AN: So I have decided to rewrite this chapter for several reasons that I shall explain in the end. For now, enjoy the revamped version of chapter 21
Hilbert soon realized that he was falling off the tower and plummeting to the ground. Hilbert frantically released Archeops, who rushed with all the speed he could muster to catch him.
"IDON'TWANNADIEIDON'TWANNADIEIDON'TWANNADIE!"
Archeops managed to catch Hilbert just before he crashed into the ground.
"Thank god that was close..." Hilbert sighed, then glared to the roof. "The hell was that for!?"
"If you want to know, come face me at the Mistralton Gym," Skyla called out as she rode Swoobat and headed for the city.
"That bitch..." Hilbert growled. "Archeops, we're heading for the pokécenter. Once we heal everyone up, we're going to throttle her!"
"Are you alright!?"
He looked up to see Cheren descending on an unfezant, presumably a male one since if had a reddish pink wattle on its head compared to the unfezant Juniper and Cedric were descending on lacked said wattle, where Bianca was descending on Ducklett. Hilbert wondered how such a small duck could actually support her weight, not saying that she's overweight or anything, but by sheer size difference.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Hilbert growled. "That redhead's not gonna be fine once I'm done with her though..."
"Calm down," Cheren said.
"She pushed me off a building!" Hilbert yelled. "I know you tell me to calm down a lot, but c'mon! I can at least be pissed off!"
"Yeah, but are you really going to fight her now?" Cheren asked.
"What? What's the problem?" Hilbert asked impatiently.
"Did you forget that we spent the past hour making graves?" Cheren pointed out.
"Right..." Hilbert muttered. "But..."
"I understand you're mad," Cheren said. "No, mad would be an understatement...but think about the rest of your Pokémon. They should be mentally strained from this experience."
Hilbert glanced at Archeops. He looked uneasy, almost nauseous. He then proceeded to glance at his other pokéballs. Excadrill in particular, who was used for making most of the graves for them to bury the dead, was shaking uncontrollably.
"You're right..." Hilbert muttered.
"Are you okay, Hilbert?" Bianca asked, suddenly checking up on him.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine–," Hilbert said, until he remembered what happened before the grave digging, and prompt to look away from her.
"Hilbert?" Bianca asked.
"So, I'll fight her tomorrow," Hilbert said, changing the topic. "And get some damn answers while I'm at it."
"Right," Cedric said. "For now, we should head back. It's starting to get dark. Not to mention we're all mentally strained from this 'exhibition' of burial grievance."
As Hilbert headed back, Bianca followed, concerned for the brown-haired trainer. To Cheren's eyes, however, the concern was a little too close for comfort for the raven-haired trainer, much to his dismay.
Soon enough, it was nighttime. The gang stayed at the pokécenter, where Hilbert had just finished making an appointment for a gym battle with Skyla the next day, which she agreed to. In the meantime, Hilbert was testing out a theory, where all of his Pokémon, now fully healed, were in front of him.
"Alright, go," Hilbert instructed.
"-That crazy ass chandelier ghost soul-burning furnace thing!-" Dewott suddenly roared. "-That Energy Ball hurts like hell you know!-"
Hilbert's ears were ringing, as he covered them in pain.
"Ow," Hilbert muttered.
"-I don't even want to talk about anything...-" Excadrill shuddered. "-I'm not gonna dig for a while...-"
"-You alright there?-" Archeops asked Excadrill.
"-All those...corpses...-" Excadrill muttered, feeling nauseous.
"-I know how you feel. I feel sick from the dead Pokémon...-" Victini muttered. "-Are you alright though, Hilbert?-"
"Okay...so it wasn't my imagination,-" Hilbert muttered. "I can actually understand what you guys are saying."
"-So, what? You're like N now?-" Dewott asked.
"Ability wise, essentially," Hilbert said. "But what remains a mystery is why and how can I even do so...I couldn't have just gained it from out of the blue. There has to be an explanation."
Hilbert lied on the bed, stressed out more than ever. How did he suddenly get these abilities? There had to be an explanation. Something that he was overlooking. Anything. He then felt his scar.
"...No, that can't be it," Hilbert said. "It's just a flesh wound. There's no way a scar could give me Pokémon-speech-understanding psychic powers."
Accelgor said nothing, but narrowed his eyes at said flesh wound.
"-No doubt N or that Hilda bitch will exploit this the minute they find out,-" Dewott muttered.
"Right," Hilbert agreed. "Although I'd like it if you didn't call Hilda a 'bitch'."
"-Hey! It's justified!-" Dewott argued. "-The chick's insane.-"
"She's not–," Hilbert began to retort until he was stopped by the glares of his Pokémon. "Okay maybe she's a little crazy."
"-A LITTLE!?-" Dewott blurted.
"-She planted microscopic remote controlled bombs into the necks of your two best friends and into the daughter of a world-renowned professor,-" Excadrill said. "-If that isn't insane, nothing is.-"
"Alright fine," Hilbert muttered. "She's insane. Saveable, I hope, but insane. And don't call her a bitch."
As he was pondering, his Xtransceiver rang, interrupting him in his thoughts.
"Speak of the devil," Hilbert muttered, not even bothering to guess who it was, as if it wasn't obvious enough. "What?"
"You know, I was THIS close to detonating the bomb in that blonde bitch's neck," the other end hissed. "Not to mention that redhead pushing you off the tower..."
"...So you were watching me, Hilda?" Hilbert asked. "Also, how are you exactly watching me?"
"Of course," Hilda said. "I'll always be watching you. Also look to your left window."
Hilbert looked out to the left window, to notice an elgyum watching him from afar.
"-Told you she's insane,-" Dewott said. "-And how did we not notice that?-"
'Creepy...but at least I know I'm under surveillance,' Hilbert thought, giving Dewott a glare to shut him up. "And I presume you're pissed that Bianca touched me, right? Don't worry about it. She's just a friend."
"If I ever catch her touching you again, then she's good as dead. Understood?" Hilda asked.
"I know," Hilbert said.
"That's a good boy," Hilda said. "Now, how was the mission?"
"Well, the decrease in biological energy was the doings of a wild chandelure that was released by its trainer recently," Hilbert said. "It was calmed and captured by said 'blonde bitch', however."
"I see," Hilda muttered. "...Fine, I guess I'll let this one slide. But good work. Keep track until I give you your next assignment."
"Right," Hilbert said. "...Can I ask you something?"
"Ask away," Hilda said.
"Why the hell did you cover my mouth when I was about to mention the bombs to N?"
Hilda didn't answer back, making Hilbert suspicious about her.
"Did he know?" Hilbert asked, more demanding.
"...No," Hilda admitted.
"So he doesn't know that I'm being blackmailed into joining you guys?" Hilbert asked.
"...No..." Hilda muttered.
"-The hell!-" Dewott growled.
"Why?" Hilbert asked.
"Because Lord N would be opposed to such 'gruesome' means to recruit you," Hilda said.
"So you did that despite knowing N wouldn't have approved of it!?" Hilbert growled. "Tch! Some trust you've got going there...Is there anything else you're hiding?"
"Of course not," Hilda said.
"Oh really?" Hilbert asked. "Then let's hear that past of mine that you happen to know."
"In due time," Hilda said.
"Keeping that from me to keep me from betraying, eh?" Hilbert muttered. "Tch..."
"I'll tell you in due time, don't worry," Hilda said.
"Anything else that you know?" Hilbert asked, testing her knowledge and intelligence.
"Oh yes, congratulations on your newfound ability," Hilda said.
"-Well that was quick,-" Dewott muttered. "-Psycho stalker bitch...-"
"I'm sure your dewott said something offensive, so I'll have Samurott punish him next time we meet," Hilda said, gaining a "-Goddamn it-" from Dewott. "But with the new ability, it'll surely help for the final plan."
"'Final plan'?" Hilbert asked. "The hell's that?"
"Don't worry about it," Hilda said. "Just worry about your gym battle with that redhead."
"I can't hide anything from you, can I?" Hilbert asked.
"No secrets between us, sweetie," Hilda said, practically cooing the sentence. "Now, the gym leader uses Flying-type Pokémon, so go at her with Rock, Electric and Ice."
"That's...oddly helpful for you," Hilbert said.
"When have I ever not been helpful?" Hilda asked.
"...Do you want me to answer that?"
"...No..."
"Good," Hilbert said. "Fine, I'll stay put. Just tell me where to head off to next after the gym battle."
"Fair enough," Hilda said. "Good luck!"
"...Thanks," Hilbert muttered, somewhat blushing a little.
The transmission cut off, where Hilbert only sighed.
"-How are you still in love with her exactly?-" Dewott asked.
"Shut up," Hilbert muttered.
"-Oh you humans with your hormones...I'll never understand it,-" Dewott sighed.
"-Maybe he's a masochist?-" Excadrill asked.
"I heard that!" Hilbert growled, while taking out two TMs. One was yellow, representing Electric, while the other was light blue, representing Ice.
"...Let's test these new TMs out though," Hilbert said. "If Skyla is using Flying-types, then these new moves outta help us greatly."
As Hilbert was testing the TMs onto the Pokémon, Accelgor was staring at Hilbert.
"-...Fate is making its move, Roy...-" Accelgor muttered.
"Huh? You said something, Accelgor?" Hilbert asked after testing the yellow disk to Archeops.
Accelgor shook his head, but continued to stare at Hilbert.
'...He definitely knows something...' Hilbert thought.
Saying that Hilda was angry was an understatement. Despite her seemingly happy and pleasant conversation with her newly acquired boyfriend, the girl went back to seething with anger. The poor pillow burst with feathers after one more strike from the enraged girl, while thoughts of a certain blonde girl added oil to the intense flames.
"How dare that blonde bitch touch my Hilbert?!" Hilda hissed. "Not to mention that redheaded bitch almost killed him!"
Hilda fussed about, kicking whatever was in her path into the wall. She glanced over to the detonation trigger, and quickly grabbed it, but hesitated to push the button.
"No...I can't yet..." Hilda muttered. "Hilbert would hate me if I did that...he's already suspicious of me as it is..."
Hilda contemplated on what to do to vent out her jealous anger, then hurled an empty pokéball to the wall, which broke from the impact.
"...She obviously has a crush on him...so how to get rid of it..." Hilda said. "I could always have Hilbert reveal his alliance with us...no it's too early...we still need him to obtain 'that'..."
Hilda lied down on her bed, sighing in anger, until she remembered something.
"If I recalled, that Cheren brat had a crush on the blonde bitch," Hilda said. "If I get those two together, then I can have Hilbert to myself."
Hilda got back on her feet, with a rather malicious grin on her face.
"Might as well play cupid for those ingrates," Hilda said.
But as soon as she was about to head out, her laptop received a message. She checked it out, only to grimace a little.
"Tch...what a drag..." Hilda muttered. "Better finish this fast..."
She grabbed her outfit and wore it, then headed out. Once she was outside the castle, she let out Volcarona and rode on her, where they flew out to the outside world.
"Virizion...Terrakion...Coballion..." Hilda muttered. "...Annoying rebellious trash..."
The next morning, at the Mistralton City gym. Where the Nimbasa City gym was a roller coaster park and Driftveil City gym was an underground labyrinth, the Mistralton City gym is a little different. No, a little different would be an understatement. Especially with all the cannons.
"GYAAAAAAAAGH!"
After being shot out of the umpteenth cannon, Hilbert found himself smack-dabbed into another wall, yet again.
"The hell's up with this gym!?" Hilbert yelled. "Is she trying to kill me!?"
"-Well I don't know, considering she did push you off a tower something feet off the ground, so hindsight's 50/50,-" Dewott muttered.
"You know, you could offer a little sympathy," Hilbert shot back.
"-Well, since you made me fall victim to this deathtrap along with you, I say no.-"
Seeing no other option, the two moved to the next cannon. This one aimed for the arena located above the gym, shooting them into the high wall.
"GAUGH!" the two blurted as they were smashed into the wall, and slid down in comical effect.
"Hehe! I've been waiting for you!" a voice exclaimed.
"Are you trying to kill me...?" Hilbert asked Skyla.
Skyla was waiting for him at the battle arena, as Hilbert and Dewott got back up. In the audience, Cheren, Bianca and the Juniper family were watching his upcoming fight.
"Figured he would get pretty angry with this gym's...'setup'..." Cheren said. "Even I would question this gym..."
"Do you think he'll be alright?" Bianca asked.
"He'll be fine," Cheren assured her. "He does have Excadrill and Archeops, both who resist Skyla's Flying-type attacks and can retaliate with their own Rock-type moves. Plus, He's bound to have some new tricks."
"I hope so..." Bianca said, shaking a little.
"Are you alright?" Cheren asked, concerned over Bianca.
"...I still feel a little sick from yesterday..." Bianca muttered.
Cheren had a rather grim look on his face.
"Right..." Cheren said. "It's only natural...I never expected to create a burial ground for the victims of a Pokémon onslaught."
Bianca glanced at Chandelure's pokéball. The spiritual chandelier had a guilty look on his face; one that Bianca noticed. Meanwhile, Hilbert headed over to the other side of the arena, glaring at Skyla.
"You alright?" Skyla asked.
"I would be since we rested up due to that 'grave' incident," Hilbert said. "If it wasn't for this shooting gallery of a gym you have here that keeps shooting me into a wall."
"Hehe! I think it's exciting with cannons!" Skyla said.
"So you mind explaining why you pushed me off the tower?" Hilbert asked, putting that last remark aside.
"If you want to know, then you'll have to win. A 3 vs 3 match. You can switch out your Pokémon freely, but you can use only three Pokémon," Skyla said as she released Swoobat. "I am the Mistralton Gym Leader though, so don't expect it to be easy!"
Leering at her, Hilbert released Archeops, who soared into the air.
"I'm gonna make you eat those words," Hilbert muttered.
Volcarona soared through the sky with relevant ease, until she saw a small alcove off at the distance.
"That's the location, Volcarona," Hilda told her.
Volcarona nodded in response, then descended there. Hilda got off the Atlas moth, looking around the cold wetlands. The large puddles were everywhere, discouraging Volcarona a little.
"The Moors of Icirrus..." Hilda said. "Since they awakened, they should gather here..."
She looked around. The scenery showed signs of charred wood, burnt aroma mixed into the damp smell, and rather intimidated wild Pokémon around the area.
"They're not here..." Hilda muttered. "Judging from the reactions the wild are giving us...did they sense us and fled? No...Knowing the Swords of Justice, they wouldn't abandon helpless Pokémon...so why would they leave here...?"
As Hilda continued to investigate the moors, Volcarona suddenly looked up and spewed fire at an incoming blast.
"What!? Who's there!?" Hilda yelled, releasing Bisharp.
"How impatient," a rather haughty voice addressed. "But I guess I am not one to say so."
From the shadows, a young woman wearing a white dress with a translucent pink cloth and extremely long blonde hair emerged alongside a pale green Pokémon surrounded by a blob of translucent, green gelatinous substance and a humanoid Pokémon with a primarily black body, as if it was a dress.
"...Elite Four...Caitlin," Hilda muttered.
"So you must be the dominatrix that Team Plasma is employing recently," Caitlin said. "I've heard a lot from you from Grimsley."
"...What do you want?" Hilda hissed, not pleased in the slightest.
"It would seem that you are looking for the Swords of Justice," Caitlin said. "But alas, they are elsewhere."
"So you would know where they went?" Hilda asked.
"Even if I did, do you honestly think I would tell you?" Caitlin asked.
"Figures," Hilda said. "Listen, I don't have time to deal with you, so why don't you just tell me where the three legendary Pokémon went and we'll call it a day."
"Oh, why not stay for a chat?" Caitlin offered, as the humanoid brought out tea from explicitly nowhere and offered some to her master. "I have tea."
Hilda glared at the woman, as the humanoid went over to offer her some tea. Hilda glared at the humanoid, but nonetheless, accepted the brew.
"Don't worry," Cailtin assured her. "It's not poisonous, or else I would be suffocating right now."
"...So..." Hilda muttered as she took a sip. "What do you want?"
"Yes, child, you interest me somewhat," Caitlin said. "Being able to best Grimsley in battle is an impressive feat."
Hilda didn't respond, as Caitlin took another sip.
"Ah, so many new trainers are emerging," Caitlin said. "Even though I am at least the same age as you, alas, being one of the Elite Four, it makes me feel old. You...the boy called 'Hilbert'..."
Hilda looked up in shock.
"How do I know the boy, you ask?" Caitlin asked before she could even say anything. "One of my companions, fellow Elite Four Shauntal, previously fought alongside him against the Forces of Nature. The ones Team Plasma has in their possession."
Hilda glared at the fair lady, who innocently continued to enjoy her tea.
"The boy who stood bravely against fierce legendary Pokémon," Caitlin said. "I was skeptical at first, but after hearing Shauntal's strong admiration of him, I had to look into this myself. Apparently, he gives off a similar presence to Fiona."
"Fiona?" Hilda asked.
"You don't know?" Caitlin asked. "There was once a trainer eight years ago who challenged the Pokémon League and defeated the Champion Alder. Her strength was legendary, easily surpassing the Elite Four and keeping up with Alder. But due to reasons unknown, she immediately stepped down, giving Alder back his title as Champion."
"You look a lot younger than eight years older than me," Hilda muttered.
"Of course, I recently joined after replacing the Elite Four who retired, and I have heard this story from Shauntal," Caitlin chuckled. "I have yet to meet this legendary trainer."
"What do you want with Hilbert?" Hilda asked.
"Well I have been asked by my friend to look into the boy," Caitlin said. "Indeed he seems interesting, but at the moment, you are the most intriguing individual."
"Pardon?" Hilda asked.
"The presumed invincible 'empress' of Team Plasma who forced their principles to the majority of Unova for several years," Caitlin said. "Who surprisingly shows compassion and warmth, or should I say, lust to a certain brown-haired rebel, whom fate just enjoys using as a cosmic plaything."
Hilda growled as Caitlin went on.
"Indeed, you are intriguing," Caitlin said. "But I wonder, just why do you have such a strong obsession for the boy? Is it because of his strength? Is it for the goal in hand? Or is there something more, say the past?"
Hilda leered at her, as Caitlin took another sip.
"Whether you choose to believe me or not, I am a psychic," Caitlin said. "Looking into one's mind and reading their memories is child's play. But from what I could gather while I have you chat with me, your memories are distraught and 'choppy' at best."
"...What are you implying?" Hilda asked.
"You say you promise the boy his past, but is it possible that your own memories of the past are obstructed as well?" Caitlin asked.
Hilda didn't reply at all, but Bisharp sure did. He swung his blade at the trainer, but the gelatinous Pokémon blocked it.
"I would like it if you did not look into one's past like that," Hilda hissed. "Or else I will make you forget them."
"Oh do go ahead and try," Caitlin chuckled as her humanoid Pokémon made the tea set disappear.
"Heart Stamp!"
"Rock Slide!"
The two Flying-type Pokémon soared throughout the arena in the midst of an intense dog fight. Swoobat tried to sway Archeops with a cute act, but the prehistoric bird wasn't fooled by it and unleashed a torrent of rocks from the sky, pelting the bat with the stones. Swoobat was crushed, but managed to emerge from it.
"That's a really rare Flying-type Pokémon you have there," Skyla commented. "And really strong too."
"...Thanks..." Hilbert simply muttered, more focused on the battle.
"But we're not done yet! Energy Ball!" Skyla commanded.
Swoobat created green blob of energy and pelted Archeops with it. The blob made a direct hit, as Archeops fell to the ground.
"Archeops may have great attacking stats, but its defenses are subpar," Skyla said. "Nailing it with a strong enough attack should bring it down to a weakened state, where its ability, Defeatist should kick in!"
"And bring my offenses down, yadda yadda yadda, like we haven't seen that before," Hilbert deadpanned. "Archeops, you know what to do."
Obliged, Archeops proceeded to eat the Sitrus Berry he had hidden in his feathers and instantly regained his strength like always.
"What!?" Skyla gasped.
"It's a signature method for me," Hilbert said. "Acrobatics!"
Archeops zoomed back into the air, behind Swoobat, and nimbly slammed the bat to the ground, pinning it to the ground.
"Now, Crunch!"
Pinning Swoobat down, Archeops opened up its jaws and gnawed Swoobat's head, letting it screech in agony until it ran out of energy.
"One down," Hilbert said as Archeops recalled Swoobat. "Two more to go."
"Not bad," Skyla said as she recalled Swoobat. "Unfezant!"
Skyla now released an unfezant, with brown markings on its underside.
"Right, never scanned this thing," Hilbert muttered as he scanned Unfezant with his pokédex.
"Unfezant, the proud Pokémon," it read. "Males have plumage on their heads. They will never let themselves feel close to anyone other than their Trainers."
"So this one's a female?" Hilbert asked.
"That's right," Skyla said. "Now you ready?"
"...Can you go another round, Archeops?" Hilbert asked.
"-I can go at it all day!-" Archeops roared.
"...Alright then," Hilbert said. "Rock Slide!"
Archeops wasted no time and created another torrent of rocks to fall down onto Unfezant.
"Detect!"
Unfezant narrowed her eyes at the incoming rock slide, and dodged every single rock without fail.
"What!?" Hilbert gasped.
"Now, Attract!"
Unfezant got close to Archeops and pecked him on the cheek, presumably a kiss.
"Crap," Hilbert muttered.
Heart-shaped pupils formed in Archeops' eyes, as the male bird began to lose control of himself.
"Goddamn it, snap out of it!" Hilbert yelled.
"-Pretty birdy, pretty birdy,-" Archeops blubbered.
"Great, he's completely out of it," Hilbert muttered.
"Now! Ready a Sky Attack!" Skyla commanded.
Unfezant began to charge energy as a harsh light cloaked it.
"Oh God not this again!" Hilbert exclaimed, remembering the last time a Sky Attack was inflicted on his team by N back at Nimbasa. "C'mon, Archeops snap out of it!"
"-Pretty birdy, pretty birdy,-" Archeops blubbered again.
Once Unfezant was done, she charged at Archeops with great force, smashing through the bird like a truck. The prehistoric bird flung into the air, and crashed into the ground, defeated.
"And that's one down," Skyla smirked.
Hilbert leered at her, and tended to Archeops' wounds.
"-Augh...what happened?-" Archeops asked.
"You let your hormones run amok," Hilbert said. "Although I'm not one to talk, but leave the rest to us."
Hilbert recalled Archeops and released Dewott, who brandished his swords.
"Take that bird down, Dewott!" Hilbert called out.
"-With pleasure!-" Dewott roared.
"Huh? Why didn't he use Victini?" Bianca asked.
"He must be planning something," Cheren said.
"Scald!"
Dewott spewed boiling water at Unfezant, which she dodged easily. He repeated the process, spewing shot after shot of boiling water at Unfezant, who kept dodging it over and over.
"This isn't going to get you anywhere, you know," Skyla called out.
"Says you!" Hilbert yelled.
Dewott this time aimed for where Unfezant would fly into, and shot there. It worked, as the bird didn't see the change of pace coming and got hit, effectively getting burned in the process.
"How's that!?" Hilbert yelled.
"Smart thinking," Cheren said. "Instead of aiming for Unfezant itself, Dewott aimed at where Unfezant would fly to."
"That's the spirit, Hilbert!" Bianca cheered.
"Attract!"
"Not this time!" Hilbert yelled.
As Unfezant went to go attract Dewott, Dewott jumped over Unfezant by slamming his blades for momentum and struck down upon the bird. Upon striking, Dewott landed on the bird and grabbed her wings, making her descend down.
"Now, Blizzard!"
Once Dewott had a steady grip on Unfezant, he spewed a roaring blizzard from his mouth, freezing the bird and nailing it with a powerful Ice-type move until they crashed. Once the smoke cleared, Unfezant was defeated.
"One more!" Hilbert said as Skyla recalled Unfezant. "Now...mind explaining why you pushed me off the tower?"
"When you rung the bell, the sound was tainted," Skyla said.
"Yeah, try telling me something new," Hilbert muttered.
"...When someone rings the bell, the sound that resonates off of it determines the soul of the ringer," Skyla said. "But when you rung it, the sound was tainted. As if the taint was trying to hide something."
Hilbert glared at the red-haired gym leader, while everyone else looked confused.
"Is it really something that you can't let your friends know about?" Skyla asked.
"...Like I have to say anything to you," Hilbert growled.
"Is that so," Skyla said. "Well I don't expect you to reveal your secret anyway...but it's my duty to oversee those with a tainted sound to see the 'source' of the taint..."
"The 'source'...?" Hilbert asked.
"Uh huh," Skyla said as she released her last Pokémon. "That's why we're not done yet."
"Night Slash!"
Bisharp didn't hesitate for a millisecond, lunging towards the gelatinous Pokémon.
"Gothitelle, Reflect. Reuniclus, Calm Mind," Caitlin calmly ordered.
Gothitelle warped in front of Cailtin and Reuniclus and created a barrier in front of them, shielding them from Bisharp's assault. Meanwhile, the gelatinous Reuniclus began to focus its mind quietly.
"Bug Buzz!"
Volcarona rose into the air and created an ear-piercing noise that filled the moor, damaging the two Psychic-types and their master.
"Do not stop the Calm Mind, Reuniclus," Caitlin said, where the blob nodded in response, continuing to focus. "Gothitelle, Light Screen."
Gothitelle withstood the pain and set up a screen of light, easing the pain Bug Buzz was inducing.
"Two layers of defense," Caitlin said. "I don't suppose you brought a Pokémon that knows the move 'Brick Break', did you?"
Hilda became angrier at Caitlin's mockery of her.
"Quiver Dance! Guillotine!"
Volcarona performed a beautiful mystical dance, while Bisharp lunged towards Gothitelle to slice her neck.
"I do believe preparations are complete," Caitlin said. "Trick Room."
"What!?" Hilda gasped.
Reuniclus opened its eyes, where a bizarre sensation filled the area, distorting the dimension itself.
"Gothitelle, Thunderbolt."
Before Bisharp could make contact, Gothitelle instantly snuck behind him and blasted Bisharp with an intense burst of electricity.
"-GAAAAUGH!?-" Bisahrp gagged as he was electrocuted.
"You do know what situation you are in, right?" Caitlin asked.
"...Trick Room..." Hilda grunted. "It distorts the field, where the slower Pokémon goes first and the faster Pokémon goes last..."
"Exactly," Caitlin said. "Your bisharp seemed fairly fast, and you just boosted the speed for your volcarona, while my Pokémon are relatively slow. I'm sure you can do the math from there."
Bisharp and Volcarona looked around, confused by the new terrain they found themselves in.
"Reuniclus, Focus Blast."
Before Bisharp could realize it, Reuniclus was already in front of him, and slammed a Focus Blast into his face, causing it to explode. Bisharp collapsed, completely out-cold and defeated.
"Volcarona, Bug Buzz!"
Volcarona proceeded to repeat the ear-piercing noise again, but while Gothitelle seemed to resist it somewhat, Reuniclus was completely unfazed.
"What!?" Hilda yelled.
"After using Calm Mind so many times," Caitlin said. "Reuniclus' special bulk is extraordinarily high. Even if you boosted your special attack before, it is not enough, it would seem."
"Tch! As expected of an Elite Four member," Hilda grunted in frustration, as she released Shiny Samurott.
"Psyshock on Volcarona."
Reuniclus materialized an odd psychic wave and blasted Volcarona with it, where the Atlas moth fell to the ground effortlessly.
"Since you increased your special bulk, Psyshock should do much better, what with it targeting your physical bulk and all," Caitlin commented.
Shiny Samurott lunged forward, Razor Shell blade in hand and slashed down Reuniclus. But the gelatinous Psychic-type managed to take the blow directly and took little damage from it.
"Do not underestimate Reuniclus' defenses," Caitlin said. "Thunderbolt!"
"Megahorn!"
As Gothitelle went behind Shiny Samurott to deliver a thunderbolt, the water swordsman Pokémon turned around and jabbed Gothitelle with his horn, but the Reflect barrier suddenly appeared, shielding her and weakening the blow.
"Goddamn it!" Hilda cussed.
"Temper, child," Caitlin said. "Unstable emotions like that shall become your downfall."
"Shut up!" Hilda yelled. 'She's right though...she's only toying with me...! I need to calm down and try to find a weakness in this strategy...'
Shiny Samurott jetted for Caitlin and brought up his sword, only for Reuniclus to launch a Focus Blast at him.
"-GAAUGH!-" Shiny Samurott screamed as he flew back.
"Samurott!" Hilda cried.
Shiny Samurott managed to stand back up, struggling in the process though, and glared at the two Psychic menaces.
"What will you do now?" Cailtin asked.
Hilda glared venomously at her, as Shiny Samurott returned to his master's side to defend her. The area started to return back to normal, as Shiny Samurott grabbed the handle to his sword.
"Pity, you were such fun to toy with," Cailtin said, before looking at a watch and turning to leave, noticing that Trick Room is wearing off. "But I must be going. I do have my duties to attend to."
"!? Get back here! We're not done yet!" Hilda roared.
Shiny Samurott lunged for Caitlin, who in turn, released a musharna.
"Maybe for you, but I am. Hypnosis."
Musharna's eyes flashed, causing the sea-lion warrior and Hilda to fall slowly to sleep.
"Wait..." Hilda muttered weakly.
Once Hilda was completely subdued, Cailtin recalled all of her Pokémon and released a sigilyph.
"Now then, shall we leave?" Caitlin asked, until her Xtransceiver began to ring.
"What do you want, Shauntal?" Cailtin answered.
"So did it go well?" Shauntal asked from the other line.
"Well, there were some distractions on the way, but nothing I couldn't handle," Caitlin said.
"So do you know where the Swords went?" Shauntal asked.
"If my predictions are right, they headed off to Striaton City," Cailtin said. "Most likely Keldeo is there."
"Alright," Shauntal said. "Let's hope we get there before Team Plasma does."
"Of course. I shall see you later," Cailtin said before cutting off the other end.
Caitlin rode on top of her sigilyph and saored to the sky. Unbeknownst to Caitlin however, shortly after she left, Hilda suddenly lifted her head back up, a half-eaten blue chestnut like berry fell to the ground as she was chewing on the other end.
"Bitch..." Hilda grumbled.
She got up, got the other half of the berry and fed it to Shiny Samurott, who instantly woke back up, shaking his head to regain consciousness.
"She should've set up a Magic Room if she was going to use Hypnosis," Hilda muttered. "Now then..."
She glanced behind her, where the Shadow Triad were behind her.
"You know where to go," Hilda ordered. "Secure the Swords. All of them."
"...Of course," one of the responded before all three of them disappeared.
Hilda got out a Revive, released the fainted Volcarona and fed the crushed powder to her, where she woke up and regained strength.
"-Ugh...I'm sorry you had to see that horrid performance...-" Volcarona moaned sadly.
Hilda petted Volcarona sympathetically.
"You did well," Hilda assured her. "You too, Samurott."
Shiny Samurott only made a disgruntled nod, and brushed himself off.
"-They were tough...-" Shiny Samurott muttered.
Hilda scowled at the sky where Caitlin headed off to. She then recalled Shiny Samurott and rode on Volcarona, heading back to Team Plasma's headquarters.
"I'll leave the Swords to the Shadow Triad," Hilda said. "...Now, back to my precious Hilbert..."
"Oh great now what?" Hilbert muttered as he scanned the swan.
"Swanna, the white bird Pokémon," it read. "It administers sharp, powerful pecks with its bill. It whips its long neck to deliver forceful repeated strikes. It is also the evolved form of Ducklett."
"Great, a Water-type...!" Hilbert grumbled. "And it's also part Flying..."
He glanced at the rest of his team.
"It can hit everyone with their weakness..." Hilbert muttered.
"Ironically, his team's greatest weakness is a type Hilbert has mastered as his partner," Cedric commented. "Let's see how he fares against this."
"Tch! Dewott! We're taking it down! Blizzard!"
Dewott spewed a roaring blizzard at Swanna, but Swanna swiftly and elegantly dodged the ice attack.
"Don't expect to take down Swanna that easily!" Skyla exclaimed. "Let's get this party started! Rain Dance!"
Swanna looked into the sky, where dark rain clouds began to form in the room, which then turned into a harsh rainstorm.
"What the–!? Rain!?" Hilbert gasped.
"Oh no!" Cheren gasped.
"Yep, Rain Dance," Skyla said. "Swanna can literally create rain. And with the rain, Water-type moves get a huge boost, and some special moves get a bonus in the rain, like perfect accuracy."
"Perfect accuracy!?" Hilbert gasped.
"Like this one," Skyla said. "Hurricane!"
Swanna whipped her wings, creating a massive tornado that engulfed Dewott.
"-GAAAAUGH!-" Dewott cried in pain.
"Dewott!" Hilbert cried.
Once the tornado was done, Dewott plummeted to the ground, utterly defeated.
"Two down, one more to go," Skyla said, as Hilbert recalled Dewott.
"Damn it!" Hilbert growled, holding Victini's pokéball. 'Victini knows Thunder, so it should have perfect accuracy, but knowing a gym leader, she probably has something against Electric-types in general...plus Swanna gets a boost in its Water-type moves...'
As Hilbert examined Victini's pokéball, he noticed that it was shaking terribly.
"Huh?" Hilbert asked. "Victini?"
He examined Victini's pokéball further, inside, Victini was trembling.
"He's trembling?" Hilbert gasped.
He then examined Excadrill's pokéball, where the proud steel mole was trembling even more so than Victini.
"Excadrill!? What's wrong!?" Hilbert asked.
"Your Pokémon are trembling, yes?" Skyla asked. "Do you recall what happened yesterday?"
"Yesterday...?" Hilbert asked. "! The grave digging!"
"To bury several of their deceased brethren," Skyla said. "Any Pokémon would be scarred from that kind of experience."
Hilbert looked at Skyla.
"Perhaps you can get a hint from this?" Skyla asked.
"A hint...?" Hilbert asked, until realizing what she meant. "! Don't tell me..."
"From what I see," Skyla said. "You're pushing your Pokémon to fight, despite experiencing a gut-wrenching experience, without truly putting their feelings to your concerns."
"I..." Hilbert said.
"The bell plays the sound of the ringer's soul," Skyla said. "If I'm right, then maybe that's the source of the taint that's corrupting it."
Hilbert stayed silent.
"...So that was it..." Hilbert muttered sadly.
"Hilbert...?" Bianca asked.
'Even when I'm worrying about playing double agent for Team Plasma...' Hilbert thought. 'No...I had my mind too much on Plasma and forgot about the others...even when they're willing to stick with me regardless...What the hell am I doing!?'
"Hilbert! Snap out of it!" Cheren yelled.
Hilbert looked back up to the battle, where he began to chuckle, which crescendoed into laughter.
"Hilbert...?" Bianca asked.
"I'm pretty selfish..." Hilbert said. "No...I'm the worst...when everyone's working so hard and dealing with me...I can't even notice them suffering..."
"Now do you understand?" Skyla asked.
"Yeah," Hilbert said. "For all I know, they could be hating me...only being forced to do my bidding because I'm their 'trainer'..."
Hilbert released the only one who wasn't trembling; Accelgor.
"So I'm not gonna let them suffer," Hilbert proclaimed.
"What about Accelgor though?" Skyla asked. "Isn't he traumatized from the burial?"
"I can tell from looking at his 'scar'!" Hilbert yelled. "He's been through worse! He was prepared for the worst as 'Phantom'! So he's strong enough to keep his soul from wavering!
From their pokéballs, Excadrill and Victini could hear Hilbert and looked up.
"You guys can take a rest," Hilbert said. "I won't let you guys suffer."
Before they could protest for the sake of their master, Hilbert put their pokéballs away, as he glanced towards Accelgor.
"Are you willing to listen to me?" Hilbert asked.
"-To serve the trainer is the role of the servant...Master...-" Accelgor simply responded. "-What about you though, Master? Can you keep up with my coordination?-"
"Master...? Well, whatever!" Hilbert said. "You're on! Let's take her down!"
"-Understood!-"
"We'll see about that!" Skyla exclaimed. "Swanna, use Hur–!"
"Me First!"
Accelgor's eyes glinted as he gazed at Swanna, then jumped into the air before Swanna could do anything. He twirled in the sky fast enough to create a tornado in the storm and rammed Swanna. Swanna frantically shot another tornado, but Accelgor's tornado engulfed Swanna's tornado, making the copied Hurricane even more powerful. Swanna shot out into the sky, overwhelmed by the tornado.
"Giga Drain!"
Accelgor jumped out of tornado and shot his appendages at Swanna, wrapping around its neck and leg, where he proceeded to drain the energy from the swan and constricting the swan as it screamed in pain.
"Get him off!" Skyla commanded.
Swanna began to fly into the stormy skies to pry him off, but Accelgor maintained his grip on the swan. He grabbed his appendages and pulled them back, restraining the bird and making it plummet, where Accelgor jumped off at the last minute.
"-Naïve...-" Accelgor scoffed.
"You're awesome, Accelgor!" Hilbert cheered.
"Swanna! Don't give up!" Skyla called. "Use Sur–!"
"Me First!"
Accelgor's eyes glinted once again, as Accelgor created a line of water across the arena. Accelgor raised his arms into the air, where a huge cwave was created, engulfing the entire arena before Swanna could do anything. As Swanna was hammered down, Accelgor jumped into the air.
"Finish it! Bug Buzz!"
Accelgor raised his arms in midair, where he emitted an ear-shattering noise that pierced Swanna's hearing, causing it enough pain to faint it.
"Alright! You did it, Accelgor!" Hilbert cheered as Accelgor landed on the ground.
"-Too easy,-" Accelgor boasted.
"Way to go, Hilbert!" Bianca cheered.
"That was close..." Cheren said. "But boy, Accelgor is really strong. Well, as expected of 'Phantom', I guess..."
"That accelgor is really something, right Dad?" Juniper asked her father.
She turned to her father for his opinion, but Cedric was staring at Accelgor.
'That accelgor...could it be..." Cedric thought.
"Dad? Dad!" Juniper exclaimed.
"Huh!? What!? Oh, Aurea, sorry," Cedric said.
"Is everything alright, Dad?" Juniper asked.
"Oh, it's nothing," Cedric replied.
"As Hilbert congratulated Accelgor, Skyla recalled Swanna, a new contempt look on her face as she walked over to the two.
"You're an amazing trainer," Skyla said. "I would've never thought that I lose to a Bug-type before, but the world's pretty wide, right?"
"Thanks," Hilbert said. "So, is that 'taint' gone now?"
"There's only one way to find out," Skyla said. "But before that, I think this would look good on you."
Skyla presented Hilbert with the gym badge, along with the complementary TM that came with it.
"That's the Jet Badge," Skyla said. "With this, you're one step closer to the Pokémon League. And the TM contains Acrobatics, although I haven't used it in the battle, and you have though...ehehe..."
"Ironic," Hilbert chuckled as he accepted the badge and TM. "Six down, two more to go."
"That's your sixth badge?" Skyla asked, in which Hilbert nodded. "Then the next stop you should go to is Iccirus City and challenge Brycen."
Accelgor looked up at the mention of Brycen, something that Hilbert took notice to.
"Where's Iccirus City?" Hilbert asked.
"It's across past Route 7, just after you cross Twist Mountain," Skyla said. "But before you go, can you visit the bell one last time?"
Hilbert looked a bit nervous. What if the sound didn't change at all? What if she finds out about his secret alliance with Team Plasma? What if something else was unearthed?
"-Believe in yourself. You can do it.-"
Hilbert suddenly turned to Accelgor, who had his arms crossed, staring at the open sky from the gym.
"Why do you know...?" Hilbert asked him, but stopped. "...Alright then, I'll go."
After they got their Pokémon healed up, they all headed for Celestial Tower, where Hilbert approached the bell once he got there. Besides him were Dewott, and strangely enough Accelgor. He stepped in front of the bell, the rope dangling from its metal plating. Everyone else was watching him, as he reached out for it, but hesitated.
"Go on," Skyla said.
"-You can do it, man,-" Dewott said.
Accelgor nodded in response, presumably his way of encouraging Hilbert to go with it.
Hilbert nodded, grabbed the rope and yanked it hard. The bell began to ring its harmonious sound which echoed into the bright sky, soothing the Pokémon that dwelled below. Skyla let the sound resonate throughout her body, now contempt.
"How was it?" Hilbert asked.
"Uh huh. What a beautiful sound," Skyla said.
Satisfied by the answer, Hilbert looked onto the mountain that divided the route and decorated the background.
"Twist Mountain..." Hilbert said. "Let's go."
Hilbert recalled Dewott and Accelgor and summoned Archeops, who grabbed Hilbert and took off to the mountain.
"Aw...he left already..." Bianca whined.
"Don't worry about it," Cheren said. "We'll meet up again."
"You're right," Bianca said. "Now c'mon! Let's head out!"
As Bianca rushed off, Cheren, Skyla and Juniper followed, but this time a second bell ring echoed into the sky. They looked around and saw that it was Cedric, who rang the bell.
"Dad?" Juniper asked. "What's wrong?"
"...Oh, just ringing the bell to mourn an old friend," Cedric said.
While Juniper didn't know who this 'old friend' was, Cedric walked down and regrouped with the others.
"Oh, Cheren," Skyla said. "Can I ask you a question?"
"? What's the matter?" Cheren asked, letting the others head back first.
"Is your friend going to be okay?" Skyla asked. "The one with the blonde hair?"
"Bianca?" Cheren asked. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, because I saw Bianca hug Hilbert rather romantically earlier, so I was wondering if they were dating," Skyla said.
"W-What...!? No, they're not dating," Cheren said, shocked. "Besides, we'll meet up again."
"Alright then," Skyla said. "Be careful."
'Bianca...and Hilbert...!?' Cheren thought. 'No, that's impossible...Hilbert loves Hilda...there's no way...right...?'
Cheren pondered the possibilities and doubts, then shook it off.
"No, I shouldn't jump to conclusions..." Cheren said. "There's no way Bianca and Hilbert are dating."
Cheren decided against the decision, but still had his doubts. He headed back, wondering if what Skyla said was true.
To be continued
AN: Reasons to why I made a rewrite:
1. I made the trainers and the Pokémon a little too apathetic from the last chapter, considering the fact that Hilbert got pushed off a building, and that they buried several dead Pokémon. You would think 14-year olds would be at least unnerved a little from experiencing something like that.
2. The Pokémon seemed a bit too apathetic for the same reason above asides from Victini.
3. Speaking of Victini, I decided to save the showcase of V-create for later, and showcase Accelgor's first trainer battle in favor of some semi-character development, and it would make Victini too OP considering who the next gym leader is, and because it's V-create. No one can argue that V-create is NOT overpowered. Sure it lowers your defenses and speed, but with it, Victini hits like a nuke. It will hurt something very hard, no matter what.
4. I highly ignored the fact that Hilbert can now talk to Pokémon, and didn't even show any proper usage of it. Also making Bianca just report that he can do that at the end also felt lazy on my part.
5. The overall flow of that chapter to me was a bit off and inconsistent at best. So I rewrote it in favor of a more steady plot flow.
6. I had to tone down Hilda when she fought Caitlin, because I kind of think I made her go off the deep end a little too much. Also rewrote Skyla to retain her canon personality, because I made her too OOC and she sounded like N. I know that this story is in an AU setting, but even that's a bit much.
So do you guys prefer the original or the rewrite?
Hoped you enjoyed this revision nonetheless, and I'll see ya later!