The whirring of gears buzzed around Leah in a low, droning hum. It rattled the elevator car ever so slightly, jostling the floor beneath her feet. The floor Leah didn't dare look down at.
"What kind of Elevator moves sideways?" She thought to herself as she stared ahead at the closed doors before her with an unbreakable, ironclad gaze.
Before, she had made the mistake of looking down, when the elevator suddenly flooded with light. The floor had turned to glass, or rather the horizontal shaft the elevator car had been travelling through opened below them, allowing light to pour in through the glass floor. She had caught a brief glimpse of the dirt arena countless feet below, with its towering pillars sparking bolts of electricity and painted white lines. The height had made her stomach churn horribly.
Beside her, Tiberius had laughed.
"What's wrong, Girl? Don't like heights?" He had mocked before stomping on the glass with his heavy boot.
To his great amusement, Leah had gasped and clutched the rail beside her so tight that she thought she might crush it. Apparently, she did not like heights. Something she would have rather learned with anyone other than her uncle.
"Why couldn't I have gone with Alistair?" She groaned internally.
Back at the meadow, the group had split up into three pairs of two and of course, she had been stuck with her uncle.
"Flint, Kerr you head East to Lavender Town then West to Celadon. Alistair, Liam you head South to Fushia. And you," Tiberius had pointed at her and grinned through his foul, tangled beard, "You and I will head to Vermilion."
Losing Abby's trail had doomed her to spending all her time with Tiberius. She'd have even taken Kerr and his wandering eyes over this. Tiberius took every chance he could to make this experience as torturous for her as possible. Any slight slip up he'd point out, followed by a slap to the back of the head and when there were none he'd just make one up.
Walking too slow. Slap. Walking too fast. Slap. Breathing too loud. Slap.
"Quit being so scared! The glass hold!" He shouted and then proceeded to slap her across the back of the head, causing her world to spin.
Leah grit her teeth and took it like she always did. She'd learnt the hard way that fighting back just made it worse. Instead, she channelled the energy of her anger into the mystery Abby had left them back in the meadow. Her trail had to lead them down a small path across from a river. Clearly, she'd crossed to try and ditch her scent, like the fool she is. An Arcanine's nose is too good to be evaded with that little trick. But, when they followed her trail down the path it had just stopped and disappeared right by a huge waterfall. The others figured she'd just taken to the sky with a flying pokémon and left it at that but Leah couldn't accept that. For Abby to have a flying pokémon she'd either had to of evolved her dragon or a Magikarp. Something Leah knew her sister was incapable of. Abby had always been a dreamer but nothing more, she hadn't so much as touched a pokémon before getting her stupid dragon. There was no way she figured out how to evolve her Dratini or let alone a Magikarp in less than two weeks. It was just impossible. Evolving either of those pokémon took skill and Abby had only ever shown skill in tree climbing, and finding new ways to piss off their parents. She could never just be normal.
Tiberius grabbed her roughly by the back of her jacket's collar.
"Stand up! We're almost there!" He ordered and hoisted her up straight.
Leah grunted at the collar squeezed her throat. She shook him off but did as she was told, standing tall with her back straight. That seemed to satisfy Tiberius, as he gave her a nod and turned to face the doors before them. Despite what he said, the shaft was still open beneath them. To distract herself from the height below, Leah focused on Tiberius's uniform. It was decrepit and unkempt, covered in stains and tears. It looked as if it hadn't been washed in years. The red of his ranger's jacket looked more brown than red. The black, while it hid the colour of the stains, there was no mistaking the crusty hardened fabric where the stains were. The only clean part of his uniform were the three pokéball canisters on the upper half of either sleeve. Whether it was because he actually cleaned them or just because of frequent use, the metal of each canister was shiny as if brand new. Apart from her father, Leah had never met a ranger with six pokémon. Three was standard issue, no more, no less. All graduates of the academy were expected to train three pokémon before graduation and were forbidden from training anymore. To have more than three was seen as unnecessary. Only high up officials were allowed more than three, usually because their jobs demanded a diverse team but still, that didn't explain why Tiberius had six. He wasn't high ranking, at least Leah figured he wasn't. In truth, Leah didn't know what he was. He would come and go from their home, report to her father and then head back out to disappear for months or even years at a time. All she knew, from the little she'd overheard when he came by, was that he was a tracker, that he specialised in the training of dog pokémon and would go find people her father wanted found.
Beneath her feet, the light was abruptly cut away as they re-entered the elevator shaft. Leah timidly looked down at the ground and when she was met with only blacks and greys, she let herself relax again. However, she had no sooner relaxed than the elevator came to an abrupt stop. A small screen displaying an arrow pointing sideways blinked at her from beside the doors. The arrow disappeared for a brief moment, then returned pointing down instead. A chime rang out around them and the elevator began descending. As it did Tiberius gripped her arm firmly and loomed over her from behind his mess of long tangled black hair.
"Don't say a fucking word, Girl. You're only here to watch and maybe learn a thing or two, understand?" He spat, jostling her arm roughly back and forth as he spoke.
Leah scowled but didn't resist him.
"Yeah okay, I get it," She replied starkly.
Tiberius let go with a gruff huff and faced the door. His face hardened as he focused intently on it, twisting into an unsettling look.
The elevator came to a stop again and chimed before opening its doors, revealing a messy yet lavish-looking office. Leah stepped out of the elevator and couldn't help but marvel at her surroundings. The walls and ceiling were all painted black, with thin yellow outlines of lightning bolts stretched across the walls, bending with the hexagonal shape of the office. Shelves lined the walls, filled with a mess of rather plain looking books. Grey, white and black spines filled the shelves, most of which were crooked. Fuzzy, yellow carpet stretched across the floor beneath her feet, decorated with a large black outline of a pokéball in the centre. A high voltage cable sheathed in a protective layer ran up along the top of the shelves around the perimeter of the room, sparking a fierce bright yellow. The lightning popped and crackled with a hissing sound. It came down either side of the elevator entrance and continued down into the ground through two round, grated openings. While Leah marvelled, Tiberius wasted no time. He marched across the room to the large, wooden desk where the man who must be Lieutenant Surge was waiting.
"More like ex-Lieutenant Surge," Leah figured but she had no time to think about it any further as Tiberius slammed his hand down on the desk as he leaned across it, getting right into Surge's face.
"Hello Tiberius," Surge greeted, cutting in before Tiberius could say anything.
"Fuck off with your courtesies Surge, I'm lookin' for someone and you're gonna help me," Tiberius ordered.
He prodded Surge in his bulky, muscular chest. Surge looked down at the finger before giving Tiberius a tight, thin smile.
"As Gym Leader, I'm more than happy to assist anyo-" He began.
"The dragon girl fugitive, have you seen them?" Tiberius cut in.
Surge thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"Can't say I have, no dragon trainers have been challenged the gym in months."
Tiberius gave Surge a sceptical, penetrating look. The two men kept tense eye contact in the moment of silence that followed.
"How about a fighting type trainer? With a ground type?" Tiberius asked in a low whisper of a voice, moving his face just close enough that it entered Surge's personal space.
Surge shrugged and broke the eye contact, shifting his eyes to the side for a moment.
"A dragon trainer I'd remember, but that sounds like a hundred different trainers who come through here. Everyone brings at least one ground type with them when they challenge me." He answered coolly.
Tiberius grinned a toothy grin at Surge.
"Yes, I imagine they would. How about one that's won?" Tiberius pressed, speaking slowly now, lingering at the end of each sentence.
That question visibly shook Surge, piquing Leah's interest. Reflexively, she took a step closer. Tiberius whipped around as soon as she did. She froze and retraced the step, stepping backwards.
"Oh… well plenty of people beat me I don't remember them all," Surge answered, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
He was lying, Leah knew it for a fact. She and Tiberius had spent the whole morning talking to people, gathering information. Recon, he had called it, something at the time Leah thought was pointless. Now, however, she was seeing its value. Tiberius stood back, giving Surge back his personal space.
"So, you don't remember the person who beat your winning streak?" Tiberius asked.
Surge's eyes shifted to Leah, they looked desperate. Any composure Surge had when they entered was gone, at least in that brief moment. At once, it returned. Although it didn't take a genius to tell it was forced.
"Of course, I remember, but they weren't the person you're asking about," Surge lied again.
Tiberius folded his arms and raised a thick, bushy black eyebrow at him.
"So she, wasn't this fighting type trainer we've been hearing about then? The one with a Machoke, Primeape and Graveler?"
Surge froze and again his eyes shifted to Leah. Tiberius shook his head with a titter of a laugh.
"You know Surge, I would have thought you'd remember someone you've spent so much time with," Tiberius continued in a snarky, mocking tone.
Surge's face snapped into a scowl. He sat forward in his chair, appearing taller.
"I don't know who you're talking about," Surge doubled down.
Tiberius matched his scowl and lunged at Surge, taking him by the collar.
"Green! Pallet Town!" Tiberius yelled into his face, he narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice to a deadly whisper, "The boy champion's sister. Does that narrow it down for you?!"
Surge rose to his feet, meeting Tiberius at eye level. He knocked his hand aside.
"I don't know who you're talking about," Surge growled.
Tiberius rolled his eyes and groaned.
"God, what are you fucking her or something? Where did she go Surge? She has three badges, is she going to Celadon or Fushia?"
"I don't know who you're talking about," Surge repeated.
Tiberius sighed, ran his hand down his tangled beard and shook his head. Abruptly, he punched Surge across the face, knocking him onto his ass. Leah gasped and grabbed Tiberius's arm.
"What are you stupid?! We can't assault a Gym Leader!" She exclaimed, against her better judgement.
Tiberius whipped around with venom in his eyes. He pulled his arm out of her grasp.
"Piss off girl, what did I tell you about speaking?" He hissed before turning his attention back to Surge.
Surge struggled back to his feet. His lip was busted, split on the right side of his face. It had already begun to swell.
"I don't know who-" He began, his voice muffled slightly by his lip.
Tiberius spat on his desk, right onto a pile of official-looking documents and blueprints.
"Fucking deserter, Celadon or Fushia?!" Tiberius bellowed, reaching for a pokéball on his right arm.
Surge's hand fell to his pokéball belt, hesitated and moved away again slowly. He stared Tiberius down in another tense moment of silence.
"I don't know."
Immediately, Tiberius ripped the pokéball off his shoulder and released it. Beside him, a Houndoom appeared. A large dog-like Pokémon with short black fur and an orange snout. Around his neck, he had a white, bone-like band with a skull-shaped pendant embedded in his throat. Three rib-like ridges ran across his back, as well as two white bands on each ankle. Two large, grey horns curved up out of his head to meet Tiberius's shoulder. A long skinny tail whipped around, snapping its triangular tip in the air like a whip as he growled. Without command, Houndoom lunged at surge and knocked him back to the ground. He stood on his chest and gnashed, flame-filled jaws at him. Surge flinched away from the fire and struggled to rise but Houndoom strength stopped him. Tiberius hopped over the desk and squat down beside Surge. He scratched Houndoom between the horns as he shot Surge an icy stare.
"Celadon or Fushia?" He asked again.
As Surge flinched away again from Houndoom's blazing jaws, it looked as if here were about to crack. He looked back and forth between Houndoom and Tiberius, looking slightly panicked. He paused, took a deep breath and his face hardened.
"I… don't know who you're talking about," He repeated slowly.
Another moment of silence followed, this time it seemed to last an agonisingly long amount of time. Only the popping of the electricity in the cable wrapped around the room filled the silence. That, and the beating of Leah's heartbeat in her own ears. Again, against her own better judgement Leah rushed forward. She hurried around the desk and grabbed Tiberius by the arm again, tugging it firmly this time.
"Stop! You're gonna get us fucking arrested you, idiot!" She yelled.
Tiberius rose to his feet and loomed a good head above her. Leah flinched back, expecting a strike. Instead, to her surprise, her uncle listened and returned Houndoom with a huff.
"When did you become so honourable?" He muttered to Surge.
He turned on his heel and stormed past Leah, making his way back towards the elevator. Leah took a fearful look at Surge before hurrying after him.
"Lightning Lieutenant," Tiberius muttered under his breath and he punched the elevator button with his thumb.
Surge got to his feet and stared at Leah again. He looked, sad. A look Leah wasn't expecting in the least. She looked away, out of fear or shame she didn't know for sure. Probably a bit of both. The elevator doors opened. Tiberius stomped inside and Leah scurried in behind him. Tiberius didn't even wait for the doors to close behind them before grabbing her by the collar and pushing her against the wall hard.
"Stupid girl!" He yelled in her face as the doors shut behind them.
Leah's own temper flared in response.
"I'm stupid?! You just assaulted a Gym Leader! He could get us arrested!" She yelled back and made a useless attempt to push him off her.
She made it a few inches off the wall but was slammed back again by Tiberius as the elevator began to move up.
"Arrested?! Girl, we are the law!" He drew her back and slammed her again, "we're Rangers!"
He slammed her again.
"We're Yomatos," He hissed, getting right up into her face.
His breath was foul but still, Leah didn't flinch away. She was too angry.
"What was even the point of that?! He didn't tell us anything!" She yelled.
Tiberius groaned and slammed her a few more times.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" He yelled with each slam.
Leah grit through the increasing pain of each slam, determined not to let him make her cry.
"He told us everything we need to know. Abby does have a partner, a partner who is still doing her gym challenge. That not only means they're predictable, but weak too. Barely an intermediate trainer. Why else would that bastard be so determined to protect her?" Tiberius explained with frustration.
Leah hated that he was making sense. She kicked at him, trying to get free but the pressure he had on her chest just got tighter.
"So what now?" She spat angrily.
"I'll join up with Alistair and Liam. You'll go join Flint and Kerr. We still don't know which gym they're going to so it'd be best to split our numbers evenly. Do as Kerr and Flint say, they're in charge of you while we're separate got it?" He grumbled, pressing her against the wall harder.
Leah choked and nodded quickly. He let go and she buckled over, gasping for air. She had no sooner caught her breath than the floor disappeared beneath her as the elevator began to pass over the arena. Her stomach churned as she was forced to look down at what felt like a hundred feet of distance between her and the ground. She pulled back away from it but Tiberius caught the back of her head and forced her to keep looking.
"You're a Yomato, Girl. We are strong, so look," He commanded, shoving her down onto her hands and knees to stare at the arena below.
Leah could have closed her eyes, but she didn't. Even as they began to well with tears, she looked down. She gritted through it and looked through the glass floor for the whole ride across the arena.