Author's notes: The final chapter of Fear, Itself. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far! More to come soon! I'll have an author's note about a certain part of this chapter in the next story! It's been pretty quiet in the feedback section. Are you liking it? Hating it? Want to see it go in another direction? Let me know!
Thanks for reading! ~ Arina
Fear, Itself
Chapter 3
By Arina Ketchum
They stayed one more night at Lavender Town's Pokemon Center and then headed for Saffron. By then, Arina was relatively herself once again, although a bit quieter than usual.
They met several trainers on the road, even had lunch with some of them. They took turns battling, as they went, Arina losing both her battles, Rob and Jon winning their double battle, along with Angel winning hers.
"Don't sweat it, Rin," Jon said sympathetically, "you know Angel and I have been training for five years."
"But I grew up around Pokemon," Arina said with distress. "Tell me you didn't see me freeze up when that guy called out his Blastoise!"
"Arina, you're still a green trainer. Take it easy on yourself," Angel said.
"Just because you've lived around Pokemon your entire life doesn't mean you've been training that long. Besides, Rob grew up on a Pokemon research ranch and he's as green as you are."
"Even worse, because I have no memory of anything, so I've got to learn everything all over again," Rob sighed.
"Well, when we get to Saffron, let's sit down and work on the basics again, maybe even change up the teams a little."
Not to sound like she didn't appreciate the help, Arina uttered a hollow thank you, which Rob echoed. Arina already knew the basics, but it appeared, subconsciously, she just wanted to forget.
*
They reached Lavendar Town several hours later after their discussion, and checked into the Pokemon Center, which seemed, for a Center, deserted.
"We're the only trainers here?" Arina asked, glancing around.
"Yes, I'm sure you're just behind or ahead of another large group," Joy said, "I wouldn't worry too much about it."
"That means we can eat all the ice cream here!" Angel cried.
"Uh, maybe that's taking it a bit far…" Joy sweatdropped. "Would you kids like to see something special?" She motioned them over to the large plate glass window built into the wall next to the front desk. They walked over to see –
"Puppies!" Angel cried delightedly.
Six Growlithe pups were playing with various toys in the room, while their mother, an Arcanine, slept to the side.
"Aren't they adorable?" Angel cooed.
"They should be ready for new homes pretty soon," Joy smiled.
"REALLY?!" Angel's eyes sparkled, "I want all of them!"
"Uh…" Joy was taken aback.
"I will build an army of Growlithes! They'll be an unstoppable force at the Games!" the purple-haired trainer said with her fist to the air.
"Except against Rock, Water, and Ground," Jon pointed out, bursting Angel's bubble. She moaned and her head drooped.
"Maybe you should reconsider this," Arina said.
"We'd actually like them to go to different homes anyway," Joy said gently.
"Oh." Angel was obviously crushed.
"Besides, you already have an Ninetales. What do you need a Growlithe for?"
"I like Fire Pokemon, that's all."
Jon chuckled, "You don't need an army of them to appreciate them!"
"But they're so cute! Look! One even has a brown tuft of hair on his head that makes him stand out from the others!"
"If that's your excuse, then you don't need one."
"Let's see," Rob said, counting on his fingers, "I've got Charmeleon, Angel has Ninetales…"
"I have a Ponyta."
"That leaves Jon." Rob said.
"Oh, no! I'm not getting a Growlithe just so Angel has a puppy friend once we're on the road again."
"What's wrong with a fire Pokemon?" Arina asked.
"Nothing. I've got my six, and that's plenty."
"Well, you've got time to think it over. They won't be getting the last of their shots until next week." Joy said gently.
"We'll be on the road by then." Angel said glumly. "Oh, well."
"Chansey!" Chansey said from the front desk.
"Oh, your rooms are ready," Joy said. "Go see Chansey for your keys."
*
"Should we go to the Gym now or wait till tomorrow?"
"Let's go over. I should at least say hi," Arina said.
"The traveling diplomat," Jon grinned.
"Let's go. I want to see the Dojo. That sounded interesting," Rob commented as he headed for the door.
They walked through town, only stopping when Angel dragged them back to a giant building.
"Do you know what this is?" she said, pointing skyward.
"A giant building?" Rob asked.
"It's better than that! It's the building that houses the best company in the world!"
"Super Sugar Candy headquarters? I thought they were based in Johto." Arina tilted her head.
"No!" Angel cried in exasperation, "You guys, it's the Silph Corporation! The people that perfected every type of Pokeball there is!"
The rest of them looked defeated. "So?"
"Do you guys not get it? Without Pokeballs, there would be no trainers. Without trainers, there would be no Gyms, without Gyms there would be no League. We owe everything to these people!"
"Uh, sure, if you say so," Arina said in confusion at Angel's logic.
"Oh come on, Arina, surely you can appreciate them as much as I can!"
"Oh sure, I appreciate them, but I don't worship them."
"Oh, come on, guys, let's see if they have a tour!" Angel begged.
"I guess we should humor her, seeing as she didn't get the Growlithe." Rob said to the others.
"All right Angel, let's go," Jon smiled and Angel's face lit up with excitement.
"Yea! Pokeball heaven, here we come!" Angel punched the air happily.
*
"And this concludes our tour of the Silph Company. Please remember to visit our gift shop and have a lovely day." The voice over the loudspeaker system announced.
"That was AMAZING!" Angel clapped. "And to think we got to see the Master Ball up close, because we were the only ones on the tour!"
"Yeah, I wondered about that. We were the only ones at the Pokemon Center, too. Don't you find that a bit unusual?" Jon asked.
"Nope, we're probably in between groups, like Joy said." Angel was blithely unconcerned, and turned to Arina. "So can you appreciate Silph Corp, now, Arina?"
"I guess?" Arina asked. "I mean, we got free Pokeballs out of it, so that was worth the tour. They just seem to think a little too much of themselves."
"They have to have confidence behind the brand and the company!" Angel cried.
"All right, cheerleader, enough. You love Pokeballs. We got it." Jon said.
"Maybe you should consider working for them someday," Rob suggested.
"That would be awesome!" Angel cried, her eyes sparkling at the idea.
"Don't get her started again!" Arina cried frantically.
"Let's get to the Dojo before they close."
*
"Dojo closed to visitors today. We apologize." The sign on the front door of the Dojo read.
"I wonder why," Angel mused.
"Maybe they're all in the mountains training," Arina suggested.
"Maybe they just needed a day off," someone said behind the four of them.
They turned around to see a large, burly man standing there, his arms full of groceries.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I'm Mike, the current leader of the Dojo." He handed Jon a bag. "Hold that for me while I unlock the door, ok?"
"Uh…"
"You guys are welcome to come in, though. Sabrina said I'd have company today, and I'd enjoy some for dinner."
"You live here?" Jon asked.
"Yep, sure do. It saves me money so I don't have to rent my own place. There's not a lot of room for personal living space, but since it's just me, it works." He opened the door, and held it open for Arina and Angel. "Ladies, first!"
They entered and took off their shoes in the front room.
"Wow, look at this place!" Rob said in awe. Swords adored the wall, and a rack held all sorts of training equipment. "Are you guys an authorized League Gym?"
"No, the League feels two Gyms in a town would create a bit of chaos."
"Why not just move to a town that doesn't have a Gym?" Jon asked.
Mike deflected, "Nah, too much trouble. Besides, we get done what we need to get done here without being League sanctioned."
"Oh, that's right! I have to go visit Sabrina next door." Arina remembered.
"Sure, you kids go ahead. I'll get started on dinner."
"I'll stay here." Rob offered. "I'll help with dinner."
*
"Hello, Ms. Sabrina?" Arina called out as they entered the Gym. "It's Arina Ketchum, I came to say hello."
"Good evening," a man in a lab coat, wearing horn-rimmed glasses, with poofy brown hair opened a door to a side room. "Please, follow me. Sabrina has been expecting you."
"She has?!" Angel hissed in Arina's ear, making her cringe. She waved the older girl's concern off anyway.
They took a warp tile straight into the main battle room, where Sabrina was waiting. She stood from the chair she'd been sitting on, flanked by a Haunter, and came toward the blue-haired girl. "Arina Ketchum, my goodness, you've grown!" She gave Arina a hug and then pulled away, holding her hands. "The last time I saw y-"
Sabrina stopped suddenly, and the look on her face changed, her eyes seeming to go blank.
"The last time what?" Arina asked nervously. She didn't like the look of this, and tried to pull her hands away, but Sabrina's grip was firm as a white glow surrounded both of them.
"The blood of the innocent spilled," Sabrina began to speak in an unnerving hollow monotone. "The guardian shall arise from its sleep. One life, exchanged…"
"What's going on?" Jon cried over Sabrina's chant.
"Something happened when she touched your friend – she set off Sabrina's psychic powers!" The assistant cried, clearly unnerved.
"Shall conquer the darkness, but bring terrible sorrow!" Sabrina finished loudly.
Arina felt Sabrina's grip slack, and yanked away from her, shaking. Jon grabbed her by the shoulders, while Sabrina's assistant rushed forward to catch Sabrina, who fell to the ground in a dead faint.
"Under the circumstances, I think you'd better leave." The assistant ordered them.
Arina didn't waste a second, and took off for the warp tile.
*
The door to the Dojo slammed open and Rob and Mike looked out from the kitchen.
"Arina?" Rob asked, "What happened?"
Arina fell to her knees at the front entrance, looking down at the wood flooring in front of her with a horrified expression.
Jon and Angel came running in. "That woman is psycho!" Jon yelled.
"What the hell happened?" Mike cried.
"Sabrina started hallucinating, saying the blood of the innocent would be spilled or something by Arina!" Angel cried hysterically. Arina burst into tears, and Angel grabbed her.
Mike cursed. "Watch dinner and don't leave. I'll be back later."
"Shh, it's ok, Rin." Angel stroked Arina's head and rocked her, even though things were obviously not ok.
"What'll we do?" Jon asked softly, clearly rattled by the turn of events.
"Stay put, like Mike said," Rob answered with a shrug. "Besides, dinner's almost ready."
Jon and Angel looked at each other helplessly.
A half-hour passed before Mike returned. The kids, save Arina, had eaten, and Rob handed him a plate of food as he came in. They were sitting at the kitchen table, Arina slumped in her seat, and still visibly shaking.
Mike put the plate on the table and knelt down next to Arina. "Arina, I know that was scary, but I need you to tell me *exactly* what Sabrina said."
"I don't remember!" Arina burst into tears again. "I don't remember!"
Angel stood up, scraping her chair along the floor behind her, racing around the table to get to her. "Stop it! She's terrified, can't you see that?"
Mike sighed, downheartedly. "Yes, I can."
"You'll have to excuse us. We got a similar shakeup in Lavendar Town." Jon offered as an apology.
"Oh?" Mike looked surprised.
"We – Rob, Arina, and I were temporarily possessed in Pokemon Tower. Rin got the brunt of it."
Mike whistled. "Heard about that, had no idea it was you guys."
Angel was curious as to where he'd heard that bit of info, but didn't pursue it. "We need to get going, the Pokemon Center closes soon."
"I'll walk you three back there, but Arina is staying here tonight."
"What?"
"Why?"
"If she stays, we all stay," Jon said defiantly.
"Who are you, anyway, telling us what to do?" Angel cried angrily.
"Stop it." Arina's tiny, quivering voice stopped the upcoming fight. "Guys, it's all right. Go back to the Center, I'll see you tomorrow."
"But, Rin -" Arina's pleading look in her blue eyes made Jon stop, and change his thought process. "All right, guys, let's go."
Angel bent down again and hugged her, a gesture Arina did not return. "You've got my cell phone number if you need to talk."
"Bye, Arina." Rob said as they walked out.
Mike was the last one to leave. "Don't move, or I'll make you eat Magikarp stew for breakfast," he quipped. Arina neither cringed nor laughed at his idle threat.
Mike arrived back at the Dojo forty-five minutes later, after a brief stop at the Gym to check on Sabrina, who was still sleeping. When he came into the kitchen, Arina was resting her head on the table, staring blankly at nothing.
"I'll tell you what, Ms. Ketchum," Mike said as he sat down across from her, "you've got some loyal friends there. They were bound and determined to come back here. That is, until Joy ordered them all up to bed with a look that even frightened me."
Arina lifted her head to look at him, "You know who I am?"
"Of course I do! The first born of the Pokemon Master, Ash Ketchum! I was a guest at your celebration a couple weeks after you were born. You had a full head of blue hair, too."
"Oh." Under normal circumstances, Arina would have loved to hear more, but tonight?
"Considering you didn't put up a fight like your friends, you know why I'm keeping you here tonight."
"You want to know what Sabrina said."
"Well, yes, but I believe you when you say you don't remember. And that's ok, you were completely freaked out. I would be, too," he paused. "The other reason is I have a secure phone line."
"You want me to call the League?"
"Oh good God, no!" Mike chuckled. "The League is terrified of Sabrina. They're afraid if they try to shut her down, she'll wreak all sort of havoc. Which she actually wouldn't, but that's a secret between you and me," Mike winked. "No, I want you to call your father on his secure line. He cares about Sabrina, and she's deeply indebted to him for what he did for her."
"I heard about that, something about making her laugh."
Mike smiled, "Exactly. Now, let's get you ready for bed. I brought your stuff from the Pokemon Center."
"But, the phone call?"
"We'll do that tomorrow morning. It's getting late."
Arina took a quick shower, which normally would have felt refreshing, but tonight, it did nothing to lift her spirits. She changed into her pj's, the only set she'd brought with her on the trip.
"You'll take my bed tonight, so the guys won't disturb you tomorrow morning during our drills." Mike said as he walked her to his bedroom.
"What about you? Where are you going to sleep?"
"There's a couch down by the T.V. It'll be fine for tonight."
"You really love Sabrina, don't you?" Arina said solemnly, suddenly changing the topic.
Mike was taken aback. "What makes you say that?"
"I saw….pictures, when she was holding on to me. They went by pretty quickly, but a lot of them were of you."
Mike's heart thudded against his chest, "So you gals exchanged a little mind info, hm?"
"That's why you've never moved the Dojo, because you want to be close to her."
"That's quite an imagination you've got there!" Mike deflected, but he was amazed at what she knew.
Arina yawned as she climbed into the futon. "It's going to be…a beautiful wedding."
Mike smiled a sad, bitter smile as he walked to the door. He could only ever wish that to actually happen. "Good night, Ms. Ketchum." He said softly, as he flicked off the light. Arina was already sound asleep.
End Chapter 3