Pokémon: Vengeance
Pahoehoe City
Dre eyed the trio sitting on the couch in front of him. Prosper had told him what happened in as much detail as he could, and was now waiting for his mentor's response.
"This is serious, isn't it?" Dre asked. "Like, super serious."
Prosper nodded. "Yeah. We need your help.
The older man sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Why is it you always seem to attract trouble? Even when we first met, you just got into so much shit that I'd always wondered if you were cursed or something."
The trainer looked away bashfully.
"However, that doesn't mean you don't have my help." Dre grinned, crossing his arms. "I wanna get in on this ass kickin' too! No more should do this to Pokémon like that."
Benny felt his arm as Dre said this, the steel cold beneath his fingers.
"They have the others as well," Amicus said. "From what Benny says, Team Vitium is doing this to create the perfect Pokémon. Through any means necessary."
"Then we have no time to lose. You boys can stay here tonight. I've heard Team Vitium is in Blizzard City, and you guys need rest before going."
The three nodded, thanking him for his hospitality.
Dre sighed as he listened to Prosper and his Pokémon bicker with one another. "Some things never change," he chuckled.
He looked over some of his old things on the mantle. His greatest prize was a picture from about ten years ago of him giving up his seat as Champion of the Tempest Region to a 11 year-old Prosper. The kid was significantly shorter back then, only up to Dre's hip. How he turned from a midget into a bean pole was beyond the gym leader's comprehension.
"Yo, boss?"
Dre turned to see Ellie, his Electivire, and Dirk, his Garchomp, watching him from the doorway. "What is it?"
"What happens if we lose this time?" Dirk asked. "It's not like I think we'll lose, but..."
"We just want to know if what happened to Prosper and his Pokémon will happen to us," Ellie finished. "We don't want to be taken from you like that..."
The gym leader smiled softly at them, but it wasn't a happy smile. "Guys... this isn't going to be a simple battle. We've walked into a war. But if it means we can save Pokémon from becoming tools and weapons, then it'll all be worth it."
They nodded hesitantly. All three of them were afraid, not just for themselves, but for everyone if they lost.
