54
They had fallen asleep shortly after Kohan's long overdue emotional outburst, and had awoken to the sound of innumerable Pidgeys chirping outside of their window. Leah awoke first, and set about looking for today's clothes. Instead of her usual purple shirt and her green pants, she pulled out a black t-shirt, a long sleeved white shirt, and slightly baggy dark blue jeans. She walked into the bathroom to change, and by the time she came back out, Kohan had woken up, and had picked out his clothes for the day. Not much different from every other day, however. As he walked into the bathroom to change, she pulled out a clean pair of socks and was in the process of putting them on when she noticed a gold glimmer from the inside of his backpack. She finished putting on her socks before falling to the ground to pull out the gold colored item. It was a chain for a necklace with a small gold ring hanging from it. This must be the ring he had mentioned last night. She thought to herself. Before she could form another thought, a voice rang through her mind.
Yes, that was my grandmother's wedding ring. The one she had given my mother. Just then, Kohan emerged from the bathroom and threw his dirty clothes on top of hers in a pile by the door. He sat behind her on the bed, legs spread, hands clasped between them, and head down. Leah scrambled to kneel in front of him, and looked into his face. She studied his face for a long while, and then took hold of it in both hands, still aware that she was still holding the necklace.
"Kohan, please, whatever I did, I'm sorry." Her eyes never left his, although he looked back and forth, from the floor to her.
"You-" He started to say, but didn't finish.
"I what, Kohan?"
"You're not afraid of me?"
"Afraid of you? Why should I be afraid of you?"
"Aren't you afraid I'm going to turn into my father, and end up hurting you?"
"Kohan, you are nothing like your father. You love Pokémon, and you love me. Why would you hurt what you love?"
"I should be asking you that…"
"What?"
"Aethen?" His gaze hardened for a second before softening again. "I'm sorry, Leah. That was mean of me…"
"Right. It was mean, but that doesn't mean you're wrong. I've always been afraid of that, but now it's not that important anymore." Kohan looked at her, confusion covering the beauty in his face. "What will happen, will happen. Nothing is going to be able to change it. So why fear the inevitable? The legend is just that; a legend. More than likely, there is no truth in it. Atmrin and Aethen are probably just names some guy made up for a story to tell his grandchildren. You're the only person I've ever met that can make me feel this way. I know I haven't known you for very long, but it feels like I've never been without you. Hell, I sleep in the same bed as you, and it feels normal! I don't know why, but I feel like I'm actually living a life, a full life, when I'm with you. You make it fun, you make it spontaneous, you make it real. And now I want to be spontaneous. Let's go to the skate park, Kohan." At the mention of the establishment, all the spark and life that had been missing in his eyes for the past ten hours flew instantly back. He smiled so big that Leah thought he was going to rip his mouth off. He jumped off the bed, bringing her with him, and sweeping her into a giant hug that lifted her off the ground, and gave her a long, deep kiss. He released her, and she fell gently to the ground. As he bent to put on and tie his shoes, she walked over to his backpack and placed the necklace back where she had found it. Then she followed his lead in putting on her shoes, and tying them. Kohan picked up his hat and placed it on his head. Then he picked up his jacket, put it on, and zipped it up. He hopped over to his backpack, and opened the hidden pocket where his Pokéballs were kept, pulled out his team, and placed them on his belt. Then he pulled out a thick, strange looking rectangle with four wheels at each corner. He placed it in his pocket, and headed for the door.
55
Outside the skate park it seemed to anyone not part of a particular two-person group that Christmas had come early. A child-like teenager of fifteen was bounding about around on the sidewalk, much to the embarrassment of his thirteen-year-old companion. They entered the facility, and were amazed at the sheer size of it. There were two sections; outside was the concrete park, and towards the back was a building that housed the wooden park. There seemed to be hundreds of other teenagers rolling over the flat surfaces of the hardened stone and gravel. Kohan's cheeks flushed as he heard the bearings rattle in countless wheels; smell the odor of burning rubber and grinding stone into dust. It almost seemed as if the lust to skate were more pertinent than the lust for love. He looked to Leah, and as she nodded yes, he ran to the nearest half pipe, whipping out the strange contraption from his pocket, and enlarged his pocket-pack skateboard with the use of the same technology as the Pokéball. He flew off into the forest of human bodies and concrete, and was lost. Leah wandered toward the building, and was nearly hit several times. After entering the only door, she was greeted by hundreds more people, and the same sounds from outside were louder due to the echoing off the walls. However, there seemed to be a lounge to the right for those of the public who didn't live on a set of wheels. She strolled over, and took a seat on the nearest couch to watch all the newbies wipeout. Several minutes later, Leah was beginning to get bored. Just as a third yawn wracked her body, a young woman decided to sit down on the couch next to her.
"Not yor cup-a-tea, eh?" The young woman asked in a heavy British accent.
"Hmm?" Leah asked." "Oh! Were you speaking to me?"
"There's no one else 'ere yawnin' like dat. 'Ou seem bored, why you 'ere then?"
"My boyfriend wanted to come, so I tagged along to see what all the hub-ubb was."
"Ah, yea, boyfrends. Th're a real 'assle if you ask me." As she finished her sentence, the young woman brought her legs up to rest on the coffee table, and crossed her arms behind her head. Leah took a good look at her clothes, and deducted that she was an 80's chick. She was wearing a tight black shirt with a loose pink collar around her shoulders, a flowy pink skirt over tight black high waters. She was also wearing calf high Converse. Her hair was black, short, and spiked behind a purple handkerchief. Leah continued to study the reclining woman even when the woman had noticed she was being watched, and in turn decided to watch Leah. Only when she next spoke did Leah realize she was being watched as well. "M' name's Chi, but you can call me Blitz." She held out her right hand for Leah to shake, but it took her a minute to wake up; Kohan's happiness was overwhelming her. When she did wake up, she took Chi's hand into her own, and returned the greeting.
"My name's Leah Coyta. And my boyfriend, who is outside skating, is Kohan Syche."
"Yes, most men love m' skate park." She said in response.
"Yours? You own it?"
"Yup. This 'ere's mine, an' only mine." Chi answered in a haughty tone. "But I like to see others 'appy, so I let just 'bout anyone in. I do keep rif-raf to the bare minimum, if I can. But enough 'bout me, what brings you to Seafoam? You sure don't live 'ere."
"I just started my Pokémon quest, and my boyfriend suggested we go down this way."
"Just started? Then, you beat Blaine? Hey, hey everyone!" Chi started to yell, "This 'ere's a newbie, and she's alre'dy beat Blaine!" At the sound of the accomplishment, the whole room burst with admiration and cheers. Some people even ventured over to meet the newest member to beat Blaine, seeing as how everyone who was there that didn't live on the island had come to celebrate the very same victory; of course, each time was under a very different circumstance. After the last congratulations had died down, Chi offered Leah a chance to see her private training room.
"Oh, I couldn't. I barely know you."
"Oh, but th're's where you're wrong, missy. You beat one of the toughest gym leaders in Kanto, I think you diserve a bit of a reward. Come on then, follow me." Chi proceeded to stand, and grab Leah's wrist to haul her up as well. They walked to the opposite side of the building, and through a door that lead to a flight of stairs. "This is where I live, as well as train with m' own Pokémon. And, if you want, I'll tell you a sec'ret. But only on one condition…" Leah was about to question the statement when they reached the top of the stairs. Chi opened the door, and they were met with a studio apartment-like complex. The whole upper floor of the skate park's indoor stadium was her home. One section, off to the far right was for her bedroom, kitchen, living area, and a single door next to the bed signaled the bathroom. The rest of the apartment, which was just as big as the skate park below, was completely empty. Another door off to the left of the spacious living area sported a 'do not enter' sign, which confused Leah a little. Chi offered her a seat on a couch in the living area, and Leah graciously accepted. Then, Chi disappeared behind the lone door on the other side, and reappeared a few seconds later with a set of belts in one hand, and a burlap bag in the other. She offered one belt to Leah, and strapped the other around her waist. She then sat down next to Leah on the couch, and set the bag between them. "You say you're a good trainer?"
"Well, no, I never actually sai-"
"No mat'er. We're goin' to play a lit'le game, that alright wit' you?"
"What is it?"
"That's m' girl! I want to see 'ow good you are at fightin'. You feel up to a battle?"
"Well, I suppose the more practice I get, the better…"
"Good," Chi replied, slapping Leah on the shoulder. "This is how you play. You strap the Pokébelt around your waist, like me," She gestured to her own belt, "And you pick out three random Pokéballs from this 'ere bag to strap to your belt. Got it?"
"Yes, but, I have to fight using your Pokémon?" Leah questioned.
"Well, I'm more than positive your Pokémon would be no match for mine, seein' as I have a few connections on how to raise 'em."
"Ah, so, you're letting me have an advantage that I would normally not get?"
"Right, kinda. I want you to 'ave a fair chance to beat me. Now, all the Pokémon in that bag are level thirty, and are pretty well behaved, so you don't 'ave to worry 'bout them not obeying you and all." She picked up the bag and held it out to Leah. Leah hesitated for a moment, but then plunged her hand into the bag, and pulled out a ping-pong sized red and white ball. She placed it on her belt, and dove into the bag two more times to pull out another two red and white spheres. As the last Pokéball was fastened to her belt, Leah ventured over to the open area of the room. Chi followed suit by placing her own three Pokéballs on her belt. Walking past Leah, Chi stepped up to the edge of her storage room; the door with the 'do not enter' sign. She set the bag down, and moved to the right so that she was facing Leah directly. She placed a hand on one of the three Pokéballs at her waist, and waited for Leah to do the same.
Once each player had a Pokéball in hand, Chi began a count-down. "On the count-a-three, release your Pokémon, and we begin. At no point 'n time can either-a-us switch. We gotta let 'em faint before we choose another. Got it?" Leah nodded. "One, two," Both trainers were now on the verge of their battle moods, and had taken their soon-to-be trade-marked stances. Chi was facing slightly to the left, and looking over her shoulder at Leah, her right hand on the Pokéball on her left hip. Her back was so straight that it threw her breasts out ahead of her. Her right foot was a little ahead of her left, which was turned to face in the opposite direction of Leah.
Leah had both her knees bent, and far apart from each other, lowering her eye level. Her waist was also bent, forcing her to cock her head to look slightly up at her opponent. Her left arm was wrapped around her back to touch the Pokéball she had placed above her tailbone. Her father had always chosen the Pokémon he could not see, and it usually won the battles for him in the past, so Leah had adopted it. Her right arm hung loosely at her side.
"Three." Leah and Chi tossed their Pokéballs into the air at the same time, and they simultaneously opened, revealing their contents. Out from Chi's came a beautifully plumed Pidgeotto; it's headdress fanning far past the length of it's back. Leah's Pokéball evicted a very fluffy, very shiny, two headed Doduo. It squawked playfully at the prospect of battle. Leah stood stunned at the sheer magnificence of the Pokémon; they had been very well card for. All of a sudden, the Pokéball that had returned to her emitted a soft buzzing sound. It startled her, but not as much as Chi's giggling did. "Don't be 'fraid of it. 't's a prototype. It tells 'ou what attacks the 'Okmon inside has learned. Press the release button again and a digital list will appear."
Leah did as she was told, and sure enough, a list of four words materialized on the surface of the Pokéball. "That's very handy."
"My 'ather invented it. He's a big-wig scientist." Chi replied as she tossed her Pokéball up in the air playfully.
