Hiroshi realized this was a perfect moment for an important choice. He stood and addressed the Pokémon that had been rescued from the lab: Pikachu (still happily perched on Raichu now), Dratini, Sandshrew, Pidgey, and even the newly freed Machop who had stepped forward to join the group. Over the years, Hiroshi had seen that rescued Pokémon often bonded strongly with those who suffered alongside them – in this case, these children – but sometimes they also chose to join him, to fight back against the darkness that once held them. It was only right to offer them that freedom to choose their own future.
He cleared his throat gently. "Hey, you all." His voice was soft, carrying respect. "You're free now. None of those people will ever hurt you again. So… you have a choice to make." The Pokémon all gave him their attention, ears, tails, and eyes tuned in. The children watched too, sensing something important.
Hiroshi continued, gesturing with open palms. "You can go with these kids – stay by their side, protect them, be their friends. They might need you and you might need them." He saw a few of the children unconsciously tighten their holds on the Pokémon near them – the girl cradling Pikachu, the boy gently holding Sandshrew's paw, the older brace-girl with Pidgey perched on her shoulder, stroking its feathers. "Or," Hiroshi went on, "you can come with me. I could use strong and kind friends like you on my team, to help stop bad people and rescue more folks who need it. The choice is yours. I'll respect whatever you decide."
For a moment, the clearing was silent except for the distant crackle of the burning base and the chirr of nighttime cicadas.
Pikachu was the first to move. It nuzzled the cheek of the little girl holding it. The girl's eyes sparkled, and she hugged Pikachu tightly but then looked at it questioningly. "Do you want to stay with me?" she asked in a small voice, as if afraid to hope. Pikachu pulled back enough to look at her and gave an enthusiastic "Pi-ka!" nodding. The girl's face lit up in the most beautiful smile, tears of happiness spilling over. Pikachu's own eyes were a bit watery as it cuddled back into her arms. Hiroshi and Raichu exchanged knowing looks; Pikachu had found its person.
Dratini had slithered up around the leg of the quiet boy with glasses. The boy looked down, meeting the dragon's gaze. He managed a shy smile. "You're so cool…," he murmured to Dratini, perhaps remembering how Dragonair had saved them all. Dratini cooed softly and inched up, indicating it wanted to be picked up. The boy obliged, cradling the long, serpent-like Pokémon with both arms. Dratini flicked its tail happily and nuzzled into the boy's chest. It seemed this Dratini, gentle by nature, preferred the company of a gentle soul. Hiroshi's Dragonair watched from a short distance, its eyes proud and a bit misty (if snakes could cry) as it saw its pre-evolved kin find a caring friend. Dragonair floated over and gave Dratini a tender nuzzle and the boy a polite bow of its head, as if to say, "Take good care of my little one." The boy nodded solemnly. "I will," he promised, wiping a tear from under his glasses.
The Sandshrew was next. It had been standing at the feet of the boy who first hugged Hiroshi – the brave seven-year-old. During the decision moment, Sandshrew looked between Hiroshi and the boy. Then, with a determined little waddle, it marched to the boy's side and climbed onto his shoe, peering up as if to declare allegiance. The boy giggled and bent down to pick up the Ground-type. "You wanna come with me, Sandshrew?" The round, sand-mouse Pokémon smiled (as best a shrew can) and licked the boy's nose, causing him to laugh. That was a definite yes. Sandshrew curled into a ball in the boy's arms contentedly.
On the other side of the group, Pidgey fluttered its wings. It had hopped down from the older girl's shoulder and was pacing in the grass, seemingly conflicted. This Pidgey had a strong spirit despite its injury; maybe part of it thought to fly free. The girl with the leg brace knelt, despite the difficulty, and extended her arm. "You can go anywhere now," she whispered to Pidgey, voice trembling. "If you want to be free, it's okay. Thank you for being with us when we were scared." Clearly, this girl was prepared to let her new friend go if it wanted. Pidgey tilted its head, regarding her, then glanced at the sky. It gave a test flap—its wounded wing still weak, but healing. After a long pause, Pidgey made its choice: it hopped back up awkwardly into the girl's arms and nestled in. The girl beamed, relief and joy on her face. "I'll take care of you," she promised, and Pidgey cooed softly, as if saying it knew she would.
Finally, Machop stepped forward. This was the Pokémon that had shown defiance and courage even in captivity. It walked right up to Hiroshi and looked up at him with big red eyes full of resolve. "Ma-chop!" it declared, puffing out its chest and then slamming a fist into its open palm. The universal sign for I want to fight.
Hiroshi understood immediately. He smiled and nodded. "You want to come with me, huh? To help me fight the bad guys?"
Machop nodded vigorously. It then turned and pointed to the children, flexing its arm as if to say, "I'll fight so they stay safe." It must have felt a responsibility for all of them, but recognized that by joining Hiroshi, it could prevent such tragedies on a larger scale.
The children watched Machop, some looking sad to see it go. The little boy with Sandshrew sniffled, "You're leaving, Machop?" Machop walked over to him and gently patted the boy's head. "Chop," it said kindly, trying to reassure him. The meaning was clear: "I have to go, but you'll be okay now." Then Machop reached down and shook Sandshrew's little paw in a surprisingly formal farewell, and gave Pikachu (still with its new girl) a thumbs-up. It was like a soldier parting from comrades, a moment both comical and touching in how earnest the small Pokémon was.
Hiroshi produced an empty Poké Ball from his belt and held it out. "Machop, I'd be honored to have you on the team." Machop turned back to him, eyes shining with pride. With no hesitation, it reached out and tapped the button on the Poké Ball. The ball opened, converting Machop into red energy and drawing it inside. It shook once in Hiroshi's hand and then pinged – Machop was officially caught, or rather, had willingly joined him. Hiroshi clipped the ball to his belt, silently vowing to himself that he'd help this Machop grow stronger and never let it suffer again.
With the choices made, the dynamic in the clearing shifted. The children now had Pokémon partners by their side, ones that would no doubt become lifelong friends and protectors. Their frightened faces had softened, some even smiling despite the trauma, buoyed by the immediate companionship and comfort their new Pokémon provided.
Hiroshi rose to his feet, every muscle aching now that the adrenaline was wearing off. In the distance, a faint orange glow was visible beyond the trees – the base continuing to burn itself out. Sirens were closer now; emergency responders must be arriving at the outer perimeter. It was time to leave before awkward questions were asked.
Right on cue, a pair of headlights blinked through the foliage. A sleek black van, headlights off to avoid detection, rolled quietly up a dirt path toward the clearing. The children tensed for a moment, but Hiroshi placed himself between them and the vehicle, then relaxed and waved as he recognized the driver stepping out: a woman in plain clothes with a kind face. Agent Sasaki, one of Hiroshi's colleagues from PSIA's covert operations, had arrived with the evac transport. Behind her, two medical personnel emerged, carrying blankets and first-aid kits.
"It's okay," Hiroshi assured the children. "These are friends of mine. They'll take you somewhere safe."
The next few minutes were a blur of gentle reassurance and organization. The children, now thoroughly exhausted, were guided into the van. The Pokémon clung to them or were carried alongside—no one was separating these newfound bonds. The medics wrapped each kid in a thermal blanket and started checking vitals, faces grim at the signs of abuse and experimentation but relieved to see them alive. Agent Sasaki gave Hiroshi a subtle nod of respect and relief upon seeing all five kids accounted for; Hiroshi nodded back, a silent exchange of we did it. Daisy and Alakazam helped telekinetically levitate one boy with a badly augmented leg into the van, ensuring he felt no pain.
As the last child was loaded, the 11-year-old girl with Pidgey turned to look at Hiroshi. "Thank you… Mr. Fox," she said softly. Hiroshi blinked in surprise at the name. She managed a weary smile. "We heard one of the bad men scream about a fox when you were fighting. And your cards have a fox on them. So… I guess that's you."
For a second, Hiroshi didn't know what to say. He had gone by many names and worn many faces, but hearing Mr. Fox from the lips of a child he saved felt oddly touching, like a title he had actually earned. He found himself smiling. "Yeah," he replied gently. "You can call me Fox."
The kids, huddled in the safety of the van's interior, waved quietly or murmured more thank-yous. Even the Pikachu offered a respectful little salute with its paw, imitating something it must have seen Raichu or Machop do. Hiroshi pressed a hand against the van's frame in farewell. "Take care of each other. You're free now. Don't forget that." With those parting words, he stepped back and Agent Sasaki slid the door shut. The van's engine hummed to life, and with careful, lights-off navigation, it began to depart into the winding forest road that would lead them towards the city—and eventually, home.
Hiroshi stood there a moment, surrounded by Daisy, Alakazam, and the rest of his loyal Pokémon, watching the red glow of the van's tail lights disappear. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scents of night dew, smoke, and freedom. There was always a bittersweetness in these moments: the joy of a mission accomplished and lives saved, tempered by the knowledge of what those lives had endured and the dark reality that necessitated his work in the first place.
He turned back toward the faint fiery sky, where the last remnants of the Ringmaster base smoldered. By now, the facility would be nothing more than charred rubble. If any of the criminals survived, they'd face justice soon; the data he'd stolen had already been transmitted to the authorities and to PSIA headquarters. Their whole operation was laid bare. This was the end of Ringmaster's sinister circus.
He felt a light touch on his arm – Daisy looking at him with concern, her crimson eyes searching his face. Alakazam hovered at his other side, silent support in his posture. The rest of his Pokémon formed a loose circle around him, their expressions a mix of fatigue and devotion. Machop's newly claimed Poké Ball twitched once at his belt, and he let it out. Machop emerged and immediately took a stance at attention, as if awaiting orders. Hiroshi chuckled and knelt to ruffle Machop's head crest. "At ease, soldier. You did great on your first day." Machop grinned proudly and flexed an arm, making Hiroshi laugh a bit more.
The adrenaline ebbing away left Hiroshi's limbs heavy. He realized he was utterly exhausted. Three years of relentless solo missions, and each one still drained him as if it were the first. But seeing those kids safe… it made every bruise and scar worth it.
"Let's go home, everyone," he said quietly. "Or at least, home for now." For a wanderer like him, home was wherever he could catch a few hours of rest before the next operation. Perhaps back to a safehouse in Shanghai, or maybe a debrief at HQ then straight to another country – there were always rumors of new threats, new shadows requiring a fox's presence.
As they made their way through the woods, Hiroshi couldn't help one last look over his shoulder. The first light of dawn was peeking over the horizon, a soft gray-blue washing out the stars. Night was ending. In the distance, the flames at the base had mostly died; firefighters' hoses cast glittering sprays of water in the pre-dawn light. That chapter was closed.
He knew that by the time the sun fully claimed the sky, he and his team would be just another set of phantoms fading into the day, their deeds known only to a few.
But for those children – and even those Pokémon – the events of this night would likely become a story of legend: how a mysterious fox-masked hero and his extraordinary Pokémon appeared from nowhere, freed them from the darkness, and vanished by dawn. A light novel tale coming to life.