Chapter 3: Rooftop Battle Pt. 1

The Pokémon center was busy as it always was but it seemed to be busier thanks to the parade that was being held and the vast number of trainers and guests that arrived in town just for this special event. The nurses working the center were busy tending to wearied Pokémon.

Most of the patrons in the center were of the younger generation with the exception of just a few older and perhaps more experienced trainers. A couple of the boy trainers were arguing over whose Pokémon would win in a battle while others yet discussed the next battle they would have with Sabrina.

The younger girls were discussing topics such as the latest fashion accessories to make their own Pokémon the cutest one ever while the older girls watched on in amusement at the vigor of the other trainers. Hardly anyone noticed the tall blond trainer with muddy clothes entering the relief center who paced quite swiftly to the front reception desk.

"Excuse… me…" the trainer spoke in between great huffs and puffs of air.

"I'm sorry. We're extremely busy. Could you wait for just a moment?" the reply from the sweet nurse chimed back to the seemingly exhausted boy. "We have to deal with emergencies and extreme…"

"Listen! This is extremely important! Have you seen anyone by the name Vivian perhaps come through here today? She's…ummm…about yea tall with shoulder length brunette hair with a circular shaped white hat and…"

"Sir…we've dealt with countless number of trainers today. And…" the nurse paused as her gaze fell down to the recent sticky note attached to the desk. She read the small note and disappeared behind the desk as she squatted down to retrieve something from behind the desk. She popped up seconds later with a beige colored travel bag and set it down on the counter.

The trainer's eyes widened as he recognized the bag as belonging to Vivian but he started to pray that he was mistaken and that this was not her bag after all. The nurse unzipped a side pocket and produced a small portable PokéDex and continued to open it up.

"This unit belongs to the trainer 'Vivian Marie' and is proof of the earned rank of a Pokémon trainer…"

The nurse shut the device down and looked up at the trainer. "Does that name ring a bell?"

"Umm…Perhaps…Can I look inside the bag for just a moment?" he asked as his voice shook and quivered so suddenly from what it had been before.

"I can't do that unless you are family, a close relative, or are Vivian herself…"

"This is a matter of her life being in danger!" With the raised tone of his voice the Center soon began to fill with an unearthly hush as now many of the other trainers noticed the commotion occurring at the front desk. He glanced around briefly realizing that he raised up unwanted alarm and turned back to the nurse with a much less frantic and hushed tone of voice. "I need to see the contents of her bag to see if this is really belongs to the girl I'm thinking of."

The nurse thought for a moment and then pushed forward the bag for the boy to look through. "It was brought here about an hour ago with a note for the person looking for the girl named Vivian." She reached for the sticky note and flipped it over and handed it to the blond male who seemed to lose the color from his face quicker than syrup running off a plate.

His head jolted back and forth as his eyes read the note etched on the back of the sticky note. He glanced up and as he spoke his hand clenched the paper into a tiny wade of nothingness. "What did the girl look like? You remember?"

"Umm…I don't know really. I think that she was kind of short but, you know, chubby or uh…built. She had brunette hair and many different highlights that actually made her look quite attractive and beautiful. I'd say she was in her late teens…"

"C-r-a-p!" he whispered forcefully under his breath. "Thanks for your help. I have to leave, now!" he grabbed the bag and took off running out of the center leaving the nurse and those nearby most perplexed by his sudden leave.

"Your welcome…I think…" the confused nurse replied as she began to busy herself with her overwhelming load of work.

As he reached the outdoors, the blond trainer slung the bag over his shoulder and reached for a Pokéball as he ran westward. The small, spherical object swirled in the air as it was tossed upward and suddenly exploded in a brilliant flash of light and the silhouette of a Dragonair became visible until it finally took physical form. The glimmer of the light purple Pokémon went practically unnoticed as it flew next to its master before he leapt up allowing the Dragonair to catch him and carry him aloft.

"Dragonair, looks like we are going to go visit an old friend." The emphasis on the word friend escaped his lips through clenched teeth as his body convulsed in a sudden shudder as the name of the person rang through his mind and polluted both it like a poison. His fist clenched as he shook his head attempting to cast away the feeling. But despite his efforts, the memories that they had once shared assailed his memories once more and he could not help but echo her name. Maranda - Mandi… If it is you, then it's time I settle it once and for all. I cannot handle being hurt by you again. And may God help me if he is there with you…


On the roof of the shopping mall high aloft several stories up on its small plateau in the nearby city of Celadon stood a young woman whose short highlighted brunette hair waved gently with the breeze of the higher altitude winds. She lifted her hand up to her face and tossed a wayward strand of hair from her eyes as she kept watch for her guest. A quick glance at her watch revealed that it had been nearly two hours since he had arrived in Saffron. It would not be much longer.

And as if right on que, she looked toward the city off in the distance and saw approaching in a rapid pace a shiny Dragonair and the guest whom she had been waiting for sitting on top of the Pokémon.

"There you are…" she whispered while she smiled slightly.

Meanwhile Aiden was frantically searching from his high vantage point the location he received when he was suddenly alerted by his Pokémon to the lone figure standing on the roof of the Celadon City market.

"That's her… Put me down right across from her," Aiden ordered with his tone of voice more strained from his usual relaxed tone. Just seeing her brought back so many memories that he had sealed away ever since… Focus, Aiden. Don't let her get to you.

As it was instructed, the Dragonair soared around the building and hovered its master over to the opposite end of the roof and the opposite end of the stair tower. At just the right moment and height, Aiden leapt from off his seat on his Pokémon and landed on the roof with the grace and ease that he had taken a long time to master. He slowly rose from his kneeling position and recalled his Dragonair to its ball. His eyes immediately locked on with the short brunette standing directly across from him.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Maranda spoke in a somewhat cheerful tone.

"Where is she?" Aiden asked coldly as he narrowed his eyes on the girl. With a quick shift of his eyes, he scanned the rooftop for any indication that Vivian was here but he found none.

"What are you talking about? Who?" Maranda replied feigning ignorance and shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. She smiled sweetly and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Aiden lowered his head and snarled a bit from her mocking reply. She knew exactly who he was talking about and knew exactly where she was. "Where's Vivian? What did you do with her?"

"Ooo. Now, now. There's no need to shout at me. Is that anyway to treat your old girlfriend?" Maranda lifted her right hand to her lips and kissed her fingers and then blew her air kiss in his direction.

"I am in no mood to play games with you. One of the reasons that I came is so that we can settle our differences and that you can stay out of my life. I don't know why you left me for him, but…"

"I did not leave you!" interrupted the raised voice of the female. "It was a decision made by both of us. Don't you dare try to put this on me! Things weren't working out between us. We both had our doubts. It was a good decision for both of us."

"'A good decision'? You shattered my heart! Whether you believe it or not, men do have feelings. But almost as soon as you left me, almost immediately you started to date… that… that bastard!" Aiden spoke that last word through clenched teeth unable to summon up enough respect to speak the name.

The image of the one whom Aiden spoke about flashed in his mind. His features had never been what many people would consider handsome and Aiden had been told that by countless numbers of people. His nose protruded from his face and the way he hunched over made him resemble a lazy pot-bellied bear. And when he walked, he looked like a wounded penguin trying to stay upright. What this girl saw in him was something not apparent on the outside.

"How dare you say that about him! You only say that because you're jealous!"

"Yeah? Jealous of what? Jealous of some coward who doesn't even have the guts to talk to me himself? Jealous of the way he hurts other people without regard? Of cutting them down with hurtful remarks and reducing them to a level below himself just so he can feel good about himself? Jealous of the way he lied to our faces? Maranda, you have given him way too many chances. And for the one time that I lied to you he has done it more times than you can count. Are those the qualities that draws you to a man, if you could call him that? Is that something that you want to live with for the rest of your life? Ohh, I am sooo jealous."

"He is so much more than that! I've seen a side of him that is loving and compassionate. He's been so careful when you're around…"

"Really? And when I'm not around?" Aiden counted as he raised an eyebrow. "I'm no fool. I knew what you two did that you thought that I didn't see. I should have done something about it. But I just let it go until I finally left our group once and for all."

"I don't think you quite realize how much you hurt Jon's feelings when you left our group." Maranda, now quite calmed down from earlier, sighed a great sigh of heaviness as the weight of the memory sat upon her shoulders.

I… don't believe it! She's sticking up for that bastard's feelings! What about my own! To be used everyday as her shield from the watchful eyes of the authorities… Whatever calming feelings that had settled over the blond man were suddenly washed away with an intense feeling of being completely deserted.

"What about me? How do you think I felt when you two would do your little escapades?"

"We never did anything in front of you!" Maranda argued raising her voice from her once calmed tone.

That's a lie. Aiden countered mentally swallowing those words down along with the saliva that had gathered in his mouth.

"We were very careful in front of you and we never did anything when you were with us!" Maranda eyed him carefully watching his body language trying to determine what he would try to do, if anything.

That is a load of bull-crap and you know it! Aiden gritted his teeth and held his tongue back from reverberating his thoughts so much that he tasted in his mouth a liquidy iron taste. Gaining his thoughts once more and recomposing himself, Aiden spoke his next words with much delicacy and serenity.

"If you truly were that careful around me and cared about me, then what about this: you once told me that we'd always love each other and be there for each other; you once told me that you cared deeply for me; tell me this, do you care at all about what happens to me or what I do?" Aiden choked his words out through slightly watered eyes. The words almost hurt to speak them but the answer would probably hurt even more; however, he had to know.

A moment of silence passed between the pair for the first time since Aiden's arrival. A draft of wind glazed over the plateau that composed the roof of that building sending small leaves aloft as the questions asked were mulled over in the mind of his former girlfriend. If she was trying to fake an answer by stalling for time, it was working.

"I don't care what you do. It's your decision and your life and I'm not going to stand in your way." If losing the love of his life was not enough, the knowledge that she cared nothing for him or his well being crushed what remained of his still fragile and wounded heart.

A sniffle was retracted by the blond followed by a labored sigh as he finally learned the truth about his situation and how much the time he and Maranda had spent together really mattered to her.

"I see… So after everything we've been through as a couple, after all the time and money I sacrificed for your sake you still care nothing for me…" Aiden remarked as his head bowed lower and lower, his hat covering his eyes.

"Yeah…" came the answer as she looked at Aiden with somewhat of indifference towards him.

There are hardly any words that can describe what exactly it feels like to know that you are truly alone but Aiden felt the full weight of it. But on top of that, to feel rejection from one who had been so close… Aiden closed his eyes and they soon began to water once more when suddenly his mind clicked with a sudden thought and his eyes flashed open. His hands clenched into fists as he said, "Then none of my decisions matter to you?"

"No. Like I said: I don't care what you do." Maranda repeated.

"Very well. Then stand there while I eliminate your memory from my mind!" Aiden's hand reached for one of his Pokéballs and tossed it right at Maranda. A flash of light engulfed the area between the two and the form of Dragonair came hurdling through the air. "Fire Blast!"

The Pokémon reeled its head back and then shot its head forward as it released an intense burst of flames right at the female opponent. The distance between the attack and the girl closed almost as rapidly as it had existed and the assaulting flames passed over her body and engulfed her in an intense spray of flame and intolerable heat. With such an intense burst of heat it was difficult to keep one's eyes open. Sweat just oozed from every pore of the body as the heat radiated the air of that roof plateau. But something was not right. The flames seemed to be spreading out too much.

"No… Something's not right…" Aiden murmured to himself. Suddenly, the flaming aura that surrounded the girl was torn apart in a sphere passing the remaining flames harmlessly to the side and revealing in the midst the unscathed form of Maranda. "Wait! But how…?" His eyes then lowered to her legs where the pink, fluffy form of a Clefairy stood grinning with its little fingers on either side of its head.

"Hmm. I see. So you summoned that creature just in time for it to use its Protect defense to deflect my attack," Aiden said as he looked on in mild amusement.

The brown-haired female shook her head. "No, that's not it. Clefairy has the special ability to negate any attack that is fired from a distance. So your attack was rendered useless; although, you did almost catch me off guard."

"Then allow me to do it again. Dragonair, Double Team and Agility!" Obediently the dragon Pokémon split itself into multiple copies each of which quickly phased out of view and alternated positions as it neared Maranda and her Pokémon. The combination of the two attacks made it nearly impossible to track which image of Dragonair was the real one. "Now, Iron Tail!"

Every copy of the shiny Pokémon descended upon the pink fluff with their tails' glowing and pointed for the take down of the opponent.

"Minimize!" came the cry from the female and she jumped back slightly.

Aiden swore under his breath just as the Iron Tail attacks connected with the building shaking it with the ferociousness of the assault. Debris scattered into the air along with an impenetrable shroud of dust and smoke making the outcome of the attack unclear. A gust of wind then began to sweep away the veil revealing a single Dragonair with the top of its tail impaled into the building and the Clefairy nowhere in sight.

"Now use Double Slap!"

The Clefairy grew back to normal size appearing off to the side of the crater and leapt up and began to severely beat the dragon Pokémon with its bare hands. Its nails raked several time across the shiny leaving slight furrows as the rapid assault continued.

"It'll take more than that to beat us," Aiden boasted.

"Okay… How 'bout this? Metronome!"

"What? It knows that move!"

Backing off from its attack and leaping back to its trainer's side, the small two foot Pokémon began waving its hands back and forth which soon began to glow. In fact, its whole body began to glow as if powering up for an attack. A passing cloud that had momentarily blocked out the sun was now passed engulfing the Clefairy in the sun's light.

"It's a…"

"Solarbeam!" Maranda finished triumphantly upon seeing her good fortune with the manifestation of such a good random move.

"Protect! Now!" Aiden yelled out to his Pokémon. Only a couple of meters separated Dragonair from the imminent attack that if hit head on directly could have unpleasant results. The blue formation of the Protect defense began to fizzle into place, but the distance was too close for it to fully form. The attack of the Solarbeam sizzled the weak defense and slowly broke through it, and though the strength of the attack had been reduced it still had great impact at such a close range.

Dragonair's tail was stuck no longer in the building for once the attack hit its body it was wrenched backward toward its master as it reeled in pain as much as the distance that closed between the Iron Tail crater and its master. The creature landed with a thud as it skidded close enough to Aiden where he could run a few meters to his fallen comrade.

"Are you all right?" Aiden knelt down and lifted up the head of his Pokémon up into his arms gingerly. Though it had taken a direct, nearly full power blast from the Solarbeam, the dragon Pokémon still had the energy and will to fight. It slowly began to rise up to face the opponent once more but its progress was hindered by the hand of its master holding it back and by his now calm voice. "No, wait…"

The Pokémon glanced into the eyes of its trainer and trilled as it seemed to ask why.

"I have a feeling that I might need you later so conserve your energy. And besides, this Pokémon here," Aiden said taking out a small sphere which pulsated and glowed with a red hue, "Is just itching for a fight."

With a respectful nod, the shiny Dragonair understood what was required of it. As it floated to a watchful position behind his trainer Aiden stood to his feet and regarded his opponent with renewed passion in his eyes.

"I must admit. That was a fairly good move. I see that you've been training since we went our separate ways."

"You got that right. And we're just getting started," Maranda replied giving her opponent a wink.

"So am I!"

A bright flash and a moment later and the form of a bipedal lizard with a flaming tail entered the battle stage. Its orange skin shimmered and glowed not only because of the sunlight but also because it was natural. Shiny Charmeleon was once again called upon for battle and it tensed with the anticipation of pre-battle drama. He narrowed his eyes and flexed its muscles and began to growl ferociously at both Clefairy and Maranda.

"What is this? Why are your Pokémon colored differently? That won't help you 'ya know!"

Aiden could not help but scoff at her ignorance, but then again, she never really was as intelligent as himself so it was understandable to a certain degree. Only a few people even know about shiny Pokémon and even fewer still have ever seen one in person. One would be extremely lucky to even get a glimpse of a shiny. They were almost as rare as some of the legendary Pokémon, perhaps, even more so!

The blond was about to just attack and ignore her comment but a scheme began to take formation in his mind. Maybe I can play off her ignorance. As a devious smile formed across his lips he chose his next words carefully with a calm tone of great seriousness.

"You're wrong! It will help me more than you know! These are rare Shiny Pokémon and they are endowed with powers far greater than their non-shiny relatives."

"You're bluffing," Maranda said blowing off his words like nothing. "I took down your Dragonair, no problem!"

"After taking a direct Solarbeam attack, most other normal Pokémon would have been knocked out completely. But mine is still able to fight."

"Then why not let it fight?" came the sneering question.

"Because our friend here, Charmeleon, was burning up so much with a passion to fight you that his Pokéball started glowing." Aiden shrugged his shoulders. "I've never heard of anything like that before; that is, until I came across these Shinies. You are way out of your league."

Charmeleon began to glow with a reddish-orange hue as its body became surrounded in an aura of flames. It flexed its muscles and huffed two pillars of fire from its nostrils. As it narrowed its eyes at its opponent the flame on its tail suddenly began to increase in both size and intensity.

"Don't believe me? Then just try me," Aiden jeered.

"I… I still don't believe you," the girl replied, though her voice did not reflect the conviction of her words.

"Well then… Come on and find out!"

Maranda was still not convinced of what he had said, however, she was no fool. She was frozen in thought over what to do. If he was telling the truth then perhaps she really was out of her league. But on the other hand, if he was lying then the only way to prove it was to attack. Surviving a near direct hit from a Solarbeam, a glow Pokéball simply because of an excited Pokémon — fact was, these creatures frightened her. And the way that his Charmeleon exuded such power and strength now was intimidating to say the least. She turned her head off to the side trying to avoid eye contact with the fire lizard. Clefairy turned around and gave a small cry as if to ask what's wrong.

"If you won't come, then I will!"

The shiny Charmeleon charged for Maranda and for her Clefairy both of whom were caught off guard. No countermeasure could be taken in order to avoid the imminent strike from the fire lizard. It raised its claws for the striking blow when suddenly a blast of water shot out from an aerial angle behind and above Maranda which was aimed straight at Charmeleon. The creature saw the incoming blast and managed to slow its momentum enough to side leap backwards high into the air. As Charmeleon was still in the air the blast of water followed him and was threatening to drench its flame tail in a torrent of chilling water. The lizard opened its mouth and let loose a flame attack at the water blast to keep it far enough away from its tail. Steam began to fill the air shrouding the area and preventing anyone from clearly determining the outcome. However, the silhouettes of Charmeleon, its attack, and the water attack could still be seen. The flame burst from Charmeleon and the water blast from the unknown source fought for control but just as it seemed like the flame would win out the water source increased in size forcing the still aerial Charmeleon backwards through the air far enough to where it would no longer land on the roof. As the water attack decreased in intensity Charmeleon began to descend and accelerate down towards the ground.

"No! Charmeleon! Dragonair, get him!" Aiden stretched his hand outward to where he saw the descending form of his Pokémon commanding his Dragonair to save it. He won't be able to survive such a fall! Aiden expected to feel a rush wind from his Pokémon swooping down to obey his order, but he felt nothing. "Dragonair…!" He turned around and paused as his eyes began to comprehend the scene behind him.

Dragonair struggled to maintain a Protect spell between itself and a water attack from the same unknown source that was aimed at its master. The familiar blue hue from the Protect spell glowed brightly as it held the attack at bay. And just as before, the water attack doubled in size and intensity driving the dragon Pokémon back inch by inch. The pressure of so much water was beginning to take its toll on the Protect spell evidenced by the blue hue beginning to slowly fade.

"Wait! What's this?" Aiden said in a stupor-like tone. "What's going on?"

The Dragonair turned back slightly and trilled. Suddenly, a soothing yet strained male voice began to speak from out of Aiden's inner short sleeved coat pocket. It came from his specialized PokéDex. "Isn't it obvious, sir? If I left your side to save Charmeleon then they would have attacked you and you would have met the same fate as our friend."

"Dragonair…" Aiden fell to his knees and gripped the clothing that covered them. "I… I told you to save him! Why didn't you?"

"Because… your life was in danger, sir."

"That's no excuse! You could have saved him and me, if necessary!" Aiden yelled.

"I… I don't think I could have… That attack earlier did more damage than I thought. I could have only saved one of you. And if while I was trying to save Charmeleon you perished, then I would have failed you. It was thanks to you that I'm still here and I will not allow you to come to harm. And I will risk my own life for you just like you did for me in the Safari Zone."

Aiden froze. That's right. I did save him, didn't I. He recalled the danger he went through as a young teenager to see the then Dratini to safety. He had risked his life to save Dratini against some of the more aggressive Pokémon in the Zone. Ever since that time, the pair had been inseparable. That act of selflessness must have made a bigger impression on Dragonair then Aiden had thought.

"You're right…" Aiden stammered.

"Don't forget that we have a new ally!" Dragonair reminded.

"Yeah, I remember." The boy kept his head bowed low as he slowly reached for the brim of his cap.

"Are you ready, boss?"

"Hmph. Like you even need to ask. Let's take them down together!" As Aiden stood to his feet he turned his hat around backwards so that the brim of it was on the back of his head. This fight was now serious.