"He should be here by now," Kosaburo murmurs beside me. I don't turn to look at him. There'd be no point anyway. It's night, there is no moon and the stars don't provide enough light to see by. I never saw the point of them. Stars. Other people drivel on and on about them but I could never get into that. I finger my sword, the cool metal playing against my fingers and smile. I get my thrills another way.

"He'll be here soon," I say. "Have patience."

"But Yamato . . ."

"You're beginning to sound like Kojiro, you know that?"

That shuts him up immediately. I don't need moonlight to know that he's scowling. He can't stand being compared to that worm, Kojiro . . . any more than I can stand anyone comparing me to that walking fashion disaster Musashi. As if there was anything in common between us! Hah-- at least I know a good hair-style when I see one. Hers . . . she'd be better off just shaving the whole thing off and starting from scratch.

"Yamato-san?"

Kenji has arrived. A lamp is lit.

"Well?" I ask.

"Shigeru and the others have left Viridian. They are taking the South road."

"Very good," I nod to one of the officers stationed with us. "Have your troops take up position. You others will accompany Kosaburo and me."

"Of course, Yamato-san."

I love the feeling of giving orders and having them obeyed . . . though I scowl. Sakaki-san has hinted that if we don't bring in the boy and the Pikachu we will be on the receiving end of a fair few orders . . . I shudder, the thought of working my way up through the ranks from attendant again does not sound appealing.

"Well? What do you want?" Kosaburo demands. Kenji is still here.

"I was just thinking. I'd heard Sakaki-san had promised a reward if anyone uncovered the boy."

"Yes," I say. "So? We were going to wait until he rejoined Shigeru tonight and then nab the lot of them."

"I've made further discoveries. I want to be assured I'll get the full reward for this information?"

"If what you have to tell us is worth it, you'll get paid. Providing of course our night's work is successful."

"Hai," Kenji muttered. He appeared hesitant. Then he blurted out, "Satoshi is already with them. He's joined them, disguised as a girl -- Akeiko. The Pikachu is with him."

"Sneaky," I murmured. "I had no idea the Ookido's had any skill at espionage."

"I'll get my reward?"

"When we secure the Pikachu," I nodded to Kosaburo, he turned the lamp off. "We'll meet at the forest edge."

"Hai." Kenji disappeared noiselessly . . . he was not a warrior.

"So," said Kosaburo.

"So," I repeated. "It appears we will be able to reinstate ourselves with Sakaki-san with a lot more easiness than we thought."

"Hai. Of course now we know we don't have to wait around for Satoshi to show up . . . "

"We can attack at will," I smile. "Take your troops. Let's set up a nice little ambush, shall we?"

"You like this."

I had to fight not to jump. I saw Kosaburo had started. "Natsume. What are you doing here?"

"Sakaki-san asked me to keep an eye on how his latest promotions were doing."

There is no emotion in her voice but I get the feeling she is hoping we'll mess up. I quickly check my mental guards are in place --I don't care if she does sense how much I hate her but I don't like the idea of her in my head. She's like a dead person the way she never shows anything.

"Just fine. Why don't you go back to scaring the gullible?" I snap.

Natsume doesn't get angry. I wish she would. "I have been asked to report in full on the operation."

"Just make sure you stay out of way then," Kosaburo snaps.

"Of course. It is not the Psychic clan's wish to participate in this." Although there is no sound to indicate her leaving I can sense when she has. She carries an aura of intimidation around her.

"Psychics," Kosaburo mutters.

"Yes," I frown. "I wonder what they really want."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. Doesn't it strike you as the slightest bit unlikely that Kikuko-daimyo would just suddenly decide to strengthen ties between our clan and hers and send her second in command to run errands for Sakaki-san?"

"But Yamato . . . psychic-clan members can't lie!"

"That doesn't mean they must tell the entire truth," I shudder. I feel like I need a bath to get rid of the feeling of talking to Natsume. "Let's get into place. They must arrive here soon."

"So, Akeiko, where were we going to catch up with Satoshi?"

"Uh . . . I don't believe we actually decided on a specific place, Kasumi."

"That's very convenient isn't it?"

"Will you stop that? I'm sure we'll catch up with Satoshi soon."

I have to concentrate hard to stop snickering and blowing the ambush. Instead I signal the soldier next to me to release his Golbat.

As it screeches and swoops across the clearing using it's confuse ray, I see a row of lamps suddenly lit. A circle of poison-clan warriors emerge out of the forest to stand completely around them.

"Attack!" I order. "Don't give them a chance to get up!"

They are still reeling under the effect of the confuse ray and should be defenceless. But Shigeru's Arcanine howls and the sound is enough to stop our warriors in their tracks for a few moments. That time is all Shigeru needs to get back on his feet.

"Good Arcanine! Dragon rage attack!"

I shake off the last threads of fear that the howl rose in me to hear Kosaburo yell, "Ready the Venonat and Venomoth!"

Their trainer's nod and give their Pokémon orders to release their Stun spore. However they are met by the full force of Arcanine's firepower. Our chance at an easy capture goes up in smoke.

"Plan B," I say coolly. This is a setback but not one we haven't prepared for.

"Right," Kosaburo nods. "Ready the Tentacruel!"

"Arcanine!" Shigeru cries out a warning as he sees the water Pokémon prepare to launch their attacks. His hatana-blade fairly dances in his hands as he throws himself at the Tentacruel's trainers.

"Starmie! Use your Ice-shield to protect Arcanine!" the orange haired girl yells, going into battle herself. Shrugging off the last effects of the confuse ray her friends and their Pokémon do the same.

"Happy! Gust attack!"

"Onix! Bind attack!"

And last and most terrible . . . "Thundershock!"

"Pi-ka-CHUUUUU!!"

The whole clearing is illuminated briefly as the electric rodent unleashes its most potent attack. Kosaburo and I, as well as all of the warriors who were there when the boy and the Pikachu got out of that blasted room quickly dive for cover. At least a third of our force is stunned though. No matter. We outnumber them and although they fight fiercely it is clear our warriors will win this round.

Onix goes down to combination of Leech seed and Watergun attacks from Venonat and Tentacruel, Starmie falls to a sludge attack from some of our Grimer and its trainer to Venonat's stun spore. Hiroshi is taken out by Zubat's confuse ray, but his little Butterfree gallantly defends him. I sneer.

"Let's end this now," I say to Kosaburo.

He nods.

We slip into the fight, keeping our target firmly in our sights . . . lightning crackles all around us as another of our colleagues falls . . . The Pikachu does not appear to be about to run out of energy any time soon . . . Akei- the brat has picked up a sword. Despite his long robes he appears to be able to use it. He and the Pikachu make a nice combination. He distracts a warrior, matching their sword strokes until Pikachu can slip into close enough range to take them out.

But as the Zubat swoops down screeching he is momentarily distracted. "Now!"

Kosaburo jumps forward. Scooping an arm round Satoshi he neatly pins his arms to his sides using the other to hold his sword to the boy's neck.

"Pikapi!" The Pikachu spins round spitting sparks angrily.

Kosaburo laughs. "I wouldn't do that if I was you . . . not if you want your trainer to live." To the brat he says, "Call the Pikachu off."

The kid hesitates and Kosaburo pulls the blade closer so that it digs into his skin. A thin ribbon of red immediately runs down his throat.

"Well?"

"Pikachu . . . I guess you'd better do as he says . . . "

"Fall back!" I order. Our troops obey immediately. Shigeru and his still standing companions blink in the sudden quiet.

"Well now," I purr. "It seems we have you at a disadvantage."

The Ookido's are seldom seen to express emotion but I think Shigeru appears worried. "No . . ."

"I'm sorry Geru-chan," the brat whispers.

"Release her immediately! You-you bandits!" The rock trainer is angry.

"Don't try anything foolish now," Kosaburo says, holding up the blade threateningly. That forces him to take a step back.

"What do you want?"

I smile. Ookido-Shigeru is smart enough to read the situation and see that we are calling all the shots. "For a start we want you to drop your weapons." After a moment Shigeru nods, sullenly placing his blade on the ground, followed by Takeshi.

"Good," Kosaburo says. "Now call your Pokémon off."

"Arcanine," Shigeru says to the growling fire-Pokémon. "Heel."

The Butterfree flutters over to Hiroshi's side without even being ordered. Its trainer is beginning to recover slowly.

"Now for the Pikachu . . ." A soldier appears and places a wooden cage in the clearing. The Pikachu spits and hisses. Obviously it has guessed what we intend to do.

"There is no way in hell you are going to get Pikachu inside that box," Satoshi suddenly says. "Even if you had twice the amount of soldiers."

I smile at him. "Really? Allow me to prove otherwise." I turn to the Pikachu. "Either you get into that box or Kosaburo will slice your trainer's throat. Your choice."

"Piiiii," the Pikachu growls. The expression on its face is remarkably similar to the sullenness that covers Shigeru. Mutinously it makes it's way to the box.

"No! Pikachu! Run away! Pikachu--" The brat struggles against Kosaburo as the mouse hops inside. Quickly the lock is fastened and it is trapped.

"Well," I smile at Kosaburo. "That was relatively simple. We have everything we need."

"Hai," He agrees somewhat thickly. I think the brat managed to kick him.

"Your orders, Yamato-san?"

I nod to the soldiers. "Kill them all."

"Nooo! You can't do this!" The brat begins to struggle anew.

"My grandfather will never allow you to get away with this!" Shigeru stares at us coldly.

"In a week," I smile at him. "He will have no choice."

Kosaburo drags the brat back and I step aside for the Wheezing trainer's to unleash their weapon.

"No! Shigeru!"

Takeshi, Arcanine, Shigeru and Butterfree all disappeared underneath the cloud of poison gas. It cleared to reveal all their forms prone.

"Now Venonat! Stunspore!"

"No no no!"

"Just be glad you aren't joining them --yet." Kosaburo smirked.

"Let's not hang around," I say. "Why tempt fate? Let's just deliver them to Sakaki-daimyo and . . . "

"Youse ain't gonna be doing any delivering anyting. Unless its a message for the healers!"

Kosaburo and I stared at the speaker than began to laugh. "One lousy Meowth thinks it can stop us?" I said, incredulously.

"Run away little kitty before you get hurt," Kosaburo advised.

"I'm not the one who's going to get hurt!" The Meowth sounded confident. Perhaps we should have been warned . . .

"All right! Charizard! Use your flamethrower to get rid of the stun spore!" The kid commands.

"What the . . . "

The fire-lizard appears sweeping down over the clearing. Venonat is taken out --it doesn't have a chance against that great an opponent.

"Not so fast! I still have you--call it off!" Kosaburo commands, digging the knife into the kid's throat again. Before he can do more a blast of water hits him in the face and he chokes, the blade falling from his fingers. The kid quickly wriggles free and grabs the blade.

"Allow me t'present da Ninja Squirtles!" the Meowth said calmly.

The next blast catches me unaware. Sitting up from the puddle I suddenly find myself in I yell an order to the soldiers beside me. "Get the Pikachu out of here!"

I suddenly have a bad feeling about this.

I face the four Squirtle before with an expression of disbelief. "Sunglasses?"

That turns out to be a mistake because it means I'm oblivious to the source of the powder that starts to fall over everything and suddenly I'm very sleepy.

"Nighty-night Yamato . . ." Kosaburo sighs before he keels over. I slide slowly to the ground.

"But I don't want to go . . . to . . . sleep . . ." The last thing I hear before I collapse into darkness is the brat.

"Well done Bulbasaur. Now let's tie them up --really really tight."

My last conscious thought is that waking up is going to be a nightmare--forget being tied up and defenceless in a forest--Sakaki-san is going to be extremely sarcastic.

Next