Chapter 4: Farewell To A Friend
Author's Note: In case it wasn't obvious with the way I have written things, I've got a very anime inspired method of training. And I mean anime in general, not pokemon specifically, hence why there is a lot of "pushing the limits" in my writing. With that out of the way, try to enjoy yourselves while you read.
"I ask you again Pyre, why do you want to become stronger?" The Darkrai's voice came to him as he stood up on his hands holding himself up.
It had been weeks since the previous incident regarding the weavile and Shadow's brutality. Pyre wasn't okay with it, he certainly refused to believe it was an acceptable way to do things. Still he didn't let go of his friend, not when he felt something from within him, what felt like a desire for good. And that was all that he needed to hold hope for the Darkrai.
"I….I want to be strong! So I can protect those who need to be protected!" The Charmander lowered himself before pushing off of the ground, raising himself back up. He held himself up again feeling excess weight put upon him. "Another one really?"
"If you are not pushing yourself to the limit you will not breach that limit." Shadow stacked a large rock on top of one that was already being balanced on Pyre's feet.
"I know! Sorry not trying to complain! Just didn't think I was ready for another one." He continued pushing himself up.
"You're hopeless, how lazy can you be, not even tracking how much stronger you've gotten?"
"Checking and rating that stuff is for humans and their internet influencers!"
"What?" The Darkrai was thrown off by that statement. "Your obsession with the humans entertainment is almost sickening."
"Don't hate cartoons, they're awesome!" The Charmander toppled over dropping the rocks beside him.
"You sound like a child. And you lost focus."
"No, my arms almost gave out." The Charmander stretched, but quickly stopped, the strain on his arms causing him to wince suddenly.
"Then we have found your current limit. You held yourself up for roughly two and a half minutes. Holding two large rocks whose combined weight is three times your own. Impressive for your current level."
"Was….was that a compliment?"
"If you wish to take it as one, yes."
Pyre slowly sat up forcing himself to stand, his legs feeling just as stained as his arms. "Ugh definitely shouldn't have gone that hard."
"No, it was necessary. After all, it's becoming more visible that you have made progress."
The Charmander gave him a quizzical look.
"Well you were rather flabby before. You managed to slim yourself down, and though it is not yet visible, your muscles are growing."
"Hmm, ya know I'd be upset if you were just trying to be hurtful, but I know you weren't." He gave him a bright smile.
"Alright wipe that goofy grin off your face. It's time we start pushing your other abilities. Let us see how well you can use your flames.
"Finally! I've been dying to see how you can help me improve that."
"Well, let us waste no time then. Attack me."
"Then take THIS!" The Charmander took a deep breath before spitting flames straight at the Darkrai. Shadow made no attempt to defend himself and was engulfed by the fire. After a few moments the flames wanted and died away leaving the Darkrai unharmed.
"Hmm, certainly farther along than your physical attacks to be sure. But you can do better can't you?"
"Yeah, just a bit out of breath from training."
"That hinders you?"
"Yeah it does." Pyre stretched. "Don't know how many fire types you've dealt with but, the key to getting the fire at max power is breathing."
"And how exactly did you discover this?"
"Well, long story short, I was being chased by some crazy pokemon. They attacked me, and despite how much I had been flaming them they didn't stop until I took one big breath and let out the strongest flame I could, the fire was as blue as my tail!"
"I see." The Darkrai thought for a moment. "Then we need to push the limits of how you can breathe. We need to strengthen your lungs. For anyone else I'd suggest holding your breath, but for you it may be better if you let out as much fire as possible for extended periods."
"So push my lungs to the limit? Just like run around and breathe fire constantly?"
"In simple terms, yes. The strain should strengthen them, so long as you do it in moderation." He hovered away. "I do believe I have an idea to assist you." A few moments later the Darkrai returned, followed by Rai. "You can both practice together. Rai has gotten better at moving around at higher speed but that is meaningless if he doesn't have the experience of avoiding harm. And you need to exert yourself."
"So the plan is, I dodge him as fast as I can, and he just keeps continuously shooting fire at me? That sounds dangerous?" Rai spoke quickly.
"You're fast enough to avoid the flames, but you need to learn to do so. Begin whenever you'd like, but if it seems you're taking too long, you'll need to dodge me instead." With his sentence finished he floated into the air, looking down upon them.
"Well, in that case, might as well swanna dive into the deep end!" Pyre whipped his head around spitting fire at his friend without hesitation.
The Raichu moved in an instant, stepping to the side to avoid the attack.
The Charmander smirked as he turned his head causing the stream of fire to wave toward the Raichu.
Rai jumped away taking off into a dash as Pyre adjusted himself to keep the flames behind the electric type.
"Surely there is a better way for you to avoid the attack, if you simply flee from it you will corner yourself." Shadow's voice came from above.
The flames were right In the raichu's tail as he turned back. As the attack drew near he was hit and Pyre stopped the attack.
"Again. The two of you are far too predictable. Get creative."
Creative. Pyre could do that. After doing a short stretch the Charmander started bouncing in place, then shaking his arms as well, he'd started dancing. "CHAAR!" Another stream of fire bellowed from his opened maw.
Rai saw the attack coming and once again began fleeing.
"I never thought I'd say this but take a lesson from Pyre." Shadow called out to them. "Stop thinking so much!"
Rai had to think quickly, as he came close to being hit again he found himself approaching a tree. With so many thoughts flooding into his mind, he was running out of options. Then he felt his body move, as if on its own. He jumped toward the tree, using his momentum to firmly plant his feet on the trunk, only to push off of it, sending him a few inches above the attack, avoiding it entirely.
Pyre whipped his head around sending the fire back towards the Raichu, who had now similarly started bouncing in place. As the attack drew closer Rai stepped closer stretching his left leg out bending down to it before stretching toward his right causing the flames to pass safely overhead.
Again the Charmander turned back sending the attack back. And again the Raichu avoided it, this time simply jumping backwards, going above the attack again. Pyre turned back once more, hoping to catch the Raichu now that he was mid-air. As Rai came back to the ground head first, he caught himself using his arms to push himself off the ground and push away from the flames only to land on his feet again.
The Darkrai watched from above. A small smile adorning his hidden face. The two pokemon beneath him had improved so much since they met.
They continued training that way for hours, both pokemon exhausting themselves before the sun went down. Shadow followed quietly behind them as they helped each other walk toward the den they had started sharing with Raiee. The Darkrai glanced back for a moment giving a warning glare to any curious pokemon.
As they entered, they found the female Raichu had already set herself to sleep, still clutching her egg tightly.
"Hey guys…." Rai spoke up after they'd each taken a seat on the opposite side of the den.
"What's up bro?" Pyre gave him a happy grin.
"If I said I wanted to leave…would…would you guys help me?"
"Of course? Are you planning on leaving?"
"Well not me personally, but…..that girl I told you about… Her family is going to try to escape, and if they get out…."
"You wanna help her cause of how ya feel right?" The Charmander smiled at him yet again. "You know I'm there for ya bro! All the way!"
"Despite how foolish it sounds. I'll assist you as well." The Darkrai spoke quickly. "When do they plan to attempt their escape?"
"Well they said it would be four days from now. And that was yesterday, so we've got three."
"Then you'll devote yourselves to training for the next few days."
The two pokemon nodded, their faces full of determination.
*A Few Days Later*
Pyre stood behind his friends smiling as he walked between them. "So when do we break ya out of here?"
The Raichu looked at him for a moment. "Just wait for what sounds like a lot of Pikachu's zapping stuff."
The Darkrai leaned down to them. "They already started." He pointed toward an open doorway where dozens of Pikachu's were rushing through. Suddenly a loud blaring horn filled their ears. "And it sounds like the humans are onto them." Shadow took hold of the smaller pokemon and teleported them to the door. "You go ahead, I'll prevent them from following this way."
With a few quick nods they did so, taking off down the hall following the horde of mouse pokemon. As they followed it became eerily apparent that there was nobody trying to stop them from heading toward the exit. And soon, they found the exit. But the chus couldn't open the door.
"Great giant metal door! Where's the button to open the damned thing!" One of them said closer to the door.
Two of them turned back to see Rai and Pyre. And they slowly walked themselves over. "Umm…excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to be Rai?" The Pikachu, who was seemingly old asked.
"I am." Rai replied slowly.
"Oh thank goodness, I need your help. My sweet daughter was taken earlier today, the others don't want to look for her, they think losing one of us while the others escape is okay."
"What!? You can't abandon your friends or family!?" Pyre spoke out in shock.
"Don't worry we'll find her, just be careful yourselves while we're gone!"
The two didn't even wait for a response before they doubled back down the hallways until they found Shadow.
"Don't tell me you need me to help open the door?" He glanced back, his very presence keeping the humans down the hall from advancing.
They shook their heads.
"There's someone too strong for you blocking the way?"
Again they shook their heads.
"Someone was taken just prior to the escape attempt and you want my help finding them?"
They shook their heads before stopping and nodding.
"Humans always complicate things." Suddenly he flew down the hallway grabbing one of the humans. "I can read your memories like a book. Second hallway, three doors down, left side, now go!"
Wordlessly the two turned around and ran off leaving the Darkrai alone to frighten the humans.
Pyre followed behind Rai as the electric type darted down the hallways leaving him behind. Once the fire type finally caught up he found his friend zapping a door.
"It won't budge!" He zapped it again before looking to the side and slapping a button with his tail.
"Facility on lockdown, administrative clearance required."
"Oh fuck you voice in the wall!" The Raichu began swearing at the door. "Stupid piece of shit fucking bastard ass door!"
"Dude. Chill." Pyre finally made his way to his friend's side.
"Pyre, someone is trapped in there and their family is willing to leave them, I can't just chill!"
"Sure ya can watch this!" Pyre took a deep breath as he approached the door, and using his hands covered all but a small portion of his mouth through which a blue-white flame came. Carefully Pyre moved himself, cutting a semicircle into the door before stopping and panting. "Okay wow that is way harder than I thought, was really hoping for a cool movie thing ya know, ya watch me do my cool new thing in one go and it's awesome and…"
"Pyre! Focus!"
"Oh yeah, sorry. New plan!" The Charmander simply bellowed out a stream of fire which seemingly left the door unharmed. "And for the finishing touch, this" without warning he punched the door with all his might. The door didn't give, but the cut part bent open like a small door, just the right size for the two of them to slip in. "Just don't touch the metal right now hehe."
Pyre peeked his head inside and stepped back out a moment.
"What's wrong?"
He stepped back looking both ways down the hallway. "Umm…." He pointed at one door on their left, then the one in front of them, and finally one to their right. "We seem to have miscounted the doors."
Rai looked where the charmander had a face palmed. "I was rushing too much ugh."
The two simply stepped over to the door on their right.
"Alright Pyre, do your," The charmander hopped up, slapping a button beside the door and it slid open "thing."
"I'm kinda glad and angry this worked. I really didn't want to try that move again so soon." He smiled as he strolled happily inside.
Rai on the other hand had rushed in zipping around the room quickly. "Over here" Rai called out almost quietly.
As the fire lizard approached he got a look at the Pikachu, who was trapped behind what seemed to be a glass box. He could feel something radiating from his friend, an almost pure desire. "Is that her….the lady ya told us about?"
"Y-yeah. It is."
"Alright stand back, violence will help us free her!" Pyre ran shoulder first into the glass only to bounce off it. "The heck was that!?"
"No idea" Rai gently touched the glass, making a motion to wipe the glass to get the Pikachu's attention. And it slid open.
"Why is everything here so darn backwards!" Pyre groaned watching the glass slide open. Slowly he got back to his feet. Looking to his friend he watched as Rai gently lifted the apparently unconscious Pikachu onto his back.
"Alright, let's get out of here quick!"
Rushing out first Rai took the lead through the corridors of the facility. As they rounded a corner they found a group of pokemon entrapping the chus at the exit.
Before Pyre even had a moment to register his soon to be opponents he felt a sudden weight on his back and heard his friend call out to him "Take her, I'll deal with them!" And as the Raichu took off down the hall, Pyre watched in awe as his body was enveloped in electricity. He was fast before, but now, he'd taken only a few steps after dashing off, but he'd practically become little more than a blur. Before the Charmander could even see what happened there was an almost blinding light at the end of the hall, and a loud thunderclap.
Once his vision came back he noticed he'd made it to the end of the hall. All of the aggressive pokemon had been subdued in an instant, surprise truly was an incredible element to any battle.
"Oh thank you for saving her! Thank you both!" The elderly Pikachu spoke as his daughter was handed off to the group.
"Eh it was mostly Rai, he's the real hero here." Pyre smiled at the Raichu.
"Oh come on, you did half the work yourself." Rai gave a flustered smile.
"Bro, I'm trying to be your wingman, you're interested, wouldn't it sound better if you did all the heavy lifting?"
"Of course it would, but I want her to like me, and I want it to be for me, not because other people think I'm great."
"Yes yes this is all very touching" Shadow's voice pierced the friendly atmosphere as he hovered to the exit. "If you want to stand on ceremony and get caught, by all means, but I'm sure you'd like to leave." He reached the exit door and stabbed both his clawed hands into the center only to violently pull it open.
Not skipping a beat the group of chus flooded out of the building. The only ones who hesitated were the elderly Pikachu and his daughter, both of whom had been looking to Rai.
He smiled and took a slow step forward only to be stopped by a sudden embrace. "You be careful out there Rai! Take care of yourself bro, I love ya!" Pyre spoke, hugging him tightly.
Rai returned the hug "You too Pyre, try to stay out of trouble okay?"
Suddenly both of them felt an extra pair of arms surrounding them. "Don't forget what I taught you alright, you may have talent but that doesn't mean you can slack." Shadow's voice was oddly gentle and genuine. "Be safe Rai."
The three broke their group hug. And Rai quickly took off out of the building following behind the two Pikachu's that has waited for him.
"Pyre? Why don't you want to leave?" The Darkrai looked to him as they headed back toward the living area.
"Really, they feed us, give us water, shelter, let me have that really good soda!"
"You're lazy then?"
"Yeah pretty much! Ya think we'll get in trouble for this."
"What can they possibly do to me that would work as punishment, and if they tried it on you, they'd have to deal with me. So no, I don't think we will."
"Love your confidence. Hey Shadow?"
"Yes Pyre?"
"Will you carry me back?"
"No."