"Rio." I was awoken by Riolu shaking me.
"Huh? Wha–" I sat up with a start. I instantly winced at the morning light entering through the hole in the barn.
"Rio. Lu," Riolu said, pointing down towards the first floor. Getting his message, a long yawn made its way to my mouth. As soon as I stood up, I realized how much my muscles ached; today wasn't going to be a fun travel day. Wincing through the pain, I slowly walked over to the ledge.
Looking down, one of the barn doors was slightly open, letting the morning light stream through. It was chilly, even colder than during the night, and I could hear a slight wind blowing in from outside. A pretty thick fog had rolled in too, providing poor visibility. Dusty was peeking through the opening, looking out into the cloud. I suddenly wondered how Dusty got down and moved the supply table without making enough noise to wake me, but I assumed it was because of how tired I was.
Pulling out my PokéNav, I found that the time was 7:12 AM. I then noticed that the battery was down to 23%. We must've listened to music all night; I didn't even recall falling asleep in my bed… Dusty or Riolu must've carried me there.
Riolu climbed down the ladder first and headed for the door. Before we left for good, I quickly peeked under and around the hay piles for any misplaced items. I also poked my head out of the hole in the wall, in case anything had fallen down. Of course, I could hardly see the ground from the heavy fog, but it was worth a shot anyways. After concluding my search, I headed down the ladder to the bottom. Once I reached the first floor, Riolu and Dusty were waiting just in front of the door.
"Okay, the expressway is not too far from here, guys. I'd say… about fifteen or twenty miles up the road. Once we get to the next town, we should look for some food and water before heading out again. Let's get going now, I want to get this over with as fast as possible." Both Riolu and Dusty agreed and nodded yes, before turning around to lead. I headed out right after them, shutting the barn doors behind me. As we walked away, I was thankful for the barn to be there, and wished I could thank someone for allowing us to stay the night.
Unfortunately though, we'd saved one of the hardest parts of the trip for today. After a few minutes of walking across twisting, damp side roads, we reached the dreaded Dansville Hill. This incline was well known by the locals as the steepest road in the county, built into the gradual switchbacks of the area. It's so large that radio and cell service at the bottom is affected when you go to the top.
Taking this route is of course the fastest way to get to the Southern Tier, but when it's wet or icy, it gets really sketchy, quick. The worst part about Dansville Hill is that it lasts almost a half mile, making quite a long upwards drive, and an even worse walk.
As we arrived, Riolu and Dusty paid no attention to the size and immediately began trekking up the slope. I wished I was as confident as them, but something inside me yelled to find another way. Knowing how long it took to get up by car from the many trips to my aunt and uncles' house, I couldn't imagine how excruciating it was on foot; not to mention I was already tired from the small amount of walking we'd done today, and that was only a mile or so. I was reconsidering my options when I heard,
"Rio!" from up the hill. Looking up, I found Dusty and Riolu waiting for me, finally realizing I'd been left behind. I don't know why but seeing them standing there filled me with a strange sense of determination I couldn't describe the source of. I was hungry, anxious, and overly tired… But a smile still washed over my face. Swallowing my pride and taking a deep breath, I began the climb to the top.
I tried my hardest to plow up the steep precipice, and I think I did a good job at first. Setting a steady pace, I got up about halfway before I started to falter. By three-fourths of the way up, I was ready to pass out from exhaustion. I could've and should've stopped for a break… But that strange sense of determination was still pushing me on. Part of me wanted to give up, but I simply couldn't. I just had to keep going, against the pain and exhaustion.
Imagining I was a machine, I tuned into a rhythm of walking and set a slower pace. I was panting and sweating vigorously but just tried to focus on the beat of my footsteps. It was hard to think of other thoughts when I was so close to fainting, yet I stayed strong and persisted as much as I could. Once the top was in view, Riolu and Dusty looked back for the first time in a while and saw me struggling. They rushed in to help, but I pushed them away.
"I've… Got this," I said through my heavy breathing. They backed up slowly, both somewhat confused.
As soon as the ground was completely level, I stumbled towards the side of the road and stopped in my tracks. I couldn't take it anymore; the determination faded, and I felt my pain at full force.
"I need… I need to rest…" I felt my legs give out and I fell towards a shady tree right next to the road. Dusty and Riolu knew I was going to collapse at some point and stayed by my sides, grabbing me right before I nearly smacked my head on a large tree root. As much as my whole body ached, I was so relieved to be at the top of the hill and not walking, the pain didn't seem to faze me as much. Looking up at their worried faces once I'd caught enough of my breath, I mumbled,
"T-thanks… And d-don't worry about me… I'll be fine i-in a couple minutes..." Picking my head up, I tried to show them I was okay. Taking the hint, the two of them set me back on my feet, slowly letting go just in case I fell back again. Taking one step, I smiled proudly knowing I was okay, but suddenly the lightheadedness came back and I stumbled backwards right back into their grasp. They set me down carefully against the tree to rest some more.
After some time passed, I felt like I was ready to continue on again. Maybe it wasn't the wisest thing to push myself to exhaustion when we still had more traveling to do and no food or water, but something about that determination boost gave me the momentum to continue on. It was almost like an external energy source, fueling my movements when I had no physical energy to continue… Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but all I can say is that I couldn't stop once I was going.
I was sticky and gross from my sweat, but I knew we had to get moving soon. I took a deep breath and sluggishly stood up, the aches shooting through my body once more. When Riolu and Dusty stopped looking out into the fog and noticed I was trying to stand once again, they both ran in the help. I smiled at them and replied,
"...I really don't know what got into me there, but just know the worst is still ahead. We've got a long country road to head down before we get to a connector town, and then another stretch of highway before the Southern Tier." They looked uneasy knowing that I'd pushed myself too hard and could hardly walk, but we really couldn't dawdle any longer. As I finally got back on my feet, I brushed myself off and took a deep breath.
"Okay… Let's do this. You ready, guys?" They both reluctantly nodded yes and stayed by my side as we headed onwards towards our destination.
A very long time seemed to pass before we saw the next town. We were stuck on a prolonged winding road with the sprawling countryside to our right down a small hill, but that was it; no change of scenery for miles. I quickly grew tired once more and by then I was ready to gnaw my arm off from hunger; I desperately hoped the entire trip wouldn't be this exhausting.
It was getting to be early afternoon. The wind was surprisingly fast, and clouds covered the sun every so often, but the fog receded into the lower valleys for now. I was thankful for the cool breeze, or else I'd be drenched in even more sweat. To keep myself mentally busy and away from any troubling thoughts, I made up stories in my head and attempted some small talk with Dusty and Riolu. But since they could only nod at my responses, I mostly stayed quiet and gazed at them through the corners of my eyes. Occasionally they would look over to check on me, to which I would look away awkwardly to make it seem I wasn't watching them.
All the while, Dusty and Riolu continued to say nothing to each other, walking on my opposite sides. I wished that traveling as a group would help them bond, but it didn't seem to be working. I tried thinking of ways that I could get them to spend more time together on the journey, but nothing came to mind. Reminding myself the process would take time, I settled on putting my trust in fate, hoping it would find a way to bring them closer together soon.
As I got closer and closer to my physical limit with every step, I longed for a change from the miles of immense farmland that stretched out in between the valleys to our right. Luckily soon after, the small border town appeared in the distance. Immediately, my eyes lit up and I wanted to jump for joy, although I didn't think my body would let me.
A sign on the side of the road told us the name of the town was Arkport, an old farming village with one gas station and a single family-owned restaurant. To the right of the town was a dilapidated RV park that was too small for how many people lived in it. Other than some other old brick buildings and a couple small houses, that was it.
I was so overjoyed to finally be out of the countryside, I ignored my exhaustion and picked up my speed, rushing past Riolu and Dusty. They followed suit, quickly catching up with me. As we arrived, to no surprise, the town was empty. The only thing "alive" was the stoplight in the middle of town that flashed on and off every so often. It didn't faze me though; we could finally search for some food and water, as well as look at something that wasn't tan grass and corn fields.
As soon as we passed by the stoplight that led into town, I looked for somewhere to rest. A metal-and-wood bench by the side of the road looked beat up and old but nonetheless comfortable, so I headed over and sat down on it immediately. I was instantly filled with relief, finally being off my feet. I couldn't take it anymore; I wasn't built to travel by foot all across the state, and I definitely wasn't the healthiest person either. Knowing how much more traveling we had to do scared me silly.
As I comfortably sat and relaxed, Dusty and Riolu huddled around me and both scanned the area for any Ultra Beasts.
"Okay," I told them. "We just need to head down this road for another mile or two and we'll reach the Southern Tier Expressway." Riolu and Dusty then faced forward to head out when I spoke my mind.
"...Wait!" Dusty and Riolu stopped in their tracks, not turning around to face me. "I know we've lost a lot of time today, but we really have to find some food and water before heading out again. There aren't many stops on the Southern Tier, so I worry that it might be awhile before we can find more supplies... I could also go for a little more time to rest. Is that cool with you guys?" Noticing that they were still facing forward and not moving, I asked,
"Something wrong, you two?" Riolu slowly peered back at me and pointed his paw out in front; I stood up cautiously and peeked around Dusty's shoulder. Down in the middle of the road out of town, a lone figure stood. Standing still with two sets of spiky legs, the ominous red creature seemed to be flaunting its many swollen muscles. It was looking right towards us with its compound eyes with a large proboscis running down the middle of its face. I gulped nervously and felt fear rushing through me; I couldn't tell if this was the same Buzzwole that had chased us in the Nature Reserve the day before, but that didn't really matter; it looked just as ready to capture us this time.
Buzzwole immediately charged at us, fluttering full speed down the street with its two sets of insect wings.
"Get out of the way!" I yelled, using all my strength to jump off the road and onto the sidewalk just as Buzzwole flew by. Dusty lunged out further into the street, while Riolu landed about a foot in front of me. As we all got up, Buzzwole stood just feet away behind us, continuing to flex its muscles. "There's no way we can run away if it's that fast... So, I guess we're going to have to fight! You guys ready?" I called out.
"Rio!" Riolu turned and placed his paw over his chest. I turned to Dusty across the street, who let out an affirming nod.
"Okay, here we go! Riolu, Force Palm, and Dusty you use Sludge Bomb!" They hopped out in front of me and I moved behind a considerable distance to stay safe.
Immediately following my orders, Riolu dashed in and hopped above Buzzwole, charging his Force Palm. As he let it out, Buzzwole crossed its massive arms out in front of itself and blocked the sudden blast. Riolu fell to the ground, recovering from the attack, making him open for an attack. Buzzwole did just that, striking Riolu hard with a swift backhand, sending him flying. Riolu flew through the air and landed hard on the sidewalk to my left, bouncing once, and kicking up some loose concrete.
"Riolu!" I called, running over to him as fast as I could. In the meantime, Dusty let out his Sludge Bomb. But Buzzwole easily dodged it with its superior speed and used Lunge on Dusty, leaping quite a ways towards him. The kick connected quickly, catching Dusty off guard and knocking him backwards off his feet; he landed hard on the ground with a small explosion of debris, stunned for a moment from the attack. As soon as Buzzwole was back on the ground, it instantly prepared a glowing red Hammer Arm. Before I had a chance to react, Riolu sprang up out of nowhere and dashed over to Buzzwole with incredible speed, preparing a Quick Attack.
The attack hit Buzzwole right in the side, but hardly did any damage. However, it deflected Buzzwole's Hammer Arm just enough to where it missed Dusty by a hair. Buzzwole slammed his fist into the pavement, sending a shockwave through the ground and crushing the concrete underneath. Dusty then snapped out of it and rolled out of the way, standing back up in the middle of the road. As Buzzwole looked up from his failed attack, it turned towards me. Buzzwole's red compound eyes were intimidating, and it seemed as if it was looking right at my soul. I cringed from fear for a moment and went back to hiding behind Riolu and Dusty.
"You alright Riolu? Dusty?" They both nodded yes and stayed in their battle stances in case Buzzwole tried something. "Right. Riolu, no more attacking head on. He's got a quick reaction time and will find a way to counterattack. Dusty, same for you; it's too fast to hit it with your Sludge Bomb. You two are going to have to collaborate to get damage out. I'll think of a plan, but if you have something better, don't hesitate to try it out," I told them, hoping the advice would help. Riolu and Dusty looked at each other and exchanged affirming glances.
"For now, let's stay on the defensive side and wait for him to make a slip. Get ready, I think he's getting ready to attack!" Buzzwole was rushing in, with his right arm glowing a teal color, preparing to use a Mega Punch. Just then, an idea sparked in my head.
"Riolu, get his attention! Dusty, when Buzzwole is occupied, see if you can catch him with your arms!" I yelled, backpedaling away from the battle. Riolu and Dusty jumped away from the attack at the last second, getting Buzzwole to slam its fist into the pavement again.
Riolu then taunted him from the side by swinging his arms all around and crying out, trying to get Buzzwole to follow after him. The bait worked wonders; as soon as Buzzwole had recovered, he immediately turned to face Riolu. With its guard down, Dusty extended his tendrils and grabbed Buzzwole by the legs. Buzzwole tripped up and fell to the ground trying to get up. It struggled to move, held in place.
"That's it! Riolu, hit him with another Force Palm!" But as Riolu bounded towards Buzzwole preparing his attack, Buzzwole began to flutter its wings and flew up into the air. Dusty held on tight and tried to pull Buzzwole down, but he was picked up off the ground. Now, Dusty was in the way of Riolu's attack. Seeing what was about to happen, Riolu tried to stop his Force Palm, but it was too little too late and the teal explosion erupted in Dusty's face, sending him flying backwards. However, Dusty's grip was so strong, he pulled Buzzwole back with him. Both Dusty and Buzzwole toppled to the ground hard, laying just feet apart. Once Riolu had recovered, he looked guilty for hitting his teammate, but now was not the time to sit around and mope.
"Riolu, don't worry about it now! Use Quick Attack and get in there! Keep attacking and be careful if Buzzwole swings at you!" Riolu reluctantly nodded and dashed into Buzzwole, hitting him over and over again on the ground. Dusty stood up and backpedaled out of the way. As he stood away from the fight, I could tell Dusty was hurt badly, especially after the friendly fire. He was panting hard and covered in bruises.
"Dusty, I know you're tired, but you have to get in there and help Riolu! Use Body Slam if you can connect!" Dusty nodded yes and after a quick pause, ran in towards Buzzwole. By now, Buzzwole was up off the ground and swatting at Riolu with his fists and his proboscis. As Riolu continued to dodge its attacks, I called out,
"Riolu, that's enough! Move out of the way, so Dusty can get a hit in!" Riolu dashed backwards out of the way after narrowly missing a jab from Buzzwole's right arm. Buzzwole then tried to set up another Mega Punch on Riolu, but it was too late before it realized that Dusty was running in from the side.
Dusty connected, slamming Buzzwole across the street and back towards the stoplight. The attack probably would've sent the otherworldly attacker flying back to the corn fields, but Buzzwole quickly skidded to a stop by sticking its legs into the ground as an anchor; the pavement cracked and shattered below him, eventually revealing the dirt underneath. Once the last of Dusty's momentum was lost, Buzzwole pulled its legs out from the ground and stood back for a few seconds to regain its composure. Although it continued to rebound from Dusty and Riolus' onslaught of attacks, Buzzwole looked weakened from the assault and close to fainting; now was the time to strike!
"It's vulnerable! Dusty, Body Slam again! Riolu, Force Palm!" The two of them ran in, ready to finish it off. However, I then noticed Buzzwole was not rushing in to fight like usual; it stood right under the stoplight with its arms crossed again. As a white light appeared from within them, I froze, realizing what I'd done.
"Wait, stop! Buzzwole is going to Counter your attacks!" But the warning came out too late, as both Riolu and Dusty landed their attacks head-on with Buzzwole at the same time. Within an instant, an eruption of white light and energy whipped through the air just before a cloud of dust shrouded the area. The shockwave was so intense, I felt myself get pushed backwards a few inches.
As the dust began to clear, I watched in horror as Dusty and Riolu were revealed to both be lying face down in small craters in the road, unresponsive and unmoving. I should've been more worried about Buzzwole disappearing from behind them, but all I could think about was my partners for the moment. Just as I was about to run over to them, a loud grunt from behind me stopped my train of thought cold. Slowly turning around, I came face to face with Buzzwole; it must've fluttered behind me during all the confusion. Although it was visibly weak from the battle, it wasn't ready to give up yet; I could feel the heat coming off its body from its building rage. It slowly walked towards me, extending its arms out.
I had more than enough time to run away, but I was too tired and scared to move quickly. It suddenly grabbed me by my torso tightly with its left arm. Its large fist covered the entirety of my chest and I couldn't breathe. Gasping for air, I pleaded,
"P-please…" Just then, a portal emerged in front of us, just like the one that had appeared in the sky the day before. Of course it was smaller, but the black portal had the signature red lightning arcing from it. Somehow the Ultra Beasts could open these portals at command, but I didn't think about that at the time.
"N-no… I've got to… Get free…!" I mumbled, pushing and prying on Buzzwole's hand, but it was no use. I simply didn't have the strength to resist. Buzzwole continued forwards, heading towards the portal. I was exhausted, but I continued to struggle. Suddenly, that sense of determination came back again. I can't give up yet… Must not lose hope…
As Buzzwole was about to enter the portal, I tried one last time to get free. Adrenaline pushing me, I pressed with all my might, trying to fight against the beast's grip. But it was simply too strong; once it noticed I was trying to get free, it tightened its hold on me, cutting off even more of my air supply. He clutched me so tight, I felt like I was going to pop. As Buzzwole continued to head to the portal, which was only a couple feet away now, I felt my vision blur and my mind empty. The determination burned inside my chest, but I couldn't do anything about it. I was out of energy and out of time. Riolu… Dusty… I'm sorry...
Was my last thought. But then, inches before the portal there was a triumphant cry from behind Buzzwole. It stopped in place and looked around, allowing me to catch a glimpse of two figures standing in place just a couple yards away, partially shrouded by the last of the kicked up dust. In an instant, a set of long tendrils came flying through the smog and directed right at Buzzwole. Before it could react, they wrapped around his legs and I felt the force as Buzzwole was pulled to the ground.
Immediately, its grip loosened around me as the air rushed back to my lungs. Once I was finally able to breathe again, the determination blazed into an inferno and I easily pushed away from Buzzwole and rolled to the ground. Picking myself up and dashing away towards safety, I quickly turned to see him recover from Dusty's sudden attack and begin charging back towards me. Right as I was in grabbing range though, Riolu jumped in from nowhere and pummeled him down with a powerful Force Palm. As Buzzwole was stunned backwards, Dusty hopped into the fray as well, him and Riolu suddenly slinging synchronous combo attacks at the injured Ultra Beast.
Staring in awe as they pushed him back towards the portal using all kinds of attacks and grabs, Buzzwole eventually had its back directly to the portal. In one last attempt, it tried to get away by attacking, but messed up its Hammer Arm and slammed it into the pavement just beside Riolu, leaving it open for attack. Both Riolu and Dusty took the opportunity to prepare their finishing moves.
Riolu's Force Palm and Dusty's Body Slam hit dead on this time, forcing Buzzwole into the rippling portal. With an echo of pain, it disappeared into the black void and out of sight. The portal closed with a clap of thunder, and a giant red flash. Then, it was all silent again.
Riolu and Dusty stood side to side, panting. They suddenly turned around and stared at me as huge smiles erupted on both of their faces before they collapsed to the ground completely exhausted. As I rushed in to help them, I felt a big smile form on my face, too.