My arms hung limply by my side, as I looked back up into the stars. The clouds above were silent as they observed my progress. I was tired. I felt drained beyond all comprehension. My body ached in places I didn't know existed. Glancing down to my Pokewatch, I remained in awe. Since Mewtwo had turned my entire world upside down, and I had been in fight after fight, my strength had grown exponentially. I was level 68…a level I previous thought out of my grasp. I was slightly stronger but was still having trouble with Rose. Apparently, even with her only two levels above me, I was still incapable of bringing her down. Granted, the beatings had become more manageable with me holding my own, more than I had been before. I was growing used to her movements, and even with her using abilities, I was able to hold my own. I couldn't shake the feelings of fear that filled my gut. There was a very good chance, I was being used. The Absol didn't truly care about winning this fight. She was only concerned with killing Mewtwo. I thought hard on it, closing my eyes quietly. If it came down to me or Mewtwo, would she abandon me to get her revenge? I didn't think she wouldn't, which hurt more than I had thought it would. Before we had arrived here, I had thought she and I were bonding. Perhaps it was the mere idea that she was my only connection to Kat that made me so bitter inside. Pushing those thoughts down, I shifted my mind to Mewtwo and the coming fight. Would I kill Mewtwo given the opportunity? Shame filled my cheeks at the mere thought. Killing was extremely distasteful to me. Death in and of itself was saddening, but I wasn't the one to decide his fate. I simply needed Mewtwo to understand that ending humanity was not the way to earn the respect they thought they deserved. I shook my head, before a booming voice, brought me out of my thoughts.
"Rose would kill you, if she found out."
My eyes wandered to the two sky blue eyes in the darkness, as the massive Pokémon emerged. He stomped towards me, before sitting down slowly. His large orange tail thrashed the ground gently, and I saw that he had a sad look upon his face.
"Dragonite. When-"
"Day 1. Unlike many Pokémon I'm really in tune with what happens around me. Today, I noticed the wrinkles, and your blood shot eyes. There were several attacks that you could have dodged or blocked but didn't. Not only that, but you were constantly yawning. Why are you doing this?" he asked, raising a paw.
I shook my head, and rubbed my burning eyeballs as I fought the urge to give in and sleep.
"Everyone is depending on me to help us win this fight. I'm doing what I have to in order to get stronger."
Dragonite's eyes narrowed, before he called me out on my lie, much to my shock.
"Bull. If you wanted to train harder you'd be working with the group. Lula has helped your sister train Chris. Your friends are training with Delilah and among themselves. Hell, even I'm helping your Primarina learn some devastating moves, and teaching her to deal with hand to hand combat. However, you and Rose have been all alone. Do you know what I think?"
I stared into his eyes waiting for him to throw it in my face.
"I think, you are out here training and not telling her because you don't trust her. That you hate her as much as she hates you."
I laughed loudly as he proclaimed the exact opposite of how I felt. It felt good, but I cut it off before it became too loud. I didn't need others waking up to me laughing hysterically at 1 in the morning. My smile faded, and turned to a frown.
"I don't hate her, Dragonite. It's not simple or easy. I really like her. Despite her arrogance, and her attitude towards me, I envy her strength. And letting anyone, including her down, is a guilt that tears at me daily. I…I just wish she'd respect me. Maybe that's why I haven't told her. I do trust her with my life. I don't trust that she cares. I have to keep fighting like this so I don't let everyone down."
I had lost Katherine because of my weakness. I wouldn't lose Rose, Mom, Emily, Delilah or anyone else because of my inability to act. He remained silent for a moment before standing up. He rose to his full height, before speaking.
"Come. If you are truly serious about getting stronger, an opponent will do you more good than a dummy. At least for tonight, I can be here supporting your ideal. However, you need to talk to her," he stated, softly.
"Thank you, Dragonite. I will tell her…just not right now. I need time to sort myself out before I confront her," I said, shifting my weight back.
"COME!"
Dragonite was not a weak opponent. I rushed forward, throwing my first few strikes, watching as he blocked them with little to no effort. As his maw opened filling with red, orange, and yellow flames I dived, using my hand to spring into a crouched position. Moving in small circle, with his fire right on my heels, I closed the distance in two large bounds. I retaliated with a full force spinning jump kick to his maw. As I landed, I cried out as his fist doubled me over with a savage punch. I sat there for what seemed like minutes trying to recover, my breathing coming in gasps. Sweat poured down my forehead as I hacked trying to get some semblance of strength back.
"Kyle! Are-"
I waved away his assistance and stood up, inhaling slowly.
"My fault. I let my guard down. Let's keep going."
He nodded as we squared off again. After several hours of going back and forth, I was more winded than I had any right to be. My arms had minor shakes and my bruises had bruises. Glancing at the area where he had landed his strike, I was surprised by the amount of purple surrounding the tissue. He started to apologize but I shook my head.
"If I wasn't level 85, there were several opportunities you might have taken me out. You're very good. I'll give you that. One final thing, before I leave to get some rest. Your mother asked that I pass on a message. She hasn't had a chance to sit down with you, but she told me to ask if you'll come hang out with everyone tonight. Lilligant and Olivia are making a huge banquet and there will be music and festivities in the theater. She knows training is important but wanted me to relay the request. I can say that this would mean a lot to her," he said, smiling. I felt guilt ride in my stomach, but nodded. I'd get a chance to relax with everyone, instead of doing nonstop eating and training. Watching him leave, I noticed the sun was coming up. Today was day four. Just two more before the weekend. I considered resting, but decided against it. Limping towards the Mansion, I at least took solace knowing that Lucia would be awaiting me. She would have a hyper potion and some warm bandages along with clothing to help me start out the day. Glancing to my watch I noticed that I was actually later than I had been the last two days. It was almost 5:30 which meant that Rose would be downstairs very soon. I had to rush if I was going make it to breakfast before her. Wasting no more time, I rushed to the restroom.
Even with me rushing, I was still five minutes behind Rose. I faked a yawn, and moved to the table, watching as she eyed me over a veggie omelet. Her yellow eyes narrowed as I approached sitting down opposite of her.
"Morning Lucia. Rose," I stated, pulling myself into the seat. As I took a bite of egg, my side heaved hard, making me cough. Unable to contain it, I spat, watching in horror as a glob of blood covered the center of my meal. My hand went to my mouth immediately as my heart rate skyrocketed. I glanced to Rose who remained quiet despite my cough. Her eyes remained on my plate staring at the red fluid before she spoke.
"Are you okay? We can cancel training-"
"Fine," I stated harshly, as Lucia moved between us. She grabbed my plate, and started to lay down a fresh meal, but I shook my head.
"Just some orange juice and a poffin I guess for today. It tasted good Lucia as always. Sorry, I can't stomach it right now," I said, rubbing my side tenderly. Rose watched me absentmindedly before she returned to her meal in silence. I could feel tension between us, but thought nothing of it.
As I finished my meal, albeit with much difficulty, I followed Rose outside. Her eyes remained downcast as we reached the porch. We needed to get back to training, yet I could sense she was hesitant.
"Kyle…I-"
"Let's get to training. Right?" I stated, trying hard to keep the acidity out of my voice. I watched her face contort for a moment before nodding.
"Okay. Yeah. Let's go."
Moving to the center of the field, I took up my position, readying myself for Rose. Her eyes narrowed as I stared at her. We remained motionless for a second before she closed the distance in two large leaps, her claws missing my cheek by an inch. My weight naturally rotated, as I dodged, throwing a side kick which missed her by a centimeter. Recovering I turned, as she spun, launching a single Psycho Strike at my chest. I side stepped the attack and moved forward to throw a punch, doubling over as she landed a Sucker Punch to my gut. I recovered quickly, with a back fist that turned her head, her jaw clamping into my wrist. I rolled into the throw, getting up and throwing a kneeling side kick which she jumped onto, rushing forward and delivering a strong slash towards my chest, which landed full force. The cut opened up from my right pec to lower hip, dripping blood. The force of her attack made me roll, and I recovered from my crouch, landing a turn kick which sent her sliding into the earth. Getting up, I closed my guard over my chest, more ready to keep going despite the pain. Rose stared at the blood for a minute, her eyes misting up for some unknown reason.
"What?" I demanded, bitterly. The fresh wound stung, and wept blood all over my shirt, but otherwise was a minor inconvenience.
"I didn't-"I watched her hesitate, before sighing. "You need to be more careful."
"I know!" I shouted, dashing forward. She shifted her weight and dodged my incoming punch, as I drew my blade in a swift effort, launching it at her landing position mid step. I watched the weapon impale into the earth, as she grabbed it in her maw rushing forward.
We danced back and forth, her only landing one or two attacks, but never fully bringing me down like she had four days ago. I had gone that same number of time without sleep, and my body wanted it badly, but I forced myself to stay awake.
As the sun rose higher overhead, sweat poured down my brow. My family, including my mother, all trained hard around me. I ducked under another Slash, when a scream caught my attention. My sister's voice, rang in my ears. Before Rose could respond, I had kicked her out of the way, and rushed the 100 meters to my sister in the blink of an eye.
A bright blue light emanated from the field, right in front of her. It appeared to be a Fennekin in shape, but like a liquid it started to morph shifting into a bipedal Pokémon. My eyes widened as the light faded from the object, revealing a healthy and fuzzy Braixen.
"Chris evolved! OMG! He's soo much cuter Big Brother!" she screamed, dashing to the fire fox who held her close. I smiled at the moment of peace, glancing towards my mother. She beckoned me towards her, and I moved around the ring of people and Pokémon who rushed congratulated her.
"Are you coming-"
"Of course, I'll be there tonight. Hopefully Rose doesn't prevent me. You know how she can be concerning training," I said, glancing towards the Dark type who watched the situation from afar.
"Don't worry about her. We already talked. She'll end training early today so you can attend. She's had concerns…Kyle."
"About what?" I asked, looking away from her gaze.
"You. Whatever is going on between you two, she's worried. I've never seen her express an emotion outside of anger and coldness, but yesterday I saw something else. She asked if perhaps she was being too hard on you."
"Now she thinks that?" I asked turning on my Mom, only to realize my mistake. "I'm sorry. It's just…she hasn't shown any kind of respect or concern for my safety. So to sit here and act all depressed now that she's rubbed my nose into the dirt, and made me eat it? It seems like a jab if you ask me."
My mother sighed heavily, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't do this Kyle. I raised you much better," she said. A look of pain overcame her face, and I couldn't understand what she knew that I didn't. Giving her a quick tight hug, I returned to training, with her words echoing in my ears.
"Kyle-"
"What?" I snapped, glaring at the Dark type. She remained stoic, before retaliating quickly.
"How about you stop wasting time, and let's get back to training? We still have a week and a half before Mewtwo attacks. Or are you going to let Emily fight for you?" she taunted.
My eyes narrowed, and we were back into combat, only breaking for a drink of water, or a bite of food. While my anger blinded me to several attacks, and my exhaustion made me sluggish, I was still capable of keeping her off of me, and not passing out like I had two days ago. We continued almost to sundown, when she spoke, her breath coming in pants.
"Enough! We're done for now," she said, sitting down and staring at me. Kneeling down, I brushed the hair out of my face, and groaned. The bruises she had inflicted today would have to be attended to by my mother but I would be set for tomorrow's training. Hopefully she would let me rest on Saturday and Sunday but I had very little hope that would come to fruition. I stood up slowly to make my way back to the mansion. I could sense she wanted to say something harsh again, but luckily, she bit her tongue. Reaching down I yanked my short blade from its resting place in the moist earth, and headed up the stairs. Sheathing it in a smooth effortless manner, I contemplated my mother's words again.
Don't do it Kyle…
Shaking my head to clear it, I proceeded inward, my nose immediately being taken aback as I opened the door. The smell of juicy salty meat, and melty cheeses filled the air, along with herbs and vegetables. I felt my mouth drool as I looked at the feast which sat on the long table which sat near the door. A line of drool started fall from my lip as I stared at the dozens of dishes which burdened the wooden dining table.
Fish.
Turkey
Steak
Mac and Cheese
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Rice
Pies
The list went on and on and on. I had never seen so much food in my life and I felt the rumbling in my stomach get louder with each passing millisecond. Resisting the urge to start without the others, I rushed up the stairs to my bedroom, so I could take a proper shower, and get dressed before the festivities. I owed my Mother as much.
Moving into the bathroom, I caught a full glimpse of myself. Despite the exhaustion which wore at my bones, I appeared to be much leaner. My muscles were taut across my body, despite the numerous bruises and cuts which covered my chest. I turned on the shower, watching as steaming hot water poured from the pipes onto the white porcelain. Stripping my sweaty and smelly clothes into a heap on the floor, I quickly got in and took my time lathering myself and massaging the kinks out of my body. Placing my head to the tile, and closing my eyes I sat there for a few seconds just letting the water calm and relax me.
CREAAAAKKKK!
My eyes flew open as the door opened and shut almost immediately. Glancing at the shower curtain a dark figure moved across the tile, before plopping down at the edge of the bathroom, staring at me.
"H-hello?" I called out tentatively.
"Hello Master!" Lula replied. I let out my bated breath and sighed heavily.
"I'm taking a shower Lula! What are you doing?" I asked, moving several strands of water out of my face.
"Well…I saw steam pouring from under the door, and was feeling a little dry. Figured whoever was on the other side wouldn't mind. Especially seeing as you've been in here for about thirty minutes."
Her comment threw me for a loop. I hadn't anticipated that I had fallen asleep standing up.
"Thirty…thirty minutes?"
"Yup! Are you okay, Master?" Lula asked.
"F-fine," I lied shaking my head. Turning off the shower and letting the water flow off of me in rivulets I grabbed a towel from the holder next to the bathroom and began to dry off.
"Hey…Lula."
"Hmmm?"
"Have you ever spied on me? Like…taken peeks at me naked?" I asked, curiosity overwhelming my desire to keep quiet about the matter.
"Ummm…Honestly, yes."
I blushed hard at the honest answer, and wrapped the towel around me as I exited, noticing her white cheeks were flushed red from embarrassment.
"I can't help it! Katherine always used to entice me into peeking. She was naughtier then she ever let on with you. I tried to be good but curiosity got the better of me one day," Lula said, giggling.
"I trusted you guys to be mature-"
"We were mature. Adult rated content is only for those mature enough to-"
"That's not what I meant!" I said in a voice two octaves too high. Our eyes met and we laughed together heartily. I hadn't seen or spent time with her since the whole ordeal with Mewtwo and I needed to be there for my starter. Things would only get tougher over the coming days. Stepping outside, I quickly pulled out a pair of black boxers, some sweats and a t-shirt. I wouldn't be going outside so getting comfortable until everybody went to sleep wouldn't hurt too much.
As I finished dressing, Lula exited the bathroom, and slid onto the bed.
"Hey, Lula. Remember when we were in Sinnoh and you accidentally ate that Tamato Poffin? You were so red I thought you might explode!"
"Master! I didn't know it would be spicy. You and I both know I'm a lightweight when it comes to that. Besides I was only a Popplio then. Not like you did much better when you were offered that green Poffin. Your lips put Magikarp to shame!" she taunted, giggling.
I smiled at the memory, before moving towards the door.
"Shall we go, Madam?" I asked, holding my arm out.
"As you wish Master!" she replied, grabbing my hand with her paw and following me down the stairs to where everyone was already loud and enjoying the company.
"Elaina! How many times do I have to tell you that my naked form is not one to go around showing off to everyone?" Sarah screeched, amidst the whole conversation.
"It's not like I did it on purpose," Elaina replied, winking at me as she noticed my approach.
"Ugh! You are the worst…"
"Hey Sarah. Elaina, "I greeted as we approached.
"Hey guys. You might wanna run. I think this one here is in heat," Sarah said, squeezing her Zoroark who smirked.
"Oh. I am, but only since my soul mate is here!" the dark type said, trying to get free from the headlock her owner had her in.
"Master Elaina. Must I remind you that sex is not allowed while on the premises?" Shaun spoke up as he placed several wine glasses with a sparkling pink fluid onto the oak table.
"Oh come on now! This only happens once a year. Why shouldn't I have a little fun," Elaina cried out, finally breaking free of her master's grasp, as she shoved her playfully.
"Jeesh. I thought I had my hands full with Lula. Every week or so, if I don't brush her hair, she does me the favor soaking my room in bubbles to remind me," I said, smiling.
"MASTER!" Lula cried out, smacking my arm gently.
"Big brother! Big Brother!"
I turned to see my sister in a nice lacy black dress rushing to my side, with Chris in tow.
"Hey sis! How you holding up? Let me get a look at you…" I said, holding her at arm's length. Glancing down to my watch, my jaw dropped in shock. While she had done SOME training with me prior to trip, she was far stronger than I had anticipated. Both were sitting on the precipice of level 20 which was a big deal as my sister had been struggling to get past level 7 the past year.
"So Kyle! Are we going to get some games in today? You promised me that you'd show me how to get that costume later on!" she asked, poking me in the ribs playfully. I winced at the contact, and giggled.
"Of course, I will," I replied rolling my eyes.
"So glad one of my sons could make it to dinner," a female voice spoke up from behind me.
"I'm your only son, Mom." I replied turning around to face her. I was surprised to see she wore a nice simple green dress, and her normally loose straight hair was put up into a fancy bun. Leaning into her hug, I noticed that she appeared older and more worn from the current predicament.
"You are growing up so fast in front of my eyes. I wish your father could see you Kyle. He'd be so proud," she said.
We're both proud of you.
I watched as Delilah seemingly materialized from behind my mother, and I leaned into peck her cheek and hug her as well.
"Thanks for everything Delilah," I whispered holding her tightly.
It's been a pleasure.
As I pulled away, I noticed Rose was sitting away from everybody on the couch, her head on her paws. I considered approaching her, but decided against it. I didn't want to ruin her night with my presence any more than it already was. As I moved to sit down, I noticed Lucia was struggling with what appeared to be a very hot pan. Rushing to her aid, I grabbed the foil and deftly set it down.
"Thank you so much Master Kyle," she said bowing slightly. I returned the gesture, moving lower.
"Thank you for everything Lucia. You've been such a great help this week. I wish there was something I could do to repay the favor."
She blushed at the comment, and hugged me quickly before humming and returning to the kitchen. As I sat down, and everyone else settled into their seats, I gave myself a moment to mull over the general vibe of the room. Everyone seemed to be in a great mood, despite the gravity of the situation we all found ourselves in. As the last Mon took their seat food began to be passed around the table. I remained quiet, glancing to my right to notice that Rose had taken a seat next to me, her eyes on my hand as the Mac and cheese was passed around.
"Rose."
"Hello. How are you doing?" she asked, taking the bowl and passing it to Elaina who affixed a lustful gaze on me. I tried my best to ignore her and focus on my dark type who was staring at me with a curious look.
"I'm fine. Why?" I asked, glancing down to my plate. She was quiet for a minute before she threw me for a loop.
"My sister really meant the world to me. While I would never do anything to jeopardize her memory, you should know that you can talk to me, Kyle," she said. Despite my exhaustion, I looked deeply into her eyes. The rational part of my brain told me to come forward. To tell her how I felt when I was around her. To try and bridge the gap and make a connection with Rose so we could start being a team. As I started to open my mouth, her words echoed again in my head, and the behavior and cruelty she had exposed me to the past week, rang in my ears.
I do hate you. But not for the reasons you might think.
"If you hate me so much, why are you here?" I demanded, my tongue thick with emotion. Her paw pushed a few berries onto her plate, before she turned her gaze onto me.
"Promises-"she started, but I cut her off.
"You keep saying promises like I'm supposed to know what that means!"
Lula pawed my shoulder, but I shrugged her off.
"Master-please don't start a fight," my starter begged. I could sense that my words had drawn the attention of the table. Shuffling the napkin into my lap, I noticed her claws were pressed into my hand.
"Kyle. I'm not the enemy," she whispered quietly.
I'm not so sure about that.
I bit my tongue and tried hard to remain calm despite my desire to lash out at Absol. Katherine and I had never argued or fought like this, and she had always treated me as her partner. Not some human who she utterly despised and hated. My heart ached as I stared at her.
Was the gap too large? Would she ever open up and care for me, or would we be stuck in a perpetual loop of pain and anger?
My breathing slowed, as I grabbed a big helping of stuffing from the bowl, and turned to Lula who seemed to sense my discomfort.
"Master…breathe," she whispered. I sighed heavily, as the last of the food was passed around and I grabbed my servings. Almost immediately conversation became a bustling town with so many topics being talked about. I tried to figure out which person I should talk to when a female called out to me.
"Kyle! So when did Primarina evolve?" Pene asked, from across the table. Glancing to Arren I noticed he had taken his hoodie off for dinner. His black hair was spiky and obscured all but his gaze. He wore a small smile on his lips as I glanced to him. He leaned forward, obviously ready to hear the story.
"Should I tell them or you?" I asked, glancing to Lula.
"Please do Master! You know how much I dislike big crowds," she whispered back.
I nodded, before plunging in head first.
"So Katherine and I were with Lula on the old training field-"
"You mean that old dust bowl we used to utilize in school?" Pene asked, shaking her head. I watched her reach under the table with a piece of bread and smirked.
"Yeah. Still feeding the kiddies under the table? "I asked, giggling a little. She hadn't changed over the past few years and it was comforting to know.
"Hey! Yuki prefers I feed her under the table. Back to the story! Back to the fucking story!"
"Still impatient as ever," Arren teased, as he shoved a bite of creamy mashed potatoes into his mouth.
"Oh shut up! Every damn time we used to set up a date for training, YOU were always late. By like fifteen minutes!" Pene scolded.
I shook my head and returned to the story and memory at hand.
"At the time, as you both know we had trouble getting Primarina to hit the high notes. Having to multitask using music as a conduit for her power, was the biggest issue she had. At the time everyone had been working on levelling as Kat didn't have to evolve. However, Lula had been worried about evolution since that fight in Johto. Remember?"
Arren laughed heartily as Pene threw up her hands and let out an exasperated sigh.
"It was ONE time! I didn't know there would be poison types there!"
"Neither did me. You practically fainted, before we even started," Arren commented smirking at our friend.
"Oh shut up! If it hadn't been for your dumbass plan, we would have been fine. Instead, we got surrounded by a squad of these creepy crawly….poison types, and had to fight our way out!"
"Ariados aren't that bad. I actually got to spend time caring for one. They are really snuggly once you get to-"
"NOPE! Shut the fuck up Arren! Poison types are not snuggly, or cute, or anything other than disgusting and foul. You can shove that right up your ass!" Pene said. The whole table went silent, and I couldn't help but beam as she hid her face as she blushed hard.
"Back to the story. Katherine had been training with Lula to try and get her to multitask but it wasn't helping. Deciding that more drastic measures needed to be taken in order to push her past her limits, I went to the library to do some research on Primarina. I was in luck as there was a book with songs that were passed down from Mon to Mon as they grew, which meant that I could start teaching her how to sing them. Granted I wouldn't be able to sing at the same intensity, volume or key that she could reach, but by providing her with a reference, she might gain the knowledge needed to evolve. So on that dusty dirty field, both Kat and I practiced with Rose for about three weeks just singing the same nine songs over and over, critiquing her voice and guiding her to getting it. And then like that…she evolved. And put our voices all to shame."
"Wow…I figured perhaps you had done level training to get her there, but that's actually pretty impressive," Pene said, smiling broadly.
"He's always been intuitive. You just never noticed," Arren said, taking a bite of turkey.
"Oh come now! You're always giving me a hard time. You're a pain in my ass, Arren," Pene retorted, shoving him.
I continued to eat, tuning into the conversation at the end of the table. My eyes narrowed as I noticed that Sarah and Dragonite were whispering in an intense manner, which concerned me further. As Sarah noticed my attention she tapped Dragonite, ceasing the talk and smiling at me. My worries about the end of the fight returned full force, as I looked down at the food on my plate.
Let them go, Kyle…tomorrow is a new day.
I glanced up the table to notice that Delilah was affixing me with a knowing look. I never blamed her for reading my mind despite her intrusion into my privacy. To my surprise my mother was giggling and talking to my sister and Chris.
"So Kylee…"
I groaned internally before turning to face Elaina who was leaning over Rose to try and get my attention.
"Hey," I said, nonchalantly. Looking down at my Dark type I noticed her face had formed a threatening scowl as she glanced over her shoulder.
"So I was curious as to why you haven't picked up a girlfriend. I get that me being a Pokémon makes things difficult, but-"
"Take a hint skank," Rose interrupted, growling at her. The table grew silent at the sound, and I chanced a look at Sarah, who face palmed out of embarrassment.
"Oh my. Touchy touchy. Don't tell me you have feelings for him?" Rose suggested, turning my Dark type around to face her. The two Pokémon glared daggers at each other for a minute while I remained quiet.
"He's a human, which I hate. So that being said, I don't care about him. I'm pretty sure that everyone's tired of your constant flirting, though" Rose responded. Her words struck nerve and any chance at building a relationship faded. My eyes stung less from exhaustion, but I chose to hold my composure.
"Wow. I guess your parents named you Rose because nothing could ever come close to someone so cruel," Elaina stated, shifting back. Without a second to waste, Rose left, leaving the table silent and stunned at the interaction.
"Back to you cutie," Elaina said, despite her trainer's attempts to cancel the conversation.
"What about me?" I asked, trying to shake the dread and sorrow from my chest. I felt unhinged by her words, and tried hard to keep myself from leaving and going to my room. I watched as both Delilah and Dragonite simultaneously got up, and headed after her, while I tried to focus on her words.
"I'm sorry she checked you like that. Trust me when I say, that any girl would be lucky to have your attention." the Zoroark stated, placing a hand on my shoulder. While I tried hard to ignore how Rose's comment affected me, I couldn't help but notice my Mom's look of pure rage at what she had said. A soothing scent filled the air, clearing all hostilities and calming us all down. I inhaled deeply feeling more at ease. Finishing my plate of food, in record time, I kept my mouth shut listening as Dragonite provided more jokes and returned the air to a lightheartedness. As Lucia brought out tons of desserts for us to enjoy I felt the overwhelming urge to go outside. Taking a moment to step outside, stared up into the stars.
"Kyle?"
My eyes turned to notice the ire of my current situation as she approached me.
"What do you want?" I growled, trying hard to not start lashing out at her physically.
"I'm not good at this. At…interacting with others. I said some things-"she started, stumbling over herself.
"Don't."
Her eyes narrowed at my reaction as I tapped my foot and shook my head in rage.
"You don't have to lie to me. I'm glad that you just came out and said it. Let me guess. You want revenge for your sister's death. You're going to kill Mewtwo and run," I said, throwing my arms up.
"It's not like that at all. I don't want to hurt you…"
"Then what is it Rose? I'm tired of playing word games and you treating me like some pawn in your game. If you don't care about me, and you don't need me around, then why not just go seek revenge on your own? Just stop…stop lying to me," I said.
Silence filled the air as she sat there, chewing her bottom lip anxiously. I wondered if she was going to say anything, yet she remained silent. Unable to wait any longer, I turned on my heel, and headed for the door.
"Kyle."
I stopped as I started to open it.
"Don't ask me for things you're not willing to give in return."
I opened the door and shut it quickly, noticing that bass was thumping in the room.
"SWEETIE! Come dance! Dance with me!" my mom called out to me as I entered. Smiling, I returned to the people who loved me. If Rose wasn't willing to try and build a relationship then I needed to focus less on her and more on the Pokémon and friends who I could trust. As my mom twirled around me and her arms wound up and down mine, I noticed that my friends were cheering me on, much to my chagrin. We moved expertly on the wooden floors, and I gave up on worrying about Rose. Letting myself get lost in the moment, I moved in time with the rhythm, and moved my feet in time with the beat. As the song wound down, she loosed her grip on my shoulders and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Moving back to Lula I noticed her gaze was furious.
"What's wrong Lula," I asked kneeling down to meet with her.
"Rose-""Enough about her. Come on. Don't let one bad apple ruin the rest of the night for us. There are still poffins to eat and time for us to spend."
"Kylee! You promised you'd help me with the game!" my sister called out from the small media center located on the right wing of the mansion.
"On my way!" I called out giving Lula a kiss on the cheek. My affection immediately set her cheeks a flush with embarrassment. The next dance song came on, pumping loudly through the house and filling us all with happiness.
FRIDAY MORNING.
Exhaustion had finally hit me full force. Last night had been a fun one filled with food, music, movies and games. While most of the partying had ended by 11:00 pm, I had chosen to stay awake and finish the final day of training strong. As I sat down on the porch, I noticed that Rose was late. It wasn't normal for her to not be awake any later than 7 am. As the rest of everyone exited the house to begin another day of training, I felt my stomach rumble with anxiety. Despite my nervousness, my eyes drooped hard, as I sat there. I yawned constantly, and continually had to keep pinching my arm to stay awake. My concern grew as an hour of her not showing up, started to push me to action. The emotion was short lived as at exactly 8:05 am she arrived. She stopped beside me, and I glanced at the dark type. She sat down on her haunches, before speaking softly. Her eyes had a soft edge to them, as she spoke to me.
"You can confess now to just me, or in front of them," she pleaded. I could hear an air of desperation behind her cries but after last night I had nothing left in my heart for her. Nothing outside of my loyalty which didn't account for anything to the Dark Mon.
"Rose. I have nothing to say to you."
"Don't make me do this," she begged. I sensed the threat, but in my worn and battered state, it didn't fully click. My brain only could sense that it was training time.
"I don't know what you're talking about Rose," I said, rubbing one of my bleary eyes. I watched her fangs turn into a grimace, before she moved to the center of the field. I followed slowly, watching as she spun onto me. A loud growl echoed across the grounds raising the hairs on my neck. Fear filled the pit of my gut as she took two steps towards me before speaking up, putting me on the spot. I glanced around noticing that Dragonite, my mother, friends and even sister all stood around me in a half circle.
"Kyle. Why have you been lying to me?"
My mouth dried up at her question, before I tried to deny whatever wrongs she thought I had done against her.
"I've d-done nothing-"I started, stammering slightly.
"THE TRUTH!" she hissed. Her eyes seemed to glow and I was held in place. I tried to move, and found my will to run sapped by her gaze.
Mean look.
I recognized the Pokémon move, and felt guilt course through my veins. I hung my head, even as she approached menacingly. My eyes drooped, and I fought to stay awake, despite the adrenaline which now coursed through my veins.
"If Kat were here today, would you lie to her face?" Rose demanded skulking closer to me.
"N-no."
"Tell me. Did you or did you not rest this weekend?"
I sighed heavily. I don't know how or why, but she had found out my secret. On the one hand I was angry, but realized that I had lied. I had betrayed trust, although there wasn't much there to begin with. She had confessed the truth that she hated me, so there was no reason for me to believe otherwise.
"ANSWER ME!" she screamed. As I looked into her eyes, my jaw dropped. Her eyes watered with a fury, and she seemed ready to break down at any minute.
"I did not sleep," I spoke, hating myself as the words left my mouth. Everyone remained silent as my exclamation rang over every person here.
"Why? I thought you had some faith…some trust in me?" she asked, her voice strained with emotion. Something that tore at my gut, making me angrier than I had been since I arrived.
"Rose. You hate me. You feel nothing and don't respect me. Why should I come forward, if I know that your feelings towards me are lacking in all sense of the word. I've been aiming to try and please you. Yet you won't even acknowledge how strong I've gotten. Instead you consistently beat me down and tell me how useless I am -"
"You think I want to hurt you?"
"YES!"I screamed back, my arms shaking with rage. I had accepted the beat downs were part of my training. However, I didn't think she hesitated at all about causing me pain. She inflicted her wounds, and left me on the ground every day, bleeding, bruised and motionless. Did I pass out during training? Sometimes. And when I woke up, she continued to push me. So as far as I could see, she didn't warrant trust.
"Kyle… you think that little of me? I bear you no ill will. I don't want to hurt you. At all! Why didn't you just come talk to me?"
"Because it wouldn't have mattered. You aren't satisfied with me, and as far as I know you'd rather me dead," I whispered, shaking my head in frustration. I ran a hand through my hair.
Her eyes seemed tremble at my words, before her horn lowered itself and she sat down.
"You are a gift Kyle. To me from my sister. Killing you wouldn't bring me any joy, only more pain. I've had my fill of pain to last me a lifetime. You think I don't respect you, but the opposite is true. I think you don't respect me. If you did, you would have come forward with your problems," she said. Her eyes returned back to mine, as she shook her head. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I tried…so hard to apologize but you wouldn't give me the time of day to fix it. If you want to continue, I'll be on the southern cliffs overlooking the sea. Until then….I need some time to think. Alone."
I watched her go, stunned as she seemingly vanished before my eyes. My own emotions rose to the surface, forming tears in my eyes. Before I could think on them, a hand smacked my face.
"How dare you? I thought I raised you to be less selfish than this Kyle. To be better. Why would you lie to her?" my mother said, her voice cold. I recognized my error as I stared into her eyes.
"She may have been mean. She may have been cruel and rough with you. But despite all that she still did it out of one goal. To help you reach the strength you desired and wanted. If it was ever too much, you had the choice to come forward and say something. Or at the very least be the better man. I'm so disappointed, Kyle," she said, walking away from me. Hot tears of shame rolled down my cheeks as I stood there, defeated in a way that wouldn't leave for a while. What had I been thinking?
Easy child. I know how you feel. We all make mistakes. Take a nap, and reflect. Tomorrow will be a new day to work towards repairing the rift. For both of your sakes, we need you.
I glanced in Delilah's direction watching as she winked, and followed my Mom into the house. My sister and Braixen left me alone, however Arren and Pene approached. I looked away, unable to face my best friends after my colossal screw up.
"Kyle. What were you thinking?" Pene asked, her voice softer than usual.
"I thought-I thought she didn't care," I replied, rubbing my cheek.
"She cared. She held back during every sparring session," Arren said, his voice quieter than normal.
"Jeesh. It was a simple mistake and honestly who fucking cares if you didn't sleep? Granted you should have been more open, but I don't blame you for what you did. What needs to happen is you need to go lay your broken bruised ass down, and go the fuck to sleep," Pene said.
"Language."
"Sit on a dick Arren."
"Ladies first," he replied, bringing a smile to my face. I decided to take her advice. As I turned to walk towards the house, I was immediately lifted by both my friends who put their shoulders into my armpits and carried me.
"We got you," Arren said, patting my back with his arm.
"Thanks," I replied, yawning extremely loudly, my eyes drooping. And for the first time since Monday morning, I succumbed to my weariness and fell into sleep, my dreams shapeless like the emotions in my chest. I would have time to rectify this. Just not right at this moment.
Around 9pm in the evening I woke up to my sister and mother who sat in the room, watching me quietly.
"Good…night?" I asked glancing outside to notice the blinds were drawn and it was dark outside.
"Storm's approaching us from the west. How are you feeling?" my Mom asked, moving a strand of hair out of face.
"I could be better. I'm well rested, but I thought that if I didn't get stronger, she'd never approve of me," I said, running my hands over the soft black blankets.
"Was her approval worth that much to you, Kyle?"
I nodded silently, as I reflected for a moment. It had been a decision born out of pure anger and it appeared that I had done more damage than helped.
"Nobody's approval should be worth dying for. Killing yourself over. You are strong my son, and if you lose the fight to Mewtwo, then you fought valiantly and I couldn't hope for anymore. You are seeking to protect us all, but you can't. I'm sorry kids, but the world is far crueler than I ever let you on to know. It's my responsibility to prepare you for all the challenges you may face, but I just can't. Son…I raised you for the past 16 years to be kind and be the best you can be. Trust me when I say, that while you made a mistake, I don't hold it against you. We are both here for you. No matter what," my mom said, her gaze firmly fixated on mine.
"Big…Kyle. I love you very very much and don't want to lose you. Please don't do that again?" my sister begged, as she leaned into my mother for support.
Of all the people to have let down, I had hurt the one person who I had cherished the most since my Father's passing. As my eyes looked into hers, tears formed in an instant pouring down my face. In the instant it took for them to form, my family pulled me into their embrace. My mother and sister held me close, and didn't let go until my shaking and crying had subsided to almost nothing. And like that it was over, and my emotions calmed. The wave subsided and calm returned to me.
"You are going to be okay. I promise. Let's get some dinner, and then Delilah promised we'd watch a movie tonight. Are you going to-?"
"Of course. I have nothing else to do until tomorrow. When I get the chance to maybe make amends," I said. Getting up and putting my sneakers on, I followed my sister and mother down the steps to the dining room which had been cleaned up and downsized to its normal configuration. Lucia smiled as I approached and bowed gracefully.
"Good evening, Master Kyle. I'm hoping the 'reset' button helped put everything into perspective!" she said proudly.
I bowed to her in response.
"I cannot thank you enough for everything you've done for me," I replied, glancing around.
"Everyone's already getting ready to watch Ranger Diantha's latest cycle for selections, on the TV. I've already prepared Popcorn and drinks for them. Whipping something up for you would be my pleasure. What are you in the mood for?"
I considered her question for a minute as my Mother and Sister moved towards the living room.
"A sandwich?" I asked, watching as she smiled sweetly and glided to the fridge.
"Not a problem! Give me a minute."
"Hello, Master."
Looking down I became aware that Lula sat beside me, her head pressing up against my shoulder. I pulled her in closer, and cuddled, truly grateful to have my starter with me at this time.
"How are you feeling?"
"Much better, Lula. Are you-? "I asked, glancing back at Lucia who was hard at work.
"No. I will always support you, even when you make dumb decisions. It's part of being your starter," she said, giggling as I sighed.
"KYLE! It's starting!" my sister screamed.
Lucia waved a paw at me, letting me dash into the living room, where the projector exploded with colors.
TV
"WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE CORONATION AND TRIUMPH OF THESE THREE TRAINERS. IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT WE BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE GREAT HURDLES THESE TEAMS HAVE OVERCOME TO GET THIS FAR."
84 names scroll down the screen, all in black lettering before pausing on 6 names. Three human and three Pokémon. The lettering lights up in gold, signifying the six who passed the exams. As the camera pans down it reveals three nearly identical trainers who stand in the middle of a Pokémon gym field. Grass swirls around two males and a female. Wearing a black combat vest, black cargo pants and sneakers, the three are only discernable by the Pokémon standing next to them and their hair styles. The first guy with spiky blonde hair on the right stands next to a luscious Mightyena who wags its tail next to him. The girl with bubble gum pink hair stands next to a fearsome looking Tyranitar who roars much to the crowd's delight. The last contestant, who is bald stands next to a regal looking Serperior. The camera pans down to the center of the field, as the strongest champion in all the regions emerges from beneath the stage on a platform. Her white clothes billowing in the air, and her Pokémon standing gracefully beside her. Her dark hair remains in place as the wind kicks up. With a small step they close the five foot gap between themselves and the cadets so fast, the cameras don't even register the movement.
"Introducing Pokémon Lead Ranger: Miss Diantha!"
Screams echo around the field, as she waves solemnly to everybody. Speaking loudly into a mic attached to her lapel the champion proceeds to address everyone and begin the ceremony.
"Ladies, Gentleman and Pokémon from all regions. Family and Friends. Welcome to the 35th Ranger Induction. As you know this has been a ceremony carried on for the past four years that I've been as Lead of this magnificent team. It is with a humble heart and great joy that I get to induct these six new cadets into the program. While many have struggled to reach that peak of perfection that comes with the position these individuals, showed they have the heart, mind and soul of warriors capable of bonding and bringing others together. Their desire to protect each other and others beside themselves sets them far apart from anyone you might meet on the street. I have seen firsthand their dedication to the cause of preserving life and it is with this goal they aim to move out into our world and establish themselves. There are many trials that you will face young ones, and I know that with your Mightyena, Serperior and Tyranitar that you three will see them through without hesitation. Weather the odds, and face down adversity. I am proud of you all, and look forward to what the future will bring. For the 81 teams that did NOT make it, this a great time for you to reflect and look for another path. This door closes to you, but I promise you your light does not end here. It reaches farther than you might believe."
Reaching into her purse, she pulls out 3 gold pins in the form of a Great ball with the letters RN inscribed on the bottom half. Placing them upon each of the lapels of the students, she pats their shoulders, before turning them to face the crowd.
"Please welcome our newest rangers into our new family! Congratulations to you all! I'm sure you are all very proud of them, and I hope they will continue to exemplify the strength, kindness and loyalty that comes with their new positions."
As she waved, Gardevoir moved her hand casting a pink energy over the six members from head to toe before fading away to nothing.
KYLE POV
"Wow….she's so beautiful. And strong. I hope one day I'll be worthy to stand on that pedestal," I whispered. As I looked on in awe as the festivities ramped up, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning, I noticed that Dragonite was staring at me.
"I do not know if you possess the qualities yet to make it there. While you are growing indeed, there are many reasons why the others failed, when only three passed. Diantha is not one to let any amount of flaws go by unseen and unaltered. Eighty one is a heavy toll to look at. Kyle…we've seen many many students aim for being a Ranger and fail. All of them claiming that strength was the only way to reach those goals. Tell me. What do you believe in?"
His words shook me to my core, and I had to take a step back and look inwards to my heart. What conviction did I hold dear to me? What did I believe in? In an instant I saw his face. My father's chiseled but scraggly face, as he held four year old me close. He had exemplified everything I could ever hope to be and while he hadn't become a ranger, I knew that I took after my father in principle.
"I-believe in selflessness. While I may not show it, it's something I wholeheartedly believe in," I stated sighing softly. His eyes focused on mine for a minute before looking back to the TV.
"There is hope for you yet. For now, focus on tomorrow. You have wrongs to atone for and things to learn. I only hope you learn them before it is too late," he stated solemnly. Without another moment, he removed his claws from my shoulder and left me alone.
Glancing to Delilah I noticed a twinkle in her eyes as she smirked at me directly.
If he only knew what I knew…continue down this path, Kyle.
I nodded quietly before heading back to the kitchen where steam wafted upwards from a piping hot meatball sub. The cheese leaked out the sides, and I felt my mouth water as I looked on the sandwich.
It was time to eat, and head back to the living room, so we could enjoy a good quality movie with everyone.
Dragonite's words hit me hard, but I knew that getting to the position of Ranger wouldn't be a cake walk. Cooling the sandwich down with soft breaths I took a bite of the sandwich, moaning gratefully at the flavors and textures which filled my mouth. It was a perfect blend of spice and meat with the softest hint of stringy cheese.
"Thmnk mou oochia!" I praised in the middle of my chewing watching as her face lit up with a bright smile.
"It's always a pleasure to serve, Master."
The rest of the night lingered before me and as I carried the plate with chips back to the living room, I let my fears and concerns go and decided to live in the moment with my family. Cuddling Lula and my sister, I watched as a story not my own unfolded whisking me away from the present.
SATURDAY MORNING
I sat on the rock cliffs, with the morning sun facing me. Last night, had been a restless one, and around 4 am I had given up on it. The thunder, rain and storms had battered the mansion hard. Now that the storm had passed the small island though, I had grabbed a poffin from the stack and rushed out bright and early to watch the sunrise. It gave me time to reflect on what I wanted to say to Rose when she eventually came. Inhaling deeply, I flicked another stone off the edge, watching as it fell the forty feet into the tumultuous ocean below.
"You came."
Her voice made me whip around, to see her sitting right beside me. She had snuck up not giving me time to prepare for her. Her stealth was off-putting and I couldn't help but grimace a little. It wasn't a good feeling but I pushed it aside.
"Of course. I…I'm sorry Rose," I said, looking down at her. She was just as beautiful as Katherine and I couldn't help but feel a bit of regret that our relationship would never reach that closeness.
Her bright yellow eyes met mine. They burned intensely as we stared at each other, and my heart skipped a beat or two as she seemed to lean forward. I found myself lost for words, only for her to break the invisible connection and turn to the ocean.
"I forgive you Kyle. But I need you to forgive me. While nothing I say can ever make up for the abuse you suffered at my claws, it's not abuse that wasn't somewhat driven by emotional motives," her voice seemed strained with emotional undertones. It was softer in key and her feminine side was on full display to me. "I was harsh on you for many things that were out of your control. While everything I did was for a reason, bad mouthing you about my sister-"
"You were right," I interrupted. She stumbled for a second as she tried to process what I said. "I failed and it's why we were in this situation to begin with. Granted Mewtwo could have picked a softer target, but even then, he chose us and I-"
"He's a level 100 LEGENDARY. There is no human, Pokémon or combination of the two who would naturally pose a threat to him. Not without serious dedication like you have shown," she countered. Nodding slowly, I had to admit that she had a point. "Kyle. I don't hate you for the death of my sister. It's nothing you specifically did that makes me hate you. I hate…others. In general. I don't have relationships or bonds or connections. I'm alone and always have been. I've never been part of a team. The pack is simply a place where I can be without any ties. So when I say that I hate you, please understand that it's not you. Fuck…I didn't think I'd get emotionally invested in any of this."
There was a moment of silence as she composed herself and I remained motionless, focusing on her face.
"No one knows my backstory. Not Lily. Not Fang. The council only knows what I've told them, and has supported my decisions out of fear and cowardice. So when it comes to who I am, nobody knows this Absol. My sister knew me the best-"she trailed off, and I could almost hear her reminiscing on happier days.
"I have two mega stones. Before I begin with the process I need to explain a few things to you. First, is the connection. When mega evolution occurs, you and I will be linked by an energy connection. It's this connection that fuels the transformation and power boost we will both receive. From the rumors I've heard, any human who is connected, receives a type changing to further deepen the bond and increase the stability of it. This connection though is not just one of spirit. Our minds and bodies will be inextricably linked. Memories, thoughts, feelings are all conveyed reciprocally. However, if either one of us doesn't fully give into the connection or hides things, then the energy will backlash and knock us both for a loop. The repercussions of the bond are high, but the benefits are just as high. I'd like to try this with you. I'm willing to open up on almost everything but a few."
I remained quiet before speaking the next obvious question.
"So we will intentionally have backlash?" I asked, staring at her. She nodded and sighed.
"Yes. I want you to get used to pain and more importantly, there are things I cannot reveal just yet. Secrets that aren't mine to tell."
I remained quiet for a minute realizing she was about to subject me to pain for things that weren't in my control. However, my eyes widened as realization hit me hard.
"You-you've never shared your past. Which means..."
"All of that I'm willing to share with you," she replied, softly.
The weight of that one sentence held more power than anything she had ever said, and I audibly gulped before standing up and then kneeling down to meet her eye to eye.
"Are. You. Sure. Rose?" I asked, watching as she bit her lip and averted her gaze.
"To be honest…yes. I only wish I could give more to this, then what I'm offering…"
"Then I accept it graciously. Thank you. Very much. Maybe after this whole process we could be friends."
A small smile touched her lips for the first time since the cheesy meal and it brought a warmth to my heart unlike anything I had felt in a while.
"I'd like that Kyle," she said, placing her paw on my knee. "First, let's head away from the cliff. I'd rather we not fall over while we both expose ourselves. After that…we begin."
I didn't realize at that moment how dark and grim things would turn over the next eight hours.