Quick update! A short-ish chapter compared to the last one. But a quicker update is better, right?

Chapter 38
Untied Conclusions

Prince stood firmly on the dark battlefield, his deep navy eyes brought to life by the shimmering white markings below his paws. The jewel on his forehead blinked for a millisecond and he twitched his forked tail. He kept a prim pose as he observed the sorry state of his wounded opponent before him.

"That Espeon again," Morty stated.

"There's no way I'd leave him out of this. He didn't like how the last battle ended," replied Marina. She grinned as she finally put away Misdreavus's Poké Ball, patting it.

Thanks, Misdreavus.

"The battle's already won, Marina! Just beat down that Gengar!" Jackson called beside her.

"Right!" Marina acknowledged her friend with a nod, but then focused back on her Espeon. "Ready, Prince?"

"Eif," Prince mewed, determination in his tone.

"Alright," began the disgruntled referee at the sidelines. "Next round will be Gengar versus Espeon. Begin!"

"Prince, Bite!"

With a quick flick of his ears, the lavender fox slipped into a sprint. Gengar, letting out a snicker despite the torturous bands that choked him, formed and shot a shadowy sphere in his direction. Unfaltering, Prince evaded and continued his approach.

"Use Shadow Punch, Gengar," Morty ordered calmly.

Frowning, the large ghost shook its stubby arm and floated just barely into the air. It sped toward Prince, whose crimson jewel sparked again. He paused, curiously, and waited. Midway through his opponent's lunge, the black rings let out more static, causing Gengar to howl and slide into the cold black ground. From there, Prince started again, sinking his fangs into Gengar before fleeing a moment later.

"Eifi," he sighed and stood not too far from the flailing ghost without a single sneer. This seemed to anger Gengar, who glared and muttered irritably. Simply, the fox tilted his head and shifted his gaze to Marina expectantly.

Recognizing the stare, Marina smiled. "Prince, use Confusion!"

Prince nodded as he comprehended his order. Yet he stayed unmoving when again the shard on his forehead blinked. Gengar slipped while standing on its feet, wearing a tired frown. As it did so, Prince slowly moved into a battle stance, softly barking to encourage it to fight back. Gengar bawled in laughter. It emanated with electrical power, to which Prince twitched. Soon the bright yellow static was producing enough light to light a good portion of the room.

"Prince, dodge it!" Marina called. Why isn't Prince attacking?

Her Espeon gracefully leaped away as Gengar swung its arm down on him, but the ghost pivoted and sprung after him in pursuit. The sparking fist hit Prince with a forceful smack, sending him ricocheting back onto the ice-cold floor. Gengar let out a loud, strained laugh until it noticed Prince's narrow eyes open.

"Eifie eif," Prince responded coolly and stood. The Pokémon eyed each other down. Gengar then let out a dull roar as another dark Shadow Ball generated in its palm.

Morty said nothing of the technique, crossing his arms with a solemn composure to match Prince's.

"Prince, try a Psybeam!" Marina ordered.

Gengar snarled with a large, stressed smile, unfaltering. Prince smiled back, a small grin on his muzzle that could barely be seen; it was in response not to his opponent, but in the short prediction he had made using his ruby jewel again. Gengar approached and tossed its bomb of energy at him, and Prince jumped out of the way, preparing only a fraction of a Psybeam on its jewel.

The constraints around Gengar sent another shockwave of pain, stopping it dead in its path. Prince fixed its posture and stared down the gas ghost, which grinned wider with a weak chuckle.

The black restraints vanished in a sickening crack. Gengar collapsed instantly, closing its eyes. The Espeon flicked his ears and shifted his head toward his Trainer, who waited in anticipation.

Morty recalled his Pokémon without a word, but with an admittedly small grin.

A flag shot in the air on Marina's side of the battlefield. "Gengar has fainted. The winner of this battle is the Challenger, Marina from who-knows-where," the referee announced. As if his words bore magic, after he spoke the ominous lights marking the floor flickered and dimmed, and the candles all returned with a warm glow.

Marina didn't hold back her grin as she broke into a run toward Prince, who spun toward her. He meowed calmly even as the girl knelt and pulled him into a tight embrace. "We won, Prince!" she exclaimed.

"Eif!" Prince cooed back.

"Challenger, receive your Fog Badge from the Gym Leader," ordered the referee tediously with a smile of his own. He was rather eager to go home, as he had been all along. "Anytime now."

Undisturbed, Prince purred as Marina stroked his head a few more times and stood. The girl motioned the fox to follow her as she made her way toward Morty. The collected young man had retrieved a small silver case and took out a blue-gray pin. Now with the lamps revived, Marina could see his lazily calm and satisfied face as he handed her the Ecruteak Gym Badge.

"Congratulations, Marina," he said, "I can say now that you're worthy of this badge."

"Thank you!" the girl replied simply, despite her yearning desire to say more or just bounce around the Gym in her excitement. It was the first Badge she had won by herself since Violet City. She had battled together with Silver for her second badge, while Goldenrod City's Gym Leader, Whitney, just gave her badge away without a fight as wholesome thanks. Marina grinned sincerely as she pulled the collar of her mini jacket, pinning the Fog Badge beside the other three.

Four badges. She was already halfway through to earn the eight she needed to participate in the Johto League. The time that had passed seemed to be so short, and it was hard for her to believe it was only November.

"Where are you headed to next?" Morty asked. "Just out of curiosity."

"Oh." The girl turned back to him, as she had begun to walk away to leave with an ecstatic Jackson. "I'm going to Olivine City next, I think."

"Eusine, my acquaintance you met near the Burned Tower, was headed in that same direction," admitted the Gym Leader, "So don't be surprised if a man in a purple suit comes charging after you."

Marina had to let out a sudden fit of giggles, which she recovered from quickly. "Thanks for the warning," she laughed.

"Enjoy the rest of your travels."

She nodded, bowed, and turned away, Prince bounding by her heels as she happily sprinted across the jet black battlefield.

Night had well fallen onto the quiet town of New Bark, the only bright ambiance shimmering from the houses' lights. The roads were otherwise empty, due to a severe thunderstorm that had passed over. A peculiar kind of silence pervaded through the neighborhood, even amongst the wild Pokémon nearby, unsettled as the final growls of thunder remained.

May climbed the staircase by herself and arrived in her room. Well, it was her and her sister's room, but due to Marina's journey she was never home, so it was practically all May's now. A couple lights were left on while she ate dinner, along with the single candle that filled the place with a filling, warm smell. The candle would act as a night light if the power were to go out again. Not like she needed a nightlight anyhow—maybe she did, but she wouldn't dare admit it.

The television was still on playing footage of a Pokémon battle from Kanto's most recent Pokémon League.

May didn't give as much as a glance at it before sitting down at the low-rise table in the middle of the room. A couple of Pokémon plush dolls sat motionlessly, smiles stitched on their small, adorable faces. Shoving one aside, the nine-year-old rested her head on her arms, regrettably shifting her head toward the TV. She watched with a blank gaze, the filling dinner she had eaten almost soothing her to sleep.

"Hmm," she mumbled.

On the screen, the battle showed a bubbly and round water rabbit, Azumarill, facing off against a tall yellow Pokémon. It was of the Electric-type and had the advantage in type-match up, May blandly noted, and it was strong despite the lame blank stare its eyes constantly gave off.

As expected, the battle was short with the Light Pokémon known as Ampharos being the winner. When the screen faded out from Ampharos's Trainer praising his Pokémon, it displayed the large, overly-intricate tourney tree. Half of the participants listed went dark, and May only made an aloof sigh and nearly buried her head in her arms. Her brother's bright picture burned in the corner of her eye.

How long had it been since she had last seen her brother in person? She would almost forget if she hadn't cared so much about her brother—a person that everyone, including her, in her family and town cherished. But the days turned to weeks, then to months, and then...

"Two years," May softly murmured to herself, "Ever since Chris started his stupid journey."

Her eyes stayed glued to the screen, which she didn't bother to keep track of any longer. She felt the beginnings of discomfort as she excavated her thoughts again, knowing well she would scrape up the same clues that would lead to the same conclusion.

At the start, her brother had contacted his family very often at first when he left home, talking to everyone about what was going on as he went around Johto. May remembered it well and fondly. It was always exciting and a big fuss to see who could get to the phone first, and then she, her sister and parents would sit in the living room and took turns talking. Everything about it made her feel inspired to become a Trainer herself, especially as he became the Champion of the second Johto League Tournament he participated in. Chris spoke often about everywhere he went, from Violet City to Blackthorn City—landmarks like the Ruins of Alph and the Tin Tower. The freedom of traveling, May remembered, with his Pokémon was the greatest thing he had ever done. She remembered his confident, smiling face he always wore in pictures and on television. He never regretted it one bit, and everyone couldn't be happier for him.

But perhaps he enjoyed it a little too much. Eventually, Chris began to contact them less and less. Whenever it was mentioned, he would apologize and say he had less time to do anything besides training Pokémon. Or catching Pokémon. Or training Pokémon. Or battling with Pokémon. Or talking to Trainers who had Pokémon. Anything that had to do with Pokémon, really. It got to the point where it worried their parents, because Chris seemed distracted sometimes and he never said much about himself. The get-togethers whenever he called were soon dropped, as there wasn't much he had to say anymore.

Strangest of all, he always wanted to talk to Marina. Sure, he wanted to hear everyone's voices every time he called, but he always told Marina about legends he learned more about, like the Legendary Trio of Johto. It probably had to do with Marina's old fantasy story that she always used when they were younger; something about talking legendries and weird-colored Pokémon on an uncharted island. It was a great idea to use when she and May played make-believe, and May remembered at one time Marina tried to trick her into believing the story was true. But Marina eventually admitted it was false, after the scolding their parents put her through whenever she even mentioned it. May supposed that Chris wanted to fuel Marina's lively creativity.

A loud, demanding bark caused May to jump up. Awkwardly sitting up straight, she looked around, but soon relaxed. It had come from the large, fluffy fire dog that appeared on the battlefield inside the television set. She laughed in spite of herself, but put her head down right after.

"But," the little girl said in a quiet voice. "There was Dad..."

Her father, Norman, was just the opposite of Chris when it came to contacting his family. He was always busy with his job in Hoenn and his attempt to obtain his new career of interest: a Gym Leader. Yet, he always found time to call, even going great lengths to visit when possible. No matter what, he was consistent. He never failed to talk to May.

Unlike her brother—and now her sister, too. Marina was falling down the same unfair route, and at an even more alarming rate than Chris had.

May paused. Her love for her sister tried to prevent her from thinking such a thing, but enough was enough. It had been well over a week since Marina last called from Goldenrod City, which was her first call even though she had started her journey over two months ago—maybe it was almost three months ago, May couldn't remember anymore. Yet the last time Marina had called May, Marina had promised to call more often. She promised. Anger rose in May's heart. What could her sister be doing to not call her?

Were Pokémon really more important than her family?

A pang of guilt slapped her, and May looked down at her lap—at the skirt of her school uniform. Since Marina, Kenta, and Jackson all left on their "Pokémon journeys", Professor Elm had been increasingly busy. With time he couldn't afford to use on a single child, May had to attend a school full time along with the rest of the kids in New Bark Town. This was not a problem, as she had friends of her own and was no longer interested in learning extensively about Pokémon, but that wasn't the point.

Because of Pokémon, Chris stopped calling his family. Because Marina and her best friends left to become Pokémon Trainers, they did not contact May anymore. Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon...it had caused her nothing but trouble and grief, and she was quickly getting sick of it.

May yawned. She had suddenly realized how sleepy she felt, and she gratefully turned off the racket her television was making.

As she moved past Marina's bed to grab her pair of pajamas from the dresser, she paused. Her head turned to the blue sheets that blanketed the mattress, specifically the fluffy pillow. Upon walking closer with interest, she gasped as she recognized the little green and white sphere left cleanly next to the pillow. It was what Marina called her "Neo Ball," a trinket Marina had for years. May remembered that Marina held it closer whenever she was upset. Seeing it out in the open was abnormal in itself, since Marina usually hid it away until she needed it. But her sister cherished the little fake Poké Ball.

"Why would Marina forget this?" May questioned as she lifted the little sphere in her hands. "She'd never forget to bring it, would she?"

"May, it's time for bed!" Caroline's voice called from the bottom of the staircase.

"Okay, Mom!" May called back, clutching the soft green Poké Ball in her palm. She quickly pulled on her pajamas and turned the lights off, making her way to her own bed with help from the candle light. As she slid into the quilt, she made sure to slip the ball under her pillow.

"G'night," she whispered to the empty room, "Everyone."

As said earlier: shorter chapter and quicker update this time around. Hopefully the next one will be written quickly too. I want to keep writing, so very much!

However... I wish the nights were longer. XD