Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 35: 3/03 (The Sequel) Part II
Okay, so this is my longest chapter in quite some time, yet it took me the shortest amount of time to complete. And for those who don't know (Just in case), Molly and Spencer ARE canon characters. So now I digress. Like I said before, this will be the last chapter before we resume Seth's journey. I mean, he's my main character, yet only about half the chapters so far have been dedicated to him. For awhile, I was actually trying to gear this story toward the 'There's not really a MAIN main character' mindset. Please enjoy and review.
Pheobe's POV
"So, if it is death you choose, then allow me to liberate you from this world," 03 said as she grabbed a pokeball.
"Here she comes!" Molly yelled as she and I braced ourselves.
"No way! Our lives won't end here, I promise!" I said as I quickly grabbed a pokeball.
Both 03 and I threw our pokeblls as we readied to fight. While 03's pokeball released a predictable Salamence, my pokeball released the Illusion Fox pokemon, Zoroark.
"Flaffy, I choose you!" Molly yelled as she sent out a pink electric type pokemon.
"Molly, what are you doing?" Spence asked growing concerned.
"Well, they DID said they'd die trying. So if they're offering their lives, I'll just have to take them." 03 said to Spencer.
"I believe it's the other way around," I said. "Because you're in for the fight of your life, sweetheart."
"Saaa!" Salamence roared at my threat, and Zoroark looked a bit intimidated.
"Don't worry, Zoroark." Zoroark turned to my determined face. "We'll all have to work together to beat Salamence. You'll be just fine, trust me."
"Roark," Zoroark cried in agreement.
"Salamence, I believe Zoroark will keep you entertained while Spencer and I continue through the ruins," 03 said to her pokemon.
Salamence nodded in agreement as 03 and Spencer walked right past us. I wanted to stop 03, but taking my focus off Salamence would have been a critical mistake.
"Alright Molly, is your Flaffy able to paralyze Salamence?" I asked.
I heard no reply to my question and grew slightly annoyed.
"Molly! I asked if-" I looked beside me, and saw Molly and Flaffy were gone. Only Slamence, Zoroark, and I were here now...
"Saa!" Salamence roared as it started toward Zoroark cloaked in a blue aura I believed to be Dragon Rush.
"Dodge it, quick!" I yelled.
Zoroark ducked down to avoid an incoming Dragon Rush. "Now use Dark Pulse!"
"Zooor" Zoroark cried as she launched a beam of darkness.
Airborne, Salamence swiftly dodged Zoroarks continious pulses of darkness.
"It's fast!" I said.
"Saaa!" Salamence cried as it a Flamethrower that lit up the dim hall.
"Zoroark, get out of the way!" I yelled growing frustrated.
Zoroark was able to quickly avoid Salamence's attack, but Salamance launched repeated Flamethrowers that Zoroark could only dodge for so long before-
"Aar!" Zoroark was struck by Flamethrower and was sent to the ground, lying there unconscious.
"Zoroark, no!" I yelled as I approached the downed fox. "With just one hit. This Salamence is stronger than I thought..."
I recalled Zoroark and thanked her for a great job. I then pulled out another pokeball and tossed it without word, releasing the water type, Frogadier.
"Drr" Frogadier kept a calm attitude, despite being at a disadvantage by level.
"Saal!" Salamence once again readied Dragon Rush as it started toward Frogadier cloaked in a blue aura.
"Smokescreen, go!" I yelled.
"Of course, a calm a collective pokemon such as Frogadier wouldn't flinch to Dragon Rush, instead it was Salamence who did not know what to do as it was blinded by Smokescreen and called off Dragon Rush.
When the smoke cleared, Frogadier was right on Salamence's back.
"Now, I ce Beam," I yelled. Hit up close by a super effective Ice Beam, Salamence was sent crashing into the ground. A cloud of dust was made on impact, and Frogadier approached me, standing tall.
"We did it?" iI said as I looked as I looked at the cloud of dust, await for our enemy to surface, but to no avail. "We did it!" I said assured. "Frogadier, we-"
"Maance!" Salamence rose to it's feet as it was back with a vengeance as it retaliated with Flamethrower.
"No, Frogadier!" Frogadier's Protean ability made it v ery vulnerable to Flamethrower as an ice type. Another one hit knock out was the end result. "Sorry Frogadier..." I said as I recalled the downed frog.
I looked at Salamence, who was awaiting the next challenger, and felt intimidated. I was beginning to think there was no way I could win. My mind began to stress the thought of my journey possibly coming to an end here. I took a step back and slowly grabbed another pokeball, hands sweating.
"Missy, I-" The words wouldn't come out, and my arm wouldn't throw the pokeball as I was too stressed.
"Saaa!" Salamence began to charger straight at me.
I winced and screamed, as this was the moment I'd fall.
"Missy... Yumi..." Those were my last words...
Yumi's POV
The distance between Pheobe and I grew, while the friendship between us shrunk with every step I made.
I was walking beside Slowking, who kept to himself in a way that reminded me alot of my old traveling partners. I looked at Slowking, and had to ask-
"Do you think they'll be okay?" I asked.
Slowking did not reply to my question. I didn't get annoyed, but I ran in front of Slowking with my hands on my hips to get his attention and assert my question.
"HELLO, did you hear what I just said?!" I asked.
"As a matter of fact, I did. I just don't believe speaking my thoughts would interest a so called 'friend' like you." Slowking said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked confused.
"I won't just give you the answer, but you might figure it if you just think for a moment." Slowking replied. "Think about what YOU consider a friend, and what WE consider a friend."
"Hmm, what I consider a friend?" I put my right hand on my left elbow. "I guess someone who likes me. Aaaaand someone who helps me when I need it."
"Now there's your problem," Slowking said.
"My problem?" I asked confused.
"You only listed what friends do for YOU, not the other way around," Slowking said. "Have you done anything for Pheobe? Because from what I said, the only thing you did was abandon her when she needed you most. Now tell me: Would she consider you a friend after leaving her like that?"
He's right. The only thing I've done is abandon my friends in order to save myself either physically, or mentally. Not only to Pheobe, but to Chapel and Seth as well. Mary-Elizabeth, and MAYBE Rose. What kind of friend am I- no... I can't start to question myself again, or I'll keep on running away from my problems.
I turned back and started walking. "I need to stick with my friends, my dreams also, no matter what..." I stopped and without turning my head, "Thank you, Slowking... We have to help the others now." My pace started to gradually increase, and I was eventually jogging back to help my best friend. Pheobe. with Slowking right behind me. "Please be okay..."
Molly's POV
Flaffy and I left Pheobe without notice in order to covertly keep up with 03 and Papa. As I predicted, 03 led us back to the room with the box that took us to the Unowon's dimension.
"This is where I was teleported to the Unown's dimension five years ago," Spencer said.
"The countless shadow pokemon... The answers to their whereabouts now lie in front of us. The answers to who our 'true enemy' is lies in front of us. Ah yes, Spencer, Neo Snagem owed you much gratitude for causing Johto's eventual plunge into what will be the Neo Snagem empire. The 'Age of Team Neo Snagem' is upon us, and as a thank you Spencer, your misery will be cut short, now that you are of no further use to us." 03 explained.
Cut his misery short? Do they mean kill him? No...
"No! I won't let that happen!" I yelled as Flaffy and I ran into the room and confronted Papa and 03. "Over my dead body, will you kill Papa."
"Molly..." Papa said.
"A little girl like you threatening me? Just so you know, I don't hold back on hurting children. "The silver haired woman said. "Leave now if you wish to save you AND your father the pain of battle.
"Oh please, your threats don't scare me neither. Especially since Salamence isn't with you." I said.
"At what point did I say Salamence was my only threat?" 03 asked with a smirk.
I stood my ground, keeping a confident face.
"Absol, crush them!" 03 yelled as she grabbed a pokeball and sent out the Disaster Pokemon.
Absol faced Flaffy and I in a battle stance, while 03 calmly approached the box.
"Absol..." I said as I closed my eyes and smiled, much to everyone's surprise. "How about we just stand back and watch your trainer open the box. All I'll say is she'll wish she'd never opened it."
Absol was bewildered, along with Flaffy. Papa looked at me and nodded, knowing what to expect once our friends, the Unown, came out.
03 looked at the box for a moment, and placed her hand on it.
"And so it begins," she said to herself as she removed the lid. "The Age of Team Neo Snagem."
The many tiles started floating in the air. The hieroglyphics on the walls started to glow, and 03 has just sealed her fate.
The Unown started to surface and 03 was in awe. They started toward me, and everyone, with the exception of Papa, stared in confusion.
"What's going on?" 03 asked confused.
"With the Unown released, you're in MY world now..." I said as my eyes narrowed.
Our surroundings were crystallizing into what I once considered reality.
"The Unown have been my best friends for five years now. They'll follow me before they follow you any day. They can do any favor I ask... including defeat you." I said.
"This can't be... They were mine!" 03 said.
The Unown simultaneously turned to 03 as she put on a look of panic on her face.
"Papa." I called out. "Our memories shall surface once more. Let us witness the return of the illusion, Entei..."
The crystallization of Entei had guaranteed my victory against 03, who was staring judgement right in the face.
"Yes, I may be a little girl, but those stone tiles grant me powers that would make even the strongest of humans and pokemon cringe." I said.
"You fool!" 0 yelled. "Do you honestly think you are the only one with abnormal power?! You just caught me bu surprise, that's all."
03 started emitting a dark aura, and her eyes turned purple.
"The power of the shadow pokemon- the power of Missingno. I summon the shadows of those that burn in Hell!" 03 directed her shadow-like aura at the illusionary Entei. Entei's shadow started to move on it's own, and then surface. My illusionary Entei was face to face with 03's shadow Entei. (If you can put this paragraph together with the three hints given to Rose in Chapter 30, then you might have a chance at guessing correctly on who this story's main antagonist is.)
"Two Enteis?" Now I was confused as Flaffy and I were growing worried. Not only did 03 have Entei AND those powers, but she had a backup plan in Absol should her 'Plan A' fail.
"Entei's shadow..." Papa looked like he was thinking, He then yelled out an idea. "Molly! Tell the Unown to call off Entei!"
"But why?" I asked confused.
"Just do it!" Papa yelled as I grasped my hands, going into a prayer-like state.
"Absol, get her!" 03 yelled as Absol started toward me with Pursuit.
"Molly!" Papa yelled.
Flaffy attempted to use Thunderbolt on Absol, but Absol swiftly dodged the attack. I opened my eyes and the prayer was interrupted. Flaffy couldn't react fast enough to stop an incoming Absol preparing a Psycho Cut attack on me. Is it over for me? Was my attempt at saving Papa and the entire Johto region all for nothing?
Yumi's POV
Slowking and I could hear Salamence's roars, and we knew we were close to returning to Pheobe. But the scene we returned to was a shocking one.
"Aaah!" A pokeball thrown by Pheobe released a familiar Missy (Mismagius), who shielded Pheobe from a Salamence who's Dragon Rush surely would've killed her. Of course, Salamence sent Missy flying so fast, Missy flew into Pheobe and sent her back crashing into the wall with great force.
"Pheobe! Missy!" I rushed to the downed duo. Missy instantly fainted while Pheobe was still conscious, but critically injured. "Pheobe..."
"You... came back? But why?" Pheobe asked in a faint voice.
"You're hurt." I said as I was looking at Pheobe's bruised back. "You need rest.
"But why? Why did you come-" Pheobe tried to stand, but quickly fell down due to what appeared to be her bruised spine.
"I had to think about what I was doing. And what I was doing was very selfish of me. Not only did I abandon Seth and Chapel, I also abandoned you and Molly when you needed me most. I was a horrible friend before I had a change of mind that told me to always stick with your friends, no matter what. And so I came back here not only to apologize, but to help save your father as well."
I held out the hand that I failed to extend toward Pheobe earlier. "I may not make it out alive, but at least I can say I'd have no regrets as long as you and I were best friends again."
Pheobe struggled to slowly extend her hand, but was able to meet me all the was.
"To best friends," Pheobe said.
"Best friends forever." I added.
"Our friendship was revived with the handshake, and I was ready to challenge Salamence as I stepped up.
"This time, I'm not running away!" I yelled as I grabbed a pokeball.
"She's a whole new person now, as a friend," Slowking said, comforting Pheobe and Missy.
Let's see, Braixen and Snivy will be completely overpowered by type AND level if I send them out. The shadows in Gligar still won't obey me, so that leaves me with Eevee. I know he's not that strong against Salamence, but he's my best chance as of now.
"Eevee, it's your show!" I yelled as I sent out the Evolution Pokemon.
"Vee..." Eevee immediately caught a glimpse of Salamence and began to cower.
"Eevee.." I walked up to Eevee and hugged him. "I know our chances of winning are little or nothing, but you're our best hope. You've got to be brave!"
Eevee was still intimidated.
"You can do it. Don't run away like me," I said as I hugged deeper. "I'm a changed girl. I've changed enough to know I should stick to anything I've already set my mind to. Which is why I've decided to stop running, and continue our journey to become top coordinator." I held Eevee eye level to me. "Because...because to the top is our destiny...remember? THOSE words were some of the first I've ever said to you."
I remember those words from when our journey first began (Chapter 2)...
"Vee," Eevee let out a slight tear of joy, knowing that as of now, our journey was no longer over, assuming we make it out here alive. Eevee started to nuzzle me like there was no tomorrow. After a few seconds of this affection, a light started coming from my first pokemon. :I got a clear glimpse of it, and realized Eevee was evolving... Everyone, Salamence included, watched in awe as Eevee started to grow in size. When Eevee stopped glowing, I was holding a sleek black furred body with four slender legs and crimson eyes.
"Umbreon!" Slowking announced the name of my newly evolved Eevee.
"Um...breon?" Eevee muttered.
Slowking closed his eyes and smiled. "Yumi's change for the better seems to be spreading toward everyone. Eevee will only evolves into Umbreon when he is truely friends with his trainer, at night of course."
"Umbreon..." I was still holding onto Umbreon, who looked at me in the eyes with a smile. I then set Umbreon on the ground. "Friends forever, now are you ready?"
Umbreon faced the Salamence with newfound confidence, no longer giving in to Salamence's Intimidate.
"Saaa!" Salamence has been quite patient waiting for us to get ourselves straight.
"Alright, Umbreon, use-" I could something in the distance from behind me.
Everyone, including Salamence looked behind me to witness the floors and wall starting to crystallize. We then heard a loud scream coming from where we first arrived from the Unown's Dimension.
"What's happening?" We all positioned ourselves to avoid the incoming ice, and started toward where to scream came from.
I was carrying an injured Pheobe on my back, while Slowking and Umbreon were close behind. Missy was recalled into her pokeball, and even Salamence was following us. I guess Salamence was concerned for 03.
I sat Pheobe on the outside hallway to rest before rushing into the room, following Salamence, Slowking, and Umbreon.
I gasped as I saw Molly down and not moving. "Molly!" I ran up to Molly, as did the 'Spencer' she called 'Papa'.
"Molly, open your eyes!" Spencer yelled.
"Please!" I added.
"She used the last of her energy to call off the illusion Entei..." A 03 said to herself while staring at the crystallized walls. "When the illusionary Entei was suppressed, so was Shadow Entei. The girl stopped me from adding Shadow Entei to my pokemon party. But from what I see, she sacrificed what could be her life..."
"Molly... are you really?" I asked.
I began to dread that she might not return home alive. That was until-
"She is merely unconscious, from what I see," Slowking said.
I looked around the room. An Absol seemed to be paralyzed by a Flaffy, though I'm not sure who owned each pokemon. Like I said before, the room was covered in crystal. The box that contained the stone tiles were scattered across the florr. I then layed my eyes on 03 approaching the box, grabbing it along with the remaining tiles in it. She completely ignored the tiles that waited on the ground.
I approached 03 and stood about six feet away from her.
"I have the stone tile, and I know they are what summons the Unown. My mission is complete and I have no need for any further battling." 03 said as she recalled her paralyzed Absol. "A job well done, Absol."03 then started to walk right past me.
I wanted to say something, but threatening 03 while she was in the same room as Salamence would've been a death wish.
"Spencer, we'll keep in touch." 03 said. "Salamence, let's go."
As soon as 03 was outside the room, she looked at a weak Pheobe glaring at her. "Hmph. If you wish to see YOUR father again, get stronger, and I'll be waiting to reveal even more of my powers. There IS a reason why I'm ranked 3rd in all of Neo Snagem, after all." 03 started walking. "Oh, and your father will be very busy researching these tiles I have. Until then..." 03's retreat was swift...
Molly was down, and Pheobe was in critical condition. Spencer was guilty as he kept repeating 'It's all my fault you're hurt'. A tear went down Flaffy's face as it approached Molly. This whole night has been a mess, especially since 03 got away.
The remaining tile that were scattered throughout the crystlized floor began floating, and they all turned into Unown that began hovering around a Molly that was being picked up and carried on Spencer's back. I went and got Pheobe on my back, and returned to the room.
"Please," I asked the Unown. "We need to get these two some rest."
Without hesitation, we were teleported back to the Unown's dimension. Nothing much happened there for we were in a rush to get back to the mansion in Greenfield.
Location: Greenfield Mansion
Upon returning to the mansion, Spencer invited Pheobe, Slowking, and I to stay the night.
"It's the least I can do as a token of much gratitude," Spencer said calmly.
It was midnight, so it was only normal we'd keep our voice tone low.
"Thank you so much," I said.
I then followed Spencer to the upstairs, I looked out the window to see the full moon was no longer 'full'. But hey, traveling through the Unown's dimension meant we've been gone for at least two days.
When directed to the first guest bedroom, I lifted Pheobe off my back and place her on the full sized bed. She was still barely conscious, and her and I exchanged looks that were bittersweet. The moment was to be savored with silence and a slow pace, that was until Pheobe opened her mouth.
"Yumi... you really are a sweetheart- the one that once became my best friend," Pheobe said with a smile. "Not only that, but I see you Eevee really loves you."
Pheobe gestured to my newly evolved friend who simply nuzzled my leg.
"03 won..." I said, changing the subject.
"03 didn't win, WE just didn't lose. I mean, we might not be in the best shape right now, but we all came back alive and able to fight another day." Pheobe said. "But now we're closer than we ever were to saving my father. We have leads AND clues now. And from what you told me a few days ago, you have some friends who wish to defeat Neo Snagem as well."
I then looked to the ground. "About some 'things' I said back there..."
"Are you going to continue your journey?" Pheobe asked.
"It's my friends," I said. "I need to stick by them when they need me most."
"And if you see Alice again?" Pheobe asked.
"I'll change, and prove everything she said about me wrong (Chapter 31)," I said. "In the morning, I'll depart and search to reunite with my friends. Hopefully my journey with them will resume by then."
"Then the two of us will meet in Mahogany Town." Pheobe added.
"Mahogony Town?" I asked confused.
"It's where the next Pokemon Contest." Pheobe said. "Ecruteak City is on the way there, so I'm sure you'll meet up with your friends by then. "Pheobe then point at me ,"But don't forget about your BEST friend, okay sweetheart?"
I gave a warm smile and nodded in agreement as I exited the room.
Spencer led me to my own room, where Umbreon and I flopped on the bed. Spencer then said he would treat Molly for the next few days while they heal.
"So I guess it's just you and me, huh Umbreon?" I asked.
Umbreon nodded in agreement.
Me traveling alone? I never liked being alone, but this was my chance to become independent and prove Alice wrong. Staarting tomorrow, I will resume my journey...
To Be Continued...
Alright, so ALOT happened this chapter. I'll admit it was abit more dragged out than necessary, but at least we're finally done with this stretch. Next chapter will be the first 'Seth chapter' since his fight with Fear. So stayed tuned and please review.