Magic Knight Pokémon
Chapter 3
Moonlit Conversations
By Wanderer D
"Okay, Ryukari, ready?" Ash asked, holding a piece of paper with some notes on it.
The Charmeleon nodded, a look of concentration skimming its features as it braced itself. In front of him, a few meters away, Hikaru was covered in red energy, twirling around her like flames.
Further away Misty, Brock, Pikachu and Mokona watched, safely covered behind a group of large boulders.
"Here we go then!" Hikaru's hands shone with energy as it concentrated in her palms.
Ryukari started running in a semi circle, as Hikaru ran opposite him. The Magic Knight then started throwing fireballs at him.
"Use Vulcan Gun!" Ash shouted.
Ryukari countered with short and fast bursts of flame, each smashing against the opposing fireball.
The explosions caused dust and smoke to cover the area between them, and it was more difficult to see where the fireballs were coming from. Stealing a quick glance at the piece of paper, Ash returned his concentration to the battle.
"Here it comes..." he murmured to himself as two fireballs sped around each other, bursting out of the smoke screen. "Flame-thrower!" Ash shouted.
Immediately Ryukari burst out with a huge line of flame that crashed into them and made both fireballs explode.
"Firewall!"
"Char!" jumping back, Ryukari used his fiery breath to create a wall of flames between him and the smoke.
"Circle around, Ryukari! And Trample!" Ash commanded, as Hikaru jumped out of the screen.
She stopped short when she faced the firewall and just managed to dodge out of the way as her Charmeleon almost tackled her.
"Fire Rain!" Hikaru shouted, throwing her hand up. A trail of flames followed her movement, and shot into the air. In less than a second, several flame arrows slammed all around Ryukari and Hikaru.
Ryukari managed to shoot down several but was finally subjected to a few hits before managing to get out. Hikaru looked at the Charmeleon as it glared back, breathing heavily.
"Okay, that's enough for now!" Brock said from behind the boulders.
"But we've just started!" Hikaru complained.
"Char!" Ryukari relaxed a bit, but also sounded annoyed.
"Listen, sis." Ash said as Brock and the others approached. "Brock must have a good reason."
"I do." Brock said, standing next to the panting Ryukari. "And this is it, look how hard he is breathing. The stuff you two are coming up with is impressive, Hikaru, but it's too much of a strain for your Charmeleon."
"Char! Char!"
"It's not your fault, Ryukari." Hikaru said. "We have been training for the last three weeks every day. We both need a break." she pulled out the Pokéball and recalled Ryukari.
Brock nodded. "Remember, the key is to exercise properly. There is no point in exhausting yourself."
"It is still amazing," Misty gave Hikaru her backpack. "I never thought you could invent new techniques."
"Well, we are Pokémon Trainers, aren't we?" Hikaru said as she followed the others to the camping area where Mokona's magical cottage waited. "Innovation is the secret to victory!"
Hikaru sat down on the grass and Mokona jumped up to sit on her lap. "Thanks for helping me Ash!" she said as he slumped down in front of her. "You almost got me there."
Ash smiled. "I just treated it like any other Pokémon battle."
Hikaru laughed. "I'll never be as good as you, bro." She fished into her backpack and pulled out the Poké-Egg. "I've felt it tremble a couple of times," she said. "Do you think it's ready?"
Ash shrugged. "Never had a Pokémon from the egg before."
Hikaru sighed. "I hope it comes out soon. I'm really curious!"
"Well, there is no use waiting over an empty stomach!" Brock announced, setting plates in front of everyone. "Dig in!"
"Pika!" Pikachu quickly grabbed a small ball of food in its paws and took a couple of bites. "Chaa!"
As the others followed Pikachu's example, Misty looked at the darkening sky. "We should be out of the Safari zone soon. Maybe we can arrive in Saffron City by tomorrow afternoon."
Ash nodded. "Yes. And the faster we get there the faster I get a Marsh bag!"
Hikaru nodded shaking a fist with barely contained energy. "I'll try to get one myself!"
Misty smiled. "You should get some more Pokémon soon, Hikaru. Koga was okay with you fighting him with Ryukari against only two of his Pokémon, but not all Gym Leaders are going to be that accommodating."
Hikaru sighed. "I know... I know. I just haven't met another Pokémon outside the ones that are with us that has the proper attitude."
Brock shook his head. "Anyway, let's finish eating and go in. We can have an early start tomorrow."
o.0.o
Laying down in her bed, Misty heard Hikaru speaking with Mokona.
"Can you try again, Mokona?"
"Puu... Puu!" The rabbit-like creature said after concentrating for a few moments. It shook its head.
Hikaru sighed. "Thanks, Mokona. I know they'll be all right, I just want to know how they are doing and to let them know I'm okay too."
Misty kept quiet as Hikaru lay down, hugging Mokona. She waited for a few minutes, listening to Hikaru's breathing before finally giving in to sleep.
She woke when she heard the door shut. Wiping her eyes of sleep, she looked outside the round windows of the cottage. Between the curtains, she could see that the dark blue of the sky was receding into rosy purple.
Stretching, she climbed out of her bed, after a moment listening, she concluded that Ash and Brock were still sleeping in their own room.
Hikaru's bed was empty, and the egg was missing. Mokona snored, wrapped in the still warm duvet. Stifling a yawn, Misty walked to the window and opened the curtains. Outside she could see Hikaru placing the Egg close to her as she started early stretching exercises.
Misty sighed and pulled the curtains shot as she changed into normal clothes. As she walked out of her room and into the small living room, she wondered again at the cottage.
True, they had been travelling together since a month or so, and she had spent most of the nights in there, but it never ceased to amaze her.
According to Hikaru, the original cottage had one big bed for her and her friends. But this time, Mokona had managed to produce a cottage with two rooms.
One for the boys and one for the girls.
Misty shook her head. Those two would never stop amazing her.
She broke out of her reverie when she heard the clang of metal against metal.
Running out, she stared at Hikaru as she locked her sword against the sharp blades of a Scyther.
"Hikaru!"
"Stay back!" the pigtailed red-head pushed the bug Pokémon back.
"Scy!" the Pokémon challenged.
Hikaru smiled. "I knew someone had been watching me train every day for the last week. I was wondering when you were going to show up."
The Scyther jumped forward, arching its blades down, but Hikaru's sword stopped them as she blocked. It quickly jumped back and tried a double cut, but Hikaru quickly blocked both attacks.
Misty had watched Hikaru train with her sword. It was something that she had grown used to, as every single morning, without fail, Hikaru would get up early to practice. She had a lot of respect for the dedication and discipline with which Hikaru pursued her objectives.
But, she had never seen her sword-fight. She had heard Ash's account of her battle with Frey, but seeing her fighting for real was completely different.
Hikaru blocked and parried a series of attacks without missing a bit. "Not bad, but you are a hundred years away from being able to beat me."
This seemed to enrage the Scyther, who sent a couple of u-shaped energy rays flying at her. Hikaru just turned aside, letting them pass by her harmlessly.
Before the Scyther could do anything else, she ran incredibly fast and attacked low once, then high, then high again making it step back, trying desperately to block, then spun on her heels, knocking the Scyther's legs from under it with the flat of her blade.
As the Scyther tried to stand up, Hikaru touched its chest with the tip of her blade. The bug Pokémon froze in place, looking at her for a moment, before turning its eyes away. "Scyther!"
Hikaru pulled her blade away, making it disappear into her glove. "That wasn't too bad, Scyther!" Hikaru said, stepping back to give it space.
The Scyther didn't sit up. He kept looking away, dejected.
"Tell you what. I need a good sparring partner to keep my sword-skills in shape. Especially since I know I will meet a nasty enemy in combat again eventually..."
The Scyther looked up at her with interest.
"So, here's the deal." Hikaru pulled out a Pokéball "If you become my Pokémon, I will train you to become stronger. And you can help me improve too."
Misty watched enthralled as the Scyther considered only for a second before nodding. "Scyther!"
Hikaru threw the Pokéballs and the moment it touched the bug Pokémon it went in. The flashing button on the Pokéballs flashed a couple of times, but Scyther made no attempt to escape.
Hikaru picked up the Pokéball with a smile. "Well, you did tell me to get a new Pokémon" she said, looking at Misty with a grin.
o.0.o
"A Scyther, huh?" Ash asked, looking at the Pokéball in front of him. "Nice."
Hikaru smiled producing a bit of flame on the tip of her finger. Mokona's gem glowed a bit, enveloping the fire and a fireball emblem appeared on the Pokéball, glowing with the magic energy of Hikaru's spell.
She had thought about it when Ash had shown her Pikachu's old Pokéball, which had a small lightning bolt on it, and she had worried about ever losing the Pokéballs or having them stolen. With a bit of her magic in them, they would be easy to track. Plus they looked cool.
"Pika!" Pikachu sniffed the Pokéball and looked at Hikaru with a smile.
"Well, that makes it two Pokémon plus the Poké-Egg." Brock said. "When it hatches you will only need three more to have the necessary six to compete in the Pokémon League."
"Puu!" Mokona said as the gem on its forehead gleamed. The cottage turned into energy and was absorbed.
"Mokona is right," Hikaru said, getting up. "We should get going."
"To Saffron City!" Ash shouted.
o.0.o
"Well, it took a bit longer than expected, but, we're finally here." Brock said.
The gang looked around, taking in the sights of Saffron City by night.
"Well, it is certainly bigger than Hopx3" Hikaru said.
Ash sighed. "Okay, I'm off to Saffron Gym. You guys coming?"
Brock and Misty nodded.
"I'll go to the Pokémon Center. I need to check on my new Scyther and on Ryukari before battling anyone." Hikaru said. "Not to mention that Nurse Joy might help me with the Egg."
"Okay! Good luck, sis." Ash said, doing a victory sign. "Next time we meet, I'll have that Marsh Badge."
"Good luck to you too, bro." Hikaru smiled. "I'll get one soon after!"
o.0.o
"Miss Hikaru?" Nurse Joy approached with her two Pokéballs. "Here are your Charmeleon and your Scyther. Make sure you use more protein in your Charmeleon's diet if you are going to push him so hard."
"He's okay, right?" Hikaru asked.
Nurse Joy nodded. "Yes, but you need to let him rest a little more often. Other than that, he's perfectly fine. It shouldn't take long for him to evolve."
Hikaru nodded, putting both Pokéballs on her belt. "How about the Egg?"
"Well, it seems close enough to hatching. It trembles from time to time, which means the Pokémon inside is awakening. Make sure to keep it warm and it should be fine."
Hikaru nodded and followed Nurse Joy to the Incubator section, where she took her egg. "I'll take good care of you."
As she was about to leave the Pokémon Center, a man wearing a cap stopped her.
"You are Hikaru Ketchum, right?"
o.0.o
"What?" Hikaru stood up. "What do you mean my brother got Misty, Brock and Mokona turned into dolls?"
"That's what I said." the man said, making soothing motions with his hands. "Sabrina walloped your brother, and I was only able to get him out."
Hikaru groaned and sat down face in her hands. "Great, just great. Where is he now?"
"Ah... yes. Well, you see, I explained to him that he would need a Ghost Type Pokémon to defeat Sabrina... so he left in search of one."
"He... left." Hikaru sighed. "I assume he is not going too far."
The man shook his head. "No, not at all! It's just a day or so away to get to Lavender Town and the Pokémon Tower. He should be able to find a Ghost Type Pokémon there."
Hikaru shook her head. "I'm going to see Sabrina."
"But... you can't!" the man said. "Sabrina will turn you into a doll too! Her Psychic powers are even stronger than a Pokémon's"
"Well, I can't leave Misty, Brock and Mokona!" Hikaru said. "Maybe my brother is going to get that Ghost Pokémon, and maybe not. There is no harm in checking it out myself."
"I won't be able to help you, or interfere!" the man said as she walked away.
o.0.o
Hikaru walked into Saffron Gym. Some psychic trainers made motions as if to stand in her way, but a glare kept them at bay. Finally, she stood before the doors to the battleground. "Sabrina! Open up!"
The doors shuddered as they opened. Inside, seated on a high chair, with three little dolls, Brock, Misty and Mokona, sat Sabrina.
"I have come for my friends." Hikaru said, glaring at her. "You cannot keep them prisoner."
Sabrina didn't react, looking calmly at her, she just shook her head. "Why? I won against Ash, now I get to keep them."
"Humans are not toys!" Hikaru shouted.
"Are you here to battle me?"
Hikaru hesitated. Could she beat Sabrina? A look of determination crossed her features. "Yes. And I am going to defeat you."
Sabrina nodded and a Pokéball in her belt was surrounded by blue energy as it floated to the middle of the battleground. It released a Kadabra.
Hikaru threw her own Pokéballs, releasing Ryukari.
As they were about to begin, however, a burst of energy covered the room.
Both the trainer and the Gym Leader turned to face the eastern wall as it disappeared in a vortex of energy.
"What is that?" Sabrina asked, as her Pokémon braced itself.
"A portal of some sort!" Hikaru said.
The room shuddered as the vortex started pulling everything inside it.
"Char!" Ryukari was swept of its feat and spiraled into the vortex.
"Ryukari!" Hikaru shouted, pulling out the Charmeleon's Pokéball. However, just before Ryukari went inside the portal, blue energy surrounded him and he remained suspended just in front of it.
Looking around, Hikaru was surprised to see Sabrina and her Kadabra both glowing with blue psychic energy.
"Hurry." Sabrina said.
"Ryukari, return!" Hikaru called. The Pokéball energy shot out and absorbed Ryukari, but the moment Sabrina and Kadabra relaxed their hold, the Vortex increased its power, sweeping them all off their feet and into it.
The vortex remained in place for a few more seconds then disappeared.
o.0.o
"Puu! Puu!"
Hikaru opened her eyes. She was floating on her back over a blue-black reflective surface that resembled water. Above her she could see a titanic sized full moon, radiating soft blue-white light.
Next to her, still unconscious floated Sabrina, and her Kadabra, along with the Brock and Misty dolls.
Mokona was floating next to her, smiling. "Puu!"
"Mokona?" Hikaru tried to sit up, and her body just rotated until she was facing upwards. "What happened? Where are we?"
A groan made her look at Sabrina, as she opened her eyes and looked around, her body slowly rotating to a standing position, just like Hikaru's.
"It seems the vortex sucked us into it." Sabrina said, looking around. With a thought, Kadabra went back into its Pokéball.
Hikaru watched Sabrina as she picked up the Brock and Misty dolls, putting them safely inside a bag.
"I thought you were a doll too." Sabrina said looking at Mokona, a look of mild curiosity and annoyance flashed through her face before returning to her composed calm.
"Puu! Pupuu!" Mokona said, jumping in the empty air to land on Sabrina's lap, who now looked a bit surprised.
"Mokona seems to like you." Hikaru said. "I guess you must be a good person underneath that uninterested façade."
"Façade?"
Hikaru ignored her. "So, Mokona, what do you make of this?"
"Puu! Puu Puu!"
"Great... another dimensional jump." Hikaru shook her head. "Are we close to Earth? Pokéworld? Cephiro?"
"Another?" Sabrina asked.
"Puuuuu... Puu!"
"Really?" Hikaru's eyes went wide as she floated closer to Sabrina and Mokona. "Can... can you try and contact Guru Clef?"
Mokona nodded and jumped off of Sabrina's lap.
Sabrina watched with interest as Mokona's gem flashed and projected a screen of light in the air.
A young man with lavender hair and a golden crown with a crystal appeared on the screen, looking surprised.
"Guru-Clef!" Hikaru shouted floating in front of the screen.
Sensing the distress in the dolls, Sabrina pulled them out, knowing that they could see and hear what was happening. They quieted down when they saw the man on the screen.
"Hikaru!" Guru-Clef shouted. Sabrina could hear several other voices echoing behind the man. He was pushed aside by a voluptuous tanned woman wearing nothing more than a silk bikini. "Hikaru! You had us worried!"
"Caldina!" Hikaru ginned as she was pushed aside by a series of people. "Ascot, Presea, Ferio..." she could feel tears brimming in her eyes. "I've missed you guys..."
They were all pushed aside by Guru-Clef, who glared at them. "I'm glad you are okay, Hikaru and that you were able to contact us." he said.
"Where are Umi and Fuu?"
Guru Clef looked away for a moment. "They both were lost. The same force that sent you off-course threw them away from Cephiro."
"Oh no..." Hikaru collected herself as Guru Clef sighed. "Any idea where they ended up?"
Guru Clef shook his head. "Not at this time. As it is, I'm surprised you managed to contact us in just a couple of hours."
Hikaru blinked. "What do you mean? I have been in this world for a few months already!"
Guru Clef thought for a moment. "Well... when you visited our world before, you said that no time had passed on Earth. Maybe it is the same for them."
Hikaru nodded. "That makes sense. But we need to find them. Do you know if they came to the same world as I did?"
"I doubt it. If you all had gone in roughly the same direction…" Clef shook his head. "Even then, direction has no real meaning in these circumstances. First we must concentrate on getting you out of where you are now." He paused and concentrated "Hikaru, I have sensed a great psychic power close to you..." Clef said.
"That would be me." Sabrina said, approaching Hikaru.
Guru Clef nodded. "I am amazed at your skill and level of power..."
"Sabrina." the Gym Leader said, acknowledging Guru Clef's compliment. "And I have to compliment you as well. I have never felt such a strong amount of self-control and discipline. I can sense psychic ability and energies similar to those in Hikaru."
Guru Clef smiled as Presea and Hikaru stared alternately from Guru Clef to Sabrina. "Well, Sabrina, if you ever decide to visit Cephiro, I am in need of an apprentice..."
"Guru Clef!" Hikaru and Presea looked at him.
Guru Clef blushed slightly. "Sorry." He coughed into his hand. "We will discuss this later."
To Hikaru's surprise, Sabrina was also blushing slightly.
"What I originally intended to say is this; Hikaru, there is an interfering Magic that prevents me from bringing you here, to Cephiro, but, if Sabrina can use her Psychic power to teleport, I can boost it so that you will go back to the world you were in before."
Sabrina nodded. "I can do that. I had contemplated the option, but I doubted that I could pull it off with my power alone, even without Hikaru and the others."
Hikaru felt something and pulled off her back pack. "Wait a minute guys..."
She pulled out the Poké-Egg, which was twitching. She could feel soft taps from the inside.
"It's about to hatch!" Hikaru shouted.
"I've never seen a Pokémon hatching before." Sabrina said, looking at the egg with undisguised interest.
Hikaru was surprised at the change that the Gym Leader had gone through, but she was more worried about her new Pokémon
"What do we do?" Hikaru asked Sabrina, who shook her head.
"Wait! Monster being born! Out of the way! Out of the way!" both girls turned to see Ascot leaning over Guru-Clef, pushing the Archmage down to get a better look.
Guru-Clef looked disgruntled and annoyed, but was unable to say anything as everyone crowded on the screen, trying to see.
Sabrina smiled and started laughing, and Hikaru was hard pressed not to follow suit.
"Any ideas Ascot?" Hikaru asked the tall young man.
Pushing his bangs and over-sized hat out of the way, Ascot considered the egg. "There's not much to do Hikaru. Make sure to let the monster break through on its own, and let it break all the big pieces, you can take the little ones off afterwards."
And so it was, that, floating over the still, reflective inter-dimensional waters, and bathed in the light of the full moon, Hikaru's Poké-Egg finally hatched.
Everyone stared at the quadruped creature as it jumped out of the remains of the egg. "Eeve!"
"Amazing..." Sabrina said.
"How cute!" Presea and Caldina said as Hikaru looked at her newest Pokémon with pride.
"It's an Evee!" She said, picking it up.
"Puu! Puu!" Mokona said, jumping up and down happily.
"What kind of monster is that?" Ascot asked, but was pushed back by Guru Clef.
"Enough. We are running out of time, I'm sure Hikaru will be more than happy to tell us all about her adventures when she gets back."
Hikaru nodded.
"I am ready, Guru-Clef." Sabrina said, nodding.
"We will see you soon, Hikaru!" Caldina said with echoing agreement from the others.
"Take care, everyone! If Umi or Fuu are here, I will find them!" Hikaru said. She took out a Pokéball and looked down at Evee. "I'll put you in here for now, be patient."
As the Pokémon disappeared, Clef started casting his spell. Sabrina began concentrating, and blue energy surrounded all of them, increasing in tempo with Clef's spell.
o.0.o
They appeared inside a large warehouse in the middle of a group of Team Rocket members in the process of loading a van with expensive-looking equipment.
"What the hell?" several members asked, taking out their Pokéballs
"I know her! She's Sabrina, from the Gym!" one woman shouted, pointing at them.
A deafening roar made all of them look up. Standing on the rails overlooking the ground level of the warehouse, stood Frey.
Sabrina gasped in horror at the sight of the creature. "Hikaru, the energies surrounding that thing... it's what stopped Guru-Clef from getting you back!"
Hikaru growled. "Frey, you bastard! I knew you had something to do with me being here!"
Frey grinned as the Team Rocket members formed a circle around Hikaru and Sabrina. "I never thought you would be able to come back from the gap in worlds. But now that you are here, I can take care of you once and for all. Get them!"
The Team Rocket members called out their Pokémon Hikaru and Sabrina did likewise, the first keeping Evee in its Pokéball and allowing Mokona to jump into her backpack.
"Ryukari! Vulcan Cannon!" Hikaru shouted, pointing at several approaching Pokémon and TR members.
"Char!" fireballs bombarded a large group of Pokémon scattering them, and in some instances even knocking them unconscious.
"Scyther! Swords Dance, then Quick Attack!"
"Scy!" Several other Pokémon were the victims of Scyther's blades.
Sabrina silently commanded her Kadabra as it threw some Pokémon around, and put others to sleep. She watched, amazed as Hikaru was surrounded by flames that became a red and gold armour. Her senses were overwhelmed by the power that Hikaru emanated and the power of her will.
The TR members were falling back when Frey landed in the midst of battle, behind Ryukari, sword raised.
"Ryukari!" Hikaru shouted, sword materializing as she ran towards Frey.
The Charmeleon was just turning around when the sword came down, but it didn't touch him.
Frey grunted as pale blue energy kept his hands up against his will. He turned around and pointed his crystal hand at Sabrina, shooting out a black ray.
Hikaru parried it with her sword and it exploded against the roof. The shrapnel crashed next to the van. The distraction proved enough for Ryukari to run out of the way.
Frey glared at Hikaru. "Get the van out of here." he growled at the cowering TR members.
A pair of them jumped in and drove away, leaving the rest behind to deal with the Pokémon, Frey, Hikaru and Sabrina.
"Ryukari! Firewall!" Hikaru shouted as she ran straight at Frey. "Get those Team Rocket losers out of our way!"
Ryukari growled and dodged past his master as her sword arched straight towards Frey's neck.
The Charmeleon stood in front of Sabrina, Kadabra and Scyther, letting loose a long flame that made the TR members jump back as the wall of flames burnt whoever was foolish enough to remain in place.
The TR members took a look at the battle between Frey and Hikaru and, after sharing looks, decided to turn tail and run, leaving the victorious group to watch the battle unfold.
"This time I'm not pulling my punches, Frey!" Hikaru jumped back, her sword sliding out of the lock with Frey's, pointing her hand at him, she shouted, "Red Lightning!"
A ball of energy so deeply red it seemed black in the middle slammed into Frey's stomach. With a howl of pain, the anthropomorphic monster lashed back with his sword as his crystal hand glowed red.
"That hurt, bitch!" Frey spread his crystal claws in her direction. "Take it back, with interest!"
Hikaru's eyes opened wide as the crystal hand released the magic back at her.
"Char!" Ryukari suddenly appeared next to her, releasing a continuous torrent of fire, trying to fight back the magic energy.
"Ryukari!" Hikaru swung her sword at the approaching missile.
Frey, Sabrina and the Pokémon had to shield their eyes as light exploded out from the explosion.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Frey teleported out.
"Hikaru!" Sabrina shouted, running towards the smoking blast area.
She stopped when she saw a large figure.
Hikaru was on her knees, breathing heavily. A trickle of blood dripped from her temple, and she was using her sword to remain upright. Over and around her, also heavily singed and slightly bleeding crouched a Charizard, covering her protectively with its wings.
Sabrina gazed in awe at the Charizard. It was bigger than most of the Charizards she had seen before, it had slightly darker skin with darker red tiger stripes on its back and wings.
Hikaru let out a long breath and looked up, her face lighting up into a smile. "Congratulations, Ryukari."
Ryukari roared and grinned down at his master.
o.0.o
"Why don't you release Brock and Misty?" Hikaru asked Sabrina as they appeared in Saffron Gym.
Sabrina held up a hand, and the two dolls were teleported elsewhere.
"At this point... they would have been more of a hindrance than help." the Gym Leader said. "And Ash Ketchum still has to prove himself in battle. I know he will be back soon."
"I don't like it, leaving them as dolls..."
"I know. But if he is going to fight me seriously, he needs incentive." Sabrina went to the side of the stadium and opened a hidden safe. Pulling out a small object, she gave it to Hikaru.
The Magic Knight looked at the object in her palm. "A Marsh Badge?"
Sabrina nodded. "You deserve it; you just need a bit more practice at commanding Pokémon."
Hikaru nodded and smiled in thanks, then sighed. "I need to get my Pokémon to the Pokécenter. I guess I'll see you around, right?"
As she turned to go, Sabrina took her hand, stopping her. "You know... we have facilities here to take care of Pokémon… and I have a guest room... maybe we could talk if you stay?"
"Isn't Ash going to freak out if he sees you smiling?" Hikaru asked, stopping and smiling at Sabrina.
"Maybe," the Gym Leader said, pulling Hikaru by the hand. "But I can go back to an unemotional state. You just made it harder to do so."
"I guess I can stay the night." Hikaru said. "Provided you get some food for Mokona and me, I'm starving!" She winked.
"That can be arranged." Sabrina said. "Now, let me show you the guest room."
Hikaru leaned against the entrance of the Saffron Gym, waiting.
"Hikaru!" Ash shouted as he ran up to her.
"Ash!" she leaned forward and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Why the hell did you leave me here?"
Ash looked at her panicked for a moment. "I thought you fought Sabrina and had lost!"
He pointed at the man with the cap. "He said you went in yesterday and didn't come out. I thought the worst."
Hikaru growled, and Ash took a step back. "Proves how much you two know." she opened her badge box and showed it to them.
"A Marsh bag?" Ash shouted, while the man stared openly at her. "How?"
"I went in when you were not here. Guess you'll never find out."
"Where are Misty and Brock?"
Hikaru sighed. "Sabrina would not turn them back to normal. You have to win for that to happen, bro."
Ash nodded. "I will! And Hikaru... I'm sorry about running out on you without warning."
Hikaru smiled, petting his head. "That's all I wanted to hear. Let's go in."
o.0.o
Hikaru watched the battle end with mild amusement. "Well, that was easier than expected." she said with a smile, walking up to Sabrina and the group.
Sabrina still laughed whenever Haunter did strange faces.
"You..." Misty growled. "You should have let us go!" she glared at Sabrina, who laughed a bit. "I'm sorry, I know it was a bit cruel to keep you two in that room, but at least I turned you back to normal, didn't I?"
"And the food was good." Brock said. "I for one am glad that this is all over."
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed as Sabrina gave Ash his Marsh Badge.
"We should be going," Ash said. "We have still more places to visit."
"Then, here is something for you, Sabrina." Hikaru said, pulling an egg-shaped object out of her pocket. She gave it to Sabrina, who looked at the red and white designs and the small gem in wonder.
"What is it, Hikaru?"
"It is a communicator. I asked Mokona to give me one for you. It will allow you to talk to me whenever you want... and when this is all over, Guru-Clef will be able to call you through that too."
"Guru-Clef?" Ash asked Misty, who shook her head.
"It's going to take a while to tell you the whole story." she said. "I barely understand what's happening myself."
"Thank you Hikaru!" Sabrina hugged the redhead, who returned the hug.
Ash and Sabrina's dad looked at them completely bewildered.
"I'll see you again!" Hikaru said as they parted.
"I know you will." Sabrina nodded.
She watched Ash and co. walk out of as the young Master in training asked his elder sister what had happened in his absence.
"Will you tell me what that was all about?" her dad asked.
"Haunter!" the Ghost Pokémon agreed, looking intrigued.
"I'll tell you a bit, dad." Sabrina said with a slight smile, "Just a bit of how Hikaru and I became friends."
End Chapter 3