Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 22: Bearing a Fear
Seth's POV
"You know what they say: Respect is not given, it is earned," Falkner said as he held out a badge. "Not only have you earned our respect, you've earned the Zephyr Badge."
"Badges?" I said confused. "I think I'll pass."
"Whaat?" Everyone said simultaneously.
"A winner who declines the badge. Now THAT is a first," Falkner said.
"I have no need for it, that's all," I said.
"Come on, Seth. What about the Pokemon League?!" Yumi asked.
"Like I said before: I never had any intention of entering any Pokemon League," I said calmly as I was the first to leave the gym.
"Hey, wait up!" Yumi said as she, Chikorita, and Chime all followed me.
Location: Pokemon Center
I had given my pokemon to Nurse Joy and began packing as our time in Violet City has finally ended.
"Chico!" Chikorita cried as she jumped into my arms for a reason I do not know.
"She's starting to become more confident now," Yumi said.
"Where's Chapel?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Right here..." Chapel replied as she approached us with an indifferent look on her face. "So, we're going to leave without saying goodbye?"
"Goodbye to who?" Yumi asked.
"Oh nothing. I was just thinking out loud. "Chapel said. "It's been a good five years, Violet City..."
"You know, you can be real moody Chapel," Yumi said.
"That's just who I am..." Chapel said calmly.
Chapel's POV
My journey in search for Celebi begins now. I will meet and capture new pokemon along the way, as well as aid them using the skills I learned training as a Pokemon Ranger. And then, when Operation Chapel is called off by Team Neo Snagem, I'll destroy Wes just like I vowed on the day he murdered my mother. I a m no longer 'alone' or 'helpless' because not only do I have old friends in Chime and Missingno, but I have new friends in Seth and Yumi. And as a friend, I made sure that Seth would get the Zephyr Badge whether he wants it or not.
Location: Violet City Limit
I bowed one last time as I lookeda t Violet City as a whole for what could be the last time should I fail to find the purifier.
"Chico!" Chikorita cried as she called me from up ahead with Yumi and Seth.
"Come on! Hurry up, Chapel!" Yumi yelled.
"Goodbye, Violet City.." I said as I turned my back.
A tear fell down my face, but I didn't know if it was a tear of joy, or sadness.
"Uh, what's wrong?" Yumi asked as I caught up with the group.
"You're crying," Seth said calmly.
"Oh, uh no! No no no!" I was embarrassed. "So where do we go from here?"
"I have a Pokemon Contest in Bloomingvale Town on the way to Seth's second gym battle challenge in Ecruteak City," Yumi said.
"Ecruteak City? Didn't the route btween Violet City and Ecruteak City used to be blocked?" I asked confused.
"Yeah, until Johto Champion Ethan cleared the way five years ago," Seth replied.
"Ah yes. I remember battling Ethan like it was yesterday," A voice said from up ahead as we approached it.
"Falkner?" Yumi said confused.
"What are you doing here?" Seth asked.
"You left something in Violet City, Seth," Falkner said.
Falkner then held out the Zephyr Badge for Seth to recieve. Seth stared at it for the moment.
"I told you I have no need for that," Seth said.
"I can't believe you, Seth," Yumi said.
"You might as well take it anyway to save the time and an arguement," I said as I put my hands in my red jacket's pockets.
Seth couldn't argue with that, so he simply took the badge.
"Oh come on, Seth. You could at least do a celebration saying 'I got a badge!'," Yumi said as she started talking abit much.
Seth was annoyed by Yumi, but I guess that's the norm between the two. I smiled at them and promised to myself that I would never take this 'new family' for granite.
We had said our goodbyes to Falkner and Violet City as Falkner went back to battling the line of trainers from earlier. Hours had passed as we just continued walking, and Yumi was in the middle of telling us a story.
"-And of course, I didn't want to travel to New Bark Town alone, so I had my mom take me to the Pokemon Lab. And that's when I met Seth." Yumi explained.
"And did you and Pheobe become friends again?" I asked.
"Are you kidding? We're rivals now," Yumi said.
"Shh," I told Yumi to quiet down as I heard a sound coming from some nearby bushes and trees that lined up on each side of our path.
Chime and I slowly made our way to the bushes. The silent moment felt like each step took one minute as I inched closer to the bushes. But before I neared the bushes...
"Teddi! Ted teddi!" A small bear-like pokemon cried as it rushed out of the bushes, being chased by a group of Zngoose.
"A Teddiursa," I said.
Teddiursa had slowed down and eventually stopped as Yumi grabbed it without concern for the Zangoose. Yumi gasped and flinched as she held on to the Teddiursa.
"Oh no," I said.
I then pulled out my Capture Styler in hopes to save Yumi.
"Capture, on!" I said as I targeted the Zangoose.
The group of Zangoos then halted their attack and turned their attention toward me.
"Why are you guys attacking Teddiursa?" I asked. "I'm sure whatever reason it is, it's not worth killing someone over. Now leave him be."
The Zangoose then retreated, following my commands...
"Aww. You're so cute, you little thing you," Yumi said affectionately while hugging Teddiursa.
Seth had a look of intrigue on his face as he looked at my Capture Styler.
"Chapel, does that thing work on shadow pokemon?" Seth asked.
"I'm not sure," I said.
Yumi then brought Teddiursa over toward me and held him in my face.
"Gasp!NO!" I screamed as I was startled by Teddiursa and pushed him away.
"What was that for?!" Yumi asked in an annoyed tone. "He just wanted to thank you for saving him!"
"What's with you?" Seth asked.
"Why don't you just stop worrying about me and mind your own buisness!" I snapped at Seth.
"Hmph!" Seth said with an upset face as he and Chikorita simply walked away.
What am I thinking? My buiness IS his buisness.
I walked up to Seth and Yumi, Chime, and Teddiursa followed.
"Look, Seth, I'm sorry," I said as I bowed my head.
"Well, I guess that's what comes from moody people like you," Yumi said, holding Teddiursa. "Why'd you suddenly become upset?"
"Teddiursa evolves into Ursaring..I was almost killed by three Ursaring five years ago, had it not been for Team Neo Snagem," I said. "Ever since that day, I've grown to fear both Teddiursa AND Ursaring."
I then turned toward Seth and Yumi with a frown.
"We've wasted enough time here, let's continue," I said.
It was almost night, and we were ready to set up our sleeping bags. Overall, the day was slow since Seth was resting his pokemon from this moring's gym battle. Eevee and Fennekin were let out to greet Tediursa and rehearse their contest skills right before bedtime. Yumi's Gligar wasn't sent out, but that was no surprise considering it was a shadow pokemon - Wait, Gligar is a shadow pokemon! If I could just use my Capture Styler on him, I could answer Seth's question on whether a Pokemon Ranger can capture an already controlled shadow pokemon. So I walked over to Seth and Chikorita to tell them what I just thought of.
"Hey," I said.
"Chico?" Chikorita cried.
"What is it?" Seth asked.
"I think I can answer your question," I said as I grabbed his hand and pulled him. "We just need Yumi and Gligar."
Yumi's practice with Eevee and Fennekin put a little frustration on her.
"Alright Eevee, dodge Fennekin's Flame Charge!" Yumi said.
"Vee!" Eevee cried.
Eevee tried to dodge, but Fennekin was too fast due to Flame Charge's speed-raising effect. Eevee took the hit no problem, but Yumi was still upset.
"How' everything ending up?" Seth asked.
"Well, my pokemon and I really haven't been on the same page since losing in Marion City," Yumi said, still holding Teddiursa. "Our overconfidence has put us in a real slump right now. And finding a way to keep the lead AND run out the battle clock is a tough task.
"I have a favor to ask you," I asked Yumi. "Cna you send out Gligar?"
"Okey dokey!" Yumi said, cheering herself up in a way only she could do. "Gligar, it's your show!"
The Gligar had a mysterious, dark aura...Rui?
"Wait, when did you get a shadow pokemon?" Seth asked.
"I stole a Snag Machine to snag Gligar at Sprout Tower. It's called stealing what is already stolen," Yumi said.
"A Snag Machine..." Seth certainly gave Yumi some attention after her reply.
"Capture, on!" I said as I used the Capture Styler on Gligar.
I had captured Gligar, but it seemed nothing happened. Gligar was just standing there before suddenly starting toward Yumi with a Guillotine attack.
"Woah!" Yumi screamed as she dodged the attack, still holding Teddiursa. "Gligar stop! I'm your trainer!"
Wait, why is Gligar attacking Yumi?
"Yumi, wuick. Recall Gligar!" I yelled.
As Gligar neared Yumi with a Guillotine attack, Yumi panicked as she got Gligar's pokeball out in a hurry.
"Gligar, return!" Yumi said.
The red arc of energy touched Gligar, but Gligar wasn't recalled. Yumi narrowly dodged Gligar's second Guillotine, dropping Teddiursa on the ground in the process.
"Teedi?" Teddiursa cried confused.
As a separation was made between Yumi and Teddiursa, Gligar's puruit on Yumi stopped as he now targeted Teddiursa.
"Gligar was after Teddiursa all along," Seth said.
"But why?!" I asked.
Before Gligar could close in on Teddiursa, he was attacked by a Shadow Ball and an Ember launched by Eevee and Fennekin respectively, but that didn't stpop Gligar from attacking Teddiursa.
"What?" Yumi said confused.
"Shadow pokemon are trained to attack, no matter the circumstance," I said. "Firing attacks will get nothing accomplished."
"Di!" Teddiursa cried as he fell to the ground, knoched out by Guillotine.
"Teddiursa!" Yumi yelled as she went to comfort the downed pokemon.
For some strange reason, Gligar calmed down as soon as he defeated Teddiursa. Yumi immediately recalled Gligaras the pokeball was suddenly able to work again.
"So Gligar gets captured by me, then attacks Teddiursa." I said. "Then he defeats Teddiursa and acts as if nothing happened."
"It just doesn't add up," Seth said.
The Teddiursa then came to and gave me a nasty look.
"I hate you..." I said coldly to the Teddiursa.
I guess Teddiusra thinks me and my Capture Styler caused Gligars actions. Teddiursa then became enraged.
"Ursaaa!" The enraged Teddiursa roared as he started glowing white.
Yumi backed away from Teddiursa as it started to grow and increase in size.
"No..." I said as I started to back away.
My fear...my nightmare...it's back to haunt me. This Ursaring is angry and is out to destroy me, just like the three Ursaring five years ago.
"Ursaring.." Seth said as he, Yumi, their pokemon, and Chime backed away.
"Raaaawr!" The Ursaring roared as his evolution was complete.
Ursaring immediately started after me. I ran for my life, leaving our little 'campsite'. I looked back at the Ursaring, who was still chasing me, I was terrified and a tear ran down my face. I was so scared, I was oblivious to my skills learned as a Pokemon Ranger. I tripped and fell to the ground, and Ursaring had closed in on his pursuit as I was frozen in fear.
"No! Please, don't hurt me!" I cried as I tried backing away.
After five yeas, I became the one thing I dreaded most: helpless. So my journey will end before it really begins?
Ursaring had prepared to crush me with what appeared to be a Hammer Arm, as I braced for my end... That's was I though, at least...
"Zang," A Zangoose cried as it's group suddenly appeared.
"I'm safe?" I asked as the group of Zangoose protected me.
The Zangoose all ganged up to my worst fear. Wait a minute, facing my worst fear? I can do that too! Rather than running, a Pokemon Rangershould bond with Pokemon. So I decided to face my fear with pokeball at hand. I stood up and put my Capture Styler away so that I could mend my strained relation with Ursaring.
The Zangoose had finished off Ursaring as Ursaring fell to the ground after taking a Crush Claw to the head.
"Alright, Pokeball, Capture it!" I said as I threw a Pokeball at the downed Pokemon.
After Ursaring was put inside the Pokeball, the Pokeball fell to the ground and rolled a few times before clicking shut, indicating that I've caught Ursarin.
Before walking up to claim my newly caught pokemon, I addressed the Zangoos.
"Thank you for saving me," I said to the Zangoose as I bowed my head in gratitude.
"Zan Zangoose," one Zangoose cried as it nodded in agreement.
The group then went back to their normal lives, returning to the territory that Ursaring trespassed on.
"Who would've thought they'd be the good guys?" Missingno said as he surface from inside my heart.
"You have conquered your fear too, did you not?" Rose asked as she and Seth approached us.
The Sun wa gone, and the night had settled in.
"So, where's Yumi?" I asked,
"At our campsite, she's still startled by Gligar and Ursaring," Seth said.
"So you left her alone again? Do you like upsetting her or something?" I asked.
Seth's eyes narrowed.
"We tell her about Rose now," Seth said, changing the subject. "But she still can't know about Missingno.
Missingno looke gloomy as it pixelated back into my heart.
The journey back to the campsite was slower since I was walking, rather than running. Rose was not to show her powers to Yumi, so she was walking too. Seth told me Chikorita, Eevee, and Fennekin were with Yumi, but I guess I should've known that considering I have his heart. So when we arrived, Yumi ran up to hug Seth.
"You should never leave a girl alone at night, Seth. You should know that by now," Yumi said as she then looked past Seth to see the little girl standing in front of me. "Who's she?"
To Be Continued