Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon! I don't own Pokemon! *forms a conga line*
SC: Oooh! Look, it's chappy seven!
Blaziken: Wonderful.
Typhlosion: Great job, SC. You're really doing it!
SC: ^__^
Blaziken: Suck up. :P
SC: Ahem! Moving on. . . *begins typing*
~ The Night Before ~
Allie finally awoke after the long nap she had taken. Golden beams of sunlight shone through the windows into her eyes. She blinked, then threw back the satin covers and slid out of bed.
"Time to get down to business," Allie muttered to herself, and groggily she reached for her backpack and dumped its contents onto the bed. Pushing aside her Acro bike and various healing items, Allie gathered together all fifteen of her precious Pokeballs and began releasing their captives one by one.
Once everyone had been assembled, Allie clambered up onto the bed and faced her audience as though she were on a stage. Her Pokemon tensed uneasily, and not even the warmth of the sunshine could melt the icy feeling of somberness they all shared.
"All right, y'all," Allie announced. "We've got some work to do. I need you all to pay very close attention. Now, Suicune, you stand over there next to Layla. . ."
Allie continued giving orders for several minutes, until her party was arranged just as she desired. Then, Allie collected the bags containing the gems from a side table, and spilled their contents out on the bed. Many of the Pokemon's eyes widened at the sight of the jewels' unfaltering beauty; the room was lit by their glimmering aura.
"Just what are those things?" Typhlosion asked slowly, his violet eyes gazing at the ruby orb, which was nearest.
"These are the Sacred Gems. It's a long story," Allie explained, "but the short of it is that a piece of every Legend's power is inside one of these. We have to simultaneously find the rest of these babies and defeat Team Trinity."
"That sounds like a complicated task," Halsemon noted.
"Yes and no. Y'all are standing in your groups now, okay? Each group has a different task. Get to know your partners: you'll be with them for a while." Allie crossed her arms and stared at the Pokemon around her. "I have no clue as to how long it will take to complete this task, but I do know that it will take determination and trust.
"This means," she added, "that Blaziken will not be an almighty jerk." Blaziken glared defiantly at Allie, but her returning stare was more piercing, and Blaziken looked grimly to the floor.
" . . . that Layla and Lanturn won't be so childish. . . " The two Water Pokemon glanced sideways at one another, " . . . and that we mustn't get overly cocky." All eyes in the room fell upon Megan, who was suddenly focusing all his attention on a point on the wall.
"So, what's our first step?" Typhlosion asked, snapping the accusing silence.
"We must divide up the jewels. Their powers are best suited for different Pokemon, so we have to plan who gets what," Allie replied. She reached for the faintly glowing crystal, and slipped it casually into its bag. "Obviously, this one goes to the team of Layla, Lanturn, and Suicune, since it is the gem with Suicune's power." Allie tossed the velvet drawstring bag though the air, Layla catching it with her mouth.
"You three will also get Regice's." The next jewel to be grabbed was the prismatic hunk of mother of pearl. "Its power should work with y'all, since it is Ice and you three are Water.
"A word of caution: Suicune, I don't want you to hold the crystal with your power in it unless it is absolutely necessary. We don't want a repeat of what happened centuries ago," Allie said sternly, and Suicune responded with a graceful nod of its maned head.
"Now, for the Sapphire group," Allie continued, and glanced at the assembly of Pokemon to her left. Blaziken, Slipher, Falco, Thundra, Razorfon, and Furaigon tensed, looks of fear and bravery mingling on their faces. "You all shall receive the gems of Regirock, Registeel, Entei, and Kyogre. You six are in charge of the most jewels because your task is to find the remaining ones."
Allie paused, and the six aloof Pokemon to her right looked up from the ground. Espeon leaned a bit closer to his brother, Megan, Halsemon and Quagsire swallowed hard, Stormfront remained impassive, and Typhlosion's mighty flames poured from his back.
"You all," she recited slowly, "have to face the combined powers of Team Trinity. Thus, I believe it is most fitting for you to receive those gems, which contain a great deal of power: swift Raikou, versatile Celebi, and the sheer destructive force that is Groudon. I trust that you all see the fairness in my choices." Allie projected the last phrase to all those in the room and judging from the silence they all understood.
No one said anything for quite a long time. Everyone was too busy facing the nervous fears that had enveloped the room during Allie's speech. The younger Pokemon were trembling a bit, while the more experienced fellows were silently preparing for what lay ahead. It was likely that the silence would have carried on for a long time, until a faint knocking sound rang from behind the coal-black doors.
"Allie?" Eurico's muffled voice said. "I just want you to know that dinner is ready. Mythemios and I did a splendid job, and if I may persuade you to join us, then we could end the day with a bit of a celebration."
Allie slid off her bed and trudged to the door. She pushed it open, but the door had barely moved four inches when a dull thud and a loud "Ow!" signaled that she had hit Eurico squarely on the nose.
"Sorry!" Allie apologized, and she eased the second door slowly open. Eurico rubbed his face hard, then smiled and carelessly waved his hand through the air.
"Don't worry. It's nothing," he assured her. Eurico beamed and began to stroll down the hall, towards the source of a tantalizing aroma. Allie waved for her Pokemon to follow, and together they set out for the kitchen.
~*~*~
The feast that Eurico and Mythemios had prepared was unlike anything Allie had ever experienced. There were slabs of steak, mounds of mashed potatoes that were overflowing with gravy, and dishes filled with mixed vegetables. Allie and her Pokemon stared wildly at the food for a moment, just now noticing how hungry they were.
"Go ahead," Eurico encouraged. "Take what you will, there's plenty for all." He himself grabbed a plate and began heaping the potatoes onto it.
"Dig in, guys!" Allie cried, and her Pokemon responded with excited cries of joy. Some of the taller Pokemon helped those who were too short to reach the table get food, and those without opposable thumbs needed a bit of help as well. Finally, after everyone had obtained what food they wanted the wall of self-restraint collapsed and they all dug in ravenously.
Allie tried to hold some dignity, using her fork and knife to deftly cut off a piece of the steak. She tried not to notice the fact that her Pokemon were making a mess of their food, spilling bits off their plates. Eurico and Mythemios paid no heed, and carried on as though there was no one else in the room with them. There wasn't much conversation in the room; everyone was too busy eating, so all that was heard was an occasional "Pass the potatoes." Allie used this brief moment of no distraction to scan the room.
The kitchen was styled like a Japanese restaurant, with its low tables that you had to kneel to reach, the frail sliding wood door, and the paper lanterns overhead filled the room with pleasant warmth. Suddenly, her eyes fell to a desolate corner, situated away from the hustle and bustle of the tables. In it sat an isolated Pokemon with rounded crimson legs and a head coloration that resembled a skier's hat. The Pokemon's legs were crossed and its arms were positioned as though it were meditating. All the while that Allie had been observing it, the mysterious Pokemon had not moved a muscle.
Curious about what this Pokemon could possibly be, Allie leaned over and inquired of Eurico, "Say, what's that Pokemon over there?"
Mythemios was the one to reply, setting his teacup to its saucer. "That, my young friend, is a dear old partner of mine, a Medicham." He raised his cup and took another swig of green tea, adding, "Her name is Shizuka." The still-as-a-stone Medicham acknowledged her Master's statement with a faint purplish aura that shimmered for a brief moment.
"Shizuka. . ." Allie repeated, then turned to look at the Medicham once again. She was mumbling a slurred chant, and after a few seconds Shizuka was hovering several inches off the ground.
"Meditating is one of Shizuka's favorite hobbies," Mythemios said. "Then again, that would be expected, seeing as how she's a Medicham. One of the finer examples of her species, or so I'm told by Eurico here." He jerked his head towards the boy, who blushed furiously around the rim of his cup.
"Yes," Eurico said finally. "Her Calm Mind attack is far more powerful than that of any other Pokemon I've seen. It's so strong, the stat boost is more than three stages, as opposed to the usual one stage that most Pokemon can perform."
"That is why I named her what she is called today. 'Shizuka' is Japanese for 'calm' or 'quiet.' There has never been a day where she hasn't spent at least six hours meditating."
"Wow," Allie answered. Just then, Shizuka's eyes snapped open and she slowly descended to the floor. She stood up on her bandy legs and gracefully leaped to Mythemios's side. Shizuka cast a wary look at the ravenous Pokemon around her and then at Allie before settling down to the floor.
"Ah, yes," Mythemios added, "there is one other thing. Shizuka knows the technique Teleport, so she will be accompanying Blaziken and the others, Teleporting them to the various locations of the gems."
"It would take too long to walk, you see," Eurico explained. "It was my idea to implement Shizuka into our battle strategy in the first place. Mythemios agreed with my proposal right away."
"Ah," Allie said simply, then turned back to her meal, halting any further conversations. The peace was momentarily restored, although a few minutes later Furaigon emitted a loud belch. Several Pokemon snorted into their potatoes only to spill more food to the floor.
Finally, once the glorious meal had been eaten and the plates were set away, the room was full of well-fed people and Pokemon. Light chatter flitted between groups of two or three beings, and together they all stayed in that warm room late into the night. It was only after Eurico had noticed the time to be nine o'clock that the Pokemon reluctantly returned to Allie's rooms.
The ebony doors were still ajar, and stifling their yawns the sleepy Pokemon trudged into the ornate bedroom and slumped down to the floor. Half of them were asleep before the ground connected with them, while others had to toss and turn to reach a comfortable sleeping position. Allie raised her hand to her mouth as a yawn escaped her, then said with a warm smile, "Time for some shut eye."
*_*
Allie had lay still in her bed until she was certain that all of her comrades were sound asleep. She quietly slid out from beneath the coral covers and crept over to the door that separated her room from the outside porch. Silently she slid the door open a crack, and she sidled through the small space.
The chill of the evening breeze rustled the leaves of the trees and blew wisps of Allie's golden brown hair in front of her eyes. She shivered, and then her eyes fell upon a rickety ladder forged of bamboo poles. Allie stepped carefully onto it; tested it to make sure it could hold her weight, then slowly climbed the rungs up to the slanted tile roof.
Once Allie reached the top, she stared out over the starlit horizon and sighed contently. Such a splendor it was, to gaze at the stars where there were no city lights to obstruct her view. A smoky cloud parted overhead, bathing the mountain in silvery moonlight that reflected off of the dewdrops like they were miniature prisms. A shooting star zipped by across the sky, and Allie closed her eyes tight and wished silently in her mind.
"Please, I wish that all goes well, in all our tasks, and that we all may return safely so we can be together."
Allie squeezed her palm into a fist and wished hard. When she next opened her eyes a six-foot shadow loomed over her from behind. The trainer smiled and without looking she said, "I knew you'd be here eventually, Typhlosion."
The Fire Pokemon sat down beside her and studied the stars silently. Allie could see the tiny pinpricks of light sparkling within his vivid violet eyes. After a moment, the silence was broken when each of them said at the same time: "We WILL defeat Team Trinity."
Shocked at their unintentional unison, Allie smiled and said to her most- trusted partner, "That's just like us, eh? We're so much alike, it's like we think the same thoughts."
"We have been through a lot," Typhlosion agreed. "You and I make a great team."
"We ALL make a great team," Allie corrected. "Halsemon, Megan, Espeon, Quagsire, all of us. It's that teamwork that has ensured our numerous victories throughout the years."
"Yes," Typhlosion said with a nod. "And I. . . I want you to know something, Allie. I want you to know that no matter what the odds, no matter which Legendary we face, no matter if we win or lose, I'll be there, at your side, until the end of time."
Allie beamed at her long-time friend, a fraction of a tear lining her eye. "I know. . . and I can say the same for you, and for the rest of our Silver friends.
"Tomorrow, the battle or all our lives, the ultimate Pokemon trainer's test, begins."
Typhlosion's mouth hung slightly open, then, as though a sudden feeling of mixed courage and rage had been poured down his throat, the volcano Pokemon maximized the power of the flames that spilled from his back and roared, a loud, piercing roar that quite plainly said for all to hear:
"We're coming for you!"
~*~*~
SC: Whew! Chappy 7 complete!
Falco: Ha, ha! You made Furaigon belch! xD
Furaigon: -__-'
Blaziken: Too much mushy stuff! Cease it now!
SC: Fine! The action is kicking back on in the next chappy anyway.
Halsemon: And it will star us! :D
SC: Yes, it will!
Megan: Anyway. . . Please close the chapter.
SC: Right. So! R&R, fans, so that I can see if anyone appreciates my effort! ^__^
SC: Oooh! Look, it's chappy seven!
Blaziken: Wonderful.
Typhlosion: Great job, SC. You're really doing it!
SC: ^__^
Blaziken: Suck up. :P
SC: Ahem! Moving on. . . *begins typing*
~ The Night Before ~
Allie finally awoke after the long nap she had taken. Golden beams of sunlight shone through the windows into her eyes. She blinked, then threw back the satin covers and slid out of bed.
"Time to get down to business," Allie muttered to herself, and groggily she reached for her backpack and dumped its contents onto the bed. Pushing aside her Acro bike and various healing items, Allie gathered together all fifteen of her precious Pokeballs and began releasing their captives one by one.
Once everyone had been assembled, Allie clambered up onto the bed and faced her audience as though she were on a stage. Her Pokemon tensed uneasily, and not even the warmth of the sunshine could melt the icy feeling of somberness they all shared.
"All right, y'all," Allie announced. "We've got some work to do. I need you all to pay very close attention. Now, Suicune, you stand over there next to Layla. . ."
Allie continued giving orders for several minutes, until her party was arranged just as she desired. Then, Allie collected the bags containing the gems from a side table, and spilled their contents out on the bed. Many of the Pokemon's eyes widened at the sight of the jewels' unfaltering beauty; the room was lit by their glimmering aura.
"Just what are those things?" Typhlosion asked slowly, his violet eyes gazing at the ruby orb, which was nearest.
"These are the Sacred Gems. It's a long story," Allie explained, "but the short of it is that a piece of every Legend's power is inside one of these. We have to simultaneously find the rest of these babies and defeat Team Trinity."
"That sounds like a complicated task," Halsemon noted.
"Yes and no. Y'all are standing in your groups now, okay? Each group has a different task. Get to know your partners: you'll be with them for a while." Allie crossed her arms and stared at the Pokemon around her. "I have no clue as to how long it will take to complete this task, but I do know that it will take determination and trust.
"This means," she added, "that Blaziken will not be an almighty jerk." Blaziken glared defiantly at Allie, but her returning stare was more piercing, and Blaziken looked grimly to the floor.
" . . . that Layla and Lanturn won't be so childish. . . " The two Water Pokemon glanced sideways at one another, " . . . and that we mustn't get overly cocky." All eyes in the room fell upon Megan, who was suddenly focusing all his attention on a point on the wall.
"So, what's our first step?" Typhlosion asked, snapping the accusing silence.
"We must divide up the jewels. Their powers are best suited for different Pokemon, so we have to plan who gets what," Allie replied. She reached for the faintly glowing crystal, and slipped it casually into its bag. "Obviously, this one goes to the team of Layla, Lanturn, and Suicune, since it is the gem with Suicune's power." Allie tossed the velvet drawstring bag though the air, Layla catching it with her mouth.
"You three will also get Regice's." The next jewel to be grabbed was the prismatic hunk of mother of pearl. "Its power should work with y'all, since it is Ice and you three are Water.
"A word of caution: Suicune, I don't want you to hold the crystal with your power in it unless it is absolutely necessary. We don't want a repeat of what happened centuries ago," Allie said sternly, and Suicune responded with a graceful nod of its maned head.
"Now, for the Sapphire group," Allie continued, and glanced at the assembly of Pokemon to her left. Blaziken, Slipher, Falco, Thundra, Razorfon, and Furaigon tensed, looks of fear and bravery mingling on their faces. "You all shall receive the gems of Regirock, Registeel, Entei, and Kyogre. You six are in charge of the most jewels because your task is to find the remaining ones."
Allie paused, and the six aloof Pokemon to her right looked up from the ground. Espeon leaned a bit closer to his brother, Megan, Halsemon and Quagsire swallowed hard, Stormfront remained impassive, and Typhlosion's mighty flames poured from his back.
"You all," she recited slowly, "have to face the combined powers of Team Trinity. Thus, I believe it is most fitting for you to receive those gems, which contain a great deal of power: swift Raikou, versatile Celebi, and the sheer destructive force that is Groudon. I trust that you all see the fairness in my choices." Allie projected the last phrase to all those in the room and judging from the silence they all understood.
No one said anything for quite a long time. Everyone was too busy facing the nervous fears that had enveloped the room during Allie's speech. The younger Pokemon were trembling a bit, while the more experienced fellows were silently preparing for what lay ahead. It was likely that the silence would have carried on for a long time, until a faint knocking sound rang from behind the coal-black doors.
"Allie?" Eurico's muffled voice said. "I just want you to know that dinner is ready. Mythemios and I did a splendid job, and if I may persuade you to join us, then we could end the day with a bit of a celebration."
Allie slid off her bed and trudged to the door. She pushed it open, but the door had barely moved four inches when a dull thud and a loud "Ow!" signaled that she had hit Eurico squarely on the nose.
"Sorry!" Allie apologized, and she eased the second door slowly open. Eurico rubbed his face hard, then smiled and carelessly waved his hand through the air.
"Don't worry. It's nothing," he assured her. Eurico beamed and began to stroll down the hall, towards the source of a tantalizing aroma. Allie waved for her Pokemon to follow, and together they set out for the kitchen.
~*~*~
The feast that Eurico and Mythemios had prepared was unlike anything Allie had ever experienced. There were slabs of steak, mounds of mashed potatoes that were overflowing with gravy, and dishes filled with mixed vegetables. Allie and her Pokemon stared wildly at the food for a moment, just now noticing how hungry they were.
"Go ahead," Eurico encouraged. "Take what you will, there's plenty for all." He himself grabbed a plate and began heaping the potatoes onto it.
"Dig in, guys!" Allie cried, and her Pokemon responded with excited cries of joy. Some of the taller Pokemon helped those who were too short to reach the table get food, and those without opposable thumbs needed a bit of help as well. Finally, after everyone had obtained what food they wanted the wall of self-restraint collapsed and they all dug in ravenously.
Allie tried to hold some dignity, using her fork and knife to deftly cut off a piece of the steak. She tried not to notice the fact that her Pokemon were making a mess of their food, spilling bits off their plates. Eurico and Mythemios paid no heed, and carried on as though there was no one else in the room with them. There wasn't much conversation in the room; everyone was too busy eating, so all that was heard was an occasional "Pass the potatoes." Allie used this brief moment of no distraction to scan the room.
The kitchen was styled like a Japanese restaurant, with its low tables that you had to kneel to reach, the frail sliding wood door, and the paper lanterns overhead filled the room with pleasant warmth. Suddenly, her eyes fell to a desolate corner, situated away from the hustle and bustle of the tables. In it sat an isolated Pokemon with rounded crimson legs and a head coloration that resembled a skier's hat. The Pokemon's legs were crossed and its arms were positioned as though it were meditating. All the while that Allie had been observing it, the mysterious Pokemon had not moved a muscle.
Curious about what this Pokemon could possibly be, Allie leaned over and inquired of Eurico, "Say, what's that Pokemon over there?"
Mythemios was the one to reply, setting his teacup to its saucer. "That, my young friend, is a dear old partner of mine, a Medicham." He raised his cup and took another swig of green tea, adding, "Her name is Shizuka." The still-as-a-stone Medicham acknowledged her Master's statement with a faint purplish aura that shimmered for a brief moment.
"Shizuka. . ." Allie repeated, then turned to look at the Medicham once again. She was mumbling a slurred chant, and after a few seconds Shizuka was hovering several inches off the ground.
"Meditating is one of Shizuka's favorite hobbies," Mythemios said. "Then again, that would be expected, seeing as how she's a Medicham. One of the finer examples of her species, or so I'm told by Eurico here." He jerked his head towards the boy, who blushed furiously around the rim of his cup.
"Yes," Eurico said finally. "Her Calm Mind attack is far more powerful than that of any other Pokemon I've seen. It's so strong, the stat boost is more than three stages, as opposed to the usual one stage that most Pokemon can perform."
"That is why I named her what she is called today. 'Shizuka' is Japanese for 'calm' or 'quiet.' There has never been a day where she hasn't spent at least six hours meditating."
"Wow," Allie answered. Just then, Shizuka's eyes snapped open and she slowly descended to the floor. She stood up on her bandy legs and gracefully leaped to Mythemios's side. Shizuka cast a wary look at the ravenous Pokemon around her and then at Allie before settling down to the floor.
"Ah, yes," Mythemios added, "there is one other thing. Shizuka knows the technique Teleport, so she will be accompanying Blaziken and the others, Teleporting them to the various locations of the gems."
"It would take too long to walk, you see," Eurico explained. "It was my idea to implement Shizuka into our battle strategy in the first place. Mythemios agreed with my proposal right away."
"Ah," Allie said simply, then turned back to her meal, halting any further conversations. The peace was momentarily restored, although a few minutes later Furaigon emitted a loud belch. Several Pokemon snorted into their potatoes only to spill more food to the floor.
Finally, once the glorious meal had been eaten and the plates were set away, the room was full of well-fed people and Pokemon. Light chatter flitted between groups of two or three beings, and together they all stayed in that warm room late into the night. It was only after Eurico had noticed the time to be nine o'clock that the Pokemon reluctantly returned to Allie's rooms.
The ebony doors were still ajar, and stifling their yawns the sleepy Pokemon trudged into the ornate bedroom and slumped down to the floor. Half of them were asleep before the ground connected with them, while others had to toss and turn to reach a comfortable sleeping position. Allie raised her hand to her mouth as a yawn escaped her, then said with a warm smile, "Time for some shut eye."
*_*
Allie had lay still in her bed until she was certain that all of her comrades were sound asleep. She quietly slid out from beneath the coral covers and crept over to the door that separated her room from the outside porch. Silently she slid the door open a crack, and she sidled through the small space.
The chill of the evening breeze rustled the leaves of the trees and blew wisps of Allie's golden brown hair in front of her eyes. She shivered, and then her eyes fell upon a rickety ladder forged of bamboo poles. Allie stepped carefully onto it; tested it to make sure it could hold her weight, then slowly climbed the rungs up to the slanted tile roof.
Once Allie reached the top, she stared out over the starlit horizon and sighed contently. Such a splendor it was, to gaze at the stars where there were no city lights to obstruct her view. A smoky cloud parted overhead, bathing the mountain in silvery moonlight that reflected off of the dewdrops like they were miniature prisms. A shooting star zipped by across the sky, and Allie closed her eyes tight and wished silently in her mind.
"Please, I wish that all goes well, in all our tasks, and that we all may return safely so we can be together."
Allie squeezed her palm into a fist and wished hard. When she next opened her eyes a six-foot shadow loomed over her from behind. The trainer smiled and without looking she said, "I knew you'd be here eventually, Typhlosion."
The Fire Pokemon sat down beside her and studied the stars silently. Allie could see the tiny pinpricks of light sparkling within his vivid violet eyes. After a moment, the silence was broken when each of them said at the same time: "We WILL defeat Team Trinity."
Shocked at their unintentional unison, Allie smiled and said to her most- trusted partner, "That's just like us, eh? We're so much alike, it's like we think the same thoughts."
"We have been through a lot," Typhlosion agreed. "You and I make a great team."
"We ALL make a great team," Allie corrected. "Halsemon, Megan, Espeon, Quagsire, all of us. It's that teamwork that has ensured our numerous victories throughout the years."
"Yes," Typhlosion said with a nod. "And I. . . I want you to know something, Allie. I want you to know that no matter what the odds, no matter which Legendary we face, no matter if we win or lose, I'll be there, at your side, until the end of time."
Allie beamed at her long-time friend, a fraction of a tear lining her eye. "I know. . . and I can say the same for you, and for the rest of our Silver friends.
"Tomorrow, the battle or all our lives, the ultimate Pokemon trainer's test, begins."
Typhlosion's mouth hung slightly open, then, as though a sudden feeling of mixed courage and rage had been poured down his throat, the volcano Pokemon maximized the power of the flames that spilled from his back and roared, a loud, piercing roar that quite plainly said for all to hear:
"We're coming for you!"
~*~*~
SC: Whew! Chappy 7 complete!
Falco: Ha, ha! You made Furaigon belch! xD
Furaigon: -__-'
Blaziken: Too much mushy stuff! Cease it now!
SC: Fine! The action is kicking back on in the next chappy anyway.
Halsemon: And it will star us! :D
SC: Yes, it will!
Megan: Anyway. . . Please close the chapter.
SC: Right. So! R&R, fans, so that I can see if anyone appreciates my effort! ^__^