Whispers breezed around Garnet as she slowly made the transition from sleeping to waking. There were people near her, talking in hushed tones - seemingly to not disturb her slumber - little did they know that their whispers were as loud as shouts to the non-human girl. She cracked open one ruby red eye as she fully woke.
Two people sat around her, she could sense her Pokémon friends gathered around the bed as well, just out of her line of vision. She lifted herself up; her snowy hair falling over her shoulders, drawing her scarlet gaze to their paleness, her guise had dropped!
"Garnet?" Her gaze turned to the girl Sapphire as her brain woke fully; they'd seen her falling into lava! They'd seen her guise drop! They'd seen her! "Garnet you're awake!" The girl wore the expression of one who was experiencing relief, but Garnet could not fathom why this girl was sporting such an expression, what had she to worry about?
"Yes, I am awake Sapphire," She heard her voice, it was low and rough, she was desperate for a drink of water as her throat felt as if it had been torn apart by claws. "I suppose you're waiting for an explanation." She stared deeply into Sapphire's eyes as she made a conscious effort to replace her guise of red hair and amethyst eyes, it took a lot of effort to replace it, and after it was up her breathing was laboured as if she'd carried a ten ton weight up a mountain.
"An explanation would be gratefully welcomed, but only after you've recovered your energy and are ready to tell it." Garnet stared across at the other human present; his silver eyes were filled with questions waiting to be answered.
"Where are we?" Garnet looked around at what she assumed was a Pokémon Center room, but there hadn't been a Pokémon Center on the mountain as far as she could tell.
"Lavaridge Town, it's just south of Mount Chimney, the quickest place to come to from the volcano." Steven informed as Garnet's attention diverted from one thing to another as she attempted to orientate herself.
"Oh," Garnet acknowledged the information and finally her mind snapped into true focus. Her mind pinpointed her location on her internal map of this region. From what she knew there was a Gym here, somewhere. She brushed her fingers through her wayward hair as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.
"Shouldn't you rest a while longer?" Steven asked, placing his hand on her shoulder to stop her from getting up. She - much like last time he'd touched her shoulder - looked at him in part fear, though she didn't pull away from him or shudder like she had before. Garnet - though still reluctant - had grown used to humans a little.
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine now that I've rested a little, I don't need as much rest as you humans, but I needed some as I used a lot of energy to keep myself alive back there…" She stopped herself; her eyes grew wide, the amethyst pools swirling with realization of what she'd said. The two humans looked back at her, confusion and a little expectance in their eyes. Before she decided whether or not to continue, Garnet closed her eyes, sending sneaking tendrils of her psychic ability poking around their minds. She drew in a few of their thoughts, sifting through them to read what their intentions were and how they reacted to her. "I," She continued speaking still with her eyes closed, "Was once human, many… many years ago now." Her eyes opened, filled with only a crimson light.
Both Sapphire and Steven flinched at the sudden unexpected change in Garnet, but when she blinked again, the crimson light vanished back into the regular - yet still unique - shade of amethyst.
"But my humanity was stripped away from me. So now I am something which is neither human nor Pokémon. I am simply an entity with no end and no defined path. They hunt me, they seek my power. Yet, even though you have seen what I can do, neither of you had any thought, nor desire to control me." She rose to her feet, turning to face them both. "My friends also seem to trust both of you. Only these things could have led me to trusting and telling you what I have. Sapphire, you have had your suspicions of me for quite some time now, you confronted me handful of times trying to unravel my secret, yet never did you wish to possess the power I had. A trait admirable in one so young. Steven, I cannot say that you have suspected me, though I believe you did know from the beginning there was something different about me - I believe you saw me crash land off the shores of Mossdeep - I thank you for not pressing me for an answer, if you had I would have been less likely to tell you. Now, now that I have told you I have a choice to make. Allow you to walk free from here with your knowledge of me." Both of the humans seemed shocked, as if Garnet was proposing she'd sacrifice them in order to keep her ambiguity, "Or I erase your memories of me and flee from this place like I have before now. Tell me, do I have reason to do this?"
"Last time you tried hiding my memories they came back quickly enough." Sapphire challenged.
"I merely blocked them for a shortened time to avoid you confrontation. Now I am talking about removing the memories completely, they will never return." Garnet closed her eyes, what was this tugging at her heart? Why was she feeling this welling emotion? What is this… sorrow?
Steven held his hand up, stopping Sapphire's retort. "If you feel there is a need to do that, then we shall not stop you or try to resist. This is quite an important piece of information that you have shared with us and obviously it is important that it should not be leaked out to the masses, or those who would abuse your power or try to control you."
One second… two… three passed without Garnet understanding what Steven had said to her. "Very selfless…" Her heart… sinking? No, no her mind could be laid to ease. They would not tell. Her friends could tell it, her psychic powers reported that their minds were true and so, she could walk from that room and know, know her secret was still safe. "Thank you… both of you…" Garnet walked passing Sapphire, then passing Steven. One second called her to look back, to speak again to them, but she ignored it and passed out of the room altogether. (
"I need to take my mind off things." Garnet was sat on the rocky slopes of the lower part of Mount Chimney, her friends gathered around her. "Shall we go challenge a Gym? A little action is the best way to take your mind of things which confuse you. Its how I dealt with everything back in Kanto." She smiled to her friends.
Garnet stretched her arms then slipped off the large boulder she'd perched on. She began walking down alongside the base of the slopes, walking back to the little mountainside town.
The Gym - from the outside at least - looked exactly like the other's she'd seen in this region. But the moment she entered, she was greeted by a very different interior design. A maze of trapdoors and lifts seemed to be the only way to advance through this Gym. "Miss, you might want to return your Pokémon to their PokéBalls for their safety." The receptionist at the side of the entrance told her, glancing at the party surrounding Garnet.
He had the right idea, the doors weren't designed for Pokémon to use them, so she - apologizing psychically - returned Titan and Hokori to their PokéBalls. But Rayna - still being a free Pokémon - she could not return to a ball. "Do you want to wait outside? I shouldn't be too long." The yellow and blue Pokémon stared at her, nudging one of the free capsules which hung on Garnet's belt. The loyal Pokémon was enveloped in red light as the ball sucked her inside; she'd just captured herself so she would not leave Garnet's side.
Garnet's fingertips brushed across the smooth capsule, surprised by the Pokémon's choice, she could have simply roamed freely for a little while as Garnet advanced through the Gym. There had been no reason for the Pokémon to entrap herself just so that she may stay by the side of Garnet…
Garnet's amethyst eyes closed for a moment while she pondered the events, but a second later she reopened them and walked forward, standing on the first trap door which would lead her into the Gym.
"Welcome! … Uh, I mean… You trainer! You've done well to get it this far! Now I am honoured to serve as the leader… I mean you'll be facing me - Flannery! Don't underestimate me because I haven't been a Gym Leader long!"
Garnet stretched her arms, yawning as she did so. "Well I hope you're tougher than the other trainers here, they talked tough but really, were no challenge." She smirked at the leader, who seemed a little shocked at how calm Garnet was.
"With the skills passed to me by my grandfather I shall participate in a heated battle!" Flannery threw out her first Pokémon, a Slugma.
Garnet casually tossed Hokori's PokéBall forth, the proud Ground-type Pokémon bursting from the sphere and crying out fiercely as he landed, he'd gained much experience from battling the other trainers in this Gym and was ready for this fight! "Sand Attack now Hokori." The little yellow creature kicked up a great cloud of dust, aiming it right at the sluggish Fire-type Pokémon.
Slugma - sand wedged in its eyes - flailed before Flannery gave it an order, "Light Screen then use Sunny Day!" The Pokémon glowed a bright white before a harsh light - much like the sun - shone bright in the Gym.
"Hokori, use Poison Jab, try getting it poisoned!" Hokori leapt forward, the tips of his claws dripping with poison as he drove his little fist into the magma body of Slugma. Hokori wheeled back, he'd burned himself by touching the magma slug. 'An oversight of mine, this battle cannot last long otherwise Hokori will be overcome by the burn… How to proceed?'
"Slugma use Overheat!" 'Hokori will need a great boost of energy in order to survive this battle alone! But this power will not be able to be achieved unless…'
"Use Dig, avoid Overheat!" 'Please.'
Hokori - having not learned the move yet - peered around at Garnet confused, allowing the wave of heat to strike him full-force. The little shrew went flying backwards, bouncing into a ball at Garnet's feet before forcing himself to his feet. But Garnet could see that the burn was taking its toll on him. But what made her believe more in him was the determination glowing in his eyes - the glow which spread around his body, illuminating him in white and altering him to become something more powerful. Hokori cried a new cry, spreading his enlarged claws as the light faded into nothingness - Sandslash stood proud, ready to continue.
"Hokori… Quick, Dig!" The new Pokémon - with the speed of a drill - powered down into the earthen ground of the Gym, taking his time to weave across to the other side of arena. Slugma had no defence against Hokori's tunnelling attack, the Ground-type burst upwards, sending Slugma flying before it slopped back onto the ground, poison taking the last of its energy from it.
Flannery called it back, thanking her valiant Pokémon before sending out a Numel. "Use Lava Plume!" The Pokémon sent up a column of lava, which rained down upon Hokori, who danced around before the bulk of the attack washed over him. Once more did he find himself balled at Garnet's feet, and once more he lifted himself, determined to battle on though he was weakening with every attack.
"Dig once more." Garnet was growing concerned for her partner, but for the moment his condition was stable enough, if she really had to stop him fighting she would. He once more drilled into the soft ground, tunnelling his way through the ground towards the quadruped Pokémon.
"Earth Power!" Flannery ordered, Numel focussing on lurching the earth apart from around Hokori.
"Use it to launch yourself at Numel!" Garnet ordered, Hokori managed to hear and react to her words. When Numel tore the ground upwards, the wave of disturbed earth carried Hokori with it, riding this wave of earth to crash down upon Numel. Numel was severely shaken by this attack, his secondary type giving him little shielding from the attack. "Dive back into the earth Hokori!" He did so, delving down into the ground where he was safer, at least shielded from Lava Plume.
But the Pokémon was still suffering from his burn; with every moment which passed more of his energy was sapped from him. He and Garnet knew that the battle could not last too much longer, or one of the others would have to finish what the proud Hokori started.
Hokori waited, circling the injured Numel as he waited to spy an opportunity to burst out of the earth. One came when the Numel attempted another Earth Power but misjudged it and missed Hokori by quite a ways. Hokori launched himself out of the ground, slamming into Numel and sending him staggering. The Fire/Ground-type tried to remain standing, but eventually succumbed to the relief of fainting.
Flannery called back Numel, whispering her thanks to him through the red and white capsule. 'Hold in there Hokori, not long left…'
'I will stand through this fight,' His mind connected with hers, his thoughts sounding clearly to her as he took a fighting stance, waiting for his next and final opponent. He was tired, he was weakened and his burn still sapped life from him, but he would continue he would prove his worth and fight till the end!
Once the final Pokémon was called out, the battle against time began. Hokori did not wait for Garnet's spoken command; he reacted to her thoughts and body language, burrowing down underground avoiding the quick Overheat from Torkoal. But Torkoal - in return - dodged out of the way of Hokori as he burst from the earth again. For all his tough talk, Hokori was still severely injured and weakened which slowed his reaction time.
Torkoal slammed into Hokori, the powerful Body Slam squishing the Ground-type Pokémon, but Hokori pushed back, scratching at Torkoal in order to get up. Once the opposing Pokémon had allowed him to, Hokori pushed himself up, his movements shaky and his eyes only half open.
"Hokori return, Titan can finish this battle, you don't have to continue!" Garnet tried reasoning with Hokori, but his pride would not allow him to give up, not while he could still stand! Drilling down into the ground one again, Hokori rested for a moment, regaining his equilibrium before encircling Torkoal. Hokori had gained much experience and power from this whole battle, and he pushed every ounce of what he had learned into this attack for he knew it was the last he had the power to muster.
He launched out of the ground, smashing himself into Torkoal, the pair of them stumbling through the air as they collided with one another, Torkoal trying to use another Body Slam and Hokori trying to use Crush Claw. Hokori managed to slam Torkoal down with a powerful claw, a great amount of kinetic energy forcing a perfect indentation of Torkoal to appear around the Pokémon.
Garnet and Flannery waited for the dust to settle to see what had become of the fight. Once the powdery earth had fallen to the ground hazily, the scene was revealed. Both Hokori and Torkoal stood, heaving great pants as they eyed one another, neither willing to give up… both refusing to be the first to collapse.
Against all odds, Hokori still remained standing, his burn worsening but his determination strengthening. Torkoal did not have this kind of steeled will and so gave into fatigue, bowing in defeat to the powerful Hokori.
Moments passed before competitors realized what exactly had happened, then red eyes met amethyst and they both called back their Pokémon, the fight was over and a clear victory had gone to the amazing Sandslash.
"Wow…" Was the first thing Flannery could muster, she had never seen a Pokémon quite like Hokori.
"Wow indeed…" Garnet muttered, staring in awe at the capsule she held, containing a remarkable fighter inside…
Ruby stepped out of the boat, he'd found a fisherman who was more than happy to offer a trip to the edge of Sootopolis in his rowboat. His deep red eyes looked up at the mountain he had to scale in order to gain access to the city, he knew that becoming the best he was capable of would be hard, but did he really have to hike up a mountainside to gain his goals?
Twitch hopped onto the rocks, admiring the lapping waves of the sea, his sparkling brown eyes in awe of the new surroundings - though when he dipped his paw into the water he found it to be much too cold for his liking.
"I guess we best be off…" Ruby murmured after thanking the fisherman and waving him goodbye. "I wonder if the Sootopolis City Gym Leader is really all the coordinator he is made out to be, I guess we'll find out!" He stepped forth, his eyes zeroing in on the easiest route up the white rocky mountainside.
PhantomGalaxy13: By my comment I simply meant that I had limited myself to using Sandslash instead of having the freedom to mix it up a little. Well, here it is! Garnet's fist legit Gym Battle! I honestly couldn't help myself when it came to the bar fight, I just got carried away with it xD! And much like you, I have no idea where this is going, but I'm sure I'll figure it out at some point before this fics end! But well just have to wait and see xD! Until next time keep being wonderful! -Iris
SelasVictoria: Steven takes the fez of shame andd sulks down in the corner, Metagross (wearing a matching but rather larger fez) folds his legs underneath himself as he joins his master in the corner. Maybe he can be a hero next time Garnet plummets into an active volcano xD. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Hopefully at some point i shall sort out the timeline so it should be a little less confusing, but I expect it shall stay confuzzled for some time yet! xD Have a magnificent day! -Iris
DragonMaster136: I'm so glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I hope the future chapters live up to it! Have a lovely day! -Iris
Guest: Iris runs, waving her hand frantically I'm here! I'm here! doubles over and pants from the five seconds of exercise Stuff happened, then I ran smack-BANG into some writers block but eventually clawed through it when a demonic Garnet decided to give me an incentive! But i'm back! Don't know for how long but I'm here now! Glad you like the fic and have a lovely day! -Iris