POKÉMON: INFINITE LEGACIES
THE CIPRYS REGION
CHAPTER 5
THE SHADOW OF FESTIVALIGHT, PART II
Flame found his sister unconscious. Upon hearing her scream, he had doubled back and rushed along the street until he came across the right alleyway. It had only taken a few minutes, but in that time, his heart had thumped so loudly in his chest he thought it might have burst out at any moment.
He noticed a dark figure watching him from the shadows. He should have realised who it was, but he was too concerned with his sister's wellbeing. He stood protectively between Helia and the stranger.
"What did you do to her!" he shouted.
The figure regarded him with disinterest. "I only exposed her for her inability. I thought at her age, with the license she held, she must be a fine Pokémon trainer, but she succumbed as soon as she witnessed my power."
Perhaps he shouldn't have said anything. Maybe the shadowy figure would have just vanished into the night, but his temper got the better of him: "She's no trainer, but I am! She was carrying my license."
"Your words offend me. You must be a pitiful trainer to be giving away your license." A Poké Ball—not your standard red-and-white contraption, however, but an all-black abomination—appeared. Only the button, white, was not shrouded in darkness.
Dark energy first formed wings, but as they extended and flapped outward, a Honchkrow emerged. Before Flame could release a Pokémon, the Shadow hissed, "Honchkrow, use Mean Look."
Flame was bewildered. Honchkrow stared at him, and he couldn't look away. Honchkrow was using Mean Look . . . on him? But I'm no Pokémon, he thought.
Honchkrow's eyes seemed to widen. As if a stone had been dropped into their depths, ripples drifted out from the pupils. Flame lost sight of his surroundings, lost in Honchkrow's vision. He tried to move his body and found no energy. His mouth dropped open. He screamed and heard nothing. He could not escape. At that realisation, his vision returned to reality.
"Honchkrow has trapped you here with Mean Look," the Shadow explained. "You may try to flee, but you will always return here—here where we will judge your worth."
Flame gasped. "You're the Shadow of Festivalight, aren't you?" Despite his best efforts, he had fallen victim and now had no choice but to summon forth his Pokémon.
"Names are of little importance to me. Now, while the night is still young, let me see your Pokémon. I will use Honchkrow for the duration of the battle—but you shall use all the Pokémon in your possession."
Flame contemplated what he should do. He had no choice but to battle, that was for sure. He'd never thought that someone would use their Pokémon to prevent him from declining their challenge, but he gained further appreciation for his training at the Academy as he thought it through for a moment before selecting his Pokémon.
"Litten!" he called. "I choose you!" He flung the Poké Ball into the air; when it popped open, the bright energy illuminated the surrounding darkness.
Litten appeared in front of Flame. He was glaring at Honchkrow immediately—unperturbed, it seemed, after their earlier loss to Frost and Mudkip.
"A Litten," the Shadow pondered. "The Fire-type starter of the Alola region—meaning you must be a recent graduate of the great Academy. Looks like I'll enjoy this more than I had expected."
"Why does any of that matter?" Flame snapped.
"Oh, more than you know. You may make the first move."
Flame assessed their opponents: the trainer known as the Shadow, the menace of Festivalight, and Honchkrow, the big boss Pokémon—aptly named for the dark-blue Pokémon were notorious for their ruthlessness in the wild, particularly towards any Murkrow that served as their subordinates. Known to steer clear of humans, Honchkrow weren't easy to catch or train. The Shadow had to be a powerful Pokémon trainer in order to capture one and have the ability to use Honchkrow's powers to crush any trainer who challenged them. This only confirmed what Flame had heard earlier in the Pokémon Centre.
It was so dark in the alley. A full moon glowed overhead, but it wasn't enough. Flame could only just make out the Shadow and Honchkrow; they were a dozen or so paces away. When the Shadow shifted his weight, and movement followed, even if slight, moonlight bounced off smooth black shoulders and Flame gained a glimpse of his larger stature. Based on his size, he was old enough to be an adult. His eyes must have been concealed behind a mask, for he could see no sign of a face there. Likewise, save a yellow beak, white plumage, and red feathers, Honchkrow's dark features were well-suited to the night. Litten was more visible at least, the red stripes above his paws and the two red tufts of fur on his cheeks standing out—however much the rest of his glossy black fur blended with the night.
He could hear Honchkrow flapping his wings. The Dark- and Flying-type was double the height of Litten and weighed much more. Honchkrow was fully evolved with a much greater move-set than his Pokémon and the Shadow was a trainer to be feared with much greater experience than Flame. He and Litten hadn't yet won a battle together. They were at a severe disadvantage, that much was obvious, and Flame wouldn't kid himself; he was realistic. He knew what they were up against. Yet he couldn't forget what was at stake: Helia.
His little sister was still on the ground and hadn't moved. She might be hurt, he feared. I have to try to end this quickly—for her sake more than mine.
"Quick, Litten! Use Ember!"
Litten mrrowed in agreement; Flame was impressed at how swiftly Litten's Ember was whirling through the air toward Honchkrow.
The Shadow waited until Ember was seconds away from Honchkrow. "Honchkrow," he addressed calmly, "dodge."
As soon as the command was uttered, Honchkrow flapped his wings and accelerated with such speed that Flame lost sight of the dark blue-feathered Pokémon. He only spotted Honchkrow again when he pursued the sound of flapping wings higher into the darkened sky and detected flashes of white and red.
I can't let Honchkrow's speed dishearten me, Flame knew. "Ember! Once more, let's go!"
Litten launched another Ember into the sky; the orange fireball lit up the darkness as it flew. Most Pokémon have a superior range of the five senses when compared to humans, and so, it was no problem at all for Litten to pinpoint Honchkrow's position and aim. That said, even though Litten could see Honchkrow quickly, the small fire cat Pokémon's lack of experience meant it was not used to firing at targets above and who were at a relatively far distance away.
The Shadow didn't even have to issue an instruction this time; Ember broke apart mid-air. Honchkrow squawked multiple times, rather amused.
Litten hissed loudly, perhaps sensing the difficulty of their predicament too, while Flame pictured the Shadow grinning triumphantly under his mask.
Flame pushed away anger. Trying his best to sound calm, he said, "Litten, listen—I want you to use Ember, but five times, one after the other across the area Honchkrow is in like a spray. Try turning your head like this."
Litten looked back over his shoulder to observe his trainer, who rotated his head and blew imaginary fireballs out of his mouth. Litten was amused by the example, but nevertheless understood what was being asked of him.
Litten breathed in and exhaled. One fireball after the other emerged from Litten's mouth, lighting up the darkness, and bursting up into the sky. Ember Times Five hurtled towards Honchkrow. If his sister wasn't unconscious on the ground, and he wasn't embroiled in such a tough battle, he might have enjoyed the beauty of the warm orange glow in the night.
"Dodge," the Shadow said, much earlier than the last time.
All five missed and whimpered into nothingness. Flame had hoped that Litten's smaller size might offer the Fire-type greater speed, but Honchkrow was a Flying-type at a much higher level. Despite Flame's hopes, none of the fireballs had come close to hitting Honchkrow. And now, Litten was breathing heavily. Five Embers in a row, especially in such quick succession, had been a great strain on Litten's stamina. At that moment, Flame realised the extent of Honchkrow's power, why Kaitlyn had been so despondent. We're in big trouble, he feared.
Flame thought of Litten's wellbeing. "I concede. Your Honchkrow is far too strong for Litten," he forced the words out, however much it hurt. "It's not even close."
Litten spun round and mrrowed rebelliously.
The Shadow was silent.
Flame hoped that perhaps his request was being considered. Surely an experienced Pokémon trainer could see the sense in his words? Then Kaitlyn and her Bulbasaur flashed in his mind. Litten hadn't heard her, or seen the condition of her Bulbasaur. Perhaps if Litten had, he wouldn't still be mrrowing his disagreement.
It was a reminder too of his opponent's cruelty. "I don't know what you're after," he went on, his throat tight. "But, my sister, she's unconscious. She could be badly hurt. She needs a doctor."
Silence again. Until: "No—battles must finish. Your generation," disdain seeped into his words, "cannot be allowed to give up so easily. Failures quit and cowards flee. If you don't battle, you are not a worthy trainer. You are not worthy to see Ciprys. You are not worthy to own Pokémon. This battle will finish, and then I will deem whether you will face penalty or not. Is that understood?"
Flame hated his tone, condensing like a strict teacher. Whether his penalty would be the same as Kaitlyn's, he did not know. He pictured his Poké Balls being crushed and felt sick. Tears might have slithered down his face if he didn't feel such anger. Who in Ciprys would go around doing such a terrible thing? All in the name of proving the strength—the worth, as he liked to say, of a trainer? Like he was the one-and-only judge of all Festivalight's trainers.
For whatever reason, this jerk thinks he's so better than everyone else. What a joke. I think he just loves the sound of his own voice. He thought of his former classmates and Frost's Mudkip and Kaitlyn's Bulbasaur and all the other starter Pokémon that could have been picked. He inhaled, slowly, and then exhaled. This really sucks, he thought, but I don't have a choice like I did against Frost. I'm gonna have to fight on, even if I've got, like, a 1% chance. Still, he smiled at Litten, he wants to fight on and I trust him to give it his all.
"You ready to stop this weirdo, buddy?" he said aloud. "You'll need to be even quicker this time around."
Litten mrrowed confidently, accepting his trainer's challenge. He spun back around, tail streaming in a half-circle behind him.
"Litten! Ember, times ten!"
With a deep breath, Litten summed up all his energy, raised his chin, and used Ember. The mark on his forehead glowed. By the time he summoned forth the tenth, his body ached and his vision blurred. Pokémon and trainer watched with nervous anticipation, the fiery storm hurrying ever skyward. Flame lost sight of Honchkrow as Litten's most powerful attack yet neared its target.
"Dodge, Honchkrow."
Honchkrow remained invisible to Flame as he shifted his wings and veered between each fireball. Disappointment crushed Flame; Litten's latest Ember sailed past, fading the higher it soared into the atmosphere. Even Litten was now struggling to follow Honchkrow's movement.
Flame scanned the sky. He saw darkness and nothing else.
Suddenly, Honchkrow became visible. Directly above Litten, the big boss Pokémon squawked arrogantly. A dark red aura started to radiate from his body.
Litten looked up.
"No!" Flame realised. "Don't look at Honchkrow!"
It was too late; Litten had already locked eyes with Honchkrow. The fire cat Pokémon's eyes shone an unnatural red, the same as the aura that enveloped Honchkrow. Litten purred happily. As if blind to the red glow of his eyes. As if he was somewhere else entirely.
"Litten!" Flame said, as clearly as he could. "Use Growl!"
Litten mrrowed as if understanding. When he used Growl, however, he stared straight ahead instead of up at the sky. As long as Litten was confused, Honchkrow would be safe.
Quickly, Flame slid his backpack onto one shoulder and brought it in front of him. He delved inside and picked out a full heal. "Litten!" he called softly. "Over here!"
Litten looked around himself, unsure where the voice was coming from. He took a step toward Flame before turning randomly.
Flame dropped his backpack and, full heal in hand, bounded towards his Pokémon. He wrapped his free arm around Litten's midriff. Of course, Litten being Litten, he still had enough sense to growl and convulse at his touch. Before he could administer the medicine, his hand stopped in mid-air and he felt his body locking into place.
The full heal started vibrating in his grip. He felt an urgent need to realise it from his hand or else risk losing his fingers. Something beyond his control prised them from the full heal; it felt as if another presence had slipped inside his body and had infiltrated his brain. He could see a blue aura glowing around him. He looked down first at Litten, thinking Honchkrow had attacked, but then he realised—the aura was emanating from his own body.
Shock pulsed over him, but he realised he was slowly gaining back control and, moments later, he managed to move his head. He glanced skyward. Only one of Honchkrow's eyes glowed red; the other was now a brilliant blue.
The Shadow seemed to sigh. "I'm sorry about that. But this isn't some video game. My world is different. You can't just use items in battle whenever you wish! Perhaps if you had immobilised Honchkrow first, you might have been able to use your little full heal, but attempting to use your item while we were waiting for you to make a move, well," he tutted, "that's hardly the smartest move, is it?"
Flame recalled Mean Look and realised he'd been naïve. In the Academy, no one had stopped anyone from healing their rental Pokémon—but then again, no one from the Academy had used their Pokémon's attacks on the trainer who faced them. In fact, because Pokémon were so capable of abilities and moves beyond what was possible for any human, every Pokémon League had long ruled that trainers were not permitted to use their Pokémon's moves on other people. There were some exceptions, of course, like if you were apprehending a suspect, blasting away Team Rocket, or if it was a life-and-death situation. Or, Flame thought sourly, if it's night-time, you're down a dark alley, and there's no witnesses.
Flame felt the other presence leaving his body. As he unwrapped his arm and allowed Litten to break free from his grip, he coiled and uncoiled his fingers. His right hand did so, but his left was still under another's jurisdiction—until a moment later, and the entirety of his body was freed from Honchkrow's vision.
Psychic would have been Flame's guess had he been asked (ding-ding: Correct!), but this wasn't some gameshow; it was a battle. Even if he did currently feel like a contestant under a spotlight. You now have 1,000 Poké Dollars! his mind chimed. Pressure churned his stomach and his mind felt sluggish and chaotic at the same time. Probably recovering from Psychic, he guessed. He searched inside his head for an answer, for any way to turn the battle in his favour.
Flame sighed. He thought of his other Pokémon, safe inside their black-and-gold ball. I'm not risking you against this freakshow, he decided at once. Not in your first proper battle.
Another way came to mind, but he knew immediately it was too risky to be relied upon. Against Frost, it had nearly swung the battle in his favour. Yet this wasn't a battle against someone who had just started their journey too, it was a battle against a seasoned and extremely dangerous trainer who was more than willing to bend the rules of a traditional battle to suit his own nefarious agenda.
"Litten," he called softly. "I need you to focus as hard as you can. Can you do that for me?"
Flame stood closer to Litten than earlier. Litten seemed to understand—although it was hard to say for sure—padding towards his trainer and then turning to face the Shadow. As if he'd realised Flame had just been hit by a Pokémon move and was feeling protective. The fire cat Pokémon blinked. Had Litten snapped out of confusion?
"Get ready, Litten," Flame murmured.
Litten nodded, tail flicking left and right.
"I think you're long overdue an attack," Flame shouted.
What came next unnerved Flame: laughter. Laughter that sounded twisted, unnatural, and forced. A shiver crept up his spine—he'd never heard anything like it.
His foe quieted himself before explaining in his distorted hiss, "Not many trainers invite an attack from—what do you people call me?—ah, yes, the Shadow of Festivalight. I would admire your confidence if it wasn't so very misplaced."
Flame remained silent. This was his last throw of the dice. Maybe he'd get lucky and Litten's Blaze would kick in after, but even if it did, Litten would be too depleted to launch a sustained counter-attack against Honchkrow. One hit, however slight, to Litten would most likely end the battle. But his idea, however risky, would at least give him and Litten a slim chance.
Flame raised his head. He looked up, beyond the heights of the surrounding buildings and toward the starlit sky. It was lost beneath darkness now, but he pictured the sight and remembered how he'd felt. Zeurelic, if you're out there, wish us luck.
"Honchkrow. I've concluded my judgement of this one—time to close this chapter."
Flame let out a long breath. Here goes. "Whatever he does," he whispered to Litten, "counter with Ember as soon as he says it."
Litten was uncharacteristically quiet, tail still and eyes on Honchkrow.
Honchkrow squawked excitedly, over and over.
"Night Slash or Dark Pulse. Take your pick, Honchkrow."
What! Flame thought, alarmed. He's letting Honchkrow decide what move to use?
Indecision flashed across Flame's face. "Stick to the plan," he told Litten a moment later. "Whenever Honchkrow starts to move, do it."
As Flame finished speaking, Honchkrow made his move. The big boss Pokémon wanted to end the battle up close. Instead of using Dark Pulse, typically a long-range attack, he swooped forward, preparing to devastate his prey with Night Slash.
Flame didn't have to say anymore.
As instructed, Litten used Ember.
Flame held his breath.
The fireball was smaller than the ones Flame had seen earlier, but was the fastest yet. It dashed upwards like a shooting star across the sky. Hope glimmered. Honchkrow looked surprised, but only for a moment. He adjusted his wings, swaying to his left. Ember missed, and Flame's heart lurched in his chest—even more so as Honchrow's wings started to glow an ominous dark purple.
I can't give up. It's not over. Yet, Flame wished he hadn't thought the last word. "You can do it, Litten!" he shouted, his voice strained. "Ember! Once more!"
Litten growled. The small Fire-type Pokémon put every last bit of whatever energy he had left into this final attack. Despite this, the fireball wasn't too much bigger than the last. Ember hurtled skyward, racing for Honchkrow. Flame allowed himself to hope.
And then he cursed their opponents. His last hope faded past Honchkrow and into the night's sky—Honchkrow had ducked beneath Ember with ease.
An image of Litten's crushed Poké Ball flashed in his mind. He pictured Litten in his arms, hurt beyond belief, as he hurried as fast as his feet would take him to the nearest Pokémon Centre.
It's over, he knew.
For the first time, he saw Honchkrow clearly. The Dark- and Flying-type slowed and flicked his wings forward. Night Slash was about to finish off Litten.
Flame glanced back at Helia. I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry . . .
But Honchkrow squawked in surprise! A light blue vortex appeared out of nowhere and he flapped his wings to avoid it. Flame recognised it and was perhaps even more surprised than Honchkrow, whose panic coupled with the sudden force of the attack had knocked him back. He crashed onto the ground in a bundle of feathers, crowing angrily.
"We'll handle this."
Author's Notes:
Who saved Flame and Litten? I think it should be obvious enough, but hey-ho mystery. This chapter ended up longer than I originally intended, but I think it worked out. Did you enjoy reading a full-length battle chapter? I hope it wasn't too much. Flame's internal dilemmas should have broken it up a bit.
The last line originally revealed who it was and was far more wordy, but it works better as a cliffhanger as it is now.
Next part will probably be out in two weeks. Maybe earlier, if I feel comfortably ahead with the chapters. This one got a bit rushed editing-wise, but I'll probably read it through after publishing and make some minor changes if needed. I've actually done that with some of the earlier chapters, especially since I need to clear up some of my formatting, if I'm honest.
Anyways, thank you for reading!