Trails 6 - Bandit attack!

 “I’m kind of glad that that guy back at town doesn’t literally mean handhold these guys,” Katie commented as she and Wick walked alongside the wagon train. She casted her sight towards the leading wagon where a portly man sat sweating in the sun. She shivered at the thought of holding that man’s hand.
 “I’m more worried about these supposed bandits running around these hills,” Wick replied scanning the hill that flanked them. The river that they took to head to the town flanked their other side and with Harmony and Shelldon swimming upstream, he didn’t have to worry about the lack of scouting that side.
 “Paranoid much?” his travel companion joked as she nudged his arm. “Relax, that guy back at town said it was just the merchants jumping at their own shadows. Nothing is going to happen.”
 “I did some investigating back there,” he replied looking back to the end of the train. The driver at the regions was a young woman wearing a soot stained dress. “That girl was part of the last caravan to fall to whatever disruptions plague this road. It was a much longer train so she couldn’t see what happened.”
 “If the caravan was hit? How come she couldn’t see what happen?” Katie asked as their three land bound Pokémon came running up to them.
 The lord stepped to the side to allow the Pokémon to pass before replying, “When it was hit, most merchants bolted either pass the raid or turned around. That suggest that it's a small group no more than five people. Maybe equal or double that amount of Pokémon on hand. They hit a small section of the caravan too which means that must be inexperienced or…”
 “I don’t like that ‘or.’”
 “They were looking for something in that caravan,” Wick replied nodding to the unasked question the half-elf was suggesting. With a grin, she picked up her pace to catch up the lead wagon while he slowed his fall back to the wagon where the woman he mention earlier sat.
 Meanwhile Casper and his band of Pokémon where busy running wild up and down the wagon train. At times they would stop and face the hill side ready to fight only to start running down the other way.
 It was during one of these brief moments that Bella voiced a complaint. [My legs are starting to hurt!]
 Zeta turned to look at her. [You’re not the only one,] He said taking a seat on the dirt road. [We must have made ten or twenty laps up and down this caravan already.]
 [Wick asked us to help keep lookout,] Casper stated, not taking the chance to look toward them.
 [Come on Casper,] the chimera said, pointing a wing to the wooden shield. [You’ve been carrying that shield the whole time. You should be worse than we are.]
 The truth of the statement settled in on the sableye as his arms started to sag under the weight. [I know that and I am tired,] he replied with a sigh. [How about this. We’ll take shifts. I’ll go first and once one of you guys are refreshed come up here to replace me.]
 [How about a better idea,] Bella piped up surprising both of her friends, [we each take a different wagon to ride in. That way we can all watch different spots along the caravan.]
 The two dark types stared at her for a moment before Casper blurted out, [Bella, can I kiss you.] After the laughter subsided, the trio split off. Casper took the lead wagon, claiming that he can sense danger when it comes and Bella took the last wagon which happen to be the same wagon that Wick was walking by now. This left Zeta in the middle. With his wings the chimera could easily relay messages back and forth to the others.
 At the rear wagon, Wick watched as the little oddish run up before attempt to climb aboard the ponyta pulled wagon. After several failures, Wick assisted by picking her up and placing her up by the wagon next to its driver.
 “Such a cute little Pokémon,” the driver said taking her hand away from driving the wagon long enough to pat the grass Pokémon on her head, “I can’t wait to get one of my own.”
 “Everyone has the chance to meet the perfect Pokémon for them, ma’am,” Wick replied taking a peek at the hills.
 The woman sigh and replied, “I know, but it would be nice to have a companion.”
 The lord nodded before asking, “So what are you hailing in your wagon.”
 The woman took the moment to look back into her cart before replying, “Hammers, an anvil, weapons and armor.”
 “Are you a blacksmith?” he asked looking at the woman in a new light.
 “Third generation smithy,” she replied proudly, “That’s my grandpa’s tools back there.”
 “I see, and why are you taking your grandfather’s tools?” Wick asked.
 The woman sighed, “You see, my father just passed away, leaving me with the business. Things kind of faltered and well… I felt the need to move out.”
 “I see…” Wick muttered to himself before glancing back toward the hills.
 The day dragged without much trouble but as the sun began to set, Casper shouted out, [There is something out there!] Seeing the sableye’s standing up from his seat and pointing out toward the woods, Katie motion for the caravan to stop. As the wagons pulled to a halt a large boulder came crashing through the woods and came to a stop right in the middle of the road. As Wick and his party started to gather up, another boulder crashed into the road behind them.
 “We’re surrounded,” Katie said drawing her sword.
 Wick himself was withdrawing his mace as well as pulling out his shield. Casper already had his shield out and at the ready while Shelldon and Harmony were making their way onto land. Zeta landed nearby with Bella following up on foot.
 “Be ready guys,” Wick said to everyone.
 Then the boulders started to move.
 Six armored foes rushed out from the undergrowth and charged the party while another two jumped out from the other side of the wagons. The golems that had block the pathway stood up and face the caravan ensuring they wouldn’t move.
 The first of the foes that engaged the party was a machoke who tried to go for a quick knockout on Harmony. The attack was intercepted by Shelldon who was sent flying back. The lapras responded with a water gun attack to its belly. Casper blocked an incoming lightning attack form an electabuzz before charging in with a powerful Zen head-butt.
 Bella was having trouble with the sandile that was trying to take a bite out of her when she blasted it with her sleep powder. The tiny croc fell asleep instantly leaving her free to assist Zeta who was dealing with a pair of pikachus trying to zap him.
 The two humans were having an easier time with their opponent who seemed to be the trainer of most of the Pokémon present. With a well time shield block, Wick pushed forward throwing the human off balance in time for Katie to swooping in with several quick stabs on his chest. Only one found purchase as it pierced the thin shoulder armor.
 “I can handle him now, go help the merchants,” Wick order before swing his mace at the bandit. She nodded before disengaging the scuffle. When he looked back at his opponent though, he was greeted by a length of wood that slammed into his face. He fell to the ground unconscious.
 Harmony was the only one to see Wick. She felt anger welling up inside her as she fired off another water gun. The blast stopped to human from finishing the job and crushing Wick’s unprotected skull. The man staggered back to his feet, giving her enough time to fire another attack. But as she launched the attack, she could feel a sudden coldness set in around her the beam that soared from her mouth was an icy blue and when it made contact to the bandit, his movements slowed before stopping all together.
 She looked at what she did, stunned still while Shelldon moved by, shouting [Nice job!] to her. The gorebyss then circled around and blasted a pikachu that was trying to pull Zeta down. While it did little damage, it did weaken its grip allowing the chimera to shake his attacker free. Letting his wings pull him up into the air, Zeta started to unleash his hyper voice attack down on the two pikachus.
 Bella mean ducked underneath one of them as it tried to tackle her. The rodent Pokémon crashed into the dirt road behind her. Turning around, she charged for another sleep powder. But when she felt something drip down from her head, she panic launching something into the air. The blob landed at her feet where it started to sizzle. Watching it, the little oddish got a crazy idea.
 The pikachu she was facing charged her once more, bent on plowing into her head first. Bella once again prepared to counter attack, this time using the new acid attack she had learn. At point blank range she unleashed it, splattering the jacket the pikachu was wearing while at the same time getting knocked off her feet.
 The pikachu panic as it tried to rip the dissolving jacket off as a burning pain laced across its body. Getting back on her feet, Bella took advantage of the situation and doused the Pokémon in sleep powder, letting fall asleep once it had removed the jacket.
 Then there was a trumpet sounding off in the distance. The bandit’s took on a look of fear before bolting back into the woodlands at full speed. The golems blocking the road, curled back up and rolled off, freeing the wagons up. Katie who gave up trying to follow the two human bandits who was trying to raid the wagons, started taking order to reorganize the caravan.
 By the time the rangers showed up, those who suffered damage were already being taken care for by the blacksmith lady while the bandit and the two Pokémon who were asleep were ready to be presented.
 "What happen here?” the leader of the small group asked from his rapidash mount.
 “Bandits,” she replied sheathing her sword. “There was about three of them with twice as many Pokémon. We managed to put one on ice and have two of the Pokémon asleep as well.” She gestured to her captives as she said this.
 “Good work,” the ranger leader replied riding up to inspect the captives. “We’ll take things from here. You may proceed.”
 “One thing,” Katie said the wagons started to move out, “They used a couple of golems to block the road. I would arrange something to counter that for the next time they attack.” The man nodded before dismounting to take care of his prisoners.
 Back in the blacksmith’s wagon, Wick finally came to. “What happen?” he asked as the cornucopia of sound echo around him.
“That bandit knocked your lights out there for bit,” the driver said looking over her shoulder.
 “I take it we won?” he asked afterwards as he felt movement at his side. Looking over he saw Shelldon with a bandage around his waist.
 “Yup,” she replied, “The rangers showed up and scared off anything that wasn’t knocked out already.”
 Wick rested his head on the makeshift pillow his was using, “So we’re in the clear for now?”
 “Looks like it,” the blacksmith replied yet her voice fell on deaf ears as he had already fallen asleep.