Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 136: The Flame of a Kitsune
Author's Note
Why, it's been a while since I've made an Author's Note, hasn't it? I am alive! I am well! And I am going to Japan in 6 months. Excited. For a few years I'll be living in Nagasaki, the real life inspiration for the Hoenn region. Hello Mawile and Seviper, the Hoenn pokemon on Seth's Team!
Anyway, I hope you like this little arc. A little break in between alot of Rose and Seth-centric Chapters to come. I've even an arc prepared involving me returning to the Final Fantasy roots that have influenced the writing style I've developed. There will be Volbeat, Illumise, and proper introduction for Commanders Beatrice and Bastion. Has the thought crossed me? The thought of having Atticus make his present-day debut and confronting Seth in Blackthorn City? A spoiler!...Or is it? Wouldn't jump to conclusions, readers.
Location: Lord Mito's Lost Paradise
Yumi's POV
"We've passed the time for formalities a while ago, haven't we?" Willow began glowing an aura that was as bright as the sun.
Braixen and I were ready for whatever form Willow would take to serve as our opponent-This was what we were thinking to ourselves. We were confident and bracing ourselves. Nothing was going to unnerve us. Nothing…except the Kitsune form we were not expecting. This…was going to be an uphill fight.
"Hmph." Willow took the form of a Kitsune that was bipedal and stood with its arms crossed.
"Delphox…" It was Seth who named the Kitsune creature standing opposite of Braixen and I.
"…" Braixen's mouth hung agape. To think that the opponent before her would be her evolution.
Willow in his Delphox Kitsune form stood tall over Braixen. He looked at Braixen like an adult would to a child.
"Father…" The Delphox didn't move its mouth. Instead, it communicated with us all using some sort of telepathic clairvoyance that echoed throughout Lord Mito's Alchemic world. Willow looked to Lord Mito in the capsule, "The Power of the 1,000 Kitsune, will be mine."
"…" Lord Mito.
"…" Lady Anju.
"…" Summer and Winter.
They all stood in silence. Being Willow's family, they knew very well of the power Willow had. Them, along with Seth, Chapel, and Rose all looked at me expectantly. They were wondering how Braixen and I were going to fight her evolved form.
Maybe I could go on the offensive first. Doing so would cause Willow to react instead of attack…
"Braixen, use Flamethrower!" Element-wise, Braixen and Willow were on equal ground. I needed to open with an attack that was reliable.
"Zen!" Braixen touched the long wand-like stick on her tail. She threw the stick into the air, where it spun as fast as the propellers on a helicopter. "Brai!" Braixen skillfully caught her fast-spinning stick, and pointed in at Kitsune Form Willow.
A hungry stream of fierce fire was launched at the Delphox.
It was a valiant effort getting Delphox to react rather than attack, but…
"Hmph." The Kitsune's reaction was not at all as strong as I'd hoped. Rather than fire his own stream of fire, Willow simply raised his hand toward the incoming stream of fire.
"Huh?" Braixen's eyes widened.
The Delphox took Braixen's stream of fire like it was nothing. His hand didn't simply block the Flamerhrower. No…with just the flick of his wrist, the entire Flamethrower was completely neutralized-gone like the wind.
Chapel and Rose stood agape.
"That Flamethrower didn't do a thing…!" Chapel exclaimed.
"The fire of Braixen was little more than a minor annoyance to Willow…" Rose added.
"We were correct." Summer started.
And where Summer started, Winter continued, "Our Brother is a formidable foe."
"…" Whatever was going through the mind of Seth was indiscernible as he looked on. A look of worry was on Chikorita's face.
"Will fire really have no effect of Willow?" Chapel asked as she turned to Lord Mito and Lady Anju.
Lady Anju didn't provide a yes or no answer. "It is a possibility, if Braixen is unable to create a stronger flame."
"My son Willow has travelled the world on the surface far and wide. His ventures were all an effort to assess his reasoning for obtaining the power of the 1,000 Kitsune. Years of training have culminated into this fight."
"If Yumi and Braixen are unable to summon a stronger flame, how will they manage to find victory?" Rose asked.
"…" Banette was standing right next to Rose, and had no answer.
Braixen and I stood with gritted teeth, annoyed by how little effort Willow put in to fending off our attack.
"Is that all you've got?" Willow asked in his Kitsune form.
"Huh?"
"A first impression can say a lot about a person." Willow started, "Based on this first impression, I'd say you're not ready for the power of the 1,000 Kitsune. Nor are you ready to save yourself from the corrupt world above…Are you even ready to save yourself from me?"
Braixen and I had only launched one move. However impressive Willow was aside, it was too early for him to come to a conclusion in regard to our abilities.
"Zen!" Braixen cried as she cloaked herself in fire. She stared at the Delphox as she readied to use Flame Charge.
"Come at me with everything you've got." Willow's poise did not falter.
Braixen was eager to respond to Willow's challenge, as she charged at the Delphox with haste.
The Kitsune kept his cool as Braixen approached, simply stepping aside, allowing for Braixen's attack to miss.
"Zen!" Braixen, still surrounded by the flames of Flame Charge, turned around and eyed the Kitsune with gritted teeth.
Willow's back was turned, and he quietly faced the Braixen as he questioned, "Frustrated already?"
"Zen!" The flames of Flame Charge remained still. Braixen took her wand-like stick in hand, and attempted to strike Delphox as she charged at him one more time.
"Hmph." Willow sidestepped in the opposite direction.
Braixen's eyes grew intense, and she again attempted to strike Willow with her stick.
Willow dodged.
Braixen strikes, Willow dodges, repeat. This was the cycle they were stuck in, as Braixen needed to land just one hit to silence the Delphox.
"Ha!" After numerous repetitions of the cycle, Willow finally decided to launch a counterstrike.
"Ah?!" Braixen was stricken by Delphox's wand-like stick. Her eyes widened, she lost focus on her target, and she stumbled back. She was in the middle of falling to the ground.
Willow kept his wand-like stick pointed at Braixen, and launched a stream of fire. This stream of fire looked fiercer than the Flamethrower launched by Braixen. "Zen?!" Still falling to the ground, Braixen had no time to dodge or perform some other sort of reaction. She was an easy target.
"Braixen!" I called out.
Braixen was pushed back like a ragdoll. This battlefield was one that was surrounded by cliffs. These cliffs were courtesy of Lord Mito and his Alchemy, giving him a view that oversees all of his world. We were so high from the ground below, the altitude was worthy of being measured in miles rather than feet.
Pushed off this cliff, Braixen was set to fall if she didn't react swiftly. She was able to regain her focus, and grab onto the cliff, sliding to a screeching halt. "Zen…" The steam from Delphox's Flamethrower was still fresh on Braixen as she glared at the Delphox staring at her from above.
"Braixen is in trouble." Summer said.
"Willow is winning." Winter added.
"How will Yumi get herself out of this one?" Chapel asked.
"Chico…"
"Like I mentioned before: First impressions." Willow, without turning his back on a Braixen holding onto the cliff, took a small glance at me with the corner of his eye.
"This isn't over yet." This was the only reply I could muster. I was correct in that regard, but so far…
"She's overmatched." It was as if Seth read my mind, as he calmly stood with his arms crossed.
"Let's say you concede this little game, okay?" Willow kept the corner of his eye on me.
No. Even if we were overmatched, there was too much on the line for us to simply surrender. To inherit the power of the 1,000 Kitsune, and aid Seth and the others in their cause to save the world from the organization…I mustn't concede, even if I fall.
…Haha, I've never had a battle with these kind of stakes on the line.
"Maybe it's time for me to stop viewing this as just a battle." I smiled. "If we're overmatched in terms of strength, we'll just have to try a different approach."
I'm a Pokemon Coordinator first and foremost. Rather than using brute strength, I'll rely of the tactical and strategic need to play the game known as a Pokemon Contest.
"So you refuse to give up this hopeless fight?" Willow returned his attention to the Braixen hanging below, and aimed his wand-like stick. "Hmph!" He was ready to deal the finishing blow that would seal his fate to receive the power of the 1,000 Kitsune.
He launched a stream of fire. With miles of altitude below, it was as if Braixen was staring into the gates of Hell, with death on the horizon.
"Braixen, use Flamethrower!" I called for Braixen to counter Delphox's stream of fire with fire of her own-fight fire with fire.
I knew well that Braixen wasn't going to overpower Delphox's fire, but that wasn't the goal. The two flames collided, creating an explosion of smoke.
Delphox swiftly rid the battlefield of the smoke, however…
"Hm?" His eyes widened. That small fraction of a second created by the smoke, was all the time Braixen needed.
Braixen was no longer hanging onto the cliff. Rather, she was behind Willow, without Willow even realizing it.
I intentionally didn't call for an attack, for my command would alert Willow that Braixen was right behind. At this moment, I allowed for Braixen to freelance.
"…" Without making a sound, Braixen used her wand-like stick, and aimed to strike Delphox in the back of its knee.
Delphox stumbled.
Braixen jumped into the air, and lit the tip of her wand-like stick with fire. She descended like a rocket, and took a swing at the downed Delphox.
Delhpox's eyes widened. His first impression of Braixen and I allowed for him to let down his guard. His confidence caused for him to underestimate us, and in turn, Braixen was finally able to land a strike on him. Another huge cloud of smoke was created upon Braixen striking Delphox with the tip of her stick, like a warrior with a sword.
"A fight doesn't have to be won using brute strength alone," Lord Mito said.
"Just now, Yumi has displayed an uncanny ability to adapt her strategy." Lady Anju added.
"As a Coordinator, she has to rely on tactics over strength." Chapel remarked.
"Now the tide of this fight has shifted in her favor…" Rose concluded.
We waited for the smoke to dissipate. What was the result of our successful counterstrike? Was Willow hurt to the point of being unable to continue with the fight?
The smoke cleared, and what we saw…
"Ah!"
Braixen had her stick on the neck of Delphox.
"…"
"Incredible…" Lord Mito was rendered nearly speechless.
"Braixen managed to strike a vital organ," Lady Anju remarked.
"That one hit was all she needed to be victorious." Seth added.
"Chicori…"
There, Delphox laid on the ground, not moving. His eyes were wide open, and he was not breathing. Willow was not dead, but he was at the mercy of Braixen as long as her stick remained stamped on his neck. Desperately grasping empty air, Willow was trying to breath, and unable to focus on any Psychic power he may have had.
"Willow…"
"Willow…"
Summer and Winter closed their eyes as they both muttered their brother's name at the same time.
"Willow is unable to continue."
Everybody was declaring Braixen and I the winner, all except for one person. Lord Mito…he was the one tasked with bestowing the power of the 1,000 Kistune, so his judgement was really the only one that mattered.
"Well?" Chapel turned to Lord Mito with an expectant look on her face.
Lady Anju, and the twins were attentive, while Rose and Banette were intrigued. It wasn't just off the battlefield; Braixen and I still had our eyes on our struggling opponent, but our ears were wide open, ready for whatever statement Lord Mito has to make from inside his capsule..
"Hm…" Lord Mito contemplated to himself for a few moments before voicing his judgement, "I was not expecting you two to overcome Willow, but you're full of surprises."
"!" Even in his state of desperation, Willow's ears were wide open. It was as if he froze upon hearing what Lord Mito had to say next.
"Yumi, you and Braixen have earned the right to receive the power of the 1,000 Kitsune." Lord Mito announced.
What may have gone through the mind of Willow as those words escaped his father's mouth? Was he happy for me, or was he sorry for himself? I had no clue…
…
…
…
I was excited for myself and Braixen.
"Zen." Braixen and I looked to each other, our eyes as bright and jovial as the child's.
"We won!" As I cheered, Braixen ran into my arms, and we shared a warm hug. We separated, still holding onto each other by the hand as I said to her, "We did it."
I was excited, and looking forward to be of more help to Seth and the others. With the power of the 1,000 Kitsune, I will aid in defeating Team Neo Snagem once and for all. A world without Neo Snagem means a world in which there will be nothing to stop Seth from developing the sense of compassion we've tried to instill in him for so long. It will mean that he, Rose, and his family will finally be able to live a normal life. Chapel will be able to move onto her next goal in her cause to aid the world in any way she can. All in all: we'll all be able to live happily ever after…
I looked to all my companions. Seth…you all are very precious to me, more precious than the world. But you…I hope you and I will be able 'work' once our journey is over…
For tomorrow, I fight…I had to say this out loud, to emphasize to everybody why we fight, "For tomorrow; a perfect tomorrow."
….
Location: Lord Mito's Lost Paradise
"Tomorrow? HAH! Why think about tomorrow when you can live for today?"
POV: There is no POV At this time
After the fight, Yumi, Braixen and the others were guided by Lord Mito to a rather fancy banquet hall. This hall was created by Lord Mito's alchemy, and made for a great place to feast before Yumi and Braixen were bestowed the power of the 1,000 Kitsune.
One issue though…
"This whole arc is a total Utawarerumono ripoff!" Whatever words Yumi was spewing made no sense.
Lord Mito, within his pod, was at the head of the table, Lady Anju next to him. The twins, Summer and Winter, sat at the other head of the table. Banette sat next to Rose, while Chapel sat next to Seth. Chikorita was resting on Seth's lap. Yumi? Well…
"L.O.L. Hahaha. HAHAHAHAH!...HA!" It seemed common sense had officially left her brain, as she stood defiantly on top of the table.
Yumi was drunk.
"Honestly, just when it seemed you had gained a sense of responsibility, you evolve a notch up the immaturity ladder, Yumi." Rose had her arms crossed. Ladylike, Rose had always been the first to point out Yumi's faults, like a nagging mother.
"…" Chapel had her hand on her forehead, slowly nodding sideways in a manner that just screamed 'Yumi, you idiot.'
"Our guest…" Summer started.
"Yumi…" Winter continued.
The twins both spoke in their usual monotone voice, ready to alternate before-
"Baka." The twins weren't alone saying this in a monotone voice. They were aided by another person in the room who seemed monotone. Hello, Seth!
"Baka?!" Yumi turned to the twins. Yes, she was drunk alright. Hell, her cheeks were heavily flushed red, and her eyes were dilated. "What does baka mean?"
"Idiot." The twins were blunt.
"Honestly, how does one mistake a bottle of sake for ginger ale?" Lady Anju was just as annoyed as Chapel.
"Because she doesn't know what sake looks like." Seth remarked.
"I heard that!" She was losing brain cells, but Yumi still had enough sense to hear what was being said around the table. On the table, she rebelliously stood right in front of Summer and Winter. "Hah! You two are weird! Why do you talk like that? You're almost as bad as him!" She pointed at Seth, "And look at the way you dress! Ururuu? Saraana? Talk about an obscured ripoff."
Both Summer and Winter sighed.
"Are you finished?" Summer was curt and to the point when retaliating against Yumi.
"Nope!" Yumi crossed her arms around her chest and proudly stood. "I know that question was an attempt to get the rest of the room to laugh and shut me up. Funny. Har har tharsdays…NOT!"
"You're right." Summer started.
"When it comes to comedy, we're no match for you. You're life is a complete joke." Winter added.
Everybody in the entire room froze, their eyes widened. At this moment, Yumi has discovered something very interesting: The amount of savagery the cold-blooded human is capable of.
Rose, Banette, and Lady Anju were holding back smiles, struggling mightily. Meanwhile…
"HAHAHAHA!" Chapel didn't even try to hold back her amusement. Losing all sense of common courtesy while a guest in Lord Mito's home. Hand on her ribs, she was laughing near uncontrollably. "HAHAHAHA!"
"Ha." It was so unlike Chikorita to laugh along with such a mean-sirited joke!
Yumi sighed, and her shoulders drooped. Humiliated, she looked pathetic in front of the twins, who did not seem amused by their own comeback.
…
…
…
"WAAAAAH!" Had Yumi no sense of dignity? She was crying out like a girl in elementary school as she hid her drunk-reddened face in her hands. "WAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAH!"
"Pathetic." Summer remarked.
"Pathetic." Winter parroted.
"…PATHETIC." That word came from the mouths of Rose, Banette, and Seth.
"You're right. My life is a complete joke!" Yumi dropped to her knees and continued weeping. "I've never had the greatest relationship with my father! I have a inferiority complex as a Pokemon Coordinator because, in all honesty, the career doesn't seem to be working out right now! I'm immature, hyper, baka!"
"Great, she's the 'Overemotional' type of drunk." Seth's voice was as flat as a flatline.
"And YOU!"
"Hm?" It was at this moment that Seth made his first mistake of the day: He opened his mouth. Now, Yumi's attention was on him, and he was perplexed when Yumi-still on the table-crawled right to him.
They were eye level, Yumi getting close at such an obscenely awkard degree. She grabbed his hands, and held them as she continued crying, "I've liked you forever! Why don't you love me back?! I've waited so long for us to finally kiss…" Her brain cells were deteriorating at a faster pace than Seth thought. "And…" Hold up, wait a minute. Was Yumi REALLY going in for a drunken kiss right now?! With her face flushed red, one would think she was completing the dramatic love confession saved for the climax of some greatest movie ever made.
"Hey!" But just as Yumi was about to complete the climax, she was pulled off the table.
"Enough of this!" It was Lady Anju. She was surprisingly strong, holding Yumi by just the black obi on her aqua blue furisode. "Let us not spoil the dinner for us and Lord Mito."
…..
"…"
The Eve of Braixen's bestowing of the 1,000 Kitsune's power was lively in some places. In other places, it was quaint, quiet, and empty. The nothingness surrounded by the great world created by Lord Mito's Alchemy was peaceful. Meadows of verdant grass blowing, the most azul of rivers flowing, the starlit sky above…
"…"
It all was enough to mask the heavy, subdued variety of silence lying alone at the top of a battlefield.
"…"
Returning from his Kitsune form, Willow had not moved since his defeat to Braixen and Yumi. His eyes took in the view of the sky, his ears taking in the sound of the aforementioned verdant grass and azul rivers. Along with not moving, he had not spoken.
"The world outside of the 1,000 Kitsune Temple appalled me."
His mind was on the words he'd expressed to Lord Mito and Yumi earlier. No…These weren't just words; these were the beliefs of Willow based on his judgement of the world above.
"The world is ruthless. It is corrupt and greedy…There must be a reason why our Arceus created such a flawed world. I wonder…?"
Willow's stance on the flawed order of the world was correct. He knew it, and so did his Father.
"I will transform the world above, into a world in which pride and greed do not exist."
But if Lord Mito could understand Willow's stance on the world, why did he not grant him the power of the 1,000 Kitsune? Lord Mito is a man who has lived in this world for many years. He has been exiled by the very world Willow denounces. So why side with that girl?
"…"
Just pondering whatever went through the head of Lord Mito upset Willow. Could it be because of the cockiness adopted by Willow during the fight? Willow…he looked surprised beyond belief when Yumi and Braixen were declared victorious. Or maybe…?
"…"
Maybe Lord Mito didn't believe Willow's resolve was strong enough to change the world above.
"You're just a girl who had no clue Lord Mito and the 1,000 Kitsune existed yesterday."
Losing to her…Willow was shocked, and then surprised. He was disappointed, and upset. Now, he's angry and bitter.
"Even if she won on paper, she was overmatched. She cannot save the world the way she is now." This was the first time spoke since the battle. But who was he speaking to? The grass? The water? No. He was speaking to his state of mind, as if uttering the words out loud would put a greater emphasis on their impact. "Lord Mito has been stuck in his own world for so long, he's lost touch with what goes on in the world beyond the 1,000 Kitsune Temple. His resolve has been lost…"
That is what Willow told himself.
"For the sake of the world, I will carry on the will of my dying father, and change the world for the better. Even if HE has lost sight of own goal, that doesn't mean I should give in. I…" Yes, speaking the words out loud had a much greater impact on Willow's resolve. Slowly, he rose to his feet before looking to the crescent shaped moon and saying to himself, "I must not give in now. Having a greater resolve means rising through defeat in order to accomplish your goal. I…I will inherit the power of the 1,000 Kitsune…!"
To Be Continued…