Chapter 6: Certitude Over the Impossible

Even with the constant black cloud of uncertainty that was seemingly permanent inside their minds, both Hatterene and Karthaniel still held on the highest optimisms that the young trainer's parents will be found alive eventually. With the next Gym Challenge awaiting them at Hulbury, Sir Davis was confident that he'll finally experience a full on battle with the dynamaxing and gigantamaxing included this time. After that small kiss they shared during a hearty breakfast, the anthropomorphic Silent Pokémon already made a mental promise that she'll solely take care of the demon in order to make it so. Of course, that also means that she should also keep her eyes and ears open for any agents of that mysterious facility she had escaped from. She knows they're on her trail and vowed to make sure they never lay a hand or a master ball on her…

…by any means necessary.

In the meantime, Karthaniel and all of his pokémon continued on their way towards the next nearest town: Motostoke. Again, the peaceful atmosphere of the small city made the young mentally challenged trainer smile from ear to ear and Hatterene followed suit.

"Welcome to Motostoke, Karthaniel." She started playfully and with serenity in her angelic voice. "There's no Gym Challenge here, but it's the perfect place to unwind a bit and relax."

"That's something you and the other pokémon should do first before I'm tended to." Karthaniel pointed out in response in a just as playful manner. "You took a few battles along the way and all, but you, leveled up nicely. How come you won't gain any experience?"

"I'm at level 100 already. I was held captive for over ten years before I escaped. Remember?"

"Ah! Of course! That makes sense. Still, you took quite a few beatings with the others. Couldn't quite handle those copperajah, even with your Mystical Fire, huh?"

"Next to that bloody demon, I hate those metal elephants! Glad you were prepared as I expected. I hope you will be fully prepared when we get to Hulbury."

"I swear it." The two then engaged in a loving embrace for the next thirty seconds. At the last three seconds, Hatterene took a couple of sniffs of the young trainer's body and nearly gagged.

"Oof, oh dear… you could use a shower, Sir Davis. How about your pokémon and I tend to ourselves at the Pokémon Center while you head on over to that small hotel over there? I'm sure that, just by telling them your name, they'll let you just use a bathroom in one of the rooms at no cost. We'll catch up to you later."

"Heh, heh! First of all, I'm taking no offense to that. Secondly, that's an easy task. You all be careful now." After that was said, the two shared one small peck on the lips before the two parted ways, having the rest of Karthaniel's pokémon pop out of their pokéballs on their own along the way and follow Hatterene towards the Pokémon Center.

When Sir Davis got inside that said building, the young blonde female concierge at the front desk immediately recognized him without saying a word and approached him with enough enthusiasm to keep the mentally friable trainer smiling.

"Karthaniel Harrison Davis, correct?" She started in a sweet voice. He nodded twice in response. "You must be exhausted from your journey so far. Are you here to stay for a while or just for a quick wash-up?"

"A quick wash-up, if I may. I have my pokémon at the Pokémon Center healing up on their own as we speak at the moment." Karthaniel replied.

"Understandable enough to me. I'll lead you to a free room. You can use it as you wish at no charge. Take as long as you need. And hey, don't even hesitate to stop by the beauty parlor just down the street from here afterwards. Judging by how your beautiful your eyes look, you've gotta have the perfect hairstyle to match it. That long shaggy look on your brown hair doesn't suit you very much."

"Well, I do miss my parents enough to take your idea into consideration. I'll think about it as I clean myself up. Thanks for the tip in the meantime."

"You are very welcome, Sir Davis." She took a bow of morality after that was said, making the young trainer feel beholden. "Just call if you need anything."

"Will do." After that was final, Karthaniel followed the young woman towards that free room near the very end of the hall and he was allowed inside by her. "Oh, and just so you know, one of my pokémon is the most exquisite Hatterene you'll ever see. Keep an eye out for her and allow her to lead her way towards me with my other pokémon companions, okay?"

"I've heard of her. Can't wait to see her!" The two nodded once towards each other before Karthaniel closed the door behind him and got to freshening himself up right away.

Meanwhile, at the Pokémon Center…

Rillaboom was the last to be healed as Hatterene kept a close eye on both the rest of Karthaniel's pokémon and her surroundings simultaneously. It was looking as casual as possible in terms of the latter, but within the front windows of the facility, her eyes lit up blue as she saw a pair of silhouettes that appeared to be holding hands as they walked in the very far distance. She couldn't make out who those two mysterious figures were, but she didn't sense any evil on them at all. They did look… vaguely familiar to her, however. Two minutes later, the famous chime of the male Drumming Pokémon being fully healed sounded and it made the anthro Silent Pokémon turn towards him for a moment as he approached her. As soon as he did, she took a moment to look back out the same window and was completely flabbergasted to see the enigmatic shadows had vanished completely. This made the others look at her with apprehension as they all started to walk out of the center.

"Is everything alright, milady Hatterene?" Rillaboom asked as they walked towards the hotel as the most tightly knit group of pokémon Galar has ever seen.

"With me, I'm perfectly fine." The fretful Silent Pokémon replied as she kept her now black eyes with white pupils focused on the path ahead. "I just saw, what seemed like, a pair of mysterious human-like silhouettes walking in the distance from the center. They appeared to be holding hands as well. They kind of looked familiar."

"And you didn't know who they were?"

"Couldn't make it out, even with my enhanced powers. Telling this to Karthaniel will be an absolute must." At that last word, they all arrived at the hotel and the same female concierge gasped with astonishment as she saw the anthropomorphic Hatterene for the first time.

"…Holy shit! Karthaniel was right!" She started with amazement. "Hatterene, you are very beautiful indeed."

"Why thank you. Is he here?"

"Actually, you just missed him. He took my advice to go to the hair salon not too far from here. His shaggy long hair was looking a bit unkempt from his arrival. He didn't take offense to that at all and didn't waste any time after he freshened up. You'll definitely find him there."

"Again, thank you so much. By the way, before I get to him, did you see a pair of humans walk by here?"

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"No reason. Let's go, all." The group headed back out of the building at that second statement and didn't even take them a full thirty seconds to reach that said salon just in time to see Karthaniel with a brand new hairstyle walk out of the building. Not only was he dressed in a fresh titanium silver leather vest with baggy brown khakis and silver and white sneakers with black laces, he rocked a badass half-shaved silky smooth hairstyle with the right side being clean shaven while the left side was as luxurious as Hatterene's own long periwinkle and pink gradient colored hair. She deciphered the meaning of the style immediately. "Well! Karthaniel, I'm impressed. You've decided to let your hair match the love to your parents and your rebellious personality perfectly. You look very handsome."

"Thank you, Hatterene." Karthaniel replied with utmost sincerity as he summoned the rest of his pokémon back inside their pokéballs, leaving the anthro Silent Pokémon standing before him alone. "I feel completely free with this new hairstyle, especially since they also changed the color of my tattoos to that stainless steel silver as well."

"It's the true you. That's all. Shall we continue on our way to Hulbury?"

Several minutes later, along the Motostoke Outskirts…

"Two furtive human silhouettes?" Karthaniel repeated with curiosity after Hatterene just explained the entire experience while they continued walking peacefully together. She nodded twice. "And you also say that they appeared to be holding hands, correct?"

"Yes." Hatterene replied. "Even with my enhancements, I couldn't figure out who they were. Although, they did look a bit familiar to me. If you were to see them, what would be in your mind? The obvious, I assume."

"And I dare not say it aloud, yes. A sight like that would probably send me over the edge immediately."

"That's what I'm here for, Sir Davis. Aside from this, though, I'll need to tell you about the Hulbury Gym Leader. Her name is Nessa. She's just as young as you are, but her expertise in the water-typing is incredible. Probably well beyond her years."

"It's been years since I've known an expert trainer in the water type. They make the simple every day substance seem deadly. I'll need Rillaboom and maybe my trusty Magnezone for this one, but again, you'll be right by my side…"

"…just in case." At the Silent Pokémon's last word, the two finally approached a cave entrance and this made Karthaniel shutter a bit. "Uh, oh. What seems to be the matter, Sir Davis?"

"Caves make me a bit perturbed, especially with this lethal mental disease I've got right now. What is this place?"

"It's the Galar Mine. It's not a long journey through it and Magnezone will put that Flash Cannon to exceptional use against anyone who gets in the way. I'll assist him when necessary."

"I hope so. I can sense him… he's waiting… at the other end of the cave. He knows I'm coming…" That's when Karthaniel had to lean up against the mouth of the cave's entrance and massaged his eyes in agony for a few moments as he suffered a debilitating headache, making it feel more like a migraine. "Ugh! It hurts!"

"Calm down, Karthaniel." Hatterene's eyes lit up the usual light blue once more as she allowed her hat claw to gently lay upon the top of his half shaven head for more comfort. She then looked into the mine, scanned the entire interior within her mind, and did indeed see that all-too-familiar demon waiting patiently at the other end and at a good distance from Hulbury. He stood there with his arms crossed, the most malevolent smile on his face, and chuckled with a wicked tone. Many people walked through him as he was an invisible entity towards them as she saw him as well. "Oh, bloody Hell. You're absolutely right. Maybe mentioning those two shadows was a bad idea."

"No-no, Hatterene. I needed to hear that. Since I'm already presupposing the palpable as to who they could be, it's no surprise that this would happen. My mind's already in that battle and nothing is touching him."

"It's the nervousness already built up inside of you just by entering this cave. It's blocking your ability to counterattack. I've got you as usual… and if you want to continue this adventure, you have to be strong alongside me."

"Yes, ma'am." The headache was gone at that last word spoken by Karthaniel. He shook it off afterwards. "You lead the way, then."

Twenty minutes of a stroll later…

"Ahhh!" Karthaniel screamed as they were just ten feet away from the exit and he not only felt his head throbbing in extreme pain again, but now his chest felt like it was set on fire as well. Hatterene had to use her Psychic and hat claw combo again to keep him on his feet. "Damn it!"

"Karthaniel! Remember what we discussed back at the campsite!" Hatterene reassured in a nearly panicked tone of her angelic voice. Many mining workers watched this at a safe distance with concern and curiosity, including young Bede, who just pushed his way through the small crowd to get a better look. "You have to try to fight this dispute!"

"It's… intolerable at this rate." The two were struggling to move forward towards the exit as Hatterene volunteered to push him through gently, but at another five feet…

About time you made it, Karthaniel Davis. Your parents are still waiting for you in Heaven. They miss you.

"That… is not… true!" Karthaniel found the strength to stand up straight with just his chest burning as he held on to it with his right hand. Hatterene healed his headache as she stood up with him. "I know they survived. I swear it on those shadows."

Humph! Those weren't THEIR shadows. Hatterene has deceived you.

"Shut it, you bastard!" Hatterene screamed towards the demon as she had her hat claw ready for another shot of Dazzling Gleam. "You apparently saw them as well. I'm not as cynical as you are, but I do believe in my heart that it could be them, despite the fact that I truly couldn't make them out."

Stop with your lies! Karthaniel… KILL HER! At that command in the deepest growling tone of the demon's voice, the pupils within young Davis' anomalous eyes grew to the point of nearly taking over his one blue iris and one brown iris once again and he was under the spell as he viciously shoved Hatterene away from him, making her slide all the way back towards Bede's location in front of the crowd of mine workers, who jumped back for just a millisecond. KILL HER NOW!

"KARTHANIEL! NO!" Hatterene screamed at the very top of her lungs as she allowed the young rival of Hop's to assist her to her feet. She tried to avoid harming him at first by just using Psychic again to push her trainer back with all her might, but to no avail. Karthaniel kept pushing against it with his strong arms crossed for added protection. "Ugh! Don't… don't give up on this battle. You can… defeat him!"

Ha, ha, ha, ha! It's useless, Hatterene! You both will never beat me! His parents ARE dead and there no way you can prove it!

"…" The anthro Silent Pokémon became truly silent as she was at a loss for words after that was said. She knew the second half of the latter statement was the absolute truth and she welled up in tears, but she still kept a straight face of bravery as allowed Karthaniel to grab her by her arms and was ready to rip them off, but the hat claw gained a mind of its own and finally shot out a Moonblast instead, completely erasing Dazzling Gleam entirely, and it was heading towards the demon. He's never seen such a powerful fairy-type blast before and he couldn't evade it in time before he was blasted back to where he came once again and Karthaniel immediately snapped out of it. He showed this by slowly letting go of Hatterene and then, collapsing to the rocky ground before everyone into a unconscious state.

Ten silent minutes later…

"He's coming to." Announced a random young male voice within Karthaniel's ears as his anomalous eyes were slowly opening up to have blurry vision for a few seconds. As soon as he was in full focus, he slowly sat up to find himself in a blanket covered cot at a Pokémon Center. Hatterene was sitting on her knees next to him on his left the entire time with her famous hat in her hands out of respect and love for the young trainer. The voice had come from Bede, who was just arriving with Nessa and three other anonymous bystanders. "What the bloody hell was that?"

"Bede! Mind you manners!" Nessa scolded as she kindly pushed through him, making him look offended as usual. "This is Karthaniel Davis. He's severely sick and we must be respectful of him."

"Sick with what exactly? Looks like a very healthy young man to me."

"Ugh! I'll explain it to you later. Anyway…" The young water type Gym Leader approached him opposite of Hatterene with an honorable smile to match her glowing ocean blue eyes. "…It's truly a pleasure to meet you, Sir Davis. My name is Nessa. I'm the water type gym leader here at Hulbury. Milo and Leon already gave me the lowdown on your situation and, just like with your first challenge, I'll completely skip the puzzle challenge and just go straight to the battle against my personal best team. I'm sure you can handle that this time, now that you've already saw and suppressed that demon at the cave exit earlier."

"Indeed, Miss Nessa." Karthaniel replied as he held a slender hand and kissed it like a true gentleman, making her slightly blush with astonishment. "Sorry if the story of the experience traumatized you prior to my awakening."

"Huh! First of all, you're such a nobleman for someone with a mental disease like yours. Are you really a genius as well, like Leon said?"

"Yes, but thanks to my horrifying experience I had prior to my arrival here in Galar, my constant mental battle to prove my parents' survival seems stronger than my genius status. You have heard of that accident, right?"

"Yeah. All of us gym leaders have heard of it and we haven't heard any updates since that day. I guess that demon that only you and Hatterene here can see is the representation of that struggle within your mind."

"Yes, exactly. Fortunately, we've taken care of him already. Hatterene, I hope I didn't hurt you. As soon as he told me to kill you, I tried with all my might not to obey him, but he's just too strong."

"You gave me quite a scare and your grip upon my arms was really strong, but you never obeyed him." Hatterene replied sweetly, which only made Bede slightly jump back with a flummoxed look on his face, which was completely oblivious to the three upon the center's floor. Nessa never flinched, however. She knew from the get-go that she could talk and smiled upon hearing her sultry angelic voice. "I completely replaced my Dazzling Gleam maneuver with Moonblast and it didn't kill him, but he did retreat once more." She laid a slender hand upon a tattooed pectoral with compassion after that last word, which shocked Bede again. "I hoped I wouldn't harm you again and it worked."

"Thank Arceus for your presence, Hatterene. I truly wouldn't be alive without you by my side." The two then shared a heartwarming embrace, despite Karthaniel still sitting on the cot. This made all of the others, except Nessa and Bede, sigh in awe within the building. The water type gym leader just laid a hand upon her chest with integrity while the young snobby male trainer just crossed his arms with utter skepticism. After a full thirty seconds, the two slowly broke away from the embrace and deeply looked into each other's eyes for ten more before the two then engaged in a passionate kiss that shocked everyone this time, including Nessa. The tongue wrestling lip lock lasted for about another thirty seconds and Karthaniel even volunteered to hold on to Hatterene's hat for that moment as well. After that was over, the pokémorphed Silent Pokémon got her hat back and stood up at the same time Nessa and Sir Davis did as he dusted his vest off with buoyancy. "I love you."

"I love you too, Karthaniel." Hatterene replied as the two were now holding hands before everyone. "Nessa, we're ready when you are."

"Uh… sure." The water leader shook off her shock as she muttered this for a moment. "I'm not even gonna ask questions about what we all just witnessed. Let's just get it over with peacefully. To the Hulbury Stadium!" At that last word, the three of them casually walked out of the center and the usual hustle and bustle resumed as if nothing happened. Bede, however, just couldn't believe everything he saw and heard. He had to stay standing at his current position by the small shop to take it all in. During that time, he noticed a shifty looking Asian man in a lab coat watch closely as those three walked by him outside. Bede decided to head out and have a chat with him for a moment out of curiosity.

"Excuse me, sir." He started kindly. The man never flinched, but didn't expect anyone to talk to him. He continued to listen anyway. "Are you curious about this Hatterene as well?"

"I'm not only curious." He whispered to the young trainer. "I've been sent here to track her and help with the capture."

"Huh? What for? She belongs to Karthaniel."

"Technically, she doesn't belong to anyone. I've been given strict orders to get her back to a facility hidden off the grid that you all don't know about. Everything there is confidential."

"Hmmm…" Bede got into deep thought mode as he continued to watch Nessa, Karthaniel, and Hatterene make their peaceful walk towards the stadium. "…but, everything she's been through so far with him…"

"It's all a shield to protect her from us. She won't be free for long. We've got staff working with me as well inside the stadium. We've got her as soon as she's away from that retarded trainer." Bede chuckled at that second to last word with crossed arms.

"Heh, heh… retarded. Perfect way to put it because I honestly don't believe he can be a genius and have a mental illness simultaneously. It's as impossible as a normal type attack hitting a ghost type."

"You… agree with me?!"

"How could I not? If you believe that all this protection, praise, and romance is all just a charade playing the role of a shield, then so do I. I may be young, but unlike Karthaniel, I'm not retarded. I'm much smarter than him and probably stronger than him as well. What is the facility you speak of? I'd love for you to be rid of Hatterene."

"We want her alive."

"I know, but still. I'd like to help. I've already got Hop to deal with. I don't need a retarded trainer rubbing in the salt even further."

"Hmmm… promise you won't blow our cover?"

"I promise."

"Interesting. What's your name?"

"Bede."

"Well, Bede… listen and listen good, my friend…"

To be continued…