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Chapter 28: The Bonds that tie us

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"Now! Let's finish this with Hyper Beam!" the mysterious youth commanded as the darkened pokemon fired a powerful golden blast from its fanged mouth that crashed into all three of the opposing pokemon at once.

"Altaria!"

"Weezing!"

"Ditto!"

The youth returned his pokemon as he walked over to the fallen Dustin, Chase and Amdias. "So now that I won…can you tell me where I can find him?"

Dustin gulped at the fact that this guy actually defeated all three of them…without trying. "We…we saw him at the Pokemon gym…if he's not there then check the pokemon center."

"Thanks…" said the mysterious guy before the wind blew the picture from his hands. "Not that I need that old photo anymore, got plenty."

As the mysterious guy walked in through the main gate of Sparksburg, the photo landed on the ground. On further inspection, the photo had the mysterious guy along with a younger Blake doing funny poses.

"Dang it…they made this town too big."

The strangely dressed stranger wandered through Sparksburg's park-forest. His short brown hair had a few long bangs in front of his left brown eye. His long dark blue vest covered his short sleeved black shirt that had a familiar blue pokeball symbol on it. His baggy black pants flowed in the wind over his dark brown boots with each step he took through the forest. "By the time I get to that gym those guys will probably be long gone."

From the look of the reddened sky, the stranger sighed loudly. "I guess I better find the center before the night comes alive."

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The Pokemon center's light gleamed on the badge in Blake's hand. "One more down…3 to go."

"Why all serious Blake?" Kurt asked setting down his drink onto the table. "I mean, we both got our gym badges, so why are you acting all serious now?"

"Oh no reason," Blake replied pocketing his badge. "Just feel like acting calm."

"I don't know you all that well, but I can remember you were a lot more chipper," Silver stated as Blake just lifted his fruit juice to his mouth.

"Just let me be as I want to be," Blake replied sipping his fruit juice.

"Well now, this is quite a coincidence. I guess I finally found ya Blake!"

Blake just spat out his juice onto the table, and began coughing loudly. "Oh no…please tell me there's not a guy with long brown bangs behind me."

Kurt just smirked as he watched the weird stranger place his gloved hand on Blake's shoulder. "Actually…"

"Now don't act as though you don't know me Blake," laughed the older teen stepping right in front of the table. "After all, we do have history."

Looking at the weird guy and his ensemble, Sliver and Kurt just sweatdropped as the guy smiled at the two with a bright shine appearing with his perfect white toothed smile. "And who do we have here? The friends who you've mentioned in your letters to dad?"

"Blake would you mind telling us who this guy is?" Silver asked as Blake slapped his forehead.

Sighing loudly, Blake just shifted his gaze towards the strange teen. "I guess so…this happens to be my…"

Stomping his foot on top of the table, the strange teen interrupted Blake. "…I'm the sensation that sweeping the Saora nation…

"The man with plan…

"The guy with a dream as big as the sky…

"The king of…"

"ENOUGH!" Blake yelled causing the teen to fall from the table. "Sheesh…you always had to go with the mellow dramatic way."

"Did you forget that you did as well…" The teen snickered jumping to his feet.

"…Little brother…"

"Blake has a brother?" Kurt and Silver asked at the same time as Blake's apparent brother laughed loudly.

Smiling with his shinny teeth once more, Blake's brother just sat next to his sibling. "You better believe it! The name's Duke Sabers!"

"Wait a minute, aren't you the trainer who almost defeated the Saora Elite Four in unofficial pokemon battles?" Silver asked as Duke just smiled widely.

"Ah yes, so you've heard of me."

"But you lost against their leader in the final round," Silver stated as Duke's eyes watered.

"The truth is so painful…" Duke sobbed sulking below the table.

"Blake, your brother is weird," Kurt stated as Blake slammed his head on the table.

"Tell me something I don't know…"

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"So what you all three are saying is that you all lost…to one guy?"

Chase just winced in fear, even though Yazu wasn't the most diabolical of the three team leaders (in fact, he was one of the few nicest guys you'd ever meet in those teams combined), he still managed to find a way to make you suffer. But mostly it was with embarrassing stuff, like photos or gossip. "Well, yeah Leader Yazu…we also kind of loss to some familiar characters as well, 'not to mention I lost to my sister.'"

"I suppose that can't be helped, you did managed to get the badges correct?"

"Well, uh yeah, all three of did as a matter of fact," Chase proclaimed into his cell phone. "We only lost to those other people because our pokemon were weakened by battle!"

"Excuses aren't your strong point Chase, however, you are to travel to the next gym immediately and acquire the badge that is offered there. Until then, don't call us again."

"Right sir!" Chase announced. "Good thing he forgot about the punishment."

"Oh and Chase…I'm deducting some of your pay for this."

As the phone went silent, Chase's eyes widened and he dropped his phone to the ground. "Ah man, there goes my chance at a PS3 this year."

"Quit complaining you overgrown ape," Amdias shouted while scratching the back of his head. "I'm trying to fix my hair."

"That's just ironic for a monkey to insult me like that!" Chase yelled glaring at Amdias who was at the moment making his hair cover his right eye.

"Why don't you both shut up!" Dustin yelled quieting down his traveling companions. "I could've gone to college instead of this, but no, I needed to be a part of something bigger."

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"Wow…that quite a tale little bro," Duke awed having listening to what had happened with his younger sibling in the past few months. "It had action, humor, surprises…lacked a little on the romance though. And the way you described it sounded awfully boring."

Blake sighed while placing his bottled water next to him on the bench. Silver and Kurt had already retired for the evening in one of the multiple rooms of the PKM center, while the two siblings had walked outside of the PKM center watching the starry night. "So what have you been up to Duke? Haven't really seen ya since you left after that defeat the Elite Four handed to ya."

Duke just scratched his head in embarrassment. "Why does everyone mention that? Why can't they ever just mention the fact that I can hold my own with the elite four?"

"You're crazy you know that?" Blake questioned as Duke just laughed out loud.

"Yeah…and some day you'll become crazy, it's genetic," Duke laughed before standing up. "Anyway, how are them pokemon you got doing? I bet they've grown since your last letter."

"You still have to answer my question," Blake stated as Duke just snickered.

"Very well…you asked for it.

"After my run in with the Elite Four, I came back home for a while. But you know that part already. That week I just relaxed, enjoyed the sun, and hanged out with you and my pokemon.

"Anyway, after that week, I headed out to the Orange Islands for some serious training and soul searching. Well while I was there, one of the boats that was taking me to my next island destination got caught in a terrible storm. I thought I was a goner…but as you can see I'm not a ghost and I'm standing right front of you.

"I had washed up on a tropical island which was filled with fresh water, good fruit and of course wild pokemon with different looking colors. At first my insight was to catch these pokemon, but then…hit me!"

"Uh, you want me to hit you?" Blake asked as Duke blinked a few times.

"No! It hit me!" Duke interjected as Blake just sighed. "I needed to train with these pokemon, and that's what I did, for months on end, I and my own pokemon fought and became one with nature."

"You sure you're not making this up?"

"Who's telling the story here?" Duke asked as Blake pointed towards his brother. "That's right, now then, after multiple months I started to miss human interaction. So being the smart intellectual I am, I did the most reasonable thing I could think off…

"I found a Squritle and a Wartortle and tied my feet to them to take me to shore. Had to use hair for rope."

"Okay, now I KNOW you're making this stuff up, cause that happened in a movie." Blake pointed out causing Duke to laugh out loud.

"Yeah, I guess you got me there, but I did go to the Orange Islands and train there for a year and a couple of extra months," Duke replied before taking a huge gulp of his soda.

This wasn't the first time Duke exaggerated with movie themes; he did them all the time if you asked Blake. "It's been three years…and you haven't changed at all."

Duke just looked at his younger brother like he was crazy. "What in the world are you talking about little brother? Not only am I tanner and more in depth, I'm a lot wiser too! You're the one who hasn't changed, you really haven't gotten taller since the last time we saw each other."

"You grew taller too you know," Blake sighed as he lowered his head. "Why did he have to be my brother?"

"Now then…" Duke sighed sitting next to his brother. "I gotta know, where's that Valerie that you were traveling with? Dad told me about her, I guess you lucked out my sly little brother."

Blake just closed his eyes and sighed loudly, Duke must've struck a chord. "I just decided to try to get on my own journey…"

Snickering to himself, Duke just stood up and lifted a pokeball from his belt. "You stink at lying you know that Blake?"

"What?" Blake questioned as Duke began to spin the pokeball on his pinky.

"I'll make you a wager…" Duke offered as he tossed the pokeball into the air. "We'll have a quick one on one battle. If you win, then I'll leave you be your sorrowed self."

Blake just stood up staring at his brother. "And the flip side of that coin?"

"…Then you spill the beans about what really is happening with you." Duke just caught the falling pokeball and smiled at his brother. "And I'll follow you for a long while…"

"I could just walk away you know," Blake pointed out as Duke smiled evilly (yet he still managed to get the shine from his teeth gleam).

"You should know me better than that, if you don't accept it, I'll just keep bugging you and bugging you and bugging you and bugging you and bugging you and bugging you till you say yes!" Duke laughed evilly causing his younger brother to develop a huge drop of sweat on the back of his head.

"Please, not that again…" Blake pleaded.

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The summer breeze blew through the night's sky as Blake and Duke stood twenty feet away from each other. In their hands, each of them held a single pokeball. The chirping crickets were the only sound as the two brothers stared at each other. Without a moment's notice, they both threw their pokeballs at the same time into the air.

"Go! Feraligator!"

"Go! Typhlosion!"

As the large blue alligator appeared with the shrug we all love, an equally tall pokemon appeared with bright smile that rivaled that of his master's appeared. Its slick black fur on its head and back complimented its yellow fur on its face and front part of its body. On the back of its neck erupted with a large powerful flame as it teeth shined brightly.

"That guy brings back memories," Blake stated as Duke laughed loudly.

"Of course! Typhlosion happens to be one of my most trusted pokemon," Duke laughed as Typhlosion mimicked his master. "And to show that I'm a good brother, I'm letting you have the first move."

"And it'll be a big move! Feraligator! Use Bite on Typhlosion!" Blake ordered as Feraligator charged towards Typhlosion. "I've got a type advantage, so any attack that Typhlosion is capable of having won't really hurt Feraligator."

Just as the Typhlosion was about to be clamped by the powerful jaws, Duke just smiled and shouted his counter. "Give Typhlosion an uppercut version of the Thunder Punch!"

Blake's eyes just widened as Feraligator was delivered a powerful electrified punch to the jaw, sending the huge pokemon flying backwards and eventually crashing to the ground. "How does Typhlosion know that move?"

Pulling something from his pocket, Duke just smiled widely. "Thanks to an old school TM, one from a few years ago that I managed to get my hands on. Now then, please tell that Drano isn't down for the count."

As Feraligator stood up rubbing his chin, Blake just glared at his brother. "I dropped his nickname, and we're far from down! Feraligator! Use Water Gun!"

Feraligator fired a powerful blast of water directly towards his fiery opponent, who just smiled back as if he was ready for this. "Now, now, now Blake, you can't win this by just using head on attacks…Typhlosion! Flamethrower!"

From behind his bright smile, a jet stream of flames fired from Typhlosion's mouth and crashed into the water before the attack just struck Typhlosion. Both pokemon focused their attacks, not wanting to disappoint their sibling trainers. Then as if he held some spare energy back, Typhlosion even more flames from his mouth that pushed back the water gun attack and eventually scorched Feraligator's mouth.

"You see Blake, you need to wait till your opponent makes a move, then you can come to a rational decision on how to counter the attack or to dodge it," Duke explained as Typhlosion nodded in agreement. "For example, how will you deal with this next attack…Smokescreen!"

Typhlosion smiled before it breathed out a large amount of smoke from its mouth that covered the entire twenty-foot span between Duke and Blake. Blake just coughed as he only Feraligator's figure in the smoke. "Dang it…now how is this going to go on?"

"Thunder Punch!"

Blake could only watch as Feraligator was punched again with electricity. The punches kept arriving causing Feraligator to grunt in pain. "Come on Blake! I know you're better than this! I know that the way you're acting right now isn't you!"

Blake just looked down; knowing the truth was just presented to him. "He's right…I am better than this, I used to love the thrill of battle, hanging out with my pokemon and my friends. I guess its time.

"Feraligator, I mean, Drano! Use Blizzard!"

Duke's eyes widened as a large snowstorm swept across the field, not only blowing away the smoke but as well as Typhlosion in the process. "That's better…there's the spark."

"And now then, let's try something new Drano! Water Gun!" Blake announced as Feraligator fired the powerful stream again.

"Trying that again are we? Some people never learn little bro…except the hard way!" Duke shouted with a bright smile following. "Typhlosion! Use your Flamethrower again!"

Just as the attacks slammed into each other once more, Blake smiled this time. "Now! End the attack and charge with a slash attack!"

Doing a quick shrug, Drano quickly halted his attack and ran towards the still attacking Typhlosion with his claws shinning. Typhlosion didn't notice this until the fast Feraligator appeared at his left side with a sneaky smile. Duke's smile on the other hand had faded. "…Oops."

With a quick slash to the side of Typhlosion's face, the Feraligator sent his opponent flying slightly into the air. However, it was at that moment in mid air when Typhlosion glared directly towards Drano. "Good show Blake! Unfortunately, I still have an ace up my sleeve! Typhlosion! Hyper Beam!"

The powerful red and yellow beam of light crashed directly into Drano, sending the Feraligator to the ground dazed. It was a sure mark cause his eyes were spinning wildly. Blake just called back his first pokemon as Duke and Typhlosion smiled (both having the same shine to them). "Good battle there little bro, almost gave a run for our money."

"But I still lost," Blake moaned as Duke called back Typhlosion.

"You got to accept loss," Duke stated as he stood in front of Blake. "And speaking of losses, you loss our bet so, you got to tell me what's been really going on."

Blake sighed, but he had to admit, when you talked to Duke; he usually put a great spin on things to cheer you up. "Okay… it happened before I got here in Sparksburg."

- Flashback -

"I'll go try to find them," replied Blake before he walked off into the woods.

As Blake walked through the darkened woods, he saw a small light in the distance. As he reached another small clearing he saw Brandon and Valerie talking to each other. "I still see you're traveling with him."

Valerie just looked at Brandon intently. "Why not? Blake's a good friend."

"You like him don't you?" Brandon asked as a blush crept on Valerie's face (as well as Blake's face).

"Well maybe…"

"Admit it! You're totally crushing on Blake."

"Well…I um, uh…"

"Need I remind you that we were dating before we became trainers?"

"No Brandon you don't need to remind me."

"Why don't you travel with me Valerie? Instead of struggling with Blake, you can proceed onto victory."

Blake just stepped back…had he really held Valerie back? His mind was racing with multiple questions. 'Am I really that weak? Do I hold people back? Maybe I should just leave, maybe its for the best.'

And with that thought, Blake ran through the woods to quickly grab his stuff.

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"That had to sting," Duke commented with his face looking sour.

"Don't rub salt in the wound," Blake sighed as Duke placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax little bro, you're not weak…" Duke said looking hard into his brother's eyes. "You just need to take one step at a time to become stronger."

"I don't know if I can…"

"Of course you can! Remember never say never my sibling! If you have a dream then reach for it with all your might!"

Blake just sighed. "Again with the drama. Please stop that."

Duke smiled at his brother with the shine even brighter. "You know I'm right."

"…Yeah, you are big brother."

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Vyser D: I'd like to take this moment to say something. For a long time, I have been working on this fiction. Since the hard (and rookie) beginning, you reviewers have been true to me. With your characters, advice, and criticism, you all have pushed me to improve my self as a writer. I know that the first few chapters aren't as good as these later chapters, but that leads me to my second agenda item. A fellow author offered to rewrite those chapters, I won't reveal the name now, but thanks… you know who you are. And thanks to you all for making me push myself to improve my writing.