A/N: I'm back with a new chapter (which I believe is the longest chapter yet). Thanks everyone for reading (and putting up with my slow updates). The mystery will continue to build in the next few chapters, so stay tuned!
The next morning, Coale could sense the anticipation that permeated the Guild. The excitement shared by the Guild members was almost tangible, and conversation was abuzz as he and Elli joined the assembled apprentices in the rotunda room for announcements. Coale could scarcely believe that the group possessed the potential to create an even greater din than normal, but his ears provided all the proof. Not one single Pokémon was talking about anything other than the mysterious surprise.
"I have to know!" exclaimed Mareep. "I can't go one second longer without knowing, or I just might go crazy!"
"The Guildmistress sure is keeping us in suspense," noted Drifloon, trying to conceal some of his own excitement.
"Whatever it is, I'm sure it will have been worth the wait," said Butterfree.
"I hope it's not dangerous!" chimed Clefable.
Donphan was unfazed by this remark. "Bring it on! We can take it!"
Staryu and Starmie were also present, taking an uncharacteristic leave from lake patrol. "Mother," said Staryu inquisitively, "do you know what the surprise is?"
Starmie's gem twinkled mischievously. "Maybe," she said. "You will have to wait just a little bit longer, young one."
Linoone was the only Pokémon who said nothing. He prowled around the group, occasionally glancing towards the door leading to the outside of the Guild, presumably because he was wary about leaving his post. From what Coale had gathered in his time at the Guild, Linoone was a fantastic sentry. However, Coale hadn't seen any disturbances that warranted the need for a sentry. Perhaps these things never happened precisely because there was a sentry there to watch over the Guild.
Coale turned to look at Elli. Her eyes shone with the same excitement that everyone else was feeling. Coale felt it too. He was quite intrigued with the unknown, be it a fascinating surprise or his own hidden past…
At last, the moment of truth arrived. Vileplume's door swung open as usual, and Arcanine followed Vileplume into the rotunda chamber as she began to address the crowd.
"Good morning everyone!" she said in her usual singsong voice. "The time has come to announce the surprise!"
Cheers erupted from the Pokémon and continued for several seconds until Skarmory managed to calm everyone.
Vileplume continued. "Arcanine and I have just been going over several final details in order to make sure that this surprise is a success. I hope you're all prepared!"
Vileplume let the crowd be silent for a few more seconds, building suspense. Unable to contain herself any longer, Mareep exclaimed, "tell us already, Guildmistress!"
Mareep looked at the floor sheepishly. "Please?" she added with immediate afterthought.
Vileplume smiled a wide smile. "The surprise is…"
Every apprentice in the room, Coale and Elli included, leaned in slightly closer to hear Vileplume's last words.
"…The first annual Pinnacle Scale!"
The crowd cheered. Barely registering that none of them had any idea what a Pinnacle Scale was, the assembled Pokémon cheered as much out of satisfaction that the surprise had finally been revealed as they did about the surprise itself.
"This will be a race," Vileplume continued over the chatter. "Each of you will be grouped into teams to try and reach the peak of the mountain to the northeast."
Coale pictured the surrounding area in his head. He remembered that an almost impossibly high mountain towered over their humble island in the middle of the lake. Often residents of Jetsam Village were provided with a scenic view of the mountain's snow-capped peak. On overcast days the top of that mountain was obscured by clouds, lending its summit an aura of mystery. Would they really be climbing that?
Conversation buzzed again amongst the Guild members. It seemed that while Coale's thoughts had been drawn to geography, the other apprentices had been initially intrigued by the word "race." Donphan and Mareep exchanged hearty banter.
"A race, huh," said Donphan, as if issuing a challenge. "It's looking pretty good for anyone on my team, I'd say."
"In your dreams, Donphan," said Mareep with a grin. "Watch me fly up that mountain."
As always, the excitable Guild members began to get louder than was suitable for announcements. Skarmory's earsplitting screech caused everyone to cover their ears instantly.
"Ouch," commented Elli. "I should be expecting that by now…"
After clearing her throat, Vileplume continued with her briefing. "Now, onto a few rules and parameters," she said. "Each team will need a flag. This flag will be your key to success: the first team to place their flag in the pole at the top of the mountain will be victorious, and your flag will hang here in the Guild for years to come!"
There were several whistles and cheers. While many Pokémon would simply enjoy participating in the Pinnacle Scale, some would be out for glory.
Vileplume gestured to her left. "Arcanine and I have already set up the starting line at the foot of the mountain. Remember: we of the Vileplume Guild must show good sportsmanship. We'll be competing against other Teams from the village, not just each other."
Elli's eyes grew wide. "Wow…" she said in awe.
Coale, too, felt amazement at the prospect of the event. This would be unlike the usual missions Team Starfire was used to undertaking. However, he felt that he was up to the challenge. He noticed that Elli seemed just as excited as the rest of the Guild. Perhaps she was overcoming some of her characteristic anxiety…
"Now," said Vileplume. "We will be splitting you up into teams. Mareep, Butterfree, and Linoone will make up the first team."
"Yeah!" said Mareep with enthusiasm. "Go team!"
Butterfree and Linoone moved to join her at the left side of the room.
"Donphan, Drifloon, Staryu, and Starmie will make up the second team."
The newly-formed second team converged opposite the first.
"We're all very different," said Drifloon. "But that should serve us well!"
Donphan nodded his head in agreement. "Good to have you guys on the team!"
Vileplume turned her gaze to the center of the room, where the remainder of the Guild members remained. "The third and final team will be Coale, Elli, and Clefable."
Coale, Elli, and Clefable gathered at the center of the room. Clefable beamed.
"This is so exciting!" she exclaimed. "I'm looking forward to teaming up with you two!"
Elli smiled. "I think we'll make a great team!"
Coale nodded. He, too, was growing more energized by the second. Now that the Pinnacle Scale had finally been revealed to everyone, the vitality of the teams was palpable.
"Ok, everyone," said Vileplume. "You'll have the remainder of the day to make your flag, gather supplies, and anything else you need to do to be prepared. Tomorrow morning, we'll all meet at the foot of the mountain to start the race."
She clapped her hands. "Get to it everyone!"
The first order of business for Team Starfire and Clefable was a visit to the market. All of the shops were busy that day as Exploration Teams stocked up on important items and prepared for the great race.
Elli's eyes scanned the list of necessary things they had made a few minutes prior to arriving at the market, quickly moving between the many Pokémon on the path with graceful dexterity. Coale and Clefable were forced to keep up a faster pace so that Elli wouldn't leave them in the dust. They finally caught up to Elli when she came to a sudden stop in the middle of the road in an area where there was less of a crowd.
"Wow," she said in realization. "There are a lot of things on this list. How are we going to get them all?"
Coale and Clefable looked over Elli's shoulder at the paper. In addition to an adequate stock of food and utility items in case of emergencies, they also had to purchase all the supplies necessary for making a flag. Coale had to agree that it was quite a long list.
"Could we split up?" suggested Clefable. "That way we could be done faster."
Elli smiled. "Great idea! How about we each buy a part of the list?"
Coale nodded in agreement. Elli, the best at identifying items, went to purchase Orbs and Max Elixirs. Clefable, the culinary expert, set off to find Berries and Apples. Coale took the last part of the list: flag materials. The group exchanged farewells of good luck and headed off in opposite directions.
Unsure about where to find things to make a flag, Coale started to wander, intrigued by everything he saw. All manner of things changed hands at the market, and that day brought a greater variety of items to the island. Eventually, Coale noticed a particularly colorful sign at a usually empty kiosk near Spinda Wares. A Lilligant stood behind the counter, eagerly awaiting potential customers.
"Hello!" she exclaimed to Coale as he approached. "Can I assist you in any way?"
Coale looked around the kiosk. Boxes were haphazardly stacked behind the Lilligant, and colorful trinkets protruded from overstuffed chests.
"I'm a Traveling Sales-mon," said Lilligant brightly. "Today, I'm selling craft supplies. This particular selection is direct from Post Town, so you can be sure that they're high quality goods!"
Coale's brow furrowed as he thought. What did they need?
He looked up at Lilligant. "I'm looking for things to make a flag."
Lilligant smiled. "Ah, yes. I hear many Exploration Teams in the area are taking part in a great race and are in need of flags. You've definitely come to the right place, then! I've got resilient fabric and canvas, sturdy wooden staves, and paint pigments in all the colors of the rainbow!"
Each of these items was quite satisfactory to Coale. He purchased some fabric and a wooden stave, but became indecisive when looking at the paints. Lilligant, noticing his hesitation, chimed in.
"It seems as though everyone has trouble choosing colors," she said. "How about choosing the colors that inspire you?"
After much deliberation, Coale selected an iridescent indigo, a blazing red, a shining yellow, and a luminescent lavender. After thanking Lilligant for her help, he set off to rejoin Elli and Clefable at the square. When Coale arrived, he didn't see any sign of his partner or teammate, and assumed that he must have finished his shopping first. What he did notice, however, filled him with a now familiar sense of dread.
To the unacquainted bystander, there was nothing amiss in the square. Everyone walked by the notice boards, selecting jobs and engaging in conversation with one another. The Pokémon of Jetsam Village had come to expect another notice on the news board as a regular occurrence, and many sketches had joined the ranks of Caterpie, dozing ominously in their sheets of parchment. When he looked closely, Coale could see shifting eyes, tense stares, and heavier steps.
"Coale?"
Coale was snapped out of his daze by Elli's voice. He turned to see Elli and Clefable, each carrying a bag of supplies. "Coale, are you alright?"
Coale blinked twice, then nodded. The feelings emanating from the news board still lingered.
Clefable smiled. "Looks like we have everything. Shall we get started?"
After taking inventory of their newly purchased supplies, the team gathered in the Guild's rotunda room to begin making a flag. Elli smoothed the fabric over the grassy floor, and Clefable mixed the paints, placing them neatly to the side. However, once the preparations were complete, none of the team members had the faintest idea how to start.
"This is harder than I thought it would be…" said Elli sheepishly.
Coale nodded in agreement. There was something about that blank potential that made him hesitate. Clefable reached for a paintbrush several times, but each time made a noise of dissatisfaction and pulled her hand back. After a few more minutes of staring hopelessly at the fabric, Elli spoke,
"What do we stand for?"
It was a difficult question. One, Coale thought, that was harder to answer than the question of what to start with. Puzzled, he gave the matter some consideration, pausing to organize his musings. He needed a word, one word that would capture the team's mission.
"Radiance," he said in realization. Inspired, he reached for a paintbrush, making the first few strokes on the team's flag.
"Perseverance!" exclaimed Clefable, joining him with a paintbrush of her own.
Elli stared at their developing flag thoughtfully. Then, she closed her eyes and nodded once, confident in her decision.
"Spirit," she said with assuredness, joining the others in painting.
The three Pokémon huddled around the gradually forming flag, lost in creativity, for almost an hour. After adding several finishing touches, Coale, Elli, and Clefable leaned backward to examine their masterpiece.
A blazing flame adorned the center of the flag, its sheer yellows and reds almost threatening to sear anyone staring to close. Streaks of brilliant indigo shone from its center, illuminating a darkened tapestry through which the symbol dazzled. Finally, shining over the painted fire was a four-point star. The star was slightly transparent, allowing the fire to burn forth, but exhibited a luminosity all its own.
Coale and Clefable held the flag up, and the light from the ceiling reflected on the paint. Coale had to admit that Lilligant wasn't exaggerating: the colors reflected light in such a way that he could almost see their hues though the air.
"Wow," breathed Elli. "It's…wonderful. Thank you, both."
At last, Team Starfire was ready to undertake the race of a lifetime.
The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Coale, Elli, and Clefable reached the foot of the mountain. It seemed as though the entire village had gathered to see the teams begin the race. Coale spotted many Pokémon he recognized: Marowak and his excavation crew, including the ever exuberant Drilbur, Breloom and Poliwrath from the Dojo, members of the Swellow Message Service and Stoutland Police Force. Gyarados and Milotic were hard at work, ferrying increasing numbers of Pokémon across the lake to join ever-expanding semicircle of spectators. Team Starfire and company joined the assembled teams at the starting line.
Team Raider was there, preparing for the race by practicing moves. Gallade, sparring with Rhyperior, caused the crowd to ease backwards to avoid getting hit, but everyone stood enraptured by their battling prowess. There were several other Teams that Coale had seen before around Jetsam Village. Though Coale hadn't spoken to very many of them, he had noticed those accepting jobs from the notice board and buying things from the market.
As he, Elli, and Clefable joined the rest of the contestants, one particular face caught Coale's eye. As they approached, the familiar Pokémon turned to face him.
"Hello," Coale said, somewhat uneasily. "You're the Bulbasaur that spoke to me at the news board, right?"
Bulbasaur nodded in confirmation. "Right," he said. "It's better to meet you in a less unsettling situation. I'm the leader of Team Bushquake. This is my partner, Quagsire."
Quagsire bounced over to meet them. "Hiya!" he said, shaking both Coale's and Elli's paws. "Our pleasure to be taking part in this with everyone."
Another Team that Coale recognized converged around Team Starfire to make formal introductions. Their presence caused quite a buzz, as each member of the Team was a winged Bug type.
"Ninjask," said the foremost Team member, extending one of his appendages in greeting. "Leader of Team Whistleblade."
The slightly softer and more graceful Venomoth introduced herself next, followed by the lightning-quick Beedrill.
"We'll be here to win," said Beedrill with confidence. "Everyone participating is a formidable opponent though, so we won't be underestimating anyone."
"We're glad to be in this race with you all," said Venomoth.
There were at least five other Teams outside of the Guild members that Coale didn't recall from memory ready and waiting at the starting line, and each of them looked tough. Coale was unsure about their team's chances at winning; the competition looked fierce.
However, one look at the other Pokémon teams only strengthened Elli's resolve. Her face formed into a grin, and she smiled at Coale. "This will be so exciting, Coale! I didn't have much motivation to win before, but now I'm pumped!"
It seemed to Coale that whenever he or Elli was feeling uneasy, the other would be there to instill confidence in their success. It was almost as if, as a Team, they never collectively felt like they could fail. He and Elli were building a stronger partnership by the day, and now, they faced a momentous challenge.
The excited chatter began to settle down as the assembled crowd began to notice the race facilitators take positions. As the Teams moved to equalize the distance between each other, Coale took note of the starting line. This simple white line in the dirt, flanked by two roaring torches, was all that separated the Teams from anticipation and a rush for victory.
The noise faded as Vileplume ascended a pedestal near the starting line.
"Welcome, everyone," she shouted, "to the first annual Pinnacle Scale!"
Every Pokémon, including the Teams poised to dash, cheered wildly.
"At the signal, the race will begin!"
She gestured to her right towards a sparking Voltorb. As soon as they noticed the Voltorb, every Pokémon within a ten-foot radius of it, with the sole exclusion of Vileplume, took several steps backward. The crowd was deathly silent. Then, Arcanine pointed at Voltorb, and a fantastic boom echoed around the mountain's base. The competing Teams dashed through the smoke as the crowd struggled to see through the haze. The great Pinnacle Scale had begun.
The smokescreen cleared quite rapidly, and Coale, Elli, and Clefable stayed close together while running through the massive horde of competition. Several Teams took an early lead while others moved more deliberately. Team Starfire stayed towards the middle of the pack, watching competitors closely. After several minutes, the throng began to separate.
"We shouldn't focus entirely on speed," suggested Clefable. "We need to have energy to spare for other parts of the race."
Slowing his pace, Coale looked ahead and saw that Clefable's point made sense. Donphan and Mareep, putting forth all their speed, seemed to drag their teams along with them. Other Teams zoomed by, attempting to gain ground and have an early advantage. Team Bushquake appeared to be in last place, but Bulbasaur and Quagsire were steadily gaining on the other Teams with no sign of fatigue. Team Whistleblade used the path's rough terrain to their advantage, zooming between different obstacles.
"Agreed," said Coale, looking at Elli. The three teammates collectively decreased speed and kept pace with the rest of the pack.
As the Teams thinned out, their course up the mountain became clearer. As they ran, Coale noticed that the path diverged greatly. Rugged trails branched off from the main path, and soon Teams were forced to choose which side trail to follow. The other Teams chose so many different directions that eventually Team Starfire could barely see the competitors. After a long while of running, Coale, Elli, and Clefable for forced to choose their own path.
Upon reaching a fork in the trail, the three teammates stopped for a short rest. Clefable had been lagging slightly behind, and Elli was drawing heavier breaths. Surprisingly, Coale himself felt little fatigue, ready to continue the race when the others had regained their energy.
"The other Teams will probably be slowing down, too," said Clefable, "so we can afford to take a rest,"
"Where will we go next?" asked Elli, her eyes scanning their surroundings.
Coale looked around as well. The fork they had reached diverged in two directions. To the left, a rugged path lined with pointed stones, similar to the main trail, snaked slightly upward with several twists and turns that Coale couldn't entirely make out from their current vantage point. To the right, the explorers were faced with the gaping mouth of a cave. Although Coale was unable to see the inside of the cave, the stone mountainside past the opening angled in a straightforward, rising direction.
Elli, recovered from their first bout of running, hardened her gaze, staring evenly at both routes. Eventually, she nodded. "I have a really good feeling about that cave."
Coale took another look at the cave. While the lack of light did seem problematic, he trusted Elli's instincts. He conveyed his approval to his companions.
"Well, then," Clefable said with a smile, "shall we get going?"
With several glances at each other for support, the trio headed together into the beckoning cavern.
As Coale had predicted, the light steadily faded as they progressed further into the cave. Coale found that his other senses became more pronounced. The air was thick and damp, so much that he could almost taste it, and he could hear dripping water echoing around him. Coale's eyes were becoming of less and less use, although he could still see Elli's luminous outline in front of him. He thought about igniting his quills to provide some light, but was wary about burning one of his teammates.
"It's getting a bit dark in here…" said Elli. Her voice bounced off the cave walls.
"It's okay everyone," reassured Clefable. "I can use Flash!"
Suddenly, a bright point of light began to grow beside Coale. As he watched, the light expanded, and Coale could see that it was emanating from Clefable's finger, which she held aloft. The darkness receded quickly, and the trio was able to make out the rest of the cave.
Much to Coale's satisfaction, it appeared that they were traversing an upward spiraling tunnel. Stalactites dripped water onto the ground, and, as Coale, Elli, and Clefable trudged forth, the only sounds were the echoes of the water and their steady footfalls.
"It looks like the paths even out," Clefable noted. "This path might slow us down, but it's more straightforward. The other one looked as if it zigzagged all the way up the mountain."
Remembering his appraisal of the two directions earlier, Coale was inclined to agree. This was a comforting thought. While some Teams might be faster or have more endurance, the terrain seemed to even out the competition. Strategy as well as speed would be key to winning the Pinnacle Scale.
With this thought in mind, Team Starfire and company trudged onward, guided by the light from Clefable's steadily glowing Flash. Before long, conversation started again, and Elli happened to ask Clefable about her past.
"Well," said Clefable, concentrating on both responding to Elli's query and navigating the cave, "I wasn't born on the island, actually. Many of the island's Pokémon travelled here, across the sea, from all kinds of places."
This was fascinating to Coale. What kind of places were those? It was then that he longed for his memory even more. A larger world existed that he could scarcely dream of. "Where did you come from, Clefable?" he asked.
Clefable gave a small sigh of remembrance as she searched for the best place to start.
"Back when I was still a small Cleffa," she began, "I lived deep in the mountains far to the north with my parents. It was a quiet life. We were a good distance from the nearest town, and every day we would hike around our small dwelling and forage for all kinds of berries and wild plants. At night we would sit together under the stars and gaze at the moon."
Clefable's story was nice to hear. It was comforting to Coale that she had a story to tell. It felt strange to Coale, though. As Clefable told her story, Coale thought that he, too, should be reminded of his life, but when his brain automatically searched for relatable parts of his own past, there was nothing. It was as if that section of Coale's mind had been wiped clean. All of the connections in his head made sense, but the missing element continued to puzzle and elude Coale. Dispelling these troubling thoughts, he turned his attention back to his teammates.
"Is that how you learned to cook?" asked Elli.
Clefable smiled. "I started to make meals for our little family when I was young." She laughed. "My parents said that on my first few tries I almost managed to burn the house down."
"I eventually got better, though," she continued, turning to look ahead into the cave. "Then, when I evolved, my parents said I should go share my gift with everyone." Her eyes fell slightly. "It was hard to leave them, but I knew that they would be happy."
At this point in Clefable's tale, Coale happened to glance at Elli. Several small tears, almost impossible to see if not for their slight luminescence, fell from her eyes. Then, almost as if it had never happened, she blinked rapidly, returning to her usual demeanor. It appeared that Elli had remembered something…
Having not seen this slight lapse in Elli's composure, Clefable carried on. "I travelled to several places, and everywhere Pokémon greeted me with open arms. But I didn't quite find a place where I could settle. Then, I wandered south, and found a way across the sea."
At this point Coale could see Clefable look upward, as if giving thanks to something above. "When I found the Guild...I knew that it was a place that I could call home. Vileplume, Skarmory, and all the apprentices made me feel right at home."
There was a pause as she finished her story.
"Thank you, Clefable," said Elli softly.
Clefable turned back to smile at the pair. "You're very welcome. I hope we've given you a home like the Guild did for me years ago."
Elli smiled back, indicating that she felt the same way.
Before Coale knew it, the group had reached an opening. He could see midday light peeking from the cave's mouth. With the end in sight, they started to pick up speed, without so much as a word spoken between them. When they burst into the sunlight, it almost felt as if they had won the race already.
The end of the cave directed them towards another beaten path, closely hugging the mountainside. His curiosity heightened, Coale looked over the edge of the trail. Without realizing it, he, Elli, and Clefable had climbed quite a bit. Fog had started to gather, and Coale couldn't make out the starting line at all.
Elli joined Coale to peer over the edge by his side. She shivered slightly, possibly because of the drop in temperature from the increased altitude or due to a slight amount of anxiety from seeing the distance they had climbed.
"That's a long way down…" she said uneasily.
After a lengthy gaze below, Coale looked above instead. He could only see the outline of the peak, but it appeared that Team Starfire and company had made it just over halfway to the top. Elli followed his gaze and noticed this too, turning her head to give him a wide smile.
"Let's keep moving!" she said with gusto.
Coale grinned, following Elli and Clefable as they returned to the path that wound up the mountain.
Coale, Elli, and Clefable kept up a steady, jogging pace for the rest of the afternoon. Many more branching trails appeared, and Clefable was quick to point out which she thought would be the best. After hearing her story about living in the mountains, Coale was inclined to trust Clefable's judgment as they continued their trek. At times, they would see other Teams steadily making the climb: Team Raider bulldozed through the trails, and Team Bushquake made steady progress past the many obstacles along the paths. While their competitors racing ahead caused Elli some agitation, her confidence was renewed whenever Clefable would remind them that some choices of direction were more efficient than others. Certainly, both Coale and Elli were grateful for Clefable's experience. After a while, the sun began to set, and darkness settled in amongst crevasses in the mountainside.
"We'll have to make camp for the night, soon," said Clefable.
"I'm glad we packed some blankets," replied Elli.
Before long, they found a stone overhang in the between two steep rock faces.
"This looks like a good spot," noted Clefable. "Shall we rest for the night?"
Coale nodded. As he looked up, he already saw twinkling stars emerge in the night sky. He began to help the others set out blankets. After everything was settled, each of the team members ate an apple to restore their energy.
As the sky darkened, they heard several strange cries in the distance, some of which sounded startled. Coale's head perked up, scanning their surroundings for the source of the noise in case anything decided to come closer.
"…Maybe it would be good if we took turns taking watch?" suggested Elli nervously.
Clefable nodded in agreement. "I think that would be smart." She, too, seemed uneasy.
Coale looked back at his teammates. Of the three of them, he seemed to be the least exhausted. "I'll take first watch," he volunteered.
"If you're sure…" said Elli. Coale could tell she was concerned for him, but had a twinge of her own insecurity to accompany it.
"It's ok, Elli," he said to reassure her. "You and Clefable get some rest."
"Well, that settles that," said Clefable. "Wake one of us up when you're ready."
Without further comment, Elli and Clefable sprawled comfortably on their blankets. After a few minutes, both were asleep, and Coale could tell from the sounds of their steady breathing that it was sleep well deserved. He himself turned to face the outside, alert to any noise that happened to venture to close to their temporary encampment.
Something about the noises in the night made Coale uneasy. It was almost as if the mountain's Pokémon were retreating. Maybe it was simply the presence of Teams racing to reach the peak, but Coale wasn't sure...
Resolved to keep alert, Coale stared into the darkness, and when it came time to wake Elli for the next watch, his sense of foreboding remained.
The next morning, they rose early, at dawn. Coale awoke to a chilly breeze. Snow had begun to fall along the trail, and when he stepped out to face the light, flakes landed gently on his face, dissolving instantly. Elli stood up to join him, blinking snow out of her eyes. Clefable, already awake, looked out along the path, all smiles as Coale and Elli shook sleep from their eyes.
"Awake?" she asked pleasantly.
Elli nodded, her own face breaking into a smile. "Ready to win!" she said, her front paw brushing the frost collecting on the ground.
Coale felt Elli's enthusiasm seep into his body. It was a realistic goal: on the way up the mountain, Team Starfire had overtaken several competitors, and they had made sure to get just the right amount of sleep necessary to regain their strength. With that thought in mind, everyone pitched in to gather their supplies. Then, Coale, Elli, and Clefable set out to complete the final segment of the race.
The weather became steadily fiercer as their climb progressed. The trails lost their definite shapes, covered in a layer of snow, and dark clouds began to gather en masse. Occasionally, the howling wind would force the teammates to shield their faces. While they were able to keep a steady pace during the first part of the race, it appeared that Team Starfire, and other competitors alike, would be forced to accommodate the weather by slowing down.
Elli, still driven by her earlier motivation, walked slightly ahead, fighting against the blistering gale. Coale and Clefable, following close behind, watched for obstacles, wary of hazards along the path. As they climbed, the mountain path became less defined: the height of the terrain increased and decreased at random intervals, and rocks appeared right in the middle of the trail. All the while, everything was being covered by a fresh layer of snow. It appeared that the hardest leg of the race was beginning.
Further on Team Starfire trudged, and the weather became more and more violent. The sky rumbled, and with each heavenly growl a searing wind tore into the teammates. Elli was still in the lead, and the gale whipped up so much snow that Coale and Clefable started to have trouble distinguishing her from the snow.
Then, something changed.
Coale felt it, a deepening sense of dread that turned his very bones to ooze. It was almost as if the foreboding that he had felt in the night had never left him, and he knew seconds before that a malevolent force was soon to reveal itself.
In the middle of the widened mountain path a short distance ahead, a darkness began to form, easily visible against the stark white snow. Puzzled, Elli stopped as Coale quickened his pace to catch up with her. Both stared at the ominous mass, and the longer he watched, the more uneasy he became. Elli, too, seemed to exude waves of simultaneous wariness and bewilderment.
"What…" she began, squinting against the snow. "This can't be part of the race…"
Slowly, the strange darkness shifted into a recognizable form. Towering over the stones around it, the darkness began to resemble a Pokémon, one with massive hands and feet, its body animated by a twisted perversion of spiritual energy. When the manifestation was complete, a hulking Golurk stood in front of the team, and when it turned to face them, Coale could see that it had chilling green eyes.
In a split second Coale felt all of the composure he had so carefully stored drain from his body. Next to him, Elli began to shake with fear.
"Its eyes! Just l-like the h-h-Haunter!" she stuttered, taking several steps backward.
Shocked, Coale whirled to face Elli. Had she seen something like this before?
A split second later, an earth-shattering tremor caused both Coale and Elli to be thrown off their feet. Coale landed hard and plunged face-first into the snow. Dazed, he felt several steady, softer rumbles beneath his feet. Coale realized that the Golurk had used Earthquake. Pushing himself upright, Coale raised his head to face their ghostly adversary. To his alarm, the Golurk was covering the distance between them fast, taking giant steps. Springing up, Coale assumed a fighting stance. Within several strides, the Golurk had reached his position, and used its momentum to launch an attack with one of its enormous fists.
Instinctively, Coale dodged to the right, and the Shadow Punch aimed at him burst into the ground instead. Shaken, he forced himself to remember his training and stay calm. Whatever this foe was, he would not let it get the better of him or Elli. Coale let his quills ignite and spat a burst of fire from his mouth. The flame seemed simply to graze the Golurk, and it shrugged off the attack as if it were a minor annoyance, striking back at Coale with a vengeance. Coale was forced to jump backwards to avoid another attack.
Then, out of nowhere, a huge boulder hurtled toward the Golurk, catching it by surprise at hitting it squarely in the torso. Blinking through the snow, Coale could see Elli advancing, the gem on her forehead aglow as she concentrated on her attack. The boulder knocked the Golurk slightly off balance, but it managed to remain upright, and, as a result, its attention was now directed towards Elli. As soon as she realized this, her stance faltered, and the Golurk charged at her. Thinking quickly, Elli was able to dodge as a Hammer Arm attack came crashing down inches from where she had been standing. Coale used the opportunity to unleash a Flamethrower he had been building in his throat, cloaking the Golurk in a wave of fire that melted the falling snow around them. Still the Golurk was able to shrug off the attack.
As Coale executed maneuvers, he began to notice that the Golurk didn't seem entirely defined. Though it was moving slowly, Coale saw it as though it was out of focus, almost as if in a blur.
Why weren't his attacks doing anything? And why was this Pokémon attacking them? Perhaps this was too strong an enemy for he and Elli to take on by themselves...
Frightened by the possibility, Coale pushed himself harder, aiming faster and stronger attacks at Golurk. None made any difference, and Coale felt that it was a matter of time before he would be unable to dodge an attack.
Seconds later, an attack did connect with Coale, and he was thrown backward, hitting the stones violently. As he tumbled to the ground, a sudden realization struck Coale: where was Clefable?
Coale raised his head upright immediately and began frantically searching in the snowstorm. He suddenly spotted Clefable close to a cluster of rocks near to their position when the Golurk had first appeared. She was in a state of deep concentration, and seemed to be barely moving. However, Coale could see a finger on each of her hands moving back and forth. What was she doing?
Immediately, Coale was forced to turn his attention to the Golurk. In an instant, it vanished in a shadowy portal drawn from thin air. The only sound was the howl of the wind.
Coale was bewildered. What had happened? Had the Golurk retreated? Would an enemy that relentless simply leave? Coale almost let himself hope that this was the case, trying to dispel the thought that it was about to get worse.
To his dismay, all he could do was watch helplessly as the Golurk reappeared behind Elli to hit her with a Shadow Force attack. Tossed forward like a rag doll, Elli collapsed on the ground, defeated.
The Golurk did not care that it had just beaten Elli. It showed no hint of pleasure at its victory, turning instead to walk towards Coale with deliberate, lumbering steps. Coale could do nothing to stop the Golurk's advance. A deep moan emanated from its body, one Coale almost mistook for the howl of the wind.
"Coooommmmeeee…wiiiiittttthhhh…meeeeee…"
Coale could barely make out its words, but their meaning was clear.
The Golurk was here for Coale, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Bracing himself for an uncertain fate, Coale squeezed his eyes shut…
In that instant there was a blinding flash of bright white light, followed by a tremendous cracking sound. Coale opened his eyes just as a quake shook the ground. The crack then became visible, travelling towards Golurk from behind. Then, with a thunderous groan, the ground split into two halves. Caught off balance, the Golurk tumbled into the crack, barely managing to grab onto the edge. But the forces of the merciless abyss pulled it in, and a ghostly wail signified the Golurk's demise.
For a few seconds everything was still save the blowing wind. When Coale was able to move, he saw Clefable looking at the crack, a frightened expression on her face. Instantly realizing that her teammates were hurt, she dashed over to Coale to help him stand. Together, they made their way towards Elli, who lay unmoving in the snow. She groaned as Coale and Clefable helped her up. Thankfully, neither she nor Coale sustained any major injuries.
"What happened?" asked Elli, still shaken.
"I…used Metronome," said Clefable. "As soon as I saw that Pokémon attack you both, I knew I couldn't just watch it happen, but I don't know any attacking moves…"
Clefable hung her head slightly, possibly ashamed that she had been unprepared for this situation. Coale put a paw on her shoulder as a gesture of reassurance. This seemed to help, for Clefable was able to continue.
"Metronome was my only option. I had no idea what move it would become. It could have been useless." She shuddered. "Thankfully it was Fissure, but that was terrifying."
Coale had to agree. The Fissure certainly was dangerous, but, nonetheless, it had saved them.
"Thank you, Clefable," Elli said weakly, but sincerely.
Looking past the aftermath of the battle, Coale could see further ahead on the mountain. The only way to go was up.
"We're not out of this yet," he said.
Recovering from their ordeal, the teammates continued onward. The weather would not deter them. Moving faster than before, they kept a steady pace. As they climbed, Coale felt as though they were on their own in the storm, cut off from their competitors. Despite fatigue, the team was making good time. It was difficult to tell the time of day because of the darkened sky, but Coale's internal clock suggested that around midday they were close to the peak.
"Just a little further!" shouted Clefable over the gale.
Coale looked up, squinting against the snow. Clefable was right: the mountainous rocks evened out a short distance ahead.
With their goal in sight, Coale, Elli and Clefable pushed forward. They fought against their worn out bodies with spirits that could not be defeated, driven to finish the race no matter the obstacles. Then, using their last reserves of strength, they began to run, putting forth just as much speed as they had when first beginning the race. At last, they ascended the final rise to face the mountain's peak.
Team Starfire was greeted with a stark white landscape, dotted with pointed stones. The winds seemed slightly calmer, as if nature had extended a small amount of grace to the teammates. A shiny, weather-beaten tube protruded from the very center of the peak, the exact size and shape required to fit a wooden stave. For a few seconds, the team simply stood in awe.
"We made it…" said Elli, almost in disbelief. Despite all the effort they had put forth, doubt had lingered in each of their minds about their likelihood of actually winning the race.
Slowly, Elli pulled the flag out of the Team's Treasure Bag. Catching the wind, the flag rippled majestically. The symbol of Team Starfire's dedication shone forth. At that moment, Coale was sure more than ever that they had designed their flag well.
"Look!" Clefable shouted, pointing at the other side of the peak.
Coale followed the direction of her finger. Three blurry shapes formed in the snowstorm, approaching fast. As they moved closer, Coale was able to see them clearly.
The three members of Team Whistleblade raced ahead, their wings buzzing so rapidly that flurries of snow were tossed up behind them. Ninjask was in the lead, his insectoid gaze hardened in determination.
Seized by a sudden surge of energy, Coale leapt forward, running at a full sprint towards the center of the peak. His eyes remained fixed on the steadily gaining Team Whistleblade.
"Coale!" shouted Elli, tossing the flag towards him.
Without stopping, Coale turned and caught the flag in his mouth. Then, just half a second before Ninjask, he jammed the flag into place.
Cheers erupted from his teammates as they rushed over in celebration.
"We did it!" exclaimed Clefable, enveloping Coale and Elli in a hug. There were smiles all around. Now that the race was over, Coale felt drained, but content.
Each of the competitors shook hands with one another.
"It was an honor to race against you," said Ninjask.
"It certainly was!" confirmed Venomoth. "Great job!"
"We'll have to adjust our strategy for next year," said Beedrill.
After congratulations had been given, Coale walked to the edge of the peak. Through the thick layer of clouds, he could see hints of the larger island far below. Elli joined him, and soon all six Pokémon stood at the edge, looking down. Each of them felt a sense of triumph, treasuring a moment that would forever remain in memory.
A/N: Fun fact: the symbol that's the picture for this story is designed to be like the symbol that Team Starfire has on its flag (although I like to imagine that my characters have far greater artistic skills than me on Microsoft Paint). Thanks for reading, and stick around for more chapters coming soon!