[attr="class","monty"]A call came in to the department about a troublesome amount of COMBEE in the Oldale area. They were furious about something, and what it was, he needed to figure it out.

So, Montgomery took it upon himself to go and see if these claims were true, and, in one fell swoop, see what he could do to stop it.

He approached a field, on the outskirts of town. In the distance, there was a low buzzing noise.

"I'll be damned. Look at 'em."

Ahead of him was a swarm of COMBEE, buzzing furiously.

[attr="class","montytag"]OPEN | bees!

[attr="class","monty"]Hospitalization, Montgomery quickly learned, was not fun.

Being cooped in a bed that was too small for his long body, intravenous lines jutting out of his arms on both sides, and the constant fucking beeping was going to drive him to insanity before the war would. He felt sorry for the poor doctors, nurses, and other medical staff having to endure his behavior.

Ever since that dream, he'd been itching to leave the medical facility. Ever since that dream, he began to see her more and more. Ever since that dream, he was dreaming again.

He hadn't dreamt since he was a child.

And he certainly did not need to (want to?) see ameena abadi.

Montgomery's thigh, sliced by Aoki Hana's blade in Sootopolis, was bandaged, stapled together as his flesh began to heal thanks to the advanced technology and aid of Pokemon. His throat had a bandage slapped against it from the same blades that had pierced his thigh. Other cuts and bruises were left open to the air, less minor, yet requiring equal attention.

Fuck, his body was sore.

His pump began to beep. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. Montgomery sighed, shutting his eyes before he grabbed the remote and pressed his call light.

"Can someone turn this damn thing off-"

His door opened. It wasn't the nurse. It was...

"Navy?"

[attr="class","montytag"]Navy

[attr="class","monty"]The building fell apart, blasted by the HYPER BEAM. He cursed, wondering if he was too late. After all...

He didn't see the blue-haired lady he'd been talking to earlier. Was that another death on his hands?

Fat drops of rain splattered against his skin as the TERA GYARADOS roared, this time releasing a HYDRO PUMP to the streets. Montgomery needed a distraction to get to his car and retrieve his Pokemon.

From behind, shining pink and a beam appeared. Montgomery wondered if another Pokemon showed up to attack, until the TERA BLAST struck the dragon. It growled.

He turned, spotting nina larson. "Shit. Yer okay?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

"I don't have my Pokemon. I need a distraction. Can ya do it?"

[attr="class","montytag"]nina larson | pkmn hunter

[attr="class","monty"]"Kanto..." While Montgomery had never been to the region, the name was synonymous with war. Every region knew about the fall of Kanto, he felt like. With the Rocket win, he remembered his group feeling empowered.

Could they prevent it here?

"Hoenn won't become a Kanto. Not if we can help it," he said, his SKARMORY looking up at his trainer with his new demeanor. "Not if I can help it."

[attr="class","montytag"]robin coello | capture attempt excavalier

[attr="class","monty"]The beam was held secured. Montgomery gave Elise a thumbs up.

"SHARPEDO, scan the water."

The shark took off, wandering through the waves before returning. No signs of threats, it appeared. They could safely move forward.

"Shall we proceed?"

[attr="class","montytag"]Elise Calcifet | 14. ensure the area is safe from remaining threats

[attr="class","monty"]"Montgomery. Pleasure," the deputy replied, watching as Elise's Pokemon froze over the water. The hole in question was concealed away, stopping the oncoming flood.

"Clear the water," he commanded, his SHARPEDO quickly swimming from shore to initiate his task.

Boxes and other debris were equally removed, whether from some nudging or CRUNCHES to break through the larger items.

"Ready to move forward?"

[attr="class","montytag"]Elise Calcifet | 03. address environmental hazards

[attr="class","monty"]"Let's move."

Montgomery followed behind CIAN MAHER, delving into the darkness ahead of them. His comms squealed the further they went, a jumble of distorted cries and singing.

He silenced the radio. "Givin' me a headache."

[attr="class","montytag"]CIAN MAHER | +50 RKS points

[attr="class","monty"]There was splitting, intense pain as Aoki Hana vanished and reappeared behind him in a SHADOW SNEAK. His leg was forced down in an unnatural pose, the wound digging into the wood of the deck. There was a blade at his throat, cutting into the thin skin as she forced his head back.

Across the deck, his gun laid bare, and he was defenseless. With one move, she could cut his artery, or worse yet, remove his head from his body.

Would he be satisfied with his outcome?

As if time stood still, Montgomery thought he might be okay with everything ending now. At least the world would be rid of him. No more Montgomery James. "Nine" would be forever buried in the grave. Navy would be okay without him. He had other deputies he could rely on.

...

No.

There was still much for him to do.

"The League and Rocket aren't black and white. They're gray." He'd said that before. "And while I'm sided with 'em, that don't mean I support every choice they make."

The ORIGIN PULSE struck, hitting Aoki Hana off him and freeing him from her vice. Montgomery managed to snag his weapon from where it lay. Across the deck, wood splintered apart, creating a chasm of debris as the ship tore into two.

On the other side, Aoki Hana.

There was no point in him engaging her, not when they were drifting separate ways due to turbulent waves. Rather, Montgomery put his gun back in the holster, glaring at her. "This ain't over."

A feeling of warmth and a glow caught his attention. There was a numbing feeling in his leg, and the wound across his neck stopped bleeding and shrunk smaller. Somewhere, someone had HEAL PULSED the area. Little did he know it was ameena abadi.

He summoned his SHARPEDO, climbing on the shark-like Pokemon to drive him out toward Navy making rescue efforts now that his wounds were taken care of... for now.

[attr="class","montytag"]Aoki Hana
- considers dying to Aoki Hana's blade
- ORIGIN PULSE struck the ship, breaking it apart and separating Montgomery and Aoki Hana
- HEAL PULSE heals Montgomery's wounds slightly, giving him time to get on SHARPEDO and move to Navy's area for rescue (D2 to E3)

[attr="class","monty"]He’d never experienced dreams, not since he was a child. When Montgomery joined team Rocket in Unova, his nights were spent blank and dark. Not even the plague of nightmares haunted him. They would ask how he could sleep so soundly at night.

He just said he worked for it.

---

There was a field, stretching vastly from his gaze around him. Flowers dotted the grass, decorating it with a kaleidoscope of color. The air smelled faintly of warm bread in the distance, coming from the open window of the ranch-style house behind him.

It was so warm and calm, as Montgomery relaxed out in the field. His SKARMORY flew above head, seemingly training his newly gifted ILLUMINA SKARMORY in flight and the hunt. Behind her, a trail of blue followed, like the blue of Ascalon’s blade.

War eventually brought peace. And, with this peace, he’d set down his badge and retired to his home in the countryside. The voices which had haunted his mind were silent.

Redeemed.

Footsteps brushed through the grass, alerting Montgomery of someone’s presence. He opened his eyes, his head turned to the side, as he spotted ameena abadi approach.

She was ethereal, donned in a white dress with floral detailing that rivalled even the fields they rested in. As she leaned over him, the sun appeared as a halo behind her dark curls.

Even still, her smile was bright.

Montgomery found himself smiling, sitting up and extending his reach to her. She sat upon his lap, swaddled in his arms as her head rested upon his chest. In the distance, her MAGERNA appeared to be doing some chores by the barn.

He inhaled, breathing in the sweet smell of flowers and baked bread, as his hand reached to touch her chin. Turning her head toward him, he wondered: "How the hell did I get lucky? How do I deserve this?"

Ameena looked at him expectantly, her eyes lowering to his lips. They both leaned closer, the temptation of sharing a kiss all too tantalising. Before their lips met, her hands touched his face.

And grabbed his neck, holding it in a vice.

Air was knocked out of him, as she stared at him with contempt and rage. At her shoulder, blood oozed from a bullet wound that he’d put there. And her eyes bubbled with tears, staining red down her cheeks.

The world was burning.

"Montgomery…" she murmured, leaning by his ear.

"Wake up."

---

He jolted, hearing loud beeps from the monitor behind his bed. The room was white and sterile, with the smell of hospital and medicine around him. And to his right, he heard a voice again. But it was not hers.

"You’re awake! Good. Your wounds are looking much better. I think you should go and take a walk around the hall today," the nurse spoke cheerfully, her back to him as she typed away notes on her computer.

Reality finally hit him. Mossdeep. Sootopolis. SKARMORY...

Ameena.

Montgomery sighed, closing his eyes again, urging to be sucked back into that dream again. "Just get me the fuck outta here…"

[attr="class","montytag"]Montgomery James