A Guide To Her Heart
Episode 2: Poke'mon Tower of Terror
"Okay, that's it. Everything else is at Grandpa's house," Violet exclaimed, closing up her black knapsack. "Its time to blow this popsicle stand, guys!" she told her Poke'mon, returning them to their poke'balls. Then, she pulled up the hood of her cloak and left her room on the top floor of Poke'mon Tower for the final time.
It was the middle of the night, and most of the ghosts were out playing. Almost instantly, Violet was greeted by a familiar Gastly.
"Gaaaassss," it grinned.
"Hey, Dark Smoke," the Coordinator smiled weakly. "Hey buddy, we need to talk."
"Gaaasss?" it said, tilting its body to show confusion.
"I'm…leaving, Smoke," she forced the words out of her mouth, looking at the Gastly forgivingly. The purple Poke'mon blinked at her, then shook its head, its large smile quickly faltering.
"I'm so sorry!" Violet apologized, reaching out for it, only to have it jerk away.
"Gaaasssss!" it wailed, a dark flash from its eyes sending Violet hurtling backwards. Suddenly, a horde of other Gastly and Haunter surrounded Dark Smoke. It uttered something to them in their tongue, and was soon joined in its excessive mourning.
Wincing on the ground from the hazy flash, Violet looked up at her Ghost Poke'mon friends. She was quickly surrounded, some of them looking hurt and the others looking angry and she heard a jumble of wails begging her not to go.
"I'm sorry guys, but I have to!" she proclaimed. Then, their faces growing cross, the ghost Poke'mon surrounded the Coordinator in dense shadows. "You guys!" she cried, trying to wave them away. Then another horrible flash struck her. At first the darkness from the attack consumed her, but when she tried to open her eyes after the attack, there was still only darkness. She was out cold.
Drew sat on the floor, leaning back against the grave wall on the bottom floor of Poke'mon Tower, his eye lids droopy but refusing to close.
"Hey, this is better than that crowded Poke'mon Center," he told himself. Just then, he heard a loud 'thump' from upstairs. "Probably just a ghost," he thought to himself. He was well aware of the Ghost Poke'mon that haunted the tower, but he was perfectly safe here on the first floor. Unexpectedly, a white light erupted from a poke'ball at his waist and his Absol appeared by his side.
"'Saul!" it roared, running off towards the stairs.
"Absol! Where are you going?" Drew demanded, jumping to his feet. "Get back here!" he shouted, now fully awake as he chased the great white Poke'mon up the stairs.
He pursued the so-called "Disaster Poke'mon" up through the floors until he reached the seventh. "Now-wha-what is it, Absol?" Drew panted, hands on his knees. He could hear the battle cries of Ghost Poke'mon, instantly making him look up.
Before him was a group of specter Poke'mon hovering over a slumped figure on the ground between an arrangement of tombstones. Drew's eyes narrowed and he stepped forward. "Absol, crunch attack!" he ordered, pointing at the group of floating Poke'mon. Rearing back, the white Poke'mon covered itself in a dark aura and charged for the group. But then, it disappeared into the shadows. Moments later it appeared behind the group of ghosts and slammed its body into them. On contact, the aura spread and knocked its opponents backward, away from the fallen person, leaving Absol to stand guard in front of them.
Drew's hand slapped his forehead. "That was faint attack," he sighed.
A Haunter glared angrily at the white Poke'mon and shot a ray of black light at it, to which Absol matched with a shadow ball. The two attacks collided and created a haze that blinded Drew and the other Poke'mon. When the smoke cleared, the Absol was by Drew's side with the cloaked figure slumped over its back. "Its Shadow!" the green-haired Coordinator exclaimed in surprise.
"'Saul! Ab-saul!" his Poke'mon barked, rocketing down the steps. Drew took off after it, looking back as the ghost Poke'mon gave chase.
Out of the blue, an orb of darkness came from behind and sent Drew, Absol, and Shadow crashing into the wall of the next level. Drew grunted as Shadow landed almost on top of him, hitting him dead-on in the chest and her hood flying off her head. Opening his eyes, he starred down at her as her eyes fluttered open. They were a deep purple, exactly the same color as her hair.
"Erm…who are you?" she asked, blinking back into reality and getting off of him.
"Drew," he replied quickly as Absol lept between the two teens and the Ghost Poke'mon that were advancing on them from the staircase. They were practically surrounded. Violet gave a fiery glance in the Absol's direction to which it responded to with a curt nod.
"Use dark pulse!" she ordered. The white-pelted Poke'mon arched its back, a mass of darkness forming around its body. Then, with a roar, it sent it outward at the Ghost Poke'mon in one huge dark seismic attack. Wailing loudly, the Ghost Poke'mon fled after into the walls of Poke'mon Tower.
Sitting on her knees, her arms around the Absol's neck, she petted it gratefully.
"Thank you," she smiled at it.
"'Saul!" it grinned back at her happily, leaning into her touch.
"Absol, I didn't even know you knew that move," Drew told it, kneeling on its other side.
"'Saul," it shrugged. Drew gave it a somewhat annoyed look.
"Thanks, Drew. You and your Absol really saved me!" the mauve-haired girl told him.
"Why didn't you fight back? You have plenty Dark Poke'mon of your own!" he exclaimed.
"Actually, those Ghost Poke'mon were my friends. I didn't want to attack them," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "And how do you know I have Dark Poke'mon?"
"You're still wearing that cape, genius," Drew smirked, pointing to her clothing. She blinked a moment.
"…Oh no!" she wept, fumbling for her hood even though she knew it was too late. "Now you've seen me!"
Drew laughed at her, and not politely either. "So this is the real Shadow!" Violet looked up at him and beamed cheekily.
"Yeah," she replied. Hm, Drew hadn't received a smart remark. Had he been talking to May she would be jumping down his throat by now.
"Well…don't worry about loosing your hood. I won't be around long enough to tell anyone your secret," he told her.
"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.
"I'm heading for the National Grand Festival, if you must know," he told her, beginning to get annoyed. Why did he even tell her? He could've just said, "None of your business!"
"Really? I'm going for that too!" she told him. His eyebrow twitched; it wasn't good for him or any other Coordinator if Shadow was going to be at the National Grand Festival. He looked to see her continuing to play with his Absol, scratching the back of its horn and receiving a lick in the face. Drew found this a bit hard to soak in; who would've thought the infamous Shadow was so…girly?
"How did you know Absol knew dark pulse?" he asked her, trying to be civilized - not one of his best qualities.
"Dark Poke'mon and I sorta just click. That's all," she told him, still paying attention to the white-pelted Poke'mon.
"Hmph," Drew grumbled, standing up and plucking a poke'ball from his belt before dropping it in front of Violet.
"Huh? What is it?" she asked, confused.
"I can't do a thing with it," Drew replied, referring to Absol. The Poke'mon gave him a short glare with its piercing red eyes, but then continued to associate with the other Coordinator.
"So…you want me to have it?" Violet asked, looking for confirmation.
"Sure," Drew shrugged, heading for the door. Giving an enemy a Poke'mon wasn't normally at the top of his to-do list, but Absol would probably just hold him back anyway; Dark-type Poke'mon weren't his thing.
"Okay!" Violet beamed, picking up Absol's poke'ball, much to the Poke'mon's delight. "You've got to let me pay you back then!" she insisted. Drew groaned loudly.
"Fine, Shadow," he told her.
"Oh, by the way, my real name's Violet," she informed him. The mint-haired Coordinator couldn't help but to snicker.
"Should've guessed," he thought, looking at her bright purple hair.
At that moment, a Gastly materialized from mist behind Violet. The hairs on Absol's back rose but Violet raised a hand to stop it.
"This is Dark Smoke, a friend of mine," she introduced.
"Hmph, some friend if it tried to smother you with shadow attacks!" Drew sneered, receiving a warning look from all three of them. Turning back to the Gastly, Violet flashed it an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry buddy, but you know how it is." With that, she removed her cloak, and set it on Dark Smoke's head, so it flowed down and hovered above the ground. The Gastly laughed as the hood fell over its face, and soared around happily. "I'll miss you!" Violet grinned, heading for the door. Dark Smoke nodded in her direction and flashed her one last smile before disappearing into the darkness.
"Come on, you guys," Violet called to Absol and Drew over her shoulder as she opened the double doors. The Absol was by Violet's side in moments, but Drew hung back.
"Where?" he asked suspiciously.
"My Grandpa's house!" she replied with a grin.
Drew and Absol followed Violet into the small house as an elderly man about the same height as them came out from the back.
"Mr. Fuji?" Drew gasped, along with Absol.
"At your service," the old man chuckled, putting his arm around Violet. "I'm Violet's grandfather. Vi, is this young man a friend of yours?" Mr. Fuji asked.
"You could say that," Violet told him. "Gramps, look!" she added, opening her ribbon case to reveal five ribbons. Apprently, Violet didn't mind sharing her secret with her grandfather.
"Oh Violet, well done!" her grandfather exclaimed, hugging his granddaughter. "I take it you're here to get your things. It's a bit late isn't it?"
"Yeah," Violet laughed nervously. "But I was hoping you would let Drew and I spend the rest of the night here. In the morning we'll be on our way," she explained.
"Of course, my dear!" Mr. Fuji answered. "The both of you are welcome! Oh and what a wonderful Absol!" the old man chortled, kneeling to pet it.
"Drew," Violet said, turning to him. "There's a bedroom in the back for you."
"Yeah, thanks," he replied carelessly, brushing past her. Hey, rescuing this chick was paying off, for a night at least.
"Hey Drew," she called suddenly.
"What is it?" he asked, stopping halfway down the hallway. "I was wondering if…you could…" the female Coordinator's words stumbled out of her mouth, not getting anywhere.
"Well?" Drew ushered. "Out with it already."
"I was wondering if you could escort me to the National Grand Festival!" Violet blurted out. Drew quirked his eyebrow at her, giving her a strange look. Oh, he saw her game now. Politely invite him in and give him a place to stay, then bombard him with this. Well, it wasn't going to work. He opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off again.
"Please! Please! Plleeeaasssseeeee!" she begged childishly.
"'Sssaaauuullll!" the Absol added, which also probably translated into "Plleeeaasssseeeee!" Drew heaved a loud sigh.
"I'll think about it, okay?" What on earth? Didn't he just tell himself that he wasn't going to be bothered with this girl?
"Yay! Thanks Drew!" Violet grinned and rushed off to her own room, followed by the Absol.
A dreaded thought crossed Drew's mind. "What have I gotten myself into?"