Pokemon Adventures: Where Legends Cross
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon Adventures/Special.
Dang, this is troublesome. Our school computer sucks, and it prevents me from uploading new documents. So I'm reusing old documents that aren't deleted yet. For your information, this document used to belong to chapter 1... *sniff*
Ah well, it still works. I should be grateful. On with it!
Began writing on April 10th, 2011. Began drafting chapter 25.
Chapter 9. Vs. Simisear: A Lesson Learned in Time
- Icirrus City, Eastern Gate -
"I suppose that's enough stocking up. Right, War?" Black asked as he shoved the last Escape Rope down his bag. War nodded beside him, cawing loudly to prove the point.
"Right, so we're ready," said Black determindedly as he closed the bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Let's go. Can't keep Cheren and Alder waiting."
The Braviary nodded again in agreement, lifting up into the air while holding out one foot for his Trainer to hold onto. Just as Black was about to reach out and grab it, however, War suddenly hesitated, cawing out at something way ahead of Route 8, through which they had passed through hours ago to return to the city.
"What is it, War?" Black asked in concern, following his old friend's gaze to see that someone was strolling down the road in his direction. His mind jolted in recognition as he saw the familiar cloak, followed by that familiar smile under the familiar hood, then finally the familiar fire-type Pokemon trudging behind.
"Oi, Black!" The young man called out to him cheerfully, raising one hand lightly in greeting. "Good to see you here! How have things been turning out for the last year?"
"Master!" Black exclaimed.
"... I see," the man said thoughtfully, after listening very thoroughly to Black's story as they walked down the road together with War and Sear trailing behind them. "I've been assuming that things were weird around here lately, but Zekrom... so you're going to Relic Castle right now? To awaken Reshiram?"
"To keep Team Plasma from stealing the Light Stone as well, Master." Black replied. "For some reason, Alder trusts that I can keep it safe from them."
"But that's not what you're really worried about, is it?" His mentor asked him shrewdly.
"You're sharp as always, Master." Black admitted with a lousy attempt at a chuckle. He could never hide anything from this man.
Though even he, the man's apprentice, has never seen his face before, he knew him enough to know that he had rolled his eyes at the comment.
"I have a name, Black." His master informed him dryly.
"That you do, Master Maroon," said Black with grin. For some reason, talking with the man always made him feel warmer, less serious.
"Cheek," Maroon muttered amusedly, mock-punching his apprentice on the shoulder. Then in a more serious tone he added: "You're afraid that you're not fit to lead Reshiram to fight her own brother, aren't you?"
"That's one reason," Black confessed. "But there are plenty of others."
"Nevertheless, that's one thing I can cure of you," replied Maroon, suddenly taking a quick step forward and blocking the road in front of Black. "It's been a full year since we last met, and I've been itching for a good match. Are you willing to give me one?"
Sear chittered excitedly beside him at the words.
"Really?" Black asked in surprise, his eyes widening at the very prospect of another battle with his master, the one opponent that he had never succeeded in beating. "You're serious?"
"I'm always serious in a Pokemon match," Maroon replied with a smile, leaping back slightly with his cloak fluttering in the wind in battle stance. "What do you say? I wanna see if my year with you was worth it."
"You're on!" Black cried at once, sidestepping so that War could shoot out eagerly in front of him.
"Excellent," said Maroon as his grin widened, allowing Sear to rush forward and meet his opponent with an energetic hiccup.
"Nice to meet you too, Sear," Black told the Simisear, who did a handstand in greeting.
"Shall we begin?" Spoke Maroon, cracking his finger to initiate the battle. "After you, Black."
No hesitation now. Black let all other thoughts be driven out of his mind and sharpened his focus on this unexpected match. "War, fly up high where Sear can't reach you!"
The Braviary complied at once, soaring high up into the sky until Black had to squint to be able to see his claws. Looking back down, Black saw that Sear was gazing up at his opponent with an amused look.
"There's only one thing he can do while he's up in the air," Maroon commented. It was true. Without any further instruction War began hovering midair as he looked down at Simi with a predator's eye, methodically sharpening his wicked talons against each other.
"Simple, but effective," continued Maroon; during his time of learning from the man the teacher himself developed this habit of giving lectures mid-battle. "Getting a full view of the opponent as you safely buff yourself with Hone Claws. It could've been perfect, Black, if not for one thing."
Black blinked, incomrehending. Then he took a look at Sear's calculating expression, and immediately saw his flaw.
"Surely you remember what happened everytime you gave me and Sear time to strategize?" His mentor pressed on. Black could have smacked himself for the blunder, but there was no going back now. He had to stick to his decision and make the best out of it.
Maroon was a genius at strategizing. Most of Black's skills as a tatician (and several personal habits) he had inherited from him, but he was still nothing compared to his master; give him even a second to think, then he'd come up with a counter that would end up turning the entire tide of the battle.
Don't give in, War, Black prayed inwardly, knowing that shouting out commands into the sky in front of his mentor would be a very bad idea. Besides, despite Sear using Nasty Plot, it still wouldn't help the Ember Pokemon survive against War's superior attack power.
"I don't doubt War is faster and stronger than most," said Maroon, as if reading his mind. "But how do you think I beat all the eight gyms in Unova with just Sear? Being a strong attacker means that you're nothing when you lose that hard-hitting edge, you know."
This time Black smiled. Yes, he did know. It was like the old days; a hint. His mentor would often let him know tiny parts of his impromptu strategy, prompting him to figure out the rest. But this time he had given away too much.
Like Maroon had said, the most fearful technique for a direct attacker like War was Will-O-Wisp, and Sear was an expert in utilizing the particular move. But Black had already experienced this so many times that his time he was ready for such an occasion; now War always hides a Rawst Berry hidden within his plumage, ready to comsume it in case he came across a tricky fire (or ghost) -type like Sear.
When War finally dives down for the attack, Sear would try to use Will-O-Wisp to cut his attack. However the move would be nulled thanks to the Rawst Berry, and War would crash down relentlessly onto the surprised Simisear, ending the battle with his first victory against his mentor.
Upon simulating up to that point, Black looked up to see that now War's talons were as sharp as blades. It was time.
"War, Brave Bird!" Black yelled, shattering the (relative) quiet of the battle. Hearing the shout the Braviary immediately pitched forward for a power-dive as his target finished using Nasty Plot as well and awaited his foe with a confident smile.
Now the Will-O-Wisp would come -
"Sear, use Incinerate!" Maroon commanded, sweeping his hand horizontally with an energetic force.
What?
With War still on a scraming dive for the Simisear, Black didn't have the time to shout a warning as Sear raised his head to shoot a bolt of crimson flame from his mouth, which collided with the Braviary's wing, causing him to sway a little but not off-course. Of course, the real problem was something else.
The Rawst Berry was already burnt.
The fact came as a nasty shock for Black. In that split second he realized the Maroon's little lecture about Will-O-Wisp wasn't a hint at all; it was a test, a decoy question to check if he was prepared for his strategy. His answerless smile had betrayed him positive, prompting his master to immediately counteract it.
But, on second thought, it didn't really matter now. The Rawst Berry might have been lost, but by burning it Sear was now exposed to War's unhindered Brave Bird; there was no way the Ember Pokemon could dodge or whithstand the fatal blow by now.
"Push on, War!" Black shouted encouragingly at his Braviary, who returned the message with a determined shriek before smashing into Sear with an incredible BOOM, causing a miniature dust-storm to form between Black and Maroon, who both covered their face with one arm to block the incoming gust and grit.
However, after the dust quickly died down, another nasty shock was waiting.
War hovered a few feet above the ground, his feathers slightly singed and a confused look in his eyes as he swiveled his head around, searching for his vanished opponent.
And that could only mean one thing: one of Maroon's favorite moves.
"It was a Substitute!" Black cried urgently, his master's plan finally laid bare in front of him. "War, fly up! Sear's underground!"
War, comprehending, at once tried to flap his way back up. But not before the earth in fron of his dangling talons suddenly exploded upwards as the hyper Simisear leaped out of the ground, one paw glutching a handful of sand while a ghastly blue flame glowed within the other.
"Sand Attack, then Will-O-Wisp!" There was both passion and calculating coolness (A/N: any idea who says this? XD) in Maroon's command, as Sear flung his moves one by one at the surprised Braviary, first blinding him before burning him.
Uh oh. That meant he couldn't even stall anymore.
"War, close your eyes and listen!" Black ordered rapidly, his brain spinning faster as his pinch got worse. "Try to listen to the flames and dodge it, then lash out right behind!"
Despite the agonizingly complicated command and his less-than-perfect condition, War loyally nodded and closed his eyes, perking up his ears to detect Sear's movements as he rapidly began launching Flamethrowers at him. Thanks to all the Nasty Plot the move was quadrupled in power, and Black could clearly see the Valiant Pokemon struggling as he tried to weave through all of them and try to counterattack.
"Resilient," remarked Maroon in an encouraging tone meant to compliment. "A number-one quality for any Trainer. Never give up!" Then his expression became serious again, quickly switching from mentor to challenger. "Sear, let's make this final!"
As War launched a desperate flail at the Simisear, the Ember Pokemon agily somersaulted over the blinded Braivary's head, his mouth wide wide open with a familiar fiery glow.
"War, dodge sideways!" Black cried out, despite supposing that it was too late.
"Fire Blast!" Maroon commanded with a final wave with his hand. A great star-shaped pillar of flame erupted out of Sear's mouth, striking War squarely on the back and sending him plummeting to the ground, where he still struggled to get back up before finally collapsing on the ground.
"War!" Black exclaimed as he rushed over to his fallen Pokemon, fishing out a Revive and a Hyper Potion from his pack. As he busily tended to War, Maroon came over to stand beside him, with Sear chuckling in satisfaction behind him.
"That was well done, Black." His master's voice was filled with so much warmth, Black almost felt as if such a tone was undeserving of his defeat. "You've certainly grown during the last year; you actually almost succeeded in seeing through my plan."
"I still lost, didn't I?" Black replied with a shrug, not taking his eyes off War.
"Well, you're not the only one that's growing, are you?" Maroon chuckled. After a short while Black couldn't help but join in.
Lessons from Maroon were always like this; whenever Black lost to his mentor yet again Maroon would always look as if he'd celebrate right there, but then he'd quickly rein himself in and encourage his downcast his apprentice. That's what Black admired about him: proud but not arrogant, confident yet caring.
"Seriously, though, I'm really proud of you," Maroon's continuing words broke him out of his short musing. "A good apprentice like you is a handful for any teacher; I swear I've grown a lot since I began teaching you two years ago."
"Learning from you isn't so easy either, Master." Black grinned, done with healing War, who cawed at him aplogetically as he greeted his revived companion with an encouraging pet.
"You already knew the most important lesson before we met, Black." Maroon's sincere words made Black look back at him as he got to his feet to read the warmth in his mentor's hidden expression. "How to care for your Pokemon."
"One I will never forget," stated Black firmly.
"Obviously," chuckled Maroon. "That's what it means to be a Trainer, after all. Do you remember what I asked you the first time we met?"
"'What are Pokemon to you?'" said Black, smiling as the memory came back to him.
"Exactly," said Maroon. "And how did you answer?"
Black's smile widened, remembering it as well.
"Comrades!" He shouted in the air, noticing Maroon's own smile widening in pride and satisfaction.
"Precisely."
"Thanks, Master," said Black as he finished packing up and once again prepared to grab War's leg. "I did need that battle, to refocus myself. I know what I must do now."
"I'm glad I was of help," said Maroon smiling. "Say, you'll go to Opelucid after you retreive the Light Stone, yes?"
"Of course!" Black answered confidently. "If I must face N, it'll be in the Pokemon League. For that I'll need the eighth badge, won't I?"
"You would," agreed Maroon as War lifted into the air, hanging out one foot as Black carefully held onto it. "Then you can expect me to wait for you there when you're back. Until then it's another farewell, I suppose."
"Really?" Asked Black, his eyes widening in pleasant surprise as War began lifting up.
"Really," chuckled his master, saluting comically as Black's feet left the ground. "I'll be expecting good news when we meet again, Black! Safe journey!"
"You too, Master!" Black called out as he waved at his master, who suddenly pulled something out of his cloak and threw it at him, leading him to catch it with his free hand.
"Motor reflexes are good!" Maroon laughed, looking impressed. "That's a gift!"
One of too many, though Black as he looked down at the parting gift.
In his palm was a fresh Rawst Berry.
Damn, I really gotta speed up drafting. At this rate I'm really gonna get caught up. When that happens... well, let's just put it that my writing speed would go down by a tenth.
So, who is this mysterious mentor of Black that is strong enough to trash one of the strongest Trainers in Unova, conquer an entire region with just a Simisear? I can't tell you as of now, of course! *gets mobbed* ow! But of course I can't! He'll appear time to time in the arc, so keep an eye on him!
And by the way, the answer to the quiz in the middle of the chapter is Cynthia (in the games), mentioned after being defeated in D/P. Anyone got it right? :)
What else was I trying to say? Oh right, in the games the Light Stone is not found in Relic Castle, but you need to take an aftertour all the way to Nacrene Museum. This makes the story way too complicated, so I'll skip the part when Black actually obtains the Light Stone. *gets stoned* don't blame me! There are so much other characters to write about, it's so confusing! Forgive me on this, and let's get on with the story!
Well, I've enjoyed this one. The next chapter moves to White as she reaches Nimbasa. R&R!
And REALLY by the way, I got the title from the lyrics from Green Day's 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)'.
Writing completed in May10th, 2011. Done quickly thanks to the school taking a day-off today. This is Yowl of Time, out.