Gosh, I had a major writer's block. Even uploading my new story Crystal Mind didn't help. DX

But during my hiatus, I went and changed a rather minor thing. Marina's last name, "Shitaru", has been changed to "Shimizu". Shitaru was, I admit, a random name I had created five years ago that I thought had sounded Japanese. (The original had an extra "i", actually, so it was "Shiitaru" at first.) No matter how I try to translate it, it doesn't make all that much sense. However, Shimizu not only sounds similar, but it is a legit Japanese surname with a much more fitting meaning.

On a similar note, I have yet to think of a good last name for Kenta...or Silver, for that matter. lol

Enjoy!

Chapter 61
Struggling Bravery

In the quaint lobby of the Mahogany Pokémon Center, Marina smiled at the pink camera in her hands. The screen displayed pictures that she had taken at the Lake of Rage, and she looked through them over and over, entranced by each frame. Though the actual quality of them varied from average to blurry and uneven, to her the photos were crisp and clean since the memory of her experience lingered vividly in her mind.

After Lance's capture of the Red Gyarados, the rest of Marina's meeting with the cape-wearing man was rather brief. She had congratulated him profusely when he returned to the shore, and Lance took this with a typical kind of smile as though he were used to that sort of praise, saying it was nothing special. He had cast a particularly hard glance at the Ultra Ball containing the Pokémon he had just caught, but before she could question him on it, he climbed onto the back of his potent Dragonite once more with words of farewell. Offering a quick goodbye herself, Marina had watched him take off into the evening sky.

By the direction alone, she assumed that Lance had left for Mahogany Town, but Marina saw nothing of him on her way to the Pokémon Center. She did learn from a bypassing citizen, however, that a character like Lance—meaning it was Lance, considering that no one dressed like him—had been searching about the area for almost a week. He was apparently investigating the current and unusual outbreak of Gyarados at the Lake of Rage, which he suspected was caused by some suspicious activity. No one seemed to pay any mind to this, allowing Lance to do as he pleased without complaint. They themselves had not noticed anything out of the ordinary aside from the Gyarados, but they could not exactly say that things were normal, either, if it was hidden from the public eye.

Could it be that annoying radio signal I heard on my PokéGear? Marina wondered. She continued to flip through her digital photos, trying to find one with a decent shot of the mysteriously powerful man and his Pokémon. The one she found was half-decent at best, but she gazed cheerfully at the vague look of determination that graced upon them.

Lance was strong; that was all Marina could think about when she got past her gushing admiration. Most would think that Pokémon Trainers had only the duty of training and ordering their Pokémon around on the sidelines, away from any kind of danger, but Lance was different. He was just as keen and powerful as his Dragonite was, and they worked together as flawless equals. What kind of strength did he have that made him so brilliant? And how did he obtain it?

It's no wonder I think I've seen him before; he's awesome! Marina thought to herself.

This mysterious character had to be a talented Trainer rising in the ranks; much like her brother had been at one point in time. The very thought of seeing him again excited her, as she had a lot of question to ask him about how he trained, and she suddenly did not mind staying in the Mahogany Town area for a while if it meant getting an autograph from the man.

Something loose and paper-like slapped her cheek, and her flight to cloud nine crashed back to reality. She teetered, gawking in bewilderment at the magazine now sitting on her lap. Her eyes quickly searched around, a little curious and irritated at who had interrupted her train of thought.

A random Pokémon Trainer a few feet away from her met her gaze, frozen in the kind of surprise one makes when they have made a mistake.

"Sorry about that," he apologized with a sheepish grin.

"No, it's okay," she replied perkily. Beside her sat a small table piled with books and brochures; it was easy to figure out that she had become an accidental target. She picked up the magazine and moving to put it on the stack next to her.

But its intriguing cover forced her to stop mid-way. Wedged within the sea of text was a large photo, which depicted a valiant man with spikey red hair and a flowing black cape, and the resemblance between him and the man on her camera was impeccable. One of the titles screamed in bolded letters, "Interview with Lance, Beloved Dragon Tamer and Champion of the Elite Four! Bonus Stickers Inside!"

Lance? ...The same Lance from the Lake of Rage? Wait, wait, wait, you mean I met Lance the Champion?!

The girl's jaw dropped. She stood in a melodramatic fashion, grabbing the magazine tightly. Awe and bubbling disbelief shook in her voice as she exclaimed, "It has to be him! Oh my gosh! How come I didn't remember this before? Geez, I really should've gotten his autograph!"

The man who had apologized to her stared in mild shock, shying away from her as she proceeded to sit back down and tear through the magazine to find the interview. Marina skimmed the article in question, but she marveled at the photos of Lance, appearing as he had she had seen him. As the front cover promised, there was a small collection of stickers, and Marina did not have second thoughts about ripping out the perforated page. She had photographic proof to remember Lance by, but she found the stickers irresistible.

These are going straight into my diary, and I'm going to write about this right now! She thought as she reached into her backpack resting at her feet.

She searched through it hastily. After a little while, she frowned and placed the magazine and stickers on the coffee table as she lifted the bag onto her lap. She looked carefully and pushed aside her spare clothes and other necessities, but the little orange book was nowhere to be found. This did not concern her very much at first, and she proceeded to look through the other pockets. A look of worry rose to her face as she slowed down her frantic searching; as if that had been the reason the diary did not appear.

But it was gone.

Marina rested her back against the chair, pulling the pink backpack up to her chest as she again searched the main pocket. When it proved unfruitful, she momentarily relaxed, and her cheeks paling a stark white. She grabbed the stickers and camera, stuffing them into the bag before closing all the pockets with haste.

Where did it go? I...I didn't leave it anywhere, did I?

Any ordinary girl would quickly turn frantic over losing her diary; there was an almost instinctual fear that someone would read about her "deepest, darkest secrets". Once that paranoia set in, she would then think that she would simply die if the person who picked it up was someone she knew—usually the worst case scenario being a mischievous sibling or her current crush. Marina wasn't an exception to this, but she grew uneasy and scared.

Unlike every ordinary girl, she had experienced some rather startling things amongst the trivial ones, and she had written everything in that diary. Her strange dreams, her encounters with Suicune, and even the mysterious and traumatic events at the Ruins of Alph were all written with as much detail as she could possibly write. What would someone think if they read it?

Marina's face soured. She did not mind someone picking it up and returning it to her, but she did not even want to think of the possibility of someone reading her diary.

Okay, calm down. Calm down, Marina. Retrace your steps. When did I last remember using it? She pondered, hugging her bag. That was at that strange shop earlier today, when it was raining. Let's see...I bought some Rage Candy Bars there. I put my diary on the counter when I paid, and then the store clerk made me leave because of a "lunch break" or something weird.

"Wait, that's it! I might have left my diary on the counter!" she suddenly said to herself, standing once again. She grabbed the straps to her bag and slung them over her shoulders as she headed for the exit at a near jog.

The cloak of night had smothered the last bit of evening sunlight, and with the lack of streetlights the roads were dark and cold. Marina struggled to recall where the small shop had been, but luckily for her, the town was so small that it turned out to be one of the only stores around. Before long, she stood before the ambiguous building, which appeared distinctly shady in the dark. There weren't any lights on, but the door was left ajar. Marina waited for a while, listening; she could only hear the faint screeching sound that she remembered from the first time she had visited. She looked at the sign beside the shop and uttered a soft, strained laugh upon reading it.

"Just a Souvenir Shop, Nothing Suspicious about It, No Need to be Alarmed"? That's a weird motto.

"I'll just get my diary," she whispered, "and leave. That's all." Keeping these cautious words in mind, Marina gently grabbed the door handle and slid it open.

Without the lights, the room should have been pitch-black, but a light shimmered from the floor beside the golden armoire. The store itself was deserted.

Almost on tip-toe, the girl Trainer sneaked across the room, cringing at every little creak the floor uttered. Reaching the cashier's desk, a smile returned to her face, and she let out a sound that was a mixture of relief and joy. The little book she had fretted over was where she had left it, completely untouched. She grabbed the diary, making sure to put it in her backpack before closing it securely.

Thank goodness, it looks like no one even noticed it. I'm never going to lose it ever again, I swear!

The dull noise from before grinded inside her ears and disturbed her little celebration. She turned around. It was then that she noticed the golden armoire had been moved, and in its place was a small downward staircase. The light from within gave off a ghostly glow. As if this were not suspicious enough, the pieces of what she had learned began to come together like a simple puzzle, and she felt a certain tenseness rise within her.

That clerk was acting weird, and even though that sign looks like a joke...wait a minute, doesn't this sound like a quieter version of what I heard on my PokéGear's radio? She looked around frantically to pinpoint the direction of the screeching noise. In the corner behind the cashier's desk, a clunky radio let off a small amount of light as it played the suspicious sound.

Strange radio signals...this might be the place Lance was looking for!

Marina slowly walked over to the edge of the staircase, staring down into it. She could see a sleek metal floor at the bottom, which was already a stark contrast from the conservative wooden floors and walls of the store. "Jeez, it looks like some kind of secret hideout or something..."

Her curiosity and suspicion beckoned her to take that first step down, but she hesitated. An ominous feeling churned restlessly in her gut as she began to question the temptation. If she was wrong, she would certainly get in trouble for snooping around someone's store after hours—secret passages or not. But if she was right, then she would certainly run into someone or something bad, likely Team Rocket. The very idea made her bite her lip, but she knew there was a strong possibility. The pair of Rocket grunts she had met on Route 43 was enough of an indicator to at least assume they were lurking around somewhere underground—literally, in this case.

She did not want to see Team Rocket again, if possible. But if she decided to leave, she would never find out if anything was even hidden in the suspicious basement. She would especially regret it if Lance were to find this place after another week of endless searching. Lance would be fine by himself, of course. He was incredibly strong. Little Marina, whose Pokémon were stronger than her, who always needed to be protected in the end, was nothing like him in situations of peril.

Just as she was about to turn tail and take the cowardly route back home, Suicune's words echoed in her mind.

"You must learn to put faith and strength not just in your Pokémon and your friends, but also in yourself. ...you are already at the beginning of finding courage and strength."

Courage, faith, and strength in myself. Marina took in a deep breath and sighed, looking down the narrow staircase once more. Her hand brushed against the cool surface of her six Poké Balls, but she dropped it at her side, clenching it into a fist. Myself.

A sense of fragile bravery rose to her face. She took one step, and then a second, and proceeded to descend. Each footstep began to gradually create an echo, and she had to duck her head a little bit to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling. A hallway made of steel was revealed to her, extending into the distance. The florescent lights fixated to the walls flickered on occasion, but they brightly lit the cold hall. Along the right-hand wall was a gold-plated statue of the Pokémon Persian, which sat proudly on a grey pedestal. Marina advanced carefully at first, growing accustomed to the clanking of the metal floor at her every step. There were no cameras on the walls, and no one came running after her.

Marina sighed, relaxing her shoulders, and continued to walk. "Maybe I'm just being too careful about this whole thing... Hm?"

She stopped, turning toward the lustrous feline statue, which was only slightly taller than her. Its eyes, embedded with a sparkling gem of some sort, glared at her with a curious intensity.

"It's so pretty...but I can't help but think it's watching me." She let out a nervous laugh. "Eheh. No, that'd be weird."

The odd ruby eyes flashed unexpectedly. Marina went silent, blinking at it. It stared back stiffly, of course, but a furious stomping of feet from behind snapped her to attention. She turned back toward the staircase, where two men in Team Rocket uniforms stumbled from a secret passage in the wall.

"Intruder alert!" one of them exclaimed, but he stopped upon seeing her. His partner almost stumbled into him as a result, but they both appeared baffled. "What the...? A kid?"

Marina's face went blank, but a sense of horror grew. She took one subtle step back and turned, bolting down the hallway. The ventilation shafts along the walls occasionally blew breaths of air at her as she ran, intensifying her adrenaline-powered shivering and the already cold sweat on her brow. The shouts and clanking footsteps of the Rockets clamored after her from behind, and it would've been easy to gauge how far away they were if she could hear beyond her own running. The hallway seemed to go on forever, but another passageway appeared ahead just as the hall was about to take a sharp turn.

Which way should I go? How can I lose them? Think! She debated, but she gasped and stumbled to a full halt. Beyond the corner, a rather bored-looking Team Rocket grunt loitered about. Geez, another one? Better go this way then!

She turned sharply and rushed down the next hallway, which was considerably shorter than the first. Deciding to try to lose her pursuers, she turned into a small room that branched off of it. There was a potted plant on each side of the room's interior entrance, and she pivoted to hide behind one of them. Her trembling hands grabbed hold of the ceramic pot, and she attempted to slow even the rate of her breathing in hopes that her sort-of hiding spot would work.

The hollow steps of the men stopped for a moment, and she shrunk even closer to the floor.

"Where did she go? Is she in there?"

"Keep going! She must've turned the next corner!"

More clanking footsteps followed, eventually fading away. Marina breathed in deeply and released a loud sigh, calming the unnerved shivers of her body and mind. An almost mischievous smile reached her face as she stood on her feet. She pumped a fist in victory.

Yes, I lost them! I lost them! She thought joyfully. I can do this!

"You're the intruder?"

A chill ran down her spine. Oh crap. She took a moment to refine her composure before looking over her shoulder.

There was a small research area made up of a monochrome desk, bookcase, and a peculiar computer. A man in a white lab coat rose from his chair, lifting three Poké Balls from beside his desktop. She hoped for the slim chance that he was an innocent bystander, but the bright crimson "R" emblem on his chest pocket clearly told otherwise.

Although there was nothing to laugh about, Marina did so and waved awkwardly. "Um, hi there! Don't mind me, I'm... just lost. Yeah. Could you direct me to the nearest exit...?"

"Hah," he chuckled in amusement, likely seeing through her lie. "I would be convinced if we did not have intruders crawling about. From the damage done to the guards on the first floor, I thought that it would be a Trainer of terrific skill...but the last thing I expected was a child like you. You weren't even fazed by the traps, were you?"

"Huh?" Trying to keep the conversation peaceful, Marina tilted her head half-honestly. "Traps?"

"Didn't you notice? There are surveillance cameras in the Pokémon statues."

She gasped. "Really? I guess that makes sense why those guys appeared when I walked past one."

"This place was once a ninja hideout; of course there are traps to confound intruders like you," the scientist continued. "Did you know that?"

"I didn't even know this place existed," Marina replied, looking intrigued. She took a few casual steps forward, looking around them. "A ninja hideout, huh?"

Unfortunately, the man was not deterred by her attempts to weasel out of a fight, which he proved by raising a Poké Ball in apprehension.

"I can see that you must be feigning innocence to catch us off guard; certainly you must know that the computer behind me controls all of the surveillance statues on this floor. That's why you hid in here."

"...Huh?"

"You're much more cunning than you let on. Maybe you're even a prodigy...you could be dangerous to our plans."

"Wait, what?"

"And your Pokémon might be scarily powerful if you haven't even been defeated yet."

"Um, I think you have the wrong person," Marina interrupted, waving both her hands this time in hopes of dismissing it. "I'm not like that at all! I'm just a rookie Pokémon Trainer, honest."

He grinned, as though he suspected she would react as such. "I get it... If you defeat me, I'll flip the switch that controls the statues. I suppose you won't leave otherwise."

"I—Wait, what did you say?"

"Magnemite!" He called forth his Pokémon, which generated small sparks as it appeared before him.

Marina hurriedly backed away, grabbing King's Poké Ball. It looks like I can't avoid battling, after all. But without the cameras, I might be able to keep sneaking around without anyone else noticing me. She forced a grin and tossed the sphere in front of her.

"Fine, then! Go, King! Use Flame Wheel!"

"Magu!" The Quilava called in a storm of sparkling flames, pouncing upon the Maganemite as soon as it could. The shock of the quickly executed attack left it unable to counter, and it fell unconscious before King leaped away with a confident smirk.

The man clicked his tongue and returned the Pokémon, placing it on the desk before raising his final two in each hand. "Both my Magnemite, come out! Attack with Thundershock!"

His two Magnemite looked identical to the first, and they built up an electric charge around them as they soared over and surrounded King. He cried out as the combined attack closed in and zapped him on both sides. The fire on his body extinguished for a short time, but they revived stubbornly as he and his Trainer glared at their opponent.

"Hey, that's not fair! It's supposed to be one-on-one!" Marina scolded.

"I'm not about to allow you to get past me that easily, you child prodigy."

"I already said I'm not a prodigy!"

"Ha! Like I'm going to believe that!"

He's not listening, she thought with a shake of her head.

"Whatever, King is used to taking out Magnemite," she slung her arm out dramatically to point at the general direction of the Magnemite, "Time to try out your new attack, King! Lava Plume!"

King's fangs appeared as he made a sneer, and a wave of heat distorted the air around him. With a loud roar, the Quilava expelled a wave of furious flames, which swallowed his enemies in an instant. They fought back by releasing another combined Thundershock, but they were unable to finish its execution as they bumped into one another and collapsed with an echoing clatter.

The scientist was stricken in surprise, but untwisted his angry face as he recalled his Pokémon. He raised his gaze to the girl Trainer and her Pokémon, who stood firmly with strong and expectant stares.

"Well?" Marina asked. King the Quilava prowled closer to the man on his own accord, growling softly. Although King did not seem to understand the situation entirely, he could at least sense the mild hostility in the room.

"All right, all right! I should have known I wouldn't be able to defeat you." With a sigh of defeat, he backed off defensively and turned to the computer, pressing a red button next to the keyboard. A small beep flicked into the silence, and the man turned to Marina. "There, I've turned it off. Now call off your Pokémon."

"It's okay, King," the girl said to her Quilava, who complied instantly and bounded over to her side. King followed Marina as she turned and quickly headed for the exit, uncomfortable with leaving her back turned on someone distrustful for long. They took a right, walking down the empty hallway at a quick but careful pace.

Does that mean someone else got here before me? ...Could it be Lance?

King caught up to her with ease, looking up at her. "Maguma ra?"

With the assumption he wanted to know what was going on, Marina offered him an uncertain smile. "It's a long story, but I think it's safe to say for now that we've stumbled upon Team Rocket's hideout."

"Magu!" He literally stumbled, looking at her in slight disbelief.

This reaction confused her at first, but upon rethinking what she had said, she could not help but empathize with him. How could she say such a thing so casually? As soon as she found out that Team Rocket was down here, she should have left first thing to get help. However, she was literally forced to flee further into the underground hideout in order to escape from those two Team Rocket members that spotted her. The pressure and reality of the situation sunk into her skin even deeper.

Marina slowed to a walk, following a sharp turn. Another long hallway, much like the first one she had seen, stretched onward. She turned to face the Persian statues as she passed them, but stopped at the last one. Its eyes lacked the sparkling luster it previously had. No matter how long she stared, they did not flash at her, and she did not hear anyone coming or yelling at her.

Could I actually defeat Team Rocket on my own? She wondered doubtfully. I know Team Rocket disbanded three years ago because of a young rookie Pokémon Trainer just like me. That was Red, the Trainer everyone knows now, who was eleven years old when that happened.

But Red really was a prodigy. He became the Champion, even beating Lance in the process. I...am nothing like him. I'm not like Lance, and I'm not like my brother.

"I'm just...me," she murmured to herself. "I'm Marina. Can I really do this?"

"Magu!"

Surprised at the sudden bark, Marina looked down at King, who glared up at her with a confident spark in his eyes. He did not falter as she momentarily frowned. Marina turned and took off her backpack, pulling out the white Pokémon collar and snapping it around his neck.

She switched it on, but the colors did not come alive. The collar did not turn on. They both knew this would happen eventually, but Marina still frowned in disappointment.

"Oh...I guess it finally broke," she said. "Must've been the rain."

"Rashi," King agreed as the girl took it off. But he continued to stare her straight in the face. Marina did the same, and an amused smile appeared on her face. The words that King wanted to say could be communicated without a buggy collar.

"Just like Prince, huh, King? You always encourage me." She put away the broken device and stood, looking down at him with confidence rising in her voice. "You know what? You're right. It's not like I'm the only one fighting here. All of my Pokémon," she touched the Poké Balls on her waist, "All of you are with me. We fight together."

"Magu! Magu, maguma!"

"Let's give it a shot, then! There's no use turning back now," she told him. "Right, King? Let's beat those bad guys!"

The burgundy Quilava barked once more, stimulated by her words. He skipped alongside her as she turned toward the set of stairs at the end of the hall. She did not even think to pause as they headed downward together, optimism and intense anticipation filling their hearts.

My Pokémon fight bravely for me every day... It's time that I show some courage. If we have to run away, then we have to run away, but if I think about running away all the time then I'll never get any stronger. As long as I—no, as long as we—keep fighting, we'll be able to defeat all of them!

Bravery rekindled in her eyes, and she quickened her pace toward the next battle she would participate in without a shred of cowardly doubt. If she could not find strength in a convenient place, then she would have to create it.

And a bit of strength was gained from that thought alone.

Lance was originally the one that pulls the main character into the Team Rocket hideout in GSC/HGSS, but Marina here had to do it herself. Considering her character, the fact that Lance didn't invite her to help and that she had to pull together courage on her own...I feel it's more appropriate. After all, she isn't as developed as the quiet and fearless heroes Gold, Kris, and Lyra are.

There'll be a quicker update next time!

So see you then, where we bump into a certain someone...because Marina does that too often with that certain character.
(My, that might've been too obvious.)