Chapter 28: Echo of Darkness
Disclaimer: Do not put pineapple on pizza. This has nothing to do with the story, it's just a public service announcement. You're welcome.
~o~
The next year was the happiest of Violet's entire life. She worked hard at school, coordinating with her counselors to plan out the best way to achieve her goal, and skipped her last year of middle school entirely. Through a combination of online courses, after school programs, and opting out of free periods for more credits, she was well on her way to passing her second year of high school by the age of fourteen.
And best of all, the ban on Pokémon had been officially lifted. Danny spent time at her house to keep her company while she worked on online courses, bringing all kinds of Pokémon with him from his mother's lab to study and train. Her father's face the first time he'd come home to a room full of harmonizing Pidgey had been somewhat nauseated, but over time he'd become more used to Pokémon, even volunteering to bottle feed the baby Cleffa every once in a while. Muk and Grimer were strictly forbidden from entering the house.
All in all, things were perfect. Her relationship with her father had never been better. She emailed him about her day using her phone while he was at work, and he responded when he was free. He was pleased with her studies, and even managed to nod at appropriate intervals during her rants about Pokémon and training, even though he had no idea what she was talking about. Twice, her complaints about various trainer items led to the development of new products which would solve the problem, and her father quietly put the money earned from pitching the ideas into a bank account as a surprise for her eighteenth birthday.
Just as the leaves were tinged with auburn, Daniel returned from a trip to Fuchsia with a surprise.
"What is it?" Violet complained, as her grinning friend led her to the trainer's park. The windy chill made her jacket all but useless, and she shivered, hugging her arms tight. Her windswept black hair was hopelessly tangled, and the cold brought a pink flush to her cheeks. She narrowed her violet eyes at him, wondering if this 'surprise' would really be worth the trip.
He only smiled, and threw Echo's Moon ball into the air. His starter burst into form in a shower of glittering light, long evolved into a graceful Gardevoir. The white gowned beauty trilled an echoing song of greeting to Violet, sending a telepathic feeling of warm love to the girl.
Cradled in the nook of her arms, below the red spike in her chest, was a creamy white and green egg, decorated with a scarlet blaze. Violet gasped, the cold forgotten, her lips parting with surprise. "Echo had a baby? Oh, Danny, that's great! When did she…how long has she…oh, do you know when it will hatch?"
Danny laughed at her barrage of questions. "I'm not sure when the egg will hatch," he admitted, giving Echo a fond look. "I'm ninety percent sure the father is Nathan's Gallade, though. Consorting with the enemy. Traitor," he muttered, giving Echo a long suffering look. His Gardevoir laughed, the sound like resonating bells. "Anyways," he continued. "There's one more thing. I think you'll like this."
Another Poké Ball flashed, and an Absol materialized from the light. The quadruped Pokémon shook out his white fur, tossing his head irritably. A black horn the shape of a crescent moon jutted from the side of the Absol's head, matching his black scythe like tail. He stared at Violet with impassive crimson eyes.
"An Absol?" Violet breathed in awe. "I've never seen one in person before."
"They're extremely reclusive, and difficult to catch," Danny explained, ruffling the Absol's fur fondly. "Only four have ever been caught in Kanto. I'm hoping Celestial Labs will be able to learn more about their behavior and abilities with this guy's help. Absol's have a bad reputation, since they have the ability to sense disasters. They try to warn people, but only ended up being blamed for causing the disasters instead. If we learn more about them, I'm sure we can change the way people think."
"Did a disaster happen when you saw him?" Violet asked, fascinated by the beautiful Pokémon. Danny seemed sheepish.
"Not exactly…actually, he showed up right after I saw Echo's egg for the first time."
Violet's eyes snapped up to her friend, wide with shock. "Isn't that bad?" she said anxiously, filled with a sudden, irrational fear. "If something goes wrong with the baby…"
"Don't be ridiculous," Danny said, giving her a reproachful look. "Absol's use their crescent horn to detect subtle shifts in the atmosphere and earth. They can predict natural disasters, not all kinds of tragedies. This is exactly what I'm talking about…people need to learn more about these Pokémon, to avoid fears like that." He frowned, his gaze going far away. "Although, he did attack Echo first thing. Not that it was much of a fight. A single Moon Blast sent this poor guy out like a light. He hasn't tried to mess with Echo since, have you?"
"Does he have a name?" Violet wondered, letting her fears melt away. She had never seen such a beautiful Pokémon before. She couldn't help but admire the Absol.
"Domino. I've been dying to introduce you, since I know how much you love new Pokémon species. I also wanted to show you Echo's egg. Violet, there's something I need to say," he said, changing gears suddenly. Daniel took a deep breath, as if steeling himself. "I've traveled continents over the years, and met thousands of trainers. I've battled Gym Leaders and Elites, and encountered all the different types of trainers this world has to offer. And in all that time, I've never once met another person with as much potential for true strength as you."
Violet laughed, and fell short when she realized he was looking at her steadily. "You aren't serious."
"Deadly," Daniel Knight said with quiet promise, without a trace of his usual laughter. "I honestly believe, with all my heart and soul, you can be one of the greatest trainers who ever lived. Better than your mom, and even me. I've seen you battle with the best of them, train completely unstable Pokémon into house pets, and grasp complicated scientific mechanics which took me weeks in bare minutes. Your brilliance and intuition is matched only by the kindness and love you treat all living things with equally. If we'd both been trainers from the start, you'd be my rival, I just know it. I think you can become a master the likes of which this world has never seen. And I want you to be the trainer of Echo's baby. Now, not two years from now. I'd like you to think about it."
"Danny, I…" Violet struggled for words, completely derailed by his sudden sincerity. She was blushing at the praise. "I'm not ready, and I can't keep more secrets from my dad. I just…"
"We'll tell him," Danny said seriously, his golden eyes unwavering. "I'll help you convince him to raise Echo's child. If it's only one Pokémon, he'll probably let you keep her, as long as you fulfill all his other conditions. She can be a pet until you begin your journey if she has to."
"I don't know what to say," she confessed, her cheeks pink. She felt a touch of warm assurance rest on her mind, and looked up see Echo's knowing look.
Danny returned Domino to his Dusk ball. "I understand this is hard for you, I really do. I wouldn't ask if I weren't absolutely sure you were the right person for the job. So no pressure, just think about it, okay? I'm leaving for Hoenn in three days, so give me an answer by then."
She'd forgotten he was leaving. "Stay for a while longer," she pled, her eyes panicked. She flushed darker at his quizzical look. She needed more time. There was only one way she could think of to stall him. "Um. There's one more thing you've been avoiding in Saffron City. I'll give you an answer as soon as you beat Sabrina."
She waited, her heart in her throat, as Danny took in her words. He looked troubled. "Violet, I…Sabrina, she honestly scares me. Not because she's strong, or because she's psychic, I don't care about that, it's just…I feel like we aren't real people to her. Like she considers herself above us all, watching like some cold queen. Whenever I think of facing her, I just feel chilled. I know it's just a bad feeling, but still…"
He looked so worried and out of character, Violet had to do something. She met his eyes with an exasperated look. "It's just a battle, Danny. Nothing more. She might be psychic, but she's still just a person, like you and me. Except your team will wipe the floor with hers."
He laughed at that, breaking out of his preoccupation. "And I suppose I should take a week to prepare my team for this type of battle," he said thoughtfully, giving her a shrewd look. "Which, I suppose, has nothing to do with your request." She flushed, not meeting his eyes. Daniel put his hand on her head, petting her hair. "Alright. I'll do it. For you."
~o~
One week turned into two, with Danny's excuse of training Domino to use in the battle. And once he found out Domino was such a skilled fighter, didn't it make sense to EV train him as well? After that, it was 'battle experience' in the Dojo, and lending his rare Absol to Kylie for a mountain photoshoot to be used in her blog.
A month passed, and Violet's restlessness grew stronger, but even she couldn't argue with Fury's sudden cold. The poor Salamence was miserable, curled up desolately on the ground, sneezing blue fire. She decided to surprise him with his favorite red Poke blocks, and to her great astonishment, found the Salamence soaring through hoops in Celestial Labs instead of sleeping on the ground.
"Violet! Hey, I, uh, wasn't expecting you!" Danny said, looking sheepish. He made a discreet hand motion to Fury, and the dragon landed next to him. "Fury is feeling a little better. Still sick though. Terribly." He elbowed his Salamence, who was acting normally, and the dragon sank to the ground with a sad sounding sneeze, rumbling pathetically.
Violet wasn't having it. She narrowed her eyes, putting her a hand on her hip. "Fury, stop pretending and I'll give you these Poke blocks." She held out the basket, filled to the brim with beautiful scarlet cubes. The Salamence perked up immediately, bounding to her side. He ate the Poke blocks in no time flat, and soared victory circles around the room, breathing fire.
Seconds passed. Violet gave Danny a deadpan look.
"H-He's cured!" Danny gasped, looking shocked. "Your Poke block skills are pretty amazing. Could you give me that recipe?"
"At this rate, Echo's egg will hatch, and evolve all the way into a Gardevoir before you face Sabrina," she pointed out, looking wounded. "I was ready to give my answer literal weeks ago."
"It would save me the trouble if you agreed now, instead of later," Daniel sighed, kneading his temple as he dropped all pretext.
"You've put this off long enough," Violet reminded him gently. "Besides, your team has put a lot of work into this extra training to fight Sabrina. Will you let that go to waste?" He still seemed unsure, and Violet sighed. "Danny…is there something you aren't telling me? Is there some other reason you don't want to face Sabrina? I won't push you any more if there is."
"No," he shook his head, smiling ruefully. "I've been putting this off for so long, it's a little hard to take a step in the right direction. But enough is enough. I can't set a bad example for my friends and partners anymore. Let's go right now, okay?"
"You're sure?" Violet said, surprised. "Right now?"
Daniel Knight seemed to find his resolve, and he nodded once. His golden eyes shone with determination. "Right now. It's time I laid my fears to rest."
~o~
"So," Sabrina mused, looking dispassionately across the battlefield of Saffron Gym. The room was cavernous. The golden granite battlefield dominating the center was lined in white, contrasting the navy blue stone floor. White pillars lined the far wall, accentuating a large throne of purest crystal, where the Gym Leader reclined, her chin resting idly in one hand. Torches of ethereal blue flames burned on either side of Sabrina's throne. "You've come after all. Daniel Knight. I was beginning to doubt you'd work up the nerve."
The sixteen year old boy flinched, his golden eyes flashing with indignation at her psychic foresight. "You've been watching me? I'm flattered." The chestnut haired boy wore a red trainer's vest open over a dark shirt, with a well-stocked belt and bootcut black pants. Violet stood behind him in her blue hat, wearing jeans and a white V-neck shirt, looking unsure of where to stand. She held Echo's egg in her arms.
Sabrina smiled faintly. "In a matter of speaking." She rose from her throne, stepping fluidly down the stairs to the field. "I know why you've come. I'll be honest. I dislike battling as a rule. But my obligations as Saffron City's Gym leader cannot be ignored. And there are times when a show of strength is necessary as a means to an end. Come, then. Let us test our strength of our wills against each other, until one falters and breaks."
"I'll sit over there, okay?" Violet said, beaming at Daniel. Echo's egg shifted in her arms, and she jumped. "Restless, aren't you, little one?" she laughed. Some of Danny's tension seemed to break, and he looked at the egg fondly.
"Have you decided on a name? Echo thinks she's a girl. And I never bet against Psychic Pokémon."
"I like Avery," Violet said, sliding her hand across the warm shell. "It's a pretty name."
"Avery then," Daniel grinned cheekily, ruffling Violet's hair. "I dedicate this battle to her." He stepped into the trainer's box without fear, his head held high as determination blazed in his golden eyes. Violet took a seat to the side of the field, since Sabrina's gym had exactly zero spectator chairs.
He released Domino against Sabrina's first Alakazam, and the battle began.
When Danny battled, it wasn't a barbaric struggle for victory. Fangs still slashed, and elemental powers raged, but under his hands, the vicious ferocity of battle became something breathtakingly beautiful. His partners seemed to understand him without the need for words, and there were times when they took the initiative, striking at openings he hadn't seen and moving instinctively into the best positions for his counter attacks. The hierarchy of pawns and kings didn't exist in their partnership. Daniel considered his Pokémon equals, and fought at their side like a knight instead of a king, which included trusting their instincts when they acted against his commands. They worked in perfect balance, the product of years of shared experience and perfect trust.
Sabrina's form of battle was an art form as well, but instead of Danny's coordinated dance of war, it was poetry in motion, whispering through the mind instead of being seen in reality. She never spoke, never moved, but her partners listened to her will telepathically, sharing their vision, perceptions, and pain with their trainer. Every blow they took, Sabrina felt, but in exchange they shared a bond which made them nearly unbeatable. Sabrina's Pokémon teleported from attacks they should never have seen coming, appearing in the perfect position to strike at already injured limbs. Their blows always hit, they dodged attacks more often than not, and they could even read the minds of both Danny and his Pokémon, passing his plans on to Sabrina telepathically. Danny had already proved his worth against the Pokémon League, and so, Sabrina held nothing back. Her strength was the stuff of legends.
And against the overpowering psychic power of the famed Mistress of Destiny, Daniel Knight was pushing back the tide. Her attacks landed more often, but his were more powerful. She outmaneuvered nearly all his strategies, but he always had another at hand. And while the abilities of the Psychic monsters were near limitless, their endurance was not, and one by one they fell to Daniel's partners and friends, until only one remained.
"I underestimated you," Sabrina said through gritted teeth, the first words she had spoken since the beginning of their clash. Her final Alakazam battled Echo, in a clash of psychic power which sparked and clashed in seemingly random explosions in midair. "Your strength pushes the limits of mere imagination. With power like yours, the potential for darkness increases as well. I wonder…how will you use this strength in the future?"
"You don't know?" Danny retorted, his golden eyes never leaving the battlefield. Both Echo and her enemy stood still, battling it out using their psychic abilities. Echo's dark blue power clashed and surged against the bronze glow of Alakazam's, in a battle of shining waves of light. Shadows curled and flickered across the floor as if filtered through water, and Violet stared, entranced.
"No," Sabrina admitted, closing her eyes with defeat a full three seconds before her Alakazam was overpowered and defeated by Daniel's Gardevoir. She opened them again slowly. "Although I fully intend…to find out very soon." She returned her Alakazam, and walked over to the pedestal near her throne, arranging her six Poké Balls in shallow indents. They began to glow, as the Pokémon inside were healed. In moments, her Alakazam burst out again, taking his usual place by her side. Sabrina retrieved an item from her pocket, as the other Poké Balls flew to her belt as if by magic.
She met him halfway across the field, her steps unhurried. "Daniel Knight, you have proven your power and valor in battle, and bested this gym. Take this Marsh Badge; you've earned it."
She handed him the round badge made of polished gold. Sabrina's met his eyes with an inscrutable look, and reached out her hand for a handshake.
After a moment of hesitation, Daniel took her hand in his own, and shook it firmly.
Her psychic power seemed to explode outwards, creating a howling cyclone of energy around them both. Daniel's eyes widened, but Sabrina never let go of his hand, outlined in searing, shining blue power. Light shone from her eyes, and her lips parted with shock.
She broke away gasping, her power disappearing abruptly, staring at Daniel Knight with a wide, child-like daze. "You…are…" She seemed unable to continue, as if at a loss for words.
Violet's squeak of surprise made them both turn. The dark haired girl blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry! It's just…" She jumped as the egg in her arms rocked violently. Cracks spread, widening and branching over each other, shining from within in an odd, dark shine.
Violet's smile deepened. "Danny, look! I guess Avery liked the battle enough to come celebrate with us, huh?"
"She's hatching now?" Daniel laughed, seeming bemused. "I really did cut it close. Well let's say hello, shall we?"
He walked forward, turning his back on Sabrina.
Echo's egg rocked, and cracked, and wiggled determinedly, before shattering with a 'pop' of black psychic energy. Out of the darkness fell a tiny Ralts, who landed in Violets lap and let out an inquisitive trill in her tiny, bell like voice. "Hello there," Violet whispered, smiling with love at the newborn baby, Daniel and Echo at her side.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!"
Sabrina's scream was the stuff of nightmares, filled with every agony and terror imaginable, as if she had just witnessed the darkest hell the human mind could conjure while being burned alive at the stake. She clutched her head in a white knuckled grip of horror, her scream never ceasing, as she fell to her knees hard. Tears streamed from her wide, darting eyes, as she saw a future no one else could, save the Alakazam hunched over in pain at her side. Dark blood dripped from her nose.
Violet and Daniel stared with shock, as she finally ran out of breath, her scream choking off into a sob. The sound seemed to echo around the gym, never completely fading. For a long moment, nobody spoke.
Sabrina stood carefully, her expression a blank mask, though she couldn't hide the deep, horrified fear in her pale blue eyes. "I see the future," she whispered, her voice carrying easily in the shocked atmosphere. "And the one who will bring about chaos. None shall stop her, only slow her down, as she rips her way through the blood and bones of mortal kind. The murderer, the torture queen, the Dark One, enters this world in a shroud of shadows." Sabrina's disjointed, unblinking gaze snapped into focus, as she fixed her crying eyes on the newborn Avery. "Give her to me," she whispered, a touch of mania curling through her normally calm voice. "GIVE HER TO ME, SO I CAN KILL HER!"
Before Sabrina had finished talking, Daniel was standing in between her and Avery, a furious Echo at his side. "Over my dead body," he said with quiet sincerity, his hand resting on Fury's Ultra ball. Violet stared, stunned beyond words, the baby held close to her chest.
"You don't understand," Sabrina whispered, her voice small and broken. Her tears slowed, and stopped, and her face hardened back into a cold mask. "This doesn't concern you, boy. Hand over the child. She will one day be a monster the likes of which you can scarcely imagine. Better she dies now, than be allowed to slaughter others. I'll gladly replace her with a new Ralts."
"I don't think so," Daniel snarled, his voice tight and clipped. "You aren't murdering a newborn baby for crimes she may never commit. I will never allow that!" He glared at Sabrina fiercely, breathing hard. "Violet," he said, without turning around. "Bring Avery. We're leaving." She looked unsure, but rose, following him towards the exit.
The wide doors of Saffron Gym slammed shut. Sabrina's Alakazam lowered his spoons, shining with bronze psychic power.
Daniel froze. And turned around slowly, to face Sabrina once again.
"Foolish boy," Sabrina sneered, her cold eyes shining with derisive pity. "So sure of right and wrong, and yet so blind to truth. I've seen countless others like you, blissfully unaware of the cost of peace. How many do you suppose died for the peaceful world you now take for granted? How many wars, injustices, and struggles do you think your reality is built over? My job is to look into the darkness others ignore, and do what needs to be done. That is my justice. Hand over the child, or I will take her from your broken limbs, and erase your memories of this day. There is no way to resist me."
Danny moved in a flash, his hands so fast they were a blur. Before he could unleash Fury, the Ultra ball shone with blue and cracked horribly, preventing the Salamence's release. His other Poké Balls followed suit, damaged beyond easy repair. Sabrina's psychic power closed around Avery's fragile throat in the same moment, but was dispelled by Echo's psychic power. The Gardevoir shone with deep blue, righteous fury billowing from her in a wave, standing between Sabrina and her baby as a shield.
Echo focused her will, and tried to teleport. Alakazam's bronze power flickered over her for a brief second, disabling her move. Sabrina smirked.
"This is a crime," Daniel said, pronouncing every word clearly. Anger burned in his golden eyes. He stood in front of Violet, blocking her and Avery from view. "What you are doing, right now, is evil."
Sabrina shrugged disdainfully. "I don't care," she said simply. "Whether I am seen as right or wrong, or good or evil, I will protect this world and the people in it. If that means killing a few, I'll take that sin on myself. Surrender the child, or face the consequences. This is your final warning, Daniel Knight."
"You're talking about a baby!" Daniel shouted, his temper flaring. "The future isn't set in stone, like some puppet play we all participate in against our will! You say she's predestined for evil, and maybe that's one future, but I won't believe our choices can't make a difference!"
"Your future is so bright," Sabrina whispered, sadness reflecting in her eyes. "You would have changed the lives of so many. I beg of you not to do this. Don't throw your life away for one baby."
"Shut up!" Danny howled, true fury resounding in his voice. "If lives are so important to you, why can't you give this one a chance? Avery will be raised with love and care. We'll teach her by example, and change your so called fate!"
For a moment it seemed like his words reached her. "I'm sorry," Sabrina whispered, raising her gloved hand. "I just can't risk it."
A surge of rippling power surged towards them in a tidal wave of pale blue light. It slammed into Echo's dark blue shield with a sound like a thunderclap, the power itself shrieking like hundreds of human voices as it tried to break through. The attack dispelled, and reformed into spikes of blue power, hammering down at the shield with godly force. Echo repelled them all, countering the shining spears with small bursts of power, orchestrating her power with contemptuous flicks of her arms.
Alakazam joined the battle, sending lances of bronze power against Echo's defenses. The Gardevoir increased the strength of her shield, widening it to better protect Daniel and Violet, redirecting as many of the blows as she could with her other hand. Powers screamed against each other, increasing the pressure in the room.
Sabrina let up for a moment, and released her second Alakazam with one hand. Gold light flickered in to join the fray, hammering against Echo's blue shield, giving Sabrina enough time to release all four of her other Elite Four level Pokémon.
Red, lilac, white, bronze, gold, and green shone brightly, each one a power comparable to Sabrina herself. The lights intensified, until it was like looking into the sun. Echo's power screamed with a high pitched whine, as she neared her breaking point under the immense pressure. The shield cracked. Lances of colors pierced through the weaknesses as she struggled to mend them, striking Echo. She barely held on, but reformed the shield resolutely behind every strike which broke through.
"Violet, the door!" Daniel shouted above the shrieking whine, panic written into every line of his face. He healed Echo with Full Restores as he spoke, renewing her power for brief moments, as the relentless barrage continued. "We'll take out the Alakazam so it will open, and then you have to run! Do you hear me, Violet, you run as fast as you can, and get help, okay? Go, we'll cover you!" He tried opening Fury's Ultra ball over and over, and it flickered spastically with broken light.
She turned to obey, her mind blank with shock, and her eyes widened without comprehension as she came face to face with Sabrina's Alakazam, who had teleported behind them. A sphere of red plasma whirled between his hands, the light throwing her shadow deep behind her.
Time slowed. Violet screamed. The sound was drowned out by the battle. She held Avery tightly in her arms, and the Focus Blast shot towards her like a meteor.
Daniel threw her out of the way, and the Focus Blast hit him in the back.
He hit the ground hard, and blood sprayed, his legs going entirely limp. Violet stared without understanding from where she'd been thrown, her lips forming his name silently.
Echo's scream was terrible and beautiful. She shone with an ethereal blue light, her emotions fueling the indomitable psychic power within, and energy exploded outwards in a deep indigo shockwave which distorted the fabric of reality behind it. Time seemed to slow, the air itself rippled oddly, and the materialization of Echo's pain struck all six of Sabrina's Pokémon simultaneously, as Alakazam teleported in front of Sabrina to shield her from the blow. The sound of impact rocked the whole building, shaking it to its foundations. The far wall collapsed entirely, hitting Sabrina's hastily formed barrier and breaking it down. Her Pokémon lay motionless where they had fallen.
Echo leaned down, picking up her baby from where she had tumbled, crooning a soft lullaby to the shell-shocked infant.
The only sound was Violet's sobbing. She wept as if the world was ending, because to her, it was. She held Daniel's bleeding body in her lap, her tears washing the blood from his face. He reached up slowly, tracing his fingers over a lock of her long hair. His breathing was erratic, and the blood on his lips was pale and bubbled. "You have to leave," he whispered, looking at her with tired eyes.
She shook her head numbly with denial, her voice thick with tears. "I can't," she sobbed brokenly, agony in her violet eyes. "I can't leave you, I can't…"
"You have to," Daniel said gently, oddly at peace despite the spreading pool of blood beneath him. He smiled at her weakly. "Live on, and take my place as the best trainer in this world. It's been your dream…for so long. But did you know? Your happiness has been my dream for a while now, Violet." He let his hand drop, and his eyes dulled. "Run."
Daniel's Gardevoir closed her scarlet eyes, power surging around her. A dark tear in reality tore open in front of her, and with great care, the Gardevoir placed her tiny baby inside, emotions emanating from her in waves, washing over Violet Hikari. She felt pain and heartbreak, coupled with a terrible exhaustion she knew there was no recovering from. But more than Echo's own pain, Violet felt a love as warm as the sun, and just as all-encompassing.
The Gardevoir looked silently at Violet, and transmitted a powerful feeling of wanting Avery's future to be safe from Sabrina. She stared back, uncomprehending, tears slipping down her face.
Psychic power exploded out from the rubble, with Sabrina at its center. "NO!" Sabrina shrieked, as the tear closed and Avery was sealed off forever. Her power surged, and at once the Gym Leader was lined with pale blue light, her hair floating around her as if she were underwater, as light shone brilliantly from her eyes. She hovered above the ground, burning with unstoppable power.
She had to get help. Violet gasped, realizing she'd forgotten to breathe, the thought sending her into motion. She had to get out, and call for help, and maybe Danny could be saved, she had to-
She leaned down, pressing her lips to Daniel's cold forehead, promising him without words she would be back, and ran.
Echo shrieked behind her, facing Sabrina's awakened form with the very last of her power. Gravity lightened for a brief moment, nearly making Violet fall, and a black hole opened between Echo's hands as she prepared to defend her two trainers with her very life.
Daniel watched her go, barely able to draw in air. And consciously closed his eyes.
Violet ran out the gyms double doors, barely able to see through her desperate tears. She turned to the right once she was outside, knowing there would be trainers who could call for help at the Battle Dojo, and ran directly into Tara Knight.
"Tara," she gasped towards the stunned little girl, her voice thick with tears. "Tara, I need to see your Poke gear, something…something happened, please, I have to call an ambulance." She broke down, falling to her knees, her sobs strengthening into a grief which threatened to send her unconscious with pain. She held her arms tightly around her middle, as if trying to stop herself from flying apart. "I'm sorry!" Violet wept, unable to stop her outpouring of anguish. "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry!" She remembered being thrown out of the way, and her heart broke painfully. "It was all my fault!"
An explosion tore through Saffron Gym at that moment. Violet's teary eyes went wide, and she shielded Tara Knight from the shockwave.
Windows shattered in a deadly rain of glass in the entire block, and rubble crashed into the pavement in a staccato hailstorm of dull thunks. She was thrown to the ground, hard, and Violet remembered no more.
~o~
The next thing she knew, she was struggling to wake from a terrible dream. She ran and ran over blood slicked stone, knowing she had to go somewhere without knowing where, but she kept slipping, until her hands and clothes were stained with red. Laughter echoed behind her, cold and familiar, as the broken mirrors lining the walls reflected Daniel's lifeless face.
The dream began to go dark, fading at the edges, until the floors crumbled into nothing, and Violet fell into pitch darkness. Her pain began to disappear, but something was wrong, she wasn't healing, she was losing something. She fought back without knowing why, trying fiercely to hold on to that terrible dream.
She broke free for a brief moment, gasping as her eyes flew open, and found herself looking into Sabrina's face.
The murderer smiled. "Shh," she whispered, holding a gloved finger against her pale lips. "Don't fight it. This is for the best. I'm sorry things had to be this way…but it had to be done. Though she isn't dead, the child is sealed away. Now all that's left is you."
Violet's heartbeat sped up, reported as high beeps on the monitor by her hospital bed. Sabrina's ice blue irises shone. "Sleep," she commanded in a whisper, and Violet's struggles melted away into warm nothingness.
~o~
