Chapter 8: Partners to the End
The atmosphere of the massive, bustling city teeming with activity felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time for Ember. The sky had become half-filled with white, fleecy clouds, the bottoms of which were dark grey, threatening to rain soon. Humans were going to and fro, trying to finish the last of their errands before it began to drizzle.
Ember waited on a small hill near the outskirts of the city, watching the humans all over the streets, looking for a way to get into the town without being seen. She saw several alleys she could probably sneak through unseen. It was a start, at least. She'd have to figure the rest out as she went, since she couldn't see a Poke Mart or town market from her viewpoint.
"Okay, here we go," she muttered. "Hang on, Absol."
With that, Ember ran down the hill, occasionally glancing at the town in case any humans were looking out toward her. She saw the town's main entrance, but knew it would be foolish to go through there. Absol's words rang in her head. She was considered a wild Pokémon now, and anyone who saw her would capture or kill her without a second thought.
She ran to the right of the city entrance, searching for one of the alleys she spotted on the hill. Eventually, she sighted a rusted fence that led into one. She used Hidden Power to break it open, entering the alley. It somehow felt not only darker but also chillier when she entered. Even the smell was different, and not in a good way.
Ember sidestepped a broken bottle lying on the ground and went on her way. She peeked around a corner and saw one of the main streets, then quickly ducked back when she spotted several trainers nearby, talking and laughing about something or other. She quickly ran past the blind spot until they were out of sight.
She glanced around. The ground was littered with glass, paper and other things. She saw a few containers she remembered were called "dumpsters". She searched for any kind of antidotes people might have dropped by accident or thrown away, but found none. She realized that an ordinary antidote might not even be enough for Absol in his condition. The only way she could help him was by getting to a town Mart.
As she followed another path to find a different way to get into the city, she saw a few Raticate scurry into the darkness as she passed by. Flitting shadows occasionally streaked across the ground, making Ember slightly nervous. It was tempting to use Drought to light the way, but that would be ridiculous. She knew that using her ability in the city was out of the question. Every trainer in the town would find her.
Ember suddenly stumbled over something and heard an odd whirring sound, like a machine being activated. She felt an odd sensation in her gut and looked down, seeing an orange Technical Machine (or TM) lying on the ground and shining brightly. Her vision swam a bit as the light washed over her, and she realized she must have inadvertently activated the mechanism. However, the disk soon disappeared, and she didn't feel anything abnormal. She hoped nothing had happened to her, deciding the machine must have failed to activate properly.
After taking a moment to shrug it off, Ember continued through the alley. She soon saw something shiny behind one of the dumpsters out of the corner of her eye. She went to get a closer view. It looked like a disk of some kind. She reached her paw into the small space behind the dumpster until she got it in her grasp, slowly pulling it out.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Ember jumped and yanked her paw back out, slightly scratching herself on the edge of the dumpster. Standing behind her was an odd green Pokémon with streaks of red and yellow on its reptilian body. How had it snuck up behind her? She didn't see any hiding places for it nearby.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Um, I think I should be the one asking that," the Pokémon replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Ember. I'm not from around here."
"I gathered. Any particular reason you're trying to steal my treasure?"
Ember glanced back at the disk.
"Oh, that was yours?" she asked. "I was hoping it might have been something that cured poison."
The Pokémon recoiled in shock.
"You're poisoned?!" he asked, backing away.
"No, I'm not, but a friend of mine is. He's dying, and I need to find a cure."
The pokemon's head cocked to the side.
"Wow," he muttered. "You don't hear that every day. Sorry for not introducing myself. I'm your friendly neighborhood Keckleon, at your service. You really are taking a big risk coming here, you know. If a trainer spots you, you're dead."
Ember nodded. "I know, but I have to try. Maybe if I act like my trainer sent me, I can get through the town?"
"Don't bet on it. During battle, the only thing stopping humans from capturing Pokémon is the other trainer blocking the Pokeballs. If your trainer isn't there, you're up for grabs, wild or not."
Ember sighed. "I guess that's out. Do you know where the Poke Mart is, though?"
Keckleon nodded. "Follow me for a sec."
The green lizard climbed on top of a dumpster and hopped onto the roof of a small building. Ember did the same, nearly slipping off but managing to keep her balance. Keckleon pointed toward a nearby street. Ember followed with her eyes until she spotted a far-off building with a slightly blue-tinted roof.
"If you cross to one of the other alleys, you should probably be able to reach it," he said. "Just try not to get spotted as you go. You can't reach the other alleys without going out into the open a little bit."
With that, Keckleon climbed back down. Ember carefully followed him. The lizard Pokémon then pulled the disk out from behind the dumpster.
"Here," he said. "You can have this. Maybe you can get a better use out of it than I can. It's a TM for Stone Edge."
Ember glanced at it uncertainly. "You mean I can just take it? I thought it was your treasure."
Keckleon grinned sheepishly. "Actually, I have no idea how to use it. I just kept it because it looked valuable. Besides, anyone who's willing to risk their lives to help a friend in need deserves all the help they can get, and we Pokémon gotta stick together, right?"
Ember smiled and shrugged off her bag, putting the TM inside. Getting the bag back on was always annoying, but Ember found a way to sling it onto her back with her forepaw without too much trouble.
"I saw another TM back in the alley," Ember said. "Was that yours too?"
"Yeah, that TM was for Will-o-wisp. I was actually about to hide it, until I saw you activate it by accident."
Ember looked down in embarrassment. "Sorry about that."
"Ah, don't worry about it," Keckleon said. "The thing was practically worthless anyway. Just a quick word of advice, though: The only reason I'm alive is because I'm so good at hiding with camoflage. Wild Pokémon in cities don't usually come out alive. The longer you stay here, the slimmer your chances will get, so find whatever cure you can and leave as soon as possible."
Ember peeked out between a pair of buildings to see if they were being watched, then turned back to Keckleon.
"Thank you. I hope—"
But when she looked back, Keckleon was already gone. She looked back and forth for her mysterious helper, but he was nowhere in sight.
"Well, he sure knows how to make an exit," she muttered.
Ember looked out between the buildings. Getting across the street to the other alley was going to be nearly impossible. Trainers were everywhere. It seemed too daunting a task. Ember kept searching for a path she could take that would avoid the sight of the humans, but she couldn't see any. She must have been there for at least twenty minutes, and she might have been there even longer, if not for one thing.
Ember felt a pang of sorrow and desperation at the thought of Absol lying in the field, the poison slowly eating away at him. It only grew worse as time went on, and Ember realized she would never get anywhere if she didn't force herself to move.
Then, without even realizing it, Ember found herself stepping out of the alley and right into the street.
She instantly ducked around a corner as a trainer looked toward her. She glanced out, waiting for an opening. Then, when she was sure nobody was watching, she darted out and ran across the sidewalk. There was a heart-stopping moment when she turned a corner and ran right in front of a trainer wearing a green vest and cap. She jumped in fright, but the human wasn't looking in her direction.
Then, she got a brilliant idea.
As the trainer walked off in a different direction, Ember followed him. She walked right out into the crowd of people, closely following the trainer in the green vest, who didn't notice her. Several trainers walked by, but they barely glanced at Ember. She grinned. They all thought she belonged to the green-vested human.
Finally, when she followed the trainer across another street, she saw that the alley she was looking for was right ahead of her.
"Hey, Doug!" the green-vested trainer suddenly called.
"Well, howdy, Mark!" a trainer with a suit replied. "Hey, I didn't know you caught a new Pokémon! That's a really good looking Ninetails you got there."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"That one, right there!"
The green-vest trainer turned around, but Ember had already bolted into the alley and turned a corner, well out of sight. Her pulse was racing, but she couldn't help laughing in both irony and triumph. She felt proud that her plan had worked so perfectly. If what Keckleon said was true, she was getting closer and closer to either a Poke Mart, or a Pokemon Center that contained one.
She checked around the alley for any dropped items, occasionally finding a few half-empty discarded potions. She picked up anything even slightly useful that she found, just in case. At least her bag finally contained useful supplies for the future, if she succeeded. She mentally berated herself. When she succeeded.
She climbed on top of a dumpster, being careful not to fall off. She reared back, then leapt up onto one of the smaller buildings, using it to jump up to the rooftops. She slowly and steadily walked across, looking down below. She ducked for a moment when she saw a few trainers, but when they left, she stood erect, looking down at the streets below.
There it was. The Poke Mart, a Pokemon Center right next to it. She would have to cross another street to get to it, but she was sure she could make it again.
Suddenly, Ember saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She quickly glanced toward it, seeing a shadow leap down from the nearby rooftops and into the alley below. Ember jumped down as well, her tails giving her light body perfect balance. She didn't even make a thud when she landed, looking back and forth for the source of the shadow. Perhaps who or whatever it was could help guide her through the alley?
She saw another movement, running around a corner after it. She searched to and fro, unable to find the incredibly nimble creature.
Suddenly, Ember found herself slammed against a wall, strong arms holding her there. She felt something very sharp and hot at her throat.
"Make any noise at all, and you're dead," her assailant muttered.
Instead of attacking, Ember relaxed her body and fell to the ground, slipping free of her surprised enemy's grasp. The then turned and launched a Fire Blast. She heard a loud groan and a thud as the shadow fell backwards. When the light finally illuminated her attacker, she saw that it was a Lucario with a slightly odd fur color and pattern.
"Who do you think you are?!" Ember yelled, preparing another attack.
Lucario turned to her, a large burn mark on his side where Ember had blasted him. A shimmering ball of energy appeared in his hands.
"Did your trainer send you to follow me?" he asked angrily.
Surprised, Ember faltered for a moment.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
Lucario scoffed. "Don't play dumb with me. I saw you with that trainer out there, and then you started following me back here. Is he trying to capture me?"
Suddenly, Ember realized what he meant. She sighed.
"That wasn't my trainer," she explained. "I was just following him to get across the street."
"Just how stupid do you think I am? You really need to come up with a better story."
"Well, you can choose to believe it or not," Ember said curtly. "I don't care. I have to help my friend, and if that means fighting you too, so be it."
There was a long silence. Ember and Lucario stared each other down for a few moments. Finally, the glowing orb disappeared from Lucario's hands.
"Fine," he said calmly. "Let's just pretend for a moment that you actually aren't with a trainer. What are you doing here?
"I could ask you the same question," Ember shot back.
To her surprise, Lucario grinned slightly.
"That you could," he replied. "I'm chasing after a thief from the West Side who stole a rare TM of mine. Now, then, why are you here? You said something about helping a friend?"
"That's right. My friend Absol is dying from poison, and I'm trying to find a cure. As a matter of fact, I was just heading for that Poke Mart over there."
Lucario quickly glanced toward the Mart and then looked back.
"There're only two kinds of Pokémon that go into towns," he said. "Those that are good at hiding and those that won't be around long. I'm guessing you're one of the latter, if you really are wild. My advice? Forget about your friend. If what you've said is true, he's already dead. All you're doing is getting closer to joining him."
Ember was tempted to give him another Fire Blast right then and there, but decided the fight would attract too much possible attention.
"Why don't you go fall on a Stealth Rock?" she said, her patience completely sapped. "I don't need your pessimistic advice."
Lucario laughed. "I'm not the enemy here, you know. If you think you're somehow exempt from the dangers of these cities because you're helping a friend, you're dead wrong. I have the power to sense people's auras, which is why I'm still alive, and I can see that you're already being hunted. I like that you're the first Pokémon I've met who was willing to fight me, but you're giving away my hiding place by being here, so I suggest you leave, for both our sakes."
"Gladly," Ember spat.
Rather than respond, Lucario shut his eyes, his ears beginning to twitch. He then suddenly jumped back up onto the rooftops, vanishing from view in a matter of seconds. Ember didn't know why, but she began to feel very exposed standing there in the cold, musky darkness of the alleys. Deciding she had wasted too much time there, Ember briskly continued on her way to the mart, occasionally glancing nervously over her shoulder without knowing why.
At last, once Ember managed to cross another street using the same tactics as before, she found herself in front of the Poke Mart. The blue-tinted building seemed designed to be overly inviting, but Ember found it anything but. She knew that there could be dozens of trainers inside, and she'd never be able to get away with pretending to be owned by one of them. The hesitation she felt was almost overpowering. She had no idea how she would be able to get in and out without being seen, but deep down she decided that Absol's life was well worth the risk.
She peeked in through one of the windows, ready to duck down if anyone looked her way. The good news was that there were only a few trainers inside.
The bad news was that there were a few trainers inside.
The worse news was that she recognized one of them.
It was one of the two humans that had attacked her and Absol back at the fields. The woman in the odd clothing was at the counter, chatting with the human who probably owned the store. Ember bolted back down, her breath becoming shaky. Why did that human have to be there?! It was then that Ember realized she didn't have a chance of making it in and out now.
"Hey, come here!"
Ember turned to the right, looking for the source of the sharp whisper. She saw an Aipom beckoning her toward a nearby alley behind the Poke Mart. After what she'd just seen, Ember decided it would be stupid to follow a strange Pokémon into an alley, but she heard the doors to the mart opening up. She turned back, seeing the oddly-garbed woman exiting the store.
Realizing it was her only chance, Ember followed the Aipom, hoping she wasn't making a grave mistake.
The two Pokémon ran as far back as they could, finally stopping to catch their breath. After a few moments, the Aipom turned to her.
"You must really get a thrill out of risking your life," he said. "I gotta say, I'm amazed you're here. It must have been a nightmare to get all this way."
Ember nodded. "It was. Forgive me if I sound suspicious, but why are you helping me?"
Aipom shrugged. "I dunno. Curiosity, I guess. I've almost never seen other Pokémon here, at least not outside of pokeballs. When I saw you looking inside the Mart, I was nothing short of awestruck."
Ember's brow furrowed. "Well, you're here too. Why is that?"
Aipom smiled. "I'm here because I work at the Mart."
Ember managed to stop herself from recoiling in shock.
"What?! You work there?"
"That's right. Well, not so much work there, but my trainer owns the store."
"So, you're not a battling Pokémon?"
Aipom sighed. "Unfortunately, I am a battler."
"What do you mean? No offense, but you're not even fully evolved."
"Exactly," Aipom replied sadly. "I'm what the humans call a "Little Cup" Pokémon. The trainers sometimes pit weaker Pokémon against each other, since there are different strategies involved with battling un-evolved Pokémon. My master can't afford to let me get stronger, so I've never been outside this city since the day I was born. Instead of putting me in a PC like all the other Little Cup Pokémon, he lets me help out in the shop. It's essentially trading a smaller box for a bigger one."
"Then maybe you can help me," Ember said, feeling a surge of hope. "I desperately need an antidote to poison. That's why I came all this way."
Aipom folded his tiny arms dubiously.
"Why do you need an antidote?" he asked.
"There's a sick family of Pokémon outside the city," Ember lied. "Their children are poisoned, and they begged me for help."
Aipom chuckled. "You know that you're a really rotten liar?"
Ember decided the only way she would get anywhere was by being honest.
"It's my best friend," she said quietly. "He's the one who needs help. He's dying back at the nearby fields."
"Your first story was better. Let me guess: You got poisoned and want the antidote to save yourself?"
Ember sighed in frustration. "Would you give it to me if I said yes?"
Aipom grinned. "Wait right here."
With that, Aipom swung his tail around a nearby pipe, easily climbing to the top of the Mart, disappearing from Ember's view. She waited impatiently for a few minutes. Finally, just as she was about to leave, Aipom returned, holding a small sack.
"My master will probably be mad," he said. "But after forcing me to become a Little Cup Pokémon and making my life a prison, I don't really care what he thinks. I grabbed a few Full Restores, since you came all this way and probably need all you can get. You want 'em?"
Ember felt her heart leap. She ecstatically reached for the bag that held the cure for Absol's poison, but Aipom snatched it away.
"Whoa, whoa!" he said curtly. "I didn't ask if you would take them. I asked if you wanted them."
Uh oh. Ember was afraid it would come to that. She knew she'd have to pay, but she didn't own anything valuable. At least, nothing except for the TM Keckleon gave her. She unslung her bag and took out the disk.
"Will this pay for it?" she asked.
Aipom scoffed. "What would I possibly want with that? I can't even learn the move it teaches!"
"It's all I have," Ember replied meekly.
Aipom glanced at her for a few moments.
"I'll take that Choice Scarf of yours," he said finally.
"What?!" Ember yelled in horror. "No way!"
"It's a lot more valuable than a TM," Aipom said calmly. "I can even use it in Little Cup matches. Give me that scarf, or there's no deal."
For a moment, Ember felt tempted to try and take the bag from Aipom by force, but she knew it would be too easy for him to sound the alarm. She glanced down at the scarf her master gave her for a moment.
"Surely a Choice Scarf is worth a lot more than a few Full Restores," Ember replied.
Aipom grinned again. "To others, maybe, but not to you. A Choice Scarf won't save you from poison."
"But that's robbery!"
"Yeah, it's called life, lady. Live with it. Do we have a deal, or am I going to ask for the TM too?"
Ember glanced at her scarf again. After a few moments, she sighed sadly. It hurt to give it up, but Absol was much more important to her. She reluctantly untied it from her neck and handed it to Aipom, feeling strangely naked without it already. The monkey-like Pokemon gleefully snatched it from her, tossing her the bag of Full Restores.
"A pleasure doing business with you," he said.
Ember grabbed the sack. "I'm sure it was," she replied bitterly.
Ember made her way back across the streets, the Full Restores safely in her bag. A few drops of rain were finally beginning to trickle down from the sky, and the streets were becoming less and less crowded, so Ember could relax a bit more. She was delighted to have found the cure for Absol's poison, if still slightly bitter about losing her scarf. After all, when she found Rose, she would probably be given another one anyway.
She only hoped she would make it back in time. Since there were fewer trainers about, she continued at a much brisker pace than before, searching for the entrance to the right alley that would lead back out of town, hoping she wouldn't get lost trying to find it. The sky was becoming darker as evening finally set in, and the streets were becoming dimmer as well.
Just as Ember was about to enter another alley, she saw a brown-haired trainer with a green cap and a red vest out of the corner of her eye. She quickly turned toward the human, hoping she hadn't been spotted. Upon further inspection, she noticed something familiar about the female trainer. The girl pulled out a Pokeball from her green-and-white bag and returned a Charizard into it.
Then, she recognized her.
It couldn't be. It was impossible.
And yet it was.
The human was Ember's trainer.
It was Rose!
It took a few moments for Ember to recover from the shock. She stood there, mouth agape. Rose was only about fifty feet away from her, glancing at her Pokedex. She couldn't believe it. After all she'd been through, her master was right there! Ember hoped she wasn't hallucinating, but Rose looked real enough. She'd finally found her!
Ember felt elated. At long last, she could return to her master, and her life would go back to normal. She even had her Pokeball in her bag, all ready for her return. It was perfect. She stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity. After a few more moments, she found herself running toward Rose. Everything was right again.
Suddenly, Ember stopped. She didn't feel like everything was right again. Then, she remembered. Absol was still dying from the poison. The thought of it struck her like a Mach Punch to the gut.
But her master was right there! Her whole journey had been about finding her, and now a last she had! How could she not return? She may never get another chance like this! Who knew how long Rose would stay?
And yet, even as she began to run toward her master again, a memory flashed into Ember's head. She remembered sitting at the edge of the moonlit stream with Absol, tossing the cleaned bones of their meal into the water after he told her about some old folklore.
She remembered him teaching her how to catch her own prey, and enjoying the first incredibly tasty meal around a fire with him under the starlit evening.
She remembered Absol taking her to a lake when she was dirty, and how they ended up pulling each other into the water. She grinned as she remembered how hard she laughed when she saw his wet fur dangling in his face.
She remembered fighting by his side through thick and thin, braving agents from the East Side and battling their way through that abyss of a cavern.
She remembered the way he looked at her when he was lying on his side, the poison consuming him. She remembered the calm resignation in his ruby-red eyes, and even more so the adoration with which he gazed at her. And above all, she remembered her promise to find a cure for him no matter what.
Ember stopped. She took a long, wistful look at her master. Finally, she turned back toward the fields.
"I'm sorry, Rose," Ember muttered. "But right now, Absol needs me more."
Mustering every bit of speed she could, Ember dashed across another street. She wasn't even bothering with stealth now. Every second counted. Luckily, nobody seemed to be around to spot her. For once, Ember blessed the rain. Everyone had probably already gone home to avoid getting wet. Normally, Ember would have been terrified, but after Absol had shown her how harmless normal water really was, she couldn't help but scoff at the humans for being so afraid of it.
She stopped bothering to find the alleys. She didn't want to have to deal with anymore Pokémon. Besides, at this rate, she could probably get away with making a break for the exit. It was fairly far away, but it was directly ahead of her.
She stopped suddenly. A group of trainers with umbrellas were crossing one of the streets ahead of her. She quickly turned around a corner to avoid being spotted.
As Ember turned another corner, she ran into something. She fell backwards, dazed a bit. She didn't bother shaking her head, since it would only make her head hurt more. She slowly stood, gasping when she saw what it was she had run into.
It was the odd-garbed woman.
The human glared right at Ember, her cold black eyes penetrating into her soul. What had the other human called her? Minerva? Ember shivered at the name. Why did it have to be that one trainer? Ember would have preferred running into a Gym Leader than that human!
"Well, well," Minerva said coldly. "If it isn't the Ninetails who ruined my EV training. This time, I will break you."
Ember braced herself for battle. There was no escape, at least not one that would avoid blowing her cover. She realized she would have to fight Minerva's entire team of Pokémon. Ember knew that a single wild Pokémon defeating even a few of a Pokémon trainer's entire team was almost unheard of, but then again, Ember wasn't an ordinary wild Pokémon. She was a competitively-trained tournament Pokémon, and she was more than ready for a battle with this amateur trainer.
Minerva dropped down a bag and pulled out a concealed Pokeball, tossing it into the air. Out came a Braviary in a streak of red light. The massive bird-like Pokémon looked quite ready for combat. It loudly squawked a battle cry. Ember winced as it made the noise, hoping it wouldn't alert any nearby trainers.
Ember knew the rain would weaken her fire attacks, but she didn't dare use Drought, as it would surely attract the attention of every trainer in the city. Instead, she used her Hidden Power Ice, which blasted the bird Pokémon out of the sky. This Braviary seemed slower and weaker than what Ember was used to, but that again was probably because this Braviary hadn't been EV trained like the others she'd faced.
Ember expected Braviary to retaliate with Brave Bird, but Minerva ordered it to use Frustration instead. The Pokémon reared back, diving down at her. Ember wasn't quite quick enough to dodge, taking the attack on her side. The power behind the strike was devastating. Ember was flung backwards, feeling immense agony. The only reason she could still fight was probably thanks again to Braviary's lack of EVs.
Ember quickly got up and returned fire with another Hidden Power Ice, the blast finishing the bird Pokémon off. It let out one last irritating shriek before falling to the ground. Minerva didn't even bother to return Braviary to its ball before sending out her next Pokémon, Floatzel. Ember realized that the only reason Minerva couldn't send out multiple Pokémon at once was due to the small size of the alley. Minerva apparently realized it too, finally returning the unconscious Braviary to its ball to make way.
At last, Ember would get to face Floatzel. Unfortunately, the rain was going to give him a powerful boost of strength, and there was nothing she could do but find another way to fight back.
Suddenly, before she could even launch an attack, the Floatzel was already speeding toward her with Aqua Jet, the water from the rain surrounding him in a vortex of liquid as he smashed into her. Ember rolled to avoid the extra pain from landing on her side, but the agony from the powerful water attack was more than enough to make her dizzy.
Ember stood, ready to launch a Dark Pulse, which wouldn't have been enough against Floatzel, but something else came out instead.
Will-o-wisp.
Ember started as the blue flame flew over to Floatzel and suddenly combusted, bursting in a blaze of blue and green. The Floatzel screamed in agony as he was badly burned. Ember was in utter shock. Why had her Dark Pulse been replaced with Will-o-wisp? She suddenly realized that the TM she'd accidentally activated in the alley must have given her the move. Even though she'd known Dark Pulse for so long, she was glad to have Will-o-wisp, as she would have been doomed otherwise.
The Floatzel launched Aqua Jet again, but this time, the move barely had any impact at all. His burn was weakening his moves devastatingly. Ember slowly began to use what little sunlight was left between the clouds to charge up a Solarbeam. Floatzel saw it coming and rushed at her, but that was his undoing.
As Floatzel approached, Ember blasted him dead-on with the Solarbeam, the ray of light sending the Pokémon careening backwards, spinning through the air several times before crashing down. Minerva returned the downed Pokémon. Floatzel was very lucky he hadn't hurt Absol back in the fields, or Ember would have killed him right then and there before Minerva could have withdrawn him.
Ember glared defiantly at Minerva. Keep 'em coming, she thought. I'll take anything you can dish out and send it back tenfold!
Minerva apparently sensed Ember's smug confidence, gritting her teeth angrily and grabbing another ball. This time, she sent out an Amoongus. Ember had faced Amoongus before. Its main strategy was to use Spore to put opponents to sleep and then use Ingrain, Leech Seed, and\or Double Team to cripple the opponent. Ember would be dead if she didn't act fast.
She quickly debated over whether she could afford to risk a Drought. If she didn't, her Fire Blast wouldn't be enough to take out Amoongus in one shot thanks to the rain. It would then use the devastating Spore combo, and that would be the end of it. Ember had gone through too much to be defeated by the weather now.
She activated her ability.
All at once, her inner fire began to alter the temperature in the atmosphere, the rays of the sun tearing through the cloud cover. Ember knew it was a grave risk, but she had no choice. At least she wouldn't let it go to waste. Ember swiftly used Fire Blast, the sun-empowered move bathing Amoongus in fire and defeating it instantly.
Ember was glad for the victory, but it had come at a cost. She heard several loud shouts of surprise nearby. She hesitantly peeked out around a corner and saw multiple humans begin to flood the streets, obviously wondering why the rain suddenly disappeared.
She didn't have much time.
Minerva then sent out a Gigalith, obviously expecting Ember to use Solarbeam. The Gigalith would easily survive thanks to Sturdy, and then crush her with Earthquake or some other move.
Ember decided not to be predictable. She used Will-o-wisp, the flames burning into Gigalith. The behemoth counter attacked with Earthquake, as predicted, but its power was weakened. It still hurt Ember, but not nearly as much. She then launched a Solarbeam, taking the slightly weakened rock Pokémon out.
As Minerva recalled Gigalith, Ember staggered a bit. She had taken too many hits, even if they were weakened. She still had two more Pokémon to deal with, and she wasn't sure she could handle them both in her current condition. Only one solution came to mind. She had to use one of the Full Restores.
Ember quickly opened her bag, taking one of them out. She was afraid to waste any of the cures for Absol's poison, but she knew that he wouldn't be cured at all if she didn't make it back alive, so she decided to use one of them sparingly. She put the others back, taking one Full Restore and setting it on the ground.
Ember silently cursed. Full Restores weren't built to be used by Pokémon, only trainers. She had no idea how to make it work. Minerva was already grabbing another ball. She had only a few seconds left. Ember bit the nozzle of the device, twisting it to the side. She was amazed when she managed to squirt a few shots of it into her mouth, which began to heal her.
It was more than enough. She felt rejuvenated. She couldn't help but laugh, and she knew she was going to crush Minerva. Her opponent sent out a Stoutland. Ember didn't even bother to soften it up, instead instantly using Fire Blast, the sun strengthening her already-outstanding power. The move instantly took out the Stoutland, Minerva staggering back in shock. Is that the best you can do? Ember thought smugly.
Minerva gritted her teeth and snatched a final Ultra Ball from her bag. She sent out a Dragonite, the fearsome creature roaring as it entered the battle. Ember used Will-o-wisp, burning the dragon Pokémon. In response, her opponent used Dragon Dance. With its speed increased, Dragonite followed through with another attack, firing off an Earthquake.
Despite the Dragon Dance strengthening its power, Dragonite's burn weakened Earthquake enough for Ember to survive. It was still incredibly painful, and she knew she'd be dead if she hadn't used the Full Restore. Why did so many Pokémon have to know how to use Earthquake?!
Ember heard more shouting and doors opening nearby. She was almost out of time. Using all her might, she launched Hidden Power Ice at Dragonite. Apparently, the burn had weakened the dragon Pokémon just enough, as the move finished the behemoth off in one shot.
Minerva screamed in frustration at having lost. Despite her current situation, Ember took a moment to revel in her victory. In trainer terms, she had "swept" Minerva's entire team. Still, the sounds of the trainers nearby coming to investigate were getting too close, so Ember made a run for it. She dashed past Minerva, running around a corner.
Suddenly, Ember stopped. Several trainers were already coming her way, blocking her path. She turned back around, but another group of trainers were coming from the rear. She was trapped. After all she'd been through, was she truly going to fail now?
Ember suddenly recalled Absol's words. 'If your ability gets in the way, you can always control it.'
Was it really true? Could Ember simply turn off her ability at will? At the end of every battle, Drought had always faded away on its own, but that process was incredibly slow, and these trainers were too close to wait that long. She hoped Absol was telling the truth. Then, she laughed at herself. Absol always told her the truth.
Using all the strength of mind she could muster, Ember willed her inner fire to stop her ability. Come on, she thought furiously. This has to work. Stop burning. Stop burning!
Suddenly, like a flame being blown out, the extra light from the sun simply vanished as quickly as it had arrived, the clouds covering the sky once again. Ember jumped at the sight of it. It worked! She'd shut off her ability just like that! Ember felt an incredible surge of joy, elation, and confidence. She'd never known about that power before. She could turn Drought on and off at will, any time she wanted!
The alleys became pitch-black with the sunlight gone, and the trainers didn't know what to think. Now that Ember was no longer visible, she used a brief Will-o-wisp to light her own way for a second, then jumped onto the nearby dumpster and onto the rooftops again. The humans below were still fumbling through the darkness, looking for the source of the previous unnatural sunlight.
Finally, once she reached the end of the alley, Ember jumped down from the rooftops, her light body landing without a sound. Two nearby trainers saw her, one sending out a Magmortar, the other an Infernape.
"That wild Ninetails must be responsible for the extra sunlight!" The first one yelled. "It must have used Sunny Day or something! Let's get it! Magmortar, Flamethrower—"
"No, don't!" the second one shouted. "You'll just activate its Flash Fire!"
Ember smirked. They had no idea her ability was Drought now that she had turned it off. Their brief hesitation allowed her to bolt past them.
"No! No! No!" the horrible voice of Minerva screamed behind her. "Its ability is Drought, not Flash Fire, what are you waiting for? Attack!"
But it was too late. Ember was long gone. She fled through the town entrance, escaping from the city and heading back into the fields.
From the nearby rooftops, concealed in the shadows, Lucario watched Ember flee through the town entrance, the trainers unable to catch her in time. He smiled.
"Well done, Ninetails," he said. "Well done."
The rain had at last returned in full, the darkened fields seeming much quieter without any of the peaceful wild Pokémon around. Ember ran across the plains at top speed, doubts already creeping into her mind. What if Absol had been attacked while she was gone? He had no way to defend himself. What if he had been eaten alive? What if she was too late in getting the medicine?
She angrily shoved those thoughts out of her head. She would make it. She had to. She bolted across the fields, eating up the distance between her and where she left Absol. At last, after a few more minutes of running, she made it back to the spot near the entrance to the cave.
There he was.
Ember felt greatly relieved he hadn't been attacked, but he was still on his side, eyes shut. She dashed toward him, pulling out the Full Restores. One would probably do the job, but she was fully willing to use all of them if that was what it took. She grabbed one of them, wondering whether to spray it into his mouth or on the horrible wound he received from Nidoking. She decided to use one for each, just in case.
Ember yanked the cap off the first one with her teeth, aiming it at the gash on Absol's side. She squeezed the bottle as hard as she could, spraying the antidote onto the wound. She then waited patiently for something to happen. At first, she was worried it wouldn't have an effect, but she felt a surge of relief when the awful wound at last began to close, the green liquid vanishing. She watched the wound slowly heal until it was nothing more than a small black mark on Absol's side.
She then opened a second bottle, placing the nozzle in Absol's mouth. She squeezed the antidote, helping him swallow as much as he could. Ember then leaned against his chest, listening and watching for any signs of recovery.
Her blood ran cold. She couldn't hear anything. Why wasn't the Full Restore working?
"Absol?" she said anxiously. "Absol, wake up! Can you hear me?"
There was no response. Ember stood there for a few moments in the cold, rain-drenched fields, the reality slowly sinking in.
She was too late.
All at once, Ember's failure hit her harder than a Stone Edge. She had wasted too much time. She wasn't quick enough. She had failed Absol. She couldn't save his life. What had made her think she ever could have saved him? She realized she had been doomed to fail from the start. After everything she'd done, Absol was still gone.
That reality was by far the most painful. Her best friend in the world was gone. He had helped her before even knowing her, fought by her side through thick and thin, introduced her to a world she'd never known, and even guided her through it. And after all that, she had let him down when he needed her most.
Ember slowly turned and began to walk away. She barely took a few steps before finding she couldn't go any further, finally lying down. The trials of the longest day she'd ever lived, combined with the grief of losing Absol, had drained her completely. She didn't feel like ever getting back up again. Perhaps she would merely lie there with Absol until she died too. Yes, she decided, that was what she would do. Why not? She'd lost everything, after all. Her trainer was probably long gone, and her partner was too.
"Ember, as romantic as this is, I'm getting a bit cold out here in the rain. Do you think we can leave now?"
Ember sighed. "Stop complaining, Absol. I'm not in the mood."
It took a few moments for the words to register in her fatigued brain. When they did, Ember shot up.
"Wait a minute!" she yelled. "Absol?!"
She pivoted around, her heart racing. Absol's eyes were open. He was calmly lying there, grinning at her. Ember stood there for a few moments, speechless. Then, unable to contain herself, she ran over and hugged him, lying down at his side and wrapping her tails around him to keep him warm. Absol gave her one of the lighthearted chuckles she loved so much.
"I'm glad you missed me," he said jovially.
"Of course I did," Ember replied warmly. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? Are you alright?"
"It's nice to hear your constant questions again. Yes, I'm alright, but can I stand up now?"
Ember smirked. "As soon as I'm finished making sure you're okay."
Absol's grin widened. Ember snuggled up against him. She had never felt so relieved. The two stayed like that for a long while, enjoying each other's company, occasionally sharing little kisses and tender words, not even noticing the rain anymore. Finally, deciding she'd better let Absol get on his feet, she let go of him and stood up. Absol slowly rolled over and got up as well. His legs shook a bit. Ember stood at his side again in case he needed support. This time, Absol leaned on her a bit until he regained his balance.
"Thank you, Ember," he said.
Once he was finally stable, Absol walked around a little. Ember was elated to see him up and about again. She was worried the poison would have sapped his strength, but she saw that he was okay. She felt like an unfathomable weight had been lifted from her shoulders. After a few more moments, Absol looked at her in wonder.
"Ember, did you go all the way into that city to get these antidotes?" he asked.
She nodded with pride. "They aren't just antidotes, they're Full Restores. I managed to get them from a Pokémon that worked at the mart."
Absol glanced at her neck. "I see that he got something from you as well."
Ember sighed. "Yeah, but it was worth it. I'd have traded him a thousand."
Absol looked away sadly. "I'm sorry I put you through all that. You probably missed your trainer because of me."
Ember nodded slowly. She walked over and put her paw on his cheek until his eyes met hers again.
"I missed her this time," Ember agreed. "But we'll catch up to her again, right?"
Absol was silent for a few moments. Soon, his grin began to return.
"Yeah," he said resolutely. "You bet we will!"
With that, Ember and Absol, tired and hungry but together again, searched for a suitable camp site before continuing on their journey.
End of arc 1 of 4
It's me, PrinceOfPuddles (duh), with another author's note. I was not planning on adding one but after finishing one fourth of the story it only felt right. I can see why other story have them now. If you are reading this chances are you have read the other chapters. For that I would like to thank you. Creating this was not easy, weeks were put into every chapter making sure it is exactly how I want it.
After all this time and all this work knowing that I can share this with people who enjoy it makes it all worthwhile. Thank you.
oh yeah, almost forgot, when one chapter ends another starts. Time to start to work on: Chapter 9: A Fresh Start