Chapter 8

Duking dropped to his knees. Silva followed, grasping his arms. They looked beaten and tired. Their breaths were heavy and they trembled as the adrenaline started to wear off. Wes dropped to a knee between them.

"You're both too tired to continue," he said. "Head back to the hotel. Wait for us there. We'll get Plusle." Silva was still panting. Duking opened one eye at Wes. I wasn't sure if what was dripping off him more, rainwater or sweat. And I kinda didn't want to know.

"There's going to be more of them in there," he explained. "You can't just go in by yourself."

"Rui is coming with me." Duking sized me up and down. I tried to look menacing, but I was just a cute girl soaked in rainwater. If it wasn't for the blade that I had nearly chopped two girls in half with, I doubt I was look at all ready for battle. He knew what I could do with it already, so that was a plus.

"Fine," Duking breathed. "She seems capable of handling herself. You two make quite the team, if not a couple." My face flashed red. Wes didn't say anything, let alone respond to it. "Get Plusle and defeat Miror B, or else." He stood, helping Silva up as well. "We'll take our leave. The rest is up to you."

They started out the door, supporting each other over their shoulders. When the storm had swallowed them, I stepped up to Wes' side. He seemed to be lost in thought until he saw me.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied. "Lead the way."

The storm was still raging. Once the rain and rain started hitting us, Wes put his side against mine, keeping me from tumbling over once again. Now my heart was racing. He was touching me, actually touching and helping me. We were real partners now, weren't we? If I wasn't being pelted by rain and blinded by thunder, it would've be a touch more romantic.

Duking had battled and beaten the man standing guard to the entrance to the cave that branched off the roof, so we were granted free entrance inside. Sweet relief, it was dry. There were a few droplets of water falling here and there, but other than that, it was clear.

We traveled onwards. It was quiet in the cave. The only sounds I could hear was our footsteps, the patter of rain outside, and our tired breathing. We were still dripping wet so we were trailing water behind us. Someone could probably follow the trail, but so far, it was empty. Not a single trainer was in sight. No trainers, no Team Cipher, no Shadow pokemon. Had they evacuated this when we broke in the other building? That couldn't be. They couldn't be that cowardly.

And they weren't.

"We figured you'd come." Wes and I stopped. The road forked into three different paths, but judging by how many Cipher Peons were guarding the center one, that was probably the way to Miror B. They each had a ball in their hands, strong Shadow pokemon just waiting to be unleashed. There were four of them, three boys and one girl. They must've been here for a while, for their clothes were covered in a thin layer of dirt.

"Get out," the girl said. "Miror B. doesn't have time for saps like you."

"Why don't you?" I shot right back. "I'm sure you're not any tougher than the rest of losers we've crossed already."

"Sassy," she said. Judging by the sword, you're not a trainer. How about you go run home? You're not going to be much use without-" I jabbed at her. She stepped back, but it wasn't far enough. If it wasn't for the large button that she had pinned on over the right side of her chest, she would've been impaled. The button, however, chipped and splintered. I pulled back and brought it over my right shoulder, but she had retreated. "You're more dangerous than I thought!" She tossed her ball, releasing a qwilfish. The others followed suit. Shadow Swablu, Meditite, and Dunsparce took the field.

"Wes," I called to him. "All of them." He nodded, face determined.

"Hey, if you're thinking of-" One of the boys took a step forward. He nearly walked right into my blade as I held the tip of his to his stomach. He swallowed. Hey, I was pretty scary now. I could tell by the look on their faces.

The sound of Wes capturing one of the Shadow Pokemon clicked behind me. One down, three to go. The boy furthest from me tried to move slowly to avoid being seen, but I was in front of him in an instant. Wow, this blade was so sharp that I could hear it whistling through the air whenever I moved.

Click. Click. He captured two more. Good. All that left was one, and there was no way these idiots were going to do anything.

Something sharp hit me in the back. Lights flashed in front of my eyes. The feeling of weightlessness hit me, but I refused to let my legs give out. I stood there, gritting my teeth. Warm blood started trickling down my back. That… damn dunsparce. I shouldn't have taken my eyes off it. Shadow Pokemon were bound to attack humans without reason. I had given it a reason.

I stuck my sword into the ground and held onto it tightly. My world was spinning. Which way was up? Oh god, I was going to be sick to my stomach. Were those trainers going to try and attack me now? No, it looked like they had bolted. At least I think. There were three still in front of me. No, two. Great, now my vision was failing.

I took a moment to breathe and felt myself falling forward onto the dirt. My scar stung suddenly, but it wasn't as bad as it had once been. I felt two warm fingers press to the side of my neck. Was I being checked if I was alive?

"Hold still!" I heard Wes shout. Had he said it more than one? Was that why he needed to say it so loudly, because I hadn't replied? Well, there wasn't much I could do to respond, so I clenched my fists to show him I heard. Whether he saw or not, I felt him peeling the jacket off me and tearing it up. Must've been using it for bandages, I guessed.

I took a deep breath and rested my cheek against the dirt. I was scared. Not of the wound, but of the sudden numbness to my surroundings. I couldn't see anything without lights flashing or fading in or out. My ears were ringing; if Wes was talking to me now, I couldn't hear it, even if he yelled. My limbs were tingling and my back ached, but I could feel Wes wrapping the makeshift bandages around my waist. Ow, he was tying them too tight. Don't complain, I told myself, it was to keep the blood in.

I thought I had only blinked, but I must've passed out because Wes was suddenly holding me in his arms. His lips were moving but I couldn't hear what he was saying. He looked worried, scared out of his mind, actually. He was still trying to speak, but even if I followed his lips, it didn't make sense.

"I'm… fine."

He stopped, surprised. I tried to smile. It worked: he finally looked relieved. He got in a more comfortable position and cradled my upper body against his chest. My back still hurt but the blood had stopped. I could feel my consciousness slowly begin to return. My head wasn't positioned comfortably until I turned it towards Wes and rested it my cheek against his chest. I considered moving it. It was too awkward for me. But there was one good reason to stay.

His heart was beating just as fast as mine.

I don't know how long we were there. We had left the hotel room at midnight, so it must've been early in the morning by now. I was in and out of sleep in Wes' arms. One moment I was asleep, the next my back spiked in pain and I was awake. Yet every time my eyes opened, Wes was still holding me and scanning the room for any sign of Team Cipher. He had moved the two of us against the back wall, where he leaned back to rest his body.

The cave was quiet the entire while. There were no sign of Team Cipher, Shadow Pokemon, or anything. Just the two of us as the storm raged outside. Now, as the sound of rain began to slow, my hearing started to return. I could hear Wes breathe and the sound of his boots as he shifted them against the dusty floor. My fingers, once numb, were beginning to warm. I could flex them now. But my body was still slow to respond. It'd take some effort to walk.

"I figured this is where I'd find you two." Miror B. stepped in the room in his funky heels and golden jumpsuit. He struck a pose. "Oh, did little sight seer get hurt?" Wes' reaction was immediate. He repositioned me so I was on the floor in the most gentle manner he could. I tried to meet eyes with him, but he had put on his goggles. He stood and held out his two pokeballs from which Espeon and Umbreon emerged. Both of them stood in front of their trainer, teeth bared.

Miror B. smiled, showing his golden teeth. "I suppose you and I will take this fight alone?"

"Where's the plusle."

"Oh? That darling thing?" Miror B. reached into his pocket and pulled out the electric pokemon. She was curled up into a ball but, thankfully, she looked like she was resting instead of being in pain. "It appears she is unable to become a Shadow Pokemon. I tried and I tried, but she is just too strong. Duking must be a better trainer than I thought."

"Give her back," Wes ordered. "Now."

"Give me the girl and we'll call it even."

"You're not getting her." Wes took out a Snag Ball and held it in front of him. Miror B. struck another pose.

"You won't be needing that yet. I have some friends willing to battle your pathetic excuse of a team." Like they had rehearsed it before, four ludicolo's broke free from Miror B's belt. They paused, waiting for the glow of their prison to wear off, then all started dancing in unison. Their trainer, posed in the center, started to dance as well. They were in sync with each other, feet matching the beat of imaginary music that played in the background. For an enemy, he was too stylish.

"You're pathetic," Wes said. "Espeon." He didn't need to mutter an attack, she lowered her chin and right away, all four ludicolo's were hit by confusion. Umbreon didn't know any multiple-hit moves, but he took out one of the smaller enemy pokemon with a bite to the arm. The pokemon swirled around on one foot, dazed, before falling to the floor in a heavy pile of fur and fat. The next largest pokemon swatted Umbreon aside when he tried to attack him. The dark pokemon hit the wall near me yet managed to land flawlessly.

"You're the one who's pathetic." I didn't see it myself, but while he was battling, Ludicolo number three had tried to sneak past Wes. Wes punched the pokemon in the face, knocking him back towards Miror B. The trainer pulled a few quick stunts before hopping over his injured pokemon. He returned to dancing, a wide smile on his lips. "Keep an eye on the girl, darling. You might just lose her."

I was worthless in a battle like this. He had already taken out one pokemon, but the other three were much stronger. It was like the first one was just a decoy to try and approach me. Now Wes had to play on defensive as well as offensive. I started to pull myself up.

"Stay there," my partner snapped. I froze. His goggles were still over his eyes but his jaw was clenched in an obvious scowl. "Don't move, I can handle this." He said it, but that didn't mean he believed it.

Espeon was thrown by another ludicolo. Mid flight, she flipped backwards and landed on her feet, hissing. She was nearby. I whistled softly to her. She heard and flicked her ears at me. I opened my mouth but my tongue was dry and my throat was parched. She tilted her head at me, confused. Damn, how was I going to tell her what I was thinking like this? I knew what to do but no way to tell her.

I was mulling over a plan until I felt two giant hands grab me by the arms and lift me to my feet. My back made a painful popping sound as the ludicolo Espeon failed to block ran past and lifted me up over his shoulder. It bolted back to Miror B, chanting a happy victory song on the way back. The psychic pokemon bit at his back but her mouth caught nothing but fur.

"Rui," Wes said, stepped forward to pursue. The Ciper Admin held up a hand for him to stay. He took another step in rebellion. Miror B. struck a pose that gave him the right position for the ludicolo to hand me over to him. He wasn't the slightest bit soft with me. It was like I was a sack of potatoes. Even though I couldn't see him now, it was obvious he wasn't going to attack.

"Good to see you've come to your senses," Miror B. laughed.

"Fight me like a man," Wes spat. "Dirty tricks will get you nowhere."

"I'm afraid that is false. I have the girl now, don't I?" He held out the plusle. "I'll be taking this as well. She'll make a fine experiment for my scientists." Wes grunted. "Stuck, are we? Well. That's your problem, darling. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be-"

He came to a sudden pause. The room went silent. The smile that once to be on the proud leaders face slowly, ever so slowly, faded to a surprised O shape. His eye twitched. The last ludicolo turned to him, confused. But it had been done.

I had cut the back of Miror B's legs with the sword he had carelessly left in my reach.

He didn't have much time before the wound bled out. He dropped me and the plusle on the ground, unable to carry either of us. His knee scraped against the cold floor as he bent down to try and retrieve us. It was in vain, for now I had the electric pokemon in one hand and a trembling sword in the other. The look of rage on his face was unexpected. He had lost.

He had lost bad.

"Good for nothing freak," he hissed, blowing bits of spittle on me. "You've won this round, but it's the only one you'll ever live to see." He lifted his hand, palm to the sky. The last minion of his raced over and lifted him over his shoulder. It was unusual for a pokemon to be so happy about his owner being wounded, but it was inevitable. While they took off out of the cave and down the stairs, the ludicolo danced and cheered the entire way.

Warm blood started seeping down my back again, soaking the bandages through. I stabbed my sword back in the ground and held myself up. I thought I was fine until I found myself on the dirt. One second Wes was above me, the next I was falling into a black abyss.

Dunsparce Used Cut!

Rui's Health Is Dangerously Low!

Rui Used Cut!

It's Super Effective!

Miror B. Fled!

Rui Fainted!