Chapter 7: Of Battles and Organizations
"How 'bout it, Ash?" Leon asked pointedly. "We've been wanting to see a battle ever since the Professor explained what they are."
"Uh, now?" Ash questioned, blinking at him in surprise. "Well, I don't mind exactly, but…"
"Excellent." Leon smirked before turning towards the blond boy. "Do you mind being his opponent, Clemont? You and Tracey are the only ones with Pokemon and Tracey told me he's not much of a battler."
"M-Me?" the bespectacled teen stammered. "Well, uh…"
"You bet he will!" Bonnie cried out. "My brother may not be Champion-caliber like Ash, but he's still the gym leader of Lumiose City. He can't refuse a challenge!"
"Bonnie, don't decide these things for me!" Clemont cried out.
"I'm not exactly Champion-caliber either," Ash said weakly before looking towards his Pokemon, all of whom seemed eager for a fight. "But, I'm fine to battle if you are, Clemont."
The blond boy glanced at all the excited faces around him before sighing. "Alright."
"Awesome!" Sora exclaimed with an eager grin.
"I'll officiate the match," Tracey offered; to which Ash and Clemont nodded their assent. The group quickly cleared out of the way as the two trainers stood opposite each other on either side of the large clearing.
"What do you think, Clemont?" Ash called out. "Three on three exhibition match?"
"Sounds good to me."
"Exhibition match?" Sora asked Bonnie as the group stood on the sidelines. Ash's Pokemon stood on the opposite side of the makeshift battleground, awaiting their trainer's first choice.
"It's like a mock battle," the girl explained. "In this case, Ash and my brother will use three Pokemon, switching out after every battle no matter who wins. If it were an official-style match, they'd battle until all three Pokemon are unable to continue or until one of them gives up."
"I see…" The teen murmured just as Tracey took his place in the center of the field.
"This is a three on three exhibition match between Ash of Pallet Town and Clemont of Lumiose City!" he called out in a clear voice. "Both trainers, choose your first Pokemon!"
"Let's start out small," Ash muttered. "Snivy, I choose you!" From the crowd of Pokemon, a small, green, bipedal, snake-like Pokémon calmly strode towards the side her trainer stood.
"Bunnelby, you're up first!" Clemont exclaimed, throwing a Poke Ball onto the battlefield a few yards in front of him. From the ball, a small, grey rabbit-like creature appeared in a flash of light.
"Hmm..." Leon had a small frown on his face as he watched the two pint-sized Pokemon size each other up. "I was hoping for something a little more… impressive."
"Don't let their size fool you!" Bonnie said with a smirk. "Those tiny things pack one heck of a punch."
"Nene!" Dedenne cooed his agreement.
"Bunnelby versus Snivy," Tracey called out. "Begin!"
"Let's start with Vine Whip!" Ash ordered
"Dodge it and use Double Slap!" Clemont retorted.
Sora could only blink at the rapid exchange of orders. The Pokemon, on the other hand, responded immediately. The group watched as impossibly long vines extended from beneath Snivy's collar and came hurtling down towards Bunnelby at an alarming speed.
"Snivy overextended," Leon remarked as he watched the vines overshoot the agile bunny. "It's wide open."
"We'll see," Bonnie giggled just as the rabbit-like Pokemon began dashing forward.
"Use your vines to jump!" Ash called out.
"What?" Leon blinked in shock as Snivy quickly used her already extended vines to throw herself high into the air.
"Pokemon can do things humans have no chance of pulling off," the little girl said smugly as her brother ordered his Pokemon to jump after it.
"Wild Charge!" Clemont ordered. At his command, Bunnelby leapt up directly towards Snivy, its body completely shrouded in electricity.
Ash grinned. "Now use Leaf Storm!"
"Sniiiiiiii…" The grass-type began to rapidly spin as leaves began to sprout from its body. As she spun faster and faster, the leaves began to break off, causing her to become a whirlwind of razor sharp leaves.
"Viiiiiiiii!" With a whip of her tail, Snivy sent the leaves flying point blank into Bunnelby, sending the rabbit-like Pokemon hurtling into the ground.
"Now finish it off with Leaf Blade!" Ash called out.
"Bunnelby, dodge now!" Clemont shouted in alarm. Snivy dove towards the downed Pokemon, her tail glowing a bright green. Before Bunnelby could even fully stand, her tail slammed into him with earth-shattering force, forming a small crater from the impact and sending dust flying into the air.
The group could only watch this in utter shock and slight horror. "I-Is Bunnelby gonna be okay?!" Yuffie asked, her voice cracking slightly.
"Don't worry, Pokemon are super tough!" Bonnie said, patting her on the leg; as her shoulder was beyond reach. "See? Look there!"
As the dust settled, Bunnelby was revealed to have passed out into swirly-eyed unconsciousness. "Bunnelby is unable to battle!" Tracey declared before raising a hand towards Ash. "Snivy wins!"
"Alright!" Ash cheered. "Great job, Snivy!"
"Sniiiivy!" The Grass Snake Pokemon was clearly pleased by his praise, despite her attempts to appear indifferent.
"Okay…" Sora had a wide grin on his face as he spoke up. "I gotta admit. That was pretty cool."
"T-That's one strong snake…!" Yuffie mumbled, still not quite over her shock.
"And quite adorable as well," Aerith giggled before turning towards the bespectacled trainer. "Clemont, let me see Bunnelby. I'll have him healed up in no time."
Clemont jogged forward and picked up his fallen Pokemon before gently depositing it into Aerith's arms. "Thanks," he said with a smile, patting Bunnelby affectionately.
"It's nothing," the brunette returned the smile easily before turning her attention to the unconscious Pokemon and murmuring a healing spell. Clemont returned to his side of the battlefield, giving his opponent a calculating look.
'I knew that Ash was a veteran trainer, but this is beyond what I'd been expecting,' the gym leader thought. 'We couldn't even touch Snivy. Just how strong are you, Ash?'
"Since Ash won round one, he'll choose first this time," Tracey called out, to which Ash nodded. The black-haired trainer turned towards his assembled Pokemon with a thoughtful look on his face.
'Clemont will probably use Quilladin or Luxray. Or maybe one of his electric-types from the Lumiose Gym,' he thought to himself. 'So, my best bet would probably be—'
"Dile dile Totodiiiiiiile!" a voice interrupted his thoughts. Glancing down, Ash saw Totodile dancing at his feet, an eager grin on his face.
"Totodile?" He asked in surprise. "You wanna battle?"
"Diiiiiile!" The aquatic Pokemon nodded, the grin on his face widening.
"Well, alright then!" Ash exclaimed as the crocodilian gleefully danced onto the battlefield. "Totodile, I choose you!"
"A water-type, eh?" Clemont smirked. "Getting a little cocky, Ash? You should know what my answer will be! Quilladin, go!" In a flash of light, a green, bipedal, mammalian Pokemon with plant-like spines growing on its back materialized onto the field.
"An answer to Ash's Pokemon?" Donald questioned, noticing the blond's phrasing.
"Ash's Pokemon is a water-type," Bonnie explained. "So, my brother is using a grass-type to counter it, since grass is strong against water."
"So, he's at a disadvantage then." Leon stated.
"He is, but Ash has a knack for overcoming type-advantages," the young girl said with a grin.
"Gee, ya sure do know a lot, Bonnie," Goofy remarked, causing the girl to blush.
"I've been learning a lot from Professor Oak and Tracey," she said sheepishly. "There's not much I can do to help out around here, so I've been helping them take care of Ash's Pokemon. I gotta earn my keep somehow."
"You're more than welcome to stay as long as you need to, Bonnie," Aerith said with a gentle smile. "There's no need to earn your keep."
"Thank you, Aerith." The young girl smiled in return before a devious gleam entered her eye. She began speaking in a loud voice. "You're so gentle and loving, Aerith! Will you please marry my brother?!"
"Bonnie!" Clemont cried out, his face glowing crimson-red. Ash meanwhile, could only grin at the familiar scene.
"Oh, my!" The brunette woman giggled, placing both hands against her cheeks in faux shyness. "I'm quite flattered you think so highly of me." Aerith said this with an apologetic smile gracing her lovely face. "But I'm sorry to say that I'm holding out for someone."
"Aw, that's too bad." Bonnie groaned, ignoring her brother's indignant cries. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to have any cute friends that would be interested in him, would you?"
Seeing as Clemont looked ready to march over and begin a shouting match with his sister, Ash quickly coughed. He smiled as Clemont turned towards him with an annoyed look on his face. "Sorry, but Totodile is raring to go." The gym leader sighed, sending one last glare towards Bonnie before refocusing on the match at hand. Seeing both trainers ready to continue, Tracey nodded.
"Round two is Quilladin versus Totodile!" he exclaimed before raising his hands upward. "Begin!"
"Quilladin, use Pin Missile!" Clemont shouted.
"Counter with Water Gun!"
"Quiiiiiii…!" The spines along Quilladin's back began to glow yellow before launching themselves at its opponent. Totodile countered by spouting forth a powerful stream of water. The two attacks collided in mid-air, creating a deadlock as they both struggled for dominance.
"Go, Quilladin!"
"You can do it, Totodile!"
The two Pokemon's eyes narrowed as their respective attacks began to grow in ferocity. Eventually, the sheer intensity of the exchange caused it to erupt in an explosion, sending steam and dust flying. Clemont quickly shielded his eyes, only for them to widen as he heard Ash's next command. "Use Slash, straight ahead!"
"Needle Arm!" Clemont shouted in return. The sound of two hard objects colliding rang throughout the battlefield, giving off the impression of clashing blades. Over and over they clashed as the dust slowly began to settle.
Quilladin's arm glowed green as he thrusted his closed fist at his opponent. Totodile responded with extended claws glowing a bright white. Unfortunately, Quilladin was slowly gaining ground, forcing his opponent back with his superior height and weight. Ash grimaced slightly as he watched his Pokemon frantically dodge and deflect the rapid flurry of super-effective attacks.
That is, until he noticed a pattern.
Quilladin would perform a thrust. Then a sweep of its arm. Then a jab and another sweep. And repeat that same combo over and over. Slowly, Ash grinned. "Totodile, duck!" If the water-type was surprised by the seemingly random instructions, he didn't show it; instead complying with his trainer's orders without question.
And just as Ash had predicted, Quilladin had performed a sweep of his arm. The amount of displaced air the missed attack created was testament to the Pokemon's strength. But that same strength was what ultimately betrayed it as Quilladin staggered slightly.
"Now, use Bite!" The raven-haired teen shouted.
The aptly-named Big Jaw Pokemon responded in kind, opening its wide mouth and clamping down on his opponent's extended arm. But much to everyone's surprise, as soon as Totodile's teeth made contact, sheets of ice began to form on Quilladin's arm; causing the grass-type to cry out in surprise and pain.
"Wait, that's not Bite..." Ash mumbled, a surprised look on his face. "That's—"
"Ice Fang," Clemont finished with a grimace. "I should have known Totodile knew an ice-type move. There had to be a reason you sent it in."
'Uh...' the Kanto native thought, sweat-dropping slightly. 'Should I tell him that was just a fluke? ...Oh, well. Not gonna look a gift Ponyta in the mouth.'
"Use Ice Fang one more time!" he ordered. "Then finish it with Water Gun!"
Totodile once more clamped his jaws around Quilladin's other limb just as the grass-type attempted to ward it off with another Needle Arm. With both of his opponent's arms frozen, Totodile back-flipped and fired off a Water Gun, sending his opponent flying into a nearby tree.
"Quilladin!" Clemont cried out. Tracey jogged over and examined the downed Pokemon before nodding.
"Quilladin is unable to battle!" he declared. "Totodile wins!"
"Alright!" Ash cheered.
"And that's two wins for Ash!" Bonnie cheered as well. Totodile was currently dancing in joy as his trainer strode over to congratulate him. Everyone froze however, when the water-type was suddenly enveloped in a bright blue light.
"What's happening?!" Sora exclaimed as they watched Totodile's form begin to rapidly grow beneath the near-blinding glow.
"It's evolving!" Bonnie squealed.
"Totodile…" Ash murmured in awe. It never got old. The feeling of elation and excitement at seeing the fruits of your Pokemon's efforts was incredible. A feeling of pride welled up inside of him as the light of evolution finally subsided, revealing his Pokemon's new form to the world.
"Croconaw!" The creature called out proudly.
"Great job, Croconaw," Ash said with a wide grin. His glasses let out a ping as it scanned the newly evolved Pokemon.
"Croconaw — The Big Jaw Pokemon and the evolved form of Totodile. Once Croconaw has clamped its jaws on its foe, it will absolutely not let go. Because the tips of its fangs are forked back like barbed fishhooks, they become difficult to remove when they have sunk in. This Pokemon evolves into Feraligatr."
"Okay, now that is one cool-looking Pokemon," Sora acknowledged with a grin. Clemont on the other hand just shook his head bemusedly. Only Ash would win with a type-disadvantage and then have his Pokemon evolve. He quickly retrieved Quilladin and whispered words of thanks before making his way over towards Aerith. True to her word, Bunnelby looked good as new as it sat in her lap.
"Sorry, Aerith," the blond said sheepishly. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all," the woman nodded with a gentle smile. Clemont left his injured Pokemon with the group's resident healer before turning back towards Ash, who was still celebrating with Croconaw.
"Well, since you have two wins, you've technically already won our match," he said with a wry grin. "But my pride as a gym leader won't allow me to just roll over and accept defeat. Prepare your final Pokemon. Luxray, go!"
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ash grinned in return as a blue and black lion-like Pokemon materialized on the field. The creature let out a fierce roar as it emerged and it was clear that some of his smaller Pokemon were intimidated by it.
"Luxray is my brother's strongest Pokemon," Bonnie explained to the spectators as they admired the powerful creature. Leon in particular seemed quite taken with it, if the smirk on his face was any indication. "The last time these two battled, Luxray swept through two of Ash's Pokemon; one of them being Pikachu. And it's only gotten stronger since then."
"Sounds powerful!" Yuffie exclaimed excitedly. "I wonder what Ash's got up his sleeve."
'That's right,' Ash thought with a frown. 'That Luxray is no pushover. My best bet would be a ground-type. But I'm certain Clemont is prepared for that. I wouldn't be surprised if it knows an ice-type move. But I do have a Pokemon that's defeated a Luxray before. One that isn't weak to a potential ice-type attack...'
"Infernape, I choose you!" Ash exclaimed. A white, monkey-like creature with golden armor and a flame burning brightly atop its head let out a howl of approval before eagerly dashing onto the battlefield.
"Infernape, huh?" Clemont smirked slightly. "Not going with a ground-type?"
"Since Luxray's only weakness is ground, I figured you'd have a counter for it," the raven-haired teen replied with a grin before quickly scanning Infernape with his Dex-glasses. If the fire-type had learned a new move, Ash wanted to know beforehand.
The results were… interesting. "Very interesting," he grinned. "You've been training, haven't you, buddy?"
"Infernape!" The Flame Pokemon gave him a thumbs up with a grin of his own.
"The final match is Luxray versus Infernape!" Tracey once more raised both his arms skyward. "Begin!"
"Use Swift!" Clemont ordered. Luxray let out a roar as its tail began to glow bright white.
"Avoid it with Dig!" Ash commanded just as the lion whipped its tail forward, sending a stream of star-shaped energy towards the fire-type. Infernape responded in kind, rapidly digging underground. Luxray's attack struck the ground where Infernape had been standing moments prior, sending a cloud of dust into the air but otherwise doing nothing.
"Oh?" Clemont grinned. "A ground-type move, huh? Not bad, not bad... Luxray, use Electric Terrain!"
'Here it comes!' Ash thought in anticipation. Luxray growled as it unleashed a surge of electricity, energizing the entire battlefield.
"What just happened?" Donald asked, warily watching the electricity streaking across the field.
"Electric Terrain powers up all electric-type attacks," Bonnie explained as she watched Luxray anxiously. "So, if Infernape gets hit by one, it's really gonna sting."
"Infernape, now!" Ash cried out.
"Too predictable!" Clemont exclaimed. "Thunder Fang!" Just as Infernape burst through the ground beneath Luxray, the blue lion clamped its jaws around the monkey's fist. The Flame Pokemon let out a screech of pain as the empowered attack sent electricity coursing through its body.
"Retaliate with Mach Punch!"
"Toss it and use Swift!"
As Infernape reared its other fist back, Luxray reared its head and hurled the fire-type into the air. Whipping its tail back, the appendage glowed white for a split second before sending a stream of energy straight into its opponent. "Infernape!" Ash grimaced as his Pokemon landed before him, hurt but otherwise still battle-ready.
"Whoa," Sora mumbled. "Ash is actually being pushed back." It was a surprise to him, as the Kanto native had been dominating the match thus far.
"Ash may have been in the running for Kalos League Champion," Bonnie said with a grin. "But my brother is no pushover."
"Use Mach Punch to close in!"
"Intercept with Thunder Fang!"
"Now use Thunder Punch with your other hand!" Ash shouted.
"Wait, what?" Clemont exclaimed incredulously. "Thunder Punch?!"
Infernape screeched before landing an electricity-laced left hook straight in the surprised Luxray's face. Despite not being very effective, the empowerment from Electric Terrain still caused a significant amount of damage as Luxray was sent skidding backwards.
"Don't let up!" Ash cried, not liking the distance created by that last attack. "Mach Punch!"
"Swift once more!" Clemont ordered, taking full advantage of that distance. Luxray once again fired off a stream of stars, hitting Infernape point blank in the chest just as its fist was about to make contact with the lion. The monkey Pokemon let out a screech as it was sent flying backwards.
"Now finish it with Wild Charge!" The gym leader shouted triumphantly. Luxray let out an earth-shattering roar as its entire body was enveloped in electricity. Dashing towards the staggering Infernape, the lion rammed into its opponent, sending it flying into a nearby tree.
"Infernape!" Ash cried out.
"Excellent, Luxray!" Clemont cheered before grinning at his opponent. "Well, Ash, it looks like this one is—"
He was cut off by an ear-splitting screech that forced everyone nearby to cover their ears. Turning towards the source, Clemont was shocked to see Infernape staggering to its feet, the flame on its head burning with even greater intensity than before as its eyes glowed a menacing red.
"It looks like Blaze has finally activated," Ash said with a grin before turning to meet Clemont's stupefied gaze.
"What is Blaze?!" Sora cried, staring at the fire-type whose entire body seemed to be radiating incredible heat.
"Blaze is the ability all fire-type starters have!" Bonnie exclaimed. "It only activates when a Pokemon is badly injured, but in return it boosts the power of all its fire-type attacks!"
Pokemon BW - Decisive Battle (Last Pokemon) Remastered ~ watch?v=yT1unx3jWxM
"I hope you're ready!" Ash roared. "Cause the real battle starts now!" Infernape screeched his approval, pounding his powerful arms against the ground.
"We'll see about that!" Clemont shouted as Luxray let out a low snarl. "Luxray, use Swift!"
"Avoid it with Dig and immediately resurface!" Ash called out. "Then close in with Flare Blitz!" Infernape deftly avoided the star-stream by delving underground. Half a second later, it burst out directly in front of Luxray, its entire body coated in bright blue flames. With a great screech, the ape rammed into his opponent, damaging both of them in the process.
"Thunder Fang!" Clemont shouted.
"Thunder Punch!" Ash retorted.
The two attacks collided, causing an explosion and sending both Pokemon skidding backwards, both of them visibly panting from exertion. Sora was practically on the edge of his proverbial seat as he watched the ongoing fight. The others were no different. Even the unflappable Leon seemed to be completely engrossed at this point.
"The next move will decide the match!" Bonnie exclaimed excitedly as the two trainers glared at each other.
"Luxray!" Clemont called out.
"Infernape!" Ash shouted.
"Wild Charge!"
"Flare Blitz!"
"FULL POWER!"
Luxray let out a fearsome roar as it wreathed its entire body in crackling electricity, the attack further enhanced by Electric Terrain. Infernape let out his own challenging shriek as its body ignited itself, his own attack empowered by Blaze. As one, the two charged, their bodies blurring into brilliant shades of yellow and blue; sheer, unrestrained power radiating off their forms. And then, in an enormous flash of light and equally enormous explosion, the two collided in the center of the battlefield, sending dust and smoke flying in all directions.
The trainers and spectators could only wait with baited breath as the dust settled excruciatingly slow. When it did, Tracey strode forward, examining both Pokemon before making his verdict.
"Both Luxray and Infernape are unable to battle!" He declared. "This battle is a draw. But with a record of 2-0, victory goes to Ash of Pallet Town!"
Ash released a breath he hadn't known he was holding. The teen jogged over towards his downed Pokemon and smiled as he helped it rise into a sitting position. "You did great, Infernape." He said softly. "That Luxray is no joke. It took out both Hawlucha and Pikachu and nearly took out Goodra during our gym battle."
"Nape…" the monkey smiled weakly.
"Here," he heard Donald say as a soft green light began to surround the Pokemon. "My healing magic isn't as strong as Aerith's, so take this potion too."
Ash took the item gratefully and bid Infernape to drink it. Though displeased with the taste, the Flame Pokemon couldn't disagree with the results. In mere minutes, he was standing once again, though still visibly exhausted. From across the battlefield, Ash watched as Aerith finished healing Luxray. Clemont whispered several words of thanks to both it and Aerith before returning Luxray to its Poke Ball and striding over towards Ash and Infernape.
"Well, it looks like it's my loss," he said with a wry smile.
"You put up one heck of a fight, Clemont," Ash said earnestly as the two shook hands. "Seriously. Luxray is a terror on the battlefield."
"Infernape!" The fire-type nodded its agreement. That Luxray was even stronger than Volkner's had been and that was saying something!
"Ash! Clemont!" Sora called out as the group jogged over to them with wide grins on their faces (or a small smirk in Leon's case). "That was awesome!"
"Especially that last battle!" Yuffie piped in. "It was back and forth, back and forth. And then one final clash to decide it. The fact that it ended in a draw just made it even more awesome!"
"You fought well, all of you," Leon said, nodding at both of them and Infernape as well. "Which brings me to this. Ash… I've got a favor to ask you."
"What is it?" The trainer asked in surprise.
"You know… I think it would be easier to just show you." The man turned and gestured back towards town. "Ash, Sora, Donald, Goofy. All of you, meet me in the Bailey once you're done here. There's something you need to see."
"Right…"
Clemont smiled at him. "I should probably get back to Cid," he said, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "It was seriously good to see you, Ash. I know that you're going to go look for the others. I wish I could go with you, but honestly? I think I'd be of more use here. But... it you ever need anything — anything at all — don't hesitate to ask. You know where to find me."
"I will." Ash nodded firmly as the two shook hands one last time. "I'll find Serena. My Pokemon. My friends. My… My mom... Everyone. I'll find a way to restore our world. And then we'll all go home together."
"I look forward to it," the blond boy said with a smile before making his way back towards Merlin's house. Ash watched him go with mixed feelings. On one hand, he still hated saying goodbye to his friends, even if it was only temporary. But on the other hand, he couldn't help but feel relieved that Clemont and the others would be staying out of the whole Heartless business. And he knew Leon and the rest of the Committee would keep them safe for as long as they stayed in Hollow Bastion.
"You know, Yuffie said they were holed up in Merlin's house, didn't they?" Sora spoke up, breaking Ash out of his reverie. "It's a little strange that we haven't run into him…"
"You called?" a voice echoed throughout the area, causing everyone to jump in shock. A cloud of smoke materialized in front of them, from within which stepped an old man wearing light blue robes and a wizard's hat; not unlike Yen Sid's.
"Merlin!" Donald exclaimed.
"There you are!" Yuffie exclaimed. "You missed out on the battle! It was amazing!"
"Oh, I saw everything, dear." The wizard chuckled. "Did you think the scrying orb in my house was for show?" He turned towards Ash and winked. "An impressive showing if I do say so myself!" He then turned to face Aerith. "Have you given them the cards yet, dear?"
The brunette woman gasped. "Oh!" she exclaimed, reaching into one of her pockets. "I completely forgot in all the excitement!" She retrieved four identical cards and handed them to the party. "Here, presents for you. Leon thought you'd might like to have them. Clemont, Bonnie, Tracey and the Professor already have their own."
Sora took his card and read aloud. "Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee... Honorary Member!?"
"Membership cards!" Donald exclaimed gleefully.
"Feels kinda cool, don't it?" Goofy chuckled.
"Very cool." Ash grinned. "Thanks, Leon…" He turned, only to be greeted with empty space. "Oh, that's right…"
"We're supposed to be at the Bailey!" Sora exclaimed. "Let's go—"
"Just a moment now!" Merlin halted them. "What about your magic, Sora?"
"Huh?" Was Sora's oh-so-intelligent reply. "Oh... uh..."
"Now what am I to do with you?" Merlin sighed. "I suppose I'll have to lend you a few spells. But be careful with them!"
Two orbs of differing colors appeared before them. Blue in front of Sora and yellow in front of Ash. Grasping hold of the orb, Ash was only slightly surprised when it was absorbed into his body. It seems he was acclimating to all the magic mumbo-jumbo; albeit slowly. Ash felt a humming energy fill his body; making him feel twitchy and restless. Beside him, he saw Sora shudder, his skin going pale for several moments before returning to normal.
"I've given Sora a basic Blizzard spell," Merlin explained. "Ash, you've been given a basic Thunder spell. I can tell you're in a hurry, so ask Donald how to utilize it on the way there."
"I will," Ash nodded.
"Thanks, Merlin!" Sora exclaimed.
Donald rolled his eyes. "Great, more work for me," he grumbled. Goofy just chuckled at him.
"Let's head on over to the Bailey, then."
Ash nodded his agreement and turned towards Infernape. "Why don't you take a rest," he said with a smile. "You've earned it."
The primate gave him a tired nod before lumbering towards the chocobo stables, looking ready to sleep the rest of the day away. Normally Ash would have recalled his Pokemon into their Balls to rest since the devices were specifically designed for Pokemon comfort. But seeing as neither he nor Professor Oak had any spares, they'd have to make due with roughing it in the stables.
"Alright, let's—"
"Naw! Croconaw!" Ash was once again surprised to see Croconaw at his feet, tugging at his jeans. Bayleef was beside him, rubbing her head against him affectionately.
"Croconaw? Bayleef? What is it?"
"Croc! Croco!"
"Baaaay…"
"...You wanna come with?" the trainer guessed. The crocodilian Pokemon nodded with an eager grin that looked slightly intimidating on his new form. "Alright, sure. Why not?"
"Well, if there are no more interruptions," Donald said irritably. "Let's head over to the bailey. I still need to teach you how to use that spell Merlin gave you, Ash."
"Right."
It was simple enough finding the meeting place Leon had designated. Unlike their experience in Twilight Town, Ash had been surprisingly capable in navigating through the winding streets of Hollow Bastion. The trainer still had his misgivings about this unexplained knowledge of the world, but he wasn't about to complain. They found the leather-clad man leaning against an archway. Just behind him was what appeared to be an overhanging balcony. Leon nodded at them before gesturing out into the canyons below. "Take a look at that."
The party followed his gaze, only to stiffen in shock. Literally thousands of Heartless were teeming through the canyon walls. Ash felt his heart clench at the sight of them. It was far too reminiscent of the attack on Pallet. He was broken out of his despairing memories by the sound of his Pokemon snarling. Glancing down in surprise, he saw Croconaw's lip had risen, exposing dozens of razor sharp teeth. Bayleef had pressed herself closer against him and was glaring menacingly at the horde of shadows.
"Easy, guys," he whispered, rubbing his Pokemon on their heads soothingly, despite he himself feeling his fight-or-flight instincts working overtime.
"We wanted to restore Hollow Bastion to what it used to be," Leon said with a tired sigh. "Who knows? Maybe even something better. We've come a long way and there's still a lot to do, but I'm certain we can handle it. Everything except that."
"How?" Ash croaked. "How have you even gotten this far with… that just around the corner."
"It wasn't easy," the man grimaced. "For the first few months, we had to claw our way into town inch by inch. We managed to push them into the canyons and from there, we forced them into a bottleneck so they couldn't use their numbers to their advantage. Eventually, the number of attacks whittled down until they became practically nonexistent."
"The Heartless just… stopped?" Sora asked incredulously.
"Believe me, I'm just as suspicious as you are," Leon scowled. "The Heartless are supposed to be mindless. They're supposed to be relentless. But from the looks of things, they seem to be biding their time. We've been prepping our defenses for months now. You saw for yourself, if I'm not mistaken."
"The defense mechanism we saw earlier!" Donald exclaimed. The scarred man nodded.
"If they think they can take the homes we fought and bled for, they've got another thing coming." Leon growled out. He paused and took a breath. "Which is what brings me to this, Ash… I know this is a lot to ask… But, please lend us your Pokemon."
"Huh?" The raven-haired teen blurted out in surprise.
"When the Heartless attack — and I do mean when — this town will become a warzone," the man said solemnly. "And the townspeople will be in the most danger. I won't ask that they fight on the front lines. But… If they could help protect the town and the people inside, I'd be eternally grateful."
"I… I was hoping that they'd come with me," Ash said with a sigh. "What with the Heartless and the Nobodies and Organization XIII running around…"
"You called?" a deep voice reverberated throughout the bailey. The entire group stiffened as one.
"You're certainly doing well..." another voice said, prompting Sora to narrow his eyes and dash out onto the stairs leading into the canyons. Donald and Goofy were quick to follow him.
"Let's go," Ash said to his Pokemon before dashing after them, Croconaw and Bayleef at his heels. Reaching the stairway, he saw Sora had summoned his Keyblade and was glaring at the rooftops.
"Show yourselves!" The brunet snarled.
"I believe this calls for a celebration..." Out of nowhere, Dusks began to materialize on the stairwell. Donald let out a snarl as he and Goofy rushed to intercept them. Sora made to follow them when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw more of them begin to form behind them, surrounding Leon.
Desire for All That Is Lost ~ Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX Remastered OST ~ watch?v=tUxhziTCxJA
"Go!" Ash shouted at him. "Help Donald and Goofy! We've got this." Sora nodded at him before dashing off to help their friends. Ash turned his attention towards the surrounded Leon, who had drawn a peculiar weapon that appeared to be part gun and part sword.
"Water Gun!" He ordered. "Razor Leaf!"
Croconaw inhaled, his chest bulging for a second before unleashing a powerful torrent of water at the encroaching Dusks. Beside him, Bayleef reared her head back before whipping it forward once more, sending razor sharp leaves from the stem atop her head.
The combined attack destroyed several Nobodies at once and scattered the rest. Leon was quick to go on the offensive, easily slashing his way through two before furrowing his brow as the remaining Dusks ignored him in favor of dashing towards the open gates leading back to town. Immediately, his eyes widened in realization.
"The gate!" Leon roared. "We can't let them into town!"
Ash was already in motion before he even finished speaking. Summoning his Keyblades into existence, he dashed forward, slashing through as many as he could on his way towards the entrance. "Vine Whip!" He shouted. "Bayleef, restrain as many as you can!"
The sauropod allowed herself only a moment of surprise at her trainer's newfound abilities before complying. From the stubs on her neck, vines extended, entrapping as many Nobodies as she could. That left ten more.
"Croconaw, Water Gun!" Ash ordered as he and Leon dispatched two and four, respectively. The blue crocodile let loose an enormous stream of water, slamming the remaining Dusks into the opposing wall and causing them to dissolve into wispy particles.
"Bay!" His grass-type cried out in pain as the ones she had restrained were beginning to break loose by using their needle-like legs to attack the vines restricting them.
"Shut the gate!" Ash shouted towards Leon as he rushed to aid his Pokemon. "We'll handle the rest."
The man nodded and quickly set to work sealing the entrance. Ash dashed forward, stabbing clear through a Dusk with Oathkeeper before leaping over another, using Oblivion to slice through its head. Both shattered into particles of light. He glanced to his left to see another Dusk trying to sneak up behind him.
'Well, might as well try it out…' He pointed Oathkeeper at the silvery-creature and shouted. "Thunder!"
A truly pitiful spark of electricity fizzled out upon making contact with the Nobody. Gritting his teeth, he leapt out of the way as it attempted to disembowel him with its claws. Before he could think to retaliate however, a hail of leaves pieced through the creature, destroying it.
Ash cast a grateful look towards his Johto grass starter before a blur of motion caught his eye.
"Croconaw, behind you!" He cried out, seeing a Dusk leaping at his water starter. The blue Pokemon responded immediately by pivoting on his heel; his tail completely enshrouded by water. Ash could only blink in surprise as the attack immediately destroyed the Nobody.
"That was Aqua Tail..." the teen murmured, staring at his water-type with an impressed look on his face. "You're just full of surprises today, aren't you?" He turned to face Bayleef just in time to see her destroy the remaining Dusks with a well-placed Body Slam.
"Good job, you two," Ash said as they both approached him. He rubbed each of their heads affectionately. "Especially you, Croconaw. Two new moves and an evolution? You've been working hard, haven't you?"
"Croconaw!" The Big Jaw Pokemon puffed his out chest proudly.
"Baaay…!" His grass-type counterpart whined, butting her head against his legs. The teen chuckled before patting her once again.
"Yes, yes, you too, Bayleef," he said with a smile. "Thank you. Both of you." He quickly sobered up as he glanced out to where he'd last saw Sora and the others. "But we're not done yet. Let's go." The three of them made their way back out onto the stairwell just in time to see Sora, Donald and Goofy finish off the last of their adversaries.
"Sora!" Ash called out. "You guys okay?"
"Yeah," the other boy nodded before glancing behind the trainer in concern. "Where's Leon?"
"He's sealing the gate to keep the Nobodies out," the black-haired teen explained. "But more importantly, where are the punks that were speaking earlier?"
"Punks, huh?" One of the voices spoke up, echoing throughout the bailey. "Now that's just rude." Sora grit his teeth and glared at the surrounding buildings.
"I'm getting real tired of this!" He growled, clutching his Keyblade tightly. "Show yourselves, cowards!"
"Hmm… The Keyblade," the original voice spoke up, ignoring Sora's provocations. "A truly marvelous weapon. Were it only in more… capable hands."
Both teens felt themselves bristling as several more voices began laughing. "Come out!" Ash snarled. Immediately, a black hole seemed to open atop one of the buildings across from them. A dark miasma began to seep from the portal as a cloaked figure slowly stepped out. All around them, more portals began to appear; each of them bringing with them a black-cloaked figure.
"Organization XIII…!" Goofy murmured as Ash's Pokemon began snarling at the mysterious group.
"Good!" Sora growled, his hands were clutched around his Keyblade so tightly they turned a pale white. "Then we can settle this here and now!"
"What a shame..." the first figure said, his voice practically dripping with irony. The figure turned to look at Ash and for a split second, the boy felt his heart leap into his throat. The moment passed as the figure returned his attention to the group as a whole. "And here I thought we could be friends." The other Nobodies laughed, and all six of them disappeared into their portals once more.
"Stop!" Donald shouted furiously before dashing towards the stairs. Before he could even reach the first step however, a portal appeared before him; blocking his path. The duck let out a squawk of surprise as he skid to a halt. "You!" He snarled at the Nobody that stepped out. " What's the big idea? Disappearing and reappearing all willy-nilly?!"
"Oopsy-daisy!" the cloaked figure said sarcastically.
"Who are you?" Ash demanded as his Pokemon both snarled at the man.
"Whoa, there, pal," the Nobody scoffed. "How 'bout you put a leash on those mutant freaks and then we'll talk."
"They're not freaks!" he spat, his eyes gleaming dangerously.
"Oooh, I remember that look," the cloaked man chuckled. "He used to give me the exact same glare. I wasn't expecting to meet again so soon..."
"What are you going on about?" Sora demanded, prompting the man to laugh even louder.
"Oh, yeah, and how could I forget that one?" His voice was overflowing with mirth. Ash's glare intensified as he immediately felt a great dislike for this man. He glanced down and met Croconaw's eye. The trainer subtly gestured towards the Organization member and the water-type nodded. Slowly, the Pokemon began to inch to the left as the Nobody continued to laugh.
"If you don't answer us, then we'll make you talk!" Donald snarled, a vein beginning to throb on his forehead.
"See, that would work — if I were just any old dude." The man scoffed at the threat, clearly not intimidated in the least. "'Cept I'm not. I'm with the Organization. Nothing 'any old' about me."
Sora was about to attack when he saw Croconaw inching his way behind the man, who still had his gaze locked on him and Ash. The brunet's eyes widened slightly before quickly schooling his face. "Oh, yeah?" Sora smirked, resolving himself to stall for as long as possible. "That's some tough talk for some old geezer who stood on the sidelines while his flunkies did all the fighting!"
"Oho," the man laughed condescendingly. "Is that the impression you got? Oh, dear. Now that won't do. Not at all."
"Gonna cry?" the Keyblader shot back.
"As if!" The man scoffed. "Now, why don't I remind you just how tough the crowd you're dealing with really is…"
"Works for me!" Ash growled. "Use Slash" From his position behind the man, Croconaw dashed forward, his claws glowing white. The man reacted instantaneously, leaping back to dodge.
"Bayleef, grab him with Vine Whip!" The trainer ordered. The grass-type responded in kind, vines extending from the stubs on her neck and enveloping the surprised Nobody in her grasp.
"Hah!" Sora grinned at the trapped man mockingly. "Not so tough now, are you?"
"Feh…" The cloaked figure scoffed. "I don't know. How 'bout I show you?"
"What—" Faster any of them could react, the Nobody's image distorted before disappearing completely. A cry of pain prompted them to turn just in time to see the man violently kick Croconaw into a nearby wall.
"Croconaw!" Ash cried out in both fear and rage. "How dare you—"
"How dare I?" The man cut him off. And suddenly, his once smug voice was deathly serious. Despite the fact that he couldn't see his face, Ash felt a cold chill run down his spine as a crossbow materialized in the man's hand.
"I warned you to put your mutants on a leash, kid," the Nobody said coldly. His image distorted once more and the party spun around just in time to see the man fire a bolt of pure energy directly into Bayleef's chest, sending her hurtling down the stairs.
"Bayleef!" Ash shouted, his eyes widening in horror each time he saw her slam into one of the steps. Before he could move to save her, he suddenly found a crossbow pointed directly at his face. Staring into the indiscernible, shadowed face of his assailant, Ash felt a twinge of terror run up his spine.
"Ash!" Sora cried as he watched his friend slowly sink to his knees.
"Atta boy," the man said in a mocking tone of voice. He reached down and patted the trainer's head as though he were a small child before turning towards Sora and the others. "Let this be a reminder of who just you're dealing with."
With that, the man stepped away and disappeared through a dark portal. The moment he was gone, Sora moved forward. "Ash!" he said, grasping his friend on the shoulder. "Ash, you okay?"
"I…" The raven-haired teen felt his throat go dry. "I-I…"
"Snap out of it!" Donald growled, shoving several potions into his arms. "Give these to Bayleef. I'm gonna check on Croconaw."
Goofy nodded his agreement. "Up and at 'em, Ash," he said, lifting the boy by the bicep. "Don't let him get to ya."
The Kanto native nodded mutely before making his way down the stairs to where Bayleef lay unconscious. Sora followed him with a concerned look on his face, as though Ash might fall apart at any moment. Upon reaching the fallen Pokemon, Ash knelt and gently cradled her head in his lap.
"Bayleef," he said softly. "I...I'm sorry. This is my fault. I thought that after everything I… we've been through, everything would be alright as long as we stuck together."
The sound of his voice seemed to stir her back into consciousness as her eyes slowly fluttered open. "Bay…"
Ash felt his eyes start to sting as he gently coaxed her into drinking the potion. "I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I'm sorry." Sora watched this all with a clenched fist. He slowly looked up at the rooftops where they'd first seen the Organization and snarled slightly.
They'd pay for this.
The teen returned his attention back to the trainer and his Pokemon. But that would come later. Right now his friend needed him. Sora sighed before cautiously approaching the two. "C'mon, Ash," he said quietly. "It wasn't your fault."
"Of course it was!" The other boy snapped, glaring at him. Sora took no offense to this, as he could tell that the other boy's anger wasn't directed at him but rather, at himself. "I'm their trainer. It's my responsibility to make sure they don't get in over their heads. It's my job to pick what battles they fight. I picked wrong and they paid the price for it."
"And you think they want to see you get hurt any more than you want to see them get hurt?" Sora retorted. "From what I've seen so far, these Pokemon love you just as much as you love them. They followed your orders because they wanted to protect you."
"They followed my orders because they trust my judgement." Ash scowled. "And I failed in that respect."
"There's no way you could have known that guy would be able to pull all that off!" Sora exclaimed, gritting his teeth in frustration.
"Ignorance isn't an excuse, Sora," the trainer snapped and immediately, Sora opened his mouth to issue a hot retort.
"You're right," another voice cut in and the two teens turned to see Leon approaching them with Donald, Goofy and Croconaw in tow. The water-type looked a little winded, but otherwise unharmed; likely thanks to Donald's healing magic. Ash made a mental note to thank him later.
"Leon?" Sora asked hesitantly. The scarred man stared at Ash stoically.
"You messed up," he said bluntly. Sora opened his mouth to refute that statement, but the man went on. "That's what you want to hear, right? You screwed up and your Pokemon got hurt because of you."
"Leon, that's—"
"So, get up, learn from your mistakes and get stronger," Leon said sharply. "Get over yourself. You do you and your Pokemon a disservice by sitting there moping about your screw ups. So. Get. Up."
Ash stared at the leather-clad man in wide-eyed wonder for several moments. "Bay. Bay!" Blinking, he turned towards Bayleef in time to have his cheek nuzzled. The sauropod cooed affectionately as she continued her ministrations. Ash felt two stubby arms wrap around him and looked down to see Croconaw grinning at him. A feeling of gratitude bubbled within his chest and he lowered his face. Sora was unable to see Ash's eyes, as his hat did well in concealing them. But the small smile making its way onto his face was all he needed to see.
Slowly, Ash stood up and when he met their gazes, they were relieved to see determination burning within them once more. "You're right," he said. "I can't let this stop me."
"That's the spirit, Ash," Goofy said with a beaming smile.
"Hmph. Always moping." Donald grumbled, though if one looked carefully, they'd be able to see the tiny upward quirk of his mouth that signaled his relief.
"Thank you, Sora," Ash said; to which the brown-haired teen smiled. "And thank you, Leon." The man simply nodded in return. "And... about your request…"
"Oh?" Leon raised an eyebrow.
Ash nodded. "I'll agree to let them stay here," he said, patting his two Pokemon on their heads. "I don't want them getting involved with the Organization until we know what we're dealing with. Plus I think they could do some real good around here."
Leon's eyes widened for a moment before a small smile formed on his face. "Thank you, Ash." He said sincerely. "You have my word that we'll do our best to keep them safe while you're on your journey."
"Thanks, Leon." Ash grinned at him. "And if you ever need our help dealing with those Heartless, just give us a call. We'll come running." He felt something nudging him and turned to meet the concerned gaze of Bayleef.
"Baay…"
"I know you're worried, Bayleef," he said softly. "But this is something I have to do." He turned his head to meet Croconaw's eyes as well. "I need you two to keep this place safe from the Heartless and Nobodies, okay? No… Not just you two. All of the Pokemon need to play their part. We're all in this together, even if we're far apart."
The two Pokemon still looked uncertain but nodded regardless. Ash smiled. "Make sure to listen to Leon and the others, okay?" He rubbed their heads with a grin. "They'll take care of you while I'm gone."
"Of course." Leon smirked slightly. "I suppose that since you're an honorary member of the Restoration Committee, that makes all your Pokemon honorary members as well."
"That's right!" Sora exclaimed. "We never did thank you for those cards, Leon."
The man waved his thanks off. "Don't mention it." The Keyblader reached into one of his many pockets and retrieved his membership card. Holding it up to the light, he admired it one more time. Imagine their shock when the card suddenly began glowing.
"Whoa!" The teen exclaimed, instinctively dropping the card and retracting his hand. Surprisingly, the card did not fall; instead floating before them while emanating a soft white light. Suddenly, Sora's Keyblade appeared in a flash of light while Oathkeeper appeared in Ash's hand. The teens glanced down at their respective weapons as they too began emitting a soft white glow.
"What's this?" Leon asked warily.
Ash could only stare at Oathkeeper in awe. "Sora, do you think…?"
"It must be…" The brown-haired teen murmured. They glanced at each other for a moment before nodding in unison. As one, they held their Keyblades before them as light began to rapidly whip around their bodies. Beneath their feet, a bright light began to glow in the shape of a crown. Just above them at a 75 degree angle, Sora's membership card floated midair. As one, the two Keyblade wielders pointed their respective weapons at the card, causing a beam of light to shoot forth and strike the card in a shower of light.
Leon and the others could only watch in varying degrees of awe as the gateway between worlds was opened. "That was it," Sora exclaimed. "The gate Yen Sid was talking about."
"Well, that's one down," Donald nodded in satisfaction. "Now we can head out."
"So, that's it, huh?" Leon questioned. Goofy nodded sheepishly.
"'Fraid so," he smiled. "Sorry fer the lack of warning and all."
Sora clapped Ash on the shoulder. "Time to hit the road again," he said. "We'll take some time to say goodbye to all your Pokemon and the rest of the Committee first. And maybe do some last minute shopping to replenish the potions we used."
Ash nodded. "Right."
As the group began to make their way back into the town proper, Ash paused for a moment to stare at the rooftops where they'd first saw the hooded Nobodies. His eyes narrowed as he clenched his fist. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
'Organization XIII… Who are they?'
And... why had those voices sounded so painfully familiar? Once again, like many times before since starting this journey, Ash didn't know.
A/N: Holy crap that was long! I'm very glad I cut that into 2 parts. This chapter was about 8.5k words long. Chapter 6 was about 6.3k words long. If I had kept them together, it would have come out to a whopping 14.8k words, more than I've ever written for any single chapter in one of my fics.
Anyway, I hope those battles were enjoyable for you. I tried something new in this chapter with the whole adding music thing. Let me know if you thought it worked. If not, then oh well. I'll avoid doing it again in the future.
Also, someone asked me for a timeframe and character ages for this fic. Since there's a whole two whole new regions Ash traveled through that he didn't in the original, the timeline is just slightly different. It goes as following:
Kanto: 1 year
Orange Islands: ½ year
Johto: 1 year
Hoenn: 1 year
Battle Frontier: ½ year
Sinnoh: 1 year
Unova: 1 year
Kalos: 1 year
Factoring all of that, Ash comes out at about 17 years old.
Misty is slightly older at 18, since she acts like an older sister to Ash while still being quite immature herself.
Brock is 21, having clearly been a teenager when Ash was 10.
Tracey is a little trickier. He's older than Ash, but not quite as old as Brock. I decided on 19.
May is 15, having started her journey two years after Ash.
Max turned 10 earlier this (in-universe) year and was in the middle of his first journey when the Heartless attacked.
Dawn is 14, having started about a year and a half after May.
Iris is likewise slightly older than Ash at 18 for the same reasons as Misty.
Cilan is 20 years old, since, as the caretaker of their Unova party, I wanted him to be older than his companions. But again, not quite as old as the Brockster.
Serena is the same age as Ash, 17, having been childhood friends.
Clemont is likewise the same age, 17, since he acts neither younger nor older than his companions; despite his intelligence.
Bonnie is half a year younger than Max at 9. Actually, she will be turning 10 soon and may just end up picking her starter Pokemon…
Of the Kingdom Hearts cast:
Sora has been bumped up to 16, since I didn't want too big of an age gap between him and Ash.
Kairi has likewise been bumped up to 16.
Riku is the same age as Ash at 17, since canonically, he is one year older than his friends.
And that's all, folks! Once again I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time!
Your King
Missing You - KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX watch?v=D3TpPnEqyBo
Far from Hollow Bastion and the worries of the Heartless and Nobodies, a girl stood facing the vast, endless sea. The setting sun slowly dipped below the horizon as she silently stood her vigil. She had done this every day for the past year. Her friends constantly worried about her, despite her insistence that she was fine.
It's just… She needed to remember. The boy who she'd forgotten. Whose name started with the letter 'S'.
So...ra… Sora? No… Was it? The girl frit her teeth in frustration. Every time she felt like she was close to remembering, something came dragging her thoughts away. Coming to watch the ocean always allowed her to relax. It allowed her thoughts to settle and try to remember. But recently, her favorite spot didn't help. Her thoughts were as muddled as always whenever she tried to think of him.
"Kairi?" a voice called out to her. Silently, the girl turned to see another girl, several inches shorter. "Let's head home. It's getting dark."
"...I'll be there in a second, Selphie." The girl known as Kairi said quietly. The other girl bit her lip for a few seconds before reluctantly nodding. The red-haired girl watched as she slowly disappeared around the corner before sighing and returning her attention to the sea one final time for the night.
It was this final glance that allowed her to see something quite peculiar. There was something floating in the water not too far from shore. It glowed slightly, as though powered by some internal source. It was actually a miracle that she hadn't seen it earlier. Squinting her eyes, Kairi focused on the floating object. It was… an animal? An animal clinging to a piece of driftwood! The girl let out a gasp.
She acted immediately. Throwing off her shoes and socks, as well as her school blazer, she wadded into the water towards the stranded animal. As she approached the creature, she saw that its eyes were glossy. The only indication that the poor thing was still alive was the shallow rise and fall of its chest.
Eventually, the water became too deep for her to wade through and with a small grimace she dove headlong into the water. Entering a basic stroke, she swam towards the animal, gently gathering it into her arms before paddling her way back towards shore. When the girl felt her feet meet solid ground once more, she stood and rushed to higher ground. Shivering from the cold, Kairi deposited the animal onto her warm blazer. From the nearby streetlamp, she was final able to make out the creature's features.
Its fur was a bright yellow, with prominent red spots on its cheeks. Two elongated ears peaked out from its head, both tipped black. A long, zig-zag shaped tail jutted out from behind it, giving it the appearance of a lightning bolt. She gently placed her hand against its forehead. Unsurprisingly, it was ice-cold. Who knew how long the poor thing had been adrift for?
"Pi…?"
Kairi gasped as the creature let out a weak whimper. "I-It's okay…" The girl stammered, her teeth chattering from her constant shivering. "E-Everything's going to be fine. I'll get you somewhere warm..."
"Pika...chu...:"
"P-Pikachu?" The girl cocked her head as she gathered the rest of her belongings. "I-Is… that your name? I-Is your name Pikachu?"
The animal blearily opened its warm charcoal eyes and gazed at the human currently clutching him to her chest. Her skin was freezing cold from the water and was she was shivering nonstop. "Pi…"
"I-I'll take that as as yes," Kairi smiled, despite the cold. "D-Don't worry, Pikachu. I'll take care of you. Let's go find someplace warm, okay?"
Pikachu continued to stare as the girl quickly made her way down the street, likely towards her home. There was something… incredibly familiar about this girl. It wasn't often that he felt so at ease when being held by a complete stranger. Her natural aura almost reminded him of…
"Pikapi…?"
A/N 2: Did I say 8.5k words? Make that 9.5k.
How much you wanna bet that half of my readers will have no idea what's going on next time we see Kairi because they clicked away the minute the first author's note started? xD
Consider this a reward for reading the A/N and/or reviewing!
P.S. I do this quite often, so always check!
