Quick Note: I'm going to be redoing the style of this writing to that of 'Gears of Reality.' Angel will not have bold text for her talking, but I'll make sure it's understood nonetheless. I'll be trying for longer, more detailed chapters as well. Enjoy! -Orthros
-Terry's POV, FP-
I'm impressed. We woke up this morning refreshed and ready to roll, getting training in before we challenge Burgh, the Castelia City gym leader. Axinite especially. He has been training non-stop all day, urged on by the loss against Joey yesterday. It just showed it's worth, too. Axinite evolved.
The light exploded apart, as it had done for Angel, revealing a rock-like structure with three legs. "Boldore!" It roared.
"Great job, Axinite!" I shout, crouching down and patting the Boldore on it's back. I turn my attention to Ace, who was getting some special training from Angel. She had been using psychic on several rocks, launching them at incredible speeds at the Patrat. The ones he couldn't dodge, he destroyed with slam, tackle or quick attack.
The Patrat was still doing well, but his strain at going full steam all day was showing. I spoke up to the group. "All right, guys. We are going to take an early day." Ace tries to slow down, but trips, skidding spectacularly across the dirt of the arena we are practicing in. It lies faceup on the floor for a moment, before giving me a thumbs up. I laugh a little. "Nice landing, Ace." I crack up, as do the others. When I can finally breathe again, I continue. "Seriously though, good job you two. Why don't you head back inside? Angel and I will join you in a moment."
Axinite walks over to Ace, and motions for him to get on his back. Chuckling, I watch the pair slowly wander back into the Pokemon Center. Alex and Callen had last been seen in the Pokemon Center lobby, engaged in a Chess match, that's where they headed. I smile, then move next to Angel. She sighs softly.
"I had fun today. Ace and Axinite are doing really well... " She says. I move slightly, hugging her. She seems surprised for a moment, before returning the embrace.
"You did well too, Angel." I reply. I can sense something troubling her, though. I take her hand in mine and squeeze it gently, before we head back to the Center. The lobby is still fairly full, and to our surprise the crowd has taken sides over Alex's and Callen's game. I take a quick look at the clock, which reads 8:36 PM. Then I turn my attention back to the board and speak up.
"Who's who?" I ask.
"Knight b5, check. Oh, hey Terry, Angel. I'm black." Alex says in greeting. Callen waves a hand, not taking his eyes off the board.
I chuckle. "Better step up your game, Callen…" Then I figure out his play. "Oh. Ok, nevermind." I say, laughing softly at Alex's expression.
After a moment, I speak again. "Anyway, Angel and I are going to take a bit of an early night. We'll see you two later." The pair nod as Angel and I take our leave. As we get to the stairs, a pair of shouts, one in victory and one of shame, sound behind us.
-Angel's POV-
Why is it so hard… I wonder to myself as I climb, side by side with Terry, up the stairs.
I hate emotions…
I've been with Terry for years now, but something has been nagging me ever since we left on our journey. It's always been easy for me to sort out my emotions and thoughts, but this makes no sense. At least, it didn't until the dreamyard... I love him. More than brother and sister. But how can it work? There are laws against Human-Pokemon relationships. I want to at least admit it to him… But it never seems like the right time.
I realize I have tears in my eyes at the top of the steps and quickly wipe them away, playing it off that I had something in them. I love him and I want to admit it but I don't know how he'll react. As we enter our room, I quickly get into my bunk and casually cover my face with the pillow.
I'm certain Terry noticed something was off, though. He leaves me be as he dresses in his usual night clothes. A moment later, he opens the porch door and steps outside. I lay still, trying to sort out my emotions, work up some sort of bravery to just let him know. It doesn't work. A little while later, Terry reenters the room and lays silently on his bed. After a couple of minutes, he speaks.
"You're upset about something… I don't know what, and I will not read your thoughts to find out." He says, sounding slightly sad. He hesitates for a moment, then continues. "Would you like to do PR for a while? We don't have to talk if you don't want to."
Physical Reassurance would help me immensely, so I climb on top of his covers and lean against his shoulder. He pulls an extra soft sheet over and covers me with it. I let go a little, letting my tears flow. He sees them but doesn't say anything. Instead, he rubs the back of my head and neck with his hand, letting me cry myself out.
A few silent minutes later, I'm calm once again. I breathe deeply. I'm so lucky to have Terry as my partner. He always knows what to do, always puts everyone else before himself...
"Thank you, Terry," I say. He smiles slightly.
"You're welcome. Now go to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." He replies softly.
I lean back and close my eyes. I've always felt comfortable with him, and tonight was no different. He rubs my arms, and eventually I drift off into slumber. As I'm falling asleep, he says the words.
"I love you, Angel. Sweet dreams." he says.
-Next Day, Angel POV-
I wake feeling refreshed, calm and ready. I'm surprised to see Terry already awake, reading a novel next to me. He speaks as I sit up.
"I hope I didn't wake you. I figured I would let you sleep, but since you were leaning against me it was kind of impossible to get out of bed." He chuckles. I join in, secretly thanking Arceus for the million and first time how lucky I was to have a great trainer.
"Thanks for that. Where are Alex and Callen?" I ask, noticing the empty beds. Terry hesitates for a moment.
"They… agreed to sleep in another room last night, so they wouldn't wake you," he says, uncertain. After a moment, he sighs. "They walked in after you were asleep, and to be honest, walking in on a guy and a Gardevoir in bed together isn't exactly something you want to see. I explained the situation and they slept in another room out of concern for you." He finishes quickly, sounding more embarrassed with every word.
"A-at least they understood…" I respond, blushing. I look over at the clock that sits on the nightstand. 7:48. "When does the gym open?" I ask, trying to change the subject.
Terry smiles slightly. "Ready to whip some ass? Well, it doesn't open till 10 AM, sadly. Would you like to head down to the lobby with me? I'm going to do a bit of last second research on Burgh," he says as he slips out from under the bed covers. I nod, getting up as well.
I grab a brush from Terry's pack, and as we make our way down the stairs, I return my hair to it's normal position. Very few people are in the lobby, Alex and Callen not among them. I get a cup of water from Nurse Joy, then settle down on one of the couches. The cool drink helps me wake up, and a few minutes later I'm fully ready to tackle the day. Several people glance at me, but all seem to be respectful. They don't stare, which I'm happy about, at least.
Terry sits down next to me, holding his pokedex. He casually puts his hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. It only lasts a moment, but it helps. I speak.
"What type of pokemon does he have?" I ask. Terry scans the information, then responds.
"It says here he specializes in Bug Types," he says. After a moment of thought, he pulls out Ace's and Axinite's pokeballs and releases the pair. "Alright, you guys. It says here that Burgh's gym battles are three on three, single battles. Axinite, will you start us off then?" Axinite gives off a low roar, eager to redeem himself. Terry nods.
"Ok then. Oh, hey Alex, Callen!" Terry adds. The pair of trainers return the greeting and sit on the couch next to us.
I feel the heat rising in my cheeks and turn slightly, hiding it. Alex notices, and whispers. "Sorry about last night. It won't happen again." He says. Callen nods, backing him up. I smile and nod.
Suddenly I get an idea. "Hey, Alex?" I start. "Can I talk to Nicky?" Alex nods. For a moment he goes silent, then a white flash appears and Nicky is suddenly standing on his shoulder. The Kirlia smiles, waves his arm in a 'follow me' motion and walks off. I follow him out a side door, and in moments we are in an indoor garden. A couple of Audino are caring for the plants, but other than them, we are alone. Nicky jumps onto a nearby bench and I sit beside him. He speaks.
"Hi, Angel. Alex said you wanted to talk to me?" He says, his voice like a soft wind chime in my head. I nod.
"I… want your opinion. But first you need to promise that you will keep it a secret, even from Alex, Terry, and Callen. Can you do that?" I say, hesitant. Nicky looks a bit taken aback, but agrees nonetheless.
I take a deep breath. "I… I love Terry. In more than just a brother and sisterly way." I look away, blushing. But to my surprise, when I look back a moment later, Nicky doesn't seem surprised. He smiles slightly.
"The others may not have noticed, Angel, but I did. I was wondering when you would tell me. Just because I'm younger doesn't mean I don't know what's going on," he says. "You don't know how to tell him, and you're worried about the rules concerning People and Pokemon relationships, right?" He continues, putting a small hand on my arm.
The fact that he understands is so surprising that it takes me a moment to register what he said. I sigh. "Yes, that's true." He chuckles.
"Give me a second." He says. Before I can say anything, Nicky disappears in a flash of light. A moment later, he reappears, holding Alex's pokedex. He taps a few times, and some sort of guide comes up. He holds the Dex out to me. "Read this."
I take the device from him and read the title out loud. "Human-Pokemon Relationships - Subsection Exceptions, Psychic Types." My eyes widen as I read the information.
Psychic Type Pokemon bonds are very strong, human and pokemon are often together for life. In recognition of this, if the human and pokemon are willing to carry on the relationship at the level of romanticism, then it is allowed. Human and Pokemon must register themselves at a Pokemon Center before any sexual affairs. Any questions should be sent to Prof. Oak in Pallet Town, Kanto or Prof. Rowan of Sandgem Town, Sinnoh.
Nicky grins at my expression. "As for wondering how Terry would react… He loves you more than anything, anyone in the world. You two would make a great couple." He says. He sounds so confident, so sure of himself that I believe him. I reach over and embrace the young Kirlia.
"Thank you so much, Nicky." I say. He smiles, pushing me away playfully and sitting back on the bench.
"I've always thought of you as my older sister… Siblings help each other out with this kind of thing, don't they? Listen…" He says, growing serious. "If you have something on your mind that you don't want to go directly to Terry about, come talk to me. I'll give you a hand." He holds out his hand. I smile and shake it.
"Deal."
-9:30 AM, Terry POV-
"All right, let's head out!" I say, excited for my battle with Burgh. Alex, Callen, Angel and I are in the Center lobby, after having waited impatiently for over two hours. I noticed Angel looked extremely happy after her talk with Nicky, but as we are about to head out the door, I sense her getting nervous. I back up and casually place my hand on her shoulder. "I know the streets are crowded, but don't worry. Alex is going to walk on one side of you, with me on the other, and Callen behind you. It gets the message across." I whisper. She relaxes a little, and without further ado, we head out.
The trip went fairly well, although word had gotten out of the teams arrival at Castelia. Apparently the battle with Lenora had made them somewhat famous, as way more people than usual were out on the streets, heading in the direction of the gym. The crowd was huge, but they respected the wishes of the group, backing up a few paces when requested. In about 20 minutes we arrived at the building. I took a deep breath, then headed inside.
An assistant sends us through a side door, and in moments we are in a deserted hallway. The walls must have been soundproofed, because once the door closed, the sounds of the excited crowd vanished. We walk through the hallway, in moments arriving at a gate that must lead to the battlefield. I nod to Angel, then press the button to my right. The door slowly opens, revealing a packed stadium surrounding a huge arena. I lift my chin slightly, and, with my best friend at my side, walk out onto the field, whose audience roars its welcome.
Waiting at centerfield is Burgh. He's easy to make out, dressed in a light green shirt, with red, white and black striped pants and tennis shoes. Alex and Callen walk to the sidelines, ending up near the judge. Angel and I, on the other hand, walk to midfield, paying no attention to the crowds.
The man grins wide and holds out his hand. "Hello! My name is Burgh, and I'm the Castelia City Gym Leader!" He says enthusiastically.
I shake his hand, which feels fragile but has a strong grip. "My name is Terry, and this is Angel, my partner. Pretty interesting arena, I have to admit." I state. It's true. The floor is grassy, with several large boulders dotted around. Leafless tree trunks wrap around in a loose, web-like fashion, creating platforms high above us. I wonder how he will use it to his advantage. He nods, giving me a thumbs up.
"I know. It suits the type of gym well, don't you think?" He responds. His grins lessens slightly as he becomes more serious. "I think it's time the two of you show me what you're made of." I nod. We turn on heel and walk back to the opposite sides of the field, then face each other once more.
The judge raises his hands, and the crowd quiets slightly as he speaks. "The battle between Terry Collins, the challenger, versus Burgh, the Castelia City Gym Leader is about to begin! Three pokemon will be allowed to each side, and the battle is over when one side is unable to battle! Furthermore, only the challenger may substitute pokemon! Challenger, are you ready?"
I wave my hand, shouting "Yeah, let's do it!". The judge nods, then turns to Burgh.
"Leader Burgh, are you ready?" He shouts.
The man nods, waving to the crowd. "Always am!"
The judge yells the words. "Battle, begin!"
"Axinite, to the front line!" I yell.
"Dwebble, center stage!" The leader cries at the same time.
In twin flashes of light, the Boldore and Dwebble appear. They stare each other down, waiting for their trainer's commands. Not wasting any time, Terry shouts, "Headbutt!"
The rock type runs down the field, letting out a low roar. Burgh waits until the last second, then shouts, "Use protect!"
A greenish blue shield forms around Dwebble, which Axinite rams into. The Boldore stumbles back, and Burgh continues. "Use Shell Smash, than X-Scissor!" Dwebble jumps into the air, and as it does, the shell on it's back glows red. Suddenly it explodes, shards of rock flying in all directions. Angel uses a Protect shield of her own to deflect the small projectiles away from herself and her trainer, while using psychic to protect the midfield judge and her friends. The judge waves a hand of thanks, not taking his eyes off the battle.
Dwebble reaches the peak of it's jump, and as it starts to fall, it's claws glow with a whitish energy. "Meet it with Headbutt!" Terry shouts. Axinite roars, backs up a few steps, then runs at Dwebble. The two attacks meet in a clash of sparks, stalemating for a few seconds before canceling each other out.
"Use Mud Slap!" Terry yells. At point blank range, Axinite lets loose a barrage of mud, sending Dwebble flying. The attack must of hurt, but Dwebble gets up anyway.
"Goob job, Dwebble!" Burgh calls. "Now, use Rock Slide!" Dwebble becomes cloaked in a blue glow, and suddenly one of the giant boulders is pried from the ground. It flies up several feet, before shattering apart. The pieces start raining down, striking the Boldore repeatedly.
"Axinite, hang in there!" Terry yells. Unfortunately, the shards proved too much for the pokemon, Axinite fell to the ground in a heap.
The judge raises his flags. "Axinite the Boldore is unable to battle! The winner is Dwebble!" He says, as Terry returns his friend to his pokeball.
"You did great, my friend. Take a rest, you earned it." Terry whispers to the pokeball.
-Meanwhile, Unknown POV-
A woman in her early 30s holds a phone up to her ear. "Yes, the battle seems to be going well. Do me a favor and repeat my mission. Just so we're clear."
"We've a client that is willing to pay for the capture of that Gardevoir. The offer is so much it would pay for the rest of phase two. Your strike team is setup for capture. Whenever you feel the time is right." The voice sounds garbled but understandable. The lady smiles.
"Will do." She says.
-Terry POV-
"Ace, to the front line!" I yell.
In a flash of light, Ace appears. The ref raises his flags, and restarts the battle.
"Ace, slam!" I say. The Patrat takes off, showing his speed as usual. Burgh doesn't react in time as Ace scores a direct hit, knocking the Dwebble off it's feet. "Now use Bite!" I shout. The pokemon sinks it's teeth into Dwebble, who cries in agony. Moments later, it faints.
"Dwebble is unable to battle! The winner is Ace, the Patrat!" The ref shouts. Burgh returns his pokemon in a flash of light, whispering praise to it. With a smile, he throws his next pokeball.
"Whirlipede, center stage!" He says.
In a brilliant flash of white light, the Curlipede Pokemon appears on the battlefield.
"Now, Whirlipede, use Poison Sting!" Burgh calls. Whirlipede spins in place, sending several poisonous barbs at Ace.
"Ace, dodge them! Weave around and get in close!" I shout. Ace flies forward, engaged in an almost dance-like movement, spinning around the needles. "Tackle!"
Ace rams head on into the Whirlipede, knocking it over. Burgh just smiles. "Use Venoshock!"
Whirlipede roars, and several purple streaks of Aura fly off it. The streaks slam into Ace, he cries in agony and is thrown back, digging a trench in the grass. Before I can say anything, though, he gets back up, looking majorly pissed.
"PATRAT!" It screams, and suddenly he's enveloped in a harsh white light, getting brighter by the second. I shield my eyes, and when the light dies down, a Watchog has replaced Ace. The crowd screams and applauds at the show of power. Burgh claps as well.
"Bravo, bravo, Ace!" It seems like this has only just begun. Whirlipede! Let's not give them anything to celebrate about! Use Rollout!" He shouts. Whirlipede starts spinning extremely fast, racing around the arena. I can tell that Ace isn't having any trouble tracking the pokemon, though.
"We have every right to celebrate, and I plan to keep that right, Ace! Use Slam!" I scream. Ace takes off, easily matching the speed of the Bug Type opponent. The pair are blurs, smashing into each other over and over all across the arena. They both suddenly stop in front of their trainers. Ace is breathing heavily, several bruises are present. I can tell it wants to finish this though.
"Slam!"
"Double-Edge!"
Burgh and I shout at the same time. The pair of pokemon race across the arena, and when they meet, the crash is like a gunshot, an explosion rocks the stage with the combined forces of the two pokemon. When the dust settles, both are standing about 10 feet from each other. They eye each other momentarily. Each gives a slight nod, then simultaneously both fall to the ground, unconscious.
The judge yells, "Both Whirlipede and Ace the Watchog are unable to battle! The match is a draw!" The crowd explodes in sound, cheering and applauding the spirit of the two fighters. I jog over to Ace, out of the corner of my eye I watch Burgh do the same with Whirlipede.
Ace wakes up as I'm crouching over him. "You did incredible, Ace. That was amazing." I say, patting him on the back. Ace smiles slightly as I return him to his pokeball. I stand along with Burgh, eyeing him. He smiles, and we head back to our rightful spots on the arena. I put my hand on Angel's shoulder.
"Are you ready?" I ask. She nods, determined, then steps out on to the field. Burgh pulls out another pokeball from his belt. After giving the ball a light kiss for luck, he throws it high in the air. In a flash, a Leavanny appears in the grass.
The judge raises his flags. "Angel the Gardevoir versus Leavanny, begin."
"Leavanny, use Razor Leaf!" Burgh calls. The Bug and Grass type waves its arms, causing several dozen razor sharp leaves to appear. Directing its arms like batons, Leavanny sends the leaves flying at Angel.
"Angel, use Teleport to dodge, than Shadow Ball!" I yell. In a flash of light, Angel disappears, and I duck as the leaves fly over me. She reappears off to the right of Leavanny, sending a dark sphere of energy flying at it.
"Cut it apart with Leaf Blade!" Burgh counters. Leavanny arms elongate and sharpen as it flies forward and slashes clean through the Shadow Ball, cleaving it in two. "Now, X-Scissor!"
Leavannys arms glow white, and she runs at Angel, striking before she can react. Angel is thrown backwards into the grass, but she quickly gets to her feet.
Burgh continues. "Don't let her catch her breath! Keep using X-Scissor!"
"Angel, dodge and use Psychic to force it into the ground!" I counter. Angel ducks at the last possible second, the X-Scissor cutting off the very end of her blue bangs. As she does, her eyes glow bluish purple, and the psychokinetic energy combined with Leavanny momentum force the pokemon to faceplant into the ground.
Not wasting time, I shout. "Use Shadow Ball!" The dark energy forms and hits at point blank range, creating a huge explosion. Angel teleports to a safe distance. When the smoke and dust clear, however, Leavanny is nowhere to be seen. I'm frantically looking around when Burgh shouts.
"Leaf Storm!" He yells. Leavanny appears above Angel, glowing green, thousands of leaves flowing around her. SHIT! The tree trunk platforms.
Leavanny yells it's name, flinging the thousands of leaves at the Gardevoir. Acting on the first thing that comes into my head, I shout.
"Use Thunderbolt!" Angel takes a moment to charge up the move, only firing as the Leaf Storm hits. The bolt is still a direct hit, and the twin screams of both pokemon taking the force of each other's point blank hits are easily heard over the explosions.
Smoke and dust cover the arena, so dense that I can't make anything out. As it starts to clear, I spot Angel and Leavanny both standing still. Both are covered in small scratches and bruises, Leavanny looks burned in a couple of spots. Both of them are breathing heavily. Suddenly Leavanny topples over, landing with a dull thud in the grass. The entire arena is completely silent for a moment.
"Leavanny is unable to battle! The winner is Angel the Gardevoir, and the victory goes to Terry and Angel!" The ref yells. The scream of the crowd is so loud that Angel actually covers her ears as she falls into the grass, exhausted. I run over to her and kneel down. I doubt she could hear anything over the crowd, so I think my praise.
That was the most incredible battle, Angel. You did so well. I'm proud of you. I mentally project the words. She nods, obviously too tired to respond. I stand and help her to her feet, putting an arm around her shoulders to hold her upright. I realize a moment later that she won't be able to stand on her own, though. I carefully put my other arm around her knees and lift her up. She's lighter than I expected.
Burgh meets me in midfield, his smile taking up most of his face. He raises his hands to the crowd, motioning for them to quiet down. After a moment, they respect his wishes. He turns his attention back to me.
"That was possibly the greatest battle I've ever had, Terry. Angel, you were incredible. Terry, in recognition of your win against me, I present you with the Insect Badge." He says, smiling proudly. As my hands are full, he pins it to my jacket, along with my other badges.
"If you like, I'll give you a ride to the Pokemon Center in my personal car," he offers. "I figure it will be a long walk back, with all the swarming reporters." He continues. I nod. He returns the nod, and we join up with Alex and Callen, before we start heading back to the Gym Lobby.
We are halfway to the doors when the roof explodes.
Author's Note: Oh goodie, first Multi-Chapter! Gotta love them cliffhangers! Don't worry, I'll finish the second part As Soon As Possible! Happy Reading! -Orthros
