1/6/2020
First update of the new decade! Also, I am aware of my absence since last July. A lot has happened between now and then, with work, school, and future projects.
The truth is, while I haven't lost interest in this story completely (that will NEVER be the case), it has taken a backseat for some of my future projects. I'm currently in the process of writing and developing three new Pokemon stories, with brand new protagonists, as well as two Attack on Titan stories and a TMNT 2012 story (which has been in the works since early 2017). I'm also developing a new book/animatic series that I plan to publish sometime in the future, so that has been eating up most of my time. Despite this, I have every intention of finishing this story - I can't stop now, especially since we're so close to the end!
To make up for my absence, I'm giving you a triple update. I'm posting both this chapter and the next one together, but Chapter 103 - oh boy Chapter 103 I can't wait until you read Chapter 103 - will be posted later tonight. I have so much to say about that one, so I'll save it for the end.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or anything related to it. I only own Alice, my OC.
Chapter 101
Drayden Versus Iris: Past, Present, and Future!
The next day, once we've left Shannon, the Elder, and the Village of Dragons behind us, Iris begins to lead the way to Opelucid City. Thankfully, she's much more eager than she originally was whenever the topic of Opelucid City was brought up.
Maybe Drayden has something to do with the reason why she doesn't like to go to Opelucid City? When we first left Cynthia's house, she was so nervous at the possibility of traveling through there. But why?
She's not exactly quiet when she's talking to herself, though: "I wonder why Drayden acknowledged me the way he did? ...No matter! He wants to battle be, so I'm gonna do my best! I've got to!"
I rest a hand on her shoulder and give her a friendly smile. "That's the spirit, Iris! We'll be rooting for you, as always."
It'll be great to see Iris challenge a Gym Leader herself. I've only seen a handful of other Trainers battle Gym Leaders before, like Bianca with Elesa, and Cameron with Marlon. I rarely see Iris battle, but when I do, I know I'm in for a real treat.
"Look! It's Opelucid City!"
At Cilan's voice, the two of us turn back to the path before us. In the distance rests a collection of colorful buildings with thin black outlines. Numerous towers stretch up to the skies, and even from this long way, I can see the forms of people moving among the streets.
"There it is!" But even as the words leave her lips, Iris still looks doubtful.
Once we get into the city, I'm relieved to realize it's much more spacious than it looks on the outside. Citizens move in and out of shops and restaurants at a normal pace, and some small Dragon-types like Axew and Dratini are at their sides. There aren't as many as there are in the Village of Dragons, though.
Suddenly, my eyes are glued to a pair of boys we pass on the road. They're not dressed in normal kid clothes boys would usually wear, but rather dark blue jackets and matching shorts. They each have black dress shoes on, and they both have backpacks strapped on their shoulders.
The sight of them is enough to make me stop in my tracks, and my friends soon follow. "What are they wearing, some kind of uniforms?"
Iris nods at my question. "Yup. They're students."
Students? "From where?" There's a school here, too?
It's not long before Iris leads us down the road and to the right. She stops in front of a large white building with a red roof and multiple stories. It's quite fancy, but I guess it fits in with the rest of the city.
"This is Opelucid Academy—where students learn all about Pokémon types," Iris tells us, a tint of pride in her voice. "The curriculum here is super intense."
Cilan nods at this information; I'm guessing this isn't new to him, with him being from Unova, after all. "I've heard that talented Trainers from all over the Unova region attend here. It has a great reputation."
Really? We don't have anything like this back in Kanto. I mean, I guess we had that one Pokémon school Brock and Misty and I learned about in our early days in Kanto. But it was full of students who had serious attitude problems, complete with a girl who thought she was the best at everything she tried. To be honest, I don't like to think about that school.
But other than that, we've had a few Trainer schools here and there, and I remember seeing one in the distance in Striaton City when I first came to Unova, but I haven't seen anything as fancy as this before.
"They're number one..." Iris sighs, shaking her head. "Of course, they should be. Drayden's the academy president, and he personally invites every Trainer to come here."
This makes my jaw drop. "Wait, Drayden's the Gym Leader and the Opelucid Academy President?!" It's not unheard of for Gym Leaders to have other occupations, as seen with Cilan, Skyla, and Elesa, just to name a few. But this is a huge one! Both require so much responsibility and skill to manage. Drayden must be incredible to deal with all the pressure.
Iris nods to me. "Amazing, right?"
She turns her head to the right, and in the distance, I can see the large Opelucid Gym above the trees. A startling white building, it has the heads and necks of two black Dragons wrapped around it, as if they're challenging anyone to come closer.
I try to be encouraging, though, no matter how intimidating Drayden or the Gym seems. "And he challenged you. What an honor!"
She sighs, pressing a hand to her chest. "Stay calm, Iris," she whispers to herself, "stay calm... Find your happy place..."
Cilan frowns at her sudden change of attitude. "Is something wrong?" he asks in a gentle, concerned voice.
Suddenly, her head shoots up, and her chocolate eyes are as wide as Poké Balls. "I can't battle him!" She runs off in a flash, disappearing down the road behind us.
I whip around, trying to keep an eye on her. But she's too fast, and soon, she disappears down the corner of the street.
"Iris!"
"Wait!"
Cilan and I do our best to run after her, but there's no sign of her once we turn the corner. We continue down the path, though, but we can't find our lovable Dragon Master-in-training anywhere.
Soon, we find ourselves in what appears to be the heart of the city. The two of us stop to catch out breath.
"I hate when she does this," I mumble, pulling on my jacket. "She knows we can't keep up with her!" I look around, trying to spot her wild purple hair in the crowd. "Where did she go?" But I can't find anything that even remotely resembles her.
She could be anywhere by now! Where could she have run off to?
The sound of sirens suddenly fill the air, and when Cilan and I look for the source, we're startled to see Officer Jenny racing down the street in her trusty motorcycle. By her troubled expression, she's in a bit of a hurry.
A nearby pair of civilians, one man and one woman, begin a conversation rather loudly, so Cilan and I have no problem overhearing them.
"I heard someone's doing something really dangerous," the man starts off, shaking his head in disapproval.
The woman nods, closing her eyes. "Yes. It's a girl on the tower."
A girl?! On a tower?!
It doesn't take long to put the puzzle together. The minute Cilan and I look at each other, we're running down the street in the same direction Officer Jenny drove off in. And indeed, we can see a large red tower in the distance.
Finally, when we reach the tower, we realize we're not the only ones there. Already, a small crowd of people has gathered around the base to gaze upwards. Officer Jenny attempts to talk to the girl on top with the use of a bullhorn.
It's Iris! I knew it!
"You are not allowed to be up there without proper authorization!" Her tone is harsh enough, and I actually flinch. It doesn't help that her voice is amplified through the horn, either. "Come down here at once!"
Cilan and I manage to push ourselves through the crowd, and soon, we're right behind Officer Jenny. I cup my hands around my mouth before shouting, "Get down! You could get hurt, Iris!"
At this, Jenny turns to me, her blue eyes dark. "Iris? Not her again!"
"Again"?! Wait, she knows her?!
Iris seems to know her, too, and she sends us a nervous smile. "I'll be right down!"
It takes only a handful of seconds for Iris to climb down with ease, but when she does, she races over to us with a bright smile on her face. However, that smile is soon chased away by Jenny's fierce look.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Climbing that tower is dangerous! What would've happened if you'd fallen off?" Iris is silent throughout the entire tirade, which only makes Jenny angrier. "Are you listening to me?!"
"...Sure!" she chirps, smiling yet again. "Of course I'm listening!"
Jenny lets out a defeated sigh before turning to all three of us again. "Don't ever do that again. Understand?"
"Yes..."
Once she hops back on her motorcycle and drives away, I'm about to give Iris a piece of my mind. But before I can even open my mouth, another voice joins the conversation.
"Iris?"
Our heads whip around to the left, and we see an elderly woman smiling at us kindly. She has white hair pulled up in a bun and wears a light blue dress with a white apron tied around her waist.
"I knew it had to be you!"
At her voice, Iris jumps to her side. "Martha!" She throws her arms around her, and the woman graciously returns the hug.
Meanwhile, Cilan and I just stare at each other. Who is she?
After all introductions are out of the way, the woman, Martha, begins to lead us to the Opelucid Academy. On the way there, Iris fills us in on her life in the city a little bit.
"You really went to school here, Iris?" I guess that explains her apology to Drayden yesterday. She mentioned she dropped out of school... Did she mean this?
She nods at me. "Yup. And Martha was my dorm advisor. She took really good care of all the girls in the dorm. She's the best!"
Martha smiles at the eleven-year-old's excitement. "Iris was the most troublesome student this academy has ever seen. Oh, the memories!"
It makes sense. I can't see Iris sitting quietly in a crowded classroom for eight hours straight. She prefers the fresh air, just like I do.
"Have any of you had lunch yet?" Martha suddenly asks. "You should eat before you go over to the Gym."
At this, Iris frowns at her. "How did you know we're going to the Gym?"
"Somebody told me you'd probably be arriving today."
Just when she says that, we reach the entrance of the Opelucid Academy. However, we're not alone. On the steps stands Drayden himself and another man, who appears to be either a lawyer or some kind of businessman. He looks very official, though.
Drayden? What's he doing here?
"I heard what happened," he says in a neutral voice, turning his gaze to Iris. "Did you calm down?"
A dark blush claims her face before she replies shakily, "Uh, I'm fine, thank you."
"I suggest you have lunch. I'll come get you after my meeting." He nods to the man in the suit, and the two of them begin to walk away.
As they vanish into the distance, Iris lets out a huge breath. "It always feels like he sees right through me. I'll never feel comfortable around him." But even with the small smile from Axew, that familiar glow doesn't return to her dark cocoa eyes.
Martha takes us to the main cafeteria in the academy, where she quickly fixes up a small meal for us. When she's done, she sets a plate of sandwiches down, as well as a plate of berries on sticks for Iris. She also gives Pikachu and Axew small plates filled with Pokémon food and tiny berries.
"Here you go. Eat hearty."
At the sight of the berries on sticks, Iris gasps in delight. "You remembered my favorite snack!"
Martha smiles warmly at her. "Of course, dear."
She snatches one up and holds it out, admiring the blue and pink berries. "This really takes me back. You used to make these to cheer me up when I was down. Thank you so much!" She takes a big bite out of one of the berries before giving Martha a smile. "It's still just as good as before!"
As I take a bite out of my own sandwich (which is very good, might I add), I turn to Iris, who's seated next to me at the table. "What were you studying here, anyway?" At my question, Iris frowns at me. "I bet you were studying about Dragon-type Pokémon, right?"
I can't imagine her staying in a class learning something she's not interested in. But maybe if she was studying something she loved, maybe she would put up with it?
But Iris looks away, her head tilting down in sadness. "...To tell you the truth, I don't like to think about those days and the bad memories." But when she sees my face falling, she rolls her eyes playfully and turns back to face me. "Fine, I'll tell you. You're such a kid sometimes."
"No, you are," I laugh, shoving her playfully.
But her smile suddenly vanishes when she asks, "Remember when I told you how I battled Drayden and lost?"
Cilan nods at her. "That was the battle with Excadrill, right? When he became unresponsive?"
"Yeah..."
How could I forget? She may have told us that story months ago, but it's still fresh in my head. I could relate to her story so much, since I went through the same thing with my Charizard at one point. Luckily, we were able to work through it, and so were Iris and Excadrill. They just needed some time to sort out their differences.
"After our battle," Iris begins, her eyes glossing over, "the Village Elder came to me and had a suggestion. I could go to Opelucid Academy and learn all about Dragon-types. The idea sounded like so much fun at the time. So I left the village, and I enrolled in all the Dragon-type courses at the academy. But...there was a problem."
She shakes her head at this, and a soft smile stretches across her mouth.
"I'd never even seen a textbook before. I knew how to read, but the vocabulary they used was so advanced, I'd never even heard of it before. And I had no idea how to study or anything. Fitting in was really hard. No one here had fun, or played like the kids in the Village of Dragons. Everybody was so busy all the time, I couldn't make any friends."
My heart squeezes painfully at her story. Luckily, I've always been surrounded by friends and family. I've never had any bad luck with making friends, so I've never really been lonely. I can't imagine having no one but yourself to rely on.
Martha smiles sadly at the purple-haired girl. "They were only trying to fit in the way they knew how." Then, she turns to me and Cilan. "All the students live together here in this dormitory. The students don't use their own Pokémon in class."
To this, I frown. Where's the fun in that? I would be almost depressed if I couldn't use Pikachu in any battles if I went to school here.
"They use the academy's," Martha explains once she sees my reaction. "That's why they seem stand-offish. They were trying to adjust to that."
I can't argue with that. "But students need to have fun once in a while. I don't think there's anything wrong with that." Besides, it must get so boring to study all the time. You need a break eventually.
Cilan nods in agreement at my statement. "Right. Learning, competing, and playing together—they're the spices of life. Without the spice, the school experience would be tasteless and bland."
At this, Iris smiles almost sheepishly. "That's basically what happened. I got so lonely I stopped eating." But right as the words leave her mouth, she takes another bite out of the stick of berries in her hand.
Martha chuckles at this. "I thought if I made this, it would cheer her up."
"And that's exactly what it did!"
After we've finished eating, Martha takes us on a tour of the dorms. On the way, we pass multiple students in the same uniforms as before. But this time, I can see some girls, too. Instead of the shorts, they wear skirts to match their dark blue jackets.
Suddenly, when we get to a certain hallway, Iris runs over to the third door on the right. "This used to be my dorm room!"
Martha takes out a key and unlocks the door. "It's empty right now," she explains before pushing the door open.
We're granted with the sight of a tiny room with bleak cream walls. A little bed with a white mattress rests in the far corner, and against the wall near the huge window, a desk is placed delicately. On the area on the wall next to the desk, however, there are a few crayon marks and drawing. With a smile, Iris immediately goes to said drawings.
"Iris was the only student here who ever drew on the walls." I can't tell if Martha is proud or disappointed when she says this.
Iris must think it's the latter, because she smiles shyly and blushes. "I'm sorry, Martha."
Upon closer inspection, I realize the drawings are of many different Pokémon and people. I recognize Shannon and Excadrill, as well as a Pidove and a Deerling.
"They're from the Village of Dragons, right?" Cilan asks. To this, Iris nods, looking proud of her work.
And then another drawing catches my eye. On the very top, above Excadrill and Shannon, are three figures. The one in the middle isn't hard to place at all; I know it's Iris from when she was little. But I don't recognize the man and woman next to her.
The man has dark brown hair and matching brown eyes, and he wears a wide smile. The woman, however, has long purple hair, much like Iris, and has blue eyes instead. They're both dressed in tan leggings and gray shirts, and the woman has a cream-colored skirt around her waist.
I can't help myself: "Who're they, Iris?"
I'm expecting her to yell out that it's none of my business, but she simply shakes her head and smiles. "Oh, that's my mom and dad. You see...they were never around," she adds awkwardly. "But it's okay! The Elder took really good care of me, and so did Shannon and her dad! And so did all the wild Pokémon who lived nearby."
She speaks of it like it's the most normal thing in the world. But I guess she doesn't have much of an emotional attachment to them, if she never met them properly. But still, she drew pictures of them, so I'm guessing she still loves them.
Maybe they passed away? Maybe they left and never returned?
But I don't want to think about that for too long; I don't want to upset her. So instead, I turn my attention to the huge window, which grants us a grand view of the city below. "You can see everything from this window—even the tower!"
Iris holds back a laugh at my excitement. "It is a great view from here," she agrees with a smile. "Thanks to Martha, I started eating again...but I was still really lonely. I thought to myself, maybe if I climbed to the top of the tower, I'd be able to see home. So I did." Her face suddenly falls at the memory, and she presses a hand to the wall; near the drawings of the parents she never knew. "But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see home."
Martha shakes her head at the story. "The climbing incident was a first for the academy. Everyone, including President Drayden himself, was stunned."
"Officer Jenny gave me a real good scolding," Iris adds, laughing nervously. "Although...I kept climbing up there without anyone knowing about it."
Martha seems shocked at this revelation, but I simply smile. I know her too well by now, I kind of expected it. "I'm not that surprised. You don't let anything or anyone stop you."
"The fresh air must've reminded you of home, and that calmed you down," Cilan realizes with a soft smile.
It all falls into place. "That's why you climbed the tower before. You were stressed out."
Iris nods before looking down at the floor. "I never fit in here. I knew that all along. But I did the best I could. I tried really, really hard. And then, one day, during a battle class with my assigned Pokémon—a Fraxure—something happened that would change everything."
She swallows hard before continuing. This story must be a lot for her to get through.
"Even though Fraxure was tired, I kept telling him to attack. We lost the battle, and Drayden called me out on this. He said Pokémon aren't always able to do what we want them to do." Her fists clench up tightly all of a sudden. "I realized I wasn't trying to communicate with Fraxure; I just kept giving him command after command. I wanted to be as good as everyone else. I was falling behind, so I needed to catch up as fast as I could. I felt so anxious."
She clears her throat before continuing:
"Then, one day, when I was on the top of the tower, I looked out to find the Village of Dragons again. But instead, I saw Shannon and all my Pokémon friends, like they were made of sunshine. I could see them so clearly." But she smiles and shakes her head. "Now, I know they really weren't there, but it felt like everyone back home was with me."
It makes sense, I guess. The homesickness hits hard, and you remember all the ones you love at one time. "And then you went back home, rift? To see them again?"
She nods, smiling sadly. "The Elder understood why I came back home. I lived in the Village of Dragons for a while after that, and then I left on my journey with Axew."
What a story. Now I can see why Iris was always so reluctant to get anywhere near Opelucid City in the first place. She didn't want to face Drayden's disappointment.
Soon, Iris takes us to the battling corner of the academy, which is stationed outside in the fresh air. A few Pokémon are gathered outside in the courtyard. And instantly, Iris runs to one of them.
"Fraxure!"
The Dragon-type looks up at the familiar voice and smiles once he sees Iris running towards him. He meets her halfway, and the two of them embrace each other tightly.
"It's so good to see you!" But then, she turns serious, and she looks Fraxure right in the eye. "Do you remember when we battled together in class?" At this, he nods. "I'm sorry I didn't understand he you were feeling. I was wrong."
Fraxure jolts in surprise, but accepts her apology with a happy smile. In return, Iris grins, as well.
"Isn't that touching?" Cilan comments next to me. "Iris and Fraxure's hearts have blended."
I can only nod in agreement. It's so nice to see Iris connect with Dragon-type Pokémon. She's going to be a great Dragon Master someday.
"Fraxure," she says, petting his head, "I'm going to battle Drayden very soon, and I'm going to use everything I've learned from our battle!" Fraxure nods and cheers, which makes Iris's eyes widen. "You're going to cheer me on? Thanks, Fraxure!"
But the two of them are interrupted when a familiar figure walks over to us. The intimidating form of Drayden practically towers over her, but Iris doesn't seem as bothered as before.
"Sorry for the delay. Shall we get started?"
"Sure!"
Now, we're inside the Opelucid City Gym, which looks just as intimidating on the inside. Two more dragon heads stare down at the battlefield on each side. Iris and Drayden have taken their places across each other, and Cilan and I are on the side, with Axew and Pikachu on my shoulders.
Still, after so long, I'm not used to sitting on the sidelines during a major battle like this, especially against a Gym Leader. Sure, I've done it with Bianca and Elesa, and Cameron and Marlon, but still, it strikes me as weird.
Good luck, Iris.
The referee nods to both of them before raising his arm up. "The battle between Iris and Drayden, the Opelucid Gym Leader, will now begin. Trainers are allowed to use two Pokémon each, and the battle will be over when both Pokémon on either side are unable to continue. Begin!"
Drayden silently throws a Poké Ball, and it bursts open in a flash of blue and white light. A hefty Haxorus takes shape in front of him on the field. But despite its intimidating appearance, Iris merely smiles.
"Haxorus? Then I know who I'm gonna use. Excadrill, come on out!"
She throws a Poké Ball, as well, and Excadrill appears before her. He flexes his claws and focuses his steely glare on Haxorus.
It's just like their battle from before. No doubt Excadrill's remembering how Haxorus beat him.
Drayden nods at her choice. "I remember Excadrill. What kind of battle will you present to me this time?"
"Excadrill, Metal Claw!"
Just like his Trainer, Excadrill wastes no time in getting down to business. He charges and leaps for Haxorus, his claws brimming with an iron coat.
"Haxorus, block it!"
At Drayden's voice, Haxorus crosses his arms in front of him to block Excadrill's attack. However, Excadrill's strength has improved, and Haxorus slides back under the force.
Drayden nods in approval at this. "It appears Excadrill has gotten much stronger. What is your next move?"
Excadrill looks over to Iris, who smiles widely at him. "We los last time, but now we're gonna win! Excadrill, use Dig!" And Excadrill buries himself underneath the battlefield in a flash.
Haxorus looks around slowly, anticipating where Excadrill will come out from. Suddenly, the ground right in front of him bursts open, with Excadrill jumping out.
"Dodge and use Rock Smash!" But Haxorus' speed is surprising, and he manages to dodge the swipe Excadrill sends his way.
"Use Focus Blast!"
As Haxorus' tusks glow with an amber color, Excadrill forms a bright blue orb of energy between his claws. With a battle cry, he releases the orb, and Haxorus slashes at it with his tusks.
However, the orb proves to be too much for Haxorus, and he grunts under the pain, sliding back against the ground again. Excadrill lands safely on the field, directly in front of Iris.
She cheers at her Pokémon's strength. "That'll show 'em how much stronger we are! Now, use Drill Run!"
"Giga Impact!" Drayden commands.
While Excadrill curls himself up in a drilling position, Haxorus surrounds himself in a golden cloak of power. The two of them surge forward before crashing into each other. Smoke spills out from the impact, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
When the smoke clears, I look over at the field, only to see both Pokémon lying on their sides. Black swirls have taken their places on their faces.
"Excadrill!"
"Both Haxorus and Excadrill are unable to battle."
With a soft smile, Iris holds out Excadrill's Poké Ball. When he returns to it in that familiar red jet of light, she turns to the Ball. "You were great, Excadrill. Take a good rest." Before she clips it back onto her belt, the Ball twitches in response.
Excadrill's definately stronger than before. He managed to take down Haxorus, so that has to count for something, right?
Meanwhile, as Drayden returns his fallen Haxorus back to his own Poké Ball, he gazes over at Iris. "Your battle strategy has made me reaffirm that I indeed judged you correctly. The wait is over. Druddigon, go!"
He tosses another Poké Ball, and in another bright flash, a Druddigon appears in front of him. The muscles underneath its rough blue skin flex dangerously, and it stretches its mighty blue claws. Through its threatening red jaws, I am spot two rows of sharp teeth.
"A Druddigon?" I find myself wondering aloud. "Who's Iris gonna choose?"
But she only smiles as she throws another Poké Ball. "Dragonite, let's do this!"
Her fierce Dragonite takes his spot on the battlefield across Druddigon, letting out a fierce roar when he does. He fixes his sharp glare on Druddigon, who returns it without hesitation.
A smile graces Cilan's lips when he sees Iris's chosen Pokémon. "Excellent choice! Those two heavyweight Pokémon should cook up a spicy hot battle."
Yeah! Dragonite is quite the powerhouse of a Pokémon, and he knows some strong moves, as well. And he's been listening to Iris whenever they've battled. They should be able to do very well.
"Here we go. Dragonite, Thunder Punch!"
"Druddigon, block it!"
Just as Dragonite swings his fist, which is clouded with electricity, Druddigon crosses his arms out in front of him. Just like Haxorus, he's able to avoid taking damage from the attack, and soon, Dragonite bounces back, gritting his teeth.
"Use Dragon Claw!"
Druddigon's claws on his right hand stretch out, glowing with miraculous blue power. With a roar, he swipes at Dragonite, and manages to nick him. In response, the orange dragon winces, clutching his shoulder in pain.
But this makes me frown. "Why didn't he fly and dodge it? He could've done it!" He's proven just how fast he is in the Junior Cup, so why didn't he do the same right now?
Cilan's face falls slightly at this realization. "Since Druddigon can't fly, Dragonite wants to keep it even. Iris is going along with Dragonite's wishes."
I mean, it makes sense that Iris would respect his wishes. And I guess I can understand why Dragonite doesn't want to fight unfairly against Druddigon. But that could put him in real danger at some point!
"Druddigon," Drayden yells out sharply, "use Flash Cannon!"
"Flamethrower!"
Both a silver beam and a stream of fire shoot out from the dragons' outstretched jaws. The beams of energy collide in the middle of the field, canceling each other out.
"Now, Thunder Punch!"
"Use Double Team!"
Just as Dragonite lunges for Druddigon, he splits himself up into multiple copies and surrounds Iris's Pokémon. He grits his teeth and begins to look around wildly for the culprit.
Meanwhile, Iris stays as calm as ever. "Just relax! Only one is real."
Dragonite nods to her before closing his eyes. When I steal a look at Iris, I realize she's doing the same.
They're communicating without words. Is this the true power of a Dragon Master? To be able to understand Dragon-types in ways like no one else can?
Suddenly, their eyes snap open, and Dragonite slams an electric fist directly into the Druddigon in front of him. He cries out in pain, and the copies vanish instantly.
"Yes! He did it!"
Iris smiles at my praise. "Keep up the pressure! Ice Beam!"
At this, Cilan smiles widely. "Ice Beam is super-effective, and even Drayden's Druddigon won't be able to withstand those back-to-back attacks!"
"She can beat him!" You can do it, Iris!
But Drayden's not letting her get ahead of him. "Block it!"
Druddigon crosses his arms out in front of him once more, just as the beam of ice leaves Dragonite's mouth. It hits him straight on, but when Dragonite stops, I realize Druddigon's not reacting in pain.
Instead, a small block of ice has gathered at his arms, freezing them solid. But with a powerful burst of strength, Druddigon rips his arms free, the ice flying off in little chunks and shards.
Now, both Cilan and I are staring at the field with open mouths. "It just shook off that Ice Beam!"
And Iris gulps, looking a bit worried. At this, I bite my lip. She's come so far, she can't quit now!
Come on, Iris. I know you can do it.
My words seem to reach her, because she smiles determinedly before calling out another attack: "Dragonite, Dragon Rush!"
Dragonite launches himself up in the air, his tiny wings curling up. With a roar, he allows himself to be submerged by the blue outline of a dragon, and he zooms down towards Druddigon.
She's got him now!
"Druddigon, counter it, now!"
But Druddigon's power is not to be played with. Amazingly, when Dragonite gets too close to him, he throws out an arm and actually catches Dragonite by the throat. The orange dragon yelps out, the blue outline vanishing at once.
He stopped Dragon Rush right in its tracks!
"Now, use Dragon Tail!"
Druddigon wastes no time in throwing Dragonite to the ground, and Iris's poor Pokémon has no time to recover before Druddigon slams his glowing blue tail directly into his stomach. Unfortunately, this finishes Dragonite, and he falls to the ground, his eyes replaced with black swirls.
"Dragonite is unable to battle. Druddigon wins, so the victor is Drayden, the Opelucid Gym Leader."
But this announcement doesn't seem to bother Iris at all. Right now, she's rushing to Dragonite's side, and when she gets there, she sinks to her knees. Resting a hand on his cheek, she asks, "Dragonite, are you okay?"
He lifts his head and grunts softly, his eyes slanting. But he doesn't seem angry at her, which is a good sigh.
"You were awesome. Thanks, Dragonite." She reaches over and hugs him, and surprisingly, he accepts this.
Cilan and I run over to her, and when we get there, Axew leaps down from my shoulder and into Iris's hair. I bite back a laugh at the sight.
"That was some battle, Iris." But I can feel my face falling a little. "Drayden's a powerful Gym Leader, isn't he?" I kind of wish I had the chance to battle him earlier.
"We thought you had Drayden cornered," Cilan sighs, "but I guess we were all wrong. I'll bet he wanted to see your potential by bringing out the strength in both of you."
Just as Iris nods, a familiar shadow crosses her own. The three of us gaze up at Drayden's towering form, and he nods to Iris.
"You've obviously made good friends. Your journey was the right choice. There's no doubt that you've grown a lot, but you mustn't stop there. Continue training, become even more powerful. And as you do, I hope you'll come back and visit."
Iris stares up at him the entire time, and when he finally finishes speaking, she nods eagerly, her chocolate eyes shining. In my opinion, I've never seen her look so happy.
It's sunset by the time we make it back to the academy to meet up with Martha. As the four of us stand outside the academy entrance, Iris fills her in on the whole story.
The elderly woman chuckles at Iris's enthusiasm. "Actually, the one who recommended that you go on a journey in the first place was President Drayden."
At this, Iris's jaw drops. "Are you serious?!"
Martha nods, never losing that warm smile. "He visited the Village of Dragons and met with the Elder. He figured you would learn at your own pace among the fresh air, and she agreed. In fact, he sees you as a worthy successor of inheriting the Opelucid Gym one day."
What?! The Opelucid Gym?! Iris, a Gym Leader?!
I'm surprised Iris doesn't faint upon hearing this, but I think she's close to. "You're kidding me! Me, the Opelucid Gym Leader?!"
"It's such an honor!" I find myself telling her with a huge smile on my face. Who could pass up that chance?
"Delightfully delicious! An amazingly sweet opportunity!" Clan agrees with me.
But Iris isn't having any of it. She turns to face us, and I can see just how nervous and anxious she looks right now. "Wait just a second! I feel like I've just been hit in the head with a ton of bricks!" She begins to wring her hands together, biting her lip. "How do I deal with this? It's weird!"
It must be a lot of pressure, but it sure sounds exciting! To inherit the Opelucid Gym someday—to Iris, it must sound like a dream come true!
But of course, I can see why she's a bit hesitant. I mean, she's only eleven, and she must feel like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. I can see if she still wants to have fun and all. Being a Gym Leader's a huge responsibility.
"Let her think it over and decide for herself if she wants to become the Gym Leader," Martha speaks up, nodding to Iris. "That's exactly what President Drayden said. Yes, the Village Elder, Drayden and I—we all have high hopes for you."
Iris gazes at her with soft brown eyes before looking down. "I see..." But in a flash, she's smiling again, and those eyes have never been brighter. "Then I'll do my best to live up to your expectations! ...But I think I'm gonna need some more time to make a decision that big," she adds almost sheepishly, a blush crawling up to her face.
Martha chuckles at this. "Of course, dear. Come back and visit us whenever you like. We'll be here."
"Thank you!"
Once we've said our goodbyes to Martha, we're back on the road towards Vertress City. And as a sense of comfort wraps around the three of us, I throw an arm over Iris shoulders.
"I can't let you get ahead. We'll just have to win the Unova League. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pika!"
So, a Pokémon Master-in-training ready to compete in the Unova League, and a Dragon Master-in-training on the road to inheriting a Dragon-type Gym.
Our futures are definitely looking bright!