Secrets of the Night

DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokemon!

Chapter 36: Friends along the Journey

NOTE: This was posted less than 24 hours after the previous chapter so you might have missed the one before. :)

Fuchsia City outskirts, Kanto Region

A day had passed in their voyage at sea.

Neo and company had arrived in the shores of Fuchsia City, but before heading into the city itself and facing the gym, they wandered for a few days near the borders and trained. It was a good opportunity for Neo to become accustomed to his Wartortle, Genbu, as well as become more acquainted with Naomi who decided to stick around for the time being.

Until Neo faces the next gym, she figured that she could take the chance to spend time away from her gym leader duties and get a feel of life outside Cinnabar Island; that as well as the opportunity of getting to know Neo more.

Currently, it was early in the afternoon and Neo was locked in a battle with a travelling trainer and his pokemon. They met each other near the exit of the Safari Zone. His name was Arc, a 16-year old, with cyan eyes that matched the armbands that he wore along with a white collared shirt over a navy top and loose dull-blue pants. He had split-tone hair, one side was red and the other half was blonde. And on each was a gravity-defying lock caused by a shocking Pikachu incident that occurred when he was younger, as explained by Arc.

Arc also had a female companion by the name of Lillian, Lily for short. She was the same age as Arc. Her hair was long, brown and tied into spunky twintails that draped below her shoulders. She wore a one-sided off shoulder jade-green cocktail dress with a golden belt, flowing sleeves, and a flowing skirt with a long diagonal slit, and lastly, a pair of brown travel boots.

After a short introduction and a moment of Arc seemingly flirting with Naomi, Lily dragged the boy away by his golden antennae. "Let's go, Romeo." She growled as Arc continued to protest, his pleas landing on deaf ears. Lily positioned him on his respective side of the match before joining Chase and Naomi at the sidelines to watch.

Seeing his opponent in place, Neo started and sent out his Wartortle. "Let's do this, Genbu!"

A red glowing matter shot out of the capsule in Neo's hand and materialized into a blue turtle with winglike ears on his head, a couple of dull fangs on his maw and a white snowflake print on his round shell. Appearing on the grassy ground, Genbu grinned with eagerness, his eyes flashing with determination.

Arc took out his pokedex and looked up Genbu. He seemed to be mumbling something because of his Wartortle's unique snowflake pattern. Afterwards, he tucked away his pokedex and whistled to his two pokemon who landed right behind him. The first was a purple butterfly with cream-colored wings adorned with orange patches in the mid-section. It elegantly descended from the sky and lightly perched on Arc's outstretched arm. In contrast, the second one landed with a thunderous crash. The pokemon was a large orange reptile with massive wings and a flaming tail. Neo recognized it as a Charizard, having seen one on his laptop and pokedex during his search for the mysterious pokemon that murdered his parents.

"Go get 'em Snow Storm!" Arc smiled and sent his female butterfly pokemon into battle.

Eager to start the match, the purple insect took off and settled on the ground before casting a fierce glare unto Genbu.

Curious of his first opponent, Neo took out his pokedex and opened it up. The image of the pokemon on screen seemed slightly different than the one Arc had. The creature recorded on the device had whiter wings and no additional markings. It was odd but Neo was not one to ponder too deeply into it, seeing as his Wartortle was not like others of his kind either. He concentrated more on the typing and data that followed.

Butterfree
The Butterfly Pokémon.
Butterfree is the evolved form of Metapod. It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen. The scales covering its wings help it to shed water.

Satisfied by the information, Neo tucked away his pokedex and looked to Arc who met his gaze and told him he had the honor to start the match. Neo nodded and turned his attention to his Wartortle. "Genbu, use Water Pulse!"

Grinning fiercely, Neo's Wartortle immediately conjured a whirling blue energy ball between its hands and hurled it towards Snow Storm.

Arc watched the incoming attack intently, a hint of awe mirrored in his cyan eyes. Waiting for the last second, he gave his command with a determined grin. "Snow Storm, use Double Team to dodge and follow up with Silver Wind."

Just as the Water Pulse was about to connect, Snow Storm fluttered about and Genbu's attack simply phased through her. Simultaneously, multiple copies of the unusually-colored Butterfree appeared and surrounded Neo's Wartortle in a circle, striking Genbu in utter disbelief. Then with a snap from Arc's fingers, the multiple Butterfrees released powerful silver crescent waves at the Wartortle.

"Genbu, counter with Aqua Tail," Neo instructed. His Wartortle nodded and conjured a vortex of water that coiled around the turtle's softly-curled tail. As the wave of Silver Winds closed in, Genbu spun rapidly, lashing out explosively and breaking Snow Storms's attack into bits of dissipated light. Neo huffed in relief at the success of his plan. Then, following up, he called to his Wartortle again, "alright, let's show everyone what we've been working on. Use Icy Wind!"

Momentarily catching his breath, Genbu unleashed blue powdery crystals from his maw into the air, coating the dampened grass around it with a layer of frost before spreading further to the many Butterfree copies, one by one cancelling them out.

Everyone around stared in surprise at the ice-type move that Neo's Wartortle pulled off, given Genbu was purely a water-type. Naomi deduced that Genbu had a unique affinity with ice because of his origin. The Icy Wind was a result of Neo's training to bring that affinity out.

Arc overheard Naomi's explanation, and was momentarily distracted. It was when he heard Snow Storm screech that he shoved the subject into the back of his mind and returned his full attention unto the battlefield. Arc watched as Snow Storm was buffeted by waves of powdered crystals. His Butterfree shivered against the cold. Frost formed on her wings slowing down her movements considerably.

Arc thought it was gonna be over, but then Snow Storm landed and quickly shook off the ice before looking back at Arc, the unwillingness to give up flashing in her eyes. Arc knew she was hurt badly, but she chose to continue. Grinning with pride, he shouted, "You got it… Snow Storm, use Psybeam!"

Fluttering back into the air, Arc's Butterfree charged at the Wartortle with blazing speed, her whole body outlined with an ominous spectrum light. Moments later, her eyes then began to glow and she fired a beam of energy that danced with multiple colors straight at Genbu.

"Genbu, we can win this. Use Water Pulse!" Neo commanded.

As the prismatic beam headed his way, Genbu conjured an ocean-blue energy ball and launched it towards Snow Storm. Both attacks struck their respective targets with explosive force. Arc's Butterfree was knocked out of the air and unto the ground while Neo's Wartortle was thrown back, skidding his shell unto the grass before halting to a stop.

While Genbu attempted to roll himself right side up, Snow Storm struggled to her feet. The damage she sustained during the match thus far was apparent. Shaking off the excess water droplets, she tried to get airborne once more flapping her wings furiously. Try as she might she couldn't get airborne, and Arc knowing her limits called the match there.

"That's enough… It's obvious that she has sustained a critical amount of damage. I am not going to push her any farther." Arc stated, retrieving Snow Storm from the field and handing her to Lily. "This round goes to Genbu and Neo."

Chase and Naomi watched with disbelief as Arc walked back to the field. They couldn't understand why Arc would go and just give up the way he did. Most trainers would push their Pokémon's limits so they can grow to new heights. They looked over at Lily hoping that she had an explanation for his actions.

"You see, about a month ago when Arc was challenging the Vermillion City Gym, Snow Storm was brutally beaten by the Gym Leader's Pokémon. The injuries that she sustained rendered her completely flightless for two weeks and he's fearful that it might happen again if he isn't careful," Lily noted looking to see Naomi and Chase completely dumbfounded.

Arc made his way back to his side of the field and planted his feet firmly in the soft terrain. He knew that he needed to make a comeback, and he planned on doing it in a big way. Looking back at Neeko, he smiled and scratched his lower jaw. "Okay you big show off. Your turn to shine."

Neeko nodded, ready for the challenge and walked out on the battlefield. He growled at the diminutive Turtle Pokémon and swished his tail showing his obvious resentment for the Water type. Chase and Naomi once again watched Arc in disbelief. First he forfeits the first round, and now he is using a Fire type against Neo's Wartortle.

"It's obvious that you have trained your Wartortle well, but you are not the only one with a new trick up your sleeve. Neeko, use Thunder Punch!" Arc yelled triumphantly.

Everyone gasped at the move Arc just called out. Even Lily was astonished that he called for the move, wondering when Arc taught him that. Forming a fist with his clawed hands, he lunged at Genbu while charging up for the attack. Sparks raced up the length of his hand as a ball of glowing yellow energy engulfed his fist, Neeko launched into the air, aiming straight for the center of the Wartortle's snowflake shell.

Genbu didn't have time or chance to dodge as Neeko's Thunder Punch landed squarely unto his shell. Yellow sparks surged across his body, forcing a pained cry and diminishing his strength to move.

"Genbu, one last go! Aqua Tail!" Neo yelled.

His Wartortle struggled but managed to summon a watery vortex that whipped Arc's Charizard away. Fortunately for the fully evolved starter, Neeko saw the attack and managed to evade in time before the full blow struck.

With the Charizard out of ranged and his strength depleted, Genbu collapsed onto the ground. Electricity continued to surge throughout his body, rendering him paralyzed. Neo ran to him and picked him off the ground. His eyes softened as he stroked his pokemon's round head. "You did well, Genbu."

"Warrr…" Genbu grinned before passing out in his trainer's arms.

Neo returned his Wartortle to his respective pokeball and returned to his previous spot. He then took out a pokeball, but before he sent out his next pokemon, He glanced at Arc and smiled calmly. "This is turning out to be quite the battle."

"I agree. This is the most fun I've had in a long time." Arc grinned.

"You won with fire against water. This time, we'll be fighting fire with fire," Neo declared and sent out his second Pokemon, a black lamp pokemon with a pair of golden eyes and a bluish flame flickering in her transparent body. "Arana, let's do this for Genbu."

Curling her long wavy arms, Neo's Lampent nodded and stared at the large orange winged reptile that was to be her opponent. Once again, Arc took a moment to look up his opponent, directing the Pokedex at the floating lamp.

As Neo predicted, Arc was also analyzing the battle. Even though he was not reliant on type matching and the like, he showed good caution; never underestimating the enemy, as well as spontaneous willpower and faith in his pokemon, traits that Neo admired of him.

"Well, if he wants fire, let's give it to him. Neeko, use Flamethrower!" Arc suddenly shouted.

"That's probably not a good idea…" Naomi muttered in the sidelines, bewildering Chase and Lily who both overheard her.

Neeko snarled fiercely and opened his toothy maw, flames pouring out with a blinding light. Turning his head Neeko aimed the beam of fire straight at Arana, determined to take her down as quickly as possible.

Neo didn't react. He stood calmly as the raging inferno headed straight for his Lampent. Arana didn't move either as the crimson-orange flames quickly engulfed her. Everyone, but Naomi, was shocked by the lack of action that Neo took.

Things were looking grim. Arana's figure was but a black silhouette in the brilliant flame. But as soon as Neeko stopped attacking, the scarlet fires suddenly formed into a swirling sphere around Arana's barely visible form. Then slowly, the fireball grew smaller and smaller until it was absorbed into the Lampent's body and dyed into a more ghostly shade of blue. Appearing unscathed, Arana spun around as her spectral blue flame danced energetically.

"Thats not good," Arc said with a hint of fear in his tone.

"Flash Fire ability," Naomi spoke up, drawing Arc's attention as well as Chase and Lily's. "I had a hunch that Neo's Lampent wielded it. Flash Fire ability has two properties. First, the pokemon with the ability is immune to any fire-type attack, and the second, if struck by a fire-type move…"

"The pokemon's own fire-type moves are boosted," Neo finished and called out to his Lampent. "Arana, show them what a proper fire attack is. Flamethrower!"

The flame in Arana's body raged brilliantly as she summoned a blazing stream of fire that surged towards Arc's Charizard. As Neo had pointed out, the size and power was visibly larger than that of Neeko's Flamethrower.

"Use your wings to deflect it." Arc panicked.

Crouching down on all fours, he unfurled his massive wings and covered his upper body like a shield. As the flames hit, they skated off the flat of his wings, minimizing the amount of damage he sustained in the onslaught. Getting back up, Neeko roared furiously and stomped his feet. He seemed upset by the fact that his attacks were proving to be useless against Arana.

"Well if fire is not going to work… then we will just have to mix things up. Use Dragon Rage and aim it at the ground!" Arc shouted.

Neeko's eyes then narrowed and turned white glaring at Arana. The flame on his tail then grew to a massive size, as a ball of fiery energy formed in his mouth. He then fired at the ground just below Arana causing smoke and dust to billow, blinding his opponents temporarily.

"Now use back to back Thunder Punches and send her sailing." Arc laughed.

Knocking his fists together, both of his hands started to glow with pulsing electrical energy like before. Neeko then took off into the air and dive bombed straight for Arana. Just as he was about to attack, Neeko snapped open his wings and caused a mighty gust of wind that blew the smoke and dust away, revealing a surprised Lampent floating directly in front of Neeko.

"Don't get too close," Neo forewarned his opponents. "Arana, use Toxic!"

Managing to dodge the fists but not the surging electrical sparks, Arana closed in and released a thick violet cloud of poisonous gas all around. Despite the downdraft force of Neeko's wings, the Lampent's attack still reached Arc's Charizard, rendering him poisoned. Given his state, Neeko was forced to retreat back to his previous side. Arana, on the other hand, lost altitude. Sparks coursed across her lamp-like body, an indication of paralysis.

"Arana, hang in there!" Neo yelled in concern as he balled his fists.

Arc watched at first with fear, but it soon evolved to confidence as Neeko got back up giving him a devilish smile. We have been through hell together, I know you can do it, Arc encouraged mentally before shouting, "We need to finish this now! Neeko, use Dragon Rage and give it everything you've got!"

Once again Neeko's eyes flashed white and a raging fiery energy ball formed in his mouth. Just as he was about to fire the orb straight at the Lampent, a wave of pain overcame him causing Neeko to double over. Unwilling to give up though, he resisted the urge to collapse and fired at Lampent. The energy ball blazed towards Arana, just clipping her left arm.

Arc swore to himself, and decided on making a final gambit. "Thunder Punch!"

Mustering what energy he had left, Neeko started throwing back to back punches charged with the dangerous electrical energy. Fighting the paralysis, Arana moved gracefully, dodging with fluid movements. But as Neeko's onslaught continued, Arana rapidly grew exhausted, giving her less opportunities to dodge fully.

Lily gasp slightly as she beheld Arc and Neeko's determination. "Neeko has never been this determined before. Arc's feelings must have really gotten to him," she stated.

"Yeah, I think so too," Naomi agreed with an excited grin.

"The battle's way intense," Chase commented, before casting a glance at his friend and muttering to himself, "I just hope Neo isn't pushing himself."

Neo was indeed feeling the adrenaline of the battle, both in good and bad terms. His heart raced just as fast as he calculated for a counter move. With every beat of his heart, his breathing deepened, but he told himself that he shouldn't give in. His pokemon was fighting with her all so he should do the same. Gritting through the pain, Neo called out to his Lampent, "Arana! This is it! Use Hex."

Exhausted but determined, Arana's yellow eyes turned into an ominous violet, and a cold wave of energy surged out from her body. Neeko was just about to swing another Thunder Punch when all of a sudden, he froze on the spot. His body wouldn't move. It was like time had stopped for him and for the trainers around them. With yellow and black sparks traveling through her, Arana then summoned a dark shroud that completely covered them from sight.

Everyone looked on with utmost anticipation. The next moment, they all heard Neeko roar in pain. Arc yelled to him, but as soon as he did, a small figure was thrown out of the shroud.

Arana was forced back, electricity enveloping her body. When Neo's Lampent landed on the ground, the ominous fog immediately dispersed and Neeko was left standing there, faintly outlined in a purple glow, his fist still charged with remnants of Thunder Punch. Arana lifted herself off the grass, quivering but conscious. On the other hand, Neeko panted and staggered to remain on his feet. The battle seemed undecided until both fell to the ground, ending the round in a draw.

Simultaneously, Neo and Arc called out to their pokemon and hurriedly ran to their side.

Kneeling down, Neo gently scooped up Arana in his arms and gazed worriedly at the Lampent's weak flickering flame. Arana wailed softly with happiness, and met his trainer's eyes. "You were amazing... Arana," he whispered between breaths. Promptly, Neo returned his Lampent back into her pokeball for a well-deserved rest and resumed his previous position to continue the last battle.

Meanwhile, Arc was doing the same thing with his Charizard. He ran a hand down Neeko's side compassionately. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to get up on his own, Arc returned him to his Pokeball and stared at his opponent. Neo is proving to be quite the challenge. I wonder if he is also collecting badges, he thought as he walked over to his respective side once more. Pulling his third Pokeball off his belt, Arc looked over at Lily and winked. She winked back at Arc as if she knew who his next choice was going to be.

"You know, Neo, I have to admit. Besides the Gym Leaders I have challenged, you are probably one of the best trainers I have ever faced," Arc complimented. "But that also means that I want to beat you now more than before."

"Likewise," Neo replied as his breathing simmered down. "But, I have a long way to go…" He added, figuring that Arc had earned more than one badge, seeing as he mentioned Gym Leaders, with an S. Reflecting for a moment, Neo now understood why Arc was strong and what Chase meant when he said that Neo should go on a pokemon journey to grow stronger. The experience one could gain was incomparable. Contented, he fingered between his two remaining pokemon and pondered on his next choice for the final battle, his Gengar or his Dusknoir.

With the final round under way, Arc threw the Pokeball, releasing his Salamence, Dino.

Raising his crimson wings, Dino roared triumphantly to show off his power. Once he finished, Dino grinned playfully and turned to face Arc who started to back away and protest. Ignoring his pleas, Dino grabbed Arc by his shirt collar and started shaking him like a rag doll.

"I guess some habits die hard." Lily laughed, watching Arc in his current predicament

"That's… not… funny," Arc retorted between swings.

In contrast to the light and cheery atmosphere on Arc's side, a tense and heavy air surrounded Neo. At the sound of the dragon's deafening roar, the raven-haired boy froze. His heart throbbed sharply and his hand hung limply on his side. His surroundings grew black, cold and silent, leaving only Dino's echoing roar. At the back of his mind, a loud cry from his memories resonated, overlapping with the voice of Arc's Salamence. It was followed by haunting visions of darkness, blood, and a shadow figure of a creature with large leathery wings.

"Neo… You okay?" Arc asked, looking his way.

"Hey Neo!" Chase yelled, sensing something was wrong.

Neo was not responding, his head was down and he appeared to be breathing shallowly. All of a sudden, Neo staggered and fell on one knee, his hand on his head to steady himself. Arc was the first to rush over, followed by Naomi and Lily. Chase, lagged behind as he retrieved something from his pack.

"Lily! Get Stratus out here quick and have her use Cotton Guard!" Arc shouted.

While Arc and Naomi slowly got Neo off the ground, Lily threw a Pokebal,l releasing her Altaria named Stratus. She quickly called for Cotton Guard, and Stratus's whole body puffed up, turning her into one giant pillow. Arc and Naomi then led Neo over to Stratus and sat him down, letting him lean back against her soft wings. Chase then approached with a mysterious liquid and gave it to him. Arc and Lily stepped back and watched as Chase and Naomi took care of Neo. As they got Neo to come to, Naomi could hear the faint whispers of Arc and Lily talking to each other.

"Neo, if you thought you were pushing it, you should have just said so. Taking a break from a middle of a battle is understandable given your condition," Naomi said to comfort him.

"That's not it…" Chase intervened with a serious tone and glanced back for a moment, his golden eyes studying Arc's Salamence. "Was it a Salamence?"

Neo secured the bottle after drinking some of the herbal mix inside. His heart was still throbbing but gradually becoming less painful. Catching his breath, he then handed it back to Chase before shaking his head in reply. "It… isn't the one."

"Huh? What isn't? Could anyone tell me?" Naomi asked, worried and curious.

"Sorry, Naomi. It's not something that is openly shared with people," Chase said in place of Neo. Naomi had no choice but to sigh and give in. Chase returned his attention to his friend. "So, shall we just end this battle for now?"

"Alright…" Neo nodded but then took out a pokeball from his belt. "But on my own terms."

Sighing, Chase helped Neo get back to his feet along with Naomi. He was still breathing heavily, but at least he was able to stand on his own. Lily then returned Stratus, telling her that she did an outstanding job. Chase and Naomi reassured themselves of Neo's condition first before stepping back to the sidelines.

"Are you alright Neo?" Arc asked, concerned about the trainer's health.

"I'm fine. Sorry you had to see that…" Neo gave a half-smile.

"Alright… If you say so." Arc said skeptically, "I apologize if Dino scared you."

"No, it's not your Salamence's fault," Neo said as he took out his pokedex and scanned the dragon-type.

Salamence
The Dragon Pokemon
The evolved form of Shelgon. Salamence came about as a result of a strong, long-held dream of growing wings. It is said that this powerful desire triggered a sudden mutation in this Pokémon's cells, causing it to sprout its magnificent wings.

"It's not even any Salamence's fault," Neo added and put away his pokedex. "It... isn't the pokemon that I'm searching for."

"Come again?" Arc asked, catching the tail end of that statement.

"It's… a long story, but to put it bluntly, I have two reasons for going on this journey. The first is to become stronger by battling gym leaders. And so far, I have collected one badge," Neo said and glanced at Naomi before continuing, "the second is to search for the identity of the pokemon that…" He trailed off as he felt his heart clenched.

Arc's Salamence stopped chewing a boulder that he found interesting and pranced over to Arc, nuzzling him over-zealously. His trainer patted him on the head and then pushed him off, showing that he needed some space. Dino then looked at Neo who was still looking down and breathing a bit heavily. Concerned about the trainer, Dino started to rub his head affectionately against Neo.

Flinching momentarily at the unexpected gesture, Neo stroked a hand along the rough scaly edges of Dino's head. He had never touched a pokemon like it, one that possibly resembled the monster in his memories. His nerves settled down. Looking at the dragon close-up, the Salamence wasn't all that fearsome as he had initially thought.

"Dino! Will you give the guy some room...Geez," Arc said grabbing one of his head spikes,"He is a bit of a child if you haven't figured it out… Yep. He is my special boy."

"It's hard to believe that he hated you at one point in time," Lily joked.

"Did you really have to bring up that sore point for me Lily," Arc grumbled. "I still have bruises from that incident with Dino and that Aggron."

"It's fine." Neo smiled more sincerely as he breathed more normally.

"Do you think you can continue the match, Neo? I understand if you want to call the match a draw," Arc questioned as he walked with Dino to his side of the field. With anticipation, they stood there and prepared for the match. Dino then dropped his goofy personality and roared showing that he was a battle hardened veteran that was not going to back down very easily.

"I'd like to finish what was started," Neo answered, lifting up the pokeball that contained his choice for the final battle. With a soft gaze, he threw the pokeball up and sent out a round purple pokemon with red eyes and multiple spikes came out. "This is Nero, my very first pokemon as well as my best friend," Neo introduced as his Gengar hovered to his level.

"And this is Dino. While he isn't my first Pokemon, he is my most powerful," Arc said giving Dino a proper introduction. His Salamence snapped his jaws and roared ferociously to back up Arc's introduction. Swishing his tail from side, Dino showed that he was eager to start the match.

"Shall we begin?" Neo grinned with the amount of vigor and determination as when they battled in the first round.

"Yes, we shall! Dino, lets give them a show, use Hydro Pump!" Arc laughed devilishly and pointed at Nero.

Dino's eyes then flashed blue and he opened his maw showing a bright blue glow. He then fired a torrential stream of water straight at Nero.

"Nero, dodge and use Shadow Punch!" Neo instructed.

Snickering, Nero zoomed through the air, ducking and spiraling around the powerful water torrents that Arc's Salamence fired. With every second, violet sparks raced across the Gengar's arm. Floating above the Hydro Pump's range, Nero seized the opening and launched a spectral fist outlined in a purplish aura with darker-shaded sparks.

"Dino, take the attack dead on! Show that ghost how tough you are," Arc growled, knowing Shadow Punch never misses.

Dino watched the spectral fist as it darted straight for him. Standing up on his hind legs, Dino took the attack full force on his belly armor reducing the amount of damage he took. Growling with pain, Dino's eyes then glowed blue once more and fired another Hydro Pump on Arc's command.

With the second barrage of Hydro Pump coming Nero's way. Neo called out to his Gengar, "Nero, counter it with Dark Pulse!"

Placing his hands together in front, Nero launched a beam of black rings outlined in purple. It zoomed towards the Salamence's attack and collided in a loud burst. Dino's Hyrdo Pump continued to roar like a raging waterfall, while, Nero's Dark Pulse shrieked eerily as if to pierce the air.

Each side was pouring out their attacks, unwilling to yield to the other. Neo and Arc cheered their respective pokemon on. Lily, Naomi and Chase also cheered for them. The collision point shifted erratically from one side to the other until both pokemon gave it one last go and ended in an explosion of power.

Water rained down throughout the battlefield as bits of disintegrating dark energy fell like snowflakes. Neo and Arc caught a moment to breathe. Gradually, the mist cleared up and everyone saw Nero descending from the air, his claw on the shoulder that had been struck by Dino's Hydro Pump.

"It seems I slightly underestimated Dino," Neo complimented, casting a glance at Nero's injury.

"Why, thank you. Unfortunately compliments are not going to make me go easier on you. Dino, use Dragon Dance!"

Dino jumped in the air and started to spiral, As he twisted, his body began to shimmer with a blue and red aura. As the aura vanished, Dino stayed airborne and started doing laps around Nero moving faster than he was before.

"Don't think just because you gained speed, you can escape from my Gengar's attacks." Neo exchanged looks with his pokemon. "Nero, Shadow Punch!"

Neo's Gengar once again shot up into the air. With a fist enveloped by ominous sparks, Nero punched the air, launching a spectral fist that trailed Dino like a homing missile.

"Who said I wanted to dodge your attacks? Dino, take that attack head on and used Dragon Dance once more!" Arc laughed devilishly.

Once again, Dino landed and stood on his hind legs allowing the attack to hit him. Cringing a little more than before, Dino roared and jumped back into the air twisting as the same blue and red aura surrounded his body, moving a bit faster than after his first Dragon Dance, Dino flew circles around Nero, hoping to confuse the Shadow Pokemon.

Neo sensed that Arc had something planned. He needed to stop Dino and end the battle quickly. The easiest way would be the Hypnosis-Dream Eater combo, but with the speed of Arc's Salamence, it would prove difficult for Nero to lock-on to the dragon for it to work. Only one option was left. "Nero, bring that dragon down! Dark Pulse!"

Neo's Gengar zoomed through the air and trailed Arc's Salamence like a game of tag. Dino was quickly out-flying Nero in the skies as the Gengar bombarded him with a barrage of dark ringed-beams.

"Dino, spin to dodge , and use Flamethrower to get Nero off your tail!" Arc shouted.

Spinning acrobatically, Dino dodged most of the barrage, but his wing was clipped by the final part of the barrage making him fall into a dizzying dive. Pulling up at the last second, Dino fired a torrential stream of fire that rivaled Arana's when Flash Fire was activated.

Caught off guard, Nero halted abruptly and he tumbled back, escaping the full force of the raging inferno, but at the same time, losing balance to stay aloft. Battling against the winds, Neo's Gengar fell, rolling like a purplish ball towards the ground.

"Nero, hang tight!" Neo yelled.

Nero's crimson eyes shot open and he stopped in an upside-down pose whilst still in the air. Neo breathed in relief and exchanged smiles with his pokemon. Grinning broadly at his trainer, the Gengar gestured him a thumbs up and turned right-side up, looking straight at Dino who was still airborne.

"Good job, Nero! Now, let's make this count. Shadow Punch!" Neo commanded.

Conjuring another ghostly fist, Nero launched his attack. The Shadow punched surged through the air and headed straight towards Arc's Salamence. Dino roared and charged straight at Nero's attack.

"Time to finish this! Dino, use Dragon Claw!" Arc shouted, fire gleaming in his eyes.

Dino's claws started to glow with a bluish hue as he struck at Nero's Shadow Punch, splitting the attack in two and causing the spectral fist to disintegrate. Neo and his Gengar gasped at how easily Arc's Salamence broke the attack. Continuing his charge, Dino closed in on the Gengar, swiping downward and striking Nero straight on the head.

Knocked senseless from the force of the blow, Nero fell out of the sky and plummeted towards the hard ground. Neo knew that his Gengar would be in more pain if he crashed from that height. He attempted to run and catch him, but his heart and lungs hindered him. Thinking quickly, he sent out his fourth pokemon, a huge brownish grey ghost pokemon with a single blood-red eye. "Novus! Help Nero!"

Neo's Dusknoir surged through the air and grabbed his teammate before he could crash. With Nero safely secured, Novus carried the Gengar back to their trainer. At the sight of his two pokemon, Neo breathed in relief, before slumping to the ground in exhaustion. Chase and Naomi ran to him, worried that Neo overdid himself again. Luckily, it was nothing for them to worry about. Neo smiled at them and breathed deeply, understanding that he lost.

"That… was the best battle I have ever witnessed!" Lily shouted, tackling Arc to the ground.

Arc blushed as he laid there trying to break free of Lily's usual death hugs. Finally prying himself loose, he stood back up and started digging through his backpack. He then pulled the bag that he retrieved from Mimzy's neck and plucked a dark purple stone.

"Well… I guess I won. You are an excellent trainer Neo," Arc sighed, walking with Lily over to Neo and his two companions.

Neo got back to his feet with Chase's help and extended a hand towards Arc. "Yes. It was quite the battle and I enjoyed battling a trainer such as yourself," he complimented, unconsciously using his nobleman personae.

Grabbing his hand, Arc gave him a firm handshake, but didn't let go when he was finished. Instead he opened Neo's hand and placed the small purple stone and then closed it.

"A gift for an excellent battle." Arc stated proudly.

Slightly surprised by the gesture, Neo raised the stone and inspected it with curiosity. "Thank you… but may I ask what it is?"

"That... is a Dusk Stone. You can use it to evolve your Lampent, Arana into a Chandelure," Arc suggested. "It's your choice if you want to use it, but a battle like that doesn't come very often and it's the best gift I can think of."

"Isn't that awesome, Neo?!" Naomi beamed with glee.

Neo smiled at her and then directed his attention back at Chase. "Thank you very much, but as I recall, the person who loses is supposed to be the one to give something to the victor," he pointed out, recalling what he researched before his journey. "I'm not sure what to give in return…"

Chase elbowed him and grinned. "Say, Neo… Did you also know that the most common thing to give is money?"

"Really?" Neo blinked at him blankly before rummaging through his pack. "How much do they usually give?"

"Depends on the battle and the trainers really… Usually the more fun and intense the battle was, the higher the amount," Lily explained. "I've been traveling for three years prior to meeting Arc," She continued and began hanging on his arm, causing him to blush.

"I see…" Neo nodded and pondered over the battle. "It was a very intense battle," he concluded and brought out a checkbook. "I usually use credit cards so I don't carry much money. I'll just write you a check…" he began scribbling on the paper.

"Um.. Okay." Arc stammered, realizing that Neo was more than your average gentleman, but a person of true nobility.

Furrowing his brows, Neo mumbled under his breath and glanced at Chase. "Five hundred thousand Pokédollars is enough, right?" Chase and Naomi stared at Neo, dumbstruck and speechless. Clueless about their reaction, Neo neatly removed the check and handed it to Arc. "I think that's about enough…"

Accepting the check, Arc looked down and gasped. his knees started to tremble and a jolt of electricity jumped between the two hair prongs on his head. He then handed the paper to Lily who was complaining that she wanted to see. Looking down, she gasped slightly and then collapsed on the ground.

"Um… Lily. Are you okay?" Arc asked, kneeling down and holding her in his arms.

"Great job, Neo…" Chase snickered amidst his disbelief of how easily Neo was able to spend that much. Deciding to shift the conversation to a more comfortable topic, Chase looked at Arc and asked. "So where're you Luvdiscs headed to?"

Arc ignored him at first, and threw a Pokeball releasing his Ponyta, Mimzy. With Naomi's help, he secured Lily on Mimzy's back and then stared at Chase.

"First of all, Chase… We are not a couple. Lily and I are headed to Celadon City now. I plan on getting my fifth Gym Badge there." Arc stated as he put a halter and lead rope on Mimzy. "By the way, Neo... Are you sure about this? That's an awful large sum of money to dish out for one trainer battle."

"It is?" Neo asked.

Chase wrapped an arm around Neo and grinned at Arc. "Don't worry about it, Arc. You can say that half of it is for the Dusk Stone and the rest is for the battle."

"Kind of defeats the purpose of the gift, but if you say so." Arc scowled, rolling his eyes at Chase.

"Oh yeah! You and Neo should exchanged phone numbers, in case we meet again!" Chase suggested.

Arc looked at Neo and shrugged. "Well, here is mine," he said as he jotted it down on another sheet of paper.

Neo pulled out a business card from his bag and handed it over in exchange. It indicated his personal number as well as his home number in Lavender Town. "Here's mine then."

Arc thanked him and mounted up on Mimzy's back sitting right behind Lily. Then then looked back at Neo with a grin. "A word of advice Neo… Being a gentleman is great and everything, but its not healthy all the time. Make sure to be yourself first, and please others later." Arc stated and spurred his steed into a fast canter.

"And there they go..." Chase sighed deeply. "Watching this battle has made me hungry."

"Shall we head to Fuchsia City now?" Neo asked, returning his two ghost-types back into their pokeballs.

Naomi beamed and wrapped an arm around Neo, mimicking Lily's gesture to Arc in an effort to tease him. "You'll be treating us again, right Neo?"

Neo flushed slightly but was able to maintain his composure. "Alright..."

Naomi smiled upon hearing his reply and noticing his reaction. "And Neo... About what Arc said before he left, I think he means to say that you should be more frank. I've only known you for a week, but I can tell that you sometimes bring up your strong nobleman front." She blushed and loosened her grip. "I-I mean, it's not that I don't like it. I just think that you can relax more especially among friends."

"Naomi's right, Neo," Chase seconded, keeping a good distance from the two.

Neo smiled at his two companions with gratitude and headed to Fuchsia City. The sun was hovering above the horizon, its rays casting a warm light-orange glow. Neo took out Arc's gift and lifted it against the light. The purplish glint f the Dusk Stone was emphasized by the contradicting shades of the late afternoon. Neo smiled as he thought how the name of the stone suited the scenery. Recalling his new friends, he glanced over his shoulder, towards the direction where Arc and Lily headed. "Till we meet again."

End of Chapter 35

This is a Collaborated work between me and Scriffignano. (Thanks so much)
You can find his side of the chapter in his Story, "Pokemon: The Untold Story of Arc."
He also has artwork for his characters~
Here is the cover pic, featuring his Character and Neo: ht$tp:/$/fav.$me/d8fapua

Read and Review. xD
Next will be more battles and more drama brought by the pasts.