Don't Lose Your Way
"Fights between Aura Guardians were not common but they weren't unheard of. If you boil down the fights to its core, it all comes down to who can take the most blows. Strategy does come into play but learning the advance techniques will take years to practice," Red meditatively reminisced in Brom's words. Brom had Red train vigorously in the art of aura that dealt with enhancing his own body beyond its capabilities mainly for taking hits.
Aura rushed through his blood vessels, enhancing his durability to extreme levels. He raised his right arm to block the incoming hit. The attack knocked his arm back but no damage was dealt to his defending arm.
"How did you get so powerful?" Red asked. "Ancestors teaching you? I find it hard to believe that Aura Guardians have existed this long."
Leer exerted his offensive pressure on Red. "And you weren't taught by an Aura Guardian or did you just happen to learn all those techniques by yourself?" Leer admired the way Red took his assault of aura attacks without flinching.
He swiftly charged up a Force Palm, ran up and struck Red directly in his chest. Letting the energy explode outwards at point blank forced both aura guardians onto their back. Leer rolled back onto his feet with injuries no worse than slight burns on his hands. Red hopped back onto his feet with almost no hint of the explosion besides his ripped shirt.
"This is quite an interesting turn of events," Leer dwelled on his thoughts. "I saw you as having some potential in aura channeling on the first time we met on that small island, but to this extent was beyond my reasoning. If your training began from that moment and it has brought you this far, than I am honestly impress."
Red was taken aback by the compliment. The tone that Leer spoke didn't add sincerity so Red couldn't tell if the man was honest but he felt it was truthful. He stood his spot not moving an inch forward. "I'm touched by your words but it won't make me go easy on you," Red tried to keep a cool tone.
"Go easy on me? You haven't even done a thing to me," Leer reminded Red the time he spent defending himself from Leer's attacks. "You don't even move forward to try and lay a hand on me. Tiring me out won't work since I can tell that you have less aura than me."
Red cockily grinned. "Is that frustration that I feel?"
Leer cupped his hands together and formed an Aura Sphere. "Emotions will cloud ones thinking. Anger can make me lose sight of myself. If I'm not myself, then even I don't know what I will do to you."
Red braced himself, taking the Aura Sphere without flinching. The blast pushed him back further but his smiled didn't falter. "Anger, I can feel it flowing from you. Emotions is what make us humans."
I'm certain he should be able to feel my strength if he can catch my hidden emotions, Leer thought disarrayed. "What are you planning to do with just standing there?" he asked ambling forward. He sprinted and drove his aura fist right into Red's jaw.
Red wasn't quick enough to block and was thrown onto his back. This single blow caused damaged displayed by him spitting out blood onto the ground. A dark bruise formed across his sore jaw.
There was no rest for Red. Leer kicked him square in his stomach seeing the aura armor Red donned weakened. Another kick sent Red rolling onto his side. Leer lunged down, aiming for Red's throat with a Force Palm. Red caught Leer's wrist with his right hand. Looking directly into Leer's eyes he said, "I know despite training my body for last month, that I don't stand a chance at beating you, but I keep on fighting…because I can feel it."
"Feel it?" Leer inquired, pulling his hand back.
"The emotions are suppressed," Red proclaimed. Suppressed to a greater extent than Ember's emotions, he added in his head. His body groaned as he tried to stand back up. "If you can still feel, then there can be some understanding between you and me."
"You-you think you can understand me?" Leer couldn't say the many thoughts about how wrong Red was that he became speechless. "That's just…a fairy tale that has died a long time ago. You can't comprehend the way one feels when they lose everything."
Red wiped blood of his chin. "I will try to understand," Red said taking a step towards Leer.
Leer instinctively stepped back. "The audacity to believe you understand my plight is deplorable. The ignorance to the world around is astounding as well."
"Then enlighten me!" Red replied.
Leer clenched his teeth as he calculated his next attack. "This world we live in is a false world. I thought it was the one way to live life when I was a trainer," he began.
"A great trainer at that," Red unnecessarily added.
Leer ignored the remark and continued. "Though it was shattered once the unexpected happen. It happened before my chance to fight the Champion at the time. I was informed of a crisis by the workers at the Indigo Plateau which was that my parents were dead."
"Dead? I've never heard in the news that your parents died during your Elite Four challenge!" Red exclaimed.
"That's the odd part. My parents were certainly murdered in their own home," Leer revealed. "killed by a single man that was caught after the incident. Yet, this rare event didn't get a mention in the media."
This is why he didn't make it to the final battle with Aaron Stark? Red thought incredulously, not sure to believe in the man who was now acting as a psycho path with Lugia on his side.
"Murders sometimes make it to the news if enough coverage is there," Red recalled the moments shocking news made it on TV.
"If they have enough witnesses," Leer snapped back. "My own case had no witnesses and little evidence. I was told not to say a thing to the public which I stupidly obey since being in such a distraught situation led my naïve self to do."
"Then there must have been other cases like yours to have never made it to the media," Red remarked. "But why won't they get attention in the first place?"
"That's what I asked many times until I came to a shocking revelation," Leer said, sounding genuine in his tone for once. "My case was dismissed due to lack of evidence and rumors of false accusations rose. The killer was allowed to go free."
Leer paused as to let the frustration he felt at the moment sink into Red. "The man acquitted of all charges of murder but I knew this man did it. My intense emotions sparked the Aura powers in me and allowed me to see the changes in the murder's soul as he lied to the court. I lost it when he was left to live his life."
Leer uncomfortably stopped.
"I had to take justice into my own hands. I finally realized the false world we lived in. It was a system left in place to control the world and brushed the obscenities under rug. I left the Pokemon league and sought the murderer to give him what he deserved."
"That was your first murder," Red bluntly said.
"Murder? I see it as punishment and I wasn't the only one who saw it as well," Leer said. "Another person came after the murder after I have already done the deed. To this day I'm not sure who they were exactly for I had to kill him as well."
"None of this was ever reported nor got people's attention," Red asserted caution to the conversation. "I do find it hard to believe since not a single thing was mentioned anywhere."
"That murder was also kept under wraps which confirmed my belief that the government was being manipulated for the sake of preservation," Leer said.
"Preservation of what?"
"Of this society we live in," Leer stretched out his hands.
Leer said no more which left Red pondering on the subject.
"You have become quite talkative. Whether what you said is true or not doesn't matter since you took the time to talk with me," Red noted, stealing a glance behind him. The health regeneration continued at a sluggish pace making him wonder how much damage did he cause to it. "You must be capable of defeating me before Lugia finishes up? Or are you?"
The chord struck Leer but kept a calm appearance. "Defeating you now will lead to me waiting for the guardian to completely heal all by myself. Might as well drag this on to fill in the time," he appropriately explained, nonchalantly firing an Aura Sphere that Red narrowly dodged.
"Nonsense," Red retorted. "You don't seem the kind to enjoy one's company especially someone who has strong differing opinions than yours." Leer paused in his place. "You also don't seem like the type of person to go easy on anyone."
"You talk as if you know me after hearing my story," Leer replied. "Am I not allowed to enjoy this moment?"
"I shouldn't be taken so lightly!" Red spun on the ball of his left foot. His right foot was extended to strike the lone red Pokeball idling close to him. With the simple skills of soccer he honed as a child in Pallet Town, Red kicked the ball straight at the lumbering bird giant.
The Pokeball broke midair with Leer's prepared aura sphere. Sparks of blue sparks flashed before Red, and reacted on instinct to block the next shot aimed at the back of his head.
Leer shot the remaining Pokeballs on the ground with his aura spheres careful to not diminish his strength. The last Pokeball cracked before Red's eyes that met Leer's once more.
"I wished to kill you by Lugia's own power as to signify my start of a new era," Leer revealed his intentions. "You are a unique individual in this tainted world as I listed: an aura guardian, an efficient trainer by the region's standards, and an ignorant boy of wrongdoing that has been done in this world. A target needed to be killed or you could be a problem in the near future."
"And this future is no different than this 'false' one you say we live in!" Red disproved.
"With Lugia under my control, I can now take justice under my control again," he declared. "Justice will finally get the power it rightfully deservers"
"Justice is subjected to dispute," Red reinforced his ideals. "However, power can be easily recognized so it cannot be disputed. That's why power should never be given to justice! Are you really that shortsighted?"
What is this idiocy? Leer gnashed his teeth. "Justice is deplorable in this era. One needs power to change that!" He brought his foot to Red's chest, kicking the boy onto his back. He couldn't contain all of it now. This teenager raved on such ludicrous ideas with such sincerity that he nearly doubted his plans.
Doubting is not that excessive of a sin since doubt helped me realize the painful truth of the world. But this boy is the one blind to the unknown tragedies befalling people, Leer settled his muddled thoughts to regain composure of his emotions that suddenly broke lose. He still felt a pang of envy directed at Red but he was hasty to wipe that off his mind.
Red climbed back onto his feet. He spat out metallic-tasting blood on the ground. "I remember the subtle hate you placed in those last few words you said to Ember," he croaked, wiping his cracked lips. "The emotion you kept hidden from him. I used to think you were approving of him, a man who overcame his family bond to deal rightful justice against his father by killing him, but I see you feel the opposite of him for killing his father."
Leer moved in to Red's reach and tried to deal a devastating blow to his chest but Red read the attack blocked the fist. He knocked Leer back with a retaliating Force Palm directly into Leer's chest.
"That was such an instinctive maneuver," Red mocked. "Has anger finally taken over your actions?"
Leer frowned as to finally been caught off guard. Rebounding back to the fight, he atoned for his mistake and adopted a sturdier stance. "You right," he stoically admitted. "I did hate Ember…but not for the reasons that you have stated. I admired him for his power and intelligence that makes him dominating in battle. However, his way of justice was skewed. I hoped to set him on the right path but he didn't feel in the slightest to need to develop a sense of righteousness. He was weak in that aspect and ridding him did alleviate me the problems that could rise in the future."
"Are you comparing me to my brother in that aspect?"
Leer glared back at Red analyzing the situation over again. He mustered his strength finally making a decision. "Lugia will soon wake but now I see it is I who must end your life."
"Finally getting serious," Red smugly replied.
"You'll regret your conceited actions," Leer proclaimed, collecting aura in both of his hands. He didn't just get the right amount for a Force Palm but he drew on more energy he could withstand in his hands. The concentrated aura burned with such fury that he thought they would melt.
Red's smugness disappeared. He realized the gravity of the situation and Leer was finally going all in. He buffed up his Aura armor, mainly around his forearms, ready to block at any given moment.
Leer nearly pounced on Red and jammed both of his hands into Red's torso. Blue light flashed before a small explosion sent Red onto his back a few feet away. Smoke billowed from Red's stomach as he cringed in pain.
Leer caught himself nearly falling into the ground. He wasted more than enough energy for the killing blow. He looked at his hands marked with burn marks. His single Aura Guardian glove was ripped open in the palm region making slightly regret his decision.
What was that? Leer asked himself bewildered. Before he released the Force Palm he felt the protective Aura covering on Red but he felt something else shatter under his attack. A second force that soften the blow that reminded him a lot of a psychic-type's Psychic ability appeared before Leer struck.
Red rubbed his bare stomach through the hole left in his already disheveled shirt. There was no hole through his abdomen but a nasty bruise will soon form on it. He was already up after taking what seemed like a heavy punch to the gut.
"Was that all," Red retorted, ambling towards Leer. He brushed off the pain in his gut and confronted Leer who was just as shock.
"I didn't go all out but you still shouldn't have survived that blast," Leer incredulously objected. "I'll have to try harder on this next one."
Leer's panting grew louder as he tried to muster up more aura. His hear skipped a beat, making stop his action and kneel over.
"Gah!" he felt excruciating pain from within.
"What's wrong?" Red asked concerned for Leer whose face twisted in pain. Red stood in awe as tiny green particles were being released by Leer's body. They were small specks of glowing aura that floated upwards like bubbles. Hundreds of aura particles escaped his body in a matter of seconds.
"What is this technique?" Red asked, watching the aura float high enough that couldn't see them anymore.
Leer expressed his pain in coarse grunts. "It-was a-trap," he coughed up blood. He felt his body was giving up on him. As if a curse was placed on him, the soles of his feet were encased in stone. The small radius around Leer began to exhibit the same symptoms as Leer forcing Red to back away.
"Erg-this pain-I'm losing my strength and body!" Leer gasped for air, eyes clenched shut.
Red was filled with the urge to help Leer but he just couldn't muster the courage to do so. The grass around the troubled aura guardian shriveled up as their life force was drained out of them. A circle of death lay around him.
"I can't…die in vain!" he bellowed. He collapsed trying to get up again. A desperate look in his eyes was all it took to make Red feel sympathy. "I—can't- much longer." He grasped at the array of Pokeballs snapped to his belt. He carelessly chucked them away from his body in hopes of saving them of the curse.
"What's happening? Who did this to you?" Red nearly shouted his questions in distress.
Leer clutched his right shoulder feeling it burn harshly. "Ember-did this." He sputtered losing strength.
Red tried to get close but Leer yelled for him to stay back. "What do you mean my brother did this?"
"In our fight back at Naval Rock," Leer made Red recall the battle. "Ember grabbed my shoulder, which I thought was to steal my Aura-aghh!" Leer collapsed forward. His lower body slowly was consumed by the strange power that was undoubtedly Leer's own aura. "But I see now that it was not to steal but to seal me. He planted part of his Aura in me and waited for me to become incredibly weakened and then I will be consumed by my own strength."
I used to much power in that last attack. It was my own stupidity that lead to this, Leer scolded himself.
"Your own strength? So this Aura Seal is using your own Aura to trap yourself?" Red asked pressed for time as the petrification was reaching his chest.
Leer lifted a stiff hand to Red. "I'm not going to be sealed but be stripped of my Aura. My Aura is being expelled from my body meaning I will soon die."
"Die! You can't go just yet!" Red unexpectedly shouted. He fell to his knees in despair. "What can I do to reverse this-this curse?"
"It's far too late," Leer weakly replied. "You couldn't possible override it with your own Aura."
"I got to try," Red flexed his right and stretched it out towards careful not to touch Leer's hands. He channeled his aura through his hand and into Leer's. He didn't have much training in maniuplation but he had to try.
The spell crept to Leer's neck, moving at an unnerving pace. Leer's lips became stone but not before saying, "The world will never be free," in the most disheartened tone that Red has ever heard. He tried even harder, pouring more into Leer.
The tips of Leer's fingers emitted a loud spark that made Red recoiled. He reeled back to try and save Leer but it was too late. Sprawled across the ground in a pathetic state of despair, Leer lay petrified. His face had no pupils but the sadness on his face still made it through the process.
Red sat there in silence, letting the revelation of Leer's death sink in. He couldn't save his life but Red was sure he could have convinced Leer to change his mind if he had enough time. Leer sounded like a poor soul that lost his way on this path of 'justice'.
"I always believed—no I knew that we were going to meet one of these days," Red said wistful of the past, an innocent past. "But never in my wildest of dream did I expect for it to be this way."
"If only I was strong enough-"
The earth shook beneath Red. He dropped to his knees and witnessed the legendary Lugia get back on his two feet. What alarmed Red was that Lugia didn't look as if it was released from Leer's mind control.
Lugia let out a mindless cry before leaping into the air. It shot a stray ice beam into the air with no clear target. It has gone berserk. No one to relay orders, no one to keep its power in control, no one to help guide it. It had one thing on its mind which was too let loose of all its stored up energy. The powerful winds of tremendous tropical storms brewed in its maw. A vacant vision set on no particular target, leading it to unleash its fury on the forestry around it.
I can't stop this incredible power, Red thought immobilized, watching trees decimated by the Aeroblast. He stood at the edge of the crater before him soaking in the native aura Lugia strongly emitted.
"What a mess this is, when it all went wrong," soft yet amused the foreign voice resonated in Red's mind. The tone alone calmed Red's nerves, helping him see clearly now.
Lugia spun around as if it also heard the formless voice. It let out a shrill cry as to challenge it. A needless blast of air was fired into the sky from Lugia showing off is prowess.
A contender appeared from the thick boughs of the forest. A colossal bird, that easily matched Lugia's bulk, took to the clear skies. A peacock-phoenix hybrid spread its massive wingspan filled with red feathers tipped with glowing green feathers. A wing flap seemed to distort the light around it creating small, colorful rainbows. A beautiful Pokemon it was but it also looked quite fierce.
An unwavering glare directed at Lugia from the strange bird initiated the fight of giants. Fires ignited from the phoenix's wings as Lugia pierced through them with an Aeroblast.
Red braced himself for the hot flames raining down on him when a Fire Blast connected with Lugia. Was this bird always hiding in these woods and I didn't notice it before? I wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings but to miss this massive aura must mean I was blind. Red tried to find the logical explanation as to why he missed this legendary being. Seeing it is able to match Lugia's strength, then this must mean that the fiery bird is—Ho-oh! Red was exposed to Ho-oh legends of it being the ruler of the skies. Ho-oh must have known of Lugia and came here from Johto to challenge it!
Ho-oh dodged a Hydro Pump and cast down upon the region a harsh heat wave. The environment was helpful for powering up its next fire attack. Flames similar to Dragon rage poured from its beak, engulfing Lugia entirely. These flames were different to any flames that Red sensed before. They carried an aura like Charizard's Blast Burn but they didn't hurt the soul as aura does but the actual physical being of the foe attacking more on the physical side. The mystical flames dissipated, marking its victim with numerous burn marks.
Lugia took the Sacred Fire quite well…but he is getting quite low on stamina, Ho-oh deduced. A second Sacred Fire was spouted at Lugia who charged straight through the flames. Ho-oh squawked the moment Lugia traveled through the flames to Zen Headbutt him directly in the chest.
Ho-oh smacked Lugia away with a single wing ignited in flames, but Lugia didn't let up and followed up with a close range Hydro Pump. The pressurized water threw Ho-oh back an incredible five hundred feet away.
Just two direct hits and Ho-oh has lost half of its energy, Red dreaded feeling like this battle could end up in Lugia's favor even though it was nearing its end as well.
Ho-oh knew this as well that a few well-placed hits could end this battle. Lugia's reckless nature is something I could easily take advantage off but do I have the strength left to deal the final blow? Questioning himself wasn't the most helpful thing to do right now so he revved up his spirits. The blue aura that came with Brave Bird matched well with its colorful array of feathers.
Both Lugia and Red sensed the overwhelming strength the Brave Bird contained. The high attack Ho-oh bolstered took the attack to its highest potential leaving it to be the attack to take out Lugia.
As would one expect, Lugia wasn't about to let that happen. A massive Psychic attack constricted Ho-oh, immobilizing it for a few seconds. Ho-oh broke through the Psychic but those few seconds was enough for Lugia to conjure up a devastating Aeroblast. The Aeroblast, which it has been saving up for a crucial moment such as this one, carried water inside for the super effective bonus.
Ho-oh had no choice but take intense vortex of water and air. Pure willpower kept Ho-oh's focus as it broke through the Aeroblast becoming more vicious. Its burning aura evaporated most of the water creating a column of steam.
Lugia aborted its attack to fly away but wasn't swift enough to escape. The collision of Ho-oh's Brave Bird with Lugia gave birth to the biggest explosion that Red ever experience in his young life. Excessive energy went outwards, pushing everything away from the two legendary Pokemon.
Red was bombarded with blast waves, sending him sailing backwards. He roughly landed on bare ground but he softened the blow with the little aura he had left as light armor. He clasped his hears, deafened by the explosion, and prayed that the unconscious Lance and Dragonite weren't affected by the energy blast. They were quite far from the action but this level of power could possibly reach them.
The trembles shaking beneath Red quieted to a slow rumble before completely disappearing. The forest fell to an eerie silence, leaving a constant ringing noise in Red's ear. He snapped a finger to help figure out if has lost his eardrums. The snap resonated clearly, relieving him.
Beaten up and tired, Red staggered to his feet. Leaning against a tree trunk to regain his breath, Red look on the crater filled with Lugia's bulk. He sensed the being had little energy left but wasn't on the brink of death. He strained his senses to search for Ho-oh's life form. The aura that once out shined the sun was nowhere to be found. He pushed himself further to scan the forest believing it was sent further away from the blast but he turned up with nothing. How far was Ho-oh sent from the explosion? Red wondered bewildered.
A soft groan escaping Lugia's mouth alerted Red. He stood still, heightening his senses to Lugia. There was little change in Lugia's well-being but his concentration condensed to area close to him allowed him to sense something he completely overlooked before. A small life force diminished to that of a fainted Rattata flickered not too far from Lugia's tail. A creature close to death made him jump into action. He snagged a couple of full restores littering the ground. The injured Pokemon lied on bare ground layered with scratches, burn marks, and bruises.
"M-Mew!" Red instantly recognized the pink, furry creature curled up in a crater. He gently picked her up, cradling her as a newborn. Breaths were short and painful for Mew and her body quivered in his care. Red administered the potions with the first two failing to work due to being damage in the explosion. The remaining potions miraculously worked, giving Mew the chance to recuperate.
Mew flinched at the sound of Red tossing the used potions to the side. She cracked a cat-like eye to see the same boy who helped her before once again allowed her to survive. Her extensive tail twitched to life and wrapped itself around Red's arm.
Red coyly smiled. "I'm glad to see you again," he said as if reuniting with a good friend. "Though, I'm not too elated to see you have gotten hurt this badly, again. You should have teleported away from here once the battle had started."
Mew blankly stared back. "I had to stay…you needed help."
"Help? So you were the voice who spoke before Ho-oh appeared," Red realized. "But where did Ho-oh come from?"
"That was me," Mew merrily answered. "I have the power to transform into any Pokemon I come in contact with."
"Transform? Like a Ditto?" Red asked. "That's incredible since even I couldn't tell it was your aura or Ho-oh."
-"It was easy to tell if you notice I only took a couple of hits to go down,"- Mew revealed. –"I cannot copy the real Ho-oh's health but I still managed to take him down."-
-"And to you I owe my thanks,"- Lugia's telepathy relayed to Mew and Red.
"Lugia! You're alright?" Red watched Lugia sluggishly get up. His massive bulk made the ground tremble beneath him.
-"I just needed another foe to release the last of my strength that was entangled with that retched man's aura,"- Lugia explained, shaking his head to clear his daze. Lugia stretched his neck over Red to get a good look at the statue of Leer.
-"And a fitting end for such a person. In a pitiful state, asking for help,"- Lugia crudely said. The tattered clothing, the painful scars, and the blood still running down his back, Leer was a statue of despair.
"He…he just met a horrible fate that changed who he was," Red defended Leer. I wonder what I would have done if that happen to me. To lose your family and faith in the world you lived your whole life in, Red tried to sympathize.
-"If that is what you believe, it's fine but it doesn't change the fact he nearly killed my subordinates. Which reminds me,"- Lugia stepped away and extended his wingspan. His blue belly glowed white and after a few painful grunts from Lugia the three elemental crystals emerged his body. The crystals clattered onto the ground and rolled towards the center of the crater.
"The elemental crystals," Red muttered. "Do you plan to hide them away?"
-"No. I plan to return them to back to their owners and see to it that they take all of their strength back. If I did plan to hide them then I would have given them to you…descendant of Pallet,"- Lugia smiled in the end.
"You knew I was related to him?" Red asked astonished.
Lugia's head bobbed up and down. –"Yes and to be saved by you brings back many memories. I thank you as well as you Mew."-
Red sheepishly rubbed his head, slightly embarrassed not sure how to reply.
-"It was nothing and I'm now able to transform into you!"- Mew giggled still in Red's arms.
"Just don't use it for mischief. I will be taking these back to my subordinates," Lugia said, lifting up the three crystal orbs with his psychic powers. He began to pour the power stolen from the three legendary birds into it from his own strength.
The crystals glowed harsh in their respective colors. The lighting in them flashed as if a storm brewed in each orb. The light grew brighter and the storm grew harsher with each passing second. Lugia focused harder and realized too late how concentrated the orbs were becoming.
-"Get away from here!"- Lugia warned at the last moment.
Red and Mew were caught in the blast that came from three crystals. It was not an explosion but a blast of wind that sent Red and Mew flying backwards. Red held Mew close to his body as they approached an oak tree. He smashed directly into the tree's trunk with a sickening crunch. The world went dark for Red.
Red awoke to a presence cautiously approaching him. His eyelids slowly open to gaze at the peaceful looking sky. Clouds rolled by to block the sun blinding Red. Koga's head stood above his gaze.
"Ahh!"
Red jumped back hitting his head on the tree trunk. He moved his left arm to rub his head but pain erupted from his arm.
"Careful, you broken a few bones including one in your left arm and a couple of ribs," Koga clinically informed him.
Red looked down to see a sling made out of a scarf cradled his injured arm. The same arm his used to protect the weakened Mew.
Mew! Red realized alarmed.
-"I'm alright,"- Mew chimed in. She was nowhere in sight as Red frantically searched for her. –"Lugia apologizes for the late warning. He focused too hard on getting the orbs filled that he overdid it and some of the energy escaped in that huge blast but he promised to generously reward you in return."-
But you were seriously injured. Are you sure you're okay, Red asked, keeping a straight face after Koga shot him a concerned glance.
-"I recovered enough health to move on my own for now,"- Mew assured with a soft giggle at the end. –"This is farewell, Red. Hope we meet again!"-
Wait! How am I supposed to meet Lugia? Where do I contact him? Red asked. No reply from Mew. He sighed, letting the stress relieve itself.
"Are you alright?" Koga spoke up, searching the clear sky for a sign. "If you feel pain in other places than the ones I healed, tell me. I could try and ease it for you with herbs."
"No, I'm fine," Red confidently replied. "I'm sure I'm in a much better state than everyone else on the island, including Lance." It slowly dawned onto Red, his face growing paler.
"I forgot about Lance! I left him in the forest alone!" Red berated himself for forgetting.
"My Crobat managed to locate Lance and Dragonite. They didn't sustain heavy injuries such as yourself," Koga soothed Red's worries. "Help will be here soon, so sit tight."
"They aren't in critical conditions?"
Koga shook his head.
"That great to hear…"Red nodded. "But now I'm starting to wonder…how did you get here? How did you know I was here and for that matter, why didn't you come and help us at the Sevii Islands if you knew what was going?"
Koga's face made Red wished he didn't ask as the death stare was directed at him. "I was helping with the operation. I was just given different tasks from Lance," he vaguely answered.
"Was your mission top secret which is why you can go into detail?" Red questioned the gym leader.
"No, it was just to guard the Indigo Plateau," Koga answered directly. "Lance figured out these group of people were going to attack the Indigo Plateau."
"I don't mean to offend you but all by yourself you had to stay to defend?" Red carefully asked.
"There was Elite Four Agatha along with Bruno who arrived later," Koga answered.
Red figured the place was not far north of where he was. "And being on the Indigo Plateau, I take it you had a clear view of our fight with Lugia," Red said back against the trunk. Finally relaxing after a long day of fighting, Red could safely breathe.
"I did manage to see you take on the massive beast," Koga replied. "After the legendary Pokemon collapsed for the final time and got up to fly away, I thought the battle was over and it was retreating."
"Lugia was just being controlled by him," Red remarked, pointing towards Leer's cold statue. "And once he came to his senses, he left back home."
Koga eyed Leer wanting to find out more of what took place. "I'll save my questions for another time. You had a rough day and I'm sure you'll be questioned many more people once all this gets sort out," Koga empathized with Red. "The amount of paper work after this will be tremendous since I was at the Indigo Plateau. I'm sure it wasn't easy going to those islands but I hope you learned something valuable there."
"Oh so that's why you let Janine go to the Sevii Islands in your place," Red figured out.
"She did what!" Koga's voice boomed with fury.
