The morning of departure, Dragonite met my sister and me out front. Our Pokémon were contained in their balls, and with two backpacks filled with clothes we were ready to depart for our temporary living arrangements. I had forwarded the information to Arren and Penelope who had confirmed they would meet with me two days after we arrived. My mother waved us good bye from the door, as we hopped onto Dragonite's back. Much to her dismay, Elaina and Sarah had to travel to Eon, to provide updates and receive further information concerning the coming battles. Granted, Elaina had teased that our reunion would be 'exotic' before she left.
"Will Mom be okay without us?" Emily asked, glancing back to our Mother.
"She'll be fine for a little bit. Delilah will keep a safe watch over her. If anything, I'm sure Delilah will teleport themselves out of harm's way," I replied, as Dragonite took off in a single jump. Without protective gear, I found myself sliding but Dragonite's claws secured themselves around both our legs keeping us in place. I held my sister tight, noticing her hair smelled of strawberries and was slightly wet.
"Big brother?"
"Yeah?" I asked, turning my head so I could hear her over the roar of the wind whipping past our faces.
"Will you help me evolve Chris? I wanna get stronger before we head out on our Pokémon Trainer journey."
I smiled at my little sister's question before responding with an affirmative squeeze.
"Anything for you Em."
I could practically see the smile on her face. Shifting my weight on his back, I stared down at the ground beneath us recognizing several towns as they came in and out of view in rapid succession.
"Where are we landing?" I called out to Dragonite. I received no response. The wind blew harder as we sped up, and I felt my gut start to shift with uneasiness. Resettling myself in my seat, and pulling my Pokewatch out, I grew aware that we were leaving the Unova region. Just as we came out over the ocean, a small island emerged. The plot of land was smoothed out and large enough for the mansion and two fields to train on. One had been cleared away to resemble a Pokémon Gym ring, while the other was full of trees and a cleared dirt field for training. As we descended I noticed that human sized dummies hung from trees and were planted in the field for practice against numerous targets.
"It's huge," my sister whispered back to me, as Dragonite landed smoothly catching our weight easily. As I slid off, my eyes took in the massive house which extended before us. The three story behemoth extended in both ways, with massive columns which supported its magnificent size. White marble stairs extended up to two large wooden doors the size of five Dragonites on top of each other.
"Welcome to our home away from home," Eon's Pokémon said, as a human and Herdier approached us rapidly. A gentleman appearing to be in his late sixties with graying hair and a goatee, stopped just short of us. He bowed, his tuxedo flapping in the morning wind. The well-groomed Herdier at his side also bowed, greeting us all I elegant fashion.
"Master Dragonite. Valued Guests. Welcome. I am the keeper of these grounds. You may call me Shaun and this is Johnson. We are here to take care of your needs and ensure your transition is as smooth as possible," he said, standing up. His brown eyes were warm with happiness, and as I engulfed a real sense of scope for the home, I wondered how just these two would be able to clean and maintain its pristine condition.
"Dragonite. Can I ask a question?" my sister spoke up, glancing back at me.
"Go ahead, Emily," he responded in a hearty voice.
"How much did all this cost you guys?" she asked, making my jaw drop at her forwardness. Her question caught everyone off guard, but to my surprise the Dragon Flying type immediately began laughing.
"Eon built this with his own two hands. Granted he had some help from me, Rayquaza and a few others, but getting power and a few other necessities was a group effort. While it wasn't free, this island is unowned by any sanction of government and also was discovered by pure accident. So we own it 100%. It's why I know we will be safe. Any attempts at an attack would be swiftly discovered by us, and put down before they could reach the grounds," Dragonite responded, as we reached the doors. With a gentle push by Shaun's arm, the door opened, revealing the lavish interior within. Expecting gaudy features and silver and gold everywhere, instead we were greeted with blue carpet which extended in every way you could see. Two sets of stairs curved outwards from the main entrance and leading to a second floor which was held up by many stone pillars. The walls were painted a darker grey, and many pictures of Eon and his Pokémon extended along the walls. My eyes homed in on a picture which was framed in gold. Moving swiftly, I stood in front and examined it. Eon was much younger in the picture. His now white hair still held black and he was surrounded by Pokémon. My mind immediately ticked each one off of the list, as I stared. Arcanine. Larvitar. Flaffy. Haunter. Milotic. Serperior. Dragonair and Rayquaza. All of them surrounded the young boy who smiled broadly with a peace sign held up with his friends. My eyes watered as I realized that of those, only a few remained.
"Wh-what happened to-?" I asked, interrupted by Dragonite's gaze. It appeared saddened as it too reminisced on the picture before sighing loudly. The sound echoed off the walls before it responded to my question.
"Many of them moved on with their lives. There were some tragic events I'm not in any position to speak of," he stated, moving me away gently.
"Question. What are the rules?" Emily asked, spinning around slowly to examine every single bit of the house she could.
"The rules are very simple, Madam. Horseplay is to be conducted outside, and as long as no real damage is sustained to the externals, is fully allowed. Guests are given free run of the mansion, so long as respect is given to the items within. Food and water, along with laundry are all to be attended to by myself, Johnson or Miss Lucia. She prepares some of the most exquisite meals. I promise you won't be disappointed young miss. Lastly, no room save Master Eon's is off limits. Make yourselves comfortable and enjoy your stay. If you'll-"
"Who is Miss Lucia?" Emily asked as the butler moved to grab the bag from my sister's arms.
"Ah. If you wish to meet her, I'll lead you along. She absolutely adores children, so you may end up being spoiled rotten if you aren't careful. Follow me, if you will."
"Shaun. Leave her to me. I'm sure that the elders have some things they would like to get settled while here," Johnson spoke up, sweeping my sister up and holding her weight on his back. I was shocked that the fluffy dog was so strong, despite the large bag on her back.
"YAAYY! Giddy up," my young sis giggled, tapping her heels to the dog's side, watching as he let out a bellow before dashing down the hallway. They moved like the wind, disappearing out of sight as they turned down a corner. The butler let out a low chuckle as he watched them go, moving forward to me.
"Johnson is such a pleasure to work with. I'm glad Eon hired us. Now then…sir. If it would please you, I'll take your bags and name," he said. Despite his age, the man was extremely well mannered and kind. Unfortunately, my blade and bag were attached together, and I didn't want to leave my Pokémon in their balls for too long.
"Ummm…"
"Sir?"
"My name is Kyle. It's a pleasure to meet you. If possible, could I take my Pokémon out of their balls?" I asked, glancing to Dragonite who smiled.
"But of course, sir!"
Calmly, I unlatched my back from my back and grabbed the spheres, before handing him the bags.
"Feel free to roam about. I'll make sure to show you to your rooms tonight before bed."
Tapping each release button, I was greeted by Chris, Lula, Rose and Elaina. Sarah had been adamant about leaving her with me, which meant I was stuck with the horny and clingy Dark type despite my reservations about it.
"YAY! Where's Emily?" Chris asked, turning to face me.
"Oh wow…"Lula admired, her eyes taking in the sights.
Rose sat next to me, and sniffed my legs with a look I couldn't discern.
Turning my attention to Rose, I asked the first question that would set off our plans. I needed to get stronger, and every minute wasted was one that could have been used to strengthen my body. She nodded as she seemed to read my mind.
"Where's the training field?"
"Get up!"
Everything ached. Everything from the hair follicles in my head to the skin which covered my feet. I swore, as I tried to stand, feeling whipped and defeated. Rose had been pushing me to the brink of my limits, and not letting up for a second. The Absol had been ruthless with her attacks unrelenting, even when I was down.
"I said GET. UP!"
A single head-butt from the Dark type sent me skidding through the Earth painfully. I tried to catch my breath as I looked at her on my back. I rolled over narrowly dodging another strike from the Pokémon as I came into a kneeling position.
"Rose. Stop!" Lula cried out, coming to my defense.
My breathing caught in my chest as my vision swam. I was on the verge of passing out and had no strength left to give in me. I was disappointed that I wasn't strong enough to keep up even for a second.
"Shut it Lula! I'm tired of his excuses. You loved her so much…why'd you let her die? If you want to be strong so much why are you giving in and making excuses? It's pathetic," she spat at me, kicking my cheek violently. Anger filled my chest as her jabs hit their mark. I wasn't going to sit still and make excuses. If my body wouldn't move, I'd make it move. Ignoring my agony, I stood up, listening as my joints cracked from the effort.
"He's had enough," Lula said, her paw over her mouth.
Lifting my guard up again, she rushed forward. I was always astonished by her speed and ferocity. My eyes followed her, as she slashed low at my belly, my arm barely coming up in time to block the attack. I was sluggish from overexertion, but I had to keep fighting or else. I threw a punch, watching as she bit into my wrist whipping me over her head. I came full circle slamming hard into the dirt. As I rolled to recover, she slammed full force into my chest sending me rolling through the dirt. I tried to stand again, collapsing after two attempts. She fired a single Night Slash making me fly through the air and come to rest in a small patch of grass. I couldn't get up. Not even if I tried. My vision blurred as she came to stand before me. I was as exhausted from the fight as I had been with Mewtwo.
"I can't believe it. You never cared for her. After that whole song and dance about your feelings, you are just going to lie there aren't you?" Rose whispered. My eyes watered at the question. I had been pushing nonstop and it seemed she wouldn't be satisfied unless I actually died under her assault.
"ENOUGH!"
The earth shook as the booming voice commanded attention. Glancing backwards, I watched as Dragonite landed beside me and lifted me up slowly.
"Are you okay?" he asked, holding me upright as he stared at the Dark Type. She stared back defiantly as he lifted me higher, so I wasn't resting on my own body.
"Don't help him. He needs-"
"You are going too far," Dragonite replied.
"This has nothing to do with you. Step aside," Rose warned growling loudly.
"Watch your tone," the dragon warned, raising his fist. "You can't fool me. This isn't training. It's revenge for her death."
"You don't know me. You don't know my kind. Back off! He needs to grow stronger," she stated.
"He needs rest. You won't get the results you want this way," Dragonite replied.
"I've gotten results before. This way works!" she countered.
"You're killing him!" Dragonite roared back, baring his teeth. His growl sent shivers down my spine. Despite my attempts to remain conscious I felt the darkness pulling me in and sucking me down.
"That's not why I'm doing this!"
"Revenge won't bring her back! If you hate him that much then leave! But stop trying to push your will onto him. He's reached his limit. Enough is enough."
And like that I passed out, my strength tapped out and my body unable to sustain alertness.
I awoke in a warm bed, bandaged, and a small drip attached to my arm. I groaned in pain as I looked around my eyes settling on the Absol who sat at the foot of the bed. Fear filled my chest as she stood up and stretched, approaching me slowly.
"You're awake," Rose said, sighing. As she leaned against my leg, I noticed that her fur was darker and several large marks covered her fur.
"He hits pretty hard I'll give him that," she joked, but I refused to smile. Dragonite was right.
"Kyle. Look at me," she insisted. I kept my gaze away, guilt eating at my chest. I had known there was a chance she didn't actually care. The first day of training and already she was rubbing my face in her death.
"There isn't a single day that I don't wish it was me that had died on that beach. There isn't a single moment where I don't miss her. If you're here for revenge, stop playing with me and just do what you came here for," I said bitterly.
"Kyle. It's not-"
"STOP LYING TO ME!" I screamed, grabbing the IV bag and launching it across the room. It slammed into the wall behind her with a splash, and my eyes watered with fury. To her credit she remained still unflinching from my anger.
"Kyle. I've never held a grudge against anyone in my life. I may hate you but it's not for what you did to my sister," she said, sighing softly.
"Then why are you here?" I demanded.
"Because I made a promise. Last I remember, you failed to keep yours!" she snapped.
My eyes fell, and her words cut deep. I had failed and it wasn't like I wanted to. I would have given anything to go back and fix it. Instead I was constantly reminded by her presence and her attitude. It was the one mistake, which no matter how hard I tried to ignore, continued to run through my head.
"Kyle. I don't care what you think of me. We don't have time for me to baby you through training. I need you to get stronger. If you can't handle me, then what happens when you face more opponents? What happens when Mewtwo comes again? What happens if Lula or I get put in harm's way? Or worse, Emily?"
"STOP!" I roared, tears filling my eyes.
"Ha! Your enemies won't. You can scream, cry, and beg all you like. I can do this all day Kyle. You need to get better and if I have to beat you within an inch of your life daily to get you there, then that's what I'll do. I'm done talking. Rest up and meet me down in an hour. We have work to do," she stated, jumping from her perch. I watched her go furious. My fists were clenched into balls as I stared at her departure. Her words hit hard, and I sat there feebly trying to make an excuse for something there wasn't one for.
"Kyle."
The male voice resonated within the room, and I turned to see Eon's dragon floating just outside the window.
"What now?" I asked bitterly, wiping my eyes and hiding my face out of shame.
"Don't. She's harsh and cruel but it's not your fault. It was never your choice for Kat to jump in front of that attack. You did everything you could. Let her anger be a lesson to you. Don't jump to conclusions so quickly. On the battlefield and in life, all decisions come and go in split seconds. You need to let the past go, and move forward. Rest up."
I nodded, rolling over in my warm black covers and going back to sleep. I set my alarm clock quickly for an hour. I'd be back on the field in an hour regardless of how much I didn't want to. I had been well bandaged, and healed properly. Letting my eyes rest, I went back to sleep.
SEVERAL HOURS LATER
"That's enough for today," Rose said. She walked past my exhausted, and burnt out form. My legs trembled with exhaustion and my blade lay in the dirt several feet away. The earth was burnt and gouged from our fight. The cut over my left eye stung, and my body was covered heavily in bruises and gashes from the training. As I stood up, I noticed that Lula was watching with concerned eyes.
"Are you sure you're okay Master? I'm more than willing to-"
I shook my head, glancing at the Absol. As she passed me, I noticed her gaze avoided my own. Despite the fight with Dragonite, she had easily warded off all attacks and counters. Her attacks had broken through. She never spoke during the hours we trained, instead, only giving me respite once or twice. Through it all, I could sense a resentment and hatred directed at me. I sensed that my presence was cause for such feelings. As she entered into the mansion, I was left alone with Lula, who approached me.
"Master…This isn't right. If your mother was here, she would be livid with how she's treating you."
Her words were true. Dismissing them with a wave of my hand I focused the last of my strength into standing up properly.
"Yes, she would be upset. Let it go for now Lula. If this is how training is meant to be, then I will deal with the repercussions after the fight."
"She'll kill you Master!" Lula cried out.
"I DON'T CARE!"
Silence filled the void, as we each took in the conversation. Her eyes grew moist and wide at my words, as I sat down in the dirt.
"You ca-can't mean that," she whispered.
As our eyes met, she realized the truth behind what I said. I could only watch as her heart shattered into a million pieces.
"Katherine died to save you," she said, her beautiful voice straining to remain unemotional as she grew angry with me. "Would you throw that gift away just to prove a point?"
"I'm not proving a point. I…I can't lose you guys. Never again. At her grave I kept thinking of how much I wish it had been me. You and Kat told me that things would stay the same. I thought I was ready to go to Ranger School and put myself up through hell to follow my dreams. I know the statistics. Every year eighty candidates walk in, and four leave. I was sure that if I took my time and worked hard I'd reach my goal. Lula, it's not enough. We both know the requirements just to enter. Level 50 Trainer. A Level 60 Pokémon who is willing to serve. Six months of training. Final exam. Graduation. It's a simple formula but I've been asking myself; are we really ready for that step?" I said, quietly.
Her eyes softened and she pulled herself up to me, forming two bubbles. I sat down, with my head in my hands, as she rubbed my back.
"Master. I'm here for you now. Kat wanted to be here, but she knew that she had to take that attack. Or risk losing you. Even then, if Eon hadn't intervened, you would have died. You aren't willing to lose us. I get it, Master. What do we tell your Mother and Sister, when we fail to protect you? That you died recklessly? That you died for us? Your mother was devastated when you came home. Mortified to see her son carried to her beaten and broken. I remember as she stitched me up how grateful she was to Kat and myself for saving you. So, train hard now, but don't kill yourself for us. I'd rather know I returned you home, then to have to give them the news. That's all I'm saying. Rose isn't being fair, but I get your concerns," she said.
Nodding, I watched her leave me out in the training field alone as the sun set slowly. I ran a hand through my dusty hair, only to hear a childlike feminine giggle. My eyes wandered up searching for the sound, but nothing. Again, another giggle, as I sat there. It sounded like it was in my ears, but as the sound faded I realized it was telepathic. Looking left, the voice spoke up again.
"Colder."
I turned my head back to center.
"Warmer."
Looking right, I was greeted with another hint.
"Colder."
Sighing, I looked straight ahead and down.
"Colder."
Popping my head straight up, I screamed, and fell over myself as a diminutive pink Pokémon greeted me. It floated above my head with bright blue eyes and a long thin tail. Its small body spun as it placed two small paws to its mouth giggling.
"M-mew!" I sputtered, my eyes wide with shock.
"Heeheeheehee. So. Whatcha doing?" she asked, moving closer until we were at eye level with each other.
"Just…thinking about my-"
"Your future? That's dumb. You know I can read minds right?"
I nodded stupidly, as I stared at the Psychic type. It was much smaller than I had imagined.
"Want to play a game?" she asked, wagging her tail in front of my face.
"Sure, I guess," I replied. Dinner was probably almost cold by now but Shaun had informed me that Lucia wouldn't mind heating up my plate.
"YAY! Okay. Let's play I Spy. If I win, you get punished. If you win….I'll give you a nice surprise. Kay?"
Smiling heartily, I watched her sit down and look around at the forest around us. We were silent for a good moment before she spoke up.
"I spy…with my little eyes…something pink."
Looking around at the forest, I searched for anything that would answer the question. The trees. The water. The dirt. Glancing at the sky, I noticed that a good portion of it was turning pink as it turned to nighttime. I considered her, but realized she had no way to actually see herself at this time. Scanning, I immediately came upon a small pink flag sitting out of the ground. I hadn't noticed it before but made my answer clear. It was the only logical choice. Everything else around us, was earthy and green.
"The flag?" I offered, unsure of my answer.
"NOPE! That means…punish! YAY! The answer WAS me. And now….you!"
A nanosecond later, I was covered in thick sticky fluid from head to toe. Sniffing the liquid it smelled like bubblegum. The viscous liquid held me in place as she rolled around in the sky laughing at me.
"Really?" I called out, annoyed by the minor prank. I moved an arm watching as strands of the goop dripped off in thick ropes.
"Bye bye!" she said, literally vanishing from existence with a distinct 'Pop'.
"UGHHHH!" I groaned, as I trudged my wet, sticky, bruised body up to the mansion, and called out Lula's name. I would need a huge hosing down after my encounter with the mischievous Legendary.
It took a bit to get all of the gunk out of my hair and my clothes but after a good hosing down, I proceeded into the Mansion, where my sister and Fennekin waited. To my surprise, Fennekin looked a little beat up, but otherwise extremely chipper. My sister on the other hand looked flat out exhausted.
"Big brother! I'm working with Chris to get stronger! I hope to get him evolved this week," she said, in between gulps for oxygen.
I smiled at her enthusiasm, when a loud knock at the door caught our attention. Almost immediately everyone was on the defensive. My hand dropped to my sword, while Dragonite and Rose took defensive positions. A breeze passed by me, and I watched as Shaun arrived at the door in a millisecond. If I had blinked, I would have missed it. We waited patiently, sighing a breath of relief as, the door opened revealing my Mother. Her normally well-kept hair was frizzy and knotted, and she carried two heavy suitcases. She walked in slowly, her eyes drinking in the sights before homing in on us.
"MY BABIES!" she cried out, holding her arms open, and kneeling down. I limped behind Emily who reached her first, being swept up and spun around, as I made my way to her side. As soon as I reached her, she let Emily go, smiling as she looked me up and down. Her smile shifted into a frown as she noticed my weathered, and bruised appearance.
"ROSE!"
Almost immediately I cringed away, fear for my Mother's safety emerging as she glowered at the Dark type. She approached hesitantly, glancing my direction for help. I shook my head, as I watched the discussion from the back seat.
"Yes, ma'am?" Rose responded sitting down, in front of the woman.
"Want to explain while he's barely standing right now? I thought we agreed you wouldn't beat him to death, during your training? That you would protect him until I arrived," the older woman spoke, her tone threatening and filled with rage.
"I had to do some training…"
"Don't give me that shit!"
My sister and I locked eyes, shocked at the foul language which came out of her mouth. She was normally so calm, but this was the first time we had ever heard her swear. Noticing the trembling which overtook her, I was afraid that my Mother would lose her cool and punish the Absol in front of everyone. Rose raised her head higher, and accepted her temper with ease.
"I'm sorry he needs to grow. Your little man isn't up to my standards. I want him strong so he can-"
"Excuse me?" Who the fuck do you think you are?" My mother's face was red and livid as the conversation drew closer to a physical clash. I considered interrupting, but Delilah emerged, shaking her head.
LET IT HAPPEN. THEY BOTH NEED TO CLEAR THE AIR. THIS HAS BEEN A CONCERN OF HERS SINCE ROSE ARRIVED. TRUST ME.
"Olivia. If I wanted to, I could kill him-"
A smack resounded in the room, and I looked on in horror as the Absol's head whipped sideways. A single red mark emerged on her cheek, and my parent raised her hand backwards again.
"Don't…you ever…threaten…my son…again. EVER!" She spoke vehemently, her voice trembling with each word.
I looked at Rose who stared at my mother, and raised a paw to her cheek in disbelief. My mother wasn't a fighter, but she was still very capable and strong. I feared Rose might do something rash, but she sat down in place, and returned her glare.
"I'm not going to baby him. He doesn't need it. In fact…" she paused mid-sentence. I stared at Rose as she glanced at me before returning her attention to the angry mother bear in the room.
"No. I won't apologize for the damage I've caused him. Everybody here thinks I'm a monster. Fine. It's not any different than I've been treated my whole life. I don't care. I'm doing what I know is right. If you can't accept that too fucking bad," Rose said, her gaze stern.
"You don't get to choose how you treat him," my parent retorted, crossing her arms.
"I don't have a choice on how I treat him. If I'm going to get him ready for the fight for Mewtwo, than I need to not pull any punches," Rose said, shaking her fur.
"You've been abusing him this entire day, Rose," Dragonite spoke up on my behalf.
"How about you mind your damn business, Dragon? If I recall properly, your master is the reason we are in this mess to begin with," she stated over her right shoulder. Each second of mounting tension threatened to spill over.
"You threaten his life…you even consider killing him, and it will be the very last thing you do," my mother threatened, closing the distance between them.
"There are far worse fates than death. I should know," Rose responded, quietly. "Killing him would make my sister's sacrifice meaningless."
My mother remained motionless, before speaking directly to me.
"Son. Are you okay with this?"
Rose faced me and I stared into her golden eyes, searching for a sign that this was just an act. That she didn't want me dead, and yet all I could see was fury I didn't understand. I hadn't done anything to warrant it. So why did she hate me so much? Why take it all out on me?
And then her words from earlier rang out in my mind.
What happens if Lula or I get put in harm's way? Or worse, Emily?
I hung my head in shame at the thought that the ones I loved, couldn't be protected by me. That I didn't have the strength necessary to defend them.
"Only," I paused for a minute before looking into Rose's eyes one more time. I expected her to show me that she cared. Yet I knew that to only be a dream. She hated me. She despised me. She wanted me to suffer as much as she could make me. If I had to endure it, then I would as best I could.
"Only if she can get me to where I need to be," I said, solemnly.
Rose smirked triumphantly, as my mother's eyes welled up with water. My words had hurt her deeply, and I felt guilty for stating what I had. Everyone was disappointed in me, and yet nothing compared to the constant reminder that Rose was not Kat. That I had already failed to keep the one promise I had made when it had mattered. No. I would be ready for Mewtwo this time.
"Big brother?" my sister asked. I avoided her gaze out of shame, feeling Delilah probe just a little before dropping a single sentence into my head.
Do what you must, Kyle.
I thanked her silently, as I turned away and limped towards the stairs. I was stopped by a sharp voice calling out to me. It wasn't my mother. My sister. Lula. Delilah. Dragonite. It was the Absol calling to me. I could sense the misery she intended for me, but I turned and faced her. Inhaling deeply, I waited for her to speak.
"I'm not going to kill you. Nor do I want you to suffer eternal torture. I need you to be honest with me. Damn everyone here. Look me in the eyes and answer this question. If my sister were still alive, would she have stopped you from this?"
My head dropped at the statement. Hot water filled my eyelids, spilling over. The answer was No. We both knew it, and I turned away, unwilling to face anyone that night. I made it to my room, only for an arm to grasp mine. I recognized the touch. It was warm and familiar, and as I inhaled her scent, I was taken back to the safety I knew was there. I was just a kid. I still had so much to learn about myself and the world. Placing my head into her shoulder, my Mother caressed my hair, holding me gently.
"Kyle. It's okay. Shhhhh. Look…I don't understand everything. It's my job to protect you from the world. If you are sure this is the right thing to do, I support you sweetie. I'm here now and all I can offer you is my love and guidance. Don't worry about Rose and me. Just do what you have to. I'll patch you up and hold you together. This final battle is going to be dangerous and if I didn't trust that you could handle it, I would tell you to let the cards fall where they may. For now, get some rest," she said, kissing my cheek. I nodded silently. I had plans to sleep but not for as long as they expected. Glancing to my watch I realized I had about forty minutes before I could make my move.
12 AM
"Huff. Huff. Huff. Huff." I glared daggers at the dummy which was just that. A wooden figure in the shape of a man with a smiley face painted on at the head. As everyone had gone to sleep, I had snuck out two hours prior. Sleep could wait. If Rose was going to punish me for being weak then I needed to get better. I understood where she was coming from and I feared that if it came time to fight Mewtwo I wouldn't be capable of protecting the things which she had thrown at me. If my body needed to rest, it would sleep afterwards. For now, it needed to move and focus on what I was doing.
"Again," I told myself, drawing my sword, and slashing at the target from multiple angles. I kept my eyes focused on the target to the exception of all else. My arms felt like lead, but I continued to put forth effort, critiquing my strikes. I practiced different angles of slashes and considering the probabilities of being able to counter and seeing what worked for my own body. I had to get better at attacking and defending at the same time which meant learning how to not leave myself open to counters, and knowing when to block. I kept going for how long I don't know. I only realized that my training was coming to an end, when the sun start to rise. My heart rate skyrocketed as I realized that the others would wake up soon. I was exhausted but knew that I had to shower and get ready for another day of training with Rose. My body was aching and weak, but they were minor gripes. I had to prove myself to her, and wasn't going to let my discomfort slow me down. Letting out a small groan, I tiptoed through the mansion running into a Lilligant who was stretching as she made her way downstairs
"Ah. Master Kyle. I didn't expect to see you up this early," she greeted me, with a bow. Several of her petals were teal colored and her flower was a bright pink, letting me know she was a shiny. It was rare to see shiny Pokemon this close and personal and I felt a little jealousy that Eon had found one this beautiful.
"Oh wow!" I commented, admiring her beauty.
"Your sister had the same reaction," she giggled, standing up.
"What are you doing up so early?" I asked, looking back the way she came. It appeared that no one had been this way yet, so I was still in the clear.
"Forgive my manners. My name is Lucia! I'm Eon's cook. I have to get breakfast ready," she replied, beaming proudly.
"Ohhh," I said dumbfounded. How could I have forgotten? Though Shaun hadn't said anything about a Pokémon cooking.
"And yourself? Surely you got some rest didn't you?" she asked, much to my dismay. Placing a finger to my lips I shook my head. She got the message clearly, pointing towards downstairs. I followed her to a door right beside the stairs, where a single shower and some metal lockers stood.
"It's not my place, sir, but you will eventually require rest. If you wear yourself out your fighting will become sloppier," she said, bowing slightly.
"I know. I have to prove myself though." I said, removing my shirt slowly. It was soaked in sweat, and I smelled terribly. I pinched my nose and dropped it in the small woven basket next to the lockers. It would need a good washing.
"I'll grab you some clothes. If you intend to keep up appearances, I'd suggest you not go back upstairs. I'll whip up some grub for you real quick, while you wait for the others to wake up. Best of luck, sir," she said, a small blush accompanying her. Stripping nude, I hopped into the shower, turning the water to scalding hot. My muscles needed a massage and I was in no condition to argue. Glancing down at myself, my jaw fell open in shock. Blue and purple bruises covered my body, each of various sizes. The smallest the size of a grape, and the largest covered my ribs down to my hip. Now that I stared at the wound, each breath hurt, as I comprehended the full extent of the damage I taken. Nonetheless, I finished my shower quickly. If I had time to complain, I had time to fight and heal.
It took Rose three more hours to come downstairs much to my surprise, her fur unkempt as she stopped at the breakfast table.
"I take it you woke up early?" she asked, as she had a seat at the table. Her eyes were clear, and she appeared well rested despite the training from yesterday.
"Yeah. Nightmares you know," I said, lying blatantly to her. On the one hand explaining how I felt wouldn't do anything to change the situation, nor did I think she would care. She accepted my sentence at face value as she took a bite of the steaming poffin set in front of her. I watched her blush heavily as she enjoyed the pastry.
"Hurry up and eat. We have training to do, Kyle," she said as she swallowed her bite glancing over her shoulder. Stifling a yawn, I waited patiently for her to finish her meal. I walked out to the balcony and had a seat alone, watching the sunrise. It was quiet outside. Peaceful even. I expected that both Penelope and Arren were flying here now, which meant midafternoon they would arrive.
"Kyle."
I turned and faced Rose who sat beside me, her eyes on me. I noticed she appeared conflicted about something but was unsure as to what it could be.
"I'm sorry about some of the things I said. Your mother and I had a talk late last night. Regardless of what I want, you still need to be able to rely and trust me. Do you?"
My gaze turned away, as I realized that anything I said would end terrible for me. Biting my lip, I shook my head.
"It doesn't matter. Let's get to training,"
She remained silent for a minute before sighing heavily.
"Okay," she said quietly.
I stood up and placed my weapon into the ground. Hand to hand combat would be the focus of the day, while at night I would focus on blade work. I shifted onto the balls of my feet ready to hop back into training despite my current exhaustion. I couldn't let her see me weak for any reason. We got back into the flow of combat pushing each other back and forth. Most of the combat ended with me, rolling through the dirt, or landing on my back but I endured.
2:01 PM
Commotion from the mansion caught my attention. Ignoring Rose, I turned on my heels and jogged up the stairs to the back door. As my hand grasped the knob, I was flung backwards as I was glomped by two people at once.
"KYLE!"
"Hey baby! Did you miss meee?"
Glaring at the Zoroark for ruining a sentimental moment, I gently pushed her aside, holding Penelope close. She let go after a minute giving me time to bump fists with Arren.
"You made it."
"Of course. Trip was longer than I hoped."
"I feel you. How goes Goldenrod?" I asked.
He shrugged menially, his thick white hoodie obscuring all but his piercing blue eyes. His black cargo shorts hung low over his knees. A single strap red back pack was slung across his chest, with three Pokeballs attached to the fabric across his chest.
"Reset the machine four times. Still max score. No decent competition out there," he said, rolling his shoulder.
"And you Pene?" I asked turning to face her. Her long blue dress was accented by a black shawl which she wore fabulously. Her long red hair flowed to the back of her dress. A brown leather studded belt held her teammates which I knew were immaculately groomed. It reminded me that I still owed Rose and Lula some grooming time later today. I wasn't sure how the Absol would react to the comb but I hoped things would go smoothly for both our sakes. Her soft brown eyes greeted me as she immediately launched into conversation.
"I'm doing great! Contest Life is such a struggle, but I'm doing well. Just got my fifth ribbon for Sinnoh. You know how that goes. Teams all ready to get their hands dirty with some real combat. Glad you contacted me when you did. My last contest went terribly. Guy threw out a Drapion AND a Muk. Damn Poison types, I tell you," she said.
"Language," Arren stated, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He immediately set himself on the task of playing whatever Pinball game was on there, which was a new one every week. I often questioned how he didn't get bored, but he stated that the challenge wasn't getting bored but getting better.
"Fuck off, Arren. You didn't even bother calling me."
"I hate people."
"I'm not people," she countered thrusting her chest forward and glaring at him. Arren looked up from his game and despite the shadow his hoodie cast, I could tell he was smiling.
"Bite me."
"Come over here and I will, bitch boy," Pene countered.
These two could go for hours given the chance, however a certain Dark type was extremely unhappy that I had stopped training to chat.
"Kyle. Let's go," she said from my right heel. I hadn't even heard her approach and blushed hard.
"Go where?" Arren asked.
"None of your business," she growled, turning around. I glanced to my friend noticing his eyes were focused on her for a moment as the realization set in.
"Wait. That's not Katherine is it? The horn is…" Pene started.
To my surprise, Rose spoke up, answering the question.
"I'm not my sister. She passed away," she replied.
Pene met my eyes and I could see the tears forming before she blinked them back.
"Fuck," she hissed lowly.
Patting her shoulder, I turned around and followed Rose down the steps. I knew the dark type wasn't going to give me a chance to rest, only to notice my friends were following me. Before I could speak, Rose took the initiative.
"What do you want? We have training to do," she barked, glaring at my two comrades.
"Sorry, little girl. We need a chance to see how strong our FRIEND has gotten since our last meeting. Bit of a ritual," Pene responded, pointedly.
"We don't have time for games," Rose spoke, glancing to me.
"I wasn't asking your fucking permission. Now go sit down and let us get him warmed up for you," Pene responded, dropping her purse with little effort.
"Do we have to?" Arren asked, placing his phone in his pocket. He wasn't whining instead, just annoyed. Granted we all knew he loved combat, which is why, we didn't say much.
"Oh come on. Stop whining and let's get this fucking party started," Penelope said, placing her hands on her hips.
"I'm pretty sure you tapped out first, last time," I said, laughing as her face got beet red.
"I'll have you know my hand to hand combat skills are much improved, dick wad," she said, huffing angrily.
I watched them create a space between us and each take a place. The triangle was tense with focus.
"Same rules as last time?" Arren called out, grabbing a Pokeball from his bag.
"Oh yeah!"
I looked between them, before turning back. As much as I wanted Rose to fight, she didn't get the point of this kind of fight. This wasn't a test of strength but rather, to see where we each had improved. Rose would be focused on submitting her opponents.
"LULA! Come on!" I shouted. It took her a minute but she floated to behind me. As she settled in beside me, Rose spoke up.
"Why not me?"
"Because you might end up killing someone," I said jokingly. My answer didn't please her as she proceeded to back away giving us space to fight.
"Ampharos," Arren said opening his sphere.
"Come on out Ninetales!" Pene flaunted throwing her Pokeball out first.
We remained at a standstill, as we each measured each other up. The biggest threat for me, was Ampharos, but taking Pene out should be considerably easier for me. Weapons weren't allowed so I had taken the liberty of unclipping my sword from my belt prior to this situation. Exhaling softly, I made the first move. I took a step closing the distance between me and Pene in an instant, much to her chagrin.
"Ice beam!"
I ducked quickly, as her attack missed me by an inch. As I turned, Arren was there, his fist an inch from my face. I blocked his punch, sliding back several feet and trying to recover. Throwing his arm away, I threw my own punch, dodging his kick. We went back and forth, his grabs being broken as I tried to gain some sort of leverage. As I spun around behind him, Lula struck Arren with a full on water gun which sent him sliding backwards. As I landed, I received a full on kick to my gut from Pene, while her Ninetales fired a Blizzard at Ampharos. The electric type winced from the freezing wind but bore it gracefully for Arren much to my surprise. As I recovered from the strike, Arren's Ampharos had already counter attacked all of us. My feet felt heavier as I glanced down to notice spores clung to my legs and body.
Cotton spore. Damnit he's gotten better. I didn't even hear him speak. Seems that only Pene calls her commands out. And she's gotten really good at aiming.
I shook my body, only to cry out as a large straight slammed into my gut sending me sliding. I heaved hard, the single strike knocking the wind out of me and making my vision blur. Shaking my head, I rolled deftly onto my feet as Ampharos was slammed by simultaneous ice beams from both Ninetales and Lula. I smiled, wincing a moment later, watching as both Arren and Pene went back and forth. For all her bluff it appeared she really had gotten better at hand to hand combat, holding the CQC master back. However her expertise in the subject was starting to show as he started pushing her back little by little with relative ease. My eyes darted right, and I jumped over a Moonblast from Ninetales, watching as she inhaled deeply to fire another one, only for a water bubble to swallow me whole. The next bright pink energy attack slammed into the bubble which held against all odds. The attack warped around it, before fading to nothing. I turned noticing that Ninetales was running to her injured trainer's defense. Arren had vanished from view, making me painfully aware of my current predicament.
Where is he? Lula's safe. So…me!
Turning I blocked his punch as he blitzed me from behind, popping the water sphere and barreling straight into me. As we dropped five feet to the Earth, I continued to spar with Arren. Our eyes remained focused on each other, as despite my attempts to feint or counter his attacks, his defense was solid enough to rebut it. I growled happily, forcing myself to push harder as I warded off one of his kicks. Throwing one more punch, I feinted at the last second grabbing hold of his hoodie and pulling it down over his eyes. He grunted as I obscured his vision and landed a solid kick to his mid-section. I went for an opposite hook, but despite his disorientation, he blocked my fist, and delivered a solid elbow to my side, sending me reeling into a fairy blast from Ninetales. Getting up, Pene called out, letting us know the match was over for now. We were all injured slightly and huffing for breath, minus Arren. He remained stoic despite the fighting we had just been through and I knew it was internalized more than anything.
"Dirty trick," he said, patting my shoulder as the three of us closed the distance. We stood in a small ring, smiling broadly at our reunion.
"Had to get you somehow. Your Pokémon are stronger," I commented. The last time I had met his Ampharos, he had only been level 40. Now he was leaning towards a strong 49. Arren was still my senior in physical prowess at a level 65, which he had maintained over the years.
"Pene's more impressive. Unorthodox but smart," he responded.
"While I didn't have you asswipes to help me out, I –Huff- took the liberty of working out daily," she said, breathing harder than everyone. Ampharos had since defrosted from the ice beams with help from Lula and the three Pokémon were all animatedly talking like we were.
"However, Kyle's growth is impressive as well! When the fuck did your Primarina get this strong? She had been struggling with singing for a while after her evolution and now she looks to be a master," Penelope complimented. I blushed hard, and glanced back at my starter who was giggling with her paws over her white maw.
"It's a long story," I stated, sighing heavily.
"Are you okay? You're off," Arren stated in a gravelly voice. Turning to him, our eyes met. Although we both knew the answer, I didn't trust myself around the others to give a good answer. I needed sleep. I needed to get my center back. However as long as Rose was nearby I didn't have that luxury.
"Fine bro. Thanks," I stated, rubbing a hand over my face.
"So. I got the details you sent us, and while I'd love to discuss all the bullshit, I'm sure we can all agree this isn't the time or place," Pene said, glancing between the three of us. We all nodded once, almost in sync. It had been awhile since we had gotten together and already we were back into the swing of being near each other. The fight showed just how close we were. The fact that we had attacked in the orders and in the directions we had was a sign of our knowledge of each other's weaknesses and strengths.
"I've done some work. Tonight after dinner. Meet me in the forest," Arren whispered. I nodded in response. I wasn't surprised that Arren already had plans for the coming weeks.
"Kyle. Let's get back to work. I'm tired of watching you all play and frolic about," Rose said, coming up from behind me. I glanced towards my friends who waved as they headed back to the mansion. My heart sank, as I returned my attention to reality. I had to grow stronger and appease the dark type. Catching my breath, I rushed Rose, my mind reminiscing about Katherine and Penelope. Her death must have hit the girl hard. She had always been jealous of Kat and the two had bonded quite a bit during the first two weeks of Kat staying with me.
Sweat poured down my brow, but I continued to struggle. There would be time for cheerful thoughts later.
7:47 PM
My body was numb, and although I was in agony, I was more than willing to keep going. To my dismay, they had let me be alone with Rose, who had chastised and taunted me the entire time. Her put downs stung more than the scratches, scrapes, burns and bruises did, but I endured them with my tongue bitten to prevent me from responding back. I had been Knocked out two or three times during the fight, much to Dragonite's disapproval, but I was woken up and given an Oran Berry or two to hop back into the fight.
I turned away from the Absol as she left me alone that night giving me reprieve until tomorrow when we started back up again. As I sat there, catching my breath, I noticed that Pene and Arren approached me slowly.
"She's rough," Arren said, taking his attention off the pinball game which he had been devoted to the past few hours.
"Fucking cunt," Pene said. I glanced in her direction, noticing she was no worse for the wear.
"Language."
"Eat a dick Arren," Pene bit back.
I sighed as they bantered, standing up and stretching my limbs out to try and relieve some of the aching. My eyes burned from lack of sleep. I felt like I was running slow mode and had been seeing spots for the past fifteen minutes. I took a step forward only to stumble, as Arren caught me.
"You're pushing too hard."
"I owe it to all of you to give it my all," I replied, unwilling to acknowledge my own weakness or needs. There were more important things to discuss.
"Let's see the plans."
He sighed heavily, letting me go before kneeling down in the dirt. Using his hand he wiped a huge section of dirt away, to create a flat surface for him to sketch on. Using a nearby stick, he began making a rough but simple version of our attack strategy. After the first five minutes, I immediately began noticing minor flaws.
"You haven't accounted for the army or the size of our enemies," I said, noticing his plans revolved around our team only.
"No need. The enemies are to be expected to be of equal or greater strength. At this point, fighting becomes focused more on survival and stalling than overwhelming. Not only that, but-"
He drew several lines crossing people and moving them to different spots on his "dirt" board revealing the intellect underneath.
"With several minor arrangements mid fight, we can adjust for more or less enemies."
"You haven't told us about the other issue," Pene said, putting a hand on her skirt. She was chewing her lip and I knew she was about to add something heavy to the conversation.
"If they decide to betray us then at that point it's a guaranteed loss," she said, pointing at where "our" positions would be and how we would be incapable of responding to attacks from the rear. There were friendlies behind us but if they decided to betray us …we'd be dead without a warning.
"Wrong. Notice how we approach and how they do. It gives us time that if they should attack, we can safely leave and regroup in the cover of night. Attacking during the day would ruin the surprise and I prefer our odds at night."
Closing my eyes I reran the details over and over searching for a fault in his plan. He was tactician at heart which is why he won every single game of Pinball and hand to hand combat as well. Nonetheless no plan survived first contact. Except Arren's plans…they did. I had seen it time and time again. His plans weren't static. They evolved with the data and the fight. As they did, the plan ended in success. From the candy heists when we were six to the fights against upperclassmen in school. We had never lost too much when we put ourselves on the line. We had taken our licks, and sometimes one of us would go down. But the plan always ended with either our enemies running with their tails between their legs or unconscious at our feet.
"Pene?"
"So after a bit of speaking with fellow contestants I was able to glean some information concerning the new technologies coming out soon. Especially the new Pokeradars that people are using. If our enemies have access to them, it'll make our approach that much more difficult. I assume that Arren has some ideas for how to deal with them. I'll need more information on the exact location Mewtwo is at before I can add some more terrain data that he can use as well."
I nodded, smiling before speaking up my concerns. I kept my voice low to avoid raising suspicion and in case there were any devices that we weren't aware of.
"What would the Champion do if he got a single wish? And if he's against us, then who can we trust?" I asked, glancing at my friends. To my surprise Penelope answered my question accurately, making the three of us hum with concern.
"Anything. As for who we trust, us three. Our Pokémon. Your mother and your sister. The rest of them are could slit our damn throats for all we know. If they decide to turn on us, we will be dead as doors."
"Doorknobs," Arren corrected.
"Shut up. Are you the grammar police now? Jack ass," Pene said, sticking her tongue out at Arren.
"Why don't you two just kiss already? Geesh. You guys argue worse than married couples," I said, teasingly. My lips curled up into a smile, as Arren grew beat red and Pene punched my arm hard.
"OWWWW!"
"Fuck no! You already know I don't date. Besides, Arren's a pain in my ass." she stated, glaring at the object of her ire at the current moment.
"I hate people. Dating is the worst," Arren responded shrugging his shoulders.
I shook my head, rubbing my newly bruised arm. There was still a lot to be done and not a lot of time. I was worried about the future, but for now I had to prepare. Everyone's lives depended on it.