A/N: B/W2 are pretty sweet. I love making movies, and Join Avenue is great. And now we have Gen6 coming out? Wow, that escalated quickly. It looks interesting though, and I love Unova, so another romp through would make me happy, if that's how it turns out.
I meant to update this sooner, but I ended up doing NaNoWriMo instead. And I won! 50,000 word novel in 30 days. And then I went on a cruise. So...yeah. I'm now a third-year uni student, so don't expect many updates this year. I'll try my best, but if I only end up updating once a year, so be it. I haven't given up! Many thanks to those who continue to review; nothing makes me happier than checking my emails and finding the review notice! I read each and every one, and I respond to those who say a fair bit. Happy New Year to everyone, and I hope this year is the best ever!
Learning the Art of Friendship
... ... ...
Chapter 14: Relic Hunters
White
"Come on, you can do it!" White screamed encouragingly to her Pokemon.
Her Swanna stretched out her neck and took off again. Swooping in, she took out Burgh's last Pokemon with ease.
"That's my girl!" White cheered, returning her to the Pokeball. This match had been four-on-four, with both White and Burgh down to their last Pokemon at the end. "Well, that was easier than the first time around." White walked forward, holding out her hand to Burgh.
Grinning to himself, the bug Gym Leader moved towards White. "Damn, girl! You were on fire!" Burgh shook her hand, pulling her into a hug. "Congratulations on a battle well won!" He clapped her on the back, before squeezing her.
"Thanks Burgh. If it wasn't for my Pokemon, I wouldn't have gotten anywhere." White grinned, slipping out of Burgh's hug before she was strangled. She knew he was just playing around.
Burgh winked in response, before flipping his scarf over his shoulder. "So honey, where were you planning on going next? You heading straight on to Nimbasa City? Make sure you trounce Elesa if you are; she's being insufferable at the moment. She believes her fashion sense is better than mine." He flung an arm out dramatically, head held high and chin thrusting out. "Look at me! I am the epitome of fashion!"
Snickering, White nodded. "Oh yes, you totally are. As for our destination, I don't know. I was kind of hoping to show N Relic Castle, since he hasn't been there before. There's a lot of Pokemon in the desert I haven't met either, so I thought it would be interesting to go back, look around. Maybe find some treasure, hehe."She laced her fingers together and pushed, making a horrible crack echo through the hall.
Burgh flinched at the sound. "Treasure's always good, though good luck finding some. I thought all those ruin maniacs would have dug it all up by now. Still, there's always a chance!" Flicking a hand, Burgh winked at her. "I hope you do find some new Pokemon. It would be a good experience for you to change up your team." Burgh smiled craftily, giving her a thumbs up. "Maybe you'll become a bug enthusiast like me!"
Laughing outright, White shook her head. "I doubt there's many bug Pokemon in the desert. Plus, I couldn't disassemble my current team, they're a part of me." She patted the Pokeballs at her hip. "And speaking of my team, I'd better get back to the Pokemon Centre and heal them. That, and I promised N I'd be back before dinner so we could eat together." She surreptitiously checked her watch. It was getting late.
Burgh waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Oh yes, you and your cute green haired friend. If he wasn't part of Team Plasma, I would have hit on him." He placed his hands on his hips, grinning at her. "But don't worry honey, you can still have him. I think you interest him more than I do."
White blanched, not believing what she'd just heard. "No way. No, just...don't even go there. Despite the fact that N is cute, he's not exactly boyfriend material. I mean, I kind of wish he was... but, you know. He's N." She held up her hands and shook her head violently. "Maybe someday. Not today." She crossed her arms and glared at Burgh, daring him to continue.
Grinning, Burgh slung an arm around her shoulders. "Relax honey, I was only teasing. I know your boy's got a hundred and one issues, but give him time. Who knows? Maybe this journey thing you're doing will be what he needs the most. His exposure to other humans and every day trainers will help him to understand our world. Once you get him used to the idea of human mating-" the irrepressible Gym Leader did a little hip grind to demonstrate "- then you'll be able to jump his bones any time you want." Smirking wickedly, the bug trainer shooed her to the door before she could protest. "Trust me!" He pushed her through the door.
"BURGH!" White yelled, just as the door closed behind her. "I can't believe you," she muttered, throwing her hands up in disgust and walking out of the gym. The tenacity of that man! Still, he was funny. She'd give him that. Life with Burgh would never be dull, she imagined. Kind of made her wonder how he and Elesa got along so well, since Elesa was rather uptight and very high-end glamorous.
She made her way back to the Pokemon Centre, opening it to find N and Victini sitting at a table. Well, N was sitting; Victini was kind of hovering over the table using the little wings it had on its lower back. "Hi guys," she greeted them, grabbing a chair and falling into it. "I'm back."
"How was your battle?" N inquired politely. He smiled and passed White a menu. "Victini and I were just discussing menu choices while we waited for you." He waited for her to answer, his expression interested.
White accepted the menu gratefully, her stomach starting to rumble. "The battle was great! Burgh and I went all out. His Leavanny owned my poor Samurott, and almost took out my Conkeldurr as well, though Aphrodite came to the rescue, beautiful creature that she is. Swanna are so gorgeous," she sighed. "Anyways, I won, though just barely. Burgh must have been doing some serious training, his Pokemon are in top condition." She studied the menu, eventually deciding on a simple meal and placing her order. "So it was good," she concluded. "What about you? Do anything exciting while I was gone?"
Victini landed on the table, walking over to N's side. Its little wings flapped slightly, cooling down. Tilting its head, it raised its arms as if to indicate punching.
"Victini and I were mock-battling with Chikorita and Blitzle. Victini wished to test out some of its moves, and Blitzle wanted to battle, so we all ended up having a contest of sorts. Everyone enjoyed themselves." N's face lit up. "I would have loved it if you could have been there," he said wistfully. "I think you would have had a lot of fun."
White rubbed her arm, looking away. What N was describing did sound like fun, and the emotion in his voice when he said he wanted her there... After her conversation with Burgh, this new scenario was pulling her thoughts in directions she didn't want them to go. "Heh, well there's always next time, right?" She tried to sound positive. "I'm sure we can have a battle on the road, or maybe stage our own contest of sorts. My Pokemon would like that, too." Apart from her re-battles with the Gym Leaders, she hadn't really had any fun battles along the way. Maybe she should make an effort to fix that. She was sure her Pokemon would approve of the change to improve. Making a mental note to challenge N in the next few days, White eagerly set about to her dinner.
After she pushed her plate away, White brought up her travel plans. "I was wondering about where we should go next," she started.
N sat up, resting his arms on the table. "Actually, I had an idea for that. I want to go see Relic Castle, and possibly look through the desert. Apparently there have been rumours of a legendary Pokemon there. It could be Zekrom!" His expression was hopeful. "And even if not, there are many other Pokemon to meet." He turned to her, a sheepish expression crossing his face. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. Would you mind if we went to Relic Castle? I don't want to inconvenience you."
Glad that their plans coincided and feeling excited by the prospect, White clapped her hands together. "That's awesome, because I was thinking the exact same thing! I wanted to show you Relic Castle before we reached Nimbasa City. I thought we could look for some desert Pokemon to add to our teams." She twisted on her chair, looking at Victini. "I bet you guys would love the chance to explore some more!"
Victini, with unshakeable dignity, lowered itself to the table and sneered. Victi, Victini. It said.
White turned to N for a translation, an eyebrow raised. From its tone, she presumed it was something unsavoury.
N hid a smile behind his hand. "Uh, it isn't important," he said quickly, when he caught White's gaze. "Just...he finds you very...enthusiastic." He tilted his head, studying her.
Sure she was being laughed at, White rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. So I'm eager. Nothing wrong with that." She swung her legs back and forth in an attempt to burn some energy. "Alright, well, if it's okay with you guys, we might head off to Relic Castle tomorrow then, first thing in the morning. If we get an early start, it might not be so hot. We'll probably have to pick up some desert gear as well; sunglasses and maybe a faceguard. I don't really want to be eating sand all the time." White shuddered in memory. She hadn't been aware of desert protocol the first time, and as a result hadn't stayed there very long. There was only so much sand one could eat before one got absolutely sick of it. "Take it from me," she mumbled dryly.
"Very well, we shall meet at seven o'clock tomorrow, here." N stood up. "Then we shall buy some clothes, and head off to the desert. Does that sound reasonable to you?" He asked both Victini and White.
White nodded, stretching her arms above her head. "Sounds great." She bounced on the balls of her feet, eager for the next day to come so she could move on. Nimbasa City was a fair way away, and she wanted to challenge Elesa again.
Victini answered in what she supposed was a positive manner.
The little Pokemon confused her; she found his moods hard to judge. Her own Pokemon she could understand just from their body language how they were feeling, but Victini appeared to be very different. It could just be because she was unfamiliar with it, but something told her the legendary Pokemon didn't like her very much.
After saying her goodnights, White headed up to bed. Like all the other Pokemon Centres, the trainers' rooms were small and neat, with a single bed, little bedside table and a bathroom attached. She hastily stripped off and fell into bed wearing only her singlet and panties. She'd have a shower in the morning. Though it was probably useless, since they'd be getting dirty anyway... With that, White got back up and took the shower now. She felt far more relaxed as a result, and her hair actually smelled nice for once.
Her Xtransceiver's alarm woke her up the next morning, the insistent beeping forcing her to open her eyes and move. Pressing the button, she turned off the annoying device and sat up. Dressing in her normal clothes, she brushed her hair and swept it up into a ponytail and then headed downstairs. The place was empty; she'd beaten N this morning. She took a seat and waited for her companion to arrive.
Seven minutes later, the tall, green-haired man appeared, boasting Chikorita on his shoulder and Victini hovering next to him. He spotted her and came over immediately. "Good morning, White. Are you ready to go?"
White leapt to her feet. "Yep! Let's go. I thought we could grab breakfast on the way out of town. I'm not really hungry right now, so I'm fine to wait a bit." She gave herself a quick once-over, making sure she had everything. Bag, check. Hat, check. Pokeballs? Most definitely a check. Considering herself ready to go, White headed towards the door.
N followed her, ducking in front of her just in time to hold the door open for her. "After you." He smiled, waving her ahead. His kingly manners hadn't been forgotten, even though they'd been travelling without comforts for a while.
Outside, Blitzle waited for them. The little zebra Pokemon trotted around the group, barking happily.
"Hello, Blitzle," N greeted the Pokemon cheerfully, waving.
Blitzle shoved his nose under N's hand, demanding a stroke.
When greetings were out of the way, White, N and entourage walked through the city to the bazaar, where the desert shops sold their wares. After half an hour, the two humans emerged with a full set of desert clothes. Apart from the clothes, they'd also gotten a tent that could be folded up and stored in a backpack, since sleeping under the stars on the sand wasn't appealing. N had had to purchase a sleeping bag, since they'd only been staying in Pokemon Centres, he hadn't needed one. White had also bought a backpack to store them in, since her little pouch wouldn't hold anything.
White now wore a long, gauzy brown cloak over her normal singlet and shorts, and a thin, light yellow scarf wrapped around her neck and over her mouth. She'd bought large sunglasses in order to combat the glare of the sun on the sand, and her hat covered the top of her head. She'd considered buying longer pants, but decided the heat would probably kill her. She'd just have to trust the cloak to protect her from everything, and keep her warm at night when it grew cool. She looked over at N and admired his new outfit.
Like her, N had just chosen to wear his old clothes underneath, since the longer sleeves and long pants would protect him from the sand and sun, and the changes in temperature. Over the top, he wore a light green wraparound cloak, with a hood that he could pull up to protect his head. He'd also taken her advice and bought a pair of sunglasses, giving him a cool look.
She couldn't help admiring the effect. Overall, she thought N looked like a desert rogue, about to go looting. Giggling to herself, she took the first step outside the city. As they walked along, Castelia City began to fade in the distance. When they hit the outskirts of the city, White turned around to watch the buildings slowly fade out of view. "Heh, we're on our way now!" She faced the front again and renewed her steps.
The path through Route 4 took them through a mass of unfinished buildings. Workmen scurried here and there, and worker Pokemon lifted large blocks while their partners called instructions.
"I wonder how long it'll take them to finish," White mumbled out loud. When N turned to her inquisitively, she laughed. "Oh sorry, I was musing out loud. I just remembered that they were still building this on my first journey through. I would have thought they'd have gotten further along by now." She gazed around with interest. "From the looks of it, there's going to be apartments here eventually. Might be nice to come back here when I'm older." She thought about it for a bit longer, and then shook her head. "Nah, the desert would piss me off too much. I'd rather go to a city, I think." She wondered which city she'd like to settle down in. Maybe airy Mistralton, or Nimbasa. She had liked the atmospheres of both; Mistralton was upbeat and cheerful, and Nimbasa was always exciting, with so much to do.
N listened to her ramble without comment. When she stopped talking, he moved next to her. "Living in the desert doesn't seem so bad. I stayed with a woman here on Route 4 for a little while. She was very kind to me."
Intrigued by this unexpected comment, White motioned for him to continue. "When was this? While you were becoming the hero?" She looked at him, interesting in learning more about his first travels through Unova.
"No, it was after I left Plasma Castle, before I came to your house. I had nowhere to stay, and she allowed me to rest at her house. Actually, it's not too far from here." He looked out to his left. "Down that way, I believe." He indicated a side street winding away from the path.
White rolled her shoulders, loosening the muscles. "Well, why don't we stop by? I could use an afternoon snack." She smiled in gratitude. Many times on her adventure she'd taken assistance from rest houses. The kindness of strangers never failed to amaze her. The fact that she'd always received food and rest had been one of the only things that kept her going. Sometimes it's a very long way between cities, and those houses had made all the difference.
Agreeing with her comment, N directed the group to a house set apart from the rest. He knocked on the door, and was greeted by an older woman with brown hair and an easy smile.
"Why, if it isn't N! Come on in, come on in." She stepped aside, waving him in. "And who's this?" She asked, spotting White.
"This is my friend, White." N introduced her. Turning to White, he said "And this is Sheree, the lady who allowed me to stay here." He and Sheree began to talk, N telling her about what had happened and Sheree laughing and preparing something to eat.
White accepted a bowl of soup, and studied the older woman. Sheree was of middle height, with a wide girth and the beginnings of crow's feet, putting her in her forties. Wearing a dark blue dress with a white apron over the top, she smoothed back the greying hair and kept working. She was one of those perpetually happy people; even now, she bounded around the kitchen, rustling up food and drinks.
When they'd eaten enough, everyone retired to the lounge room, where White leaned back on the couch and put her feet up on the footstool. Having walked all morning, the chance to relax was much appreciated. She listened idly as N and Sheree discussed something to do with the desert. She wasn't really paying attention to much, content to just sit there.
Three hours later, White finally stood up with reluctance and moved to the door. "Despite the amazing food and the relaxation, we really should be going. It's a long trek to Relic Castle, and the sooner we leave, the sooner we can arrive." She thanked Sheree, and she and N said goodbye, gathering up the Pokemon from outside.
Night arrived sooner than she'd expected, so White called a halt. They'd reached the desert a couple of hours ago, and they'd been battered with sand non-stop since then. She pulled out the tent, and she and N tried to unfold and set it up. "I don't think we're doing it right," White said eventually, hands on hips. Half the tent pulled to the side, while poles stuck out at odd angles. "Let me see the instructions again." She took the sheet of paper off N and calculated, lips pursed in thought. "Oh damn, we are so stupid!" She slapped a hand to her forehead and dropped the paper. "Here." She knelt and pulled out a pole. "This is supposed to loop through this hole," she demonstrated, before moving to the other side of the tent. "And these, are supposed to be over here." Muttering to herself, White slowly began to set up the tent properly. Finally it stood as it should, and White smirked to herself, pleased with the effort. "There! That wasn't so hard." She crawled inside and grabbed her sleeping bag out of her backpack. "You can come in," she called back to N.
A moment later, N joined her. He shuffled to one side, tucking his long legs out of the way.
She passed him his sleeping bag, and they set up their sleeping arrangements. "Okay, so there's not much room, but if I stay over this side, and you stay over that side..." She dragged her sleeping bag as far over as she could to her side. "...Then Chikorita can stay above your head, Victini can go in the space down the bottom, and Blitzle can curl up over here, between us. Sound alright?" The two-man tent hadn't been made to fit a group of Pokemon as well, but if they squashed together, they'd fit. The Pokemon couldn't be expected to endure the sand by themselves; none of them were desert Pokemon.
"That sounds excellent," N agreed. He started settling the Pokemon in their places, before curling around them in the space designated for him.
Exhausted from the day's trip and the effort of setting up the tent, White fell into an immediate sleep.
... ... ...
"Alright, so there's Relic Castle!" White announced, pointing at a dark smudge on the horizon. They'd been traipsing through the desert for five hours, only resting when they had to. Water was scarce as well, so White had been careful to ration the bottles they had. A nurse's station near the entrance to the desert had supplied them with ten bottles of water. The weight was heavy, but White was grateful to have the supplies. She'd much rather take the weight than dehydration. Especially since they had to look after Pokemon as well.
N looked up at her words. "Are you sure?" He squinted, his eyes barely visible behind the shades.
Running ahead, White grinned and nodded. "Yep! I know, because I stopped here briefly last time. I also came back to look for the Light Stone and Reshiram. There's a group of psychics conducting tests in the basement, so we may be challenged to a battle. Just a word of warning!" She quickened her pace, eager to get out of the sun for a while.
Snorting in joy, Blitzle raced along next to her. The electric Pokemon was faring surprisingly well in the desert. So far, he hadn't tripped down dunes at all, showing an agility equal to Pokemon born in the desert. He barked cheerfully, racing in a circle around her.
On N's shoulder, under his hood, Chikorita made a grumpy sound. The little grass type hated the sand, and had spent the entire journey huddled under N's hood.
N answered both his Pokemon, and said something to Victini, who was hovering nearby.
The old, ruined castle was abandoned when they entered. Dust swirled around, and sand dribbled through the roof to puddle on the floor below. White glanced around, checking to make sure the castle wasn't about to collapse on their heads. "Let's look for some Pokemon!" She headed to the staircase in the corner, taking them two at a time. When she reached the next level, she found herself longing for a drink. "N, what do you say to taking a quick break?"
Joining her in the room, N nodded and sat next to her. "It would be a good idea. We've been walking for a while now, and if we're intending to look for Pokemon, it's best if we refresh ourselves first."
Following his advice, White poured a cup of water for her and N, and filled a little dish for the Pokemon to drink from. She refilled it a couple of times, so all three of the Pokemon could have a satisfying drink. When everyone was done, she put all the dishes away and stood up. "Alright, let's keep exploring! I haven't been to the top yet, so that's on my to-do list!" She faced N and placed a hand on her hip. "What would you like to do, N? Come with me or explore on your own for a bit?"
N looked mildly surprised. "I would like to stay with you. You know more about this place than I do, and I would hate to get lost." He moved next to her, shooting a glance around and looking curious.
She accepted his reasoning and raised a fist. "In that case, onwards!" White gazed from side to side, checking for a hint of Pokemon. As they ascended, she found very little evidence at all. "I'm starting to get discouraged," she told N. "I haven't seen any signs that Pokemon live here. I was sure we'd find some unusual ones, but I guess not."
"Don't worry, I'm sure we will find some soon. I believe they live at a higher point in this castle." N sounded sure of himself, and he pointed at a mark in the sand. "See? Pokemon footprints. We just need to be closer to their home." He smiled at her.
White grinned back, waving a finger. "See? This is why I keep you around. Mr. Pokemon expert!" Laughing to herself, she started searching the ground for more evidence. Now that it had been made apparent to her, she spotted footprints here and there, and the occasional dropping. On the seventh level, she was caught off guard when a large Pokemon roared at her. She flinched back when the Krokorok hissed at her, before stalking off. "Well, that was proof, I guess." She kept an eye on where the Pokemon had disappeared, not wanting to be attacked while her back was turned.
Going up another floor, N suddenly let out a cry.
White nearly jumped out of her skin. "What was that about?" She frowned at him, before noticing his expression. "N, what is it?"
Looking distinctly unhappy, N glanced up to an alcove nearby. "It's alright, you can come down," he said gently, raising his arms.
Raising an eyebrow, White blinked when a head poked up from the alcove. She was amazed to recognise it as an Archen, a decidedly rare Pokemon.
The Archen gripped the edge with its claws. It was making distressed noises; little cries and whimpers. Apparently it made a decision, because it leapt off and scrabbled in midair for N.
N carefully caught it and held it close, his fingers examining for damage. "Are you alright?" he murmured, stroking the creature's head. He turned to White then, while wrapping the Archen in a bundle using his discarded cloak. "You were right, rare Pokemon live here." He came up next to her, taking care not to bump his burden. "From what I understand, this Pokemon was abandoned here. She says there is another person here as well, a man on the top level. She seems confused, so I'm not sure if I understand her right." N was scowling, his disgust at human cruelty evident when he held injured Pokemon like this. He moved towards the last set of stairs. "I'm going to see if there is a man there. If he's responsible for this..." He trailed off, staring at the Pokemon in his arms.
White noticed that his arms were straining. "Is she too heavy?" She knew that Archen grew quite big before they evolved, and this one was nearly half N's size. Although, it was part bird Pokemon, so maybe it had hollow bones, thus making it lighter?
"I'll manage," N reassured her, hefting the Archen and continuing on. "For now, can you keep a lookout for any obstacles or pitfalls? I can't see my feet," he admitted.
A small smile tilted her lips. "I can do that." On the next floor, she stopped N from standing in a hole. "Careful, there." She pointed at the offending hole.
"What good advice," a voice from in front of them said.
White whipped around, her hand dropping to her Pokeballs. She saw who it was and narrowed her eyes. "You!" Furiously, she strode forward, intent on doing damage.
"Wait, White." N stopped her. "Ryoku, what are you doing here?"
The Sage of Team Plasma smirked to himself. "I was looking for a legendary Pokemon said to live here. Lord Ghetsis was hoping to use it for his plans." Ryoku sighed. "But alas, we haven't been able to find it. Volcarona, the Sun Pokemon. A legend, supposedly created by the sun itself in its image. Such a Pokemon would be of great use to us in our new plan." The Sage buffed his fingernails on his robe, no doubt expecting the kids to ask about the new plan.
White brought her wrist up and tapped the Xtransceiver, hurriedly finding Looker's name. Found a Sage – Relic Castle, up the top. She pressed send, hoping Looker would be as punctual as normal. Somehow, the Interpol officer could appear in a matter of minutes, no matter how far away she was. Either that, or he just had a hundred clones scattered across Unova.
The Sage looked at her. "Now, who did you just contact?" Ryoku didn't seem worried, just curious. "I know, it's your friend from Interpol, the one hunting us Sages, isn't it?" He tapped a finger against his jaw. "What was his name... Looker, was it?" He sneered at her.
"How did you know that?" White snapped her jaw shut before she revealed anything else. Deciding that she needed to stall him until Looker could arrest him; she picked a Pokeball and moved her arm back to throw.
Ryoku sneered at her again. "Oh, how unsporting. Attack me, an unarmed man. What a great hero you are!" He raised an arm, looking expectant.
Answering the unspoken call, a Shadow Triad member appeared in front of him. Wearing black clothes that fit against the skin and a white mask over half his face, the Shadow effectively hid his identity. About the only distinguishing feature was his white hair. Not that it made much difference, all three of the Shadow Triad had white hair; making White wonder if they were brothers, or wearing wigs.
"Now, you can fight someone with the ability to fight back!" Ryoku watched in glee. "Defeat her," he commanded the Triad member.
White hurriedly sent out her Samurott, shaken by the unexpected battle. She'd come here looking for Pokemon, not a Sage! And since when had the Shadow Triad actively engaged in battle? Something had changed. Ghetsis was still planning behind the scenes; Ryoku's comments had proven that. She glared at the Shadow, and waited for him to make a move.
The black clad man held up a Pokeball, his expression hidden behind the white mask he wore. "Now, unleash your rage!" he commanded, sending out a large, blue Pokemon. It had a tuft of white fur on its chest, spiked plated on its shoulders and two, waved horns on its head. Plus a nasty expression, something she hadn't seen on a Pokemon in a long time.
White heard N gasp, and she turned to find him staring at the Pokemon in awe.
"It's Cobalion," he whispered, shaking his head back and forth slowly, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. N half-raised a hand, as if to touch the beast.
Not recognising the name, White turned back to the scene in front of her.
Just in time to find the Shadow wave a hand forward. "Go! Destroy the little bug who threatened Lord Ghetsis!" He swept a hand in a horizontal motion, indicating attack.
Leaping to obey, Cobalion smashed into Samurott with no further warning. The legendary beast roared, its voice deep and rumbling.
"Look out!" White cried, slightly too late. "Sorry buddy," she apologised to her Pokemon. Get your head in the game! she reprimanded herself. "Alright, our turn. Use Surf!" She stabbed a finger forward, straight at her opponent's Pokemon.
A giant wave crashed down on Cobalion. Samurott shook himself and stood on two legs, pulling out his swords. Rrrrrooar! The Water type Pokemon snarled, racing forward with swords bared. Swiping upwards, Samurott managed to land a glancing hit on Cobalion's flank.
Screaming in sudden pain, Cobalion wheeled around and faced its attacker, teeth bared in a wicked sneer.
"Sacred Sword," the Triad member called.
The legendary Pokemon dipped its head down and charged Samurott. Its horns sliced at White's Pokemon, narrowly missing its intended target.
"Good job, Samurott." White bit her lip, worried at the strength of the legendary Pokemon. How was she supposed to beat that? The same way you beat Reshiram. White felt a rush of confidence fill her, and she found herself grinning in response. "Let's go Samurott! Time to kick it up a notch! Use Surf again, and then while it's distracted, hit it with Slash!" She cheered on her Pokemon, pumping a fist in the air.
Her Pokemon quickly obeyed, sending the large mass of water out again, before ducking to the side and raising a sword. The blade hit true, making a large, diagonal streak across the chest of Cobalion. Samurott slid past, pivoting on one of his legs before using a backhanded slash, making an identical streak going in the opposite diagonal. For such a large Pokemon, Samurott was very agile, and often managed to defeat greater foes simply because he could manoeuvre into spots they couldn't.
Wearing a cross shaped wound now, Cobalion shook its head and pawed the ground, preparing to charge again.
"Retaliate!" The Shadow Triad member was starting to sound desperate; he could see victory slipping through his fingers. Somehow, this young woman was stronger than he'd expected, even with his use of the legendary Pokemon. Perhaps the bond between Pokemon and trainer was something after all?
Cobalion charged, horns down and ready to spear Samurott.
Samurott, despite his bulk, moved gracefully out of the way, taking the change to deliver another punishing slash across Cobalion's flank. It was clear that Samurott wasn't fighting to destroy, just weaken his opponent enough to claim victory.
The legendary Pokemon was covered in slashes now, and pain was making it lose control. Unlike Samurott, Cobalion was fully trying to kill the other Pokemon. Cobalion roared, the yellow eyes rolling in pain. Ignoring the Shadow's commands, it rushed Samurott in a blind panic, running back and forth in an attempt to skewer the one causing it pain.
Continuing to dodge, Samurott landed hit after hit until he faced Cobalion head on. Then, White's Pokemon drew its front paws above its head and drove both blades down towards Cobalion.
The flat of the blades struck Cobalion straight between its horns, knocking it unconscious. The large Pokemon collapsed, dripping blood onto the ground in a puddle below it.
Frowning, the Shadow member wordlessly moved towards the legendary Pokemon, Pokeball in hand.
White waited a moment, unsure if the battle was actually over. When nobody moved, she recalled her Samurott, whispering words of encouragement before replacing the ball onto her belt.
Ryoku grimaced. His shoulders slumped as he turned to face the girl across from him. "Well...once again, we of Team Plasma seem to be outmatched. Never mind though, we shall simply regroup and return, stronger than ever!" He glared at White. "Little girl, do not think this is over. Ghetsis, even as we speak, gains the trust of the greatest legendary Pokemon of all! We shall defeat you, heed my words!" He, the Shadow member and Cobalion all disappeared in a flash of light.
Blinking in the sudden light, White waited for her eyes to adjust. She made sure Team Plasma were gone, before turning to N. "Hey, you alright?"
Her companion was staring in shock. When he became aware of White's gaze, N shook his head and looked at her. "Sorry, White. I was surprised; there is no way they should have been able to gain Cobalion's help. Cobalion and its counterparts are notorious for loathing humanity. I was originally going to ask them for help to become the king, but it was decided against because of their reputation. How could Team Plasma have found and gained their help? Unless...they forced it somehow." N mused out loud. His expression turned dark as he considered the implications. "White, we have to assume Ghetsis is planning something major. If Cobalion is under Team Plasma's control, there's a chance Virizion and Terrakion are as well. We may be facing legendary Pokemon with a serious grudge for us." He frowned, his teeth clenched. "It's disgusting, how dare they control those three!"
White didn't interrupt, giving him time to come to grips with this. She was more worried about Ghetsis' new plan. The Shadow Triad were involved this time, and apparently Ghetsis was hunting legendary Pokemon for his own gains. No longer did he need a Hero, he was just going to use brute force. A realisation struck her. "Damn! Ryoku got away. I sent a message for Looker to come here, but I guess he didn't make it in time." She pursed her lips. "I guess it's too late now." She sent another message to Looker, saying the Sage had got away and not to come. A moment later she received a response.
Sorry White, had an important situation. Will keep an eye out.
-Looker.
She closed the message window and looked to N. "Alright, well, after that I think I'm ready to leave. Was there anything else you wanted to do, or should we just leave?" After her battle with Cobalion, White wasn't eager to remain here. She quickly checked her Xtransceiver. Realising the time, she shook her head. "At this rate, we're better off just camping here and leaving in the morning. At least it's sheltered here."
N agreed, and the two went down to the first floor.
There, White set up the tent again, in case sand fell on their heads, and she, N, and the collection of Pokemon tucked themselves into their respective spaces.
N kept the Archen just above him, still wrapped in his cloak. Occasionally, he'd murmur words of comfort, and reach a hand out to stroke her head. Eventually his movements stilled, and he relaxed.
White tossed and turned, too wound up to relax. Her mind ran over and over things that Ghetsis could be planning, and why the legendary Pokemon were being drawn into it. Annoyed at herself for going over and over it, but not finding answers, White sat up. She concentrated on the Pokemon around her, and the sleeping man next to her. Taking deep breaths, she listened to the reassuring sounds of people and creatures around her. Readjusting her position, she lay back down, closer to N than she'd originally planned. Still, he felt warm, so she snuggled in closer. It was cool inside the old castle, and the warmth was appreciated.
N rolled over, facing her, his breath fanning her face. He mumbled something in his sleep, and his leg came to lie over hers. He draped an arm over her, pressing most of his body against hers.
White felt something hard digging into her stomach, and froze. Was that...? She bit her lip, her face flushing crimson red.
N rubbed against her, nuzzling her neck.
Her mind was still caught on the implications of what she felt. No, it couldn't be. It was just something in his pocket. His wallet, yeah, that was it.
After all, N was too immature a person for that. He was like a child, she reasoned. There was no way he had an-
She had to check. She looked down his body, to find a tent in his pants.
And she thought she knew awkward back to front. Nope, having her travelling companion pressed against her with an erection definitely took the cake. Never in the past had she found herself in such an unbelievable situation!
What the hell was he dreaming about?! The possibilities ran through her mind, causing White to shudder. Considering she was the only female he'd been around for extended amounts of time in the past couple of months...
Chances were... it was her. Which made her even more embarrassed. Yes, she knew about teenage men and wet dreams, but that didn't mean she wanted evidence!
She violently pushed the thoughts away and carefully detangled herself from N's grip, moving as far away as the tent would allow. No way was she staying near him like that, cool temperature or not. She huddled into her sleeping bag for warmth, and turned away from the green haired man. Even so, it took a while for her to calm down enough to fall asleep, her thoughts reflecting on this new, disturbing turn of events.
The next day, as she was blearily packing up the tent, White grumbled to herself about lazy men and those being unwilling to help. She was decidedly not going to think about the Tent Incident. Not at all. Nope, get off that track! She scolded herself mentally.
N, for his part, was sidetracked with feeding his pack of Pokemon. As it was, he had no idea how to repack the tent, so he hadn't offered to help. He held up a treat to Chikorita on his shoulder, then set a dish on the floor for Blitzle. Next, he gave Victini a berry, and finally fed scraps of food to the Archen in his arms. When that was done, he turned his attention to the humans. "Are you hungry, White?" He held up a plastic container presumably holding food.
White huffed, blowing a stray wisp of hair out of her face. Yanking the offending pole out of the ground, she managed to dismantle the tent. "Yeah, in a minute." She packed up the rest and wrestled the tent into her backpack. "Phew, that was an effort and a half." She dusted off her hands and sat next to N. "Okay, what do we have?" Their knees brushed, and she hastily moved back a couple of inches.
Presenting her with a container, N smiled. "Packed sandwiches, courtesy of Sheree. They're egg and lettuce I think. They look like it, anyway. For all I know, they could be completely different." He unwrapped his own sandwich and took a bite. "It is egg and lettuce," he announced, after swallowing.
She took a bite of her own sandwich. True to N's words, it was egg and lettuce. White sighed in enjoyment, the simple sandwich tasted great after all that time in the desert. It didn't matter that they'd had sandwiches the day before, it was still amazing. Sheree could make a mean sandwich! White thought to herself.
Breakfast passed quickly, and White hurried them along, eager to continue on. She'd had about enough of the desert, and remembered why she hadn't spent much time there to begin with. Catching a nice desert Pokemon would have been great, but the effort of searching for one wasn't worth it right now. Too much to do!
The desert was in a bad mood; White exited Relic Castle to find a heavy wind blowing up a sandstorm. "Great, just what we need." She sighed and decided to plunge ahead. They could wait and see if the storm abated soon, but she figured it could last for days. Better just to power through and get back to Route 4.
... ... ...
"Finally!" White exclaimed, pointing ahead. "Nimbasa City!" Four days after they'd left Relic Castle, she could see the neon lights of Nimbasa City. The sandstorm had slowed their movements, and travelling along Route 4 had been time consuming, thanks to a detour around the construction sites. She ran ahead, grateful to see a clear path to the city's entrance. "Come on, team!" She whirled around and waved both arms at the others.
Nimbasa City was just as busy as it had been the last time she was there. White glanced around the masses of buildings, taking in the glittering lights. Since the city's Gym Leader was electric-based, Nimbasa seemed to reflect that, with signs lit up everywhere and party lights strung around and through the streets. At night, the place lit up brighter than the sun. She led her party to the Pokemon Centre, where everyone relaxed and ate. Glad to be out of the desert for good, White asked the nurse on duty if there was a place she could get rid of her desert clothes, now that she had no use for them. Upon finding out that the store would take them, she hurried over to the nearby clerk and handed him her stuff. She kept the tent, just in case. The road from Nimbasa to Driftveil was long, and Chargestone Cave would be after that. Best to be prepared. White waved goodnight to N and headed to her room. She wanted to plan for her rematch with Elesa. Providing she could find the model, Elesa was notorious for going on photo shoots and ignoring challengers until she was done.
Sure enough, the next day, when White inquired about challenging Elesa, she received a response saying the Gym Leader was absent. "Of course she is." White threw up her hands in disgust. She'd had to go looking for her the first time they'd battled as well. "Any idea where she might be?" She turned to the assistant, a harried looking young man.
"Uhh...she left with one of the twins." The man looked around nervously, like he was sharing secrets. "You know, from the Battle Subway?" He made twining motions with his fingers.
White blinked, before a wicked grin crossed her face. "Elesa's on with the twins? Wow. Hot damn. Which one?"
Shaking his head, the assistant backed away. "I'm sorry, I don't know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." He left in a hurry, shooting glances over his shoulder.
Sidetracked by the news that Elesa and a Subway twin were off somewhere together, White didn't mind his rudeness. She left the Gym and headed to the Battle Subway. Taking on the Battle Subway might be a nice way to spend the morning. Who knows, maybe she'd find the other twin and find out the inside gossip. Hell, if she'd known before, she could have asked Burgh! He and Elesa were good friends. She was approaching the door to the Subway when it opened suddenly, and out stepped Cheren.
"Cheren!" she shrieked, caught by surprise.
Cheren looked at her, and a smile lit his face. "Hey, White! Long time no see! How have things been?" He stepped closer. Blue bangs fell over his eyes, and stuck out at sharp angles. He was wearing a simple white sleeved shirt, with a red tie around his neck. His dark blue pants were the same as ever. He looked more casual than she was used to seeing him. Normally Cheren never went anywhere without his jacket.
White hugged him. "Great!" she replied to his question. "I've been rechallenging the Gym Leaders, and so far winning! How about you, done anything lately?" She stepped back so she could see his face.
Her blue haired friend glared over his shoulder. "Yeah, I was trying to beat the Battle Subway, but one of the twins has gone off to do his own thing, so I can't battle until he gets back." Looking annoyed, Cheren tossed his head. "Anyway, it's nice to see you again." He stopped and focussed on her suddenly. "Oh, have you seen Bianca? She's here too." He waved a hand behind him, indicating Nimbasa.
Excited by the prospect of spending time with both of her best friends, White leapt up and down, clapping her hands together. "That's awesome! I can't believe both of you are here at the same time! We can go shopping, battle together, play in the amusement park, watch the games, try a musical together! Ahh, this is great!" White beamed at her childhood friend. "So, where is Bianca then? I have to catch up with her!"
Cheren shrugged. "I don't know, haven't seen her since yesterday. We split up yesterday morning to do our own things. I went to the Subway again, and she may have gone to a musical. In any case, you'll run into her at some point. Ring her if you want, she has her Xtransceiver."
This sounded like good advice, so White immediately started tapping buttons on her arm. "Great idea!" she congratulated Cheren. She pressed call and waited for it to dial.
"Hello?" Bianca's face appeared on the screen. She lit up when she saw who it was. "White!" she screamed, pressing her face closer to the screen. "It's been so long! What have you been doing? Having fun?"
Laughing, White waved hello. "It's only been a couple of months, come on. Not that much has happened since then!" She shrugged, and then grinned. "But it sure has been fun at times!" She nodded over her shoulder. "I ran into Cheren here, and he said you were in town and that I should ring. So I did!"
"I'm glad you did!" Bianca enthused. She stopped, and blinked. "Wait, you're in Nimbasa? I've been dying to catch up with you! I'm out the front of the musical theatre right now, are you nearby? We could meet up and go shopping! Or watch a musical, or go to the amusement park, or maybe even a battle!"
Behind her, Cheren coughed. "You two are scary." He muttered something else under his breath.
Choosing to ignore him, White continued her discussion. "I'm at the Battle Subway with Cheren currently, but it won't take me that long to reach the musical theatre. We can choose what to do from there." She hung up and turned to face Cheren. "What about you, coming along? Or will our girlish plans scare you away?" She leered at him. "I know you don't want to come, relax. Go watch some sports for a while." She said goodbye to Cheren and walked briskly towards the musical theatre. It was still only morning, but she wanted to spend as much time with her friends as she could. N was nice and all, she thought to herself, but Cheren and Bianca had been her friends for many years. She trusted them both more than any others. This opportunity to hang with those closest to her was more than welcome right now.
"White!" Bianca squealed as White approached. "You look the same as ever!" She enfolded the other trainer in a massive hug. "Hee! I'm so glad you're here."
White held up her hands, laughing. "Easy! I'm glad to see you too. You look really good," she said honestly.
Her friend had always tended to plumpness, and her signature curves remained; but White could see how Bianca had changed subtly. She'd lost a little weight, removing the pudginess around her face. Her hair had also grown longer, with the blonde bits at the side spiking up more dramatically than they had before. The look suited her, and White said so.
"Aww, thanks White! You always say nice things like that." Bianca giggled, her pleasure at the comment evident on her face. "Now, what do you say to catching the matinee musical, and then going to get lunch?"
Thinking that the idea sounded perfect, White linked her arm through her friend's and they walked into the theatre.
Afterwards, the two chattered together happily.
"Did you see the Minccino? Wasn't it just the cutest thing?" The bubbly blonde went on to describe the Minccino's performance in detail. Bianca had an eye for musical genius, and she went on to prove it with her descriptions of every performance.
White laughed at her friend's exuberance, but couldn't help reciting her own list of accolades. "I thought that Watchog was pretty good! Did you see when it did a cartwheel, spinning the mike when it stood up? Wasn't that fantastic?" She punched the air. "Man, if I had all the time to train for the musicals, I'd want my Pokemon to be that awesome!"
Bianca nodded emphatically. "Oh yes! I thought about taking some time to practice later, maybe when spring comes back. But anyway, I'm starting to get hungry. I vote we find some grub!"
Grub turned out to be at a little cafe called Cafe Cinccino, a nice little place themed around its namesake.
White liked the light, airy feel of the off-white colour scheme. She discussed the rest of the afternoon with Bianca, who mentioned meeting up with Cheren later. "Well, I'd best leave you two to it then. I think I'm going to stock up on supplies, I'm about to run out of non-perishable food again." She stood up, pushing back her chair.
The two girls left the cafe, wandering around the streets of Nimbasa City.
"Thanks for a great time, White!" Bianca said a little while later. The two girls had talked for hours after that, and the sun was halfway to the horizon line.
White farewelled her friend and wandered around for a bit longer. She wasn't ready to head to the Pokemon Centre just yet, her meeting point with N. Her supplies could wait for a bit; the shops in Nimbasa never seemed to close so the time wasn't an issue.
Eventually, the sun set, and Nimbasa City came to life. Radiant bursts of light lined the shops and buildings, and everywhere neon signs advertised this and that. At the edge of the city, White could see the circling lights of the Ferris wheel. She admired the view for a moment. Memories rose unbidden about her last time on the Ferris wheel; how N had appeared and dragged her on, revealing that he was the King of Team Plasma. She smiled at that. How scared and confused she'd been then, back when Team Plasma's real goal had been hidden. Back when N was just an odd stranger, instead of her close travelling companion. White found herself moving towards the amusement park, not sure if she was expecting something to happen, but feeling drawn nonetheless.
A handful of people milled around, and laughter and chatter filled the air. Big spotlights shone down, so none of the park was in shadow, and little fairy lights decorated the pathways, mingling in with the bushes. White looked around in wonder; she'd never been here at night. It was magical, far more exciting than it was during the day!
She inevitably found herself staring up at the Ferris wheel. From here, she could see that the majority of riders were couples. Not that she could blame them; this place seemed like the perfect spot for romantic interludes, what with the incredible ambience. White smiled to herself. She was about to leave when a familiar voice caught her attention. She moved forward, about to step around a bush when she saw what they were doing.
"Bianca..." Cheren said, grasping the girl's shoulders and forcing her to look at him.
Bianca sniffed, wiping a hand under her eyes. "Are you sure? I always thought you liked White! I mean, she's prettier than I am, she loves Pokemon and wants to be the Champion, she loves battling and growing stronger, and she understands what you're talking about. I don't! I'm just the tag-along, following behind in your footsteps, trying to keep up. Why would you want me?" She looked up, her eyes red and tear marks on her cheeks.
Pulling her forward, Cheren slipped an arm around her waist and the other in her hair. "Bianca..." he said tenderly, his whole face transformed in a way White had never seen it before. "It's always been you, silly girl. White was never even interested; not in me, not in romance in general." He stroked Bianca's hair, a soft smile on his face.
Bianca buried her face in his shoulder. "Cheren..." she lifted her head, staring into his eyes.
White knew what was going to happen before it did. Unable to close her eyes, locked in place, she watched as her two best friends met in the middle, kissing like there was no tomorrow. She saw when Bianca pulled back, her face flushed and her eyes shining. She watched when Cheren pulled Bianca closer, their bodies pressed so close there wasn't room between them.
Feeling guilty for intruding on something so private, White slowly backed away. Finally managing to tear her gaze away from the couple, she ran blindly in the opposite direction to the Ferris wheel. Her heart pounding, she stopped suddenly, hiding in a tucked away corner of the amusement park. She collapsed onto the nearby bench and focussed on getting her breath back. She didn't know why she was reacting so oddly. Maybe it was because she'd never thought of her friends that way; never known they even harboured feelings for each other of that magnitude! She sat there a while and started getting her act together. Okay, so her best friends were now...what? Together? Dating? Or madly in love? It was really none of her business, and she should be glad for them! White rubbed her eyes. She was happy for them, she realised. She was glad her two friends had found someone worthy. Cheren would treat her properly, and Bianca would be good for Cheren. The more White thought about it, the more she came to accept it. With that acceptance, came release. She let go of the strange, fluttering feeling of having the ground ripped from under her. In a much better state of mind now, White left the amusement park, deciding that enough excitement had happened for one night.
Looking up, she admired the light of the moon on her face. She'd just drifted through the streets, eventually finding herself back near the Battle Subway. White figured she may as well head back and get some sleep before the morning. Back in her room at the Pokemon Centre, White opened the window, inviting the moonlight in. She lifted her head and smiled to herself.
... ... ...
I just went back and read all 119 reviews on this story, and was amazed and awed at you guys. Thank you so much for telling me your thoughts on my story, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.
-Aerococonut