As Stubborn as a Mudsdale
Enma almost came back to his trainer that night.
He easily could have, standing just outside the light of her bonfire. He'd come down from the abandoned building after a few hours of sleep next to that strange woman, haunted by shadows spiraling around in his nightmares.
Flames danced behind Inyssa, casting a weak light on her pale face. She looked calm, though that was probably due to her being asleep. He'd never joined his teammates before when they decided to sleep at the foot of her bed. How could he? They were all worthless weaklings, too attached to the human they served. Besides, his Pokeball was good enough for him.
He gulped, and couldn't help but take a step forward. Did she still have his Pokeball with her? He couldn't think of any reason why she would. After their last encounter it would be a miracle if she didn't simply throw it at the ground and stomp on it until it became nothing but a pile of shattered metal. It would be fitting. It would be what he deserved.
What was he doing so close to her, anyway? At any point before he could've found her by going back to the grey city she was in. There was no reason for his visit, other than to quell the irritating feeling inside his chest which had convinced him to come to see her, even if just for a moment.
One last look at her face and he turned around, fingers curling into fists. Steam rose from every one of his pores, and the sand under his feet started to crystallize.
Nothing good would come of him staring at her any longer. Maybe at some point in the future he would freely walk to her and ask her to be partners again.
Not yet. Not while he remained so weak. Not while he owed that stupid pink-haired woman for saving his life.
He walked away, his tail burning with a pale, almost extinguished red. The heat and familiar cackle of the bonfire disappeared in the distance, only the smell of sea breeze and regret willing to walk alongside him.
Inyssa was woken up by an aimless beach ball falling on her face, and the day only went downhill from there.
She enjoyed the sunny, somewhat warm morning for a couple hours with Barry before finally heading toward Pastoria. It was nice at first, but she soon discovered that sand was a piece of shit to get off her, especially after she slept on top of it. Part of it had gotten in her hair, so she'd need a ton of shampoo to rinse it off.
Their walk west was mostly uneventful, with the exception of the people around them. She could swear some of the rich folk who'd come down from the resort were looking at them funny. She felt their eyes on her back, and as soon as she turned around she found them looking the other direction.
Unfortunately, it only got worse when they reached Pastoria.
The sight of the city was just barely too much to take in, reason why they stood at its entrance for an entire minute. As she lay eyes on the unbridled, wild patch of plants and flora which covered most of the old buildings around her, she couldn't help but think of Eterna. However that wasn't quite right, it didn't fit. She then remembered Floaroma, but that wasn't it either. The first was like a bouquet; a piece of nature carefully built and put together to appease the senses. The second resembled a garden; larger and harder to take care of, but still enclosed in principle.
Pastoria was neither of those things. There was no rhyme or reason as to where and how things grew. Bushes, flowers and trees resided anywhere they pleased, with the bare exception of the concrete streets, and even then she spotted some cracks here and there from which wild undergrowth shyly showed its face.
In their way to the Pokemon Center they even passed an old, ruined mansion with a gigantic oak growing in the middle of it. Pieces of ornamented wood and roof tiles were stuck to the branches, so it was like the tree was wearing part of the house as a hat.
"I wanna climb that," Barry said, eyes shimming with excitement. "I'm gonna climb that."
"Not before I get to take a shower. And eat something." She grabbed him by the collar, smiling. "Come on, we'll have more than enough time to explore later."
She couldn't help admiring the city's unabashed show of life. It didn't seem to care whether what grew in it was beautiful or ugly, useful or an annoyance. It bared the entirety of nature's might, becoming one with it. It was beautiful, in more ways than she could count.
As much as her eyes were enjoying themselves, she couldn't shake off the feeling she'd gotten at the beach. A few people were staring at her, mostly adults or teens around their age with belts full of Pokeballs. She had an inkling why, but decided not to bring it up around Barry.
The Pokemon Center was located past the local harbor, just before the city ended and the forest leading toward the Great Marsh began. It looked worse for wear than the ones she'd visited before, but by no means less cozy. As soon as she stepped inside she took a whiff, enjoying the familiar, yet subtle scent of lavenders and old, worn leather. It smelled like home.
Not a lot of time to enjoy it though, as a waving, red ponytail attached to a mountain of a girl rose from one of the nearby tables.
"There you two are!" Her voice boomed through the entire lobby. "You sure took your damn time!"
Reiko flashed them a wide grin and raised her hand. It took her until she saw Barry meeting it with his own to realize she wanted a high five. She obliged reluctantly, the clash of her fingers against hers leaving her hand sore.
Percy turned around in his chair, eyes as sharp and droopy as ever, and lazily waved with his free hand.
"I'm glad you made it here okay," he said.
"Glad to see you, fancy boy," she replied, rubbing her aching palm. "You too, Reiko."
"It's so nice to see you!" Barry nodded, shoulders squared.
"Same here. We saw what happened in Veilstone." For a moment Reiko's smile wavered, though she recovered pretty quick. "Anyway, a promise is a promise. How do you two feel about pizza right now?"
Barry agreed immediately, of course. Inyssa opened her mouth to protest, until she felt the low rumble coming from the pit of her stomach. She hadn't eaten anything but marshmallows in almost an entire day.
"Sounds wonderful," she said, trying to imbue her voice with levity. "I want pepperoni."
As far as pizza went, the one Barry took a bite of was pretty good. Then again in his entire life he'd never eaten any that he could consider bad, not even those with pineapple in it. Pizzas were like people; all beautiful and incredible in their own way.
"Barry for the love of…!" Niss shivered, her eyes wetting. "Agh! You got some of your pizza on mine! This thing is burning my tongue!"
"You agreed to split the flavors in half," he said, still chewing. "Learn to live with the consequences."
She shot him a murderous look and cut with the knife the part of her slice covered with his toppings. In front of them Reiko and Percy exchanged a quizzing look, before keeping their laughter to themselves.
"What's wrong? Sensitive girl can't take spices?" Reiko teased. "You're a true Sinnohan, alright."
"Hey at least I don't put fish on my goddamn pizza, you heretic!"
Reiko almost looked offended. "Oh please, fish and cheese go together better than anything you guys could ever come up with."
The discussion continued for a few minutes, and Barry could see that Niss was clearly enjoying herself, even if her eyebrows were knitted the entire time. Percy rolled his eyes, but he also occasionally had to press his palm against his mouth to repress laughter. There was a light, pleasing levity floating around the table, one which he'd sorely missed.
At least if it weren't for the people watching them. He was sure Niss had noticed as well, but he felt multiple pairs of eyes on his back. Heavy, judging eyes which made him more nervous than he'd like to admit. With his free hand he quickly tapped at the fabric of his jeans, fingers frantically hitting his leg. The usual shivers came back, making him wish he could be outside so he could stretch or run or find any way to get rid of the anxiousness covering his body like a swarm of ants.
"So… did you beat this city's Gym already?" he asked, trying to get his mind off the subject.
Percy answered, since Reiko was too busy chomping on her fourth slice of pizza. "I've lost twice against him."
"I won my first time!" Reiko declared proudly once she'd swallowed. "He was tough as all hell, but nothing my Gamatetsu and Denki couldn't handle."
He remembered the name of her Venusaur, but wasn't familiar with the second. Still, judging by the name and the fact the town's Gym was water type he figured it had to be some kind of electric Pokemon.
"Barry and I are gonna knock him out of the park, just you wait." Niss elbowed him, smiling. "We'll kick his Pokemon's asses so hard we'll send them back to the ocean."
The memories of last night came to mind, especially Niss' confession about her own gloating. He had to contain a laugh at that.
"Sure we will," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That guy's not gonna know what hit him."
The two older trainers exchanged a second, much less subtle look.
"You don't know who the Leader is, do you?" Reiko smiled wickedly. "You wouldn't be so confident if you did."
Niss shrugged. "I'll find out when I go challenge him."
"That's the spirit!" Reiko declared, hitting the table with one fist and almost toppling the plates to the ground. "So, what about you two!? Did you defeat Maylene? She took me four tries when I fought her, and for Percy it was six."
The mood dropped like a boulder in the middle of the air, and judging by Niss' expression it might as well have fallen on top of her head. Her eyes darkened, fingers closing strongly against the fork.
"She was hurt during the Galactic attack," she said. "So we had to skip her. We'll fight her after Sunnyshore's Leader."
Reiko's cheery expression turned to one of embarrassment. "Ah… sorry."
"It's okay."
The tapping of Barry's fingers became more incessant. He opened his mouth to speak.
"Yeah… about that. Uh… Niss said you wanted to talk to us about that? Something about… Mars."
The name itself made Niss' fingers curl inwards until she was all but crushing the fork in her hands. Her face didn't reflect this, however, and he hoped she wasn't as angry as he believed her to be.
"It was you specifically, I think," she said to Reiko. "You know something about her?"
Percy shifted on his seat, both hands closing around his glass of sparkling water. For the first time Reiko looked down, and he noticed an unmistakable tinge of anger shining behind her eyes. He'd seen that plenty of times on Niss, and for a moment he could almost swear he physically felt it, like a gust of wind hitting him in the face.
"I… don't think it's safe to discuss it here," she whispered. "You have a few fans, if you haven't noticed."
They didn't need to turn around to know what she meant, the incessant glare of everyone in the room still a weight on their shoulders.
"I have to admit, this isn't as cool as I imagined," Niss said, resting her cheek on one hand. "I'd even prefer them asking for autographs instead of just staring like creeps."
"They're scared," Percy said.
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe all the stupid rumors running around," Reiko added. "My favorite is the one I heard where you're both siblings who were raised by legendary Pokemon after your parents abandoned you in the forest."
Niss raised an eyebrow, letting out a sound that might've been an incredulous laugh. "At least they're not lacking in imagination. And besides, better to be feared than not recognized at all."
"We could tell people the truth," Barry offered. "That way they won't be scared of us and they might wanna be friends!"
A swat of the hand from his friend and his idea was discarded like an annoying fly.
"Let them believe what they want," she said. "If all they do is jump to conclusions about us then they're not worth the time to talk to."
And with that the matter was settled, about as abruptly as things got wrapped up when it was up to Niss. He knew the face she was making; trying to discuss further would be completely pointless. Fortunately Percy seemed to pick up on this, as he changed the subject.
"We have some errands to take care of in a few minutes. You should use that opportunity to challenge a few trainers in the Gym," he said, setting his fork on the table. "There will be plenty of time to discuss this matter later."
Reiko nodded. "There's a big patch of tall grass just south of the Great Marsh that's pretty hidden. We can meet there and talk while we train our Pokemon."
They registered the spot on the map inside their Pokétch, though Niss refused to show them hers for obvious reasons, and agreed to meet there in two hours. Each finished their respective meal and left the money on the table, the two groups heading their separate directions.
Barry looked down at the Pokeballs on his belt, uneasiness setting over him. Either that or it was the oppressive humidity of the town.
He'd confirmed it was safe for a newborn Togepi to be inside a Pokeball, so now he had five official Pokemon. That was great and all, but it didn't change the fact Auri would not be fighting any time soon, at least not until he figured out a way for her to catch up to the rest of his team. It would take time, tears and a staggering amount of effort, but he was still somewhat excited for it.
Wrathia was still a wildcard, too. Her attitude toward him changing so violently was a good sign, but that wouldn't make up for the lack of experience they had together. He didn't even know which were her strong points during combat, whether she preferred a hasty, offensive approach or a careful, defensive one. There was so much he would have to learn about her… it was exciting, and overwhelming.
These and a hundred more scattered thoughts ran through his mind as he and Niss made their way to the Gym. It was too much to focus on, too much for him to be able to formulate a good plan. He felt as lost as ever, as evidenced by the way his breathing had gotten shallower, and his fingers curled and uncurled unconsciously, as they tended to do when he was nervous.
Niss tugging at his sleeve brought him back to reality.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay," she smiled, reading him like an open book. "We'll only fight the Leader's students, so it'll be a good chance to experiment. Breathe slowly and try to clear your mind, alright?"
"Yeah…"
He felt her worried eyes on him as relentless as ever. He was happy his friend cared so much about his wellbeing, but sometimes he wished she would just let him sulk a bit in peace. Not that he'd say that out loud.
"So…" He swallowed, thinking of a way to change the subject. "Did you talk to Lucas? I thought he was gonna be in the Pokemon Center today."
Niss shot him a look of I'll play along but I'll make sure you're happy later.
"He said he had a meeting with someone." She shrugged. "Kid apologized like ten times. He'll be back later in the afternoon, so we'll probably have dinner with him."
He nodded slowly, trying to pay attention to her words. Who could Lucas have a meeting with? Professor Rowan? Or maybe…
"I bet you an entire pint of ice cream that he has a date," he said.
Niss raised an eyebrow, forming a sly smile. "Deal. I'll be damned if that nerd gets with someone before I do." She extended her hand towards him, and they shook on it.
The Gym stood as west as Pastoria went, just before the poorly defined edges of the city ended against the vine filled Marsh ahead. It was a tall, almost circular building covered mostly in windows, both at the sides and on the expansive roof. The walls were painted with a pale blue, and above the doors hung a giant version of what they were after. A flat, silver disk with a sapphire circle below and a platinum set of spikes growing upwards: The Fen Badge.
"Who do you think will be the Gym Leader?" he asked, his feet tapping the ground unconsciously.
"Well, judging by what we've seen so far I'd wager it's someone completely crazy," she said. "But more specifically… maybe a handsome, spry young swimmer?"
They stood in front of the door for a few moments before taking a step forward at the same time. Niss' hand reached for the handle, nervousness clear in her expression.
"Here goes nothing."
Lucas realized he might have to take heart medication after his meeting.
He simply waited as Saturn, sitting across him on the café's table, read through his papers and occasionally bit the cap of the pen he moved through his fingers. Not that he was paying any attention to his face or anything.
Still, he could barely stand it as anxiety crawled through the inside of his skin, making it almost impossible for him to stay still. To counteract this he'd started tapping his foot against the ground, though at this point he feared he might cause an earthquake by how fast he was doing it.
Finally Saturn put the papers down and looked up at him. Lucas' heart jumped to his throat.
"This is…" he said, lips curling into a smile. "Lucas, this is incredible!"
He leaned back into his chair, not quite processing what he'd just heard. "Y-you mean it?"
"Yes! This is… are you sure this is your first research attempt? This is amazingly well written!" He tapped the bundle of paper with the back of his palm. "I have trouble believing you really are only eighteen, considering what I just read."
He looked down, clasping his hands together in excitement. "Well… you're not much older than me, and you've already got loads of experience."
"I guess that's fair," Saturn smiled. "Still, I'm impressed. If you weren't working for Professor Rowan I would plead to my boss to let me hire you as my assistant." There was a small pause, where he leaned forward a bit, raising an eyebrow. "Well… that's up to you, still. Are you sure you're not interested in my offer?"
Saturn's proposal… the moment he'd heard it he could hardly believe it. To think someone as amazing as him would invite him to work for his company; as an actual scientist assistant no less. It was the chance of a lifetime; a doorway to learn more than he would ever be able to do by going to any university or staying where he was.
And still…
"T-thank you." He bowed his head slightly. "But… Professor Rowan has done so, so much for me, and I can't bring myself to abandon him. I want to complete this research under his name, and I want him to be proud of me for it." He smiled to himself, feeling Butterfrees flooding his stomach. "Maybe in the future I can make a name for myself, but right now I'm Rowan's assistant and I need to play the part."
There was a shade of disappointment across Saturn's face, but it was mostly overshadowed by his warm smile.
"Well, that's a very noble goal to aspire to. I won't try to interfere anymore. Though we could do some conjoined work at some point."
"Oh! You mean scientific collaboration? The professor told me he worked with Oak a few years back!"
"Yes, and that's considered the highest honor a scientist can get. That's why people like us need to work together; so that someday we might surpass those at the top." He raised one hand and turned it into a fist, still smiling. "I can see that you have the right kind of ambition. You're not doing this for money or fame; all you want is to work for the good of others."
Lucas was somewhat taken aback by Saturn's description. A terrible thought crept through the dark parts of his mind, setting above him like an unmovable weight. Was he… was he being sarcastic? He shuddered at the possibility; if so then he'd be in the same spot as back then, when…
He gulped, and looked down at the table. "You're praising me too much. I'm nowhere near as selfless as you say."
"Ah… sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable." Saturn's lips went thin, his shoulders dropping slightly. "But, if you don't mind me asking, why do you think that?"
"Well… I like learning a lot, and I hope that someday my work can help others. But I also like the idea of people knowing who I am and… liking me, for it." The tone of his voice wavered as he spoke. "To hear my name next to the best of the best, to be respected and looked up to by others who want to go through the same path… that's my dream, I guess."
Saturn sat still for a few moments, and all of Lucas' previous confidence evaporated in a wisp. He became painfully aware of how loud he'd just been, and cursed his stupid enthusiasm. Did his words put him off? Was he disappointed by what he'd just said? The mere possibility made his legs shake like they were made of jello.
Maybe if he'd tried to lie… but no, that wouldn't have been right. The truth was as solid and hot inside his chest as a molten rock; it had been that way ever since he was little. His ambitions were largely selfish and self serving, and he'd only been able to get so far because he'd been blessed with Rowan's help. If he'd tried to succeed alone…
You're just gonna keep being a nuisance if you stay like this forever.
The sudden and familiar voice resurged from the depths of his mind, bringing back those memories he'd tried his best to keep locked. He didn't realize, but his fingers were grabbing the fabric of his jacket so strongly the tips had gone pale. His eyes began to sting, and he tried his best to contain how pathetic he knew himself to be.
He should just apologize to Saturn for wasting his time, he thought as the silence formed the shape of a noose around his neck. He was about to when he heard him speak.
The young man leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms. His voice came out a lot mellower than before, though still as warm. "Interesting. You're about as rare a specimen as I've come across yet." He let out a snort, as if he'd just told a joke only he could understand. "People who want to be famous only for the benefits or to stroke their ego are a dime a dozen. But to have that desire burn so strongly inside you and still have it tamed under your duty as a scientist… that's very impressive."
Lucas' reaction made him look like a Poochyena whom someone had dumped a bucket of water on. He unconsciously leaned back and tried to reply, though his voice didn't come out the first two times.
"R-really?"
Saturn raised his head and nodded, eyes bright. "Yes, absolutely. I've seen too many who were consumed by their own ambitions, but you are not like them. The kind of world me and my associates are trying to create... you would fit right in, Lucas."
"W-wh..." The boy's lower lip quivered, and the sting behind his eyes turned almost unbearable. "Saturn…"
The man's eyes found his, and he suddenly felt without breath. His words descended on him like a blessing; the ones he'd been wanting to hear his entire life:
"I have absolutely no doubts that you can achieve your dreams. I believe in you."
He knew he shouldn't have reacted to his words in the way he did. He knew that starting to tear up in front of someone who he'd just met a few days ago would have been stupid and weird and probably make him look like a crybaby. He knew that he was pathetic and a coward, and yet…
He unconsciously tried to shrink in place, lowering his head. He tried his best to contain the sobs escaping him; but there was no doubt Saturn could hear them.
Professor Rowan had always been kind and supportive toward Lucas, but he was a man of few words. Both shy and stern, he'd never fully vocalized just how much he believed in his student, and the boy had taken that to mean that he wasn't good enough. Even back when he lived with his brother, not once had he ever heard a real word of encouragement coming out of his mouth.
All and all, it was the first time in years anyone had outwardly expressed their belief in him.
"Woah!" Saturn raised his palms, eyes open wide. "Lucas, are you okay!? I'm sorry if what I said upset you, I was just…"
His sudden, weak laugh interrupted him.
"It's… it's okay." He tried his best to calm himself, even if his voice still shook violently. "I'm sorry, I just… it's been a long time since anyone… I'm sorry."
He didn't fail to notice the reflection of pity on Saturn's expression, though he didn't mind as much since it was softened by the dorky way in which he looked worried. He seemed unsure whether to extend a hand forward and pat him on the shoulder or to just sit there.
"Hey, we all get emotional sometimes." He raised his hands as he shrugged awkwardly. "Again, sorry if… uh, anyway. I think it'd be a good time to ask for desserts!" He raised his finger, forming a lopsided smile. "They make a chocolate sundae here I absolutely need to show you. I'm sure that will improve your mood."
As Lucas cleaned his cheeks with the back of his sleeve, cheeks flushing from embarrassment, he couldn't help but smile at the awkward man sitting across him.
I really am blessed, he thought to himself. Rowan, Niss and Barry, Saturn… I almost feel like I'm cheating. Like I don't deserve to know them.
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to look up with a determined look. Even if he didn't deserve them, he would become someone who did. That's the least he owed them for all they'd done for him.
"Thank you so much," he told Saturn, nodding. "And yes, that sounds delicious."
Inyssa was un-pleasantly surprised to discover that the Leader's students were a lot tougher than she expected.
At least an hour had passed, and she'd only been able to defeat three of them. Steven and Kuro had fallen in the last two fights respectively, and she was now stuck with only Bret, since Shadi hadn't recovered from her wounds yet.
She winced as her last Pokemon was thrown backwards by the opposing Buizel's Aqua Jet, almost falling to the water which made up seventy percent of the arena. Each trainer stood at opposite sides of a small pool, with plastic platforms littered all over as to give fire, ground and rock types a chance were she to use one.
But she wasn't, and that was the problem. By all means Bret should've obliterated any water type he encountered, but in this specific scenario he was being outmatched. He was by far the slowest Pokemon in her team, and with no ground for him to press his hand against and summon vines, he didn't count with any way to counter the Buizel's overwhelming speed. Each torrent of petals he threw at him was either dodged effortlessly or rendered useless by his opponent simply jumping into the pool.
In a strange way, she couldn't help but be relieved. Having skipped the fight against Maylene, it had been a long time since she'd gotten an actual, honest challenge from anyone. It excited her, it put her right in her element. As messy as confusing as her life could get, a Pokemon fight was something she could actively solve, and she was grateful for that.
"Finish him off! Aqua Tail!"
She threw her hand forward, a plan forming on her mind. "Bret, surround yourself with Stun Spore!"
Raising himself to his feet, the Roselia extended both rose-covered hands to the side. A cloud of musky, yellow dust was expelled from every one of his petals, spiraling around him like a small cloud. Buizel saw this, only inches from his opponent, and with the power gathered into his tails he whipped at the air in front of him. A mighty gust of wind parted the water in half, dispelling the spores completely.
"W-what!?" the trainer in front of her yelled, eyes wide open. "He's gone!"
Inyssa smiled, her victory assured.
"Bret, Grass Knot!"
Dozens of vines broke through the surface of the water. Buizel tried his best to dodge, but using his last attack in such an unorthodox manner had left him without any momentum in the middle of the air; his speed completely nullified. They slithered their way through his body, binding him completely and leaving him suspended above the water.
"Try to break out with Sonic Boom!"
"Magical Leaf!"
Tail covered in white energy, Buizel tried desperately to cut the vines binding him, to no avail. From the bottom of the pool a torrent of glowing, sharp petals pelted his body relentlessly, until he was no longer able to stay conscious.
She let out a long sigh of relief. Grabbing Bret's Pokeball, she returned him to it from the bottom of the pool, and whispered congratulations into it. Still, her win had been too close for her liking. A lot of training would have to be done before she would feel comfortable challenging the Gym leader.
Clapping brought her back to reality. The trainer she'd just fought approached her with a huge grin on her face. She was a tall, scrawny girl wearing a swimsuit and a blue wrestling mask modeled after a Piplup.
"That was one hell of a battle." She spoke with a booming voice, hands on her hips. "Though I'm afraid not good enough to get past our leader."
She struggled to form a polite smile. "Yeah, I know. Hey, what's with the masks, anyway?"
The girl smiled widely, as if she'd been expecting the question. Without prompt she lowered her knees and turned to the side, flexing both her arms. "Well why else!? This is the Gym of the greatest wrestler ever to have graced Sinnoh! We, his apprentices, can't be seen around without a mask of our own! That would bring nothing but disgrace to this distinguished establishment!"
At any other time, Inyssa might've stared in confusion at the girl's pose, or perhaps rolled her eyes at such a hammy performance. But now all she could do was let out a gasp of surprise.
"W-wait!" She gulped, eyes wide open. "The greatest wrestler… and this is a water-type Gym. Don't tell me…!"
"Indeed," said the girl, standing up and folding her arms proudly. "You are before the strongest student of none other than the legendary Crasher Wake, master of the ocean's wrath!"
Inyssa was not proud of the sound which came out of her mouth, but at that moment she didn't care one bit. The name itself made her skin shiver, and for the first time in her life she felt like she imagined Barry did all the time.
"I love Crasher Wake!" She threw her arms to the side, smiling so widely her cheeks hurt. "Oh my god… oh my god I'm gonna have to fight Crasher Wake…" A strange mix of fear and anticipation filled her chest. "Oh my god I need to train so much more than I thought."
The girl nodded knowingly. "You better not come at our boss without making sure you're ready!"
A violent shiver hit her, the mere thought of having to face against one of her favorite celebrities almost too much for her to handle. An image came to mind; she, Shadi and Barry sitting on her house's oversized couch as they watched the man in television, wrestling his way through every opponent which came to him. She'd never cheered harder in her life.
Barry…
She turned to his friend, excited to see his reaction to the news. Unfortunately what she saw wiped the smile off her face; Barry's Kadabra had just received a devastating attack from the opposing Shellos. She saw her friend's face covered in shadows as he returned his last Pokemon, hands shaking.
The girl she'd just fought might've been a bit offended at being left there without even a goodbye, but Inyssa couldn't worry about that at the moment. She headed toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder in the most reassuring way she could.
"Hey… it's gonna be okay," she assured him. "You got through three other trainers before; I'm sure Kitsune was really tired."
Barry shook his head, too weakly for her liking. "It's… it's not that. Kitsune was fine, I just…" He looked as his palm, eyes droopy. "I froze. That thing was beating us and I couldn't think my way out. "
The sheer sadness in his voice made her want to walk to the trainer he'd just faced and punch them in the face. She instead chose to grab him by the arm as she walked towards the exit.
"Nothing we can't fix with some training," she said. "Come on, let's get our Pokemon patched up before we go to that spot Reiko and Percy said. You'll feel much better after that."
"Yeah… I guess."
"I guarantee it." She tried her best to smile cheerfully. "I also have some news that will knock your socks off."
In the end, the reveal of the Gym Leader's identity did bring Barry back to his usual bubbly self, and then some. There was no way to explain how relieved that made Inyssa; she really wasn't sure how good she was at cheering up her friend.
In any case, she knew it was temporary. Whatever mental block Barry was struggling against in battle, it was something she could only marginally help with. He would eventually have to solve it by himself.
As soon as their Pokemon were healed they headed to the spot saved in their map. It was a small clearance hidden between two thick walls of robust trees, filled to the brim with tall grass and a myriad of other bushes and colorful plants, most of which she'd never seen before.
She instructed Bret to use Sweet Scent in the direction of the wind, and soon enough the place was swarming with horde after horde of wild Pokemon. Wooper, Bibarel, Tangela and Noctowl fell on them from every direction. Luckily the combined might of their team was too much for them to handle, and soon they started dropping like flies.
After a few minutes of training they heard steps behind them, and through two thick bushes appeared Reiko and Percy. For the first time since the trial at the Lost Tower, the redhead didn't look cheery.
"Well… isn't this a sight for sore eyes," she said, forcing herself to smile. "Looks like you're getting your time's worth with these wild Pokemon."
"How did the Gym go?" Percy asked.
She explained their little venture, focusing mostly on the Gym Leader's revealed identity and omitting to mention Barry's defeat. Reiko seemed to regain some of the color in her face as she heard her tale.
"You're both fans of Crasher Wake? Well, let it be known you do have some taste after all," she said. "So, mind if we join the training?"
She didn't wait for a response before letting out three Pokemon. The first two she'd seen already; Stain the Scyther and Nakuru the Golduck. The third however, was completely new. A chubby, bipedal rodent with orange fur covering most of its body and two circular marks on its cheeks. A long tail sprout from its back, ending in the shape of a lightning bolt.
Inyssa took out her Pokédex almost reflexively.
Raichu: The Orange Blur Pokemon - Electric Type. While mostly friendly and harmless, it can become aggressive if the pouches on its cheeks are too full of electricity. To prevent this, it grounds itself with its tail and discharges all its energy at once. Scorched patches of earth will be found near its nest.
"So that's how you got past Crasher Wake," she said.
Reiko nodded proudly. "Denki here is not someone you wanna mess with."
As if to completely counter his trainer's words, the Raichu approached her and rubbed his cheek on her leg, all the while smiling.
"A-anyway…" She cleared her throat. "We should probably get started."
Inyssa stared her down. "And you're gonna tell us what you wanted to tell us now?"
"Yeah. Here, let's find a better spot while our Pokemon fight."
"And you're absolutely sure she was doing that with a Ditto."
Barry had never seen Reiko so shaken, even if the redhead tried her best to hide it. Her arms were crossed tightly, and her feet tapped the ground incessantly. Behind her Percy stared, worry clear in his face.
"I saw it myself," Niss said. "It's definitely a Ditto."
Reiko bit her thumb, eyes focused on the ground. She seemed to be somewhat lost in thought.
"Did she say anything about it? Like…" She moved her hand in a circle, biting her lip. "Where she got it or anything like that?"
Barry stepped in. "Well, at least from what I saw it looked like it was melted into her body. "
"Back in Veilstone she mentioned something about it," Niss explained. "I think she was experimented on by a guy named Charon."
All color left Reiko's face. She took a sudden step back and almost tripped on an overgrown root, before Percy managed to catch her. She ran her fingers through her hair, as something between a laugh and a sound of incredulousness came out of her mouth.
"I-I knew it!" Barry felt the sheer relief and anger through her voice. "I fucking knew it! I told you he was hiding here in Sinnoh!" she told Percy, fingers curling into fists.
He noticed Niss wincing, as an almost imperceptible spasm hit her right hand. She looked down at her wrist and furrowed her brow, shaking her head slightly. This caught Percy's attention, though he didn't get much time to wonder what had happened as Barry spoke up.
"You know that guy?"
Reiko closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in and out slowly. Her lower lip was shaking.
"It's… it's a long story," she said, pale as paper.
"Really?" Niss said. "You're gonna pull that shit on us? Why do you think we cleared our schedule for today?"
Even though she probably meant her words to be sarcastic, Barry noticed the tinge of impatience in her voice, and he agreed with her sentiment. If they knew anything about Team Galactic which could help them take them down, they had to know.
"Fine, but you better listen carefully, because I'm not telling this twice." She unconsciously grabbed her boyfriend's hand, as if wanting to extract strength from it. "So… I mentioned before that my mom worked for Silph Co., right?"
They nodded in unison, the story about how she'd met Red still fresh in their memory.
"Well, I don't know if you knew this, but back in the last two years of the war the company changed a lot," she said, voice slow and taciturn. "The government turned it into a base of operations; information, communication and all that junk. It became our main scientific branch, which is why Saffron was so targeted by Sinnoh's forces."
Barry decided to ignore the pulsing, burning poison behind her words, and the way her face twisted into pure rage as he said those last words. Next to him Niss frowned, though thankfully she didn't say anything.
"But… some people didn't think having all our brains working on that would get us anywhere. That's why a second, smaller branch was created by a group of scientists, who decided to set their base on the old facilities in Cinnabar Island. They said they could come up with a magic bullet to end the war; a secret weapon or something."
Cinnabar Island… Barry could swear he'd heard something about the place related to the war.
Reiko took a deep breath before continuing. "They tried really hard to convince Professor Oak to join their team, though he obviously refused, being a pacifist and the leader of the anti-war movement. So in the end they were a small group of three scientists, and a few assistants here and there. My…" She swallowed. "My… dad was one of those assistants."
He didn't like the wave of anguish that the girl expelled as she said that, her expression turning grim. Barry's eyes flashed gold for a moment as the feeling hit him.
"They were doing something... dangerous. By some wild miracle one of the lead scientists, Doctor Fuji, had obtained a DNA sample of the mirage Pokemon: Mew. I'm… guessing you're familiar with it."
Barry gulped, feeling like someone had run electricity through his stomach. "I… I mean, yeah?"
"We are indeed familiar with the most famous legendary Pokemon of all time, yes," Niss said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"R-right, stupid question." Reiko let out a weak laugh. "Anyway, their plan was to use the strands of Mew's hair to clone it, or at least clone something just as powerful. Due to religious and spiritual beliefs the Johto branch of the Indigo League wasn't very happy with the idea, but in the end they agreed to keep it a secret. The scientists worked at it for almost an entire year, and then…" She closed and opened her hands unconsciously. "Well, something happened. My dad wouldn't tell us what it was, no matter how much mom and I asked, and I figured that someone above him forbade him from saying anything. After that, rumors started circulating, mostly from the people of Cinnabar. They said they'd heard a huge explosion near the lab, and then they saw a… thing, flying through the roof and into the sky.
"My guess is that they did make a clone, though one too strong for them to control. Not that it matters; after the incident the whole project was cancelled and the three leaders lost their scientific privileges. They each went their own way, and less than two years later the war ended for good."
Niss crossed her arms. "I'm guessing that one of those scientists was Charon, though I still don't know what this has to do with Mars or that weird Ditto."
"I was getting to that, half pint," frowned Reiko. "Turns out, all the work and research they did wasn't in vain. See, they went through a lot of clone prototypes before finally getting it right. These prototypes were really small and pretty much useless as weapons, but they shared something in common with Mew: The ability to transform into any Pokemon they came across."
"W-wait!" Barry asked, eyes going wide. "You mean Ditto?"
Niss gently hit his side with her elbow. "What else? They originated in Kanto due to mysterious experiments," she said. "I guess now we know what those experiments were."
He blushed, completely unaware of that particular tidbit. It had probably been covered during one of their many classes in which he wasn't able to pay any attention.
Reiko nodded. "The initial plan was to get rid of them, though after a lot of convincing from Professor Oak they were allowed to be released into the wild, and from then they spread everywhere. Well… most of them were released.
"There was one Ditto which was… different, from the others. It was their last prototype before the incident that ruined the whole project. Looks like not only was it a lot stronger, but it also wasn't limited to imitating only Pokemon. It could turn into anything; weapons, appliances, even people."
Another wave of unbridled surprise, with a hint of anger, coming from Niss.
"They weren't able to use it as a weapon in the war, since it ended before they could figure out a way to implement its abilities. Still, even after the peace treaties were made the Association's scientists kept studying the thing, just in case. Doctor Fuji and Blaine had no problem with it, but Charon refused. For years he did all he could to convince them to return the Ditto to him. Eventually they discovered several acts of malfeasance attributed to him, and he was declared a war criminal. He was to be judged in front of a tribunal, until…"
Reiko's voice lost strength, and he could see her violently struggling to keep appearances. She lowered her head and tried to speak, tone brittle and weak.
"It… it happened a few days before the trial. I'm sure you saw it in the news, considering…" She attempted to smile, though it only formed halfway.
"Around that time…" Niss whispered, arching her brow. "That's when Cinnabar's volcano erupted, wasn't it?"
"Y-yeah. I was in Saffron when it happened. We saw on TV how all the lava and rockslides just… swallowed the entire island. Though most people managed to evacuate to Vermillion thanks to Blaine's help and that of his Pokemon."
Barry didn't like one bit her use of the word most, and suddenly dreaded hearing any more of her story. Judging by the look on her face, Niss agreed.
"M-my parents were divorced at the time, which is why I lived with my mom. My dad and my… my little brother…"
Percy got closer and gently pushed his shoulder against hers, his fingers grazing her free hand. Reiko sniffled and rubbed her eye with the back of her hand.
Even if Barry knew what to say, he wasn't sure he'd be able to get it out. He could tell it was still a fresh and powerful memory in Reiko's mind, even if so much time had gone by since then. For the first time in ages he didn't notice the change in his eyes.
"Anyway." Reiko cleared her throat. "Eventually they found the bodies of almost everyone who wasn't in the rescue boats. The only two missing were Charon and the Ditto stored in Cinnabar Mansion. No matter how much they looked they couldn't find trace of either of them."
"Is that why you came here?" Barry asked, voice as pale as his skin. "To Sinnoh, I mean."
"Well… A couple days before the trial he was visited by a strange man, apparently. He had light blue hair and his skin was pale and sickly looking, like that of the people here. The boat he came in had arrived from Sinnoh. No one knows what he talked to Charon about, but it happened just before the volcano erupted." She raised one of her hands, curled into a fist, and stared at it. "I had other reasons of course, but I knew that my best chance to find him would be here."
It happened again; Niss flinched and threw her arm backwards, letting out a small gasp of pain. He could almost feel the electricity buzzing out of her Pokétch, and he was glad he wasn't able to see Hao's face. To think he'd find two people who were after the same crazy scientist in such a short time…
"Hold on." Niss raised her hand slightly, a quizzical look on her face. "Do you have any proof that this weird guy was from here other than his appearance and the boat he arrived on?"
A scowl formed between Reiko's eyebrows, as if she weren't sure whether to be angry at her words or not.
"That doesn't matter, I was right," she said firmly. "You just told me that Charon is here, working with Team Galactic."
"He is right now, but the eruption in Cinnabar happened years ago," Niss replied in a heated tone. "I believe you in that he escaped and stole that Ditto, but that doesn't mean he immediately came to Sinnoh and started working for Team Galactic."
Reiko shrugged. "Do you have a better explanation, half pint?"
This time it was clear the nickname wasn't thrown around in an endearing way. Niss closed her hands into fists, and Barry didn't have time to stop her before she replied.
"I'm just saying that the last part of your story doesn't make much sense. You're jumping to conclusions too much."
Barry immediately noticed the change in atmosphere, not to mention the way Reiko's eyelid twitched ever so slightly, and decided to step in. "H-hey I don't think that was the point of what she was saying, we should go back to talking about…"
Reiko snapped back, ignoring him. "Are you really that mindlessly patriotic that you can't bear the thought that someone from Sinnoh was behind what happened to our island?"
In a hurry Percy grabbed Reiko's arm, eyebrows knit together. "Okay, that's enough. This isn't time to fight."
"That's not what I'm saying at all!" Niss yelled, gritting her teeth. "The most logical explanation is that Charon was there when the eruption happened and took advantage of it to steal Ditto and escape. How the hell could he even manage to cause something like that, even with outside help? You're just sticking to whatever theory makes hating us easier!"
Reiko chortled, an incredulous look on her face. "You think I don't have proof!? Besides, I don't need to go around grasping at straws to find a reason to be bitter. Your region has already given me a lot of excuses to fucking hate it."
"Says someone from Kanto," Niss spat back, voice full of poison. "Don't act like you're all a bunch of angels. Remember the invasion on Fuchsia City, how they bombed our recon troops with poison gas? Or how about the fact that you still have a war criminal like Surge as a fucking Gym Leader?"
"Is this really the game you wanna play!?" The ground felt like it shook as Reiko took a step forward, expression darkened. "The Lavender invasion! The Sevii Islands bombings! The strike against Viridian that ended the war! Hundreds dead in every one of those incidents!"
Her screams rang through the air all around them, catching the attention of their Pokemon, who turned around towards them. A thick, oppressive silence fell before Niss could respond.
"You were the ones who pulled the trigger first," she growled. "Kanto started the war; don't ever forget that."
Barry put an arm between them before things could escalate further, shooting an irritated look at Niss.
"Alright, let's all calm down!" He tried his best to imbue his voice with authority. "We can all agree that what happened was really bad, and no one here is at fault for it, okay?"
Reiko laughed, which wasn't at all what he was expecting. "Oh, I'm sure you'd love to put all this under the rug, Barry. Don't think I don't know who your parents are. Tower Tycoon Palmer and Sarah Paladino, right?" A smile full of wrath formed on her face, and he felt compelled to step back. "Say, how much would you say they enjoyed carving a bloody crest through my homeland? Because considering what they've done I'd say they got a pretty big kick out of it."
"Reiko!" Percy yelled, closing his fingers around her arm, scowling.
Barry's arms dropped to the side, and he was pretty sure a boulder had materialized inside his stomach considering how those words felt. He opened his mouth to refute her, to say anything, but before he could Niss pushed him to the side.
"Leave him out of this!" As small as she was compared to the mountain that was Reiko, she looked just as intimidating. "Talk to him like that again and I'll knock your teeth out!"
He flinched a few inches back. "N-Niss!"
There was a short moment, a couple seconds or so, where it seemed to dawn on the two girls what they'd just said. A short moment where it almost looked like they were able to see through each other's anger, were able to understand the reason for the other's pain. It was short-lived, however, as those seconds passed and the stalwart pride inside them burned that understanding to cinders.
Niss looked down, still simmering like a furnace from his perspective. Her hand moved swiftly, grabbing him by the wrist a bit more strongly than he would've liked.
He was painfully aware of all their Pokemon staring at them inquisitively.
"We're going now," she said, trying to no avail to erase emotion from her voice. "I knew I shouldn't have wasted my time on you two."
The sheer poison behind her tone made Reiko wince. She actually looked hurt, as if her anger had been mitigated by Niss, at least for a moment. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself.
Barry felt himself being dragged back the way they came from, as their Pokemon followed behind with clear looks of confusion. He knew he should've told her something, told her they could resolve the situation without having to go away or write them off entirely.
Yeah, like you'd be able to change her mind. Good one.
His shoulders dropped, shame creeping up through his body. No choice but to give up; not that he'd be able to change anything by himself.
He let himself be dragged by Niss, a million unsaid words inside him.
