Chapter Twelve - Blue Gem Obtained! Two More Left!
At the Ranger Union...
"Welcome back, dear," Erma greeted. She, Alexa, Ryder and Professor Hastings were all up in the Operations Room. "Oh, dear, your face is all red from frostbite! You must've been terribly cold, dear."
"I'm alright now," Alexa reassured. "Besides, I have a souvenir from up north for you," she teased, pulling out the blue teardrop-shaped gem.
"Is that the Blue Gem?" Hastings asked.
"The one and only! Unless someone's made counterfeits," Alexa laughed. "But this is the genuine article right here."
"You've done well! Good job!" Hastings complimented happily. Erma stepped over to Alexa.
"You've certainly earned a commendation for this achievement," she began. "Alexa, I'm promoting you to Ranger Rank 6."
"Thank you, ma'am," Alexa thanked modestly. Ryder looked at his paws; he apparently looked bewildered, having suddenly remembered the 'commendation' Lucario gave to him.
"You look wrung out, dear. I'll let you take the rest of the afternoon off," Erma stated politely.
"Thank you. Oh, by the way," Alexa began. "Do you know a good place where Ryder can get some potential training done?" she asked.
"Training? Well, there's a vast open plain in the Vien Forest," Hastings began. "Perhaps it's best to go there."
"Thanks, Professor," Alexa thanked.
In Vien Forest…
Alexa stood a hollow log up vertically. She then ran over to Ryder, who appeared to be uneasy.
"Okay, Ryder, before we start, are you sure you want to perfect Psychic?" she asked. "If you'd like, I can find out what other attacks are in a Lucario's repertoire and teach you anything you want from it." Ryder faced her. His sensors lift up.
No, Alex, I'm alright, Ryder stated. Besides, I want to perfect Psychic in case there's a situation that calls for it, like the first time I tried it.
"Yes, I know, Ryder," Alexa began. "But that was a fluke back then; after that, you've been having troubles with it."
Believe me, Alex; I really want to perfect this move, Ryder insisted. I don't think it was a fluke that I used it the first time around.
"I know that's what you believe, Ryder," Alexa began. "That's why I want to do some training with you, especially now that we have the afternoon off."
So, do I try using Psychic on the log over there? Ryder asked in confusion.
"Yep, that's the idea," Alexa confirmed. "We can start by trying to knock it back with Psychic."
Very well. Ryder faced the log standing ahead of him. He held his paws out in front of him and pulled his arms in afterwards. He closed his eyes and concentrated. His eyes opened and he extended his arms quickly; his eyes were glowing blue, and the log soon glowed in the same hue. The log wobbled for a little bit before it stopped shaking; it stayed standing. Ryder sighed with disappointment.
"Don't be so down, Ryder, it's just practise, that's all," Alexa said reassuringly. "You'll get the hand of it."
I know, but if only I could recall how I used Psychic the first time, I could practise with that technique. Ryder sighed sadly.
"Hey, cheer up. You'll get it eventually," Alexa said softly, giving her saddened partner a gentle cuddle.
"Yo, Alexa!" shouted a familiar voice. Alexa and Ryder looked towards where the voice came from and they saw Barlow running over to them. Ryder pondered about the Psychic technique to himself.
"Hi, Barlow!" Alexa exclaimed happily. "It's been a while, how've you been?" she asked.
"I'm great, thanks for asking," Barlow answered. "What're you doing out here anyways?"
"Oh, Ryder wants to perfect Psychic, so we're getting some training done," Alexa explained. "I think it's been eating away at him for a while."
"I see. And what's so special about Psychic?" Barlow asked with curiosity. Alexa looked over at Ryder.
"He's used it once before. Perfectly too. But it was a fluke," Alexa continued. "Since then, he hasn't been able to grasp it. I think him being my partner Pokémon has made him somewhat stronger, so I think we're ready to try grasping it again." Ryder stands back onto his feet and looks over at Alex.
Alex, I think I know how to utilise Psychic's power, he stated. Mind if I try it again?
"Sure, Ryder, go right ahead," Alexa nodded. Ryder stepped in front of Alexa and shut his eyes.
Ryder's eyes opened sharply; his eyes were glowing blue once more. He held out his right paw, which also appeared to be glowing with the same light as his eyes. The log glowed as well and was lifted off the ground slightly.
"Is that Psychic?" Barlow asked.
"So far so good, yeah," Alexa confirmed quietly.
Ryder had full control over the log. He allowed his left paw to share the control as it glowed blue like his right paw. He held his left paw above his right paw, and the log turned horizontal. Ryder then clapped his paws together, and the log snapped in half, almost concurrently with Ryder's clap. Ryder relaxed as his glowing paws and eyes returned to their original states. He appeared to be in shock.
Alex. Did I just use Psychic? He asked with curiosity. Alexa cuddled him from behind, smiling happily.
"You did it, Ryder!" she exclaimed happily. "See, I knew you could do it!"
"Impressive stuff," Barlow complimented. "If you see that Kincaid guy again, be sure to prove him wrong."
"Oh yeah! I forgot he escaped with a Gliscor!" Alexa exclaimed in realisation. "Next time we see him, I'll make it so his ass is handed to him!"
I'll make him pay for trying to use me as his minion. And if he tries anything on you, Alex, I'll protect you. Ryder promised towards Alexa.
Later…
Keith was lying on his bed, relaxing. Buizel was nearby on the bed, enjoying some Pokémon snack. Alexa and Ryder entered the room and jump onto her bed happily. Keith looked over at her.
"Where've you two been?" he asked curiously. "I heard you've had the afternoon off, but I couldn't find you around here."
"We went to the Vien Forest," Alexa replied. "Long story short, Ryder has finally mastered his Psychic attack!"
"Oh yeah?"
I'm hungry, Ryder said to himself. His eyes glowed blue, as did his paw while he held his right arm out in front of him. A jar of Pokémon snack – next to the coffee machine on the desk – glowed and was lifted off of the desk. Keith and Buizel watched with amazement as the jar of Pokémon snack moved over to Ryder. Once Ryder had the jar in his paws, the glowing faded and he opened the jar. He started happily eating the Pokémon snack.
"And you've just seen it in action," Alexa laughed. "I think he just needed to remember how he used it last time."
"That's all well and good," Keith began. "But don't you think you should try having Ryder use it in a battle?"
"Bui! Bui, bui, bui!" Buizel hopped up onto his feet, looking rather eager. Alexa was astonished.
"Buizel wants Ryder to use Psychic on him to find out," she translated quietly. Ryder swallowed his Pokémon snack in astonishment, having heard what it was Buizel wanted.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Keith asked.
"No, but I have got plenty of Pokémon medical supplies," Alexa stated reluctantly. "If Buizel gets seriously hurt, I can cure him. Are you sure you want to be attacked, Buizel?"
"Bui!" Buizel nodded. "Bui bui!"
"Okay then…Ryder, you heard Buizel," Alexa stated, still reluctantly. Ryder faces Buizel.
If you say so, Ryder sighed. His eyes glowed blue, much like his paw once his right arm was held out in front of him. Buizel glowed in the same light.
"Bui…!" Buizel appeared to be in pain. The longer Ryder held his Psychic attack, the more pain Buizel suffered from. Keith watched anxiously, worried about his partner Pokémon. "BUIIIII!" Buizel cried out in agony; Ryder's Psychic was stronger than it looked.
"Ryder, that's enough!" Alexa cried. Ryder relaxed as the glowing faded away. Buizel was no longer glowing, and he fainted on the bed.
"Buizel!" Keith moved over to the fainted Buizel and held him in his arms. "You okay? Say something!"
"He's fainted," Alexa sighed, moving over to Keith with a medical pack. She sat on Keith's bed and rummaged through the bag. "But don't worry, I know what to do." She pulled out two small spray bottles; one was yellow, the other was cream-coloured with a red base.
"What are those?" Keith asked curiously.
"The yellow one is the spray version of an item called a 'Revive'," Alex began. "The other one is a Super Potion."
"What do they do?" Keith asked.
"The Revive is a one-time use item," Alexa continued. "It holds only one spray, but it revives a fainted Pokémon, but it doesn't heal it completely. The Super Potion is a healing item that is good for healing Pokémon such as Buizel or Raticate, since they can withstand more attacks than a Caterpie, for example, but they can't withstand as much damage as Pokémon like Lucario, in which case a Hyper Potion is recommended."
"Oh." Keith watched as Alexa gave Buizel the single spray of Revive. Buizel was instantly woken up.
"Bui…!" Buizel flinched in pain. Keith helped Buizel to sit up as Alexa prepared to get the Super Potion. She was about to use it herself, but she had second thoughts.
"Hey, Keith…maybe you should use it," she suggested, offering him the cream and red spray bottle.
"What? But I don't know the first thing about healing Pokémon!" Keith exclaimed.
"You don't need to with a healing spray," Alexa countered. "It's a doddle; just hold the spray above Buizel's injuries at a certain distance and spray."
"Are you sure I can do it?" Keith asked worriedly.
"Don't worry, I'll help you," Alexa smiled. She went behind Keith, as he got ready to spray. He aimed it at Buizel's back.
"Okay…" Keith's nervous, as indicated by his shaking arm. Alexa used her right arm to steady Keith's arm. He looked over at her.
"Just relax. The spray does all the work," she said softly.
Keith faced Buizel again. He carefully pulled the trigger as a spray of liquid spewed out of the bottle.
"Bui…!" Buizel flinched in pain. This made Keith more nervous as he recoiled.
"You'll be fine, Buizel," Alexa reassured. "It will sting a little, but you'll feel a lot better afterwards." She looked at Keith. "And don't worry if the Pokémon flinches; it's common when a spray is used on a sensitive injury. Just relax."
"Sorry," Keith apologised. He continued to spray Buizel's back with the ointment. Soon, Buizel stood up and stretched; he was no longer in any pain.
"There we go. Didn't I say that he was going to be fine?" Alexa smiled. Keith faced her, smiling.
"Thanks, Alex," he thanked quietly. Alexa smiled at him in return.
The next morning…
On the roof of the Ranger Union, Alexa, Keith, Buizel, Ryder, Erma, Hastings and Murph were gathered around two pedestals; one was larger than the other, the latter pedestal being the dark stone trapped inside the glass dome, while the former was empty and placed next to the large tree nearby.
"I've developed a special amplification system for this test," Hastings began. "It draws from the vitality of our Tree of Harmony. You see this dais for the Blue Gem, yes? The goal is to project the Blue Gem's power throughout all of Almia."
Professor, are you sure the one gem alone will work efficiently? Ryder asked curiously.
"We won't know if it will work unless we try, dear," Erma replied towards Ryder. "We'll have to wait and see."
"Alexa, can you place the Blue Gem onto the dais please?" Hastings requested. Alexa – with the Blue Gem in hand – walked over to the dais and placed the gem on top of it.
Everyone watched as the Blue Gem shone brightly as a certain pulse was emitted from it. The pulse was brief, but was unleashed into the atmosphere. The Blue Gem continued to shine brightly.
"Incoming report!" Rhythmi exclaimed, running onto the rooftop. "The Pokémon in Pueltown have stopped rampaging! They're back to normal!"
"So far so good," Alexa stated quietly.
"Oh, wait, I'm getting another report through the wireless system," Rhythmi stated calmly. She waited for a few seconds. "Wow! Pokémon were being forced to march in the Vien Forest! They're out of hypnosis too!"
"Ah-hah! Just as I'd thought! A resounding success!" Hastings exclaimed happily. "The Blue Gem has the power to negate the Shadow Crystal! Incidentally, is the Dark Shard affected at all?"
"Let's see…" Murph walks over to the Dark Shard and looks at a meter. "It's only lost one third of its power. Is that a success?"
"One third…? Why does that sound so ominous to me?" Alex asked herself. Ryder folded his arms.
Sounds more foreshadowing than ominous, if I'm honest, Alex. He assumed. Linda ran onto the rooftop.
"Uh-oh, I've got bad news!" she exclaimed. "There're still hypnotised Pokémon in Vien Forest! Oh, wait, more news is coming in through my earpiece. The Pueltown Pokémon are back under hypnosis!"
"Why isn't it working?!" Hastings panicked. "Is the Blue Gem not enough? Is Ryder's speculation accurate?"
Oh, you know it is, Prof, you know it is, Ryder smirked proudly.
"Ryder, don't be so arrogant," Alexa warned quietly.
FLASH!
"Aaagh!" Alexa was taken aback at the sudden yellow flash. Rhythmi's chest appeared to be glowing in a yellow light.
"Wh-what's this?! It's pretty!" Rhythmi exclaimed excitedly.
FLASH!
"Not again!" A sudden flash of red light momentarily blinded Alexa. Linda's chest was glowing in the same light.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! My chest is shining too!" she observed in shock. "Now what do we have here?!" Hastings asked in horror. "You, shiny people, step closer to the Dark Shard!" he exclaimed hastily. "Don't just stand there in a daze, Murph, you step closer too!"
Rhythmi, Linda and Murph all moved closer to the Dark Shard and the pedestal it was trapped in.
FLASH!
"Stop flashing!" Alexa complained, having been momentarily blinded by the flash once again.
"Wow! It's the shine of youth!" Murph exclaimed happily.
FLASH!
"I said stop!" Alexa complained again, still blinded by the flashing.
"It's getting brighter!" Rhythmi exclaimed.
"It's too bright!" Linda added.
"What's this?! The Dark Shard is growing transparent!" Hastings observed, noticing the drastic colour change of the black stone. "Oh! The meter's dropped to zero like we had all hoped! Linda, Rhythmi, what are you hiding in your chests?"
"Is it my pendant that's shining?" Rhythmi asked. "It's a souvenir from Sven, from the Haruba Desert."
"What did you say?!" Linda protested. "My pendant's a gift from Sven as well, from the Boyleland!"
"Are you implying something?! My pendant's prettier than yours, Linda!" Rhythmi argued. Alexa and Keith looked utterly bewildered as they witnessed the bickering.
"So what if it's pretty?! My pendant's bigger than yours!" Linda argued back.
"Prettiness is more important!"
"Oh, no it's not! Size is what matters more!"
"Stop your silly squabbling!" Hastings exclaimed abruptly. "The reaction resulted from the three pendants is what is more important. Three coloured stones brought about this reaction. They harmonise to negate the darkness, I suspect. Now, how do we proceed from here…? I must investigate this matter…"
"Until Professor Hastings is done studying, it is best if the Rangers go out on patrol," Erma began. "When you are done, please report back to me, dears."
"Roger that, ma'am," Alexa complied.
A little later on…
"Alex, wait up!" Keith shouted. He and Buizel eventually caught up to Alexa and Ryder, who were currently walking down the Union Road.
"What's up, Keith?" Alexa asked.
"Nothing. I just thought we could patrol together," Keith replied. "Y'know, so we can talk about what I missed when you went to Hia Valley."
"Oh, yeah, sure. We weren't going anywhere in particular, and it'll be nice to keep each other up to speed," Alexa agreed. They walked off together.
Around Vien Forest…
"So this guy actually tried to fool you into teaming up with him?" Keith asked. "Glad you refused."
"I wasn't going to fall for any of his shenanigans," Alexa scoffed. "By the way, thanks for looking out for me."
"What do you mean?" Keith asked.
"When I checked in on the union when Rhythmi made contact with me. You were the only one concerned about my well-being while I was there," Alexa explained.
"Oh. Y-yeah, you're welcome," Keith said shyly. "How did the final capture go?" he asked.
"It was a Lucario," Alexa replied. "And it wasn't very easy. This one actually fought back. Not that I'm surprised, it had something to protect."
"But you at least managed to befriend it, right?" Keith asked.
"Oh, yeah, definitely," Alexa confirmed. "But then it did something with Ryder that I found odd."
"What was that then?" Keith questioned.
"I'm not sure, but from what I could tell," Alexa began. "I think Lucario gave Ryder the ability to make his attacks stronger by granting him the ability to cloak himself in his own aura. Like Lucario did during the capture."
"Is that what Lucario do?" Keith asked.
"I've heard about it, but I've never seen it happen before," Alexa replied. "But now I know it's true."
Hurt like hell, though, Ryder sighed as he looked up at Alex. Maybe that's what allowed me to perfect Psychic.
"It might've been, Ryder," Alexa agreed.
"I don't think we'll know for sure," Keith assumed. "Hey, Alex? Do you mind if I ask you something personal?" he asked nervously. They all stopped in their tracks, as Alexa looked at Keith, mildly astonished.
"What is it, Keith?" she asked.
"This is something I've been wondering about for a while now," Keith began. "I paid a visit to the Vientown Ranger base just after you left for Hia Valley yesterday. I was asking everyone about your reaction to hearing that you've become a Top Ranger. They told me that you said something about your friends back home."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. They told me you said you've never had real friends who kept in touch before," Keith continued. "So here's what I want to ask you. In all honesty, Alex…how did they treat you?" he asked sensitively. Buizel and Ryder secretly left Alexa and Keith alone to talk.
Alexa looked down at her feet glumly upon hearing Keith's question; it was something she hadn't truly considered thinking about.
"I can't really describe it well," she finally stated. She took her keychain off of her shorts, rested it on her right palm – holographic side up – and looked at it. "At first, I'd meet my 'friends' after they challenged me to a battle; I'd beat them, but we'd somehow engage in a longer conversation before they promise to keep in touch with me after exchanging Poké Gear numbers, but...they never did."
"Really?" Keith was shocked at how Alexa described her relationship with her home friends. "Why do you think that was?"
"I have no clue," Alexa answered truthfully. As truthful as she was, the pain of having to recollect her time with her former friends and their false promises were close to leaving her in tears. A teardrop fell onto her keychain. "They were never angry that I ended up defeating them and they seemed genuinely nice - so why didn't they bother keeping their promise?!" she cried angrily, clutching her keychain. A second teardrop fell on her clenched fist.
"That's just sick." Keith – upon hearing Alexa's woeful tale – had an angry look on his face.
"I know! At first, I thought it was a one-off, but then I realised most of them shrugged me off in a heartbeat!" Alexa exclaimed tearfully. "A handful of them contacted me every now and then, but I only met with ONE of them face to face since I met them - even then, SHE didn't bother to get back into contact with me either!"
"These Pokémon battles…are they a fad or something?" Keith asked sensitively. He appeared to be feeling pitiful for his distraught friend.
"No, it's something every Pokémon Trainer engages in," Alexa replied, as calmly as possible. Alas, her emotions were too high for her to maintain a calm disposition. "But, after a while, I just gave up on trying to meet human friends..."
"So you had no friends?" Keith asked in astonishment.
"Not before Ranger School!" Alexa cried sadly. "E-Even then, I didn't think I would make new friends..." Alexa opened up her right hand and looked at her keychain again. "Because I was always getting dropped..."
"What?! Just like that?!" Keith asked in horror.
"Just like that...!" Alexa wept. "I-I thought friends were supposed to be there for one another; y'know, l-like how a Pokémon is there for the Trainer or Ranger! ...m-makes me wonder if that's all a lie..."
"That's not true," Keith began softly. Confused, Alexa faced him. She appeared to be holding her keychain close to her. "Everything you knew about friendship is still the truth; you've just never truthfully experienced what it means to have real friends. I don't know who your so-called friends were, Alex, but I can tell you that, from what I know about you already, their reasons for dropping you weren't your fault. You're an amazing friend, a very skilled Ranger, an intelligent girl and an all-round fantastic person that I am truly grateful to have met." He rested his hands on Alexa's shoulders to comfort her. "And if those people you befriended can't see how wonderful you really are, then they can't be called your friends - they're not worth your time and, honestly, they don't deserve it either."
"Keith…" Hearing such sincere words from her friends had made Alexa more emotional. Her tears fell down her face more constantly. Keith used his right hand to take off a keychain from his shorts and rested the item in his palm; the keychain was a red miniature Swiss Army knife. Alexa looked at it before holding out her right hand – with her Milotic keychain in the palm – next to Keith's.
"Real friends care for each other," Keith added. "Our souvenirs prove how legit and how meaningful our friendship really is. I used mine when a herd of Tauros got caught in a poacher's net."
"I used mine to fend of a delinquent Gligar," Alexa began. "By using it to reflect the sun's light in Gligar's eyes."
"Precisely. Even though we were in different regions," Keith continued. "We helped each other through our souvenirs." Keith and Alexa pocketed their keychains before facing each other eye to eye. "And if I meet these chumps you thought were going to be your friends right here in Almia, I'll be sure to tell them about how amazingly fantastic you really are, just like what they should've realised in the first place."
"Keith, I…" Alexa's words trailed off. She could no longer contain her emotions and sobbed sorrowfully as a result. Keith held onto her in a cuddle, giving her a shoulder to cry on, so to speak.
Later, early in the afternoon…
"I have decided on the next mission for you two," Hastings began. He, Alexa, Keith, Ryder and Buizel were in the Research room. "Brighton Hall's diary has hinted that two other gems known as the Tears of Princes are found elsewhere. Alexa, I want you to head for Boyleland to search for the Red Gem. Keith, I want you to go to the Haruba Desert and find the Yellow Gem. Should either of you find your respective crystals, secure them immediately. These missions are more important than anything you've previously been assigned."
Keith squinted over at Alexa. He noticed that she looked rather reluctant; she didn't like the idea of them separating, especially after the sincere truth she heard from him.
"Alex? You okay?" he asked with concern.
"I have to be," Alexa answered glumly. "As Professor Hastings said, this is more important than anything we've been assigned to previously." Keith wasn't entirely convinced at Alexa's words. He faced Ryder.
"Ryder? Take care of her," he requested simply.
As I said before, no need to tell me twice, Ryder nodded once with a smile. Alexa looked at Keith in confusion. Her confusion subsided, however, as she smiled warmly not long after facing him.
"Thank you."
"Well, I'm off to Haruba Desert," Keith began. "Let's wish each other safety and success." Keith and Buizel run towards the door. Before exiting through the door, Keith looked back at Alexa. "But…your safety's more important," he said softly. Alexa was in shock at hearing Keith's words, but said nothing to him; Keith closed the door behind him instantly after finishing his sentence anyhow.
To be continued…