Sorry I kept you all waiting! Here's the fourth chapter to make it up to you guys!
As Infernape walked through the Kingdom of Laxos, he was lost deep in thought. What if he failed like before? King Lucario had put a lot of responsibility on his team, and as its leader, he had to do all he could to carry out the duty. But was he really ready for it? As he walked, he actually wasn't watching where he was going, and inevitably bumped into another Pokemon.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" the other Pokemon grumbled. Then he saw Infernape and broke into a friendly grin. "Oh, hey! It's Infernape! It's been a while, hasn't it, matey?"
Infernape was confused until he saw the face of the speaker. He smiled as well. "Hello, Walrein." Walrein was an old friend of Team Valor's. He was a powerful general of Laxos's naval force. Team Valor had worked with him on several occasions ever since he was a young Spheal. The last time Infernape had heard from him, Walrein was locked in a naval battle against the Kingdom of Zarton.
"Aye, it's good to see you, old friend. I came back after hearing that her majesty Princess Lopunny had formed a treaty with Zarton, but once I set foot on this beautiful kingdom, I find Pokemon so tense they aren't even looking where they're going!" Walrein laughed, only half joking.
"Sorry, Walrein." Infernape said. Walrein noticed his glum tone and put a concerned face on.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked. Infernape didn't respond, only hung his head.
"Infernape!" Infernape turned to see Luxray racing towards him. Luxray stopped when he saw Walrein.
"Hello, Walrein." Luxray greeted. He also seemed rather gloomy to Walrein.
"What's the matter with you all? Aren't you happy to see me?" Walrein asked.
Infernape sighed and relayed the events of the past few days. He left out the part about him and Lopunny so that he wouldn't embarrass himself.
"Aye, seems you are in for quite the journey. I knew Zarton couldn't be trusted." Walrein growled. Then he smiled. "Well, you won't have to worry that much. I know Team Majesta, and they'll be fine."
"It was nice seeing you Walrein, but we're going to have to part here. Infernape, King Lucario wanted us to meet him in ten minutes, so do whatever you have to do in that time." Luxray said.
Infernape nodded and Luxray stalked off. Waving goodbye to Walrein, he ran through the streets. He reached his destination which was a jewelry store. Being a high-ranking knight, he had a lot of money, and so he purchased a ruby necklace from the jeweler.
The reason was that there was an old custom in the palace. It was to give a gift to the one you loved. That gift had to be made of your type's corresponding color. For example, fire was the ruby, water was the sapphire, electricity was the topaz, grass was the emerald, fighting was the diamond, flying was the aquamarine, poison was the amethyst, bug was the opal, ice was the lapis lazuli, and normal was the pearl. Since Infernape was fire, it was natural that he would give something made out of a ruby to Lopunny.
After buying the necklace, he ran back to the palace as quickly as he could. The guards informed hi m that the meeting was in the throne room, so Infernape moved there. King Lucario and Queen Lopunny were already there, as well as Gallade and Gardevoir. Also present were Luxray, Staraptor, and Drapion. Machamp and Abomasnow hadn't arrived yet, which was not surprising considering their natural speed.
"You're here, Infernape." Queen Lopunny said. He nodded and took a seat in the middle of his entire team. As he sat down, Machamp and Abomasnow came in flustered, babbling apologies. Then they took their seats at the very edge of the team.
"You will set out the day after tomorrow. However, as you may have already guessed, this will be a difficult journey. We have arranged a map for your mission, and it was done by the best mapmakers of the kingdom, so you do not have to worry about getting lost." King Lucario said.
Infernape looked at the map. It seemed to have mystical properties. As a matter of fact, there were clouds actually moving around on the page!
"Do not worry. This map is special because it actually shows your destinations. I gave you a route so that you can train easily along the way as well as relax just as easily. The places on the route that you will take are not overly dangerous, but they are still difficult to pass. Oh, and Team Majesta had to take the same route as you, so no need to think that they had an easier journey than you will." Gardevoir explained.
"You made this map?" Drapion asked in surprise.
"Who else could make a map of such amazing quality but Gardevoir? Her psychic abilities make her the most trusted mapmaker in the entire land!" Gallade explained, casting an admiring glance at his wife.
"I cannot take all the credit. You helped as well." Gardevoir argued gently.
"You did most of the work. Besides, psychic mapmaking has never been one of my strong points. Fighting is what I can do best." Gallade said.
"It is not surprising, Master Gallade." Staraptor said, dipping his head in respect.
"Oh, there is no need to call me master. The six of you have done excellently over the years. You have reached my rank. I am no longer your teacher. Now, I am nothing but your comrade." Gallade said.
"Now, get some rest and do whatever you can to prepare. Tomorrow you will be free to do what you wish. Then you will set out. You are dismissed." King Lucario said. Everyone bowed and left, except for Infernape. He started to leave, then turned back to ask something of the queen and king.
"Infernape, what is it? You were dismissed, were you not?" Queen Lopunny asked.
Infernape bowed and spoke. "My apologies, but I find this time fitting to ask something of you. I ask permission to court your daughter after I save her, and when the time is right, I ask permission to marry her." Infernape was shaking inside, and was surprised to hear King Lucario's hearty laugh.
"I believe we already cleared this up, Infernape. You have full permission to do those things." King Lucario said.
"As my husband already explained to you, we trust you with all our hearts." Queen Lopunny added.
"Thank you, your majesties. My apologies for wasting your time, I just wanted to be certain." Infernape said, bowing. Then he left.
Team Valor spent the rest of the day and the next one debriefing the small amounts of soldiers they commanded. Infernape was the leader of a battalion of Primeape that specialized in close combat. Luxray was in command of a battalion of Mightyena that was usually the ones that led attacks. Staraptor's battalion of Fearow made up an aerial force that was ranked among the best not only in the kingdom, but in the entire land. Machamp had a fair amount of Golem trained to crush almost any force in their way. Drapion's team of Seviper specialized in spying and assassination if necessary. Finally, Abomasnow's team of Glalie was a key asset when it came to stopping enemies due to their ability to freeze almost anything. Team Valor commanded their respective teams to fulfill only one goal-to protect the kingdom of Laxos at all costs.
On the day they were to leave, Infernape shouldered his pack and headed out to join his teammates next to the city gates. They were seen off by almost all of the residential Pokémon that wished them all luck.
A few hours later…
"Our first landmark should be somewhere around here. The Wall of Ice." Luxray said, looking at the map. "The map says that due to some enchantment, it can hold out against hot weather, but it still has a weakness to fire."
"Hey, guys, look at this." Drapion said. He was looking at a board that seemed to have words on it.
Transverse the ice that is impossible to melt
The path shall be opened to those who felt.
"What does it mean? Ice that is impossible to melt? Is that even possible?" Machamp asked.
"I guess it's referring to that wall of ice over there."Staraptor said, gesturing at a sheet of ice on a wall with his beak.
"Flamethrower!" Infernape yelled. While the flames were indeed intense, when they dissipated, the ice was still there.
"Impossible. My Flamethrower can melt any ice, no matter how strong it is. " Infernape gasped.
"And besides, this is the Wall of Ice. It should be possible to melt it with fire." Luxray said.
"Wait a minute. Try again." Abomasnow said. He seemed to be focusing when he looked. When the flame stopped, he shook his head. "No wonder it didn't melt. The fire never hit it in the first place!" he exclaimed.
"Is there a barrier?" Luxray asked, putting his paw out. There was. His paw stopped at about an inch from touching the ice.
"Good thing I learned this new move. It is specially built for breaking down force fields like these. Brick Break!" Abomasnow shouted. He punched right through the barrier and got out of the way as Infernape fired his Flamethrower. The ice melted and in its place was a roaring waterfall.
"It's obvious what we have to do." Drapion said, crouching.
"One, two, three, let's go!" Infernape commanded. They all ran at full speed and leapt right into the waterfall. Abomasnow nearly fell down the cliff that the waterfall flowed down to, but luckily Machamp managed to pull him up.
They were in a tunnel that led into the outer world, but something was in the way.
"I am Mr. Mime." The strange being said. "You have done well to transverse my barrier and thaw the waterfall, but now you have to get past me!"
"I'll take him." Abomasnow said, stepping forward. Mr. Mime grinned and beckoned him over teasingly.
"Let's go!" Mr. Mime automatically set up a barrier around himself. It was strong enough to deflect even Abomasnow's Ice Beam/Wood Hammer combination.
"Psychic!" Mr. Mime called. Abomasnow was easily flung across the tunnel. "Psybeam!" The attack hit Abomasnow midair and sent him crashing to the ground.
Abomasnow was not finished yet. "Blizzard!" The howling attack was sent towards Mr. Mime, who grinned cockily.
"Psychic!" he sent the Blizzard right back at Abomasnow, who seemingly ran straight into the attack. Mr. Mime, believing that he had won, especially after Psybeam hit in midair, threw his head back, closed his eyes, and laughed in triumph.
"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you." Abomasnow's voice said from somewhere close by. Mr. Mime opened his eyes and saw Abomasnow towering above him. The next thing he knew, he had been hit by two huge amounts of freezing pain, hit the wall, and was knocked out.
Later…
"Hey, Abomasnow, how did you do that?" Machamp asked after they had left the cave.
"I ran into the blizzard, all right, but what any of you didn't see was that I had my Ice Beam-frozen wood hammers all ready. Also, I used Brick Break to add a barrier-piercing spike to the middles of my hammers. Then I ran into the blizzard with my hammers out to clear a path and got my frozen Wood Hammers even more powerful with the extra ice the Blizzard gave me. Finally, I broke his barrier, without him hearing thanks to that loud laugh of his, and smashed the daylights out of him." Abomasnow said with a chuckle. Everyone else cringed- they could only imagine how painful that had been.
"Our next destination is called Corruption Cave." Luxray said.
"Ooh boy, that sounds dangerous." Staraptor said.
"That's what makes it fun, right?" Infernape said from the front. Everyone laughed continued walking.
What they didn't know was that Dusknoir, who had kidnapped Team Majesta, was watching them. He chuckled lightly and quietly. "Fools." he hissed. "You have no idea what happens to travelers in Corruption Cave. It's a good thing I switched maps. They will be in for the trials of their lives! By the time they get to the Kingdom of Zarton, I will have taken over Laxos completely!" he laughed.
And back at the palace, Gardevoir discovered a note on the table next to the bed that she and Gallade shared. After reading it, she cried out. "Oh, no!"
"What is it?" Gallade asked, coming in. He took the note from his wife and his eyes widened. He growled. "Blast it! It looks like Team Valor is in danger! We have to go tell the king, now!" Gallade said.
And then deep in the Kingdom of Zarton, Medicham was pacing around the room in which Team Majesta was imprisoned fretfully.
"Don't worry, Medicham. Team Valor will be here soon, including Machamp. In the meantime, we should probably be coming up with escape plans." Kricketune said, always the reasonable one, but still, her thoughts were somewhat clouded by the thoughts she had about Drapion.
"We'll get out soon enough." Roserade said, still thinking about Abomasnow.
Princess Lopunny, Ninetales, and Swellow were standing at the window, looking at the large expanse of land that was the Kingdom of Zarton.
"Staraptor…" Swellow whispered.
"You must get here, Team Valor. Please. Please, Luxray." Ninetales pleaded quietly, as if he could hear her.
"Oh, Infernape, just get here already. I'm getting impatient." Lopunny murmured with a small smile.
Well, that was interesting. Here's a quick preview.
"Geez, for a guy with 5 ,000 IQ, you are an idiot! Those attacks are worth nothing on me!"
I'll give you two hints. If you know your Pokémon types, you will know who is battling next chapter in Team Valor.
The attacker with 5,000 IQ is a Psychic-type.
The speaker is saying that Psychic-type attacks are useless against him because they have no effect on him.