Not even gonna lie, student teaching has dominated my life this semester. I'm graduating college in less than three weeks, so I've kinda had my hands full. Even so, my apologies for getting this chapter out so late, and not making it a super long one to compensate for the delay. Just couldn't come up with a heavy, eventful chapter like that. This chapter is all about one major event, and to find out what happens, you'll just have to take a gander at Chapter 27! Thank you for joining me again for another chapter! Please Review and Subscribe if you enjoyed it!
Chapter 27
The next morning seemed to race by for Chris, who suddenly found himself outside, fully dressed and fed. He knew his sole destination, but the trainer still took painfully slow strides towards the looming tower in the distance. The trainer finally stopped his advance and took a deep breath.
"C'mon out guys," Chris released his team onto the sidewalk. They gave him a surprised look, obviously confused as to why they were not currently at the Bell Tower. "Listen," Chris gritted his teeth, "I need your support today. I'm guessing most of you don't know the significance of the place we're visiting." Chris managed a quick chuckle at the perplexed look on his team's face. These Pokémon were just as naive as their trainer.
"The Bell Tower represents the bond between humans and Pokémon," Chris noticed his team perk up. "I've heard that only those with a pure heart and strong bond with their Pokémon may enter."
Quilava snorted, rolling his eyes. Chris could understand Quilava's response. The last thing the Volcano Pokémon respected was a critic. The rest of the team seemed genuinely intrigued.
"I know it's not the end-all-be-all decider of how our team will end up," Chris shrugged, "but it is kind of a big deal. To be judged by the elders is a privilege that even my brother never partook in."
"Nido!" the Drill Pokémon was ready to take on this new, perceived challenge.
"Let's not be too hasty," Chris was still reluctant to race to such a personal judgement of his integrity.
"Flaaff," the Wool Pokémon placed a hand on her hip.
"It's just-"
"Flaaffy!" her inner mother was beginning to show as she stomped her foot. The newest addition to the team grabbed all of the teammates and pulled them close to Chris.
Despite only being with the team for a week, Flaaffy was really beginning to carve out a niche as the group's moral support. Her inner fire made Chris glad she was on his side.
"Alright," the trainer nodded, "alright." Even though it was only noon, Chris knew he shouldn't waste anymore time. "Let's roll."
The walk was a short one, but Chris could feel his confidence increasing with each step. No matter what these sages said, he knew his team had his back. No set of geezers were going to destroy the bond he shared with his Pokémon. The group arrived at the Barrier Station, where Chris quickly noted a lack of human life. The ancient building stood stoically by itself; a backdrop of trees were the only company the gate entertained. The outside remained completely still, with no Pokémon or humans visible.
"I guess we knock?" the trainer threw up his arms, laughing alongside his Pokémon as they they slowly approached the door.
Before the young man could carry out the polite gesture, the wooden door creaked open. Chris stopped, waiting for someone to wave them in, but nobody came to the entrance to greet them. The trainer went to step inside, but Scyther leaped in front of him.
"Scyther!" the Mantis Pokémon dove into the entryway, scanning the area for any potential danger.
"C'mon Scyther!" the trainer lowered his Pokémon's bladed appendages. "This is a sacred place. We have nothing to fear here."
The rest of the team followed, with Nidoking's broad shoulders almost tearing the frame from the wall. The young man from Cherrygrove slapped his own face, completely embarrassed by their less than graceful entrance. The trainer prayed that perhaps nobody was watching.
The door shut behind them, revealing a small, elderly man. His head was shaven and his body covered in a dark blue robe. What jumped out the most to Chris was the man's narrow eyes. The way they pierced into Chris' own made the trainer believe that this man could read him like a book.
"We are here to," Chris thought of how best to phrase their mission, "better understand the complexities of the Pokémon/human relationship. We would love to know where we stand."
The sage said nothing, instead motioning for Chris and his team to follow him. The elder led Chris through a wide hallway and into a small room. There was a mat on the floor beside a table, which Chris was silently directed to rest on. The silent elder grasped a tea pot on the table and began to pour Chris a glass.
"Oh, uh, no thank you." Chris politely declined, drawing a blank expression from the man. "I'm not a tea drinker."
The elder paused to look down at the half filled cup, and then topped it off anyway. He sat the drink in front of Chris, and then silently left the room. After he had gone, the trainer gave his Pokémon a confused look, and they in turn, gave him one right back. This had not been the start Chris had imagined a trip to the Bell Tower would entail. Perhaps one of the other sages would be able to clarify what was happening and where the team stood.
The room held a pair of windows, which provided the team with an amazing view of the multicolored trees behind the station. Leaves of all different colors lined a path that cut through the trees, back towards the tallest structure in Johto.
"How are you guys feeling?" Chris decided to try and preoccupy the team until they finally got some answers.
"Cro," the Bat Pokémon rested beneath the shadow of the knee high table. The Poison/Flying-type seemed less than ecstatic about the amount of sunlight. "Crobat."
"Nido," the Drill Pokémon couldn't hide his disappointment in the lack of communication so far. Patience was something the hyperactive Pokémon continued to lack.
Several minutes passed, as Chris and the crew waited in the open room. The space was almost completely barren, with only the table before them, the mat they were resting on, and some flowers that lined the room to keep them occupied. The trainer attempted to drink the tea, but almost spit it back out after a big first sip.
"Tea is just the worst," Chris cringed, setting the cup gently back down. He whispered to his team, "Maybe that guy was deaf, or something."
The trainer's Pokémon seemed to get a kick out of that assumption, chuckling a little bit louder than Chris would have liked. Still, there was no sign of life in the room or even back outside in the hallway. The trainer continued to sit quietly with his team, letting his mind wander to the next step of their journey. The rolling hills were all that separated the crew from their destination in Olivine City. They would have a week to get there, giving the team more than enough of a cushion. He was excited to meet up with Luke and see how the trainer had progressed. Chris was still deciding on whether the team would challenge the Gym before their cruise. He had heard very intimidating rumors about the Gym Leader's strength. That decision would most likely come down to how the next week played out.
Movement caught Chris' eye, and the trainer was more than a little relieved to see a different sage enter the room. The man had on the same kimono, and displayed a watering pot in his hands. He slowly made his way to a nearby set of flowers and began watering them, much to the dismay of the trainer. The lack of acknowledgement of his existence was beginning to wear on the trainer.
"Uh, sir?" Chris tried to politely draw the man's attention.
The sage responded by moving on to the next set of flowers to be watered.
Chris was less than jovial with his next sentence. "We just came to speak with you gentlemen. It shouldn't take much of your time." The trainer almost laughed at the lack of a response from the man. He was beginning to believe his throwaway line about hearing loss might be accurate. Much to his chagrin, Chris' Pokémon did not take kindly to their trainer being ignored. Quilava, naturally, was the first to jump to his defense.
"'Lava!" the Volcano Pokémon rose to his feet, the temperature in the room jumping as he did so.
"Relax," Chris mumbled to his starter. placing a hand on the angry Fire-type's head.
"Nido?" the Drill Pokémon showed slightly more restraint, giving his trainer a baffled expression. Chris could understand why the Poison/Ground-type was so perplexed. It wasn't often an individual was purposely ignored, especially for this amount of time.
The elder continued watering the flowers around the room, but he seemed to slow down as he reached the last set of flowers. The trainer noticed the man's shoulders shaking, and Chris could see water spilling to the ground. After standing up and approaching the man, Chris noticed the sage's hands were shaking. It seemed to be taking all the strength the man had to raise the watering pot high enough to water the beautiful golden flowers.
"Here sir," Chris placed his hands at the base of the pot, "let me help you finish this last batch." The trainer pushed the pot over top of the flowers, allowing the elder to guide the water across the marigold plants. The sage turned his head back to give the trainer a bewildered smile. The skin drooping over his forehead cast a shadow over the man's sunken eyes, making it hard for Chris to understand if the sage would like for him to back off. Once the trainer saw that the man had emptied the pot, he backed off and sat back down. The elder inched his way towards the door and eventually Chris and his team were alone once more. The trainer's frustration was quickly turning towards anger.
"Well," Chris turned back towards his team, "I-" the trainer stopped. The team was short one fully evolved, knuckle-headed creature. Chris turned to see Nidoking heading through a door near the back of the room. The Drill Pokémon had given up on the waiting game.
"Nidoking!" Chris hissed, giving chase to the impatient Pokémon. The trainer was soon joined by the rest of his Pokémon as they raced out the door after Nidoking. The group had to apply the breaks to keep from running into the horned creature, who had come to a sudden stop.
"What no-"
A brilliant display of reds and yellows almost blinded Chris as he looked at the view before them. A cobblestone trail, covered by leaves of all different colors, rested before them. And just a few hundred feet away stood the Bell Tower. The scene swept Chris back into his memories as a child. His mischievous nature as a kid had ended up leading him to a wonderful day of play with the local Pokémon in this beautiful, sectioned out trail. The trail was still as tranquil as it had appeared all of those years ago. To think that he had returned with a party of his own Pokémon now, free of naivety, but still with a palpable sense of adventure. This time though, the trainer could have used some naivety.
"Hello sir."
Chris almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of another human voice. He spun around, a bit more suspiciously than he had intended, and locked eyes with a third sage. This man, despite appearing the same age as his counterparts, had a very vibrant, almost youthful look. Both his dark blue eyes and the smile he presented were full of energy, and brimming with curiosity. He had a familiar aura to him.
It took several seconds for Chris to gain his composure,"H-hello sir."
The man calmly approached Chris, never taking his eyes off him. "What brings you to the Bellchime Trail?"
"Well sir," Chris gave a nervous laugh, "I suppose I'd have to say that horned fellow brought us here."
"A curious soul," the man nodded toward Nidoking. He turned back to Chris. "Will you walk with me?"
Chris was curious as to the man's motive. "Yes sir."
"My name is Koji, by the way."
"Chris," the trainer extended a hand.
Koji smiled, but did not extend his own. "Beneath the shadow of the tower, we prefer to remain untouched by humanity."
"Oh," Chris awkwardly withdrew his hand, "okay. Sorry sir."
"It is no problem." He chuckled. "You are not the first person to attempt that."
They continued to walk along the trail. The sound of their feet on the stone echoed through the trees. Chris' team accompanied him on his right side as the group closed in on the tower.
"Does it feel nice to be back in Ecruteak?" the man's question came as a great surprise to Chris.
"How-"
"I never forget a face." he pointed at the ground beneath them. "Your father wouldn't stop apologizing to me after you ventured back here. I figured it would only be a matter of time before you returned."
"That's incredibly impressive," Chris complemented. "I can barely remember that."
Koji looked around quickly, before leaning closer to Chris. "Let's just say we don't get much excitement around here. A runaway child caused quite the commotion."
Chris noticed they were drawing close to the tower. "Even when I was young, I always thought about going to the Bell Tower. It's like the heart of Johto."
"I agree," the duo reached the front door, but Koji came to an abrupt halt. He turned slightly, peering over Chris' shoulder, studying the trainer's Pokémon. "What brought you here, trainer?"
The tone shift caught Chris off guard. Apparently the pleasantries were over. "My Pokémon were curious about the tower. We had toured everywhere else."
"What did you think of the Brass Tower?"
"Well," Chris was hesitant to explain, remembering that he and Anna had trespassed inside, "I didn't really get much of a look at it. It was closed off for construction."
A smirk slid on to the man's face. "Of course." His eyes turned back to the tower. "Have you heard of the Sage's judgement?"
A lump appeared in Chris' throat. "I have. It was another reason we thought about coming here."
"I see," Koji did not take his eyes off the tower. He took a deep breath. "We sages only invite those into our sanctuary if we feel they have a connection to this place, and therefore, show the signs of having a pure heart."
Chris' heart almost leaped out of his body. He and his team had made it past the first stage.
"However," the man shook his head and looked into the trees around them, "a being's heart is not so easy to decipher. And most importantly," Koji stared back into Chris' eyes, "the heart can be easily swayed towards corruption."
Chris physically took a step back at the sage's words. It felt as though the man's powerful gaze was pushing him away. Chris yanked his eyes away from the man's stare, and focused instead upon his Pokémon. No matter what, his Pokémon would have his back, and the trainer found this to be true even now. Each creature was giving their trainer a subdued, but encouraging look. Slowly, Chris returned his gaze back to Koji's own.
"I mentioned that other tower before," Koji continued to hold his stare, "do you know what it represented?" Chris' silence answered the man's question. "The soul of humanity was blackened forever the day that tower fell." Koji finally turned away, facing back towards the ruined tower in the distance. "We tore down a literal symbol of peace. My ancestors were forever shamed by this action, and we have spent the last one hundred and fifty-eight years atoning for our mistakes."
"When I spoke with Morty, he told me similar things," Chris let an impulse get the best of him. Immediately the trainer felt foolish for speaking out.
"Yes," Koji's head lowered. "He came by the Barrier Station the other day. He brought up a trainer named Chris, who wielded a Magikarp successfully in battle against his ghosts."
"He still hasn't gotten over that."
"Indeed," Koji actually afforded a laugh. "Despite the somber mood I have put us in, that thought still humors me greatly." The sage slowly returned to his serious tone. "He told me that you had a positive aura that he simply couldn't explain. A passion that extended to your Pokémon and to your battling." Chris wasn't sure what to say, so he just remained silent. "And while we hadn't been around you, when you approached our door," Koji extended a finger towards the trainer, "I still saw a little boy who was jubilantly celebrating life alongside Pokémon."
The trainer wondered if this were a declaration of his worth. "So where do I stand in your eyes, sir?"
The sage raised an eyebrow. "You've made great progress as a trainer in your short journey." Koji nodded. "You and your team have acquired four badges in just over two months. In much the same way, your heart appears to have stayed fixed on cherishing the life around you. Just remember, as you mature, life will present new, more difficult challenges. And just like with battling, your heart must adapt to handle these tasks with courage and humility."
Upon hearing the sage's praise, Chris' team started to celebrate a little too loudly for Chris' liking. The trainer shot them a stern look before facing Koji. "So... what about the Bell Tower?"
A confused look briefly came over the sage's face, but it almost immediately turned to heavy laughter. "Wait a second," he said between gasps, "are you asking if you can go into the tower?" the guilty look on Chris' face sent the man into even further hysterics. "No one ever asks us if they can go in!" Koji managed to compose himself after seeing the annoyed look Quilava was giving him. "My apologies. That... uh... wasn't quite becoming of a sage." He directed the trainer's eyes toward the structure. "Only the sages may safely enter the Bell Tower. And even then, we may only visit the first floor."
"Nido?" the Drill Pokémon voiced Chris' question.
"I won't bore you with the details, but it hearkens back to the issue of a pure heart." the sage bowed his head. "Any soul who is not of a pure heart, will be violently cast out by the tower. As gatekeepers of the tower, we sages are granted access to the first floor to water vegetation and to partake in sacraments."
"Scyther?"
"Yeah," Chris also wanted to know, "what power holds authority over the Bell Tower?"
"As a native of Ecruteak," the man smiled, "I feel like you already know the answer."
Visions of a pure flame and brilliant rainbows flashed through Chris' mind. "The Guardian of the Skies."
"Indeed," the sage motioned for Chris to follow him back to the barrier station. "Mind your step."
Chris took one last, long look back at the tower. The ten-story tower looked so ordinary despite its height. There were no extravagant designs or even decorations on the pagoda-like structure. But even from this distance, Chris could sense a powerful aura rippling out through its closed entrance. The trainer examined his team and saw that they too could feel the immense energy inside the building. As the trainer turned to follow the sage, something bright reflected into his eyes from among the leaves. Chris dropped to a knee as his Pokémon surrounded him. They seemed baffled by Chris' actions, even after he pulled a feather from among the leaves.
"This thing is wild looking," Chris held the feather up and light danced marvelously off of its striped, multicolored surface.
"Quil," the Fire-starter seemed entranced by the many different colors.
"I'm afraid we don't allow camping here!" the sage jested in the distance.
Chris put away the feather in his backpack. "Coming, sir!"
The trip back was a quiet one. Chris and his team still admired the view, but their attitudes were much more somber after speaking with the sage. The group reached the barrier station, where Koji led them towards the entrance.
"We thank you for visiting us and for respecting our decisions," Koji's formality had returned.
"Thank you sir," Chris spoke as Koji opened up the door which led back to the streets of Ecruteak. "I hope to be back here, and to get a little bit better look at the tower soon."
"I hope so as well," Koji revealed a warm smile. He glanced around to make sure it was just the two of them. "Take good care of what you found, and tell your father I said hello."
"I will."
And with that, the door was shut, and the sounds of life rushed over the team.
"Well," Chris looked over his team, "are you happy with the way we've spent our last moments in Ecruteak, for now anyway?"
"Scy," the Mantis Pokémon nodded furiously, obviously impressed by the ancient tradition and sacred formalities.
"Nido!" the Poison/Ground-type seemed excited at the high expectations placed on those worthy. Chris knew the Pokémon would stop at nothing to prove its worth.
Chris was most interested in Quilava's take. The Fire-type had really established himself as the vocal leader of the six Pokémon.
"Quil," the Starter Pokémon shrugged nonchalantly, much to the amusement of his teammates. None of them were buying his unimpressed demeanor, especially after his fascination with the glowing feather.
"Hate that you feel that way," Chris flashed a smirk to the rest of his teammates. "I guess that's a sign that it's time for us to blaze some new trails."
The team seemed thrilled to see some new sights, so after a quick lunch, Chris stayed true to his words. The group would only be on the road for a few days, so supplies would not be an issue. After a short trek, the squad was back at the gate which would lead them to Route 38.
"Let's enjoy these rolling hills while we can," Chris spoke as they passed through the gate, "because before long, we'll be back in the big city. And it won't be as relaxed as it was here."
The team seemed all in for the scenic route after already having gotten a taste the week prior.
"Flaa!"
"I bet it will be nice to run back through your stomping grounds," Chris was happy to see that the Wool Pokémon had not fallen to home sickness. The Electric-type had remained incredibly positive throughout the week, despite going through a personal ordeal that would normally break any parent's heart. She had quickly become one of their biggest team players.
"Hey, douchebag!"
A familiar voice swung Chris' attention to the open field on his left. The bowling ball known as Waz emerged from the grass, a flaming tortoise by his side. He remained just as stout, but his face held a smile. "I heard you were talking shit."
"About you?" Chris grinned, extending a hand. "Always."
Waz turned the greeting gesture into a low five. "You been in Ecruteak long?"
"About a month," Waz gave Chris a surprised look. "We did a lot of training and took down Morty."
"That's big time," Waz complemented. "I skipped over the Ecruteak Gym in order to hit up Mahogony first. Since then, I've stuck around this route working on my team to prepare for the two gyms in this area."
"You wanna head to Oliivine with me, so we can take that city like a bunch of G's?"
"Fool, you think you can be a part-time rapper on the side?" Waz shook his head. "I'm up for a trip to Olivine. My Pokémon should be ready for its gym regardless. Wouldn't hurt to be around a beach either. Reminds me of home."
Chris was beaming with excitement at the new development. Someone like Waz was going to make this next week very interesting.
How will Waz and Chris spend the final week before Chris' cruise? What has become of Luke, and will he show up on time? Will Olivine City's gym prove to be too much for Chris to handle his first time through? These questions and others will be answered in the next chapter of Heart and Soul! Hope you all have a wonderful finish to your semester, whether school or work, and I'll see ya in the next chapter of Heart and Soul! Thanks!