Crystal slowly opened her eyes, staring at the brown moving ceiling above her. Right, i'm on a boat. She twitched her leps, feeling something big and hard getting in her way. She lifted her body, leaning on her arms as moved to look at what it was. A big blue fluff ball. It lifted it's head to hers, they stared at eachother for a moment.
A soft, 'quiii…' sound came from it. It tiredly walked off the bed and fell on to the floor with a thump. "Qui?" He looked back and forth wondering where he was. Its eyes burning red.
Did my Cyndaquil evolve?
"Lava?!" Crystal pushed her blankets and slouched down to the shocked little Quilava.
She realized its eyes were burning red. Never has she seen a Quilava with such intense red eyes. They usually have a little brown but its eyes where actually shining and she felt a small flame burning in them. It looked like it felt weird after feeling its body. It looked around the room and ran up to the closest mirror and looked at himself and looked miserably shocked at its dramatic change. Suddenly the room door sprung open and Crystal saw the last person she thought she would see so early in the morning. She looked at Crystal, shocked.
"Good Morning!" Tsuki smiled down to them, on the floor. Her smile faltered, "I need to tell you both something" She closed the door behind her and came closer before she started again "Last night Cyndaquil evolved" as soon as she said that Quilava stopped panicking as much.
"How? What? I dont remember this," Crystal tried to leave the distress out of her tone, but failed.
"QUI!" He raised his paw, upset, agreeing with Crystal. It didn't remember either
"Well you see…" Tsuki started. Crystal could tell she didn't know what to tell her from the look in her eyes.
Someone then knocked on the door and she looked excited "I'LL GET IT" She lunged herself up and hurriedly opened the door. Crystal barely saw a figure before she slammed it shut and looked even more embarrassed. "Give me two seconds!" She exclaimed as she crept through the door as to not let Crystal see who it was.
The two partners looked at each other. She noticed her friend wasn't freaking out any more
"You alright now, buddy?" she smiled, being eye level with him and opened her arms for a hug.
Quilava looked at himself one last time and let the idea settle in before he smiled at her and jumped into her arms. It felt comforting for the two. She looked into Quilava's eyes and felt a sudden spark of fire, igniting a hidden passion in Cystal. She got a sudden burst of excitement. A lot of excitement. She jumped up, grinning from what felt like nothing, allowing herself to engulf in flames. Quilava followed her by igniting the flames on its back.
She let out her excitment in scream, "I feel like battling someone!" she exclaimed to the world
She ran to the door and pushed passed Tsuki and a boy. She kept grinning the entire time. She paused for a moment and stared at the boy at the door. It was the same one from last night. They both seemed startled by her sudden burst out the door. Pikachu being startled by Quilava, on the ground.
"You!" She pointed to the black haired boy. He looked taken back. "Let's battle! I wanna see what that Pikachu's made of!" Lava agreed with her with just as much excitement and the same flame evident in its eyes.
He balled his fist and smiled at her, "Sure!" Pikachu agreed and jumped on his shoulder.
"GOOD!" She erupted in even more flames and grabbed his hand and ran with him all the way to the arena on the deck of the boat. They finally got to the deck and she let go of his hand as she eagerly ran to the other side of the stadium, Quilava running in circles around his half of the field.
"HURRY UP!" Crystal yelled at Tsukis slow running
She caught her breath and declared it being a one on one battle and to Crystal's relief, quickly started the battle.
Crystal pointed to Pikachu across the stadium, "FLAME THROWER!" She yelled
The flamethrower he expelled grew to be the biggest one they've ever seen and encompassed Pikachus entire half of the field, no letting it dodge.
"You alright, buddy?!" James' shock showed in his tone. Tsuki staring wide eyed as well. Pikachu responded with a weak cry but managed to stand with the burns it received
"Good thing youre so strong Pikachu! Or else this would have been over!" Crystal exclaimed, grining
They both grinned and he commanded his Pikachu to use Agility.
"Smokescreen, Phoenix!" She was surprised at herself for calling Lava, 'phoenix' but he responded accordingly.
The battle field was soon just a black screen of smoke
"FIRE SPIN!" She didn't even realize Quilava knew fire spin but when he used it, she got less and less surprised and let herself get carried away in this strange new energy and relaxed under it and let herself do whatever it wanted
Pikachu soon flew backward, in front of the boys legs. The picture looked extremely familiar and she finally realized why…
Hoenn. 4 years ago.
Her class was having a tournament, using the school's Pokemon.
Even when they were having battle in the school, they teamed up and battled together.
"Vulpix, use ember!" Crystal yelled at her pokemon
"Pichu, use light screen!" ordered James. It deflected the ember.
"Vulpix jump it and use Flamethrower!" She commanded, wanting more. Vulpix quickly jumped over the Light screen and used Flamethrower on the un-expecting Pichu. It was a direct hit! It flew back, bracing itself.
The battle was a short one but one that she wouldn't forget, although she did forget the victor. The sight of a young boy grinding his teeth, while a small electric mouse slid away from her attack made her remember who it was. Its been years. Back then they used borrowed Pokemon while the ones they used now were theirs.
…
Crystal grinned under her breath, her heart pouding as she watched the smoke clear form the battlefield. James.
"Are you okay to battle Pikachu?" James look down, concerned
"Pikaa!" Pikachu roared standing on all fours fighting the pain of the bruises back
"Awesome!" James balled his fists
She took him in. He wasnt wearing the same white dress-shirt and tie from last night. He looked similar to when he was younger, but far more mature. He didn't wear a hat anymore but let his hair flow with the wind. He gave Crystal his hat when they left for Hoenn. It was in her bag, she'd have to show him. Maybe he'll wear it. He wore a blue button up shirt with snug black skinny jeans and nice looking runners.
She looked back to the field. Quilava was not hit once in this battle, his eyes still glowing the same red, ecstatic with the same energy she was.
"Quick Attack!" James commanded allowing Pikachu to let out its last bit of energy
"Phoenix Charge!"Crystal commanded, allowing whatever command to flow through her regardless of knowing them, Quilava would. Quilava erupted in an aura of flames and charged at Pikachu with the same speed Pikachu charged, if not faster.
"Stop the battle!" Tsuki yelled but not giving the Pokémon enough time to stop their attacks
It did allow Crystal enough time to react and call Quilava back "Phoenix, stop your attack!"She commanded with her hand out. He oberyed with the first word. He looked back to Crystal and she could see his eyes were completely taken over by red, the bold colour of his aura.
She watched the Pikachu hit her pokemon. The quick attack simply booping Quilavas head, due to Pikachu being so tired. If her attack did it, it would have severly injured the Pikachu.
She looked back at Tsuki and she was shocked but grinned "How about I battle you?" Tsuki said, as she walked to James' spot, taking a pokeball from her belt.
She looked at James and watched him pick up his Pikachu and nodded "That'd be a good idea. I'll referee" James whispered, diappointed
Tsuki and James quickly switched places, Tsuki whispering something to him and she passed. Relief seemed to show on James' face as he nodded in agreement.
"You ready?!" She yelled as she threw out a pokeball. In a bright flash of white, a big roaring Typhlosion came out. "Remember when this guy evolved?"
The day she saved James and I from Team Rocket. "Of course I do" Crystal grinned at her and made my excitement clear.
"Now don't you dare expect me to go easy on you!" She exclaimed as her Typhlosion roared
"I wouldn't ever want you to!" Quilava mimicked Typhlosions roar as best he could, but it sounded too high for Typhlosion to take him seriously. James quickly stated the restrictions and started their battle. "I'll let you go first!" Crystal insisted, overconfidently.
She nodded and grinned, "Thank you" She starred at her Pokémon for a few seconds and smiled "Lets wrap this up quickly!" Tsuki grinned at him again. The fact that Tsuki was underestimating Crystal will all this power made Crystals eyebrows furrow, angrily. "Use fire spin!" Tsuki commanded
Watching the spinning fire, Crystal completely got lost in the glory of the flames and she could feel Quilava experience it as well. The fire consuming the world brought peace to them both and allowed Crystal to see through Quilava's eyes and Quilava to see through her, giving them a new sense of perception and a new advantage to battling. Crystal smiled at the complete new sense of self she received as well as the new sense of power and unity they gained. Quilava simply sat on his hind legs as the attack engulfed him, absorbing the power. She didn't need to tell Quilava what she was thinking, nor did she need to again.
Quilava erupted in flames on his back and absorbed the flames as if it were its own. Crystal looked up at Tsuki and she looked shocked that Quilava was able to do that or maybe at something else, Crystal was not too sure.
"Phoenix Charge"
Quilava used the flames he received to wrap himself in and charge faster than the one towards Pikachu, seeming to teleport as it collided with Typhlosions gut, sending him flying back. Crystal had to remind herself that it was okay to lose, or else she would have fallen under the pressure of wanting more and more power. Quilava understood the request and nodded. But they weren't going to lose easily
"Thunder Punch!" Tsuki commanded
The close range of the attack didn't allow Crystal to think of a command to deflect it but they felt eachothers power and capabilities. Quilava snaked around his arm before he swung it, surprising both the pokemon and trainer alike, earning hard stares.
"Smoke screen his eyes then head butt him with your full speed" – she related this battle to the battle she had with James against the Umbreon and Jolteon, another one she always looks back on.
Quilava rapidly spit a cloud of smoke in Typhlosions eyes, jumped from his body to a reasonable distance to then build speed and hit Typhlosion right in his face but as soon as Quilava built the speed and hit Typhlosion, it disappeared in a cloud of smoke as if it was a fake double.
Quilava landed on the ground and slowly used his ears to sense movements through the smoke.
Above
"NOW!" Tsuki commanded Typhlosion to ambush him from above "Double Team again!" She commanded
The single Typhlosion falling above Quilava then disappeared again and surrounded Quilava with doubles.
Sense their heat core
"Brick Break!" Tsuki commanded all of the Typhlosions to come at Quilava with a glowing fist.
None of them had a core.
They didn't budge and allowed the doubles to come at them and disappear, using the time to find Typhlosions heat core but it was closer than expected.
"Thunder Punch!"
Typhlosion erupted from the ground and hit Quilava with an electrifying punch and sent him flying into the air, electricity stinging through his body. Crystal felt it through her body as well.
"You finally managed to hit us" She said through gritted teeth.
"spin"
As Quilava was reflected into the sky, it began to spin its body and directed his head towards Typhlosion.
"Phoenix Charge again"
Quilava's aura was now transforming into a flaming spectacle of beauty as it never left his body. He started to glow an orange and red mix and quickly headed for Typhlosion.
"You can take that Typhlosion! Flare Blitz!" She boomed full of a few found energy herself
Typhlosion summoned a blue spiralled flame and surrounded it in himself and jumped up to hit Quilava head on. All of a sudden Crystal started feeling dizzy, not sure if it was from Quilava or from herself. Quilava staggered in the air but kept its momentum as Crystal did.
"PHOENIX" She boomed to the sky, the first thing she said this entire battle. He heard her plea and his attack became larger and a spiral of yellow formed just as he was about to hit Typhlosion.
And of course an explosion was created from the mixture of these two powerful attacks.
The thump of the two Pokémon hitting the ground was definitely heard throughout the ship.
Two shadows emerged from the smoke and they both remained standing.
Crystal felt the exhaustion of her Pokemon but didn't dare stagger as Quilava didn't either.
Crystal lifted her head from Quilava at her feet and and looked across at Typhlosion. He was already leaning on a single knee when all of a surge of red recoil damage affected him from the attack he had just used made him collapse.
Crystal laughed at the small victory just as her and Quilava collapsed themselves.
The last thing Crystal heard was James' voice running up to her, "Why does she keep knocking out?"