Stepping back, startled, the boy turned to speak: "Bianca, what are you–"
There was a harmless shuffling click, the faint sound of sliding metal, followed by a noise as corrosively ear-bleeding as a thousand balloons– popping all at once:
"KPAA–"
Some unseen force pierced Golurk's left arm. Groaning in a tremolo voice, the giant robot dropped his hand, letting White flop to the dirt. Cheren dropped to the ground as well, rolling and covering his ears and head, but for an entirely different reason.
"Why," he muttered, still not eager to look up. "–Bianca, WHY do you have a GUN?"
Bianca held her weapon up high, in two hands, training it on her target as she moved closer.
"Huh?" she emitted, wide-mouthed and baffled. "I've always had a gun." She relayed this fact as if she honestly believed that it were common knowledge.
"Yeah, Cheren," White gasped in pain, crawling. "You're sure out of the loop."
"You guys are supposed to tell me about these sort of things– I thought you were my friends!" he blasted. "How could you? All this time–" He sat up, complaining and hysterical. "How can a teenager even be allowed to carry a gun– especially someone like Bianca? What kind of messed-up world is this?"
"Don't be such a baby." Bianca narrowed her eyes, deeply insulted by his lack of faith in her.
"Yeah Cheren. There might be gun bans in Kanto or wherever the heck you came from, but this is Unova. The Great Unova of Freedom and the right to shoot things for little to no reason," White concluded. "You need to get used to it."
"HOW CAN I GET USED TO THAT?"
Ignoring Cheren's complaints, Bianca strengthened her stance and readied herself to shoot again.
"–Wa-wait a minute." Both Cheren and White jumped to stop her.
"Bianca, you shouldn't be allowed to hold a gun... it's wrong," Cheren coaxed her, grabbing her right arm and shoulder.
"Yeah it's fun, but don't shoot him. There's a better way!" White exclaimed, grabbing her left.
"There's an angel and a devil on my shoulders, Oshawott!" Bianca exclaimed, completely mystified. "Whoa... Which one do I listen to?" She cluelessly gazed down at the otter, awaiting an answer with baited breath.
Oshawott covered his fuzzy face with his paws; this human was hopeless.
"We're both telling you to do the same exact thing," Cheren spat, a vein popping on his forehead. "so just put the gun down!"
It wasn't until Bianca lowered her gun that White began to speak and move again. Hunched over painfully, holding her crushed side, she began to relay her plan.
"Golurk ripped out a power line, and I think I know why," White said. "He's was trying to rid himself of all that excess energy. Power lines carry alternating currents, so–"
"–Of course," Cheren interrupted, holding his chin and nodding. "I see what you're thinking."
"Um guys," Bianca said, confused by their nerdiness. "I don't see anything at all."
"Everyone, get your pokemon together. I'll need your cover–" White commanded, hurrying into the trees. I can't believe I tried punching that robot. Stupid... It crushed me so hard and it walloped Snivy. Was it really worth the thrill? Cradling her bruised sides, she crawled into the underbrush and found him.
Sprawled out beneath a tree was the green little lizard, his eyes shut and his mouth twisted into a pained expression. He had fainted from only one hit.
"Not so smug anymore, are you?" White said, frowning sadly at his pathetic form. "I'm sorry... My heart wished for something bad to happen. I didn't want an ordinary journey. I wasn't satisfied. I got greedy, so..."
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a leftover piece of Rare Candy. Twisting off the blue wrapper, she popped the pink gum drop into Snivy's mouth.
"But I'll make it all right," she said, holding him as he glowed once and slowly regained consciousness. "I just need your help one more time. Only a little, though. I'll do the rest, and then you can relax."
Rare candy: raises a pokemon by one level, or revives them with minimal health.
Out on the open route, Bianca and Cheren stood, keeping far from Golurk as it noisily lumbered about. Its arm, still agitated by the gun shot, jolted and sparked. Its unsealed chest cavity, sizzling with overflowing energy, flashed brightly with yellow light.
"Why can't I just shoot it?" Bianca asked, eager to stop it from dragging up the landscape.
"You can't solve every problem by shooting at it." Cheren frowned. "This pokemon is in bad condition... You know what that means? It means that it could explode at any moment."
"Like a bomb?...!"
"Yes."
Bianca reflected on this. Growing anxious, she clutched Oshawott close in her arms.
"I don't understand," she said. "What exactly is White going to–"
Golurk stopped, retracting its fists into its heavy arms. Followed by a high-pitched whistling noise, smoke poured from the robots neck and its head began spinning once again. Flashing from yellow to red, its chest discharged electricity and the whistling noise grew fiercer.
"It's too late–" Cheren gasped, grabbing Bianca's hand. "We need to get out of here!"
"But White, she's–"
Sliding down from the side embankment, the girl leapt from the trees, dashing forward with Snivy riding on her shoulders.
"I don't know if we have enough time," White spat, her eyes searching and locating the sparking live wire. "I don't know if this will really work, either–"
"GO–" Golurk raised its arms heavenwards, blasting fire from the rocket-like cylinders.
"Here we go– Wrap," White said, holding her own arms out and watching as Snivy's vines climbed and grew around them. "Eject!"
Snivy released the disposable tendrils from his neck, flipping backwards off her shoulders and landing in the dirt.
"See ya," White yelled, continuing onward and diving for the live wire. Lugging the heavy line between her vine-coated arms, she squinted as the power line tried to shock her.
Almost there–
Jumping, she raised the wire over her head and rammed it into Golurk's chest, pressing against the explosive surge and fighting against the powerful shock. Fighting her sliding feet and the wire's overhead weight, she forced on, keeping the connection held firm. She screamed and cursed as the protective vines began to wilt and weaken.
"I don't understand what she's doing," Bianca asserted. "So stop her!"
Kneeling, Cheren held onto Tepig's front hooves, both their expressions stunned senseless.
"Power lines carry electricity to our home through an alternating current," Cheren began, keeping calm despite White's painful shrieks. "Unlike with a direct current, an alternating current can change directions... This means that your wall plug can not only give electricity, but take electricity back as well."
"What? That's crazy!" Bianca flailed her arms. "So then why'd she cover her arms with all those vines?"
"Electric is only half effective against grass. Obviously." He pushed up his glasses.
"Oooh."
"Would you stop chatting over there and tell me when to stop?...!" White yelled, enraged by their casual conversation. "I'm BLINDED here."
"Just a little longer. Golurk is weakening–" Cheren shouted.
"Now?...!"
"No, not now."
"NOW?"
"Yes. Now!"
With a mighty pull, White yanked the line out and dropped it aside. Panting, she knelt and grasped her knees, watching as the crisped vines fell from her arms.
Groaning like a slowed audio file, Golurk dropped its arms and fell backwards– its yellow eyes dimming. Little by little, the light in its chest began to fade.
"Wait. What's happening?" White demanded, growing concerned as the robot's voice faded as well. I got rid of all his excess energy. He should fine now. So why is he...
Carrying their pokemon, Bianca and Cheren appeared by her side– with Snivy traipsing close behind.
"Because the seal on Golurk's chest is missing," Cheren trailed; "it's... he's... unable to restart his regeneration functions..."
"Wait, what does that even mean?" Bianca demanded.
"It means Golurk is dying," Cheren said. "He has been, ever since his seal was removed."
"No... Can't we do something?" White trembled. "It's not his fault, it's mine, I did this to him–"
"–I said he was already dying... It's not your fault."
"Yes it is. I made this happen–" Leaning against Golurk's massive chest, White gripped it tightly with her fingers, trying not to cry. "He shouldn't have to die, that's stupid! He's a ghost-type, this doesn't make any sense, I'll reseal it–"
She senselessly pressed her hands against the jagged cavity in his dimming chest, trying to revive him. But it wasn't working.
Cheren and Bianca watched her, devastated as she burst into tears and kept pressing on, despite her useless efforts.
"Use my," she managed out. "Take my arms– rip them out– why isn't it working?"
"White," Bianca whimpered, putting a hand on the girl's sobbing back.
Cheren held his head down, pushing up his glasses as he managed to keep his stinging eyes from watering. Crying would do nothing in this case. Is it possible? A makeshift way to seal Golurk's power? I need to think of something...
Eyeing the pokeball motif on White's bobbing hat, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"There is... something," he said, opening his bag. "It's a long shot, but it's worth a try."
Out from his bag's side pocket, he produced a green and gray pokeball. Desperate and hopeful, White jumped to attention, staring up at him.
"A pokeball allows us to tame wild pokemon because it limits and contains their power," he explained, handing the ball to White. "I theorize that this limiting ability might be enough to seal Golurk– though– there's no telling what state he'll be in afterwards. Do you still want to try?"
White took the ball in hand, reflectively.
Every living thing deserves life. No matter what... through pain and happiness, forever in pursuit of endless dreams... Isn't that ideal?
I can make this decision– right?
White looked over her shoulder at Snivy, who tilted his nose up.
'Go ahead and do it, kid,' he seemed to say. 'If that's what you believe in.'
Stepping back, White wound up her arm. Lifted her leg up, she rotated her hips, pitching the pokeball at Golurk. Absorbing the robot's body inside, the little ball twitched on the ground for several long moments. White's eyes burned into it, her heart racing in determination.
At last, the ball finally clicked.
"Did it work?" Bianca asked, tensely. "Is Golurk ok now?"
Cheren hurried over and grabbed the ball up for everyone, glimpsing inside. Within he saw the Golurk's form, slowly moving and glowing with returning life.
"Of course," he said. "Anything is possible through science... after all."
Brown leaves cascaded down on the breeze, and slowly, sunlight broke through the overcast clouds.
From the window of Professor Juniper's lab, Bianca and Cheren stood, looking out at the distant bay and at White– who was motionlessly leaning against its guard rail.
"I know it's only been a day... But. White has changed a lot since she met Snivy and Golurk, hasn't she?" Bianca mentioned, leaning against the sill. "She seems different. Calm. It's like she's at peace."
"Hm," Cheren muttered, watching the window closely. "I don't know about that..."
As he said this– a flashing light rebounded from White's hip, allowing Golurk to materialize behind her. Grabbing the girl up, the giant robot tossed her over his shoulder, groping her legs and holding her in place as she kicked and yelled.
"AL–" White's enraged voice carried all the way to the lab; "–I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GOING TO KILL YOU... AGAIN."
"Oh my!" Bianca put her hands over her mouth. "It seems Alphonse still won't obey her. Didn't you say that the pokeball would help tame it?"
"I said it would help... not do it instantly." Cheren adjusted his glasses. "She needs to earn gym badges if it's to ever fully obey her..."
"Well. White's x-rays came up clear," Juniper proclaimed, appearing behind them with a large, yellow envelope; "so I think all that fun that she's having outside should be juuust fine."
"Professor," Cheren said. "I don't think she's having fun right now."
"It looks like fun to me!" Bianca cheered, throwing up her arms. "I wanna go join in, too!" Dashing outside, she hurried towards the guard rail in hopes of getting in on the man-handling action.
Cheren held his face in disbelief.
"As for your report, Cheren," Juniper began, standing before the window as well; "I'm very impressed. That was some quick scientific thinking on your part, using a Dusk Ball like that."
"Really? I still wonder if it was the right choice," he said, watching as Bianca jumped at Golurk. Humming and droning playfully, the stone robot gently offered her his arm to climb upon.
"True. A Heavy Ball might of sealed Alphonse just as well, and the results would have been more consistent. Because you used a Dusk Ball, the sealing power is only strong at night..."
"...allowing Golurk to break free from his pokeball during the day," Cheren finished her thought. "Though it still seems to effectively seal his energy."
"Hmm." Juniper nodded, holding her hand over her eyes to block out the arriving sun. "You kids really are something else. I believe, and know, that you'll go far... I have no doubts, giving you those pokedexes."
"Thanks."
Bianca and White rode on Golurk's shoulders as he danced from side to side. With Oshawott and Snivy being released from their pokeballs, the four of them sat, like birds perched on a suit of armor.
"However," Cheren said. "I still don't get why she named it Alphonse..."
~To be continued~
*Cue first FMA ending theme*