"Hm... okay so you want ten max potions, a rope, five revives and a turkey sandwich? That will be 11,000 pokedollars please."
Brendan dug through his backpack and pulled out his old leather wallet. He shelved out the correct amount and handed it off to the cashier lady as he gathered his things. "Thank you sir for shopping at the Fallarbor Town Pokemart, have a nice day!" Once Brendan had his supplies packed he headed outside of the store and stood in the middle of the small farming community that was surrounded by volcano ash. It was the early afternoon and Brendan realized that he had not called his mother yet. He remembered that he promised her the day before so he picked up his phone and dialed the familiar number as he sat down on a bench next to the Pokemart.
"Hello? Brendan?" Brendan smiled as he heard his mother's voice over the phone. "Hi mom! Just thought I'd call and check in. How are you?" There was slight background noise on the other line that sounded like people talking.
"Oh I'm alright, Professor Birch and his wife are over, and your father decided to stop by as well. Your father was going to invite Wally's dad over but he seemed preoccupied with something. How was the contest, speaking of Wally?"
"It was great! Wally and Gallade won the contest, which wasn't much of a surprise there, I mean we trained non-stop."
"That's awesome son! So... what have you been doing all day? I was expecting a phone call this morning, but something must have been occupying your time." Brendan let out a nervous laugh as he leaned back on the bench.
"Um... well, I was spending time with Wally. We hung out on the beach and stuff."
"I'm glad you got to spend some quality time with your friend. So, what are you up to now?" Brendan coughed and cleared his throat as he smelled the volcano and mountain scents. "Well... I'm in Fallarboar Town right now, Steven said he discovered some fossils in Meteor Falls, so I'm going to head over there. Hey mom...?"
"Yes son?" Brendan hesitated for a moment before speaking "I was um... talking to Wally, and it sounded like his parents were having some disagreements, do you know anything about that?" There was a short pause before his mother began to talk again.
"Well Brendan, between you and me, Wally's parents have been having some disagreements about their marriage as well as parenting Wally and other things. Unfortunately both of them were recovering alcoholics and they started back up again. It sounds like they might get a divorce soon. It's hard to upkeep a marriage and sometimes plans fall through. Even your father and I have had our ups and downs but know this, love is a precious feeling, it comes with bumps in the road but in the end if your love is strong you can get through anything with your partner. Romance is a strange feeling, and if you ever get into a relationship Brendan, please let me and your father know, we'd love to get to know the person. I will even make them dinner. Please be open with us, alright? I love you Brendan."
"I love you too mom." Brendan rubbed his eyes, he had to come clean with her about his new relationship with Wally but somehow he couldn't. The thought of his parents not accepting him felt like thousands of knives piercing his heart, but he had to do it, he was going to do it soon.
"Well, I need to go mom. I'll talk to you later."
"Sounds good son! I'll see you when you get home. Goodbye!"
"Bye." Brendan sighed and hung up the phone before slipping it back in his backpack. He gripped the straps of his backpack and started to head to the mountains. The route wasn't a very long but the wrath of the hot sun did not give any mercy to the travelers today. He took out the turkey sandwich and started to eat it as he walked down the rocky pathway. Brendan wiped some sweat from his forehead before he continued, he climbed up a couple of rocky steps after he walked across a bridge that was over a lake. In the mountains he came across a young boy and his Linoone and Beautifly but won effortlessly. He healed the boy's Pokemon before continuing further in the mountains. He then saw a mountain climber, who gave him a speech about dehydration and handed him off a water bottle. Brendan patiently listened and thanked the man for the water but he was eager to get to Meteor Falls.
Finally the cave was in sight, and he saw a figure that Brendan recognized as Steven. Brendan started walking faster, he panted heavily and finally took his hat off in defeat. He stuffed his hat into his backpack and looked up at Steven, who for whatever reason looked free of sweat. Steven smiled at Brendan as he rested his back against the rock.
"About time you got here! Don't worry, the cave is much cooler inside." Steven had a large bag full of supplies for digging and exploring. "You ready?" Brendan couldn't muster much except for a nod. The two made their way into the cave, Steven leading the way and Brendan following behind. Brendan noticed little change in the cave since the last time he was there. On occasion he'd train here, if he was up for a good climb. Steven and Brendan reached the shore line to a small body of water that led to a waterfall.
"So... what were you doing this morning?" Brendan shrugged and smiled at Steven, he tried to play dumb but Steven wasn't buying it.
"You said you were on a hot date right? Was she hot? Oh by the way, we're going to need your Gyarados to climb this waterfall. I rock climbed up the last time I was here, but I figured we'd save time by just climbing the waterfall." Brendan covered his face with his palm.
"Yes.. -he- was very hot." Brendan paused and hesitated "I was with Wally." Brendan's voice started to lower and strain with hesitation. "I spent the night with him in Lilycove and we went to the beach... it was fun." Steven then did what any supportive friend would've done. He laughed so hysterically that he almost tripped. He gripped onto a large boulder before he was able to fall in the water.
"About time! I was wondering when you two were going to get together." Brendan groaned and released Gyarados from his Pokeball. "Why did you think I was with May earlier?" Steven shrugged as he climbed onto Gyarados, Brendan following him. "Oh no reason, she's single right?" Brendan thought for a moment, he knew she had boyfriends in the past but as far as he knew she was single.
"Yeah... I think she is. Why?" Brendan's Gyarados started to pick up speed as it surfed along the water. Brendan then glanced up at the waterfall and pointed up at it. "Gyarados, use Waterfall!" Gyarados did as it's master said and climbed the waterfall with Brendan and Steven on it's back.
"Well... she's a very mature, intelligent young lady. I wouldn't mind asking her for a drink sometime." Steven acted as cool as a cucumber but Brendan knew that Steven's dating life was pretty much non existent for as long as he knew him. Then again, his dating life was pretty non existent too until now.
"I don't think it'd hurt to ask her. Just don't compare her to your rock collection and you should be good." Steven rolled his eyes as Brendan's Gyarados rolled to the shore. He'd climb off while Brendan followed him.
"The hematite stones in my collection remind me of her eyes, but I know better than that. I almost got Cynthia to go on a date with me once!" Brendan blinked and returned Gyarados to his Pokeball.
"Cynthia, champion of the Sinnoh Region?" Steven nodded excitedly.
"Oh yeah! I had her under my fingers... until I spilled red wine on her of course, that was embarrassing." Brendan nodded slowly "Uh huh... anyways! Where are these fossils?" Steven gestured for Brendan to follow and took him up a staircase that was carved into the rock. The champions took several turns down a dark pathway, and then up another set of natural stairs until they came across a camp with two small yellow tents. Sitting next to each other, was a timid looking man in a lab coat, as well as a guy with wild black hair that looked like he just got out of bed.
"Brendan, I'm sure you remember these two. They are Professor Cozmo and Thomas, also known as the Fossil Maniac. You two remember Brendan, yes?" The two men both nodded. Thomas walked up to Brendan and hugged him. He squinted his nose as he accidentally smelled Thomas's sweat, which smelled like gym socks. Brendan smiled weakly and waved.
"Glad you can make it here Brendan! We have quite a discovery, you see... we think we might've found a Kyogre and Groudon fossil, right here... in Meteor Falls!" The Fossil Maniac seemed extremely excited, even for these circumstances. Brendan scratched his head and looked at the three men in disbelief.
"Kyogre and Groudon? Are you sure about that? I thought there was only one of each in the Hoenn Region." Professor Cozmo stood up. "Yeah, that's what we thought but apparently there's something that we don't know. These fossils don't match any other Pokemon. Take a look." Professor Cozmo gestured over to a small foldable lab table, pointing to what appeared to be just pieces from the rock face. Brendan squinted his eyes as the stones were under the artificial lab light. He eyed the patterns in the rock and bite his lip in focus.
"I'm not sure, you're going to take this to Devon Corp to be further looked at right?" Steven nodded. "Of course, out of all of us, my dad is the most interested. But you see what we mean, that appears to be part of a Groudon's claw and the fin of a Kyogre." Brendan nodded "Yeah, I do... if it is what you think it is, this would be a jaw dropping discovery.. it would change.." Brendan was then interrupted by the loud running of people from behind the group and then a man shouting behind them.
"Raise your hands! Those fossils are ours!" Brendan turned around to see a man and a woman. They were wearing black leather suits with masks. Something about them triggered Brendan to think of Team Aqua and Magma grunts, but their uniforms looked nothing like an Aqua or Magma grunt. Steven appeared surprised, but stood up straight. "No, you won't be getting near these fossils." The male bandit grinned and pulled out a Pokeball from his belt.
"We'll see about that. Sharpedo, go!" The Sharpedo appeared before Brendan and Steven as the female then raised her Pokeball. "Houndoom, I choose you!" Brendan sighed and stood next to Steven. "I'll help you take care of this." Brendan raised one of his Pokeballs, giving it a small smile before bringing out his Gardevoir while Steven released his Metagross from it's Pokeball.
"Gardevoir, use psychic on Sharpedo!" Sharpedo started to wail in pain as the psychic energy started to enter it's mind, despite the large amount of damage Sharpedo stayed up.
"Sharpedo, use crunch on Metagross!" The Sharpedo charged Steven's Metagross and bit into it's arm several times, but Steven used it as an advantage, commanding Metagross to swing it's arm so that the Sharpedo was flung against the rocky wall.
"Damnit.. Sharpedo return!" The woman sighed and shook her head. "I'll take care of this, Houndoom, fire fang on Gardevoir, now!" The large dog-like Pokemon started to charge Gardevoir as Brendan shouted. "Block it! Counter it with Moonblast!" Gardevoir quickly got out of the way, but the Houndoom kept charging until it eventually bit Gardevoir, causing her to get a burn. Gardevoir growled angrily and used Moonblast, taking out Houndoom in one shot. Brendan and Steven returned their Pokemon as they sighed in relief. The battle was over, they won, it was time for the bandits to go away. Just as Brendan expected the bandits to run, the male grabbed a small spray bottle, which looked similar to a hairspray bottle from his pocket.
"Screw this, we ain't gonna fail the boss this time!" The male bandit raised the bottle and sprayed an unknown substance into Brendan and Steven's eyes. Brendan coughed horridly as some of the substance went into his mouth. It stung, and attacked all of Brendan's taste buds. Brendan gripped his neck as the strange spray went down his throat as he fell over. His eye sight started to fade as he watched Steven fall over into a deep sleep. Brendan tried to open his mouth to get Steven's attention but somehow it was numbed shut. All Brendan could see in his faded vision was Steven's figure laying dead still on the cave floor. In the background Brendan heard chaos. Professor Cozmo and the Fossil Maniac were shouting, items at the camp were being knocked over, and Brendan couldn't make out what was going on, but it felt like a robbery or an assault.
All of a sudden Brendan's eyelids felt heavy, he tried his best to keep his burned, sore eyes open but finally his body gave up and drifted into a deep sleep next to Steven.
Brendan's eyes shot wide open. He was in a dark, damp room, it smelled like mold and he could feel the wetness beneath his feet. Brendan blinked in panic, he was wearing no shoes. His arms were also hanging from something. Brendan tried to pull his arms free but something was hanging his hands up in the air. Brendan kicked and struggled, he tried to shout and scream but for whatever reason he couldn't do it. Brendan glanced around at his surroundings, he could barely make anything out, except that he felt like he was in a cave.
"Hello Brendan." Brendan gasped at the voice and looked around frantically for the other person but there was none. It was only an unknown, deep sounding voice.
"I've known you for a very long time and my... you have grown up so much. I almost thought the savior of Hoenn was a stoic, strong champion with no weaknesses, boy was I so wrong." Brendan struggled some more, but no matter what he did he could not leave, he had to listen. A bright light then filled the room and blinded Brendan, he squinted his eyes at the bright light. As soon as the light cleared, he was in an oddly familiar field of flowers. His eyes widened in shock, he was his normal self again and was standing in the middle of one of the flower gardens on Route 117, near Verdanturf Town. He then looked ahead and noticed the familiar figure of Wally run up to him and hug him. He grinned and let out a small laugh as he peered into Wally's eyes and ran his fingers through Wally's soft green hair as Wally just stared back at him with a friendly smile.
"He is your weakness and what a perfect weakness he is." The voice sounded through Brendan's head as Wally started to cough furiously. Brendan frowned in concern as he tried to look for Wally's inhaler, which was always in a small pocket in Wally's tan messenger bag but was thrown off in alarm as Wally began to cough up blood which sprayed out onto the delicate pink and white petals of the flowers. Wally then collapsed to the ground. Brendan looked around in panic.
"H.. help.. can someone help? Please?!" The route was usually filled with people, but this time there was no one, only him and Wally. A chaos of sounds started to fill the air as Brendan started to hear frequent beeping and mechanical noises.
"HEELLP!" The voice in Brendan's head laughed in amusement, as if seeing Wally cough up more blood was just a game.
"They took it easy on you, you were only a child, but I will not take it easy on you. You fuck with me Brendan, and I will fuck with you. Stay out of my way!" The noises got louder and louder as the scene began to disappear in another chaotic bright light.
Brendan let out a loud, high pitched scream as he woke up. He shook his head furiously in panic as a group of Pokemon Center nurses surrounded him. One of the nurses covered his mouth with a gloved hand as his blood shot eyes were wide open.
"Shh... it's okay Brendan, you're safe." Brendan breathed quickly and heavily but stopped screaming as he looked up at the nurses. He refocused his eyes and looked around, he was in a medical room in a Pokemon Center. Brendan's breathing slowed down as he carefully sat up in his bed. All the nurses except for one left the room as Brendan took in the details. There were medical machines everywhere that were used for Pokemon and people alike. Professor Cozmo and the Fossil Maniac were sitting at his bedside. He turned to his right and saw Steven through a glass window, who appeared to be talking on the phone with someone.
Brendan bit his lip as he looked over at the two men who were with him. He shook furiously.
"P.. Professor Cozmo, what happened?" The Professor ran his hand ontop of Brendan's hand which was warm in contrast with Brendan's cold skin.
"After you battled those thugs... they sprayed you and Steven with a mixed chemical which contained dream mist and a very harmful poison. What's scary is the nurses can't figure out the origin of the poison but they tested you and Steven to be fine, so they don't think it's deadly." Brendan frowned and wrapped his arms around his chest as he started to develop goosebumps on his bare skin.
"You have the fossils right?" Professor Cozmo sighed. "No, we don't. The bandits took them, the Fossil Maniac and I tired to chase after them but they were too fast. They could be anywhere in the Hoenn Region now. You and Steven were knocked out good, it took about a hour for Steven to wake up, but unfortunately I think you got the blunt of the chemical so you were out for four hours, it's now five o'clock." Brendan glanced over at Steven, he heard Steven's voice but he couldn't make out what he was saying behind the glass.
"Who's Steven talking to?" The Fossil Maniac shrugged. "I have no idea, but before you woke up, your phone rung, Steven picked it up. He's been talking on your phone for the past ten minutes." Brendan's fists balled up as he looked at the two men in panic.
"C... can you please get him over here? I need to talk to whoever it is, I don't want them to panic!" Brendan started breathing quickly again as Professor Cozmo tried to calm him down. The Fossil Maniac got up and walked to the hallway where Steven was and pulled him into the room. Steven physically looked like a mess. His skin was pale, his hair was wild, and Steven's neatly tailored outfit was crinkled and messed up all over.
"Brendan.. it's okay, I've just been talking to Wally, he's worried about you so he's coming over to visit." Brendan looked up at Steven with a pouty expression on his face.
"L.. Let me talk to him, please! I.. I need to hear him, he needs to know that I'm okay." Steven sighed in defeat and handed Brendan his phone.
"Wally?!" Brendan sat up straight in his hospital bed as he tried to listen for his voice.
"Brendan! Brendan, I heard from Steven that you were attacked! I wish I was there to help... I feel terrible." A tear dripped down Brendan's cheek, the dream he had earlier was so real, at this point in time he didn't feel like the confident, proud champion that he was, but a vulnerable, wrecked version of himself that he didn't know existed.
"It's okay... you wouldn't have wanted to be there anyways." Brendan sniffled as looked down at his lap. "So um... how was your return home?"
"Shitty, but that doesn't matter right now. Brendan, Steven said that you have to be watched and supervised for the next 24 hours, when I come to Fallarbor Town, will you please leave with me to Verdanturf so I can take care of you? I have everything set up." Brendan opened his mouth and closed it as he tried to figure out what to say.
"Wally... really, I'm fine. I don't need to be supervised." Steven gave Brendan a glare and shook his head. "Oh yes you do, according to the nurses." Brendan sighed and began to talk into the phone again.
"A.. alright, I'll come to Verdanturf with you." Wally's voice seemed to increase in pitch as he sounded a little more happy.
"Okay! I'm making my aunt's chicken noodle soup right now, it'll be ready for you when you're here. I... I love you Brendan, everything is going to be okay." Brendan bit down hard on his lip to avoid bursting into tears.
"I love you too, goodbye." Brendan slowly pressed the end button and handed it off to Professor Cosmo who slipped the phone back into Brendan's bag. Brendan cleared his throat and looked at Steven, who knelt down by Brendan's bedside.
"Steven, I'm worried. How did those bandits know those fossils were there? They mentioned that they had a boss, do they think they can reanimate those fossils? I... I saw a weird figure go into Team Aqua's old HQ this morning, could that be related to any of this?" Steven sighed and shrugged weakly.
"I don't know, we're going to have to figure that out and reclaim those fossils. We can't risk having another threat on our hands." Brendan nodded at Steven's words.
"But for now, please do as the nurses say and relax for the next 24 hours? We can't afford to have you getting hurt again." Brendan frowned "As much as I don't want to do that, I won't do anything crazy. I'm not going to be very helpful if I somehow fuck up myself even more." Brendan grabbed two handfuls of his hair and sighed. Steven gently patted Brendan's back as he stood up.
"Well... Professor Cozmo, the Fossil Maniac and I have some business to attend to. Rest up Brendan, okay? I'll talk to you soon so we can plot our next move." Brendan nodded and waved as the three men exited his room.
Brendan plopped back down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling as he replayed his dream over and over again in his head. Was that voice some fucked up embodiment that was just in his nightmare, or was it way more than that? Brendan groaned and began to rest his eyes, thinking about it was only going to make the negative vibes in his brain worsen.
((And the plot thickens! My Kalos fic is in the works right now, and I'll of course be continuing to chapter 8. I'll admit, there are a lot of lore pieces that are missing, simply because it has been awhile since I played the Gen 3 games, I have Alpha Sapphire but I still have to finish it. If I screw up on something, feel free to let me know. Thank you for all of your views and support!))
