Pokémon Crimson Gold
Chapter 65: Depression of Blackthorn
Ethan and Meganium had traveled far and wide to reach Blackthorn City from all the way in Goldenrod but it seems as they had finally reached their destination. Ethan ran across to the main street to which there were few people on the streets. He took the place in as it would be the rising action to his climax as a Trainer with it being the home to his eighth and final badge.
"We're finally here Meganium, the calm before the storm." Ethan said to his starter who nodded and agreed.
The town was encompassed by a few houses and stores to the right and left of Ethan and his grass type as they walked through the street. The citizens of the city eyed the two as they walked past.
"I don't like the feel of this town..." Ethan whispered to Meganium as they continued walking.
In search of the Gym Ethan finally stopped and went to a floor in which an old woman was sweeping the floor.
"Excuse me ma'am, I'd appreciate it if you could tell me where the Gym leader of this city is." Ethan asked. "Clair, the Dragon Tamer I believe?"
"...You're not from around here...?" The old lady asked.
"No, I'm from New Bark Town, came around here for a Gym battle." Ethan spoke.
"Well, I suggest you stop where your ahead kid." The elder warned. "Clair's different to most gym leader's, she doesn't hold back against challenger's even if they have no badges, she's destroyed the dreams of multiple young Trainer's. She's the cousin of the Champion Lance you know."
"So I've heard." Ethan said before pointing to the badges pinned on his jacket. "Look, I've got these seven badges through patience and a lot of work, even if I lose to Clair it won't matter because I won't give up."
"Meganium!" Meganium reassured the lady.
"Looks like you've got some perseverance, I like it." The old woman said with a smile. "Clair's gym is all the way on the ledge near that river."
"My sincerest thank you. Goodbye!" Ethan said as he ran across the street with his starter by his side.
Across the street was a little boy with spiky red hair who walked with groceries. He wore a black hoodie with circle glasses but Ethan took no notice as he passed him. The boy turned his head wondering where Ethan was going in such a hurry but not watching where he was going bumped into a man wearing a brown trench coat and a hat covering his head.
"Hey, watch where you're going you little bastard!" The man in the trench coat yelled with a mean stare. The little kid looked up to the man only being able to see he had teal hair.
"O-oh, I'm sorry." The boy said lowering his head to bow politely.
"Just move aside!" The man in the trench coat raised his voice as he shoved the kid and walked past him.
Ethan heard the sound of the kid falling and landing on his bottom and so Ethan quickly turned around to see what happened. The man in the Trench Coat walked past him but Ethan didn't let him go.
"Hold on, that was uncalled for!" Ethan yelled.
The man turned his head and glared at Ethan. Ethan's eyes widened as he recognized the look on the man's face, as he continued along his hat flew off the wind and Ethan saw his full head of hair as well as his face. This mysterious figure was Proton.
"No way..." Ethan said in disbelief.
"Megay, gayyy..." Meganium said also stunned, not having forgotten what occurred during their last encounter.
He's here, then Lance and my dad must still be here, they can do something about this, put a stop to him! Ethan thought before pulling out one of his Pokéballs. I-I can stop him...
Ethan felt his body quivering when Meganium nudged him with her face on his cheek.
"Megayyy!" She cried with a determined look.
Ethan turned his face from his starter and with his other hand returned her to her Pokéball. Knowing what happened last time he didn't want her to even be out of her Pokéball for when he took on Proton.
"Sorry girl, but you'll have to sit out for this one, forgive me." Ethan apologized to her Pokéball as he put it in his bag.
Ethan ran across the corner in the direction of Proton to see he was completely gone. Making the young Trainer stressed out even more he ran across the other corner to see he was gone.
H-how long was I just standing there for, don't tell me I'm that afraid of Proton! Ethan thought as he facepalmed disappointed with himself.
"Meganium come back!" Ethan said releasing the Herb Pokémon from her Pokéball. Meganium had a pout on her face and turned away from Ethan.
"I'm really sorry girl but, you're not in the best shape to be battling, especially with a prick like Proton." Ethan explained. "I-I'm sure you understand girl, but I had to."
Meganium dropped her look of annoyance and sighed, still feeling bad about her current situation. Ethan smiled and pet her on her scalp.
"T-thank you for looking out for me..." Said a voice approaching from behind Ethan, he stopped petting his grass type and turned around to see the boy he had just stuck up for.
"It, it wasn't a big deal, I'd do it anytime." Ethan said with a thumbs up.
"I'm Lenny, hey!" The kid said holding his hand out. He looked to be about ten years old or so Ethan judged.
"Ethan, hi." Ethan said reaching his hand out and shaking the kid's hand.
"I see you have seven badges, many come here to challenge the Gym leader, but I haven't seen any I can recall with that amount." Lenny said releasing Ethan's hand.
"Well, I guess people think to fight someone like the Dragon Tamer then they should do it when she's supposed to hold back as they're beginners." Ethan said. "Only I was told Clair doesn't hold back!"
"Yeah... it's not like her, to lose battles..." The kid said with a sudden sad expression.
"What's wrong?" Ethan finally asked.
"I-it's nothing..." Lenny said raising his head. "I've got to get these groceries home, so anyways, thanks again Ethan..."
Lenny turned around and walked back, Ethan turned to Meganium and whispered in her ear.
"Something's off about this place, it's giving me a bad feel..." Ethan told her. "I haven't seen her yet but somethings up with that Gym leader, what was it Kenneth said...?"
….
"But I was just in Blackthorn, and I took on that Gym leader, the Dragon Tamer Clair, and I lost, I came here taking out my anger on that Team Rocket lady and then once she was gone on you, again I'm sorry."
"It's fine I already forgot." Ethan smiled. "But this Clair is really that strong huh."
"Yeah, extremely strong." Kenneth remarked.
….
"A-anyways, we should probably be getting on to that next gym." Ethan said walking past Meganium. "Come along girl!"
To Ethan's surprise, all the way across the street was a small explosion from the front of a store, alarming Ethan and the folks on the porch of the establishment who just barely escaped.
"Run!"
"What was that!?"
"Some debris almost crushed me!"
Ethan instantly began running over there along with Meganium at his full speed confused and startled as to what was going on. The explosion had come from in the same direction Lenny had gotten to.
"What's going on here!?" Ethan yelled with a demanding voice as he approached the smoke cloud, to his surprise out from the smoke was clearly a Team Rocket member.
"Move it!" The grunt yelled running from Ethan. Right behind the man was a black pearl-like Pokémon encased in a light-gray shell surrounded by a second jagged blue-violet outer shell casing a hidden deep black face.
"That Pokémon's a Cloyster!?" Ethan remarked. He turned around and yelled at the bolting grunt to get back, but it was then when he heard a powerful footstep taken behind him.
Ethan turned to see a beautiful older looking woman with pale skin, blue eyes and light blue hair tied in a ponytail with a beige hair band. She wore a black and maroon cape with beige shoulder pads, a two-tone blue and light blue skin-tight bodysuit with blue knee-length high heeled boots with black anklets.
Behind her was a long, serpentine Pokémon with pink scales and a white underside. It had a rounded snout, oval purple eyes and a white horn on its forehead. On each side of the Pokémon's head were white wings which were curved into a swirl.
"W-who're are you?" Ethan asked with the lady paying no attention. Although in his mind he had a pretty good guess who she was.
The lady with the blue hair turned to her Pokémon and raised her arm. "Dragonair, halt that man!" She commanded.
The Pokémon know revealed to be Dragonair slithered over to the grunt who turned around to face it along with his Cloyster.
"So that one's called Dragonair, huh." Ethan said taking out his Pokédex to read up on it.
"Dragonair, the Dragon Pokémon. They say that if it emits an aura from its whole body, the weather will begin to change instantly."
Dragonair's image in the Pokédex has it with blue skin, but this one is different, just like my Gyarados this one must be a shiny... Ethan realized.
"Just leave us alone, we were just passing through this town!" The Team Rocket grunt pleaded with the woman. "I may be wearing the Team Rocket, but I'm just a regular pick pocket, I swear!"
"You stole from the city's bank. And even being with Team Rocket is enough to earn my wrath!" The woman snarled with a disgusted look on her face.
"Let's go get a better look Meganium!" Ethan said as he ran along with his starter to get a gaze at the battle before them.
"Fine then, looks like we'll have to battle!" The grunt yelled. "Cloyster, you've got the type advantage so you'd better win this!"
"Cloyster!" The pearl-like Pokémon cried.
"Type advantage is meaningless in the presence of my Dragonair." The woman claimed. "Dragonair, we don't want too much collateral damage, so we'll end this quickly!"
Dragonair turned its head to its Trainer and nodded its head before focusing its attention back to the Cloyster.
"Cloyster, end it in one hit with Aurora Beam!" The Team Rocket grunt ordered.
"Cloy... Ster!" The Cloyster roared as it fired a dreadful ice type beam at the shiny Dragonair.
"H-hey, tell your dragon type to dodge, that'll inflict super effective damage you must understand!?" Ethan told the woman who still paid him no attention. Not even a bat of an eye.
Dragonair was hit head on with the Aurora Beam and was pushed back some before getting the hang of its footing. The dragon type slowly began slithering over to the Cloyster raising its tail in a battle-ready position.
"Cloyster, at full power!" The grunt yelled beginning to grow with further fear. It didn't matter how much the Cloyster tried as eventually the Dragonair reached it in direct range of an attack.
"Dragon Tail!" The woman demanded.
Dragonair spun its tail which was engulfed in a purple aura and smashed it across the Cloyster's shell making it fall back on its back.
"But how, that shouldn't be effective in the slightest!?" The grunt nervously cried out.
"Now Wrap and don't let go!" The lady said.
Dragonair with its tail wrapped it around the Cloyster's shell, raising it into the air as it struggled to be set free but failing.
"Flamethrower!" The dragon user commanded.
Dragonair opened its mouth revealing scorching hot flames hotter than the sun itself. It sprayed down the weak Cloyster with its fire before dropping the unconscious water and ice type.
"Clo... cloyster..." It muttered as it was knocked unconscious.
"H-how did I lose...?" The grunt exclaimed as he withdrew his Cloyster. "We, we had the type advanta-" He was unable to finish as Dragonair used its tail slamming the grunt in the back making him fall to the ground unable to move.
The woman walked to the fallen grunt who was just barely conscious himself before crouching on her knees to get on his level.
"Do not forget, the only thing that can defeat a dragon type is another dragon." The woman declared. It was the last thing the grunt heard before fainting from the pressure and weight of Dragonair's tail.
"Dragonair, off." The woman ordered to which Dragonair followed.
"E-excuse me." Ethan said going up to her and grabbing her on the arm. The lady quickly turned to Ethan with an irritated look on her face causing Ethan to take two steps back in fear.
"W-woah, I'm sorry!" Ethan apologized putting two hands up. "I just wanted to know if you're the Gym leader, Clair!?"
The woman seemingly being Clair took one look at Meganium's scar on her underbelly and simply scoffed. "Your Meganium won't be enough, you're not ready." Clair paid Ethan no more attention and simply walked past him bumping into his shoulder.
"Megay!?" Meganium said shocked.
Ethan feeling disrespected raised his voice. "Hey, that's what we're not going to do!" He yelled with a bit of fierceness in his voice.
Clair made a sharp turn at Ethan glaring at him almost as if she could see into his soul. Ethan shuttered feeling afraid of her and took another step back.
"I mean ugh, that's what we're not going to do, if you're okay with that!" Ethan said with a nervous chuckle.
Clair ignored Ethan and again walked past him, but to her surprise she bumped into someone and looked to see Lenny, the kid Ethan helped out earlier.
"Oops!" Lenny said, holding flowers in his hands. He looked up to see Clair and Clair's eyes shot up with anger and she looked away from the boy.
"I-I brought you these flowers, please, take them..." Lenny said trying to hand them to Clair. "I-I'm sorry Clair, here, for her anniversary."
Her... Ethan thought.
"And what interest do I have with those, deliver them to her yourself..." Clair said walking past the little boy marching off along with her Dragonair. The boy had a saddened look on his face before turning to Ethan and Meganium.
It all made sense to Ethan now, he plugged the pieces together remembering further what Kenneth had told him.
….
"But I was just in Blackthorn, and I took on that Gym leader, the Dragon Tamer Clair, and I lost, I came here taking out my anger on that Team Rocket lady and then once she was gone on you, again I'm sorry."
"It's fine I already forgot." Ethan smiled. "But this Clair is really that strong huh."
"Yeah, extremely strong. And she's angry, I overheard some talk of someone close to her I think a sister or a brother having died a year or two ago, and she hasn't been the same since." Kenneth explained. "I wouldn't recommend pissing her off, alright."
"Wow, she lost someone, that sucks to hear." Ethan muttered. "Well, I have no plans to make an enemy out of her!"
….
Clair's in mourning, that's why she's this way. Ethan realized.
"Hey again, Lenny." Ethan said with a smile trying to cheer the kid up. "Y-you alright?"
"I-it's fine, nothing at all." Lenny said not looking Ethan in the eye.
"This might not be in my place to ask, but you're related to her, right?" Ethan asked making the kid suddenly uncomfortable. "Did, did something happen to that Clair, did, did anyone... pass?"
"T-that isn't in your right at all!" The kid yelled marching past Ethan opening the door to a house with a key before slamming the door.
"I-I'm sorry..." Ethan mumbled to which no one could hear him. He turned to Meganium who had a confused look on her face.
"It's fine girl, I shouldn't have asked that." Ethan said placing his palm on her cheek, it was then however when he heard the voice of a man all too familiar with him.
"Clair, my cousin, we're back." Said the voice of Lance, behind him was Allen, Ethan's father. They walked up to Lance speaking with her right in front of Ethan and Meganium from about ten feet.
R-right in front of me, is dad...!? Ethan panicked in his mind, after all he was disobeying the man's direct order in when he said he should. He knew he'd have to confront his father eventually, but at the moment he just couldn't do it.
Ethan thinking fast took notice of how the door to Lenny's place didn't appear to be locked and he quickly opened the door letting him and his grass type inside.
"W-what are you doing!?" Lenny freaked out to which Ethan instantly shushed him.
"I-I'm sorry, but please, let me stay in here with you for at least a little bit." Ethan whispered. The boy looked confused but understood.
Ethan hid right beneath the window trying to hear what Lance his father and Clair were speaking of.
"Did you deal with the Team Rocket sympathizers you promised you two would?" Lance asked to which Ethan heard from outside.
"Oh, please Clair, you know those matters are to be dealt with, that is the obvious." Lance claimed before growing a tense look on his face. "What I came here for is a much more serious matter, I came to pay my respects, it's the second-year anniversary since..."
"I don't want to hear it!" Clair said turning around and walking away from Lance and Allen, Allen with a surprised look on his face.
I knew it, someone did pass... Ethan made notice of.
"How much longer do you need to stay?" Lenny said kneeling down next to Ethan whose back was still facing the wall. "Are you trying to hide from those two for some reason, since you defended me earlier, I'll repay my debt and let you stay for however long."
Ethan smiled and gave a thumbs-up really quickly not paying the kid too much mind as he was trying to fully focus in on the conversation outside.
"Clair please..." Lance said placing his hand on his cousin's shoulder. "I know how hurt you are, but she was still your sister, but you can't just try and hide your pain with stoicism."
"Pain! What do I have to feel pain for!?" Clair screamed at her cousin smacking his hand off her shoulder. "Crystal was the one who had to kill herself, what do I have to feel pain for!?"
"C-Crystal!?" Ethan whispered out loud instantly facing up to his starter who also recognized the name. How could they not.
….
Not long after his battle with Silver, Ethan ran off to a Pokémon Center to get his Pokémon healed up, instead of sitting at the center like he usually did he left the town and watched the stars.
It was then when Ethan noticed a girl sitting on a bench near the court he had faced Silver, from afar she looked like Lyra.
"T-there she is." Ethan quietly muttered as he made his way over there.
"Hey, I think I need to apologize." Ethan said, putting his hand on her soldier.
The girl turned around; Ethan was surprised to see she wasn't Lyra. She was a fit young girl with fair skin. She had teal hair, and wore a white jacket, a crimson-colored turtleneck, along with yellow bike shorts.
"Looking for someone else?" She asked, Ethan sighed and nodded.
"My mistake, sorry about that." Ethan said as he turned around to go.
"Hey." The girl said, trying to stop him.
"Oh, I don't have any Pokémon on me right now if you're looking for a battle." Ethan told her.
"That's okay, I'm not looking for a battle." The girl said, easing Ethan. "Doesn't the city look beautiful from here?"
"It does, I'm guessing you're not from around here?" Ethan asked.
"No, actually Ecruteak is my hometown, I'm just visiting." She told Ethan.
"Visiting, then what're you doing over here?" Ethan said.
"Same as you I suppose." The girl said. "Or maybe rather my time here is already complete.
"Who are you?" Ethan finally asked.
"My name is Crystal, but most people call me Kris." She told Ethan.
….
"I... heard story of an incredible sounding Trainer from this city who collected all eight badges. A young girl named Kris, whatever became of her." Ethan asked with a serious look on his face.
"Kris... that name is taboo to be used here In Ecruteak..." The one in purple said.
"Taboo... okay I'm sorry, I never realized." Ethan apologized.
"But wait, we said in Ecruteak, but not in our theater." The Kimono girl in red stated.
"Thanks, well, is what I heard? Did this Kris really die?" Ethan asked with many questions.
The one in red made direct contact with Ethan and nodded her head yes.
"I'm sorry, but the tale of Pokémon Trainer Kris is a tragedy. she was a Trainer who showed all Pokémon kindness and had potential to become the next Pokémon League Champion." She spoke.
"So how, how did she die. What kind of sicko could kill such a wonderful person like that!?" Ethan asked.
"Kris was not killed, she committed suicide." The one in yellow said on the verge of tears, completely shocking Ethan. "Her body was found in a cave hanged by a noose next to a suicide note in which she wrote the world was better off without her and that she didn't deserve to live."
"T-that's awful, I'm sorry to hear that." Ethan said sadly. "No one should take their life in any circumstance."
….
"Crystal, Kris..." Ethan muttered to which alarmed Lenny before him.
"How, how did you know we called her Kris!?" He asked alarmed. But Ethan simply ignored him. He walked up to a shelf in the room noticing a picture frame, he held it and recognized the girl in it. She was a slim, beautiful young girl with rosy cheeks, fair skin, and spiky teal blue hair tied in low bunches from behind the ears. It was the same Kris he had met at Ecruteak on that bench from all those weeks prior.
"How, how do you know her!" Lenny yelled with a soft whisper possibly about to turn to a yell. Ethan gently set the frame down and turned to the boy.
"I-I'm sorry, for your loss..." Ethan said. "S-she was your sister?"
"M-my cousin, but still, I asked you a question." Lenny spoke up louder in a demanding tone.
Before Ethan could answer the boy's question he heard from outside, his father's voice.
"It's no use Lance, everyone grieves in separate ways, why don't we let her to hers..." Allen asked.
"I, I suppose it's best." Lance said. "For now, I guess I'll be going to Kris's grave separately..."
"Didn't you want to check on your other kid brother Lenny first, wasn't this his home." Allen said pointing to the house which alarmed Ethan.
"Oh yes, I haven't exactly forgotten." Lance said opening the door to the house. Ethan could feel his heart skip a beat as the time for confrontation may be coming sooner than he'd have liked.
Damn it, damn it damn, it, I've got to act now! Ethan freaked.
Lance entered the door with Allen behind him who closed the door behind him, Lance finally took one glance at his young brother Lenny who looked up at Lance with a smile.
"S-so you're here, big bro." Lenny said as Lance smiled and gave his brother a hug.
Allen looked around the house and was surprised at what he had seen before him. "Hey, Lenny, since when did you get a Meganium?" Allen asked staring at the Meganium before him.
From outside the back window Ethan had opened it and jumped. He sat down on the ground exhaling excessively fearing getting caught, his whole journey might've been put on a halt otherwise.
Dad, dad left before he saw Bayleef evolve, no way he knows Meganium's mine... Ethan told himself trying to convince himself he was safe.
"Me-Meganium!" Meganium said with a fake smile as Allen who approached her.
"Yeah, I was just about to ask that Lenny?" Lance said to the boy who grew a look of discomfort.
"O-oh, Meganium, well this kind stranger... a woman, stopped by here and left her starter with me, I-it's a ride Pokémon, yeah!" Lenny lied off the top of his head.
Allen took notice of the scar on Meganium's under belly and examined it carefully. Meganium herself was a bit scared of what conclusion Allen could come too but didn't wish to blow her cover so she stayed perfectly still.
"Yeah... a ride Pokémon all right..." Allen mumbled turning his attention away from it, he then took notice of the back window and began to take steps closer to it to which Ethan heard.
S-shit, he knows I'm here! Ethan began too almost panic.
Allen looked out the window seeing nothing, Ethan had taken a few steps to the right getting out of his father's vision through the window ducking down with his head in his legs. Allen simply closed the window shut.
"We wouldn't want a wild Hoothoot or anything getting in, would we?" Allen asked making both Ethan and Lenny relieved.
From outside Ethan covered his face and once again sighed. He had narrowly escaped his father, but the subject of Kris did not escape him. Ethan stood up and gazed into the crystal-clear sky.
Kris, just who the hell are you...? He wondered.
That was an entertaining chapter to write, the mystery of Kris thickens, and I promise to keep it as interesting as possible. Also, not sure who cares about me among my audience, probably not a lot of you but today's my birthday, and for you guys reading this in the future that's July second. So today I'm turning eighteen which is awesome, I only wish I turned to fan fiction a lot sooner, anyways as we approach the final chapters of this story I'd like to thank everyone for reading, and by final chapters I mean they should be bare minimum at the very least twenty more, so yeah, as always please leave reviews nothing makes me happier and I read all of what you guys write, I appreciate the comments, and the criticism, just the same.