Gain Of Trust
CHAPTER 14
The group stared nervously as Leader began to slowly make his way closer, his eyes intently watching the blonde champion in the opposite group. "Ash...I wish I could say it's a pleasure to see you back again, but given the stories I've heard from these guys..."
"Yes, well, times have changed, Cynthia," Leader chuckled, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he stopped, looking down at the ground with a smirk. Since the moment Leader and his group had appeared, May and the rest of her group had grown increasingly nervous, one in particular to the point of hiding behind the others, somehow managing to conceal herself before she was recognized. "But nonetheless, some things do have to change for a better future, isn't that what people like to say? I took it on myself to accept the role of making that change."
"But from what I hear, it's not the right way, and you must know that," the champion replied, Leader glancing back up at her.
"I suppose it's natural that's what's been whispered into your ear recently..." he said, his eyes drifting towards the rest of the group. The moment his eyes met May's, the brunette felt a pain in her chest. He closed his eyes. "But I'll say it now, I don't have time to deal with the rest of you. I am here for Cynthia only, and I would appreciate it if you would stay out of the way."
"As if!" Max shouted, the may giving a quiet sigh. "You know there is no way we will let you do this, Ash!"
"And I said to stop calling me that," the man replied sharply, surprising the younger teen. "As I have said before, Ash is gone. Meaning no longer here. I am not that weak, spoil-"
"Stop talking like that! You are still Ash!" Misty shouted, the icy-blunette behind Leader crossing her arms with a smirk.
"You guys really don't get it, do you? You're not gonna pull some fairy tale turnaround on him," she told them, giving a quick glance to Leader. "Leader is Leader, and he will never be anyone else, because Leader is the one who is strong enough to make the changes in this world that it needs."
"How can you say that? How can any of you say that?!" everyone's eyes were turned to May, whose fists were clenched at her sides as she stepped forward away from her friends. "How can you be so sure about that, even now? None of you even know what he's really trying to do! He lied to you!"
"Don't you talk like you know us!" Krystal snapped back, her friends glancing at her as they began to worry. Leader, however, smirked to himself as he simply held his hand out to the side, Krystal taking notice.
"It's alright, Krys'," he told her, the girl giving him a curious look before giving a nod.
"Leader, just focus on Cynthia," the man noticed the rest of his group step forward, now standing beside him as they faced the opposite group. Mason flashed the man a grin. "Leave them to us, and you get that title."
"Then we can hurry off to Kalos, since you seem to be in more of a hurry than when we started," Gina added, giving a curious stare to Leader. The man noticed this, his head turning away from them. "I suppose you must have a good reason for that."
"...I do-"
"But there's no time for that now, is there?" Jack interrupted, crossing his arms behind his head as he took a quick glance at the man in question, before looking over to the opposing group again. "Whatever it is, we can deal with it after we finish this. And Kalos."
"And why are you so defensive suddenly?" Krystal asked, looking at the man curiously. Jack didn't respond, giving Krystal and the rest all the proof they needed for the answer. "...So this is another secret between you two, then."
"...Believe me, it's a lot more complicated than that. I just...need you to trust me on that," Leader told them hesitantly, the others giving conflicted him looks. Trevor crossed his arms with a quiet sigh.
"Look, Leader, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still mad about you lying to us. Both you and Jack. If not for what you've done for me, I wouldn't still be here," the man said honestly, Leader's hands in his pockets beginning to tighten. "But if you keep adding onto the pile, you're only making it worse. And I know it goes for these guys as well," Leader glanced to the others, who began to look uneasy, avoiding his eyes.
"...I suppose this is true for each of you, then?"
"...Well, it's like he said, Leader, we really owe you a lot for what you've done..."
"...But, in addition...Just how far does the lying go? Exactly how much are you and Jack keeping from us?"
"I know I have no right to say this, but lay off him," surprised at the man's words, everyone's eyes were now on Jack, whose fists were clenched at his sides. "I get that you're mad, I'm not saying you shouldn't be. But don't be laying into Leader on it."
"And I suppose we'll have more luck with you?" Trevor asked, the sarcasm in his tone as clear as the sun in the sky.
"Not a bit, you're still not getting a word out of me. But remember I'm the one who made Leader lie, so I'm the one you should be hating right now," he told them, surprised to suddenly feel a firm grip on his shoulder.
"Don't you dare go there," Jack chuckled at Leader's serious words. "I'm not kidding, Jack, you know we don't have time for this-"
"Then you should be getting to Cynthia, then," Jack shrugged off Leader's grip, a solemn look on his face as he moved to step past him, stopping beside him as he felt a hand on his chest. "I thought you said we don't have time?"
"I accepted the pain of lying to them, Jack. But I never agreed to you lying to me," Jack was surprised to feel the man's hand gently press his chest, causing him to take a few steps back towards the others. "Gina, I want you to manage Jack. He's on the sidelines this time."
"What?!" Jack asked incredulously, watching Leader turn away from him. He stepped towards the man to question him, feeling another hand on his shoulder to stop him, courtesy of their silver-haired friend. "Leader, what are you doing?"
"Should we...uh...interrupt?" Dawn asked hesitantly, looking confused as their opponents fought...each other.
"I'm actually not sure...It would pay off if they forgot and never bothered Cynthia..." Gary stated, crossing his arms with just as puzzled a look as the blunette.
"Come on, Jack," Gina said plainly, pulling the man's shoulder back. He shrugged her off.
"Leader! I asked you what you're doing!" Leader ignored the man's frustrated words, angering Jack more. "So what, I'm just interference now? Someone else to get in your way?"
"At this moment, yes," the others were surprised at Leader's harsh words. Jack stared at him in shock, feeling his fists clenching tighter.
"...You can't be serious..."
"You know damn well that I am, and why," Leader turned to face him, his eyes showing no emotion to disprove his honest words. Jack bit his lip. "We had an agreement, and I've met your terms, all this time. Despite the pain I caused them, I still held up my end!"
"...Leader...?" Krystal stared in surprise as Leader raised his voice. She had never heard him raise his voice like that. None of them had.
"And so this is my punishment, huh? Getting benched? I'll bet you're planning this even through all of Kalos too, huh?" Jack asked.
"Absolutely," Leader replied quickly, his eyes drifting to Gina. "Like I said, make sure he stays out of this. Have Metagross put him to sleep if you have to."
"What?" Webb asked incredulously, unable to contain his surprise. Leader glanced over at him. "Wait, are you serious, Leader? Why is it that important that he stay out of this?"
"Because I don't have time to take care of him and go through with the plan at the same time."
"And what exactly is that plan?"
"...Trevor, I said we don't have time-"
"I do apologize, Leader, but it seems like we don't have much time for anything anymore, do we?" the blue-haired man asked honestly, the others beginning to worry. "Ever since we learned that you and Jack have been lying to us, you've been in a rush. Not to mention adding on to the pile of lies that you've been feeding us, so I'm just wondering what there is time for. Do we even have time to think anymore? Maybe wonder exactly why we should stay here?"
"Hey, man, there's no need to go that far," Webb interrupted, Trevor crossing his arms with a shrug.
"You say that, and yet none of us have a clue where Lexi is."
"..."
"..."
"...I really don't think you should go there, man..."
"We all know she was loyal to Leader, almost to a fault. Respected him. And yet she was the first one to take off, so why are the rest of us still here?"
"Seriously, Trevor, don't."
"Or what? I'll be benched, too? If he's willing to do that to Jack, his clear favorite, then what's in store for the rest of us-"
"Enough," everyone nearly flinched at the serious tone from the most surprising member of the group, even more so than Leader.
"Gina...?" Krystal almost felt nervous beside her best friend, watching the girl step towards Trevor.
"That's enough," everyone froze, Gina lowering her head as she bit her lip, her hand stopped in the air a few inches from Trevor's face. She slowly lowered it back to her side. "If you want to fight, Trevor, I will gladly respect that. But now is not the time, so now you will be helping Gina babysit Jack."
"And as if predicting the future..." Trevor muttered quietly enough so no one heard him, he moved towards Jack. "I bet you're actually enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Hell no," Jack replied quickly, Trevor arching an eyebrow in surprise. Despite his statement and beliefs, he could recognize that Jack was being serious. "We should already be done here. But you just had to keep asking...questions, didn't...you...?" Trevor eyed him curiously as the man stifled a yawn. Followed by another.
"Really? All that sleep and you're still tired?" Trevor asked sarcastically, surprised even more by his hotheaded companion's response. Nothing. "...Don't tell me you're out of stupid remarks to answer with."
"Gina, get Jack to rest. Now," the silver-haired girl gave a nod as she took the man's shoulder again, Jack giving a sigh. Trevor looked at him curiously, then back at Leader.
"...This really isn't planned between you two, is it...?" he asked quietly, Jack giving a nod. "...Leader mentioned you lying to him...Is that true?"
"It is," Gina said calmly, Jack feeling her eyes on the side of his head without having to check. "...There's something going on with you. What is it?"
"...Like I said, you're not getting a word from me. For my own good, as well as yours," Jack turned away from the rest of the group, shrugging off their grips as he made his way towards the far side of a pillar. Trevor and Gina glanced at each other curiously.
"Leader..." the man quietly exhaled the breath he had inadvertantly held in at Krystal's voice, resisting the urge to look at the icy-blunette who had moved beside him.
"...Sorry, guys. I admit I got a little distracted there, but we should get this done quickly," he said, his eyes returning to the blonde champion a fair distance from him. He began walking forward. "And Trevor," the blue-haired man waited at the mention of his name. "...It's true that Lexi is gone. And it's true that she may have abandoned us. But there's no need to speak badly of her for it."
"...You still have faith in her...Even at the possibility of her leaving us..." Trevor crossed his arms with a quiet sigh, his eyes glued to Leader. "...You can't possibly still believe in her-"
"Of course I do."
"...Hey..." May felt uneasy, turning slightly and looking at the hidden member of their group.
"I know she was our friend, Leader, but she left."
"You okay...?" Dawn asked quietly, her eyes also on their new companion.
"That doesn't mean you can judge her a traitor. She is still every bit a part of this team as anyone here."
"You can't listen to them, they're just fighting..." May's hand reached for her new friend's.
"You're ignoring the point and you know it, Leader. It's not just that she left us, it's not that she betrayed us."
"Ash doesn't hate you, you can't let this get to you..." the two girls continued to console her, but the next moment proved those efforts to be meaningless.
"I'm wondering how you're acting like she didn't betray you."
"I would NEVER!!"
...
... ...
... ... ...
"...What...?" Trevor's eyes slowly drifted towards the opposite group at the sudden voice's outburst. But what was most strange was not the fact that it came from the other group, not that it was so angry...it was because it sounded familiar.
"Hey-" May felt the hidden member of the group bump her arm slightly as she moved past her, as she did with the rest of the group, stepping a few feet from them so she was clearly in view. Leader and the others' eyes were all now on her in shock.
"I know I shouldn't have left without a word, but don't you ever...ever accuse me of betraying Leader!" the girl shouted, her fists trembling slightly at her sides. Leader continued to stare at her.
"...Lexi..."
"Lexi? You're here!" Krystal gasped, breaking into a smile as she started forward quickly towards her. But just as abruptly as she started, after only a few steps, she stopped. "...You're here? Why are you...?" her eyes drifted off her friend, hovering over the rest of the group as a confused look came onto her face. "...Why are you here? And with them? They're the enemy!"
"Okay, now I see that hurts..." Dawn rubbed the back of her head sheepishly with a frown, recalling the familiar words she had spoken herself not long ago.
"...Krys', I'm sorry, but I-"
"Tell me he's wrong!" Lexi flinched at her friend's words. "Tell me Trevor is not right about this! Tell me...you're not..."
"I'm not betraying Leader, or any of you. And you know I never would," Lexi replied, the icy-blunette staring at her curiously. "...I'm not abandoning you...It's just..."
"You're hurting," Gina stepped forward, her eyes on their friend standing away from them, who was now looking away and rubbing her arm nervously. "You couldn't cope with everything, and needed time on your own to figure out where your feelings truly lie."
"Which led her right to their group," Trevor said with a hint of doubt in his tone, his eyes carefully scanning each of the members of the opposite group. "And I suppose you're going to say that this was all a plan of yours, to get close to them..."
"Of course not," Trevor arched an eyebrow at her response. She smiled weakly, glancing down to her feet. "I know it looks bad...But I'm not abandoning Leader. Nor am I joining these guys. But I also can't lie that I didn't help them."
"So they're here because of you?" Krystal asked, the blonde shaking her head.
"No, they were coming before I knew. I had originally gone to the Pokemon League to talk to Cynthia, but I ran into May there," Lexi's eyes focused on the ground beside her, the brunette behind her eyeing her curiously. "She got me thinking...I may not know what Leader really wants, or anything about his secrets with Jack. But I still know that I owe everything to Leader. He brought me out of the dark, he gave me a home, and he gave me support of someone who finally believed in me when no one else did!"
"Lexi..." Dawn gave a worried look for their new recent companion, the blonde's hand moving to her chest.
"Without Leader, I never would have met you, Trevor. Or Mason, or Webb, Gina, Krystal, Jack, or even these guys," Lexi referenced behind her, turning back to them with a smile. She turned back to face her friends, eyes resting on the man who had not moved since first recognizing her. "I won't ask for forgiveness, Leader. But even though I support you, I can't make the choice of acting for a cause I know nothing about."
"You left because of that?" Trevor asked, the blonde giving a nod. "Are you ser-"
"And I respect that, Lexi. There's no need to forgive you."
"Wha- Leader?!" Krys' was shocked at the man's calm words.
"Lexi has every right to be conflicted about all of this, there's no denying that. That goes for each of you. If she chooses that she can't stand beside me, or to oppose me, that's her choice. Remember that the purpose of finding each of you was also to give you the freedom of taking control of your lives in the world," Krystal bit her lip at the man's words, knowing he was right. "But I must ask, Lexi...If you refuse to choose either side, then why are you with them?"
"Okay, I get it..." Dawn sighed quietly again, Lexi biting her lip. She glanced over to May, who flashed her a warm smile, the blonde's lip curling into a smile as well before looking back towards Leader.
"...Because I'm choosing to do what I believe is right. Not just for me, but for you as well, Leader," she told him, the man staring curiously at her. "And it just so happened that these guys could help me with those interests. So I took the chance, just like you taught me to."
"...You really do listen too well sometimes..." Leader chuckled to himself, Lexi surprised to see the man smile. "...Then I say good luck to you, Lexi."
"Thank you, Leader...I'm really gonna need it right now," Lexi laughed, pulling a sphere from her belt and tossing it into the air. Leader watched in surprise as the light took form of a small pink and blue figure floating in the air, its head turning sporadically. Lexi smiled, looking towards the blonde champion standing near her. "Z, I'm gonna need you to protect Cynthia."
"What?" Krystal's eyes widened as she watched her friend's pokemon float in front of the champion. "Lex', what are you doing?!"
"Like I said, what I believe to be right," the girl responded, her expression turning serious as she stood below her pokemon in front of Cynthia, facing against her friends. "I said I wouldn't oppose Leader, but I'm afraid that defeating Cynthia is something I cannot allow Leader to do."
"Lexi...!" May blinked in surprise at the girl's brave actions, watching her take a deep breath to herself. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yeah, it's thanks to you, after all, May," Lexi told her, flashing the brunette a smile. "You said that I care about Leader, and I do."
"But then, why are you going against him?" Misty asked, the blonde giving a slight shrug while still smiling.
"Because it's my choice. That's what Leader's wanted for me all this time, for all of us," Lexi's eyes drifted back towards her friends, looking at each of them carefully. "He may have his own agenda, but he still wants each of us to choose for ourselves to make our life the way we want. So I'm only following his wishes."
"So...You're on our side, then? I'm confused by all this..." Max scratched his head, puzzled. Lexi laughed to herself, shaking her head.
"Not exactly, but that doesn't mean I think of you guys as enemies anymore," she told them, flashing a grin. "As long as you don't attack me, I won't attack you, and we can both focus on stopping Leader. Simple as that."
"...Alright, guess that's better than before," Gary chuckled, pulling a pokeball from his own belt. He moved to stand beside the girl, facing against Leader as well. "This ends today, Ash! It's over!"
"That's what you think," Leader watched a flash of light burst past him, taking form of a graceful pink and white sea serpent. Leader noticed the blue-haired man move to stand beside him, arms crossed. "I'm not forgetting our conversation, but I suppose we should get this over with first."
"Right on, Trevor," Leader noticed Webb step forward and join beside Trevor. Then Mason. Then Gina, and finally Krystal. He finally turned his head to look at his companions, minus two, each pulling a pokeball from their belts. "It's about time we really did finish all of this, isn't it?"
"Damn right," Mason chuckled, everyone giving a single nod before tossing their pokeballs into the air.
"I guess this is it!" Max exclaimed, tossing his own pokeball into the air, followed by the rest of the group. On May's side, the six beams of light took form of a blue duck with a gem on its forehead, a tall emperor penguin, a yellow and black humanoid figure with two wire-like tails, a green lizard with yellow bulbs along its tail, a blue frog with a red bulb on its throat and a single red claw on each hand, and finally a bird-like human with flames bursting from its wrists.
On Leader's side, the lights took form of a mole with steel plates for claws as well as a cover for its head, a tall polar bear with sharp claws, a tall tree walking on its roots with a single red eye, a blue canine with a blue sphere already formed in its palms, as well as Trevor's previously-released serpent. Leader couldn't help but notice a pokemon was not sent from one member of the group besides himself.
"If you're not using the big girl, you better not be planning on holding back, Krys'. Same goes to you, Gina," Trevor said in a serious tone, earning a glare from the icy-blunette.
"Shut it. They're not worth her time," she replied coldly, Gina smirking to herself with a nod. Leader looked over his companions with a curious look, then over towards the champion he intended to fight hidden behind the group of pokemon and people defending her.
"I suppose I'll leave this to you, then..." Leader slowly made his way to the side of the group, his eyes not leaving the champion as he started along the side of the ruined pillars to the side of the area, towards the opposing group. All eyes on May's side followed him.
"Seed Bomb!"
"Aura Sphere!"
"Wha- Dodge!" the group on May's side dispersed, the two attacks exploding where they once stood. Everyone looked back towards Leader's minions, where Mason and Webb now stood with their arms crossed and a smirk on their face.
"Your opponents are over here, so I'd advise you keep your eyes on us!" Webb called out to them, the others noticing in the side of their eyes that Leader was getting closer.
"Lexi, is it really okay if we trust Cynthia to you?" Gary asked carefully, his eyes hesitating before glancing over to the blonde. She flashed a grin back at him.
"Leave it to me," she told them confidently, moving back in front of Cynthia with her normal-type pokemon floating above her. She felt hesitant as she turned slightly to face Leader, who had now stopped a short distance from her, his eyes still on Cynthia behind her. "I'm afraid I can't let you get to her, Leader."
"...You know I don't want to fight you, Lexi," he said calmly, the girl's confidence weakening at his calm demeanor. But just from the glance that he gave her next, the serious eyes that she was so used to seeing, the eyes that once showed weakness that made her want to join him...It broke her heart, but for the first time, she stood against them. "...Please, Lexi...Stand down..."
"...I'm sorry, Leader. That's not what you taught me," Leader watched his once-was comrade break into a confident grin, but beneath that confidence he could tell that she was feeling something else. Because truth be told, despite his words, he felt it too. He grabbed a pokeball from his belt, tossing it up and releasing a tall-standing crocodile from the beam of light. And despite the pain both trainers felt from facing against each other, the smiles on their faces showed that neither one could be any more excited.
"Give it everything you got, Z! We're not backing down!"
"No holds barred, Krookodile, because after Porygon-Z comes Cynthia!"
END