Let the countdown begin.
;;;
Chapter 44 Two to Go
Bleep.
'Route Seventeen: Mamoswine Road'
;;;
"Aren't you up yet?" Sienna grunts. She's on her hands and knees, the snowy wind whipping her hair into her face. Her brother's feet on her back. She is not amused.
"Almost," Alex calls back, making another swing to get his leg over Mamoswine. "Almost." He hops on her back. "Almost."
He finally jumps high enough and straddles Mamoswine. Alex lets out a whoop, while his sister collapses into the snow.
"Hurry up, sis," Alex calls down with a smirk. His sister picks herself off the ground and glares. "Unless you want to be out in the snow storm?"
Sienna dusts herself off and then stands beside Mamoswine. "Move up," she commands, placing a hand on the brown, furry Pokémon. Alex complies, looking forwards. He can hear his sister easily get on behind him. The redhead steadies when Mamoswine stands straight, ready to carry them.
"Here we go," Alex cheers, using the plus pad on his watch to move the Pokémon forwards. Mamoswine charges into the snow piles ahead. "Whoa!"
Mamoswine is smaller than the snow piles he plows through. Alex laughs and pats the Pokémon before going back to steering.
"Can you see anything?" Alex calls back to his sister.
Sienna leans up to his ear to respond. "Just keep following the snow piles. I can't see much through this storm."
"Figures," Alex snorts.
They barely make it around the corner when they are warped into a battle. The two wild Pokémon, Delibirds, twitter and rock back and forth on their feet. Alex uses Fletchinder to easily defeat his opponent, but has to wait for Sienna to finish. Appearing back on Mamoswine is a shock, as they are now straddling again.
"I wonder if we'll ever get used to this!" Alex shouts over the snow.
"What?" Sienna asks back.
"This battling style." Alex keeps Mamoswine moving. "I wonder if the transporting we do will happen forever."
"What?"
"At least it isn't like that Fairy Type Gym and its warp panels."
"Alex, up there."
Alex looks to where she points. He can see some uneven lumps, but nothing too out of the ordinary. "What is it?"
"Rocks you can smash," Sienna answers. "They're just like with Rhyhorn, except more snow. I think there's a route connector after it."
"Well, alright," Alex has a wicked grin on. "Hold on!"
"Wait, what?"
"Go!" Alex shouts. Mamoswine picks up into a trot, and smashes the rocks with his giant tusks. "Yah! Alright!"
Now that they aren't in Mamoswine-high snow, Alex hops off. He looks excitedly to the green grass that grows before the route connector up ahead. He hardly pays attention to his sister sliding off with a groan, and then when she thanks to the Pokémon that got them through the snow.
"The second to last Gym is up ahead," Alex says, pulling her along by her arm. "We're almost there, sis. Can you believe it? It feels like we've been in this dream for so long. I'm about ready for a nice, warm, real breakfast and a weekend of videogames in the guest room."
"Yah," Sienna says half-heartedly. "Sounds like fun."
"Nothing Pokémon, though," Alex continues, ignoring the way his watch lights up and bleeps as he steps onto the grass. "I think I've had enough Pokémon for a good long while."
Bleep.
Alex lets go of his sister to see the Holo Clip sent to him. A hologram of Serena appears on his watch. She looks nervous as she throws out an arm and says, "Alexander. This time, I challenge you to a battle in front of Anistar City's Gym! Prepare yourself!"
The hologram fades. Alex scoffs. "Oh, it's on. Come on, sis. We have some rivals to battle."
Sienna follows silently behind him as the reach the route's connector.
;;;
Bleep.
'Anistar City'
"What is that?" Alex asks. His eyes are wide.
Sienna shrugs, no good answer coming to her.
While Anistar City is an interesting place, being that the entire town is built on stilts and rests above water, nothing compares to the large, crystal-like rock the town has on its far side. The siblings lean on the railings by the town entrance, staring at the light pink crystal that stands out of the water. Alex starts dragging his sister towards the center of town, where they can then head down another levitated path for a closer look at the structure.
Alex runs into an invisible wall.
"What the-"
"You there!" Alex is cut off by a woman. Dressed in a white suit, the dark skinned woman marches up to the siblings, a large smile on her face. Alex recognizes her as Sycamore's other assistant, but can't remember her name. As she appraises him with a knowing smile, he feels like he is missing something… again.
"I came in place of Dexio to tell you something," the woman says. She stops a few feet from them, greeting them with a nod. "There's a person here in Anistar City who knows about the Legendary Pokémon." With that she walks away. Alex and Sienna share a confused look just as the woman stops. She rushes back to them, searching her pockets. "Oh, I almost forgot! I brought you some gifts! Put them to good use!"
She drops some small, multi-coloured balls in their hands. Sienna says her thanks while Alex puts the Repeat Balls in his bag.
"Repeat Balls make it easier to catch kids of Pokémon that you've caught before!" the assistant continues. "Even though they're the same species, the strengths and Natures of individual Pokémon can be really different."
With that said, the woman walks off without another word. Alex and Sienna share another glance, and when they look back the woman is gone.
"That was weird," Alex says out loud. He turns to his sister. "So, do you want to see that thing over there, or look for the guy that knows about legendary Pokémon, or battle Serena and Calem?"
"What do you want?" Sienna asks.
"That thing over there."
"Then let's go. Would you mind if we check to find the man afterwards?"
"No problem. Oh, look! A Pokémon Center! Can we detour?"
"Sure, Alex. I'd like to dry off, if you don't mind."
"Oh, good idea. I'm glad it's just cloudy over here. Any more snow and I was going to Fly away."
;;;
"It's pink," Sienna sniffs.
Alex laughs and stares up at the intimidating structure. "And some purple and yellow. What do you think people meant when they said that it's a sundial?"
"I think they meant just that," Sienna says, looking down at the motionless golden hoops in the ground. "It works to tell time when the sun's out."
"Well, that sounds useless," Alex tells her.
"I guess the hole down the rock's center does something?" Sienna struggles for an answer. "I don't know. Maybe we should come back when it's sunny."
"Maybe." Alex has no plans to come back. He came, he saw, and now he wants to do something else. "Alright, let's go find out about the legendary Pokémon."
Sienna rolls her eyes at his dry voice. "You don't need to sound so happy about it."
"It will probably be interesting," Alex admits, walking towards the main part of town. "I mean, most lore is. Doesn't mean it will be important. Red and Blue games?"
"Hey, it was cool how Mewtwo and the legendary birds tied in."
"Doesn't mean it had much to do with the plot."
;;;
In their search to find the man, the siblings find a café, a boutique, and the Gym. They don't end up going in any of the places. Alex adds it to the list of things he wants to see, to try and draw out this dream. Even though he is excited to wake up, he's scared about what he will wake up to. The dream has been going on for a while, longer than normal. How many hours have gone by in reality? What if it has been days?
And the worst, Alex knows he is going to be sad to wake up. It's been one of those dreams that when he wakes up, he will want to go back to sleep to see everyone. Serena and Shauna, he will miss them, even if they were never real to begin with. It hurts to think about waking up and leaving his team, his new friends, behind.
His sister will be there when he wakes up. His parents. His friends. Sports and good food. It will be there when he wakes up. He will be happy, and maybe one day forget this dream.
He does not want to forget, but knows it is possible. Waking up and going back to the real world will be tough, but he knows he can manage. He has a life to go back to.
Still, Alex finds himself wanting to draw out the dream as long as he can.
"So, that' the old man, eh?" Alex asks.
Sienna nods and lets the door close behind her. The house they are in looks very generic. An old man at the back of the house gestures them to come closer. Alex slowly walks behind his sister He's ready to run if it turns out the old man is really creepy.
"Why, hello there," the old man says. He is dressed in a fancy grey suit. His eyes hold a sparkle and he seems happy to see them. "You must be those apprentices of Professor Sycamore's I've heard so much about. It's my guess that you've come to ask about the Legendary Pokémon of Kalos region, Yveltal." Alex thought that were going to learn about both legendary Pokémon, but he isn't about to interrupt. "Well, allow me to tell you what I know.
"It happened around eight hundred years ago. The Pokémon known as Yveltal spread its ominous wings, engulfing the lands of Kalos in darkness. At that moment, people and Pokémon throughout the land began to fall one by one. Yveltal let out a piercing cry and took to the sky, vanishing to an unknown location. Stories say that when it nears the end of its thousand-year life span, Yveltal absorbs the life force of those living things around it in order to charge its own energy. Another tale talks of the appearance of just such a terrifying Pokémon.
"Back three thousand years ago, the Kalos region was engulfed in a terrible war. According to the stories, a Pokémon appeared and stole the life force of countless living beings. Some people suspect the Pokémon that appeared was Yveltal, but there's no way to know. Maybe they're just using a Legendary Pokémon as a metaphor for war and pestilence.
"In the tales, after Yveltal finished storing the energy it had absorbed, it transformed into a kind of cocoon, remaining in hiding deep in the mountains. According to old tales, as I say. Tales and stories."
The man bows his head, signalling he is done.
Alex gulps, hoping he never has to meet this Legendary Pokémon Yveltal. Dream or not.
;;;
Xena hears a different story.
"It's my guess that you've come to ask about the Legendary Pokémon of the Kalos region, Xerneas," the old man smoothly says. "Well, allow me to tell you what I know.
"It happened around eight hundred years ago. The Pokémon known as Xerneas used its shining horns to illuminate the lands of Kalos. At that very moment, people and Pokémon throughout the land felt great energy and vitality surge through their bodies. At the same time, a vast forest sprang up, with Xerneas at its center. Legend has it that, when it nears the end of its thousand-year life span, Xerneas releases all of its remaining energy, sharing it with all living things nearby. There's another story I know that talks of the appearance of just such a fortuitous Pokémon.
"Back three thousand years ago, the Kalos region was engulfed in a terrible war. So the tale goes, a Pokémon came to the rescue of all of the wounded Pokémon that had been caught up in the conflict. Some people suspect the Pokémon that appeared was Xerneas, but there's no way to know. Maybe they just wished a Legendary Pokémon had come to the rescue to brighten a tale of woe.
"Supposedly, after Xerneas released its remaining energy, it transformed into a dried-up tree. It remains in hiding deep within the forest. According to old tales, as I say. Stories and tales."
The man nods, signaling he has finished his story telling.
Xena says her thanks to the man, and the nudges her brother towards the door. She tries not to think about it. A story of a life giving Pokémon. She'd go mad if she gave into the hope creeping up inside her. She knows she is going to die. She accepts she is going to die.
She hopes to never meet Xerneas. It would hurt to know that this possibility is out there. That a long-forgotten Pokémon might save her.
She thinks it's a fool's hope. A Pokédex entry can be wrong, and Legendary Pokémon aren't all they're hyped-up to be. She tries not to be a fool and face her facts.
It doesn't change the reality that she is a coward for thinking that she would never have to tell her brother if a Legendary Pokémon did heal her.
;;;
"It's a bit creepy," Alexander states as they walk.
Sienna nods her agreement.
"I mean, a Pokémon that can kill people by just flapping?" Alexander shakes his head. "That's crazy, right?"
Sienna's eyebrows scrunch together. "What are you talking about?"
"Yveltal," Alexander says, frowning. "You know, the Pokémon we just finished hearing about."
"I only heard about Xerneas," Sienna says, frowning in return.
Alexander stares before walking towards the center of town. "Well that's strange. What does Xerneas do?"
"Gives life. How does Yveltal kill people?"
Alexander pauses, and then scoffs. "That's so weird." He doesn't answer her question. "Life and death, eh? What do you think is a deeper story, life and death or truth and ideals?"
Sienna stays silent.
"I think truth and ideals," Alexander says without pause. "I mean, life and death would be a short or sad story. Truth and ideals influence how the story is told, and what we believe."
"Wow," Sienna mutters quietly. "Real deep, Alex."
Alexander snorts. "I try. Now come on, we have some rivals to battle!"
;;;
Instead of just passing the Gym again, the siblings walk up to its doors.
"Where do you think-" Alex is cut off.
"Alexander!" Serena shouts. Alex is forced by an invisible wall to see her and Calem marching confidently up to him and Sienna. Serena stops in front of him and holds out a hand. "Let me show you how much stronger I am! I did say we were going to be rivals back in that café in Lumiose City, after all."
Alex sticks out his own hand, just short of touching her. He locks eyes with his dream friend and smirks. "I won't go easy on you."
The grab each other at the same time, and Alex's vision goes black.
He appears to be standing in the middle of a street. Alex doesn't pay much mind to that as he watches Serena throw out her first Pokémon, a level forty-four, female Meowstic.
"Let's go, Aero!" Alex shouts. He tosses the ball up high, releases his Pokémon, and grabs it when it comes back. His Lapras, level forty-five, shouts out a cry once appearing. "Use Ice Beam!"
Wasting no time, Aero rears back his head. A cold fills the air. His head shoots forwards, a beam of crystal blue slamming into the white and blue psychic type.
"Meow," Meowstic whines while stumbling back. She brushes off the remaining ice shards and plants her feet.
"Disarming Voice!" Serena calls to her Pokémon.
Meowstic opens her mouth and an awful noise comes out. Alex clutches his hands to his head, blocking most noise. Aero isn't so lucky. He cries out at the pain that comes from the sound.
"Ice Beam again!" Alex shouts. He's hoping to take down Meowstic with Aero's strongest move.
"Fake Out!" Serena shouts over the noise.
Meowstic cuts off her sound and starts running up to Aero. Alex blinks, and suddenly his Pokémon is flinching back from Meowstic clapping her hands in her face.
"Shadow Ball," Serena says.
"Ice Beam, now," Alex says in a hurry.
Aero smartly sends a quick blast of the beam towards Meowstic. She tumbles back from being hit. The white and blue Pokémon twirls to her feet, and at the last second fires a hazy black ball.
"Shoot!" Alex exclaims as Shadow Ball hits Aero on the neck. The Lapras wheezes. Alex checks his watch and finds Serena's Pokémon has a lot more health than his. "Come on Aero, use Ice Beam again!"
"La!" the Lapras coughs. He throws back his head.
"Psychic," Serena tells her Pokémon.
"Pras!" Aero wheezes, shooting out Ice Beam. The attack is cut short when the water and ice type Pokémon is hit by the Psychic attack. His pain doesn't last long, when Ice Beam ruins Meowstic's concentration and sends her reeling.
"Another Psychic," Serena tells her Pokémon.
"Ice Beam!" Alex calls.
It happens again. This time, Lapras collapses after his attack hits Meowstic. Alex glares at his watch. He returns his fainted Pokémon and switches Poké Balls. "Alright, Carleen. It's up to you. Only a little more!"
"Raichu!" Carleen shouts.
"Fake out!" Serena calls.
Alex watches and waits for Meowstic to rush up and clap in Carleen's face. His Pokémon flinches, giving Meowstic time to prepare for another attack.
"Psychic!" Serena shouts.
"Hey, Carleen?" Alex calls before Meowstic can start her attack. The level fifty-eight Raichu looks back at him with wide, black eyes. "Use Thunderbolt."
"Rai!" Carleen agrees with a happy grin. She turns Meowstic and locks eyes with the Psychic type. "Raichu!"
Carleen gives a little shriek of pain from a critical hit. Her health isn't knocked down too much as the attack breaks off early. Meowstic's wail echoes as a bolt of electricity comes down and knocks her out.
"Return," Serena mutters. She looks carefully at Carleen as she selects her next Pokémon. "Go, Jolteon!"
Alex will admit he blanks at the sight of two electric types on the field. His cheek twitches and he smiles, "I see you got that Eevee, eh?" He doesn't give her time to answer. "Thanks, Carleen." He returns his Pokémon and switches to the Ultra Ball on his belt. "Let's go, Simon!"
"Gabite!" Simon roars, stomping his feet. The dragon and ground type Pokémon rubs his two claws together, excited to battle.
Their levels are matched at forty-four. Any electric attacks Jolteon uses are worthless, though. Ground has immunity to electric attacks.
"Dig!" Alex shouts.
"Quick Attack, hurry!" Serena cries out, desperate.
Jolteon manages to skim Simon's tail, but the Gabite crawls underground before the electric type can do any serious damage. There is a silence in the air as everyone holds their breath and waits.
Dirt sprays, and Jolteon goes flying into the air. Simon's clawed hand forces the yellow Pokémon up from the stomach. Jolteon closes his eyes, not watching as he falls to the ground. Simon huffs and falls on his feet. He scratches the cement impatiently when Jolteon slams into the ground.
"One more Dig," Alex calls. He smiles at the sight of a depleted health bar on his watch.
"Gabite!" Simon shouts before burying himself underground.
"Up on your feet," Serena tells her Pokémon in a rush. Jolteon struggles to hop up. "Quickly, get ready to move."
It is in vain. Simon shoots up from under the electric type, slamming into his stomach again. Jolteon cries out, falls to the ground, and is returned as a fainted Pokémon.
Serena breathes out a sigh and switches Poké Balls on her belt. She has two useable Pokémon left. "You can do it, Delphox!"
"Del!" the fire and psychic type shouts upon appearing. She waves a stick with a lit flame, watching Simon closely.
Alex raises his watch. While he knows that Simon shouldn't have any problem – even if Delphox is a level forty-six - but he would rather be safe. He calls out to his Pokémon while he uses a Revive on Aero. "Brace yourself!"
"Flamethrower!" Serena commands.
Delphox moves his burning stick in from of him. He lets out a breath, and a roaring wave of fire flies at Simon.
"Gah!" Simon shouts as he shields his face with his arm fins. The fire swirls, and Alex loses sight of his Pokémon for a moment. When the fire abruptly stops, Simon throws out his arms and pulls back his lips. The last bits of flame die out on his skin. The intimidating look throw towards Delphox does nothing to deter the male Pokémon.
"Simon, return," Alex says. He switches the Ultra Ball for a Poké Ball. "Come on out, Aero!"
"La!" Aero shouts, looking angry. He seethes, ready to get some payback.
Serena looks shocked – whether because he switched out or because he used a Revive, Alex doesn't know – though doesn't falter. She throws out a hand and points at the water and ice type Pokémon. "Use Psychic!"
Delphox moves his hands to his head and closes his eyes. Lapras cries out, and the higher leveled Pokémon doing more damage than expected. Alex knows he can only get one good attack in before he either heals Aero, or it's left to a chance.
"Water Pulse!" Alex shouts as Delphox finishes his attack.
"Flamethrower!" Serena commands.
The fox-like Pokémon pants from exertion. He still raises his stick, and blows just as Lapras lets a pulse of pure water flies through the air. The attacks meet in the air, and create a form of mist that shrouds both Pokémon and Trainers for a few seconds.
"Water Pulse!" Alex shouts. "Dead ahead!"
Aero uses Water Pulse before Serena can even get a word out. It cuts through the air, and disappears in the mist.
"Del!" Delphox cries. Alex smiles as he watches the opponent's health bar boarder red with the one hit.
"Once more!" Alex calls. He looks up in time to see that the mist has completely vanished, and that Delphox is closing his eyes.
"Psychic!" Serena calls.
"Hold strong!" Alex calls encouragement to his Pokémon.
Lapras sends the ring of water towards Delphox. Delphox brings his stick forwards, eyes closed.
"Look out!" Serena shouts. Her eyes go wide.
Delphox startles and opens his eyes, just as the water is a foot away from his face. He raises a red, furred arm to his face, and looks away. The attack is enough to knock the weakened Pokémon back, and he faints.
"Yah!" Alex cheers. "Way to go, Aero!"
"La!" Lapras cheers. He gives a smug smile and flaps his fins at the thrill of winning.
Alex returns his cheering Pokémon as Serena switches to her last available Pokémon, Absol. Alex switches Poké Balls on his belt.
"Go, Absol!" Serena shouts.
"Here we go, Chestnut!" Alex calls after her.
The dark type, Absol, is silent in his appearance. He bows his head and glares at the smiling Chestnaught, who chirps when he appears.
"Chestnut," Alex says softly. The grass and fighting type turns. "Spiky Shield."
Chestnut's grin seems to widen. He turns and locks his arms together just as Serena calls out, "Quick Attack!"
Alex doesn't know how his Pokémon got the shield ready in time. Less than a second after the order, Absol slams into the large, green Pokémon. Chestnut grunts, but doesn't move. Absol ends up crying out, stumbling back to his side of the field. Chestnut breaks his arms apart, the spikes from his shield flinging into the cement and disappearing.
"Seed Bomb," Alex calls out.
Chestnut hums and holds out his hands. Small nut bombs appear, and then he fires them into the air at high speeds. He does this a dozen times, Absol watching the projectiles starting to fall.
"Night Slash," Serena commands. "Try and stop them from hitting."
"Absol," Absol mutters. He charges his dark horn, causing it to glow. Then he slashes at air, flinging the dark power away. It hits one seed. Then another, but the seeds fall too fast.
"Vine Whip," Alex tells Chestnut before the seeds hit.
Chestnut nods.
The seeds fall around Absol, and then start hitting him. He coughs at the dirt rising from the cement ground. Then he is flying backwards, not even seeing the vines hitting him.
"One more Vine Whip," Alex tells Chestnut.
Serena glares. "Quick Attack. Be ready to jump."
"Hold it," Alex whispers to his Pokémon. Chestnut pauses, vines starting to sprout again from his wrists. "Brace and then attack."
Absol appears slower, yet still hits in a blink of an eye. As the dark type flips backwards, Chestnut goes from stumbling to correcting his stance. His arms go back.
"Now!" Alex shouts.
"Chestnaught!" Chestnut shouts, flinging the vines from his wrists.
Absol's eyes widen and he tries to twist in the air. As his feet touch down, the vines slap into him and force him back. Absol doesn't get back on his feet, fainted.
"Way to go, Chestnut!" Alex cheers. "We did it! We won!"
"Chestnaught!" Chestnaught bellows. He smiles and cheers again.
Alex smiles and returns his Pokémon. "Thank you, for everything."
It's only then he notices Serena across the field. She is pinching her nose, looking down with her eyes closed. Alex reads his watch to know what she is muttering.
"Am I just not good enough to bring out the best in my Pokémon?"
Alex sucks in a breath. He forgot that she always feels worse about losing than the other dream people he's met. Alex looks away, waiting for the scenery to change back to Anistar City. He doesn't want to make it worse for her.
It all goes black.
;;;
"I can't keep losing to someone who started the journey at the same time as me!" Calem say, determination shining in his posture. He holds out a hand to Xena. "Let's battle!"
Xena does not look impressed at his words. She presses her lips together and takes his hands. She won't tell him that she won't lose to him now. Not with everything starting to build, their friendship included. If he is going to get used to her, then he has to get used to her way of battling.
Everything goes black.
Blinking, Xena looks around at the buildings surrounding the concrete street they are on. The sight is a nice change compared to the wild terrain they've been on for the route battles. It sort of reminds her of the first battle she had against Shauna.
She looks over at Calem. He crosses his left arm over his chest, making a fist. His right hand unclips a Poké Ball from his belt, and then underhand tosses it on the field as he shouts, "Meowstic! Let's start this off!"
The blue and white male Pokémon hums, eyes half lidded.
Xena grabs the first Poké Ball on her belt. "Here we go, Greninja."
Greninja stands on all fours, waiting with a false lackadaisical appearance.
Xena keeps her left arm in front of her, a stylus in her right hand, and clicks Night Slash.
Greninja shoots forwards. Meowstic braces. The water and dark type Pokémon shoots past the psychic type. Meowstic crumples down onto one knee, the attack being super effective. Xena's lips twitch as she holds back a smile. It is her level sixty-two Pokémon against a level forty-four. Meowstic has almost fainted. Greninja looks up to see Xena shake her left hand. He rushes back to their side of the field.
Calem grits his teeth. Xena read his next command. "Disarming Voice."
"Cover your ears," Xena whispers. She follows her own advice just in time for Meowstic to open his mouth and scream.
"Gren," Greninja grunts. His hands are on his ears, trying to keep the super effective attack out.
Xena watches Calem say something to his Pokémon. Meowstic pauses to breathe, and Xena lowers her hands and tells her Pokémon, "Feint Attack."
"Gren," Greninja answers. He disappears.
Meowstic's turquoise eyes widen. Calem hisses as he looks around. Xena listens to him shout, "Sense him before he hits you! Fake Out!"
Xena snorts and nods to her Pokémon. Greninja springs out from the side of the field, slamming into Meowstic's side. The psychic type cries out, and then faints once touching ground.
"Good job," Xena compliments her Pokémon. Greninja smiles and nods, stopping back on their side of the field. "You okay to continue?"
"Greninja," Greninja nods again. He squats down, arms on knees, eyes watching Calem carefully.
"Your turn, Vaporeon!" Calem calls out, releasing his second Pokémon.
Xena silently curses to herself. It's moments like these she wishes she has a grass type on her team. She clicks Extrasensory.
Greninja quickly stands straight. His hands come in front of him. One hand turns into a fist by his throat and the other goes flat, making a line down his face. He closes his eyes, and Vaporeon cries out.
"Stop," Xena whispers. Greninja cuts off the attack and squats again. She sees his muscles tensing as he tries not to show weakness. Psychic attacks may not be his strength, but it does the damage it needs to.
"Aurora Beam!" Calem commands.
Xena clicks her teeth together. "Set to jump."
Vaporeon lets out a flash of blue light.
"Now."
Greninja follows her cue, and jumps into the sky. Vaporeon lessens the strength of his beam, but it allows him to follow the water and dark type up.
Xena looks up and says, "Feint Attack."
Greninja disappears in the air. Vaporeon moves his beam around the air, but hits nothing. Xena purposefully looks away from the thump sound of where her Pokémon dived to the ground. She stares at Calem, trusting her Pokémon to get in position.
"Muddy Water!" Calem commands.
Xena's eyes widen, not expecting that.
Vaporeon cuts off his beam. The blue Pokémon flicks his tail on the ground and calls out his name. Dirty water shoots up from around him, splashing the nearby surroundings. Greninja gets pushed back, caught up in the dirty wave. He coughs and scratches his eyes, but can't seem to open them.
"Follow my voice," Xena says steadily. Inside, she is starting to worry. "Come back over here. One foot at a time."
Greninja listens to her. He moves in two foot hops towards her.
"Quick Attack!" shouts Calem.
"Hold, from your left," Xena tells him.
Greninja pauses and turns to his left, arms crossing in front of him. Vaporeon crashes into his arms, and then springs back.
"Again, Quick Attack," Calem shouts.
Xena sucks in a breath. "Left, hold steady."
She curses the Muddy Water attack. As Vaporeon springs off her Pokémon once again, she clicks Water Pulse. Her watch locks her out of using Hydro Pump.
"On your hands," Xena tells Greninja. "Get the dirt out of your eyes."
Greninja follows her orders and spits pure water on his hands.
"Aurora Beam!" Calem calls out.
Vaporeon backs up a set and sucks in a breath. Greninja splashes the water on his face, and cracks open his eyes in time to see a blue and white beam heading his way.
"Up," Xena calls from her place across the field.
Greninja obliges, but is still hit by a weaker beam. He is thrown higher in the air.
Xena clicks Night Slash. "Dive."
Calem looks confused at her call. "You can't use more than four moves per battle."
Greninja understands and starts charging his arms with a dark power. He tilts his head down to the ground.
Xena smirks. "I'm not using a fifth move."
Greninja speeds towards the ground, and Vaporeon. Xena doesn't see the moment Calem understands. "Quick Attack, get out from under there."
"Va," Vaporeon hums, ducking out from Greninja. The water type looks smugly at the falling Pokémon.
"Now," Xena whispers.
Greninja twists, shooting out lines of dark energy from his arms. Vaporeon goes to run away, but dodging the first beam leads him to turn in front of second one. He lets out a cry and falls to the ground, fainted.
Greninja finishes rotating, landing on his feet and rolling forwards to ease the transition. He quickly rushes back to Xena's side, chirping happily.
"You were great," Xena says, smiling back at him. She slides the stylus back in her watch and then unclips his Poké Ball. "Rest your eyes, and don't worry. Thank you for all the help."
"Grin," Greninja chirps with a smile. He relaxes, eyes closing.
Xena returns him. She looks over at Calem, who doesn't seem all that impressed that he has yet to faint one of her six Pokémon. He only has two left.
Xena nods, and switches to the only Great Ball on her belt. She wonders if he will have a full party next time they battle.
"Let' go, Chestnaught!" Calem calls out.
"Chestnaught!" the grass and fighting type Pokémon calls out. He brings his fists together, and smirks.
"Here we go, Kirlia," Xena says, releasing her psychic and fairy type.
"Kirlia," the smaller, daintier Pokémon sniffs. He looks up at his opponent with a blank look. "Kirlia."
"Seed Bomb," Calem says before Xena can give a move.
Xena presses Future Sight on her watch. She adds on a "please."
Kirlia closes his eyes as the seeds reach their peak. Xena can feel a shift in the air, as if a foreboding future is in store for someone.
Xena smiles, because this isn't the first time Kirlia has used that move. It just means that it will be successful. The seeds are close, so Xena gives a warning to her Pokémon. "Brace for impact."
Kirlia snorts, but opens his eyes and covers his head. He tucks into a ball, making himself smaller. The seeds fall around him, and only a small amount hit him.
Xena presses Psychic on her watch.
"Seed Bomb," Calem grits out.
Xena's eyebrows furrow. She can't help but wonder why he is sticking to that move. The seeds stop getting thrown as Kirlia stares unblinkingly at the grass and fighting type. Chestnaught groans and holds his head in his hands.
Xena waits until the few seeds in the sky start to fall. "Stop and brace."
Kirlia huffs, but blinks and breaks the connection with Chestnaught. He looks up as the seeds start to fall, ready to move if any near him.
"Seed Bomb," Calem says again.
Xena clenches her teeth. Another Psychic attack would be enough, but if Kirlia has to keep dodging he will never be able to get in a good hit.
"Keep it up!" Calem says, smirking.
"Chestnaught," Chestnaught agrees, flinging seeds into the air.
Then the foreboding feeling starts to increase, and Xena remembers what's about to happen. It's not her feeling the attack. Xena smiles and looks to her Pokémon. "Just keep dodging for a little longer."
Kirlia pick up on her mood and rolls his eyes. He appears to be doing a dance that has no choreography as he twists around the seeds. He is hit every now and then from the force of the explosions, but nothing to cause major concern.
And then it hits. Future Sight takes effect. Kirlia finishes dodging a fresh wave of seeds as Chestnaught gives a small whine. That is all the notice given, and then the foreboding feeling leaves and Chestnaught falls face first onto the ground.
Xena sighs, her smile growing wider. She waits until Kirlia has finished dodging the last seeds before calling him over. "Thank you for your help. Way to move out there."
Kirlia rolls his eyes as he is returned. Xena replaces the Great Ball on her belt, and pulls off her freshly evolved, weakest Pokémon to finish off Calem's team.
"Come on out, Sylveon," Xena says.
The fairy type Pokémon chirps excitedly. Previously Eevee, Sylveon is Xena's lowest leveled Pokémon at level forty-four. It is the same level as Calem's final Pokémon, Absol.
"Sylveon," Xena whispers. The smiling, white and pink Pokémon looks up at her Trainer. "Would you please use Moonblast?"
"Syl!" Sylveon says excitedly. She turns to Absol and lifts her head to the sky.
"Slash," Calem calls out.
Absol starts to run forwards as the world takes on a dark, pink shade. Xena tries not to shudder; she still isn't used to it. Then a large, round circle appears in the sky. A blast of white covers the opponent's entire side of the street. Absol stumbles back, panting.
"Quick Attack," Calem says.
"Brace," Xena tells her Pokémon.
"Sly!" Sylveon says. She braces her paws and closes her eyes. Absol slams head first into her. Sylveon flies back a few feet and stumbles. Absol slowly walks back to his side of the field.
"It's okay," Xena tries to comfort her Pokémon. "You're doing fine. Don't worry. You feel like using another attack?"
Sylveon nods, looking determined. Xena clicks Moonblast.
Calem grits his teeth as the sky goes dark. "Hurry, Quick Attack."
Absol rushes forwards, but doesn't escape the beam in time. He rolls backwards, health bar boarding on red.
"Once more, please?" Xena asks.
"Syl!" Sylveon cries. Xena presses Moonblast.
"Quick Attack," Calem tries for one last shot.
Absol doesn't even make it halfway before the beam hits him. When the light returns to normal, Absol has fainted.
"You did it," Xena says, smiling brightly.
"Syl!" Sylveon chirps happily. She rushes up and jumps up on Xena's legs. Xena hesitantly kneels down and hugs her Pokémon. Sylveon wraps her pink feeler around her Trainer as she chirps.
"Thank you," Xena says, leaning back. She unclips the Poké Ball from her belt. "You did great."
Sylveon head-butts the center button on the Poké Ball, returning with a happy cry.
Xena smiles and gets off her knees. She looks over to Calem, and her smile fades to a blank expression. His hand is on his head, eyes closed, and he is turned away from her. Xena looks down to her watch in order to see what he says.
"Why am I still playing catch-up to you?!"
Xena clenches her teeth and looks away. She thought that after the time they've spent building trust, this wouldn't be a problem. Still, there he is, being frustrated. Calem keeps making his losing against her a big deal.
She can understand that this is all he knows. That winning is all he wants, because he wants to be the strongest. She gets it. She understands.
Xena won't relent now, though. They've come all this way, and she won't let her team loose to Calem.
Not when he only has four, under leveled Pokémon.
Not when her team has become her friends.
With two Gyms left, and an entire evil organization to stop, Xena isn't going to yield now.
She's going to make it to the very end, along with Alexander and her team.
She can only hope Calem will come along and help finish this with her too.
;;;
He surprises her by pushing her over to the Gym doors and away from the motionless Alexander and Serena. Xena is on guard, not taking the surprise lightly. She stares blankly at him and waits for him to speak.
Calem has a strange look in his eyes. Xena can't tell what he's thinking, and his wistful voice doesn't reflect his appearance. "My Pokémon are a lot stronger now, but you and your Pokémon are still just a little bit out of our reach…" Calem finally cracks his façade and gives a pained smile. He digs through his side bag, looking more and more stressed as the silence stretches on. Finally, he releases his bag and sticks out a closed hand. "Here."
Xena carefully looks from his tense face to his hand. She holds out a hand, and Calem drops something on her palm as if it scorched him. Xena doesn't look up and see him wince. Instead, she focuses on the light blue stone with an eight pointed star frozen in the middle. Xena feels all her suspicion vanish. She is speechless.
"It's a Dawn Stone," Calem grits out, confirming her suspicions. "Your brother told me you want to evolve Kirlia into a Gallade."
Xena finally finds her voice. She holds the stone back out to him. "I can't have this."
Calem shakes his head and steps back. His smile seems pained as he lets out a slow breath. "Well, just keep doing what you're doing and defeat that Gym Leader."
He turns and leaves.
"Wait, Calem," Xena calls after him. She reaches out, as if to grab him, but Calem keeps walking away. Xena's arm lowers, and she glances to her brother. Then to the place Calem disappeared. Finally, she turns her eyes to the stone left in her hand. She grips it tighter and holds it to her chest. Xena gives a quick nod and then looks to the place her rival left. The path her friend chooses to walk. "Thank you."
She doesn't realize that Calem is just around the corner, leaning on wall of the Gym. She won't know of the pain he will feel for the next dozen minutes. She won't know that he went against everything in him that said to mock her or make a rude comment to try and brush off her win. It took everything in him to give her the stone and not make their friendship go back to square one.
He has put in his effort to make their friendship work. So, when he hears her say thank you, Calem smiles. For the first time, he realizes that friendship might be worth fighting for.
Now, he just needs her to fight to live. He won't give up on his first real friend.
;;;
"My Pokémon are so much stronger now," Serena smiles sadly as she stares unblinking at Alex, "but you and your Pokémon are still one step ahead of us…" She sighs and shakes her head. "Anyway, I'll heal your Pokémon. Here."
Alex hesitantly hands over his Poké Balls, not sure if it is a good idea to hand his rival his Pokémon. He wants her to smile and laugh it off, not stare and robotically heal his Pokémon.
"You and your Pokémon are good enough to beat the Gym Leader." Serena's smile twitches, and she hands back the Pokémon. "Go for it!"
Then she walks away, disappearing around the corner. Alex unsurely clips his Poké Balls back on his belt, not knowing how to react.
"Alex?" Sienna asks, walking from the Gym doors to wrap an arm around his shoulders.
"I hate it," Alex mutters, turning towards the Gym. "I should be happy when I win."
"Calem was acting strange too," Sienna offers. "It's hard to lose a Pokémon battle."
"I miss the saving option," Alex says, chuckling. "Remember when it was all easier to save before battling a Gym Leader or rivals? What will happen when we run into a Legendary Pokémon?"
He isn't surprised when his sister gives him a squeeze before stepping back and letting go. "Just give them some time, I guess." Sienna looks towards the path Serena turned. "We're all sorting somethings out."
Alex nods. He stares up at the mansion-sizes building in front of them. "Gym seven." One more step closer to the Elite Four, the Champion, and waking up. Alex can feel that he is ready, but for what he doesn't know. Will he wake up? Will there be an Epilogue? When all is said and done, will he be happy?
He can only guess the answers will come with time.
"Well," Alex says, smiling. He moves forwards, excited to get another badge. "Let's go!"
Sienna hooks an arm through his and stops him. "Pokémon Center first."
Alex gaps at her in disbelief. "Serena just healed my Pokémon."
"But Calem didn't heal mine."
"Oh, come on," Alex groans, letting himself get dragged to the Pokémon Center. "You don't need a healed team to fight, do you? Maybe you should take up a Potion Nuzlocke."
"Not funny, Alex."
"You're right," Alex chuckles, his free hand ghosting over the Poké Balls on his belts. "I don't think I could ever do any sort of Nuzlocke's after this."
"Good," Sienna mutters.
Alex just chuckles.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon
A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks for being so patient! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Thank you Serilye for your reviews! I know how you feel about the fight; the fairy type Gym was as different as it was difficult on the eyes sometimes. I'm glad to hear about the hints! It was hard figuring out how to slowly build up, but even harder to find the moment to reveal it. Thank you very much for the reviews, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank youkittycatcacher for your review. I appreciate you letting me know. Thank you very much, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
The next chapter is likely to be rather short… so I am hoping to post it in a week or two. I have hopes that I can get back to monthly updating, at least for a few months. I hope you all have a great May, and thank you for reading.
Chapter 45 Release Date: A Sunday in May
