I wake to the gentle kiss of the morning sun, which has just risen over the walls of the maze.
I sit up, and see Prim is still asleep. I round up my pokemon, change into some shorts, and we go for a run.
"Cel and Manny, keep track of where we are so we dont get lost." They nod, Cel staying with Prim and Manny coming with us, a mental pinpoint on each end.
We run.
We run around a few corners, but try to stay as close as possible to Prim and the others.
We round another corner, and come face to face with another person.
"Ah!" They shout, falling back, and I rush forwards to catch them.
"You okay?" I ask, and the girl smiles.
"Yeah, thanks. You?"
"Yeah. Who are you?" I ask, stepping back, holding my pinnie protectively.
I notice she has one as well, with the markings of Team Aqua.
"Sam, Aqua. You?"
"Cole, Plasma." She laughs at my defensive stance.
"I'm not here to mug you... yet." She laughs as I relax.
"Where is your partner?" I ask, and she sighs.
"Harry? Idiot got caught ten minutes in by a wild Zoroark. I was able to fend it off, but my pokemon are pretty damaged." She sighs, pointing to her two pokeballs.
"I can help with that, if we call a temporary truce." She shakes my hand, and we head back to Cel's shelter.
I keep my hand tight around my pinnie the entire walk.
"Cole? There you are, Cel said that-" Her voice cuts off as she sees the girl.
"Calm, she's here as a friend." I raise my hands defensively, and her tension slowly fades away.
"My pokemon are pretty beaten up from a wild encounter..." Sam explains, and Prim nods.
She hands me both pokeballs, and I place them by Cel.
"Think you can handle that?" She giggles, grabbing the balls and disappearing.
"Was that..." I nod, and Sam shakes her head.
"Thats hardcore." She laughs, and I laugh with her.
"So, other than Celebi, what other pokemon did you guys choose? I brought my Sharpedo and Tropius." She asks, and I tense up.
Prim catches my tension, and quickly interjects.
"Celebi is his, as well as Manny here-" She pets the floating fighting type, "-and my two are Francis and Helda." She points to where her two pokemon are just waking up.
"Celebi, huh? How'd you catch her?" She asks, and I shake my head.
"I didn't, my grandfather did. And it wasn't a traditional catch, they... helped each other. She swore her life to protecting him, and when he died, me." She nods.
Cel blips back, handing the two pokeballs back to the girl.
"Well, good luck!" She shakes our hands, before starting to head off.
"Careful that way, theres an Elite Four member from Johto, and... just don't run into her." Prim warns, and Sam nods.
"Same that way, Sinnoh Elite Four. Fire type. Thanks for the warning!" She waves as she heads around the next corner.
"Flint." Prim gasps, and I nod.
"Lets go."
It's relatively easy to find him, as we just have to follow the heat.
We enter the small arena, and he smiles, waving us over.
"Long time no see, my dudes!" He laughs, shaking our hands.
"Flint! Good to see you." Prim smiles.
"So, I'll cut to the chase. This is a endurance test." He starts, and I flinch.
"With help only from one of your pokemon, you have to endure a Burn Status effect, for three minutes. Now, it's not a full on Burn, we wouldnt want to hurt you. It's a simulation of what a pokemon goes through during the effect." I sit on the nearby chair.
"Manny, your up for this one?"
Gladly, Master- I mean, Cole.
He bows, and take my hand.
"Let me know if I squeeze to hard, okay?" I gently pat his head, and he nods, summoning the power of a Meditate to hone his power while I begin.
"Oh wow. That was fast. Alright, here we go..." He hums a song as he hooks me up to an IV drip, and leans back.
"I'm sorry." He whispers, then flicks his switch.
"MANNY IM SORRY!" I screech, but he shakes his head, and holds on to me, his face a grimace.
The pain started off small, more annoying than anything, but quickly grew into the blinding rage it is now, and I can do nothing but shout and whimper.
The pain is now coming in waves, and as it slowly ebbs out, I peek over at Prim, who's face is pure white as she awaits her turn.
"It's not-GAH-that bad-Holy SHIT!" I gasp as a rogue shot of pain flies through my body.
"Oh yeah, thanks." She says sarcastically, grimacing as Flint finally takes the IV out.
"Three minutes. Good job, Cole. Come on over Prim." I gesture for Cel to join her, and she smiles and nods, blipping beside her.
"Whoa!" Flint falls backwards off his chair, his Houndoom catching him before he hits the ground.
"She's mine." I point out, and Flint chuckles as he shakes his head.
"You kids never cease to amaze me." He carefully hooks Prim up, and Cel takes her hand.
He flicks the switch, and Prim's face contorts in pain.
Francis grabs me, mumbling unhappily, and sniffling as he watches his trainer in pain, and Pikki squawks.
I watch as Cel takes Prim's hand, whispers something, and Prim's face relaxes.
Flint looks at the screen beside him, his face etched in confusion, and soon he is taking the I.V out of Prims arm, and she just sighs in happiness.
"What was THAT?" I ask, as we grab our bags and say our goodbyes, heading out.
"Heal Bell. She took me away from the pain, into a wonderful field with my pokemon." Prim sighs again, and I look up at Cel.
"Well THAT would have been nice to know!" She giggles, blipping away.
We head out, the morning sun shining behind us as we walk.
The next encounter isn't so nice.
We round yet another corner, and come face to face with...
"Zoroark!" Prim screeches, throwing me behind her.
Manny jumps in front of her, hands at the ready, and Zoroark attacks.
It slashes it's claws towards Manny, who deflects them and lands a solid punch to the muzzle.
"ZO!" Zoroark growls, flipping backwards, and directly into Pikki.
"Sew!" Helda sends a vicious Razor Leaf, slamming into Zoroark's back and throwing it back into Manny, who lands a Focus Punch with a solid THUMP.
Cel blips in, grabbing Zoroark and blipping away again, before appearing two seconds later and dropping the unconscious pokemon to the ground.
"Holy..." I gasp, finally picking myself up off the ground.
"You okay?" Prim asks, and I nod.
Um... Master...
I turn to Manny, who's hand is a little bruised.
"Oh, sorry Manny! Cel, would you mind...?"
Of course not, Cole. Allow me...
No, Mas-Cole! Look!
Manny takes a small piece of fabric out from behind him...
A pinnie.