I don't own Pokemon. Ninetendo does. Demetri belongs to me and Leo Kynes belongs to Juubi-K
Rocket HQ, Mahogany Town. 6: 30 pm.
The Rocket Executives threw out their pokeballs. Silva's eyes rose up.
"Ain't that cheating?" Darkmask turned, his face deadpanned at Silva's logic.
"These guys are criminals and bosses of a cartel. Of course they would cheat you moron." Darkmask grabbed another pokeball and threw it along with his other ball. The pokeballs flashed open, and a Zubat, Koffing, Raticate, Arbok, Gloom, and a Murkrow appeared in front of the Rockets. Opposite them appeared Gardevoir, and a deep red camel-like pokemon with two humps that looked like volcanoes.
"Ha! Try defeating an entire team now! With our power not even you can stop us Darkmask!" boasted Petrel.
"I am accustomed to facing overwhelming odds," the masked avenger smirked. "Hell I welcome it even." He turned towards the redhead.
"Leave this to me. I can take care of this." Silva shook his head.
"No way. I'm going to help you." The vigilante sighed.
"Suit yourself." He turned towards his own pokemon. "Don't accidentally hurt his pokemon by mistake alright?" The Embrace and Eruption pokemon nodded. Two flashes later and Silva unveiled his Bayleef and Magnemite.
"We won't let you get the upper hand!" yelled Athena. "Arbok, Crunch! Gloom, Poison Powder! Murkrow, Smokescreen!"
"Raticate, Hyper Fang! Koffing, Smog! Zubat, Confuse Ray!" ordered the male Executive.
Arbok and Raticate charged, fangs bared, as Koffing, Gloom, and Murkrow let loose a myriad of dark colored smoke and powders. Zubat sent a glowing orb above the charging Mouse and Cobra Pokemon. Silva and his pokemon paled at the oncoming onslaught. Darkmask smiled.
"Gardevoir, Safeguard. Camerupt, Earth Power." Silva turned towards the vigilante eyes rose in panic.
"We're underground!"
"I know."
Camerupt rose on its hind legs, glowing yellow and came down hard. The room shook as glowing yellow cracks sped across the floor, erupting as they reached the charging pokemon. Arbok and Raticate flew through the air, crashing into the wall behind the Executives and slumping unconscious to the floor. Gardevoir's newly-learned Safeguard glowed green, repelling the Confuse Ray, Poison Powder and Smokescreen. But the Smog wafted through, engulfing Bayleef and Gardevoir while Camerupt and Magnemite shrugged it off, unaffected. The stolen starter and the Embrace pokemon coughed violently at the poison attack, Bayleef more so.
Silva saw the shocked looks on the faces of the Executives. He saw his chance.
"Bayleef, use Body Slam! Magnemite, use Thundershock!"
The Magnet Pokemon fired an electric bolt at the Zubat, striking true and causing the Bat Pokemon to flutter to the ground, Bayleef leapt up and came down hard with all of its weight on the Murkrow, sending the two slamming to the ground, the Darkness Pokemon cawing in agony. Bayleef ran back to its trainer, avoiding a Tackle by the Koffing, as Murkrow staggered.
The redhead grinned. Paralysis had struck his mother's Murkrow.
"Murkrow, use Wing Attack! Gloom, use Acid!" barked Athena.
"Koffing, use Tackle!" ordered Petrel, knowing that Smog would be useless against the main two power houses.
"Gardevoir, Reflect. Camerupt, use Flamethrower," ordered Darkmask calmly. Gardevoir willed a blue barrier into being, covering them all, while Camerupt opened its maw to release a stream of fire. Murkrow managed to dodge, but Gloom was not so lucky, the flame scorching it black. As it collapsed, Murkrow dived at Bayleef, causing it to cry out in pain. But weakened as Murkrow was, the blow did little harm.
"Bayleef use Magical Leaf! Magnemite use another Thundershock!" ordered Silva, not far behind his taller companion. The Leaf Pokemon and the Magnet Pokemon fired a quick barrage of glowing rainbow-colored leaves and an electric bolt towards the incoming Koffing and Murkrow. Koffing was hit, floating back under the onslaught. For Murkrow, already hurt, theThundershock was too much.
Petrel looked like he was about to wet himself, though Athena looked neutral. Silva smiled in victory.
"Don't worry mom! We'll fix you! We can make you better!" The female Executive snarled.
"Fix? What the hell are you talking about boy! I'm not your mother! We just have the same hair color!" Petrel turned towards his colleague with worry in his eyes. She felt his gaze upon him.
"What Petrel?" she seethed. He looked away.
"Nothing, it's clear we're about to lose here. Your power is much more fearsome than I had imagined Darkmask, Hero of Hoenn," oiled the purple haired Executive, looking smug. The redhaired one smiled as well, as if understanding what her colleague had in mind.
"It's shame the both of you wouldn't want to work for Team Rocket. You could have had anything you wanted. Status, money, women." Darkmask narrowed his eyes behind his Bushido mask.
"No less than a few minutes ago you were piss scared and had a full team on your side. Now you having nothing left but a Koffing and you're smiling. What's your-" he was interrupted when Athena threw out another pokeball, revealing an Abra. The Koffing charged forward…
"Koffing! Self-Destruct!" roared Petrel as he and Athena returned their downed pokemon and ran to touch Abra.
'Oh crap.' Darkmask grabbed Silva and leapt behind Camerupt. Gardevoir's eyes glowed blue...
Koffing exploded.
Mahogany Town. Pokemon Center. 6: 31 pm.
Lyra squeezed her eyes shut, holding tight to the Dragonite's leg as it descended gently to the ground right outside the Pokemon Center.
"Uh...Lyra?"
"What Leo!" snapped the young girl, her eyes still closed and arms clamped around the Dragonite's leg like an Onix using Bind.
"We're here. The ground is two feet away from us..." said the boy in a deadpan tone. Lyra opened her eyes and she saw the familiar red and white emblem of the Pokemon Center. With a relieved sigh, she dropped to the ground and began kissing the soil.
"I'll never leave you again! Nevernevernever!" she muttered to herself, giving the earth quick pecks.
"Kids these days. So afraid of flying. When I was your age, flying was the most greatest pastime I did other than train," commented the champion as he jumped off and walked towards the pre-teens.
"Different strokes for different folks I guess. My friend here is no exception." Lance shrugged.
"Kids...well, you best be off and sending your pokemon to heal overnight." The two nodded as they walked towards the Center.
Just as they reached the door, the pair felt a tremor under their feet. They halted, and Lance had felt it too, glancing left to right.
"What was that? An earthquake? Mahogany doesn't have any fault lines," pointed out a bewildered Leo. Lance went into a thinking pose, then he shrugged.
"Ah it's probably some trainers battling. Now then!" He climbed back onto his Dragonite, standing arms crossed. "My duty as Johto Regional Champion must still be upheld! In addition, rumors of Team Rocket activity have been reported here in Mahogany so I will search for any sign of them! If you'll excuse me! Leo Kynes! Lyra Goldstein! I must be off!" And with a mighty gust, the Dragonite speed through the red sky the champion still standing with his arms crossed undeterred.
The young ones stood in silence.
"Well...for a champ he's weird," said the brunette boy.
"Here here," agreed the brunette girl. They turned towards each other.
"How does he do that anyway?"
"Do what?"
"Manage to stay atop of one of the fastest Pokemon in the world without falling off and no support." The boy shrugged.
"Beats me.
"So...wanna leave our partners with Nurse Joy and get something to eat? Nearly being killed by a rampaging Gyarados and having my life span shortened due to heights have worked up an appetite." Leo closed his smiles and let loose a toothy grin.
"Yeah you wailed like a baby."
"I'm a girl. I'm allowed to!" And suddenly a sly look came across her face. "At least when I cook I don't wear...gee I dunno...aprons?" Leo's face did a complete 180 and paled.
"You wouldn't!" Lyra sniggered. Leo narrowed his eyes.
"Not funny."
"Oh relax I'm not gonna tell anyone. Let's just get something to eat before Dem comes back from his errand." The two walked inside.
"What errand?" Lyra turned her head looking out the window and into the town, seeing the failing glow of the sun behind Mt. Mortar.
'That temor just now...was it from you Dem?' thought the girl as the two walked towards the reception desk.
Rocket HQ. Nearby . 6: 35 pm.
There was nothing but darkness.
Silva opened his eyes, and felt other warm bodies near him. He started to fear the worst.
"Hey Darkmask?"
"Yeah?" Silva let loose a breath of relief. Suddenly there was light as he felt the debris moving above him. He saw Magnemite floating, unaffected, the Self-Destruct having little effect on Steel-types. Bayleef wasn't moving, but Silva saw the rise and fall of its belly. It had merely fainted.
The thief turned his head, seeing Darkmask leaning on his Camerupt, His Gardevoir's eyes were glowing blue, her mental powers clearing away the rubble. Silva could see the reddening sky above, the explosion having brought the entire roof down.
Silva knew what happened. The Executives used the Abra to Teleport themselves anywhere but here and left their Koffing to its fate, its purpose fulfilled.
But there was another thing tugging at Silva's mind. He had lost the chance to save his mother.
"Damnit all!" he yelled, his roar of frustration turning into a wince of pain as he kicked a piece of debris. He turned towards where the vigilante was, and saw him limping closer.
"You okay?" he asked. Silva looked away.
"Just a bruised leg, the debris missed me, fortunately..."
"I'm sorry that we couldn't save your mother." The redhead scoffed.
"Forget about it. We tried our best, besides they're still alive and out there. I just need to keep searching." Darkmask stared down at Silva, the visible part of his face unreadable.
"How are you holding up anyway Mr. vigilante?"
"Banged up leg. Might have broke something," winced the masked man. His Camerupt lumbered towards him and leaned against its master, giving him support. Silva was about to ask the "Are you okay" but changed his mind. The man standing before him had taken down Team Magma and Team Aqua after all.
"You've been through worse right?" asked the redhead.
"Both legs dislocated and a sprained wrist in my early days. Broken jaw and bruised ribs during my raid on Lillycove several years back. This is nothing," assured Darkmask. Silva nodded. In the distance he could hear sirens. Both of them returned their pokemon save for Gardevoir.
"Teleport. Get us out of here." Gardevoir nodded.
"Wait hold on!" Too late, both trainers disappeared in a flash as the hole was illuminated by helicopter lights.
Mahogany Town. 6:40
There was a bright flash behind the Pokemon Center, followed by the sounds of someone losing his lunch.
"You have a Kadabra and don't use Teleport?" said Darkmask, as if Silva used a knife to eat from an ice cream bowl.
"I train better that way!" panted Silva, his hands and knees on the ground. His face turned another shade green and Darkmask turned away, hearing more retching sounds.
"I honestly do not understand your logic."
"I run into more wild pokemon and trainers and defeat them! I get stronger that way, and now I'll need to continue getting stronger since I failed to save my mother!" He coughed more.
"Look I said I'm sorry okay. I never meant for her to escape." Darkmask could hear more panting and the sound of the boy standing up.
"Done losing your lunch?"
"Yeah, no thanks to you."
"Earlier, you said you don't bother teaching your Kadabra Teleport for you to gain more strength. Don't you mean your pokemon?" Silva scoffed.
"Pokemon are tools. You use them to win battles, get money, get recognition, and in your case kill the unlawful. Are you going to lecture me I assume?"
"The difference between you and I is that my pokemon know how I am feeling and emphasize with my goals, and that I treat them with respect, however rough I treat them sometimes. You on the other hand treat them like weapons."
Darkmask stopped and cursed mentally. Only Demetri Koslov, Lyra's companion, knew that other than Lyra. But now…
Lyra was an exception, for Gardevoir sensed no ill thoughts from her. Silva on the other hand was a violent young man, an abusive thief, the son of a former Most Wanted gangster, and had deep family issues if his hatred for champion Lance DiDrago was anything to go by. As much as he wanted to avoid it, the vigilante would need to do what his younger self 8 years ago would have done.
Kill him then and there.
But he paused, waiting for the redhead's reaction.
"You sound like a hypocrite. And what business is that to you?" Silva narrowed his eyes. Darkmask remained calm.
"Because I was like yourself when I was younger. Angry at the world for all that it had done to me. I lost my best friends and…" he paused, taking a deep breath, a destroyed arcade entrance and a mauled female body coming to his mind. "My girlfriend when I was 15. A gang attack on an arcade in Veilstone, Sinnoh 8 years ago due to not collecting protection money. The killers got off due to lack of evidence and a skilled mob lawyer." The vigilante's face and tone darkened considerably, sending shivers up the redhead's spine.
"I see…but what about your family? Were they abusive and negligent and powerless?" The masked blonde shook his head, the picture now showing that of a newspaper headline showing a short woman hanging from a rope from the apartment balcony…
"No…I never knew my father and my mother…died after I left her alone to deal my brand of justice on the world. She was mentally challenged, incapable of taking care of herself, but she did love me. My anger, my thirst for vengeance, drove her to suicide." Silva's eyes widened and his mouth agape.
"You…" Darkmask turned towards him, a tear rolling down his eye upon his mask.
"Looking back I wish I didn't let her die. She didn't deserve it. I was young and impatient. Me and my slowly growing team only cared about preventing tragedies similar to my own. When I found out…" he turned away, and a silence fell on the two.
"I see…" murmured Silva as he walked past the vigilante and was about to turn the corner.
"Hey Darkmask." The masked man turned towards the redhead, who looked out into the west, where the mountains lay. The sun had gone down completely, and the sky was in a orange hue. But there was not light, only shadow.
"After all that you've been through and all that you've done, did you get a happy ending somehow?" Darkmask was silent as he closed his eyes.
Silver eyes and blonde hair with an understanding smile. The slender yet beautiful Cynthia Celeste on a balcony overlooking Mt. Coronet...
"Everyone can find their happy ending. It's the choices you make how it will turn out."
A vibrant dance hall in Hearthome, as he danced to and fro like a fluid well oiled machine, his partner Fantina Sanguine, an Amazonian goddess of beauty.
"It iz not one's upbrining that determines how you live, but the techniques you use to determine how you live, comprenez-vous?"
A woman with long dark hair and glasses overlooking the Lillycove beach, the timid but pretty Adriane Evergreen Fennel.
"Don't let the bad things in your life get the best of you, bring the good in you as your best and anything can be achieved."
"In a way I did, or am making good progress. But remember Silva." Darkmask turned towards him, as Silva looked over his shoulder.
"It's the paths you choose that determine your happy ending. Remember that." The redhead stared wide eyed. He nodded.
"Right..." he walked away, out of the vigilante's sight as he turned the corner to enter the Center. Darkmask let loose a sigh and looked up.
"Gardevoir, if you will."
"You know, it was thoughtful what you said to him master. I sensed his thoughts" resonated the Embrace Pokemon in his mind as he glowed blue and felt himself levitating, the Embrace Pokemon still on the ground.
"He reminded me a lot of myself. I didn't want for him to make the same mistakes I made when I was young."
"You made a good choice. Hopefully that may stick with him for the rest of his life, like the girls did to you." Darkmask opened the window sill and got inside the dark room. He got his pokeball out and aimed it at one of his most beloved partners.
"I hope so too. I will try my best to save his mother, if he doesn't do it before I do."
"And what of his father Giovanni and Lance his brother?"
"If Giovanni rears his ugly head he'll be dealt with myself, Lance I'll talk to Cynthia to see if I can speak to him regarding this matter. I may be an only child..." A beam of red light struck Gardevoir and she returned to the ball and set it down on a table. He placed his other balls as well. He would ask Nurse Joy to heal his team before bed.
"…but I will never abandon family."
He took off his mask and stripped his clothes and began to change. After placing a bandage and a splint on his leg, khakis and a shirt, he plopped on the bed, drained from the day's events.
His team and Cynthia could wait till morning. After all, Demetri could fly himself and Lyra over the small lake between Mahogany and Ecruteak with his Pidgeot, or simply use Milotic to travel across.
Slowly, the blissful sleep took him, and Bale Anderson began to dream.
"Ahhhhh," Lyra relaxed in her seat. "I'm full."
"You look it," Leo commented. The day's tribulations had left them ravenous, though the Pokemon Center's cafeteria was up to the challenge. As for their wallets, that was a matter neither of them felt like contemplating.
"I can't remember the last time I was that hungry," Lyra went on. "Or that scared."
"I know," Leo agreed, his face falling slightly at the memory. "That red Gyarados was something else." It had been the hardest battle he'd faced in a long time, and a rare defeat. His pokemon had given their all, and it just wasn't enough.
"Yeah well, it's like Dem says." Lyra was being remarkably casual about it. "These things make you stronger. And we'll need to be as strong as we can get for the Silver Conference."
"That's true." Leo brightened, encouraged by her good humor. "I guess it's better to know than not know, for training I mean."
"You'll do fine," Lyra reassured him, shooting him a wide smile. "I saw your pokemon battling. They gave their all for you and more." Leo blushed at her words.
"I don't know why," he replied, self-effacingly. "I'm nothing special."
"I disagree." Lyra's eyes sparkled mischievously. "There aren't many trainers who'd hand groom their pokemon in a pink apron." Fortunately the cafeteria was largely deserted, so no one could have overheard. "Incidentally, what started all that anyway?" Leo paused, uncertain. But something in her eyes made him want to trust her.
"It wasn't anything in particular," he replied eventually. "I'm…I'm not good with feelings and…stuff. I just…I just love them."
"And they love you back," Lyra concluded. "I never would have thought it, since you act like Brad van Darn all the time. You've got quite a tough-guy reputation."
"Yeah." Leo sighed inwardly. As far as the pokemon-training community was concerned, Leo Kynes was a cold, sardonic youth, whose pokemon swept all before them. The number of people who knew about his other, deeper self could be counted on one hand. Even his old classmates only remembered him as the shy kid who never talked to anyone and never went to any of their birthday parties. Not that they wanted him to.
"Brad van Darn, the tough-guy movie star whose pokemon is a Smootchum," Lyra went on, grinning like a Vulpix. "You guys actually have quite a bit in common." She was about to say more, only for a Pokegear to start beeping. She reached for hers, but Leo answered his first.
"LEO!" Even through the Pokegear, Lyra could recognise the voice. "Baby how've you been!"
"Uh…I'm fine, Whitney." Leo's face was the same shade as the Gyarados they had fought earlier. "How are you?"
"I'm brilliant! Listen, you have to come back to Goldenrod right away! I've got loads of challenge matches coming up and I want you to watch me win!"
"That's great. I'm in Mahogany right now, so I'll start back first thing in the morning, okay?"
"Great! I'll see you tomorrow then? You can take me shopping and watch my match and…!"
Lyra wore a broad grin as Leo managed to placate Whitney enough to end the call. She had been initially surprised by the relationship. The anti-social, self-effacing Leo and the bubbly, over-endowed Whitney were not what she would normally call couple material. Yet Whitney seemed to adore Leo, and he seemed to care for her in return. Stranger things must have happened.
"Well, I guess we'd better turn in," she said, standing up. "You'll wanna make an early start tomorrow."
"Yeah." Leo blushed, though he was smiling. The pair headed out of the cafeteria and into the foyer, which was deserted save for a boy of about their age standing by the reception desk. He was noticeably favouring one leg, and Lyra thought of offering him a hand.
That is, until she saw his red hair, and his face.
"YOU!" The boy looked up, his face running from surprise to anger to fear.
"Yes you!" Lyra snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Silva. "So where've you been? You look like you've been having some fun!"
Silva glared at his old nemesis, then glanced at her companion, a drably-dressed boy with short brown hair.
"It's none of your business. Leave me be," he growled back. And it wasn't. He really didn't have the time or the inclination to deal with her, or her friend.
"Oh isn't it?" Lyra pressed, in no mood to back down. "You're pretty banged up, and your pokemon are too or else you wouldn't be in here. Who did you try to steal from this time huh?" Silva limped up to here, facing her eye to eye, face twisted in bitterness and resentment.
"You don't know anything about me," he growled.
"I know you're a thief and a bully, and that's about it. Oh, and you're a soulless piece of trash."
"Lyra," Leo pleaded, seeing Silva's clenched fist. "Come on Lyra."
"Leo, I want you to meet Silva," Lyra went on with a sneer. "Pokemon thief, loudmouth jerk, and all-round good-for-nothing with a knack for making the wrong kind of enemy. Did I forget he was soulless?"
"I'm warning you Lyra!"
"Silva?" A remarkably sweet female voice cut through the hostile atmosphere. All looked up to see Nurse Joy standing behind the desk, holding a tray of pokeballs. Her manner carried a subtle but noticeable suggestion that something rather unpleasant would happen if the confrontation escalated. "Your pokemon are all healed. Are you sure you don't want me to take a look at your leg?"
"No thank you," Silva replied, sounding subdued. He carefully took the pokeballs from the tray and attached them to his belt, then limped out of the centre without another word. Lyra and Leo watched him go, the former tense with frustration.
"That guy," she said, "is bad news."
"He's really that bad?" Leo asked, surprised by her attitude.
"Let's just say he's given me nothing but trouble," Lyra replied sourly. "He's not somebody you'd get along with. Trust me."
"You're right, I wouldn't." If what Lyra had told him was true, Silva was indeed the sort of person Leo couldn't stand. The sort of person who thought that the world belonged to the loud, the pushy, and the arrogant. The sort of person who regarded Leo Kynes as something less than human, something to be ignored, used, or crushed.
The pair collected their pokeballs and headed up to their rooms, neither of them noticing the news broadcast being played on the wall-mounted screens.
"Is it true, Officer Jenny, that several bodies in Team Rocket uniforms were removed from the tunnels?"
"I have been authorised to confirm that twelve bodies have been removed. We are currently attempting to identify them."
"Officer, what about the fifteen other Team Rocket members found in town claiming not to know where they were or how they got there? Is it true that officers and pokemon of the police ESP division are examining them?"
"Yes, that is true. Our colleagues of the ESP division have interviewed the suspects, and have found them to have been subjected to extensive mental conditioning, most likely carried out by trained psychic pokemon."
"Officer Jenny, are you saying that those people were brainwashed?"
"The evidence for that is very strong. I'd like to make clear that we have no intention of pressing charges against any of those individuals at this time."
"Is there any indication of who was responsible for this attack?"
"We have no clear evidence of who was responsible at this stage."
"Thank you, Officer Jenny. Here tonight, we have a victory for the forces of justice, but one that raises as many questions as it answers. Is Team Rocket really willing to brainwash innocent people into serving it? And while there is no evidence as to who carried out the raid, rumours of the involvement of the legendary Darkmask are unlikely to go away."
This is Susan Angeles, Channel 5 news. Back to you Tom."
At the top of the stairs, Lyra and Leo bid each other good night and headed off to their rooms. Lyra watched him go for a moment, allowing herself to wonder what he would be thinking about, alone in his room that night. She hoped she would catch him again in the morning, so she could say goodbye properly, but thought it unlikely.
She didn't know if it was the advertisement or Whitney's tracts of land that garnered the attention. Maybe both, as even Leo couldn't escape her gravitational pull. That sudden joke of the Gym Leader's twin moons made the girl laugh.
"Oh wow," she breathed. "I crack myself up sometimes."
She used her room key and entered, flipping the light switch. She found the masked vigilante peacefully asleep on the bed, not even bothering to unchange or pull over blanket. Smiling, she turned the light off and pulled a blanket over him.
"Busy night huh?" No answer, just the sound of him breathing.
"Same for me. I'll tell ya my day in the morning." Changing from her dunagrees and overalls to simple yellow pajamas, she tucked herself in her own bed.
Outside of Ecruteak City. Route 42 10:00 pm.
Silva dredged himself along the path: tired, battered, and wet. He had caught a Tentacool near Mt. Mortar side of the lake and used it swim across. He could already see the historical curved rooftops of Ecruteak City and the Bell Tower. He looked down at his belt, containing his team.
Up until now, the redhead had always regarded pokemon as weapons, tools, a means to an end. He had seen it on TV, people battling and winning, acquiring status and fame. And there was the matter of saving his beloved mother and showing his negligent older siblings that he had done what they couldn't do. But to treat with care would be to make them soft, weak.
"It's the paths you choose that determine your happy ending. Remember that."
The vigilante's words rang in his mind. Silva wanted a happy ending to his already grim story. He wanted it a lot. But...would treating his pokemon with respect and care really help?
He let loose a sigh and stared down at his pokeballs, inert and silent.
"I don't know if you guys can hear me, but you better because I hate repeating myself like a Chatot. I need your help because I need to save my mother, who has been brainwashed. Now up until now I haven't told you this, so you better not get the wrong idea. I'll give you what you want..." he paused, choosing the right words. "Respect, care, all of that soft stuff. But you better help me get stronger! I'll save my mother and prove Mariah wrong! I'll surpass Lance and show him that I'm not a little kid anymore! I'll defeat that flat-chested harpy no matter what it takes! And her wimpy boyfriend too! I'll be the best there ever was in Johto! "I will..."
Suddenly he felt strength begin to flow through him, picking up his slow walk.
"I will..."
From a power walk to a jog...a confident gleam in his eyes and a growing smirk...
"I will!"
From a jog to a full blown sprint.
"I WILL BECOME THE JOHTO REGIONAL CHAMPION!"
And he ran into the Ecruteak City streets, never having been so confident before, as he headed for the Pokemon Center.
And here ya go Darkmask fans! Sorry for the slow update but school, TF2, Dyansty Gundam 3, and Real life in addition to my other(more popular) fics were heading my name.
Big thanks to Juubi-K for the editing and the Lyra/Leo segments.
And We'll get back to fun gym battles soon, I can trust you on that!
Next update, for my omni-fans, is Words Without a Voice, my most popular TTGL fic. Just letting ya know.
