The underground path was a long and dark journey that took hours to traverse on foot. Although with Jackson, the journey was days to Leah. An eternity of non-stop questions. Who was she? What was her rank? What team did she use? Why? Where was she from? Who does she work under? What's her favourite food? No matter how many answers she gave him, it was never enough. There was always another. The only relief she got from the interrogation was the few seconds it took Jackson to scribble down her answer into a pocket-sized notepad. As Leah mindlessly fed him answers, she focused on the lights above.
"Row 100, Row 101, Row 102," She counted in her head.
The tunnel had 150 rows. While a trivial fact, she was glad she remembered it. Each row was a step closer away from this nightmare. Suddenly, one of Jackson's questions snapped her back into focus.
"You look like Abby, are you guys sisters?" He asked.
"Abby? I don't know an Abby," Leah said.
"Huh, weird."
Jackson flipped through his notepad and held it up to her. The kid had somehow managed to draw a near life-like portrait of Abby.
"See, you guys have the same face just different hair and-"
"I'm not her sister!" Leah snapped.
Jackson flinched and pulled back his notepad.
"Okay sorry…"
"I don't have a sister, just a brother. One brother," Leah said.
"Older or younger?"
"Younger, by a minute."
"Oh, twins, cool," Jackson scribbled in his notepad, "What's he look like?"
"Like me. Same face, same eyes, same hair. Just taller but only a little," Leah began but cut herself off.
She would have kept going, if it weren't for the smile she felt forming on her face.
"Why am I telling him the truth?" Leah thought.
Jackson's questions stopped. He went quiet as he drew with his stubby pencil. No longer was he scribbling, his pencil moved methodically across the page. Each stroke looked to be made with intent. The tunnel fell quiet. Only their echoing footsteps, the humming of the lights and the scratching on Jackson's pencil filled the air. Leah looked back to the rows of lights. She'd lost count but no matter, the light of the end of the tunnel was coming into view. Just a white dot for now but it was quickly growing.
"Is this right?" Jackson asked and held up his notepad.
Leah glanced at the drawing.
"Close enough."
It was perfect.
A shrill buzz interrupted their quiet. The ringing of a transceiver Tiberius had given her.
"What's that?" Jackson asked, sounding alarmed.
"Just this," Leah pulled the device from her jacket pocket, "probably an update from HQ."
Leah held it so that the screen faced away from Jackson. Three words blinked on the screen.
"Attack is underway."
"New intel says the guys chasing your friends have back up, there'll be goons hanging around the exit of the underground path," Leah told Jackson.
"No problem! We'll show 'em!" Jackson thrust his belt forward, showing off his pokéballs and badges.
"That's the spirit!" Leah said.
Jackson grinned wildly and broke out into a sprint.
"Come on! We can't let them get too comfortable up there!" He yelled.
Leah gave chase but didn't respond. The enthusiasm on her face dropped away into a dead, cold gaze. She watched the back of Jackson's head, studying it to see how his hat fit over his head.
Once they arrived at the surface, Leah grabbed Jackson's shoulder and lowered her voice to a hush.
"Keep your movements slow and your head down. You check right, I'll check left. They're probably hiding out in the woods."
Jackson gave her a nod and began creeping across the grass towards the treeline, eyes laser-focused on spotting enemies in the dark beyond the trees. He popped open one of his canisters and readied a pokéball. Once Leah was certain he was committed to his search, she turned around and scanned the grass. It wasn't long until she found what she was looking for. A thick, chunk of a log. Despite being half-rotten, when she picked it up the log had a good weight to it. Leah marched up behind Jackson, her footsteps soft and silent. She raised the log up beside her head, swung and cracked it across the back of Jackson's head. He crumpled to the ground without so much as a cry. Jackson's pokéball rolled onto the grass. Leah looked around as plucked a pokéball from her sleeve canister, no one was around. She released Golbat.
"Get him in a tree. High enough so he won't jump when he wakes," Leah said.
"Golbat," Golbat agreed without question.
He clutched Jackson's calf with his talons and lifted him up into the air. Swiftly, he zoomed up and dropped Jackson on his back on the fork of two high branches. They cradled him, holding him securely even as the breeze shook them.
"Good work," Leah said before returning Golbat.
As Leah turned to leave towards Celadon, piercing cries filled the air.
"SKAAAAAR!"
"DOOOOOOS!"
In the skies above Celadon, Leah stood witness to a spectacle that made her stomach drop. She watched in horror, unable to move.
As the sun was well and truly setting Abby and Joel dried themselves off. Abby shot cheeky glances at Joel's naked body from behind her towel as she dried. Each time she saw him gazing back and their eyes would linger before resuming their drying. In the lake, Dratini and Granbull washed. They had awoken after Abby and Joel. So they joined them in the lake after. Abby's ass twanged with a dull, exhilarating pain as she remembered how Granbull came up behind her in the water and had another round with her ass. Which quickly divulged into Joel and Dratini fucking on the shore. This time, Granbull had came on her face. Washing the enormous load from her hair had been a hassle. Suddenly, Joel interrupted her recollection by embracing her. Both their towels fell to the ground and they kissed.
"God, I could fuck you again," Joel shuddered.
"The sun. It's setting soon," Abby warned, although she was not opposed to the idea of fucking beneath the stars.
"Come back to my place, sleeping with you in my bed is something I just have to do before you return to your journey."
The mention of journeys reminded Abby of Green. Someone who for the past couple of hours had been absent from her mind.
"Green is expecting me…" She admitted reluctantly.
"We can stop by and let her know where you're staying," Joel persisted.
He took a hold of her ass with both hands and that was all the convincing Abby needed.
"That'll work," Abby kissed Joel.
They began to make out and might have fallen into another bout of fucking despite their plans if a howl hadn't spooked them. Together, they looked around panicked until they realised it was only Granbull. He was stood knee-deep in the lake, head back and howling at the sky.
"Calm down, there's nothing there," Joel said with a snap of annoyance.
He rummaged through his pile of clothes and got out Granbull's pokéball. He returned him and clipped the ball back to his belt. A gust of breeze swept through the clearing and chilled Abby's still damp skin.
"Let's get going," She shivered.
"Alright, here," Joel agreed and handed her, her shirt.
Abby slipped it on, not bothering with her bra. These clothes wouldn't be staying on any longer than they needed to. Once they were dressed, Dratini slithered up and rested on her shoulder. He did not greet Abby, instead, he gazed up at the sky.
"Tini," He said with a growl. His eyes flickered purple.
As Abby followed his eyes, Joel gasped.
"A Skarmory?"
Sure enough, a Skarmory was circling above them way above the trees. Its large, metal wings fanned out in skinny half-ovals.
"What's it doing here?" Abby asked.
"I don't know, it's far from home though. It's too far from Johto to be wild."
It was then that the realisation hit her. But it had come too late. Skarmory tucked in its wings, rolled and began diving down towards them.
Before Abby knew what was happening, she was running.
"Run Joel!" She heard herself scream.
"Not here. Why now?" Her mind raced as she dashed between trees.
While her mind bounced around, her feet did all the work. They hopped fallen logs, dodged tangled roots and put one before the other. Step by step. Leap by leap. Jump by jump. Abby ran as she had never run before. Being hunted by a Fearow was one thing but a Skarmory? The sound of trees hitting the ground confirmed her fear. Being caught could get her killed. Against her better judgement, Abby looked over her shoulder past stun-locked Dratini. Skarmory was bearing down on them mere feet from the ground. Its metal wings sheared through the trunks of trees like a sword through paper. His slanted, oval orange eyes watched her from beneath silver sheets of steel. Two sets of steel talons were poised, stretched open to grab. While Abby was running fast, it was still a crawl to Skarmory's speed. She went to shout a command to Dratini, to break him out of his fear but didn't get the chance. Without her eyes, her feet had failed. They caught a root and her chin slammed into the dirt. There wasn't time for pain though. Abby flung her backpack off, unzipped the front pocket and got her fingers around Gyarados's pokéball just as Skarmory's talons grabbed her. The hard steel crushed her between the three powerful claws, squeezing her torso and pinning down her arms. Feebly, she kicked but her feet made contact with only the air. All Abby could do was watch helplessly as the ground shrank beneath her and she was flown above the treetops. She stopped kicking and looked over at Dratini. He was coiled tight around her neck. He choked her slightly but still, she could breathe. His eyes were wide and his body was stone as if he'd been frozen solid.
"I need you Dratini," Abby choked out.
Dratini blinked, looked up, down and the right to Abby. His eyes were still wide but they moved, darting around her face. Dratini coiled around Abby's upper arm rather than her throat. He took a staggered breath and scowled.
"Dratini!" He screamed and opened his mouth. It flared purple.
Abby tucked her head in, shielding her face. There was an explosion. Heat washed over Abby like an oven opening in her face. A shrill screech attacked her ears and all of a sudden, the talons let go of her. She opened her eyes to find herself being flung up into the air. Skarmory turned away from her, smoke billowing from his belly. He swooped down, looped up and charged back towards her, talons primed. There was no time to think, Abby held up Gyarados's pokéball above her head as all her upwards momentum cancelled out. She pressed the button and was blinded by an eruption of white light. Gyarados materialised around her. His face appeared right before hers.
"Gyarados! Catch me!" Abby yelled.
"Dos!"
Gyarados swooped down and Abby slammed into his head. It knocked the wind out of her, but she clung on regardless. Gyarados's body pulsed light blue and their descent stopped. Skarmory bore down on them.
"SKAAAAAAR!"
"DOOOOOOOS!"
Both Pokémon bellowed. The roar rumbled beneath Abby. Gyarados lurched forward, jaws wide. Black sparks spat from his mouth. Skarmory leaned back and opened his wings, breaking in the air. With a flap, he shot up and looped over Gyarados.
"Knock him out of the sky, bring him down!" Abby yelled.
Gyarados looped up to pursue. Abby hung on as they went upside down until Gyarados twisted them back the right way up. Behind them, Abby watched as Gyarados's body, countless feet long snaked after them. Ahead, Skarmory sped away with a burst of light-blue energy, wings tucked in close to his body. On his back, Abby spotted a man. A man with dark skin, silver hair and the unmistakable jacket of the Steel Lieutenant. He was looking back at her. Their eyes met for a brief instant before he slammed his heels into Skarmory's side and they rolled. Abby smirked.
"Don't underestimate him, Flint." She thought.
"They're circling back, use flying energy to whip him with your tail," Abby shouted.
The fanned end of Gyarados's tail rose as he took aim. Skarmory took a sharp turn in the air and sped back towards them head-on. Both Pokémon roared as they charged one another. This time instead of braking, Skarmory rolled upside down. As he approached, his talon began to glow silver. Abby realised too late what he was about to do. However, Gyarados reacted for her. He rolled with Skarmory and the steel bird whizzed past Abby's head as she dangled from Gyarados. Silver sparks spat as Skarmory's claws ground against the thick, blue plates that lined Gyarados's back. Gyarados's tail rose in the other direction. Skarmory rolled to dodge but moved too late. The tail caught Skarmory's wing and sent him into a spin. Flint was flung from Skarmory's back and sent hurtling towards the ground. It took Skarmory but a moment to regain his balance and in no time, he was speeding after Flint to catch him. Abby shook her head and forced herself to focus. She couldn't afford to make another mistake like that.
"Blast them with Dragon Rage!" Abby shouted.
"That could kill him," A thought screamed at her but Abby ignored it.
Flint was falling. Skarmory was in a nosedive. There might not be another chance like this.
Gyarados turned back on himself and took aim at the falling Flint. His mouth opened and purple sparks spat from his mouth. But sparks were all that came.
"GYARADOS!" Gyarados cried in frustration.
A shower of purple sparks followed but still, nothing came of it. Abby's grip on the lip of back plating tightened as she watched Skarmory grow closer and closer to Flint. Just as Skarmory drew within arms reach of Flint, Dratini shot a purple flare from his mouth. Flint grabbed a hold of Skarmory and was spun away as Skarmory rolled. His steel coated belly took the blast. Black smoke billowed from him, but the attack left no damage. Abby slammed her palm into her forehead.
"Focus you, idiot. Dragon energy doesn't affect Steel you know that!" She screamed at herself internally.
Skarmory's wings fanned out and with a flap, he looped back up with Flint back on his back. Again, Abby saw Flint's face. His usual, cold demeanour was gone. He was staring at the back of Skarmory's head, eyes wide. Even with the distance between them, Abby could that his body was trembling. Abby swallowed and took a sharp, shuddered breath.
"Keep firing Dratini, aim for Flint, not Skarmory! Gyarados, chase after them! Headbutt them, bite them, do anything to knock them out of the sky!" Abby yelled.
Gyarados's body pulsed light blue and he shot off after Skarmory. He moved like a rocket, keeping his body perfectly straight. Light blue energy fired behind him. Abby kept her chest close to his back and held on tight as the sudden rush of wind pulled at her. Skarmory fired a burst of energy to speed away but couldn't outpace Gyarados. He turned to loop around but Gyarados turned with him. Again he moved, he turned and rolled again and again. Each time Gyarados would stay on his tail, not closing the distance but not letting it widen either. While Gyarados chased, Dratini fired flare after flare. Skarmory weaved around them and blocked the attacks he couldn't dodge with his wings. Each time Skarmory dodged, Gyarados inched just a little closer.
"Try a thunderbolt Dratini!" Abby shouted over the roaring wind.
The purple glow in Dratini's mouth became yellow. The clouds above them rumbled as a yellow bolt cracked through the sky from Dratini's mouth. The bolt struck Skarmory's wing and sent a yellow pulse through his body. Both Skarmory and Flint cried out. Skarmory curled from the shock and the wind caught him. He tumbled and slowed down drastically. Black flames engulfed Gyarados's jaws as he rapidly closed the distance. He took a bite at Skarmory but Skarmory tucked in his wings and rolled out of the way of Gyarados's bite. His talons pulsed silver as Gyarados sped over him and he disappeared from Abby's sight. Not a second later, Gyarados let out a pained roar and Abby looked back to see a trail of blood gushing behind them. Skarmory sped away in the opposite direction, with his talons and wings coated in blood.
"Your tail!" Abby yelled.
"DOOOOOS!"
A huge burst of light-blue energy erupted from Gyarados's tail and slammed it directly into Skarmory. Skarmory's long, steel beak punctured through the tail's fin but still, the tail knocked him out of the air. Somehow, Flint managed to hold on. He banged his fist and kicked at Skarmory's sides as the fell into a spiral dive. Gyarados looped up, around and chased after Skarmory towards the ground. Black flames shot up from his mouth and whipped at Abby's face. His jaws clamped down around Skarmory's back half and crunched the steel. Skarmory screeched and flailed in Gyarados's mouth. Gyarados pulled up and whipped his head to the side, sending Flint flying off Skarmory's back. He flew through the air, back down towards the lake.
"That could kill him," That voice whispered in Abby's mind.
Abby looked away from Flint.
"That's his fault," She said.
Skarmory went limp in Gyarados's mouth. A red beam hit Skarmory from below and he dematerialised. Abby forced herself to look down and watched as Flint unclipped another pokéball from his arm before smacking against the lake's surface. Abby patted Gyarados's head.
"Land on the shore," Abby said, "This isn't over if he's alive," She muttered.
Gyarados flew back down the ground and landed on the thin shore of the lake. Abby hopped down off his back and found that her legs were jelly. She clung to Gyarados's side and took a moment to calm herself. Her heart was pounding so hard it made her throat burn. After a moment, her legs felt better but her heart didn't stop. Regardless, Abby approached the water and watched for Flint. It didn't take long for his silver hair to break the surface. He held up a pokéball and released it. A flash of light to rival Gyarados's erupted above. It forced Abby to shield her eyes as it scattered on the lake's surface. Through squinted eyes, Abby saw that Flint had aimed above the surrounding forest rather than directly above him and the lake. A Steelix, the same size as Gyarados materialised. The giant, steel snake held his head above the trees and locked eyes with Gyarados.
"STEELIX!" He roared.
"GYARADOS!"
They both began sliding towards one another, moving like two giant worms across the ground. Trees toppled in their path, knocked aside as if they were nothing. Terrified Pidgey and Spearow took the sky. Followed by Pidgeotos and Fearows too. Even a singular Pidgeot sped away with haste. Eventually, Steelix and Gyarados clashed. Steelix thrust his head into Gyarados's body and Gyarados clamped jaws of black flame around Steelix's neck. They fell to the ground with a thunderous crash that rumbled the earth beneath Abby's feet and sent ripples through the lake. As they fought, Flint swam towards the shore. Dratini took aim at him but Abby stopped him.
"No, don't," Abby sighed, "Not like that."
Dratini snapped his mouth shut.
"Tini," He huffed.
Abby turned and walked back away from the lake's edge. She waited for Flint, their battleground before her. Dratini jumped down from her arm and waited before her. The scales on his body flickered purple. Abby knew the disadvantage she was at but didn't dwell on it. She just had to hope Gyarados could beat Steelix on his own and hope that somehow, Dratini could beat whatever Flint had waiting for her on his jacket's sleeve.
Flint emerged from the water without a word. He stared Abby down, eyes hard and a scowl plastered on his face. He ripped the final pokéball from his sleeve and released it. Abby's stomach dropped when she saw Aggron appear. What she had decided to not dwell on, was now in the forefront of her mind.
"Steel resists Dragon, Water, Flying and Electricity. I have nothing," She thought.
Flint raised his hand out in front of him, hand outstretched.
"Surrender," He said.
Despite her fear and her rational mind telling her otherwise, Abby scowled.
"No."
Flint's outstretched hand closed into a pointed finger.
"Iron tail."
"Gron," Aggron grunted.
"Dratini!" Dratini shouted.
Aggron began marching forward. His thick, black-steel tail lifted off the ground and began to pulse with silver light. The ground shook as a thunderous crash and the furious bellows of Steelix and Gyarados echoed around them.
"Dragon Rage, Dratini!" Abby pointed at Aggron.
Dratini's mouth pulsed purple and fired a draconic flare. The purple flare hit Aggron in the chest and exploded into a thick cloud of black smoke. Flint and Aggron disappeared from view behind the smoke. Aggron's tail, however, pierced through the smog with a silver gleam.
"Gron!" Aggron roared.
The tail swung out from the smoke.
"Dodge!" Abby yelled.
Dratini moved to duck but the tail caught him. It swatted him upside the head and sent him flying. Dratini hit the silty ground, bounced, skidded and came to a stop limp as a wet noodle. Aggron emerged from the smoke and trundled towards Abby. Narrow, bright blue eyes stared her down from behind thick sheets of silver steel. Smoke lingered from his black-steel chest but little more than a scorch mark had been made by the attack. Abby's heart was jumped up her throat. She took staggered, unsteady steps back away from Aggron as he approached. Over her shoulder, she watched Steelix and Gyarados writhe on the ground. Their struggling knocked aside trees and sent mounds of dirt flying into the air. Gyarados bit down on Steelix with jaws of black flame again and again. The steel of Steelix's body cracked and chunks even fell away but still, he did not stop. Steelix slammed his thick, pointed steel club of a tail down onto Gyarados repeatedly. The impacts left nasty, weeping bruises on Gyrarados's soft underbelly and split open the blue plates along his back. Despite their damage, neither pokémon showed any sign of weakening.
"Grab her," Flint said.
The silver glow of Aggron's tail flickered away as he reached out with both, thick steel paws. The three jagged fingers on each paw opened to grasp her. Before Aggron could get close enough, a bolt of lightning cracked through the air and struck him in the side of the head. His head snapped to the side and he staggered, almost losing his balance.
"Gron," He grunted.
"TINI!" Dratini screeched.
Dratini was back up off the ground, mouth open and glowing yellow. As were his eyes. Bolts of yellow energy whipped and spat from his eyes high above his head. His scales flickered yellow, making his body pulse yellow and blue. His thunderbolt left a black scorch mark on the side of Aggron's silver head. Just as Aggron caught his balance and went to face Dratini, another bolt cracked him in the exact same spot. However, Aggron did not stagger. He faced Dratini and opened his steel jaws. His mouth began to glow silver.
"Shit!" Abby yelled and grabbed one of Aggron's horns.
As he fired a beam of silver energy at Dratini, Abby yanked his head to the side. The beam split the earth beside Dratini, carved through the earth and sliced a tree clean from its trunk.
"Gron!" Aggron yelled and slammed his tail into Abby's stomach.
Abby screamed as fell onto her back. She recoiled from the pain but forced herself to keep watching, even if looking up took all her effort. Aggron grabbed at her again but as he did, the yellow energy consuming Dratini suddenly became blue. A thick, powerful jet of water blasted from Dratini's mouth and hit Aggron in the side of the head. Again, Aggron's head snapped to the side.
"Aggron!" He bellowed.
Aggron's tail pulsed silver and raised above Abby. Flint watched with a vacant look.
"DRATINI!" Dratini screamed.
The dark blue energy pulsing from his body became light blue. As Aggron began to swing his tail down, Dratini shot himself at Aggron with a huge explosion of light-blue energy. Headfirst, he slammed into the side of Aggron's head. From the impact, a ring of light-blue energy burst in all directions. Aggron's head not only snapped to the side but he was knocked off his feet entirely. His tail moved the side as it slammed down and hit the earth beside Abby's head. Flint's vacant look became a scowl. His eyes shifted up, over Abby. Behind her, Steelix and Gyarados were a mess. They feebly rammed into each other, both covered in countless wounds. Half of Gyarados's tail was missing and a chunk had been taken out of Steelix's face. Abby got to her feet and returned Gyarados. While Flint returned Steelix. Without a word, they watched their final pokémon.
"Gron," Aggron groaned as he pushed himself off the ground.
"Tini," Dratini muttered, still pulsing light blue.
The side of Aggron's head had been dented. The silver steel buckled inwards and a thin stream of blood trickled from the gaps.
"Again Dratini, same spot," Abby said.
Flint said nothing.
Dratini's eyes flared light-blue and shot past Aggron with a burst. In the air, he turned as he soared and fired another blast of flying energy. Dratini changed directions and came back on himself. He slammed into Aggron's head, again and again, bouncing off each time and looping back around for another hit. Harder and harder he went, denting the steel further and further. Aggron swatted at him with his paws and tail but never made contact.
"Aggron!" He roared, each hit made him madder and madder.
While the steel buckled and the blood flowed, Aggron was unmoved by the attacks. He rose to his feet during the assault, continuing to swat at Dratini.
"Surrender," Flint said again.
"No," Abby said.
Dratini slammed headfirst into Aggron and stopped. He froze in midair as if gravity had just been pulled away from him. A white glow engulfed him and Dratini began to grow.
"Shit, get ready," Flint said to Aggron.
Aggron took a step back and huffed. He swung his tail and lowered his head, horns prone. Dratini grew thicker, from the width of a hose to triple that. His length grew rapidly, gaining feet upon feet of length until he was as long as two people are tall. The silhouette of his ears grew longer, stretching out above his head. A round mass formed at his throat, as well as two others on the end of his tail. Finally, a small spike sprouted from his forehead. With that, the white light snapped away and Dratini emerged a Dragonair.
"Dragonair!" He yelled, his voice now deep and powerful.
Without a moment's hesitation, Dragonair lunged at Aggron. Aggron swung his glowing tail but Dragonair weaved around in the air. Light-blue and purple pulsed across his body and Dragonair ensnared Aggron. He twisted and coiled his body around Aggron's limbs, binding his arms to his tail and his tail to his back. Aggron struggled but to no effect. Dragonair raised his head up to the side of Aggron's, opened his mouth which flared a fearsome purple.
"Do it! Finish it!" Abby yelled.
"Break free!" Flint yelled.
Aggron roared and gave one final thrash but again, it wasn't enough. Dragonair was thrown off balance for a second but in the next, he was steady and still charging. The attack charged far longer than any of the previous dragon rages. Abby's eyes widened.
"Dragon Pulse," She gasped.
A purple beam fired from Dragonair's mouth and exploded against the dented steel of Aggron's head. The steel held for a moment, allowing Aggron to thrash violently until the beam pierced the steel. The steel on the other side of Aggron's head buckled outwards and Aggron crumpled to the ground. Dragonair let go and turned on Flint. He towered over him, mouth and eyes glowing purple. Flint looked up at him with a hard, unafraid scowl. He pushed out his chin and glanced at Abby.
"You ready to kill a man, girl?" Flint asked.
Abby looked away, clenched her fists and began breathing hard and fast.
"He deserves it. He deserves it. He deserves it." Her mind chanted.
Abby's fists unclenched and she cried out. She stomped the ground and with tears in her eyes shouted at Dragonair.
"No! Let him go!"
The purple glow in Dragonair's eyes and mouth disappeared at once. He lowered back to the ground and slithered over to Abby.
"Dragonair…" He muttered as he encircled Abby.
He postured defensively, raising back up beside Abby and watching Flint with suspicious eyes. Flint shut his eyes and let out a staggered sigh. He buckled forward, catching himself on his knees.
"G-Get out of here," Abby said.
Flint looked over at her and said nothing.
"Now!" Abby yelled.
Flint tore a pokéball from his sleeve canisters and returned Aggron. He began making his way the forest edge with unsteady steps.
"Your friend won't get so lucky, kid," Flint said.
"We'll see," Abby said.
"We will," Flint said before disappearing into the forest.
Suddenly, all of Abby's courage vanished. She let out a choked cry and fell to her knees.