Chapter Text
Prowl's day as a Pokémon Ranger began as it normally did. He woke up with his shiny Absol at his side, and they both began their morning routine. Absol had been with him since they were both young, both being outcasts for their reputations. Absol was an amazing partner who'd been with him for years, even going through the necessary training to become a Ranger.
He had his usual cup of coffee and the breakfast Indeedee made sure he ate before his shift. He was quite the stubborn Pokémon, a trait Jazz said they shared. He would never let Prowl head to work before he made sure he ate and brought a packed lunch. His antics sometimes annoyed Prowl, who just wanted to get his work done and didn't want to waste time, but the Pokémon made sure Prowl took care of himself when he neglected himself. According to Jazz, he needed someone to make sure Prowl didn't kill himself at work while he was away. It didn't help that Ratchet said he was perfect for him because Indeedee was as stubborn as he was.
Prowl didn't understand why everyone thought he needed a babysitter; he was perfectly fine! But Indeedee was quite helpful on various matters and quickly became a valuable member of his team. His healing abilities quickly made him invaluable, and he assisted Prowl with his office work with his psychic powers. Prowl appreciated the Emotion Pokémon's efforts and thanked him when he levitated his coffee and the paperwork he needed to deliver to Ultra Magnus for today.
He passed by an unsidedown Green having from the rathers and gave her a quick scratch under her chin, gaining a happy chirr in response. She was a Noivern that he had raised from an egg when her mother was killed in the wild. Jazz found her and gave the egg to Prowl, saying it'd be good for him. When she hatched, she had a rare green coloring, unlike the usual purple of her species. She was immediately recognized as a shiny Pokémon, which earned her the name Green. It wasn't very creative, Prowl knew. He wasn't good with names, but Jazz had insisted.
"You can't just keep calling her Noibat Prowler! How's she gonna make her own mark?" he had reasoned. In Prowl's opinion, her unique green leathery skin was more than enough, but he always ended up giving in to Jazz's insistence in the end. So Green it was. She was the only Pokémon on his team currently nicknamed, but his other Pokémon didn't seem to mind. He gave her a poffin as she awoke and dropped down from her perch to greet him with a nuzzle. She was a very affectionate Pokémon.
He also went to his office to greet Metagross. Metagross was an older mon with scarring on its legs. He was rescued from a notorious poacher from a group called the Combaticons. After Prowl arrested their leader and 2 of his accomplices, he also confiscated their Pokémon. But Metagross was a very intelligent Pokémon and refused to play by their rules. The Ranger Union recognized and honored a Pokémon's right to choose what it wanted to do and conducted a series of interviews with a psychic's telepathy to translate. They presented and went over the different options Metagross had. It could stay in a rehab center for abused Pokémon, go with an experienced trainer acting as its caretaker, or be allowed to live on a protected, no-catching nature sanctuary in the wild away from humans. But the intelligent Pokémon surprised them all by choosing to remain with Prowl.
Prowl wasn't sure why he, of all people, was the most logical person to act as his trainer when there were clearly superior options like Commander Ultra Magnus. But there was no swaying one of the most intelligent and powerful Pokémon in the world, and once all the paperwork was in order, Prowl found himself with a new team member. Not that he complained, as the Iron Leg Pokémon's supercomputer-level intelligence was an invaluable asset when it came to directing them in the field. He didn't battle anymore, having bad memories from his old Trainer, and preferred to sit at home or in the office's Command Center, helping to direct operations. Metagross seemed to share his work ethic, so they were in the same boat when it came to Indeedee.
Umbreon stretched on his bed as Prowl walked by in the den and greeted him with a jovial "Bree!" As a trainee, Prowl received Eevee as a starter, and he raised it until it evolved into Umbreon. It was quite the stand-offish type; quiet but caring. It had been like this since it was an Eevee. It preferred to accompany him on night patrols with its rings glowing in the dark. People would spread rumors of him not caring for anyone, including Pokémon, and said he had a heart of pure ice. Prowl understood the cause of their view of him, but didn't put much stock into it. It was silly and factually untrue. One had to have a hardened resolve in this line of work, but it didn't mean he was emotionless. Jazz agreed and said that Umbreon was living proof he had a heart. Though Jazz would often say he should go out and live a little, he was often invited out after a tough day. Sometimes, Prowl humored him, but other times, he preferred to stay home, which Jazz understood. The visored Ranger never held it against him, knowing it was just Prowl's nature. He simply preferred a quieter and more introverted lifestyle, but it didn't mean he didn't have emotions or that he didn't care about people and Pokémon.
Still, his bad reputation was well known at work and sometimes strained his relationship with his co-workers. He had a particularly sour one with Chromedome, as he used to date the Beheeyem and Malamar trainer, but the relationship ended up turning toxic rather quickly, which put Prowl off of romance for a long while. All the better since he needed to focus on his work anyway. Prowl was often compared to an Absol regarding his somewhat outcast status. Prowl felt insulted on the solitary Disaster Pokémon's behalf. Absol had a nasty reputation for being the harbinger of disaster. But Prowl knew better. They were extremely helpful to Rangers when it came to predicting and preparing for natural disasters and often worked together with them. His own Absol could certainly attest to that.
She was Prowl's longest and best partner, having been with him since the beginning of his journey as a trainer. Like Green, she was also a shiny Pokémon, which Jazz had often commented that Prowl had serious luck. But Prowl didn't believe in luck, simply well-thought-out plans. Absol was the same way, and they quickly bonded over this and their unfortunate reputations as outcasts. After all, outcasts stuck together. Prowl couldn't even begin to account for the many times she's saved him with her horn. His partner was already standing sentinel, ever a reliable shadow, as he finished eating breakfast with his Pokémon and got his gear on.
With all his preparations for the day done, he returned all his Pokémon to their Poké Balls and made his way to Ranger Headquarters, after checking in on Jazz's many Pokémon. The music-loving man was currently away on assignment, and Prowl was caring for the Pokémon he didn't take with him this time, like his Chimecho, who rang a melodious tune at him when he entered Jazz's apartment. Kricketot also chirred at him with his antenna. Emolga was napping on top of her perch above where Fuecoco slept on the couch. Jazz's Popplio swam around the water type tank he had in his living room while Bellossom danced on the terrace in the morning light. In addition to these, Jazz had a full team with him on assignment.
Not many trainers could care for more than a full team of 6, but Jazz often proved himself an exception to many rules. He tried to convince Jazz that he couldn't feasibly take in and care for every Pokémon he saw, but he loved to prove him wrong. He simply said, "Watch me, Prowler." The rest was history, and he was really beloved by his Pokémon for the great care he gave them. Prowl's team was also fond of him and was the only one they wouldn't be extremely protective of him when around. He'd known Jazz since childhood and was the closest of friends. They even began their journeys together as Jazz chased his dream of becoming a Top Coordinator. Prowl simply hoped to gather 8 badges, as was a requirement for the more advanced exams to become a Top Ranger.
Experience was a major benefit for a Ranger, and what better way to get it than becoming a Pokémon trainer? Eventually, they both achieved their dreams, and Prowl became a Ranger, though Jazz suddenly followed right behind after a few years. He didn't press him for the details on why he left the performance stage, as he knew it was a hard topic for him. Jazz quickly proved to be just as skilled a Ranger as he was a Coordinator, quickly rising through the ranks. They were currently the Top Rangers and were often called on special assignments. Jazz in particular was away in tropical regions made up of islands. He would often send him pictures as well when he got the chance. His latest one happened to be a picture of a small green bird Pokémon native to the region. It was called Browt and was often a first partner for new trainers. Jazz held it in his palm as the little bird glared at the screen with its large leafy crest. He said he found his twin. Prowl failed to see the resemblance.
He clocked in and gave an acknowledging nod to Blaster and Soundwave in the Command Center. The red-clad Ranger had his Plusle and Minun by his side as usual, and Soundwave with his Dragapult. The little Dreepy were nicknamed Rumble and Frenzy, and they were quite the handful, often trying to compete with Blaser's twin Pokemon Rewind and Eject due to the rivalry between their trainers.
Metagross let himself out of his ball and scuttled to his usual place between them. Due to his high intelligence, Metagross refused to stay in the house as they wanted to put their skills to good use. So, they acted as part of the dispatch and communications team. They proved very good at their job, too, able to coordinate countless Rangers and operations. Though they were under no obligation to do so, they proceeded to inform the resident psychic translator that he needed enrichment and, frankly, could do their jobs better than them. Prowl could understand and respect that sentiment as they shared a similar mindset. Metagross proved to be invaluable with mission planning and coordination, making plans that rivaled Prowl's own. They work together like a well-oiled machine.
With his Pokemon situated, he turned to Soundwave and was handed the new files and records he'd compiled of the current wanted poachers that were in the area. He'd be sure to watch out for them. The tall man was a man of few words, but Prowl caught that determined look in his eyes to stop these poachers from hurting anymore Pokemon. Soundwave cared about Pokemon a great deal, having been practically raised by them as a child when he was abandoned due to his slight psychic talents making and his telepathy causing headaches. He was practically raised by his Pokemon, namely Luxray Ravage, who took him in as her own before a Ranger found him, and the rest was history. He was also their resident psychic translator along with his Porygon.
Luxray rested at his feet, while she shot glares at the Dreepy who kept making faces at Blaster's Plusle and Minun and getting some right back. While this was going on, Prowl also enquired about how Soundwave's special assignment was going, only to get a nod. So it was going smoothly, huh? Prowl didn't pry further, but he always appreciated Soundwave's curt responses. Soundwave had been taking care of a difficult Pokémon they'd been rehabilitating who had to be transferred from Paldea. From what Prowl could gather, it was a unique species from the Great Crater where it had escaped and was found amongst a herd of Donphan and Phanpy in the desert near Casscarafa. There wasn't much information to go on yet, but it had proven to be unpredictable, aggressive, and dangerously powerful to the point where the Paldean division sent it here to them, hence them relocating it here to their preserve, which included a protected area for strong, yet abused Pokémon to live in. Handling difficult cases like this was well within their Ranger Division's skillset.
As he chatted with Soundwave, one of his Dreepy made to bite one of Plusle's ears, but Soundwave was extremely used to the antics of his Pokémon.
"Rumble, desist," he monotoned as he simply picked him up and moved him away from Blaster's twins before any biting could occur. His Dreepy listened to him without question as they looked up at him as their boss, just as much as their caretaker, Dragapult. His Dragapult, however, seemed unfazed by their antics, sharing in its wards rivalry with the twin electric mouse Pokémon. Soundwave also shared this rivalry, but he had to maintain some modicum of professionalism in the workplace, as it was no place for a battle.
"Prowl's presence required by Commander Ultra Magnus," Soundwave informed him, not quite shaking the vocal tick he developed while being raised in the wild. Unlike most who may be somewhat put off by his untness, Prowl appreciated his straightforward and to the point approach. He didn't like mincing his words or adding flowery additions. Neither did Prowl.
Prowl had to drop off yesterday's report and any updates on his ongoing investigation into the poacher sightings nearby. Being a protected preserve and Safari Zone with rumors of rare Pokémon, they were often a prime target for poachers, but Prowl and the rest of the unit ran a tight ship, and any poachers and hunters foolish enough to try their luck were met with severe repercussions in the form of their Top Ranger teams. But they still tightened their security due to their recent transfer from Paldea. The status of it being here was still hush-hush among outsiders, with only the top brass and Top Rangers being in the know.
Soundwave corralled his Dreepy, who were beginning to initiate Dragon Darts with their Dragapukt caregiver in retaliation for Plusle and Minun pulling on their tails. Both trainer scrambled to regain order, and their rambunctious Pokémon were returned to their backs for a little time out. Of course, it wasn't without the promise of a battle between the communication heads later on the practice field. Soundwave and Blaster worked so flawlessly together when it came to their jobs, you wouldn't guess they had a bitter and heated rivalry going on. Fiery sparks danced between their eyes as they stared at each other before going back to work with promises of a fierce battle once their shifts permitted.
Prowl simply left them to it while he made his way to Ultra Magnus' office, and Metagross watched in amusement. Magnus' Kelfki ushered him in as a rookie Ranger, hurried out with a terrified look on his face. Seems Magnus was as thorough and punctual about proper paperwork as ever, which Prowl could admire.
Magnus' Carbink, who had a particularly well-groomed collar fluff resembling a mustache, rested on a cushion in the corner of his office. Cinccino was sweeping and dusting around the various knick-knacks on Magnus' shelf with Tidy Up, and as per usual, his Tinkaton was by his side. She was using her hammer like a stamp as she helped with the paperwork, almost like his secretary. She's just as intimidating a force as her trainer, and the major reason most Rangers make sure to get their paperwork in on time. The pink menace lifted her hammer ominously as she expected the rookie ranger to come back, only for Ultra Magnus to quickly wave for her to lower it upon seeing Prowl.
"That won't be necessary, Tinkaton. Prowl is here for his morning reports and debrief right on schedule." Seeing it was Prowl and not the rookie Ranger from before, the big hammer Pokémon sat back down on her small Pokémon-sized desk beside Magnus' content. Prowl hardly ever had to fear the fairy type's wrath. She never had to worry about Prowl. Unlike some Rangers, she did not have to chase Prowl around with her hammer until he turned in his paperwork on time. Prowl internally puffed his chest up in pride at that. He took pride in being punctual in his work.
"Here's the reports you asked for, sir." He handed him the forms as Magnus gave an appreciative nod.
"Thank you, Ranger Prowl. Timely as always." Prowl internally smiled at the praise while he maintained his usual serious expression. Magnus continued to debrief him on his duties and mission for today. "As you may know, Jazz is currently away on an extended mission working with our sister unit a few regions over, so in addition to your typical routes, I'll be needing you to cover his as well during your patrol today. Also, we've been receiving word of a hunter sighting in the area, and I've increased security immensely. Thanks to your investigation, these are likely the same group we encountered previously." The black market ring leaders had all but been wiped out by Prowl last time, but some members managed to escape. They were still at large, and Prowl was pulling all-nighters trying to locate their new base. If these were the same poachers he failed to capture, he would be even more determined to make the arrest this time. He wouldn't let them slip through his fingers a second time. Absol's pokeball shook in agreement on his belt, and Prowl let her out to sit at a parade rest by her side while Tinkaton debriefed her as well.
They handed him information on Jazz's usual route, which included the public Safari Area and campgrounds for trainers to stay at on their journeys. Since they were close to a travel route, they had many trainers passing through, hoping to grow stronger by catching and battling the strong Pokémon in the areas made available to the public. Of course, access in the deeper, more protected areas where there were rescued and protected species or particularly dangerous Pokémon that were being rehabilitated by the Ranger base was off-limits. But it still required patrol, as sometimes a foolish trainer thought they were above the rules. Usually, this was Jazz's area of expertise, being more sociable and better with people than Prowl. But as Jazz was currently occupied with his away mission, Prowl made sure to be thorough with his patrol and investigation.
This time, Prowl would make sure no criminals escaped to traffic and harm Pokémon again. They would not get by him and his team a second time! Absol inclined her head towards him with a determined look in her eyes, her red blade glinting.
As far as patrols went, this one was fairly run-of-the-mill. He checked up on the Pokémon in the preserve as he did his rounds. Greeting a mother Bewear and her cubs, along with a Lopunny who had a den full of Buneary bunnies. They were only some of the Pokémon rescued from the illegal trafficking ring that day, and Prowl made sure to check up on them and see if they seemed to be settling in well, going by the health of their offspring. Though their mothers were still wary of the humans, Prowl made sure to give them their space. He also did not particularly feel like being kicked or punched with super-powerful limbs today. Ultra Magnus' Golurk kept a watchful eye out as he stood nearby, on his own patrols of the grounds. He was always a caring Pokemon and the new arrivals didn't seem to mind the gentle giant's presence, so he was allowed to help watch over them and help get them settled in as they were mistrustful of humans. He was also immune to their moves thanks to his ghostly nature.
He visited the campgrounds next. Trainers would often set up here for the night or at the nearby Pokémon Center while on their journeys, as they were near a major route for the gym and contest circuits. They rarely gave him trouble, but there would be one or two that would test his patience. For example, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Skywarp. The 3 flameboyantly dressed trainers were former Team Decepticon grunts and were currently on parole as they were allowed to begin journeys as part of their rehab. The only reason they were allowed was that they didn't do anything as major as trying to steal a younger trainer's Pokémon. They weren't as involved with the group, so their crimes didn't extend as far as, say, Shockwave's inhumane experiments or the trafficking, breeding stills, and fighting rings, which Prowl's current targets were wanted for.
Starscream also entered a plea deal, giving them every bit of info he could on their leader in exchange for his own freedom and being allowed a fresh start as a coordinator and trainer with a license for both him and his companions. They also had people to vouch for them, a senior League official who had gone undercover with the international police by the name of Marissa Faireborn, and, shockingly, the very young trainer whose Pikachu they so often tried to steal. Prowl was surprised by that as well, though he didn't let it show. When asked, the young, yellow-clad trainer just shrugged and said, "They never really did any real damage and always failed anyway. I think they're good guys at heart, but they're just really bad at their jobs." Prowl preferred the term 'grossly incompetent' when he included his words in his report. Still, they had no record of Pokémon abuse or negligence on their wrap sheet, so they couldn't disqualify them from a trainer's license. That they also weren't high up on the food chain as mere grunts also helped when giving them new Trainer IDs.
Despite Starscream's delusional aspiration to one day rise in the ranks to admin and then leader, they were only able to maintain their anonymity due to being low-level grunts, while the more prominent admins, scientists, and the boss himself made international news. Starscream's information had proven invaluable, and the league and Rangers Union were able to bust them and shut the whole operation down, though not without a massive battle between the then-champion Optimus and their leader, Megatron. Because of Starscream's intel being the clincher for taking out their operation, they had no choice but to honor his side of the deal. Of course, it wasn't without concessions. They'd have parole officers checking in on them at the Pokémon Center of each city and every Center along the way, and at route checkpoints they entered.
Thundercracker, the taller one of the bunch, was cordial enough, preferring to care for his dog Pokémon. He was a mild-mannered balm compared to his 2 companions and simply wanted to enjoy their stay here and tried to keep them on a leash. Skywarp, the goth punk rocker-looking one, was well known for his shenanigans, and Prowl already had to threaten to call his parole officer if he tried to climb the fence or harass other trainers or the Rangers on duty with his dark and ghost types. At this, Thundercracker reamed out his friend, and Skywarp settled down. But the most annoying and taxing of all to deal with was the shortest of the group. What Starscream lacked in height, he made up for in his loud personality and his high-heeled boots.
If he couldn't rise to being the face of the operation, he'd rise to stardom on the contest stage as a Coordinator instead with his rather haughty Beautifly, Arbok, Glameow, and Masqeurain. Prowl much preferred that over becoming a wanted criminal, but Starscream was not picky. He wanted to be in the spotlight no matter where or how. He didn't quite understand those Pokemon Contests himself, but since he wasn't breaking the law this time, Prowl was content to leave him to it. Maybe he'd ask Jazz more about them as he got back. Still, he couldn't abide by him, causing a disturbance with a group of trainers who he inevitably had to referee a battle for because, unlike Jazz, Prowl wasn't as good at diffusing situations, so he ended up being the impromptu ref. When Starsceram lost, he tried to kick up a fuss. Prowl had to threaten him into settling down with the threat of kicking them all out of the campgrounds. Thundercracker also helped by holding the shrieking Starscream back and calming his 2 friends. He assured Prowl that they'd behave from now on and wouldn't cause trouble anymore. Thundercracker quickly became his favorite of the trio.
As Prowl continued his patrol route with Absol and Umbreon walking next to him, the sun began to set. He was almost finished with Jazz's usual route when he heard what had to have been 5 Pokemon cry out in unison near the perimeter fence. Absol and Umbreon hurried towards the sound, and Prowl followed quickly behind. There in the clearing were 5 small, similar-looking Pokémon strewn about. They weren't the usual coloration of yellow, white, and red. Instead, they had an unusual purple, green, and black, but despite this, Prowl could still positively identify them as a group of Falinks. Only something was clearly very wrong. They were incredibly dirty and injured as they had just lost a rather brutal fight. The largest had clearly taken the most damage. His shields were cracked, and his horn crest was dented. The second largest had the second most injuries, along with previous scarring signaling that they'd likely been in captivity for a while. These 2 had obviously been protecting the smaller troopers in the group.
The others were also covered in wounds and scratches, like what would come from a feline Pokemon. But most concerningly, they were missing their leader. The largest, despite being the largest, took up the rear rather than the front like Prowl first assumed, but when Prowl counted, he only counted 5. Usually, Falinks were in groups of 6 with the Brass in the lead, but this unit's Brass was nowhere to be found. What's more, they had no Falinks on the grounds, and they seemed mistrustful of humans, going by their reaction of rallying behind the larger one who acted as a beat-up shield for them when he tried to approach. They clearly didn't have a trainer. If they did, Prowl would've arrested them on the spot for negligence, abuse, and possible abandonment.
Canvassing the area, Prowl noticed a large hole in the fence that they must have come through. No, this seemed to be something else. Going by the rope tangled around the little one's feet that kept making it stumble and fall, Prowl deduced they may have just found their lead to the poachers reported in the area, and these Falinks had just escaped from the very same criminals who had trafficked them from their habitat. Prowl was pursuing and snuck onto the preserve through a hole they made in the fence. Prowl narrowed his eyes. Prowl sent out Absol and Umbreon to scout the area, also sending out Green to get an aerial view.
"Absol, Umbreon, Green, take a look around the area for signs of human life. I have a feeling the people who did this are likely to still be somewhere nearby."
"Absol!"
"Umbree!"
"Noi!"
His Pokemon did as ordered, with Umbreon lighting up his rings as the sun started to set. Green was particularly skillful at tracking, and even with nighttime approaching, she'd be able to easily find her way through the dark with her ultrasonic waves. No matter where they ran to, they wouldn't be able to hide from him and his Pokemon forever. Prowl would not allow such crimes to be taking place this close to base. Now, what to do about the Falinks? They wouldn't likely be able to survive on their own without the brass, and they needed those injuries tended to. Prowl may not have been good with people, but he was pretty confident in his social skills with Pokemon going by how his team felt about him.
He sat down on the ground as the Falinks flinched and shook, not moving their gazes from him for a moment. He fished out some Pokemon food, poffins he'd made for his team when they were on break. He still had some left and offered it to the beat-up, trembling Falinks. It took around 45 minutes or so of Prowl patiently waiting before the smallest trooper's curiosity got the best of him, and despite the 2nd smallest's insistencies he stay behind their larger comrades, he half-walked, half-stumbled over to sniff at the food, sending him curious yet wary and tired eyes. Prowl said nothing, just tilted his head as the trooper tilted his own back, and he nodded to the food.
The littlest trooper gave the poffin a test nibble before hopping in happiness, almost tripping on the ropes again, as he munched away at it. This seemed to relax the others a bit, enough that the slightly pudgy 3rd largest bounded over too, lured by the smell of Prowl's homemade poffins and Pokefood. He, too, dug in, proving his voracious appetite. Prowl suspected he was a foodie since he was aloghtky pusgy. He seemed to have an extra layer to his helmet, almost making it look like a helmet with 2 nozzles at the top. The 2nd smallest trooper, who had been sending him the stink-eye the whole time, cautiously made his way over as well. Though it seemed like he was more so there to scold his fellow troopers as they ate the food the strange human gave them. Prowl didn't mind; he'd be mistrustful as well in his situation. Such a reaction was only logical when it came to an abused and possibly trafficked Pokemon. The 2nd smallest had a slightly haughty nature as he looked at Prowl up and down with an appraising eye. As if deciding Prowl wasn't a threat at the moment, he turned to the smallest and began trying to tug the rope off his legs, but they were tightly wound.
Prowl extended a cautious hand, making sure to keep in the haughty trooper's line of sight as the little Pokemon sized him up. He reached for the smallest, only for his hand to be pushed back as the scarred one came over and pushed him away protectively.
"I understand your situation. I wouldn't trust anyone right now either, but we need to get that rope off your teammate's legs," Prowl tried, though the scarred one didn't seem convinced as he kept glaring at him. "I'm a Ranger. You're on protected grounds. You're all safe here. I'm trained in first aid and can help." At the revelation, Prowl knew first aid, and the haughty one seemed to relax a bit at that, so he allowed Prowl to get close.
The scarred one still grumbled and growled, but the haughty one simply head-butted him to cut it out. Having declared Prowl and the food safe, he motioned for the rest to eat. Clearly, he was second-in-command and in charge of the group while their Brass was missing. He seemed to have decided they could trust Prowl for now. Wise in Prowl opinion. They were in an unknown area, wounded and starving, and Prowl was the only other one around offering them sanctuary from their captors. Even if temporarily, they'd trust him for now.
Prowl gently reached onto the still eating smallest trooper whose back armor had a slight indent curving up at the bottom, similar to a bucket, and picked him up to put in his lap. He looked around, confused for a moment, still chewing on his snack with his faceplate covered in crumbs. He unwound the tight ropes from the leg gently as he could and fished out a potion from his pocket to apply to the very irritated spots. The smaller one shuddered in fear, but the haughty one seemed to recognize the potion and perked up, becoming more eager as he nudged his comrades forward, encouraging them to let Prowl treat them. It wouldn't help them completely. They needed a Pokémon Center for their more serious wounds, but it would have to do for now until they could get there.
Prowl finished, and the small one hopped down, testing the waters and finding himself feeling a bit better. He waddled up to Prowl and nuzzled into his side. The haughty one pushed the scarred one over next, not wanting to be treated himself until the rest of his friends were. While the others waited, Prowl put down some Sitrus and Oran berries. They all recognized recovery berries immediately and enjoyed gobbling them up with their food, especially the one who was a clear foodie.
Prowl treated all the obvious wounds as best he could and dressed the wounds with bandages. The largest was the toughest, as he shook wearily in Prowl's arms while he worked on his larger wounds. He'd done well at protecting his smaller brethren, but Prowl worried about the large cracks and broken pieces of his shield. The metal had almost been completely cracked in two. He wouldn't be able to fix that with just potions and berries.
"Sol!"
"Um!"
"Vern!"
The sounds of his Pokemon returning from scouting the area alerted both him and the Falinks, who all flinched and shook as they looked at the new, admittedly intimidating Pokemon returning. Prowl didn't think his team was intimidating in the least, but he supposed that, to a vulnerable and injured Pokémon, they would be.
The large one pushed himself up as he tried to guard them from the new arrivals, only to stumble and pant in exhaustion. Still, he tried to hold his ground. Prowl admired such a fierce determination to protect. He put a comforting hand on his back as the haughty one came over to check him in concern.
"Link! Link, Falinks, Fa, Fa, Links!" The haughty one who had a hook-shaped end on the end of his horn seemed to be scolding his larger friend for trying to move and fight with his injuries.
"Faaa..." The big one weakly groaned but acquiesced as the scarred one helped to support him.
"It's alright for you to let your guard down. They're my team, and they're just returning from trying to track down the people who did this to you. You're in no danger here," Prowl assured as his Pokemon tried their best to give reassuring smiles.
Green flapped her wings, Umbreon wagged his tail, and Absol gave a polite nod with a small smile. The Falinks slowly relaxed as Prowl addressed his team.
"Did any of you find anything?" He only received sad head shakes in return. Must have beaten it when they realized their prey was missing. Prowlw acted to go after them, but it was already getting too dark, judging by Umbreon's brightly shining rings.
The large one shook in his arms as Prowl looked down. They're well being came first. He needed to get them to a Pokémon center and fast.
"Green, we're heading back, get ready to fly." Green determinedly spread her wings, ready for take-off, as Prowl returned Absol and Umbreon tot heir balls. He didn't have a ball for the Falinks, what with them being wild and injured as they were. So, he secured his bag in front of him as he climbed onto Green before gently placing each Falinks trooper inside, being mindful of their wounds. They were wary about flying, being fighting types, so Prowl did his best to reassure them
"It's alright, Green is an excellent flyer. We need to get you all to a Pokémon Center." Still a bit nervous, they huddled together as if debating on what to do until they turned back to him and the second-in-command gave him a nod. Seemed they reached an agreement. Tucked in Prowl's bag and arms, they braved the trip on Green to the nearest Pokémon Center. Prowl kept a firm yet gentle grip on them. He trusted Green's flying, but he wanted to reassure them.
They were too far from Headquarters for Prowl's comfort, and he was especially worried for the increasingly weak-looking large one. He didn't have much of an appetite as he didn't eat as much as the others and was the last to eat. Prowl wondered if he wanted to make sure his smaller companions got to eat first. Prowl also thought he was being stubborn and that it wasn't wise since he was the most injured and needed the energy. Either way, they needed healing stat, especially the big one. So instead, Prowl opted for the Pokémon Center near the route for traveling trainers. The staff there often worked with them in healing and rehabbing injured new arrivals to the preserve, and Ratchet was the head nurse. The senior nurse had worked with them for many years, and Prowl trusted them with the lives of both him and his team. He was well experienced in handling difficult cases and would surely be able to handle these 5.
Prowl thought back to the poachers. While these 5 got settled in with him, ensuring they were safe and being treated, Prowl would return to the scene and investigate further. He hoped he could find some clues that would lead him to the poachers and their leader.