The Houndstooth Swamp was just as we feared- dark as a patch of uncleared midnight and gloomy. The surrounding atomosphere was usually quite silent, save the occasional sound of a cricket trapped amongst the foilage or creak of a time-worn tree shifting to the movement of the wind that was somewhere above the trees. It was also amazingly lonely in there- I'd never have known that such a place was behind my house! No one seemed to say a thing to the other once we entered into the darkness of the swamp, and the only thing that kept us awake in this boring and tiring place was the thought of what would jump out at us from somewhere in the swamp. I couldn't bear having no conversations in the swamp, but with the fears of what lurked in the unknown, I decided it was best that silence was doing us a favor by not surprising us. The traveling was also rough as we passed through the Houndstooth Swamp- low-lying branches and twisted vines jutting out from a pond of oily black slowed our progress. We did our best to use the bushes that struggled to grow above the murk, using them as stepping-stones to follow our guide in 'safe passage.' We had been traveling for some time now, our paws beginning to sore and calicices starting to form on our padded feet. Unable to contend with walking or silence any longer, I sat myself down at the base of a tree, feeling unable to continue on any further. I gave a moan, "My feet ache! I don't think I can make it any further than here!" Ellis sat next to me, "Me too..." as well as Penny, who plopped down next to me, "Unless the traveling gets any smoother, my soles are shot! I don't remember the trip being this long!" Duscahn hissed as he paused for a moment by our sides, "Sssstopping for a rest, are we? Dangerousss things lie in Houndssstooth if we wait for too long..." "Danger?" I said, "What kind of danger?" "Ben, don't provoke him..." Penny warned, nervous of the striped snake that was watching our every move, "He might tell us the things we may not want to know..." "Nonssssenssse!" Duscahn smiled wickedly, "You helped Duscahn, and now Duscahn will grant you safe passage, just as he promisssssed! No nassssty creaturesss will be able to harm you when Dussscahn is around you..." His words felt reassuring, and I nodded off to Penny, "See? It'll be a piece of cake. As long as Duscahn's here protecting us, we shouldn't have any harm done to us at all, so long as we follow the rules, right Duscahn?" "Mmmmm... Yessss- you are right... Benjamin..." Duscahn whispered in his deep base and hissing voice, "Wise you are, and soon will be..." Duscahn then paused for a moment, as if he were hearing something, then turned to face us, "Sssss! A call from my clan! I shall return for you momentarily..." With that, he slipped into the murk, and disappeared silently and stealthily. Penny gave a twitch, followed by an uncontrollable shiver, "Geez Louise, that thing's creepy! I'm still not sure if we should trust him, Ben..." "Why not? He seems reasonable enough. Certainly is friendly enough." "A bit too friendly, though..." Mew added, sitting on a suspended branch next to us. "Yeah- did you see the way his eyes lit up when he said no harm would come with him around us?" Penny gave a shudder, "Uuuohhh... I couldn't imagine such a horrible creature wrapped around my body, draining my life from me!" "Penny, stop that! You're scaring me!" Ellis shouted, a scared look in her eyes. "What- it's only the truth, y'know..." Penny shrugged, sitting next to the tree I was rested against. The sound of a falling tree creaking in the distance followed by a faint Whump! lit up everybody's faces with fear. Ellis moaned, "We're gonna be snake food by nighty-night!" "I don't think there's gonna be a nighty-night for us, Ellis!" Penny whined, "I think ol' snake-eyes'll have us wrapped up tight for a bed time story before we even fall asleep!" "We're doomed!" Ellis moaned. "Lord help us!" Penny shouted. "Ain't gonna be no 'nighty-night' or a 'Lord' helpin' ya with you kids yappin'!" A sound came from our left. I quickly turned to face a Mightyenna with a large scar across its right eye standing in the shmuck watching us. My mouth dropped open, and I was only able to make stuttering noises as I pointed to it. Penny noticed this, and took notice of the creature, in which she started stuttering noises as well, and so did Ellis followed by Mew. Soon, we were all "Duh- duh"-ing in perfect harmony at the sight of the tremendously large beast. The Mightyenna grew annoyed, and gave an irritating roar that silenced us. "Stop that! You're all annoying me as it is!" He stepped forth, nodding to me, "You there. Are you the leader of this troupe?" I blinked, then nodded at him. He gave a sharp nod of approval back at me, "And you're the one with the brown crunch balls, right?" Surprised at his knowledge, I nodded again, "How did you know?" He showed us his back, crouching down a ways, "'Heard it from a Dunsparce. He's gettin' the whole forest involved in the dissection of your corpse after he poisons ya with his sharp stinger on his tail!" "Poisons us!?" I exclaimed. Penny nudged me, "I told you something was wrong with that snake! Let's get outta here!" The Mightyenna flashed a toothy grin, "Exactly why I'm here! Hop on my back and I'll give ya'll a ride outta here! Not that I want anything in return, but I would rather see you guys out than devoured by pathetic low-lives! Plus, it makes our reputation among the Houndours and Houndoom look better! Now hop on, youngsters! We haven't gotten all day for them to return!" "Pssssssss!! Where do you think you're going, Rafink?" A familiar voice hissed. Rafink, formerly the Mightyenna, growled, his hair bristling on end, "They're here..." "They...?" Penny whispered. I looked around me, as from branches around and from the mud and bushes there came alive hundreds of Dunsparce- a dangerous hunger in their eyes and a long wicked stinger attached to each one. Things couldn't get any worse. "Shitsus!" Rafink muttered rudely, "There's hundreds of them! There's no way I can get outta here now!" "Oh... What are we going to do now...?" Ellis whined. "Maybe..." Mew plotted. She gasped, nodding, "I got it! Rafink, you can use Psychic abilities, can't you?" "Mmmmm, no- I'm afraid that's something for lower classes. I'd rather take Dark- elemental moves in comparison to that filth." "Filth!?" Mew said, disgusted. She shrugged it off, though, "Well, tell me, Rafink. Is there a dark move you could use to repel this swarm of Dunsparce to get us out of here?" Rafink Roared at the Dunsparce, causing them to temporarily retreat from his gaze, and leered each of them down with a Mean Look. "I don't specialize in tricks!" He growled, "I'm all offensive- little on the defense!" Mew rolled her eyes, then gathered her psychic thoughts. "Let's try this, then..." She said to herself. A blinding Flash of light emitted from Mew, causing the Dunsparce to shriek in agony. Mew continued to shine, giving us a warning, "Now, Rafink! Take them out of here while they still have a chance!" Rafink snorted, "Pitiful Psychic abilities..." he muttered. He gave me a nod, and then to the others in company, "Let's go. Time's wasting for your friend- those snakes'll soon get used to the light and come after us again! Come on- we gotta get outta here! Hop on and lets go!" Quickly, Penny, Ellis, and I made for his back, holding on tight as he bounded over stump and branch, under twig and over root, with Mew following close behind us, emitting a powerful Flash to distract the Dunsparce. Not far behind, Duscahn gave a yell, "Don't let them get away! Stop them!" Like a chain of Duscahns, the Dunsparce acted quickly, forming a team to create a barrier of their tails in the form of a spherical ball around Rafink. He growled, giving a threatening bark, but it failed to even strike fear into the advancing tails. "Shweet mother of fruckers... Looks like this's the end of the line for us, here!" He muttered. Penny stood up on his back, though, and was ready for a fight, "My cheeks were weakened earlier, but I can feel the electricity running through them better! Let me handle this!" Concentrating her electrical impulses into her cheeks, Penny released a punishing Thunder Wave onto the Dunsparce, which quickly collapsed into a mass of wriggling snakes. "Good job!" Rafink barked, then continued running through the forest. Behind, Mew had finally caught up, and was actually traveling side-by-side with us as we made our escape through the treacherous forest. Ellis turned to see Mew flying next to her, dodging trees and staying perfectly focused, then shouted, "Mew!" Mew managed to look over casually, winking at Ellis, "How're ya doing, babe?" Ellis blushed, smiling. Mew nodded, then looked straight forward shrugging of the grin as Rafink continued to dash into the lesser swamps around us. He was beginning to slow, however, and at a fast rate. I felt his black fur starting to saturate with sweat under my foot paws as he trudged on into the swamp. Suddenly, a band of tightly bounded Dunsparce, hissing and rattling their tails, blocked off the way in front he was traveling. "Not them again..." Rafink mumbled. Penny executed a powerful Thunder Bolt attack, sending many flying and a few falling to the ground, making Rafink run on. It was obvious he wasn't going to run for much longer. We continued to run and dodge until we reached a friendlier looking section of the forest- golden colours of the evening sun were visible through the trees, and a sign of hope seemed at hand. Another Mightyenna stood nearby and he made for him, stopping a ways past him. He dropped down quickly, panting as he did so, "Get off my back now... Make a run for it! You still have a chance to escape, if you head out now!" "But, what about you?" Penny asked. A loud Howl came from around us suddenly, followed by an agonized Rafink Howl in return. "Don't worry about me- they're here!" He said, nodding off to where even more like him stood. Even the little ones, the Poochyenna, stood their guard, growling with their bristling fur much like their parents. We quickly hopped off his back as one of the other Mightyenna approached him. The other, a bit more broad in shoulders and muscular face, nodded, "You're weakened by the load, brother. Were you able to successfully rescue the captives?" "Yes sir." Rafink nodded, motioning to his brother our group and Mew floating overhead. The brother nodded his head in approval, "Very well. Good job. Return back to the den to rest up while we have others to replace you. You've done a fine job, and need rest." "Thank you, Haguka." Rafink nodded, walking a ways off. "...Oh, and Ben?" He paused, turning to face me, "Take care of the little one. Looks like she's a bit in a fright. Keep up your guard, and don't let something like this happen again. Got it?" I nodded, but then stopped, realizing that he knew my name! I was going to ask him when Haguka motioned me to the escape route, "Ben. Take that path as quickly as you can. It'll lead you out of the forest and into the Viridian Plains. Do you got that?" I nodded, then asked him, "How do you two know my name?" "Why, isn't it obvious?" He asked, pointing to the fighting Dunsparce as they did battle with the other Mightyenna and Poochyenna, "A little snake told me, and that is why we're here!" "I thought they were here on a different occasion..." Penny asked, looking at the Mightyenna suspiciously. "Well, danger calls, and I must bid you farewell." Maguka said, pushing us along, "Get out of here before you get involved, and hurry!" I nodded, and made a run along with my pokémon towards the exit, transforming into a Pikachu to get the extra speed. As I ran off, a Mightyenna looked blankly at another one, "Did you just see that?" The other Mightyenna turned to him, "See what?" "Tha...that Meowth... He just changed into a Pikachu!" The other Mightyenna looked carefully at me, but I'd changed back into a Meowth again. He squinted, then smiled, "It's only your eyes, Durges. Everything's okay." With that, the Mightyenna left to join the battle, leaving Durges behind. Durges trotted into battle, but stopped at looked back to where my group had disappeared, and mumbled, "I could have swarn that I saw two Pikachus, though..."