Chapter 14
Goldenrod Battle Dome
Lobby
After his interview about his triumph in the Rookie Kings, Blake was told that he could collect his prize money in the lobby, but Blake had not intention of keeping it or using it. He just need a bit of it to get food and Potions, other than that, he didn't need any money since he never slept in hotels or motels.
"Congratulations on winning in the Rookie Kings. I presume you're here to collect the prize money?" Nurse Joy asked as she gave Blake her attention.
"No." Blake stated. "Send it the Cherrygrove account."
"All of it?" She asked, raising both her eyebrows at Blake.
"Yep." He replied with a nod while handing her Quilava and Kirlia's Poke-ball to heal them. "They need it more than I do."
Nurse Joy collected his Poke-balls and dropped them into the Restoration Machine.
"What a kind soul you are." She said with a smile, but that only received a blank stair from Blake. "Your Pokemon should be fully healed in about an hour."
"Thanks." Blake responded in a deadpan, turning on his heels to head toward the exit of the Battle Dome.
5/25/0046/Noon
Route 35
At first when he was leaving Goldenrod City, Blake was walking along side a busy highway but after a short period of time, the noise from passing vehicles began to annoy him which resulted in him abandoning his plan of following the highway to Ecruteak Cit. Instead, Blake said he find his way through the forested area.
"Ah, this is better. Just like New Bark Town." Blake said out loud, looking up at the sky with a breath of fresh of air.
ROOOOOOAAR!
Blake glanced in the direction of the loud roar, taking note of the a large tidal wave the rose above the tree line before crashing down onto the area not too far from where he was standing.
'Hmm, I wonder what's going on over there.' Blake said to himself, beginning to move toward the source of the action.
After about a minute, the trees that surrounded Blake opened up into a large clearing where an enormous lake was located, one enraged Gyarados's launching Water type attacks at a single girl who was screaming for help as she ran from it in a full sprint.
Blake couldn't explain why but the female brunette seemed similar to him. She was just a few inches shorter than him, a straw hat on her head with an opening for her long brown hair which was up in a pony tail.
She wore a one piece dress that stopped mid thigh, with an ocean gradient as the color scheme, going from white to dark blue from the top of the dress to the bottom in a wave like pattern. Beneath the dress was pair of blue bike shorts that matched the dark blue on the bottom of her dress.
She had her eyes shut as she raced along the dirt path, completely unaware of the fact that Blake had stepped into her path.
Blake was glued to the spot he was standing in, trying to recall where he knew this face from before she crashed into him head first. The two wound up on the ground, the girl seated on Blake's stomach with Blake on his back.
The girl opened her eyes, beginning to apologize, but she stopped mid sentence to observe Blake.
"Blake-kun!" She screamed happily, grabbing him by his neck to give him a tight hug which he didn't return. Blake was far more focused on the Gyarados that was towering over them with a dark glare. Gyarados opened its mouth, water falling off its lips which was a sign of what was coming next.
Blake rudely shoved her off of him to his left before barrel rolling to his right, allowing both them to avoid the huge stream of pressurized water Gyarados spat from its mouth like a cannon. In a moment's notice, Blake was on his feet, two Poke-balls in his hands which he tossed into the air, releasing Kirlia and Larvitar.
"Alright guys, get ready." Blake said to the duo as the large Water Snake Pokemon opened its mouth once again, this time a huge orange beam exiting the Pokemon's mouth, rushing toward the group. "Break up!"
The group split, all of the moving out of the way as the beam of energy blew apart the area of the ground it hit, debris going everywhere.
"Kirlia, use Magical Leaf and focus on its body. Larvitar, use Rock Throw and aim at its face!" Blake ordered, now that Gyarados needed a moment to regain the energy lost from using Hyper Beam so recklessly.
Larvitar ripped a stone out of the ground, hurling it a Gyarados' head while Kirlia launched a variety of colored leaves at Gyarados's body.
Gyarados flinched when the rock hit its face, leaving it open to the Magical Leaf attack from Kirlia, the leaves raining down on its body which caused the Pokemon to roar in pain, launching a loose Hydro Pump from its mouth which was on course to hit Larvitar.
"Kirlia, use Confusion on that Hydro Pump. Larvitar, break the attack using the Modified Dark Pulse" Blake ordered, watching Kirlia focus its attention on the approaching attack. A blue outline formed around the Hydro Pump, halting its advance on Larvitar just a few feet in front of the Rock type Pokemon. Larvitar smirked, seeing that the Water attack could cause any harm to it now and proceeded to charge up a Dark Pulse over its head.
Gyarados stared at its frozen attack, wondering why it had suddenly stopped before noticing a black blur quickly approaching it through the water it had just ejected from its mouth. Gyarados was knocked backward by the force of the attack, crashing down onto the lake which created a large splash of water.
"Kirlia, wrap this up with another Magical Leaf attack." Blake said, getting a nod from the Psychic Pokemon before it raised both his thin arms into the air. A horde of leaves appeared above the water where Gyarados had fallen backward.
Kirlia swung its arms downward, the leaves falling down onto Gyarados which finished off the rest of its health, leaving the Pokemon unconscious.
"Nice guys." Blake said, giving both the Pokemon a thumbs up.
"Blake-kun! You've become such a great trainer since the last time I saw you." The girl exclaimed, tackling Blake in another hug. Blake lost his footing from the unexpected hug, both of them falling onto the ground together again.
Blake returned the girl's innocent stare, an unexplainable blush creeping onto his cheeks as he looked into her bright, silver eyes that were lighter than his own.
"Aww Blake-kun, you're blushing. That's so cute." She said playfully, poking his nose which got a huge roar of laughter from Blake's normally quiet Pokemon.
Blake remained silent, lost in her eyes for a few moments before reality struck him. He found himself struggling to breathe, and that was when he noticed that she was pinching his nose. The blush instantly cleared up as Blake abruptly stood up knocking the girl off of him, his usual dark expression returning to his face.
"Who are you?" He asked in a deadpan, staring at her with a stoic expression in attempt to cover up the nervous wreck he was underneath his cover. 'Why's my heart beating so fast? That never happens unless I'm battling someone.'
"Don't be silly Blake-kun. You know me very well." She replied, rising to her feet as well.
"No. I don't." Blake replied before glancing at Kirlia and Larvitar who were trying to hold back another fit of laughter. Blake gave the two of them harsh glare that both were immune to, which left Blake the option of returning them to their Poke-balls which he did while mumbling several sentence under his breath.
"Come Blake-kun, you know me. It's me Lana." She said, pointing to herself with a smile.
"No." Blake stated, briskly walking past her so that he could get some distance and begin sorting out his thoughts.
"Wait!" She said loudly, grabbing onto Blake's arm which sent blood rushing to his cheeks again, coloring them in light pink. "You don't remember me Blake?"
"No, I don't. Now let go of me." Blake responded, refusing to look at her in the eyes. Lana released her hold on his arm, much to Blake's relief, but then she moved in front of him, focusing on his face now. Blake looked up at the sky, trying to hide his red cheeks from her, but Lana resorted to pushing him down to the ground again, taking a seat on his stomach to get a decent view of his face.
"You're sure you don't remember me?" She asked on final time, lowering her face down to his.
"I have no idea who you are." Blake replied once more, looking away from her eyes. Lana took a hold of his face, forcing him to look her.
"How could you forget your fiancé Blake?"
"My what?"
Indigo Plateau
"So Shari, how did things go with Blake and Grace?" Stanly asked, hoping for a positive update.
"They're both progressing quickly." Shari replied, looking up at her senior Committee Member who was seated next to the Commissioner of the Pokemon Committee.
"And what of Team Rocket?" The Commissioner asked, peering of the ledge of the high position he was seated in.
"I'm not perfectly sure, but I've been hearing a lot about a new operation they're beginning to put in action. It's still in the early stages so I couldn't get much else on it, but I'm sure it has something to do with the Kimono Girls in Ecruteak City." Shari explained.
"The Kimono Girls. Those girls and that city hold many of the secrets of Johto." The Commissioner said to himself before glancing at Stanly who was seated next to him. "Stanly, I want you to personally guard those girls. Team Rocket is quickly becoming a greater threat in Johto than we planned on and those girls have become one of their targets."
"Is there anything else you have to say Shari?" Stanly asked her, receiving a no from her.
"Good, you are dismissed." The Commissioner said, motioning for her to go. Shari gave him a quick bow before exiting the room in a rush, glad to leave the Commissioner's presence.
"So Stanly, what's your take on this?" The Commissioner asked, turning to the young man.
"My take?" Stanly began. "Team Rocket isn't just an organization going around the region causing mayhem. They've been targeting certain areas of the Region that have one thing in common."
"Oh really. And what might that be?"
"The Equalizers."
"The Equalizers. Of course, but that means their trying to use that method created during the Dark Days." The Commissioner said as realization dawned on him. "What a bad time for the King to disappear. Come Stanly, we must continue preparing for what lays a head."
"Yes sir." Stanly said ominously, offering the elderly man a hand to help him up from his seat.
Route 35
"My what?" Blake repeated, unsure if his ears heard the words that had left her mouth properly.
"I'm your fiancé. Don't you remember, it was just before you disappeared that we agreed on this." Lana said to the confused Blake who did nothing more than blink several times.
"Alright, I just realized something, you're crazy." Blake said as he removed her from on top of him, rising up from the ground.
"But Blake, it's true." She said desperately, closing her arms around his ankles as Blake stood up.
"Do you mind?" Blake asked, looking down at her with a blank stare.
"I'm not letting go until you admit that I'm your fiancé." She said childishly, tightening her grip around his ankles. Blake looked away from her face, finding her frustrated expression kind of cute which only left him baffled at these feelings that he could normally block out with ease.
Blake began to walk, taking the largest step he could with a girl attached to both his legs. After travelling for about twenty minutes, Blake sighed at the fact that he had only moved about ten yards, the Gyarados he had beaten floating past him faster than he was moving.
"Alright, what will it take to get you let go of me?" Blake asked, getting a huge smile from Lana since this is what she always resorted to this if she wanted something from Blake when they were younger.
"Come with me to Ecruteak City. I'm sure if you see Yumi or Nozomi that'll cure your amnesia." Lana said, still hanging onto his legs in case he was trying to make an escape.
"Fine." He said with a shrug. He was on his way to Ecruteak City anyway, not to mention it seemed like Lana could take the word persistent to a whole new level if he continued to deny her of whatever she was requesting.
"Yay!" Lana said happily, throwing her arms around Blake to give him another hug. "Come on, let's go."
5/25/0046/Night
Route 35
"Poliwhirl, dodge it and use Water Gun." Blake said, as he and Poliwhirl jumped to the side, avoiding a small burst of flames from the Growlithe they were currently battling.
"Growlithe, dodge and use Bite!" Growlithe's trainer shouted as the Fire type jumped to the right, narrowly avoiding the super effective Water attack.
Growlithe ran forward, rushing toward Poliwhirl who Blake had ordered to stand still and get ready. Lana stared at Blake who had given the battle his full attention, a serious expression on his face which Lana rarely saw on the boy during their childhood.
'Blake-kun sure does look cool when he's like that.' Lana noted dreamily. 'He was never like that back then.'
"Poliwhirl, catch Growlithe's head and lean back." Blake said, the rest of the movement self explanatory.
As Growlithe pounced at Poliwhirl who was beginning to lean back, two white hands lacking fingers except for the thumbs grabbed Growlithe's head. Poliwhirl, being the flexible Pokemon it was, leaned back, creating an arch with its own body while smashing Growlithe into the ground head first.
Growlithe's eyes changed into black swirls, signifying the end of the battle.
"Nice Poliwhirl." Blake said, watching the blue Pokemon that was beating its stomach with its fist over its latest victory.
'Blake-kun sure is different from how he used to before he disappeared that night.' Lana said to herself with a yawn, waving to the trainer Blake had just beaten since he was leaving.
Blake glanced over at Lana who gave him a wave and a smile when their eyes met. Blake turned away, focusing on edge of the lake where several Poliwag's had been watching Poliwhirl battle. It appeared as though Poliwhirl had some fans now since the Poliwag's had crowded around it, cheering for it.
"Are we going to set up camp here Blake-kun? It's getting pretty late." Lana asked, rising from the ground.
"Yeah, I guess." Blake said, dropping his backpack to the ground. Lana had walked past him, heading toward the edge of the lake they had stopped by. Lana had abandoned her straw hat, leaving it by her backpack as she decided to approach the Poliwag's.
As she neared them, most of them spared her a glance before leaping back into the lake, leaving Poliwhirl to return to Blake. Lana sighed loudly before smiling as she looked out at the lake that was reflecting the moon above. Reaching up for the piece of cloth that held her hair in a pony tail, Lana quickly untied the knot, pulling the cloth away from her hair with right hand allowing her hair to tumble down to her shoulders.
Staring at her, Blake took note of something glowing on her right wrist, something had seen before. Two pointed ovals were just below her wrist, with that looked like the horizon of an ocean glowing in a cyan color.
'Just like me...' Blake noted mentally before he made eye contact with Lana. Blake's heart skipped a beat as he became mesmerized by Lana's beauty. That cheerful exterior he had seen all day was gone, being replaced by a majestic female who gave him a soft smile before returning gaze toward the lake, hair blowing a bit from the soft breeze.
'What the hell!' Blake screamed mentally, grabbing his head with both hands. 'Something's wrong with me. No one has ever been able to get under my skin so easily.'
Blake quietly set up his hammock, running down the now spiraling list that was his emotions and thoughts.
Lana looked at Blake, failing to hold back a smile at the fact that even though some of his memory was missing, he was still obsessed with sleeping in a hammock.
'Blake. The world scene is changing and you're the center of everything. I need to get you back to Ecruteak City and find Grace before the Storm starts.' Lana said mentally, looking down at her left wrist where a two pointed ovals were located with a what looked like an ocean wave beneath it.
Sorry for taking so long with this update, it took me forever to finally think that this scene was worth putting, and that's when the faulty wi-fi connection I've been using descides to go down.
So as you can see, the slowly building plot is becoming more visible. The next chapter will go further into Blake's mysterious past and the plot line, so expect some action.