembling a shrug. "Just tryin' to be helpful, y'kn-"
"Hey," said Nanuq, "it's fine. Now I won't look stupid every time I say 'cactuses' instead of 'cacti.' I really appreciate it."

He smiled. A moment later, the Rhyhorn lumbered off with a humbly satisfied look on his face. Nanuq opened his journal up and returned to the nearly finished final sentence.

"Business as usual," he said to himself as he wrote the last word. He closed it once again, but this time placed it inside his and Ace's tent.

The Zangoose was there by the entrance. "So, what's the plan today?"

"Well," said Nanuq, "Flint said he could use some help building traps. I figure after we help build some, you and your nimble claws can help deploy some of those."

"That does sound like a plan," said Ace. Then, pointing off to the left slightly, "I think I saw Flint over that way."

"Great."


"Any questions? …Then that should about cover it," Flint the Sandshrew concluded. "If anyone else comes along that wants to help out with these traps, kindly show them how it's done."

The ensemble of volunteers nodded.

They got to work. Nanuq and Ace made sure to look closely at a referential illustration of the finished product before they began.

Behind them, the sun crept slowly downward, towards the horizon.


---



Journal of Klitch, First Entry
We attack at sundown. I don't know why. They just showed up, and I'm not sure what they did to insult us so soon. But the bosses and all of their big bosses say we should, so I guess I'll take part in it all. I can imagine them asking me, "Don't you want a place to stay? You'd rather fit in here than with anyone else, wouldn't you?" So I'll say it now: of course I do, and of course I would. No other place would take me.

You wouldn't know that, though, nor why. Well, keep your questions to yourself and maybe I'll tell you, someday. MAYBE. I wouldn't guarantee it, though.

What I will tell you is how our little raid goes -- after it happens obviously. I can't write about something that hasn't happened yet, afte


"THAT'S NOT YOURS!!"

Merv the Krokorok held the journal just out of arms reach of the Croagunk, waving it mockingly. "But is it yours?" he asked. "'Cause it sure looks like the jeweled book I pilfered from one of those travelling Keckleon a while back."

"I was a part of that raid."

"So? I found it; finders keepers, little Froakie."

Klitch stared up at him, fighting every impulse he had to correct the insult; he knew that would just make things worse.

"The rule -- your rule, boss," said Klitch, "is we keep what we find. That journal is mine because I already wrote in it."

The thing of it was, Merv would have already known that, but he opened it up to the first page anyway. Klitch could tell he was considering tearing it out to sell it as "unused," but then he actually read it. Merv only got as far as the first paragraph before tossing the book to the ground, half-burying it in the sand.

"Good to know where your loyalties lie," Merv growled. He stomped off, not so much angry as he was disappointed that Klitch's torment had to end so soon; Merv may as well have said so himself.

"Oh, and Klitch?" he said, turning back. "In case you haven't noticed, it's almost sundown now. You should be getting ready."

Without another word Klitch yanked his journal out of the sand. However, he waited for the Krokorok to slink away before scratching out the entire last paragraph and writing beneath it:

Forget it. Two weeks in their company, and already I don't know how much more of this I can take. The only gang member younger than me -- I don't know his name yet, and even he seems to have more respect than me around here! First chance I see to break away, I'm taking it.

He tightened his bandana and placed his journal in his satchel, scooping some of his tools and supplies from beneath of it to cover it up.

Off in the distance, the sun hovered just above the horizon.


---



Ace scratched the back of his head. He and Nanuq had assembled a dozen or so innocuous-looking mechanisms that looked like a natural cactus on the outside. Inside, they were hollow, and instead of water, Spelon powder was its payload. The thin tripwire trailing out of it would tug on the detonator pin that waited beneath the powder, and would strike the actual detonator. The initial blast would blow the top of the "cactus" off, spraying any Spelon powder that hadn't ignited yet in the face of whoever triggered the trap. This would knock out nearly anyone that stepped on the wire. Unmistakably Flint's design.

But now that they were fully assembled, they didn't look particularly menacing. For one, it wasn't deployed yet. Also, even though he helped put them together, Ace still thought they looked like perfectly ordinary cacti. But then again, that was the whole point.

"So, is that it?"he asked.

"I think so," said Nanuq. He sipped some water before adding, "Now you just have to go out and set them up."

Ace looked at him as if to say, Me?

Nanuq replied, "Maybe on a good day I could jump out of the way if I set one off by accident, but you definitely could."

Ace smiled. "Huh," he said. "Well, you said it."


Several yards down the trail, Ace was starting to think that he would never get used to walking on the crunchy, sun-baked desert floor. But he had no one to complain to about it; he wouldn't have even if there were. After all, he had a job to do.

He and the other volunteers were told to put their traps on seldom-used trails or where the bandits -- if they were coming -- would otherwise try to sneak through. Thus, Ace decided to start on a trail that definitely got less foot- or paw-traffic.

The cactus shell was set off to the side, tilted slightly towards the trail at an angle that guaranteed just about anyone would be caught in the spray of Spelon powder. He stretched the thin tripwire across the trail, just high enough that almost any Pokémon with feet would set it off. Hopefully none of the bandits were limbless.

Or insects too light to set it off.

Or could fly.

He decided not to think about it too much. He had a job to do, and hopefully it would be enough. He continued his stroll down the trail in search of another good place to put a trap.

Far off to his right, the sun touched the horizon.


---



When Merv said he and his gang  were to attack at sundown, he wasn't joking.

The original plan was to split them into two teams of three and two, but now they were going as a single group. The plan was to get as close the camp as possible, observe the behavior and patrol patterns of the group, then wait for an opening.

Klitch was supposed to be in the smaller group with the Gabite named Blade. Now he was joined by Merv and the two Darumaka twins, Edna and Aldon.

And he knew exactly why the plan was changed, and it wasn't just because it was a smarter plan overall. Merv wanted to keep an eye on him. Somehow or other, Merv saw a seed of doubt within him. Now, the Croagunk silently scolded the heavens and their fleeting rays of sunlight.

Merv was more observant than he had originally thought.

"Remember, as I said before," said the Krokorok, "If you see me runnin' back, you'd better be right on my tail. I won't stop for any of you." He paused. "And none of you should stop for me if I get caught. "

He turned to Edna. "In fact," he said, "if that happens, Edna  will take charge of the rest of you."

"Got it, boss," she said.

"But what if she gets captured, too?" asked Aldon.

"Then anyone who doesn't get caught -- you guys can argue about it once you get away."

They stepped onto an old trail.

"We're getting close now," he added. "Keep quiet unless it's an emergency."

Merv didn't need to look at any of them to know they had all nodded.

Blade also grunted. It was the last sound any of them would make for a while.


"A while" turned out to be just about fifteen minutes.

In that time the sun had completely set. The sky was darkening, and one by one stars began to poke through the veil. On any other night, Klitch would have tried counting as many as he could before giving up. Even so, he looked off to his left  at where the sun had been.

Even with the chattering of desert life and distant Pokémon (campers? Explorers? Other outlaws? Surely all of the above, in nearly equal measure.), it was quiet enough that the crunching of their feet against the crusty ground was more audible than any of their individual thoughts.

It was also quiet enough for Klitch to hear the tripwire snap.

Edna had been the one that set it off. Even before she could blink in surprise, it was already too late.

The top of the cactus slapped Klitch in the face -- not the spiny outside, but the smooth and undecorated inside -- briefly covering his eyes. Even with the inside of a cactus in his face, Klitch could see the bright flash of light, brighter than if the sun had been directly overhead. Long before he could react to the flash, he staggered backwards from the impact of the cactus's top.

By reflexes alone he swatted the cactus remnant away, earning him a couple of pinholes in his right hand for the trouble. To his right, Aldon, Edna, and even Merv fell forward, all knocked out. Blade the Gabite, though, stumbled backwards and, attempting to follow Klitch's voice, turned left and passed him. Obviously the flash of light had only disoriented him.

"What is… WHAT!" he exclaimed. "What is the me- aaARH IT'S AN AMBUSH! ABORT! ABORT! Merv, Klitch! Where are ya?"

But Klitch didn't respond with words. He already knew what he had to do.

The top of the cactus hit the desert floor.

Klitch ran over to Blade and leaped upwards, striking him beneath the chin with a mighty uppercut. He was knocked out before he could even know he had been betrayed, and landed hard on his back.

The Croagunk looked around as the echoes of Blade's last outburst reached his ears.
Then after making sure all of them were knocked out, he dug through his bag for some rope. He found the long coil resting on top of his journal.

"Archeus, stomp me flat," he swore as he tied his former compatriots together.


---



There was still light enough outside that Ace was able to make his way back to the campsite. It didn't take long for him to find Flint; the Sandshrew seemed to be looking over the contraptions a pair of Starly had made. They had made four of them, and another was partially assembled; they looked very different from Flint's design but equally effective.

By the time he reached them, Flint had finished his assessment.

"Okay," he told the Starly, "don't improvise unless you have to. I'll have someone set these out and see if I can find what you need lying around. You two did a good job today."

He turned around to leave and noticed Ace right away. "I see you've returned safe and sound," he said. "How did it go?"

"Pretty well," said Ace. "I didn't see anything really strange. I was supposed to mark where I put all my traps, right?" He handed Flint a copy of a local map.

Flint looked it over for a second before responding. "Taking a look here," he said, "I think I see a few places where you could have put these closer together. But between you and everyone else helping out with this, I think you  did a good job setting these up."

He folded up the map. "That Cubchoo -- Nanuq, right?" he said. "He told me to tell you he's helping with the big cookout a few nights from now."

"Oh, really?"

Flint nodded. "Yes. Apparently he knows a recipe -- well, he says it's his grandma's recipe. I didn't catch what it was called, but --"

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" somebody shouted, followed swiftly by:

"YEAH, YOU! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

Flint and Ace both looked towards the commotion.

In the camp's torchlight, Ace could clearly see a Houndoom and a Poochyena accosting a Croagunk with a bandana tied beneath his chin.

"Easy, now," he said nervously. "Who, ah, who's in charge here? I'd like to know where I can, you know, put these."

Ace had to get closer to see what "these" were.

"Go get the Sheriff," the Houndoom whispered.

The Poochyena nodded, and ran right past Ace shouting, "Sherrif! Sherrif Kain!... has anyone seen the Sheriff?"

"Wait a minute!" said Flint. "Wait a -- what's going on?"

But Ace didn't say anything.

The Croagunk had arrived at the camp with a Krokorok, a Gabite, and two Darumaka in tow -- all tied together and wearing matching bandanas.
DUN-DUN-DUUUNNNN!
:iconpmdunity:

So Ace is setting up some traps that he and Nanuq made to help defend against local outlaws, but mostly I'm setting up a brand new character, a Croagunk named Klitch, originally a member of a gang of bandits until he turns on them for probably the best selfish reason possible.

About the end, here: Allow me to clarify that since Klitch isn't a member of any team yet, taking in other bandits like this should not count for a Merit. Yes, I would like one very much, but it's just not in the cards for me this time. I have something else to do, and believe me when I say Klitch's fate is entirely dependent on whether or not I can get it done in time.



Flint belongs to [His player]

Everyone else -- the unnamed Rhydon, pair of Starly, the Houndoom, the Poochyena, Edna, Aldon, Blade, and even Merv -- are all original nobodies you likely will not see again.]


EDIT:
Since this task has a multiple choice award, I'm going with the Spelon Bombs. Seems appropriate.


Onward to Part II
Epilogue
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
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