Chapter 49: Rise of the Dark Nightwingz
"Awww, COME ON!"
The yells of three kids rang throughout the mountainous town of Blackthorn City. After they had finally left the Ice Path the night before, the kids spent the night at the Pokemon Center with plans to go to the Blackthorn City gym and challenge the gym leader. The kids made it to the gym after breakfast...only to find the doors closed and a white paper taped on them, with a message written in black sharpie marker.
Gym closed due to family emergency, and I won't be back until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Clair Van Drak.
Perrine groaned out loud. "Seriously. It seems like whenever we want to challenge the gym leaders right away, they're always never around when we want them to be," She noted. It had happened before with Morty and Pryce. But the kids didn't expect this to happen a third time. That was a bit much as far as they were concerned.
Caiseal shrugged. "Well, you can't necessarily help a family emergency," He said. "Maybe a relative died or something."
The girls exchanged sad glances. Caiseal did raise a valid point, and that definitely seemed like a plausible reason. If that was the case, then they decided not to fuss over it. She'll come back when she's ready to come back, they told themselves. Besides, it wasn't like she wanted this emergency to happen, whatever it was.
"You're probably right," Julia said. "I guess maybe we can do some training while we're out," She suggested. They didn't know when Clair would be back, so now that they had all this time on their hands, today would be a perfect day to train their Pokemon for their upcoming battle.
It helped that Blackthorn City-or the part of it they were in-was a pretty quiet place, at least for the moment. The Blackthorn Gym stood in front of a large, clear lake that seemed to end at the base of a tall mountain. The mountain in question stood above everything in the city, but since it was a nice day out, the kids could easily see the top of it without difficulty. Turning around, they could see the tops of tall buildings further away, the easiest one to make out being an old, regal-looking clock tower with a blue roof. Some of the houses nearby had cars right next to them, and with the ground being made of dirt and gravel, tire tracks were everywhere. Most of the city behind them was marred by tall rocks and remnants of the rest of the mountain, but from what they could see, travel didn't seem too difficult. They were likely in the more mountainous part of the city, just outside the more familiar, modern-looking areas.
Disappointed by their sudden change in plans, the kids walked away from the gym, finding an empty clearing just nearby. It was big enough to accommodate the three of them and all of their Pokemon, and there were quite a bit of trees surrounding it, so it was easily hidden away from town. The perfect place for them to let their Pokemon roam about. Julia held two PokeBalls in her hands.
"I've been wanting to have you two meet!" Julia said to herself before throwing them into the air. "Come on out, girls!"
Out from the PokeBalls came Twilight, who shook her head to get the kinks out of her neck, and Tsubasa, who announced her entrance with a loud trill and outstretched wings. The two Pokemons' eyes finally met, and all they did was stare, sizing each other up. Twilight turned to Julia and whinnied, which she translated as, "Who's this small fry?"
"Pijoooo!" Taking offense at the comment, Tsubasa squawked, flapping her wings petulantly. "Hey! I'm not a small fry!"
Julia smiled as she gingerly walked in between them. "Twilight, this is Tsubasa the Pidgeotto," Julia began, introducing the two of them to each other. "Tsubasa, this is Twilight the Ponyta, and our newest friend. She likes battling, just like you do!" She had thought about having them meet for a while, considering how similar their personalities were. Both Tsubasa and Twilight were loud, rambunctious, stubborn, and had a voracious appetite for battling, on top of being very capable fighters who never gave up. Maybe they could get along since they had a lot in common.
Twilight walked up to the bird Pokemon, lowering her muzzle to her level and sniffing her a few times. In turn, Tsubasa simply cocked her head to one side, wondering just what this fire horse's deal was. But she could see Twilight's lean, strong muscles, and her flaming mane burned bright and strong. She certainly looked sturdy enough.
"Pijoooo!" ("So, you like battling, huh?") Tsubasa squawked, leaping into the air. ("I'm the strongest Pidgeotto around! Wanna see if you can beat me?")
Knowing what this meant, Twilight whinnied right back. ("Try me, small fry! I never turn down a challenge!")
It didn't take long for the two of them to start sparring, which mostly consisted of running and flying around the clearing. Tsubasa pecked at Twilight a few times, and the fire horse returned the gesture by firing a few stray Ember attacks at her. Nothing too bad from what Julia could see. By this time, the kids all had their Pokemon out and about, and they sat down on the grass to eat their breakfast.
"Wow. I didn't think Tsubasa and Twilight would get along so quickly," Julia mused as she ate a piece of her banana. Saoirse was right next to her, quietly munching on her Pokemon food. "I was sure they'd kill each other, considering they're both pretty battle obsessed."
Perrine took a while to respond, as she was chewing on a granola bar and didn't want to talk with her mouth full. "You'd be surprised," She finally said. "This one time-"
Unfortunately for Perrine, she didn't get the chance to continue talking. The blaring sounds of various instruments cut through the peaceful silence. Julia's hands immediately flew to her ears, and a pained whine escaped her lips. Even some of the Pokemon stopped playing, confused by the sudden jumble of noise that assaulted their ears. They were able to make out what the sounds exactly were: Guitar riffs. Drumsticks slamming onto drums. The screeching throes of a violin. High notes from what was likely a keyboard piano.
"The heck?!" Caiseal yelped. "Who's playing music this early in the morning?!" He yelled, hoping the girls could hear him over the music.
Perrine immediately stood up, noticing that the music was more prominent on her left side. "It sounds like it's coming from over that way," She said, pointing towards a cluster of thick bushes at one end of the clearing.
"Pika!" Hikaru was quick to hop on Julia's shoulder, putting one of her yellow hands on her trainer's in the hopes it'd block out more of the noise. It didn't do much, but Julia smiled gratefully, appreciating the gesture.
As they made their way towards the bushes, the music suddenly stopped, replaced with voices, all of them belonging to men.
"Okay! Sounds like everything's in tip-top shape, boys!"
"Easy for you to say, Ben! I can barely hear my awesome guitar riffs over those blasted drums!"
"After last night's concert, I'm surprised you can still hear at all, Aldric."
The kids stuck their heads out from behind the bush to get a better look, but they were careful to stay hidden. They saw what appeared to be four men wearing all black, and the clearing was taken up by instruments. Drums and a keyboard had been set up, along with a few amplifiers on both sides of their setup. One man who had wild, flaming red hair not unlike Lance had an equally bright, crimson guitar slung on his person. Oddly enough, the youngest of the four, who had flat blonde hair, held a violin in his hands. Kind of odd to have a violinist in what appeared to be a punk rock band.
"Hey," Perrine whispered. "Isn't that the boy band that all those fangirls went crazy over last night?" She asked, remembering the crowd from the night before. Only now did it register in her mind that these men were the same boy band that was on the Pokemon Center's TV. It was easy to recognize them by their attire, their instruments, and the fact that a violinist of all people was in a rock band.
It took a brief moment for Caiseal and Julia to process the new information. "You're right! It IS the same band!" Caiseal exclaimed, though he made sure to keep his voice down. "Aren't they those...what is it?" The name escaped him for a moment.
Julia was quick to remember it. "Dark Nightwingz."
"Yeah, that's it."
"What are they doing here?" Perrine asked in a low whisper.
"Maybe they're getting some practice in," Julia suggested.
Caiseal nodded in agreement. "That makes sense."
The kids sat there in silence, watching the boy band intensely. A tall, fair-skinned man with pale blonde hair tied in a thin, long ponytail that trailed down his back was sitting in a fold-up chair, sipping a beverage. Another man with a mop of shaggy black hair and wearing nothing but leather was adjusting part of his snare drum. The red haired man-whom the drummer referred to as Aldric-was sitting on another fold-up chair, eating the last of a sandwich after having put his guitar down, then proceeding to guzzle a whole can of soda in one gulp. Suddenly, a loud, drawn out belch escaped the man's throat, and all eyes were on him.
"Woooo-wee, that was my best one yet!" Aldric bellowed.
The black haired man, Ben, walked over to him, his eyebrows furrowed together in disgust. "Seriously? Arceus, you're disgusting."
The tall man with the ponytail stifled a chuckle. "Here we go again."
Unbeknownst to them, even the kids were trying to hold down laughter by covering their mouths. They had to admit, that burp was pretty awesome, disgusting as it was.
"Come on, Ben!" Aldric whined. "You love it when I burp!" He pointed an index finger at his bandmate, with a smirk to go with it. "Besides, I finally managed to be louder than you!"
Unamused, Ben gently pushed Aldric's hand down. "I only love your burping when it's not in the middle of practice," He chided. "Look, last night's concert was successful, but if we're gonna make it big, we need to show people that we're a band, not a bunch of hoodlums who sit around and do nothing! It ain't gonna happen if you keep actin' like you're in a frat party!"
Aldric could only grin. "Yeah yeah, I know."
"Besides, you can't deny that you can be pretty childish."
"Yeah yeah. I'm also rude," Aldric retorted, fingers outstretched as he began counting them. "Loud, obnoxious, immature, autistic, blah blah blah, but that's what makes me so AWESOME!"
Autistic? Julia's eyes shrunk to the point of resembling saucers, and her jaw dropped right then and there. Were her ears playing tricks on her? Did that Aldric man just say he's autistic? Just like her? Suddenly, everything else was little more than white noise. She didn't even register Caiseal and Perrine being right next to her anymore. Stunned into silence, completely dumbstruck, probably lovestruck, she could feel herself fixating her gaze on Aldric and only Aldric. Someone who was autistic like her actually existed in this world! It was like she was wandering around in a dark, seemingly endless tunnel, and she had finally found an exit that led to Heaven. So many questions were forming in her mind, ready to burst out from her brain and spill all over the place, like a fire Pokemon ready to use Lava Plume. She needed to talk to him, and she needed to talk to him NOW.
"Wha-?! Hey! Julia! What are you doing?!" Perrine's exclamation fell on deaf ears.
Rustling leaves pulled the four men out of their playful argument, and they found themselves with an unexpected guest. Julia came out from the bush, walking four feet away from it, trembling fists held up to her chest, facing the boy band with wide green eyes. But in that moment, her vocal chords shut down. No sound came out. The suspicious, confused eyes that faced her rendered communication near impossible.
"Oh dear," The tall man with the ponytail groaned. "Looks like a fan girl found us."
"Jule!" Caiseal was quick to run right up to her, completely flummoxed. This was very unlike her. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"Uh!" That was the only sound she could produce.
Perrine stood in between Julia and the boy band. "Oh! Sorry about that, guys! We heard some noises and wanted to make sure it wasn't a Pokemon wreaking havoc or something!" Perrine explained, waving her hands in front of them dismissively, hoping they'd believe her lie. "We didn't know someone else was here!"
All four members of the band exchanged confused glances...except for Aldric, who stared right back to Julia with just as much intensity. Then, he stood up from his seat faster than a jack-in-a-box and let out a scream. All eyes were on him this time. Naturally, Julia's hands flew to her ears. Before anyone could ask him what was wrong, Aldric dashed right over and took Julia's hands into his own.
"Whoa! I know you!" Aldric shouted, his amber eyes gleaming with excitement. "You're the girl who caught that red Gyarados!"
What? Julia could only stare back at him, completely bewildered. Any desire to get to know him better was completely knocked out of her at this point. Her brain was reeling, her ears throbbed, and Aldric's face was extremely close to her own. Her hands were imprisoned in his gloved ones, and she found herself unable to escape. This was too much. This was a mistake. Everything around her was amped up to the highest volume. But more than that, how did he know she had a red Gyarados? He didn't even know her!
Perrine and Caiseal exchanged worried glances. Even Aldric's bandmates were confused.
"Uhh, Aldric…?" The man with the ponytail tried to engage with him, to no avail.
"You were on TV once! I saw it!" Aldric exclaimed, shaking Julia's hands, dragging them up and down and extremely fast. "You were on that red Gyarados's back and some Team Rocket guys tried to capture ya!"
TV? Someone recorded footage of her riding Geraldine? When was this? Her head was spinning harder. Her eyes blurred. Aldric's voice turned into an explosion that rendered hearing anything else absolutely impossible. Her hands couldn't stop moving, as Aldric kept shaking them, his own hands tight like a Krabby's pincers. Her ears hurt, and her only means of protection from his yelling was taken from her. When was he going to stop, let her go, and back off? The only response Julia could push out was a pained squeak.
"Can you pleeeease show me your red Gyarados? Please?! I really want to see it!"
"Hey! Will you get off her?!" Finally, Perrine pulled on the man's arm. "You're making her really uncomfortable!" She chided. Unfortunately, since Aldric was bigger than her, the girl's attempt at pulling the man off of her friend failed.
"Aldric, I think you'd better listen to her," The man with the blonde ponytail advised.
Finally, Julia could take no more. She yanked her hands out of Aldric's and used one to smack them away. The force of the swat was strong enough that it made the red haired man step back two feet, eyes wide and mouth agape. She found herself trembling and she found her voice.
"I DON'T HAVE HER ANYMORE!" Julia shouted at the top of her lungs, eyes squeezed shut so she could try to block everything out. It didn't work much, but at this point, she didn't care. Everything stopped. "I had to give her up! It's not even any of your business anyway, and don't EVER touch me without permission EVER AGAIN!"
Silence weighed heavy on them like memories long buried. Nobody spoke. Getting the memo, Aldric backed away two steps, her amber eyes a mask of guilt. All eyes were on her, and she knew it. No. She didn't want all of these eyes on her. She just wanted Aldric to back off and give her space. Her legs came to life and she sprinted away from the practice area, straight into the bushes.
"Julia! Wait!" Caiseal was about to give chase, but a hand pulled him back. Perrine locked eyes with him, along with shaking her head. She needs her space, the gesture told him. She was right. It wouldn't do any good to chase after her or drag her back. She needed some time alone to calm herself down for now. Caiseal sighed, the urge to chase having left him.
Ben elbowed Aldric on the arm. The red haired man barely felt it. "Nice going, Aldric. You frightened the poor girl to death," Ben was quick to chastise his bandmate. "I keep telling you to quit getting all up in people's faces like that!"
Realizing what he had done, Aldric facepalmed. "...Darn. I messed up real bad," He hissed to himself, remorse weighing down on him. He wished he hadn't done that.
"Nnnnngh!" Once Julia found a quiet place to hide, she growled and cried and kicked a nearby tree before sitting down on the ground, letting herself go. "Stupid stupid stupid!" She wished she hadn't tried to approach that man. She only wanted to know if he really was autistic just like her. If she had known earlier he was going to react like that and invade her personal space, she would never have tried to approach him. Not only that, he apparently saw her and Geraldine on TV and had the nerve to ask about her as though she were some kind of exhibit on display! Julia wished the ground would swallow her up.
That didn't happen, of course, but she slowly rocked herself back and forth, the repetitive motions pushing the sadness and angry thoughts out of her head. This allowed room for calmer, more rational thoughts to come inside. How did he know about her and Geraldine? Julia searched for a potential answer. Considering what Geraldine was and her overall situation, before and after she was caught, it wouldn't be strange for a TV crew to report it on the news. He did mention seeing Geraldine on TV, so maybe that was how. Julia stopped rocking for a bit and buried her face into her hands, blocking everything out so she could focus. Calm down, the rational part of her brain advised. Aldric probably didn't mean anything bad by asking about Geraldine. It wasn't like he knew about her situation. He couldn't read minds. Nobody could, so how would they know anything? Besides, he probably just got too excited. Lots of boys were like that.
"...He didn't have to scream in my face and touch my hands, though!" She found herself saying to nobody in particular. Even now, she could still feel that icky, prickly feeling on her hands from where Aldric had touched them. Not even squeezing them really tight could push that awful sensation out of them. It was especially bad when someone she didn't know wanted to shake her hand and her parents made her do so, as that was a proper way of greeting someone. But why was touching some stranger's hand considered a proper greeting? Wouldn't it suffice to just say hi and move on? The last thing she wanted was some stranger to touch her.
"Pika?" Julia looked down at Hikaru, her round eyes worried and sorrowful. Saoirse and Blossom approached her as well, similarly concerned.
"Snubbull?" "Bella?"
She smiled, extending her arms around them and pulling them close. The soft, plush fur in her palms was much better than that man's confining, itchy grip. "Thanks, guys. Sorry I'm kinda frazzled. Let's just stay here for a while."
Understanding her needs, the trio of Pokemon had no complaints. They were content to be wherever their trainer was and be with her when she needed them. It helped that since she was far away from the band and nobody else was around, she could have time for herself and settle like a snow globe. Nobody was around to force her back into the situation or tell her to suck it up or anything of the like. Not only that, Twilight and Tsubasa were still sparring, so wrapped up in their mock battle that they barely paid much attention to anything around them, which was fine with her. She'd much rather listen to them than some boy band. She let her Pokemon go, pulled a book out from her backpack, and started reading. The good thing about books was that they never changed. The pages and the words always remained the same no matter how many times they were opened, making it easy for her to focus and come back to herself.
Once she felt she was calm again, she put her Pokemon back into their PokeBalls sans Hikaru and Saoirse, stopped by the PokeMart, and picked up some extra potions. She noticed they were running low on medicine, but hadn't had the chance to get some more, so why not do it now? After their ordeal in the Ice Path, she figured having some potions handy would be a good idea. It helped that the PokeMart was empty today, save for the clerks and one or two other customers. When she stepped out the door, she came face to face with Caiseal and Perrine.
"There you are!" Caiseal exclaimed. "You okay?"
Julia flashed a sheepish smile. "I'm fine now. Sorry I freaked you out earlier."
"No no. Don't be sorry," Perrine reassured. "That Aldric guy shouldn't have got in your face like that...though I'm not really sure why you approached them in the first place."
The answer to that was easy...for Julia, it was. She frowned. "I overheard him say he's autistic. I just wanted...to know if it was really true."
Caiseal and Perrine said nothing. What was there to say? They knew that she barely had any friends before starting her journey. But they could figure she wanted to meet someone who was similar to herself. There was still a lot that they didn't know, and possibly couldn't know, so they were at a loss as to how to talk to her about this. Perrine shrugged.
"Well, we're glad you're feeling a little better now," Caiseal told her. "I'm gonna head to the PMC and call my adopted mom. I might as well let her know I'm back in town, so I'll see you later?"
Both girls waved to Caiseal as he made his way to the Pokemon Center. With not much else to do, the girls decided to hang out by the lake where the gym is, if only to relax and marvel at the scenery before them. Up close, the mountain behind the gym was tall and majestic, like a giant that towered over them, and they were little more than ants. Neither girl had ever seen a mountain like this up close before, and in the sunlight, it almost turned a blinding red color. Hikaru and Saoirse played by themselves, preferring to run around and play tag.
"I wonder if I should take a picture of this?" Julia said. "It's so pretty."
Perrine already her camera out, and the flash was already going off. "I am! Man, I know Mom's gonna really love this!" She exclaimed, bursting with cheer. "She's always wanted to travel to Blackthorn City, but Dad could never get off work, so we could never find time to visit as a family."
"I can imagine."
A silence fell upon them like a heavy fog, and all they could hear was Hikaru and Saoirse playing nearby. "So…" Perrine began. "It turns out that band really is the Dark Nightwingz from the night before. I asked."
Julia gave an acknowledging nod. "I figured," She decided to quickly change the subject. "I just realized something. When we defeat Clair, we'll have all eight badges."
"I know, right?" Perrine exclaimed, the realization quickly dawning on her right then. One more badge, and she could participate in the Pokemon League. "I still can't believe it's really happening! Oh!" She turned back to Julia. "Are you gonna sign up? For the League, I mean."
"No. I've never been interested in Pokemon battle competitions."
On one hand, Perrine thought Julia was missing out on a big opportunity. It wasn't every day that a trainer defeated eight gym leaders and won eight badges. Only a few trainers all over the world got the chance to be in the Pokemon League, so having eight badges and not participating seemed a waste. On the other hand, Perrine understood Julia's reasons. Unlike her, Julia was never a big fan of battling, especially not for the sake of fame, glory, and the thrill of the competition. Plus, she figured the noise from the crowds would be too much for her. If she didn't want to participate, then that was fine with her.
"But I'll definitely cheer you and Caiseal on!" Julia added. "Just because I'm not a big fan of crowds and noise doesn't mean I won't be there for you guys!"
Perrine smiled. "You don't need to if you don't want to. You can watch the battles on TV or inside a lobby," She suggested. "Whether you're in the audience or not, I know you believe in me and Caiseal."
All Julia could do was smile in that moment, as she was speechless. She couldn't believe Perrine was being so sweet and understanding with her. Where had Perrine been all her life? Sure, they had been friends for several months, but she never could get used to how serenely patient she was.
"Squirt!"
Too bad a choked noise pulled Julia out of her reverie. "What was that?" Perrine asked.
Julia turned around and immediately saw the source of the noise. "Look!" She pointed to some bushes nearby.
Apparently they had company. Sitting in front of a confused Hikaru and Saoirse was a blue turtle Pokemon. Its tail was curled at the end, and its red eyes gleamed with delight as it waved its stubby arms in front of its new Pokemon friends. Taking up most of its body was a shell, brown on the top, and pale yellow on the bottom. The girls' jaws dropped. They recognized the Pokemon immediately.
"Whoa! Is that a Squirtle?!" Perrine yelped. "Where'd it come from?"
"It's soooooo cuuuute!" Julia cooed right out loud, unable to take her eyes off of their unexpected guest.
Perrine pulled her PokeDex out to examine it.
"Squirtle, the tiny turtle Pokemon," Hooray, another accurate PokeDex classification. "This friendly, docile Pokemon withdraws into its shell if it's in danger, but they will attack when the need arises, such as if it cannot escape imminent danger. When Squirtle are born, their shell is soft and slimy, taking about a month or so to harden after hatching. When it's shell hardens, it's so resilient that prodding fingers will bounce off of it. While Squirtle's shell is used for protection, it's round shape and the grooves on its surface help minimize water resistance, allowing it to swim at high speeds. Squirtle are very popular for their gentle, amiable personalities, especially among children. Because of this, they are frequently used in various therapies aimed to help abused and exploited children." A male sign appeared in the corner of the PokeDex screen.
"Squirtle squirtle!" This random Squirtle in particular just sat on the grass, laughing alongside Hikaru and Saoirse like they'd been best friends forever. Julia and Perrine walked closer to get a better look.
"Hey girls," Julia said. "When did this Squirtle show up?"
"Snubbull." ("Just now. It came from the bush.")
"Squirt?" Upon hearing the girls' voices, Squirtle looked up, taking in Julia's presence. It cocked his head to one side for a brief moment before flashing a big, merry grin. "Squirtle!"
"He wants to play," Julia translated.
The Pokemon wasted no time getting back to running around and playing tag, this time with Squirtle among them. Still, how exactly this Squirtle even wandered into their spot was still beyond them. Did it wander away from its trainer? Squirtle didn't seem upset or frightened. Was it a wild one? Last they checked, Squirtle weren't commonly found in the wild in Johto. Julia wanted to ask Squirtle where his trainer was, but he was wrapped up in playing with Hikaru and Saoirse, so happy and jovial. She thought it'd be rude to interrupt their playing, especially when they were having so much fun right now.
It didn't take long for the answer to appear. "Squirtle! There you are!"
Julia tensed up. Out from the bushes came none other than Aldric. He walked over to Squirtle and picked him up. "Man, I've told you a million times not to wander off while you're out of your PokeBall!" He scolded the tiny turtle.
Not fazed by the well meaning scolding in any way, Squirtle simply laughed and pointed to the Pokemon. "Squirtle squirtle!"
So Squirtle was Aldric's Pokemon. Julia immediately hid behind Perrine, right as Aldric saw them. "Oh! You're the kids from before!" He exclaimed, his amber eyes bright. Just as quickly, his expression softened. "Hey, uh...Julia. Right?"
What was he doing here? Julia mentally prepared himself for in case he might do something weird. Was he going to scream and yell again? This time, she wasn't going to let this guy walk all over her.
"I want to apologize for earlier."
"Huh?" Where did that come from? The girls exchanged confused looks. Gradually, Julia's body relaxed.
Aldric ran a hand through his flaming red hair. "Listen...I'm sorry for freakin' out at you earlier. I admit, I got waaaaay too excited when I saw you," He explained, his voice calm for once. "Your friends told us about what happened, and I should have been more considerate and respected your boundaries. You didn't deserve to have me yellin' in your face and shakin' your hands all fast like that. So...yeah. I'm sorry."
Julia sure didn't expect this. She was so sure he'd start yelling and screaming again, or claim that it was her own fault for some stupid reason, like not minding her manners or not telling him off more politely. It helped that she didn't hear any callousness or trickery in his voice, like she heard in some of her female classmates in school. He didn't try to make it out to be her fault, nor did he dismiss it like it was no big deal. He actually acknowledged his error! That told her that he meant what he said. Slowly, she walked out from behind Perrine, still bashful in his presence, but better than before.
"It's okay. I'm not mad anymore," Julia replied sheepishly. Any anger she had earlier had dissipated, so she no longer held any resentment towards him. "I'm sorry for interrupting your band practice."
"That? Naw, don't worry about it," Aldric said, waving his hand dismissively. "It's all good! Although...I am curious," He raised an eyebrow. "Why exactly did you approach me and my band to begin with? You a fan of ours?"
"Huh? No. I've never heard of you guys before now."
"Seriously?!" Aldric yelled, flabbergasted. "You've never heard of the Dark Nightwingz?!"
"Not until just last night," Perrine replied.
After a brief pause, Aldric scratched his hair again. "Eh...I guess I'm not surprised. We're still kinda new to the music scene, so I guess it makes sense that you never heard of us."
Julia steeled herself. Now was the time to come clean. "Umm...sir! I...I overheard you say that you're...you're autistic. Is that true?!" She found herself yelling that last part without meaning to. At this point, she had to know. Was it true or not?
Perrine could only raise a quizzical eyebrow. "I don't think that's the kind of thing you should ask someone direct-"
"Yeah, I'm autistic."
This time, the girls could only stare at him in shock. He just answered her question so casually, like it was no big deal. But to Julia, it was a big deal. "Really?! You are?!" She exclaimed.
"Of course! Everybody knows it," Aldric explained, counting on his fingers. "My bandmates, our manager, our fans, my fan club...it's not some big secret."
If Julia had been told he was secretly a legendary Pokemon in a human form, she would not have been more astonished-better yet, absolutely ecstatic-in all her eleven years of living. Aldric really was autistic! She had actually met another autistic person in real life! Ever since she had learned of her diagnosis, she had always wanted to meet someone similar to herself. But as far as she knew, nobody in any of her classes was autistic, and she was always shunned for...well, being weird. Having always craved friendship, she would have been fine if anyone had liked her. For a while, she had thought meeting someone similar to herself was a mere pipe dream, never to be fulfilled, and yet...here was another autistic person standing right in front of her! In that magical moment, any thought of the incident was forgiven and forgotten, like it had never happened in the first place. Her eyes shone bright and her smile was so big, her cheeks hurt, but she didn't care. Right now, it was like she had received a gift from heaven.
She threw herself on him, wrapping her arms around him as though she had reunited with a long lost lover. "EEEEEEE!" She screeched, unable to contain her overwhelming happiness any longer. Perrine and Aldric's jaws dropped. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! I've always wanted to meet another autistic person who was like me but I never did! You're the first one I've met in my whole entire life!" She finally confessed.
"Wait, what?" Aldric just stared down at her, completely thrown off. "Are you serious?"
Julia gave a passionate nod.
"Oh, come on! That can't be right!" He shot back, unconvinced. "You had to have met at least one or two autistic people before me! Last I checked, one in every 66 people are diagnosed every year!"
Julia shook her head. "I really haven't, I swear."
Aldric gave a smirk. "You probably have and just don't know it. It's more common than you think."
"Uhh, Jule?" Perrine said. "I think you can let go of him now."
"Oh!" Realizing she was still hugging him, she let go and backed off. "Sorry!"
"Hey Aldric!" Just then, the rest of the band walked into the clearing from the other side of the bushes, regrouping with Aldric. The black haired man from earlier, Ben, crossed his arms. "You find Squirtle yet? Oh…" He immediately scrutinized the two girls. "It's you two again."
"Yeah, found'em," Aldric replied. "He just wandered off, that's all. Back into the ball with you!" Afterward, he put Squirtle back in his PokeBall, if only to make sure he didn't wander off again. Turning back to the girls, he said. "Sorry if he bothered you or anything. He's still a baby and is still learnin' a bunch of stuff."
So that was what happened. Squirtle had simply wandered off. The girls figured that was the case. Julia shook her head. "It's fine! He was playing with my Pokemon here, so he wasn't any trouble at all!" She explained, more cheerfully this time.
"That's good to hear," The tall man with the blonde ponytail said. "I don't think we've introduced ourselves, have we? I'm Enzo Zunino, the bassist for the Dark Nightwingz."
Aldric used his thumb to point to himself. Flashing a mischievous grin, he announced, "I'm Aldric Everhart, lead singer, lyricist, and guitarist!"
"The name's Benoit Daniau," Ben said a little tersely. "I play the drums. You can call me Ben."
Unlike the rest of his bandmates, the younger man with the short, blonde hair didn't speak. Paying this no mind, Aldric wrapped an arm around him. "And last but not least, this here's Gervasius Hughes, keyboardist, pianist, and everything else! We call him Little G for short."
Gervasius waved his hand at them without a word. Julia sheepishly waved back, happy that he didn't try to shake her hand.
"Do you talk?" Perrine asked.
"He can," Ben chimed in. "He prefers not to."
Gervasius nodded in agreement.
"Anyway," Enzo said, brushing some hair out from his face. "We just finished up our practice here, so you won't hear any music blasting from our amps any time soon. By the way...we are curious, what exactly are you kids doing here?" Enzo's voice was suave and silky, and he had a kind, mature air about him.
"It wasn't to chase after you guys, in case you were wondering," Perrine clarified, shaking her hands back and forth to ease any tension lingering in the air. "We were just trying to get some training in for when we battle the gym leader. When she comes back, that is," She added quickly.
"Oh?" Ben's eyebrows flew up, and he put a hand on one of his hips. "You kids're trainers? So are we!"
Considering that Aldric had a Squirtle, Julia wasn't surprised. She could see some PokeBalls on Aldric's and Ben's belts. She was sure Enzo and Gervasius had Pokemon, too, though she had no way of confirming it solely based on sight. Hikaru had crawled back on her shoulder by this point, and Saoirse was standing by her leg.
"You know…!" Aldric exclaimed, clapping his hands together once. "We have some time on our hands before we move on to our next gig! What do one of you kids say to a battle with me?"
The girls exchanged looks. A battle? With the lead singer of a boy band? They did have some time on their hands and wanted to get some training in. Why not? Julia raised her hand. "Sure! I'd love to battle you, Mr. Aldric!"
"Pikachu!" Hikaru chirruped, imitating Julia's gesture.
Aldric flashed a confident smirk and pushed his fist into his palm. Perrine shivered. She was sure she could see flames dancing all over the man. "I should warn you, little girl," Aldric's voice lowered into a faux growl. Julia could tell he was just doing it for dramatic effect. "By daring to challenge me, the great, ever burning Crimson Flame of the Dark Nightwingz, you're setting yourself up to get your soul erased!" Then, he pointed his index finger right at her with melodramatic flourish, now shouting at the top of his lungs. "I'll reduce you to cinders with the red hot flames of my burning soul!"
"Whaaaaaa?" Just then, Caiseal had arrived on the scene, completely stupefied. "The heck did I just walk into?"
Perrine explained everything to Caiseal when he arrived. Shortly after, Julia and Aldric found themselves on opposite sides of the clearing. Perrine, Caiseal, Ben, and Gervasius sat on the grass nearby, and Enzo offered to be the referee. Julia had to admit, this was the first time she had battled an adult man. Most of the trainers she battled were kids her own age, with some of them being in their mid-teens at the oldest. Yet here she was, battling an adult man-scratch that, an autistic man. Someone who was just like her. As happy as she was that she had met someone similar to herself, she knew better than to let personal feelings cloud her judgment. This was a battle, and she needed to focus. Plus, she knew this battle wasn't going to be easy. He was likely to have been a trainer for far longer than she, and had more experience under his belt.
But she accepted his challenge, and there was no going back now.
"Take your positions, trainers!" Enzo announced in the most authoritative voice he could muster. "This will be a one-on-one match, so each trainer is only limited to one Pokemon only! Whoever is left standing is the winner!"
One on one...Julia was fine with that. She had fought one on one battles before.
Aldric wasted no time sending out his Pokemon. "Houndour! Unleash your black flames of everlasting darkness!"
A black, canine Pokemon materialized from the PokeBall, its muzzle and underbelly red like fire. Its dark eyes gleamed with determination, even with the white, skull-like object on its forehead. White bands wrapped around each of its ankles, and two rib-like cages curled over its back. As soon as Houndour stole a glance at its opponent, it let out a low, eerie growl.
"I've never seen a Houndour in person before now," Caiseal mused as Perrine pulled out her PokeDex.
"Houndour, the dark Pokemon. Houndour are very skilled hunters, always operating in a coordinated pack. They communicate with each other using a variety of cries to convey their feelings or corner their prey. This Pokémon's remarkable teamwork is unparalleled. Their barks are also used to give away their locations if far away or in the midst of hunting prey. When dawn breaks, you can hear Houndour's howls echoing in the area, which is their announcing that you're on their territory. If captured, they are very loyal to their trainers and will always obey their orders depending on the situation."
"You'd best not underestimate Aldric," Ben told the kids, watching his bandmate with interest. "He may be an obnoxious goofball, but he's a skilled trainer, and much smarter than he lets on."
Houndour was a fire type. That much Julia knew. On one hand, she wished she still had Aqua with her. She could take Houndour down easily. On the other hand, she did have a few Pokemon who could still take it on, even without an obvious type advantage.
"Alright! I choose-"
Before she could pick, one of her PokeBalls opened on its own. Out came Tsubasa, who announced her entrance with outstretched wings and a loud trill.
"Ugh!" Julia facepalmed. "Tsubasa! Seriously?!"
"Pijooooo!" ("I'm battling right now, whether you like it or not!") Tsubasa shot back.
Knowing she wasn't going to relent-Tsubasa being as stubborn as she was-Julia figured she'd best let Tsubasa fight. For what it was worth, Tsubasa hadn't battled in a while, so maybe this would be a good thing. Julia smiled. "Okay. You can battle, girl."
Tsubasa let out a victorious squawk before staring right at her opponent. As far as Tsubasa was concerned, this battle was going to be a piece of cake.
"Ready?" Enzo held both arms out. "Begin!"
"Houndour! Use Headbutt!" Aldric ordered.
Houndour lowered its head before charging right at the bird, full speed ahead.
"Dodge and use Wing Attack!" Julia commanded.
With a single flap of her wings, Tsubasa flew upward, allowing Houndour to plow right past her. Then, her wings glowed pure white as she descended downward, throwing herself right into the dark Pokemon. She only managed to push Houndour across the field, and the force of the attack wasn't enough to knock it right out.
"Headbutt again, then Smog!"
Houndour pushed its head right into Tsubasa's sending it rolling across the grass. Before the bird could get up, Houndour opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of ghastly purple smoke. Tsubasa was able to cover her beak before the purple cloud reached her, so she wasn't able to inhale it. Julia clenched her teeth. Smog could poison a Pokemon sometimes. No way was she going to let that happen, though she did have antidotes just in case.
"Blow it away, then use Quick Attack!" Julia yelled. Tsubasa flapped her wings to force the Smog out, then charged right through it. This time, she managed to hit Houndour right on its side. Not enough to knock it out completely, but she did manage to send it back at least a few feet.
"Come on, boy!" Aldric shouted. "You can do it! Use Flamethrower!"
With a piercing roar, a stream of flames spilled out from Houndour's mouth. Tsubasa was quick to dodge, flying all around the flames in another attempt to charge at it. She had to admit, Aldric's Houndour was strong, especially in terms of its endurance. That didn't mean Tsubasa wasn't strong in her own way.
"Wing Attack again!"
Pure white shone from Tsubasa's wings as she charged right toward the dark Pokemon, gaining speed the lower she descended. She was going to beat this cocky canine Pokemon no matter what! But neither Julia nor Tsubasa saw Aldric smirk.
"Catch it with Crunch!"
Houndour leaped onto Tsubasa's wing and bit down on it hard. Searing pain shot through her wing in that moment, and Tsubasa yowled when she and Houndour hit the ground. Both Caiseal and Perrine stood up in their shock. Houndour managed to subdue Tsubasa without even trying! Even Julia couldn't stifle a gasp. Tsubasa writhed and struggled against Houndour's teeth, but every movement sent shock waves throughout her wing. What could she do? How could Tsubasa get out from Houndour's maw? Those teeth were sharp, and from the way Tsubasa was howling and squawking, they must have hurt. She wondered if they felt like a bird's talons if they dug into someone's skin.
Wait a minute...talons...that's it!
"Tsubasa! Scratch it with your talons!" Julia cried out.
Knowing what she was up to, Tsubasa threw her talons into Houndour's face and scraped them across his muzzle. The force of the scratches finally made Houndour release Tsubasa. Her wing still hurt, but she was back in the air in no time at all.
"You ain't gonna take my buddy down that easily!" Aldric yelled, balling his hand into a fist. "Use Flamethrower, boy!"
"Hurry and use Twister!"
Another stream of flames hurled towards Tsubasa in a blaze of heat. Tsubasa nimbly dodged the fiery blast, spinning all around Houndour. Gradually, her spinning generated a gusty tornado that sent wind blowing all over the place. Houndour found itself being lifted off the ground, its feet no longer touching the grass. Flashes and wind battered the dark Pokemon in all directions. Everyone watched the tornado in awe, even Ben, Gervasius, and Enzo.
"You go, Tsubasa!" Perrine cheered, throwing a fist in the air. "Beat that Houndour!"
"Keep it up! Don't give in!" Caiseal added with just as much vigor.
"Aldric! Do something!" Ben shouted, paying no attention to the kids sitting beside him. Gervasius continued to stare at the twister with an insouciant look on his face, like it didn't faze him one bit.
"Ha! I'm just gettin' started!" Aldric snarled. "Houndour! Use Foul Play!"
At one point, Tsubasa flew out from the tornado, speeding right toward Houndour. Then, the dark Pokemon found an opening and headbutted the bird so hard that she couldn't find any energy to fly. Just as quickly, Houndour pushed its paws onto Tsubasa's head and beak as they both fell onto the grass. The tornado dissipated, and Tsubasa was pinned to the ground, unable to move. Julia's hands flew to her mouth. Tsubasa kicked her legs and wings up and down, but Houndour's body weight kept her pinned, so her movement was restricted. If Julia didn't think of something soon, Aldric and Houndour were going to win.
But then!
"Pijoooooo!" ("I am NOT going down like this!") Tsubasa let out a shrill squawk before letting her wings glow white. In that instant, she threw Houndour off of her back and flew into the air. Julia smiled when Tsubasa danced in the sky. Of course Tsubasa would come through. She was a stubborn Pidgeotto. No way was she going to let this get her down.
Tsubasa flapped her wings once again. That was when it happened. A blade of air cut through the sky, hitting Houndour right in the face, sending it rolling across the grass. Everyone's jaws dropped at the sight. Tsubasa had never used that attack before. When did she learn that? Just now, maybe?
"What was that attack?" Julia asked no one in particular. But from the confident smirk on Tsubasa's face, she was feeling pretty proud.
"Pidgeotto, the bird Pokemon," Her PokeDex blared to life, ready to answer her question. "Special attack: Air Slash."
"Air Slash…" Tsubasa learned a new move. The gears began turning in her head. This was their chance to turn things around! "Tsubasa! Use Air Slash again!"
"You ain't foolin' us!" Aldric shouted back. "Houndour! Flamethrower again!"
Tsubasa's wings generated another blade of air, and another stream of fire spilled from Houndour's mouth. Both attacks collided, and they were evenly matched, even as Tsubasa kept adding more Air Slashes to the pile. But Houndour held strong and kept firing Flamethrower. Finally, the flames broke through the air blades, heading right toward Tsubasa. She attempted to fly away, but the flames hit her before she could react. Before long, she was trapped in a sea of fire.
Caiseal clenched his fists. "Man! Tsubasa's done for!"
"Like I said: Don't underestimate Aldric," Ben told them.
"Brute force," Gervasius added. His voice was low, but the kids were able to hear him just fine, though they were too preoccupied with the battle to notice.
"Come on, Tsubasa! You can do it!" Julia tried encouraging her, but her voice took on a pleading tone. This wasn't good. Even with her new move, Tsubasa was close to losing. They couldn't give up now! "Try Wing Attack again!"
"Fire Fang this time! Let your soul burn BRIGHT!" Aldric barked.
Houndour let out a roar, flames bursting on its sharp teeth. Unafraid, Tsubasa's wings glowed once more as she descended towards the dark Pokemon. Once they made contact, an explosion of flames spread out over the field. Julia, Aldric, and everyone else shielded themselves with their arms, hoping the rain of embers wouldn't get on them. For a moment, they heard nothing. Julia was the first to take her arms down and see what happened. Both Tsubasa and Houndour were still standing, even though their bodies were covered with burns and scratches from all of their attacks up to this point. She crossed her fingers, hoping Tsubasa would remain standing.
The girl's prayers went unanswered. Tsubasa wobbled sideways before finally falling to the ground, unable to continue. Enzo walked closer to get a better look. Her legs and talons trembled, and Tsubasa let out a pained squawk. "Tsubasa the Pidgeotto is unable to battle!" He announced, pointing towards the winner. "The winner is Houndour, and the victory goes to Aldric!"
"YEEEEAAAH! We did it!" Aldric cheered, jumping up and down with glee. Houndour only managed to walk over to his trainer and smile, reveling in the victory.
Julia found herself downcast. They lost. In a way, she had seen this coming. Aldric was far more experienced than she was, so of course he would win. His Pokemon were stronger as well. She shrugged. It wasn't the end of the world. They battled hard and they had fun, which was all that mattered. She walked over to Tsubasa, cradling the tired bird in her arms.
"You did great, Tsubasa," Julia crooned softly, taking care not to make any sudden moves lest she make Tsubasa howl in pain. She made a mental note to take Tsubasa to the Pokemon Center after this. "I'm proud of you."
The same couldn't be said for Tsubasa herself. She yowled and flapped her wings, determined to keep going. "Pijooooo…!" ("Noooo! I'm not done yet! Lemme at'em!")
Not wanting to let Tsubasa have her way, she called her back to her PokeBall.
"Hey, Jule," Aldric's voice pulled her out of her reverie. He kneeled down to meet her at eye level, though they both averted each other's gaze. "That was a great battle. I haven't had that much fun in a while, and your Pidgeotto's real strong!"
"Indeed," Enzo added. Both Aldric and Julia stood up in that moment. "It's not every day we get to watch a Pokemon battle, what with our tight schedules."
Ben flashed a thumb's up. "You should be proud of yourself, kid."
Even Gervasius flashed a kind, encouraging smile in her direction.
An unfamiliar warmth sprung up in Julia's heart in that moment. She wasn't used to receiving this much praise from complete strangers. Did she really deserve all of this, and just from having a battle with the lead vocalist in a band? But she knew it was all genuine, especially from Aldric himself. It was like she had truly gotten to know him just from the battle in and of itself. His passion, his determination, his bond with Houndour...it all blazed brightly, like flames in a dark night, and she felt every moment of it. She clutched Tsubasa's PokeBall in her hand.
"Thanks guys. I really enjoyed spending time with you all," Julia wished she had a better way of expressing her gratitude. Something simple like that didn't seem to cut it.
"Look on the bright side," Perrine chimed in, putting a supportive hand on Julia's shoulder. "Tsubasa learned a new move, and she might just be ready to face the gym leader! So you got a little training in!"
Julia nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right."
From then on, the kids and the Dark Nightwingz just hung out for about a few hours until it was time for them to get back to their van. They needed to prepare for their next gig, after all. They were going to leave first thing tomorrow morning, so they had to get ready and quick. The kids returned to the PMC, got Tsubasa healed, and did some more training before the day ended.
When the sun was high in the sky, the kids met back up with the Dark Nightwingz. They found their van right near the PokeMart, and the window was open, so the guys were able to talk with them.
"So where are you guys going next?" Caiseal asked.
"We're heading to Kanto," Enzo answered kindly. "We're on tour right now, and we have a concert in Viridian City in a few weeks, so we have to get back on the road."
Aldric stuck his hands out from the window. "Yeah! It's our job to convert people to the dark side!" He exclaimed, happily waving his hands back and forth.
"Dude. Save the dramatics for the big show," Ben chastised him tersely.
"Awww. I'm sad you guys are leaving," Julia said. She had only known them for a day, but she had wanted to talk with Aldric more. It wasn't every day she met another autistic person, and she had so many questions she wanted to ask him. She wondered if it was possible for them to be friends. Could an eleven-year-old girl and an adult man be friends? "I hope we see you again."
"You will! Don't worry!" Aldric reassured. "You'll be hearing our glorious melodies all over the airwaves soon enough! Oh! We do have a present for you!"
Gervasius pulled out three CDs, handing them to the trio. The kids each took one, and it showed the Dark Nightwingz in all black clothes, posing against a crimson red background with black feathers falling all around them. The album was titled Crimson Despair.
"Since you've all been such good sports, you all get free copies of our latest single!" Aldric told them, jovial and cheery.
"We don't do this often, so this is the only time you'll get any freebies from us," Ben retorted, crossing his arms.
The CD was light in Julia's hands. It was just a CD as far as she could see, but it was a gift from someone similar to herself. She held it close to her heart, intent to cherish this CD for all time. For all she knew, she might not like their music, or maybe she would. She wasn't normally into heavy metal or rock music, but she decided to give it a listen on her own time.
"Thanks so much, guys," Julia told them, her voice barely above a whisper, but full of gratitude.
The van slowly pulled away. All four members of the Dark Nightwingz stuck their hands out the window, waving goodbye as the van grew smaller in the distance. "See yaaaaaa!" Aldric cried out one last time, putting every ounce of passion in his voice before the van turned the corner, disappearing entirely.
Just like that, the kids were all alone. "So...what do you guys want to do now?" Perrine asked.
"I already checked the gym and it's still closed," Julia answered. "So that's still a no-go."
Caiseal raised his hand. "Actually...if you guys don't mind, do you want to come over to my house?" He suggested sheepishly, scratching his cheek with one finger. "My neighborhood is close by, and my adopted parents are expecting to see me, so…we can kill some time that way. How's that?"
He didn't need to do much convincing on his part. Perrine and Julia exchanged looks and smiled before turning back towards Caiseal. "I think that's a great idea!" Julia exclaimed.
"I say we leave right away!" Perrine pointed towards the road leading to the suburban part of Blackthorn City with melodramatic flourish. "Onward!"
A/N: Jeez, this chapter took much longer to write than I thought. Well, it's finally finished, and the next few should be smooth sailing from here! Here's a light-hearted filler chapter to take a break from all the seriousness the previous chapters offered. Also, I have some wonderful news: I HAVE A NEW JOB! I work as a part-time processing associate at my local HomeGoods store! It doesn't pay as well as Lowe's, and I don't work as many hours, but that's okay! If I put in enough time and work, I might be able to stay there permanently! I'm gonna make the best of it! Oh, and I'm learning how to drive now. Yay for adulting! But I'm still gonna write, because it makes me happy and makes you guys happy, so look forward to more! Speaking of, more Caiseal chapters coming up! Finally, I can work on those, and hopefully they won't take as long to write! I really need to get my writing mojo back.
Oh, and don't worry about those random reviews complaining about Critics United. Those are just dumb spam reviews that some idiot left on some of the chapters, along with a million other people who were also unfortunately affected by the spammer. Pay those reviews no mind.
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle
Tsubasa (Pidgeotto, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Quick Attack, Twister, Air Slash, and Feather Dance
Tokiko (Togetic, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Serene Grace
Attacks: Extrasensory, Headbutt, Dazzling Gleam, Ancient Power
Saoirse (Snubbull, Female, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Intimidate
Attacks: Ice Fang, Bite, Fire Fang, and Scary Face
Blossom (Bellossom, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Stun Spore, Giga Drain, Petal Blizzard, and Acid
Twilight (Ponyta, Female, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Solar Beam, Hypnosis, and Stomp
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Baloo (Jigglypuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam
Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain
Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Bounce, Giga Drain, Fairy Wind, and Energy Ball
Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam
Caiseal's Party:
Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash
Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Rollout, and Smokescreen
Viole (Vileplume, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Roost
Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Pulse, Mud Bomb, Ice Beam, and Slam