"Retto, Aqua Tail!" Touko yelled as she threw out her Pokéball and Retto came flying out ready for battle. The grunts in front of Touko threw out their own Pokéballs in response. Iris quickly joined Touko in the battle with her Druddigon and soon a full battle was underway.
It took little time for the powerful trainers to best the grunts, and soon the group was racing up the steps again. As soon as they got to the first real landing, Lenora and Drayden stepped away from the group.
"Well, this is our stop," Lenora said as a group of grunts started coming down the hall. Touko paused, unsure of whether the rest should head further up.
"Don't worry, child," Drayden said, back to Touko. "We will meet you at the top."
"'Kay," Touko said and the rest started running up the stairs again.
At each landing, more of Touko's team split from the group to stop the grunts that came. Soon Touko found herself with only Zoroark and Iris. The three ran on up the now empty stairway. No one seemed to be chasing them or waiting for them to get higher, which Touko could not help but think was odd.
"Stop!" Everyone turned and stared at Touko. They were nearly at the top but something felt very wrong.
"Touko, what…?" Iris started to ask but suddenly gasped, finger pointing to something behind Touko.
Touko swung around just in time to get smacked in the face by something very powerful. Dazed, Touko grabbed at the wall, more or less falling into it. "Retto!" The large Samurott lunged in front of its trainer as Iris and Zoroark ran to Touko's side.
"Touko, you okay?" Iris asked.
Blinking, Touko tried to refocus her vision. She was about to reply when she heard the laughter that seemed to chill her to the core.
"Well, well. The great hero returns," Ghetsis hissed.
Touko's hands clenched into fists. That explained why there were no grunts this high up; Ghetsis had likely been waiting for them and had gotten bored.
Ghetsis sneered down at the small group. "Well, I shall say I am not too surprised. Shame that you seem to be one short though. Oh, and it is good to see you again, Zoroark. How is your no good 'brother'."
"Go to hell Ghetsis." Zoroark growled.
Ghetsis laughed. "Language, Zoroark. Now, where could you have learned something like that, I wonder?" He turned towards Touko and Iris, his single visible red eye seemed to glow in the dark stairwell. "I am surprised you would even try this again. There is no possible way you can beat me."
"Oh yeah, why's that?" Iris yelled back, her big hair seemed to get even larger.
"That is quite simple: you're too weak."
"We'll see about that! Druddigon, Go!" Iris threw out Drddigon's Pokéball. The dragon roared loudly and glared at Ghetsis.
Ghetsis raised an eyebrow. "I expected more from a gym leader. Oh well. Hydreigon, let's show them true power!"
Soon, the battle was on. Touko watched in awe as Iris masterfully battled Ghetsis, but soon it was clear that she clearly did not stand a chance. Druddigon was simply not strong enough to beat Ghetsis's Hydreigon. "Iris!"
"Finish them off Hydreigon! Focus Blast!" Ghetsis roared.
Iris's eyes grew wide as her Druddigon was hit with the attack and was thrown back. There was no room to dodge, and soon she, too, was caught in the attack. Clutching onto her dragon Pokémon's neck, the two smashed through the brick wall.
"IRIS!" Touko ran to the now gaping hole in the wall.
"Youth is wasted on the young it seems." Ghetsis said coolly. "Now, where were we?"
Touko froze, fear suddenly rooting her the spot. Iris had been her friend and now… "Retto… RETTO, RAZOR SHELL!" Touko spun around, tears in her eyes. Retto let out a roar of anger and lunged at Ghetsis and his Hydreigon.
Ghetsis laughed. "Do you really think that will work?" Retto hit Hydreigon with all of its strength, shells in its claws. Despite Ghetsis's confidence, Hydreigon roared in pain and staggered backwards. "How?! Why you!" Ghetsis lunged at Touko.
Before Touko knew what had happened she felt a hand around her neck, the force of Ghetsis's attack causing her to lose her footing. Touko gasped for air and tried to pull Ghetsis off of her. "Re-tto," Touko gasped.
Her Pokemon turned and seemed about to save, but before it could take a step towards its trainer, Ghetsis's Hydreigon attacked Retto from behind, a one hit KO attack. Touko watched in horror as Retto fainted. Ghetsis laughed. "Futile as this attack was, it looks like I will at least show the world just how weak you all really are."
"I don't think so!"
Ghetsis looked past Touko, his sneer still plastered on his face. "Well, N, I was wondering where our lost king had gone."
"I am no king. You created this sham so that you could take over Unova and the rest of the world. I was a pawn of yours. And now I am going to stop you."
"Are you, now? Do you really plan on risking this girl's safety?" Ghetsis pulled Touko around, letting go of her neck and gripping her wrists instead. The man was faster than he looked.
N froze. "Let her go!" he growled.
"I don't think so. Victor always receives some sort of spoil." With his free hand Ghetsis traced the side of Touko's face with a thin, discolored, finger, causing her to shiver and him to snicker.
"You're sick." N rolled his shoulder into what could best be described as a pre-pounce stance.
"Really, I think I'm… ARGH!" Before Ghetsis could finish his sentence, something struck him from behind.
"That's what you get for ignoring me," Zoroark growled.
The force of Zoroark's attack caused Ghetsis to let go of Touko's wrists, but also caused Touko, who was already at the edge of the gaping hole in the wall, to fall out.
It happened too fast for Touko to realize what was happening; she could hear screaming, but could not tell if it was her voice or someone else's; she could feel the wind whipping past her and rushing into her ears; her eyes were wide open, but everything was blurring past her. It felt like forever that she fell until a hand reached out and grabbed her outstretched arm.
"GOT YOU!" N yelled, wrapping his hand around her wrist.
Touko suddenly felt the tears on her cheeks. "Don't let go."
N pulled Touko safely onto Reshiram and wrapped his arms around her. "I got you, you're safe now. You can stop shaking, I have you."
Touko looked at N, now feeling her body shaking. She took a deep breath and tried to focus herself again. "Right, thanks, sorry," was all she could say, her voice horse. "I need to get Retto."
"On it!" N said, and soon they were flying back up towards the gaping hole in the wall.
Touko stood shakily on Reshiram's back, Retto's Pokéball in her hand. As soon as they were in sight of Retto, Zoroark, Ghetsis, and his Pokémon, Touko returned Retto to his Pokéball. Zoroark then made a leap into Reshiram's back, landing next to Touko.
Ghetsis ran to the hole, rage clearly visible on his face. "Do you think you can get away?"
"Actually…" N said, interrupted by an explosion at ground level. "I think we can."
Touko looked down and felt a smile slowly grow on her face. It seemed all the gym leaders and Bianca had, in fact, managed to get Cheren and Alder, had regrouped, and were now flying towards them. Touko gasped when she saw a mass of black hair and a splash of pink on a dragon type pokemon. "Iris!"
Ghetsis glared at N and Touko. "This is not over!"
Neither N nor Touko replied as they flew to meet up with the others. They both knew Ghetsis was right; this was not over. Not by a long shot.
End of Chapter