Chapter 432
"Swirls of Beauty"
Prince and Mandy casually traversed the unpaved dirt as they progressed closer to the tower in the distance. The massive silver block in the distance was miles away from where they currently were, it would be a long journey on foot.
The vastness of Atlantis was overwhelming. Had it been a miracle that The Swords awakened so close to Peridot Tower or destiny?
A turbulent gust of wind tossed Mandy's golden blond locks into her eyes, "So Ash saved his friends," Mandy attempted to craft a conversation to pass the time.
Prince, with the legs of a soldier, marched onward, "…Looks that way."
Mandy, ankles already sore from their trek, pulled her hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear, "How long do you think it'll take us to get there?"
Prince took a deep breath and turned to her, "You tell me. You're supposed to know this terrain."
Mandy paused in her stride, "Well, Sonya and my task was to guard Peridot Tower. We didn't worry or think about the other towers."
Prince blinked his eyes. So was the woman accompanying him useless? Or did she have anything productive to offer their journey besides fruitless conversation and slowing them down to talk because her body wasn't accustomed to long hikes.
Only patches of grass and columns of trees stood between them and the tower in the distance.
"If we press on we can make it there and back before midnight." Prince motioned.
Mandy suggested, "Can't we use your pokemon?"
Prince turned to Mandy, "We've no idea what's waiting for us at the tower. I'm not tiring my pokemon out when there's a chance they may have to battle a powerful opponent."
Mandy groaned, "We're really going to walk the entire way?"
Prince crossed his arms, "Unless you've got a better idea." He waited-and-waited but there was no alternative offered, "Let's go," he shrugged, emotionlessly continuing the hike.
His brother, Carlito's, sentiments in the foyer echoed in his mind. Leading soldiers was very different from leading civilians. If Prince was leading a platoon or a division of military-minded warriors, he'd excel. However, if leading a flock of individuals it would be a train wreck
Mandy was merely an example of Carlito's words blossoming into reality.
Soldier or civilian no longer mattered in Prince's mind. They were basically at war with this Sithis. Like a guerilla fighter, everyone and everything was a weapon. To Prince, everyone that sided with the Swords was a soldier in their army. Trained or not, they were all soldiers in the war against Sithis.
"Maybe I should have gone with Ash," Mandy muttered.
"Maybe you should have." Prince agreed.
"I don't mind being with you, Prince but," Mandy said with a downward twist in her mouth, "Can we just take it a little easier?"
"No," Prince shook his head, "We can't. This is bigger than you and me. We have a camp full of children, us and it just got bigger. There's only so many rations and water to go around. According to Sonya, the faster we get the towers back online, the faster the problem with food and supplies goes away for us. Which means a new set of problems to deal with that we aren't even thinking of."
Mandy plucked the single pokeball from her belt and stared at it, "A Poliwhirl is all I have," she moaned.
Suddenly, Prince stopped, "Poliwhirl?" He turned to Mandy. "Did you say you have a Poliwhirl?"
"Yeah," Mandy held up her pokeball.
Prince suddenly plucked a pokeball from his belt. He thought of the psychic and hypnotic abilities of Poliwhirl and how Poliwrath was his favorite water pokemon. "I have a Milotic. Wanna trade?"
Mandy's jaw nearly hit the floor, "You'd really trade a Milotic for a Poliwhirl?"
Prince nodded, "Milotics are beauties of the sea. They can battle but their beauty is better suited for someone that can bring the best out of them in that way. Peace is the way of Milotic."
Mandy thought for a moment, "I think I get it. I mean, it's not a trade I would make. A rare Milotic for a Poliwhirl."
"I don't know if you have a mind for battles," Prince admitted, "but I'd prefer a Poliwrath in battle."
Mandy smiled, "So I get an already fully evolved Milotic?"
Prince held out the pokeball, "That's right."
Mandy smiled, "And traded pokemon get extra boosts in power when they battle right?"
Prince nodded.
"Well," Mandy teased playfully, "With great power there comes great responsibility," she smiled.
"You gonna pass this up or not?"
"Okay," Mandy decided, "Let's do it," exchanging pokeballs with Prince, "Does Milotic have a name?"
"Meru." Prince answered. "Does Poliwhirl have a name?"
"Nope, it's just Poliwhirl." Mandy smiled, cradling her new Milotic. "This long walk actually turned out to be worth it, in the end."
"Yes," Prince smiled, "It did."
Both pocketed their new pokemon.
"Oh, another thing to keep in mind," Mandy added, "In Atlantis most of the guardians use at least one water-type so-"
Prince cut her off, "I've got an electric-type."
"Oh," Mandy smiled, "Good, so these battles shouldn't take too long."
"We'll see." Prince resumed the long hike.