Note- Welcome back readers! Also, HAPPY SPRING! This is my absolute favorite time of the year, and I'm always inspired to get outside during the beautiful days. Of course, during the rainy days, I'm inspired to curl up and write! You can thank a lot of the recent showers for helping motivate me to sit down and knock out this chapter! We join Chris after he's just won his sixth Gym Badge from Jasmine. What awaits him, as well as his two companions? Find out today! Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 37
The sun was well into its setting phase. The rush hour traffic was dying down. The high rises that towered above were bathed in a fiery orange glow. Street side business' neon lights flickered to life in their windows. Late summer had begun to give way to early fall. It may have been seven-thirty, but night would soon be upon the city. The days were getting marginally shorter with each one that passed. On this particular night, a cool gust from the north had swept in to counter the southern sea breeze. It was this chill in the air that forced a young man walking the streets to throw on his jacket.
As each step took him further from Olivine City Gym, Chris couldn't help but stare at the facility's Badge. That gave him six. He knew all of his other gym battles had been tough, but something about this sixth victory brought Chris extra satisfaction. As his eyes looked over the sky blue octagon, he attempted to rationalize the reason. Nidoking getting a chance to shine and knock out two of Jasmine's Pokémon had been a wonderful surprise for the trainer. The Drill Pokémon's eagerness had not been in vain. From a curious Nidoran to an awkward Nidorino, and now to a confident Nidoking. Through all of his stages, Chris' first capture had never lost his warrior spirit and eagerness for life. Chris knew it was too soon to think about the Silver Conference, but he had a difficult time not feeling giddy about Nidoking's future performances on the biggest stage.
The trainer's satisfaction about this gym victory may have centered around seeing Quilava beam with joy at Jasmine's prediction of his evolution. His loss to Steelix had been inconsequential at that point. The little guy had always been one step behind Luke's starter on the evolution pathway. Since reuniting with Charizard, Quilava's drive to improve had only seemed to double. The trainer knew the height difference ate at the Volcano Pokémon. His pride had not been quelled since the starter's fateful encounter with Chris in New Bark Town. Despite his pride and competitive tone with Charizard, Chris couldn't have been happier with his starter's growing maturing. He still had room to grow in the leadership department, but Quilava's trust and respect for his teammates were undeniable. And after the way Quilava's teammates had aided him after his loss earlier, it was clear the feelings were mutual. Even now, with Charizard's departure and a Gym loss, Chris could still feel Quilava's inner fire burning stronger than ever. He couldn't wait to see what the future held for his starter.
Gyarados' triumph over Jasmine's ace certainly didn't hinder Chris' excitement. The creature may only know three moves, but the Water/Flying-type had picked them up and mastered them so quickly that Chris was still having a tough time processing it all. The trainer knew his teammate had put in a tremendous amount of work in his previous form. Despite all the physical limitations that came with being a Magikarp, Chris' Pokémon had never stopped training or given in to the stigma associated with his species. The trainer had known his teammate would become powerful when he evolved, but the level of skill and understanding of his abilities seemed to come so naturally to the water serpent. It was the reverse of Nidoking. Perhaps Gyarados' hard work in his first stage had paid dividends when he evolved, allowing him to master his vastly expanded moveset in record time. Chris had heard most Gyarados had a difficult time adjusting to their new forms upon evolution. Chris' scarlet serpent had certainly broken the mold. The sky was the limit for the Atrocious Pokémon.
Perhaps it was the new addition to his team in the form of Eevee. As soon as the Normal-type had placed himself in Chris' Poké Ball, the capture device had dematerialized and was currently waiting for him at a Pokémon Center. This event would spark Chris' next big decision. He wanted to give the motivated Normal-type his shot, but it would be at the expense of one of his teammates. He would need to hold counsel with his team before the final decision was made.
The fluorescent street lights above Chris flickered to life, illuminating the object in Chris' right hand. The trainer glanced at the cylinder of titanium in his grasp. Despite its smaller size, the object weighed heavy in his hand. Chris had rejected Jasmine's offer to teach one of his teammates the move Iron Tail. It had been tempting to have Nidoking learn the move, but Chris ultimately did not want the Drill Pokémon to attempt a new technique until he had mastered Ice Beam. The move's lower accuracy had also been a turn off. His Pokémon had struggled with accuracy in the past. Even now, Nidoking was still fine-tuning his aim with Ice Beam. Jasmine seemed bound and determined to reward the trainer with something for his victory, stating that Eevee's adoption stemmed from the compassion he had shown her earlier and the strength he had shown during battle. Jasmine explained that by the end of the battle she would have given Chris a chance to adopt Eevee whether he had emerged victorious or not. With the spoils of his victory not being found in Iron Tail, she had moved on to the next, most appropriate option. Disappearing into the same hallway Chris had seen Eevee in, she had soon emerged carrying a small cylinder of metal. She had said one of Chris' teammates might have use for the item.
"A Metal Coat," Chris mumbled, turning the device over in his hand.
With darkness quickly approaching, Chris jogged to the same park he had visited before the gym battle. Here, the remaining sunlight slid around the buildings nearby and flooded the ground. Chris went to grab each Pokémon's device but hesitated. He needed a game plan before he pushed forward with subbing out a teammate. He finally released his team after making up his mind on what had to be done. His six teammates turned to face him. Nidoking, Quilava, and Gyarados looked exhausted. Normally the trainer immediately healed his team after a gym battle, but he knew this was a different scenario. Crobat flew up into a nearby tree to escape the sunlight.
"I don't want to keep you guys long," he directed this comment towards the Olivine Gym victors, who gave him a thankful nod, "but we have an important decision to make. I think we all knew this would happen the moment we gained our seventh team member." Chris' eyes dropped to the ground for a moment as he did his best to gather his thoughts. "This isn't about replacing any of you. We've got too much of a future together to think about that."
Quilava slipped his trainer an out of character grin at this last statement.
"Scy."
Hearing the reserved Mantis Pokémon speak up in support gave Chris the strength to push his proposal forward.
"After thinking about our team's current layout," Chris began slowly, "it came to my attention that we have a bit of an overlap… at the Poison typing."
Nidoking turned to slowly lock eyes with Crobat up in his tree. The Drill Pokémon nodded at his fellow Poison-type and went to take a step forward.
"Cro!"
The Bat Pokémon dropped down to stand between Nidoking and Chris. The trainer watched Crobat closely but didn't say anything.
"'Bat." The Poison/Flying-type pointed to himself with one wing and then extended out another appendage towards Scyther. "Cro."
"We do have two Flying-types also," Chris replied.
Crobat nodded. He then turned back towards the team of Pokémon behind him. He spoke in his dialect for close to a minute. He looked over each teammate as he spoke. Even though Chris couldn't understand a Pokémon's speech, he sensed the Bat Pokémon's words were sincere and appreciative. He spoke until his eyes fell on Scyther, who had been standing at the back of the group. Crobat shuffled forward and extended a wing to the Mantis Pokémon. The two reclusive Pokémon had worked hard to overcome their innate distrust and dislike of community. They had managed to buy into the team concept, and the crux of the decision might just have been through their friendship.
Scyther seemed to look over the Bat Pokémon thoughtfully. He turned his head and the tiniest of smiles seemed to sneak onto his face. Scyther placed a bladed arm flat against Crobat's extended wing. It wasn't an overt display of emotion, but it said more than any other expression could.
Chris finally noticed that the setting sun had been beaming down on Crobat this entire time. The orange glow lit up his back like a torch. Despite this, the trainer now saw the Bat Pokémon's shoulders and noticed they were relaxed. Chris felt water begin to build in his eyes.
"I promise I won't keep you out for long," Chris suddenly blurted out, his voice cracking as he spoke. "We're gonna' get a rotation going." Chris turned to the rest of his Pokémon. "I don't want any of you to feel ignored or undervalued. You…"
The flutter of Crobat's wings grabbed Chris' attention. A split second later, the Bat Pokémon had landed on Chris' shoulder. The young man from Cherrygrove wasn't sure if the words he was attempting to say were to comfort him or his team. Either way, the trainer was struggling to find exactly what to say.
"Cro." The Bat Pokémon patted his head gently.
Chris forced himself to be silent. The trainer locked eyes with a creature known for its cold, intense expression; Crobat's eyes held nothing but warmth. Chris lowered his head in defeat, but found a smile on his face. He nodded.
"Alright."
Chris returned all his Pokémon to their capture devices. All except Crobat.
The trainer headed back toward the nearby Pokémon Center with the Bat Pokémon on his shoulder. The two never spoke, but the message was clear. The sun had sunk beneath the western mountains and evening had given way to night. It was a short walk back to the center. Chris brought out Crobat's Poké Ball and hesitated. The Bat Pokémon didn't give him a chance to reconsider as he pressed the capture button with a pointed claw. A flash of red light soon left Chris alone.
The six current teammates were given over to the center's nurse to be healed. Chris sat by a window and stared out at the neon lights that lined the busy streets. He must have zoned out because he soon felt someone shaking him.
"Uh, sir," a nurse's assistant had come over to stand beside him, "your Pokémon are all healed up."
Chris hurriedly apologized and collected his team. He soon found himself standing in front of one of the many PCs in the facility. He had never actually used the storage device before, but he found the interface very easy to navigate. There were several levels of security he had to pass through before he could access his own account. Once logged in, he saw that the storage network possessed dozens of digital boxes that could be filled with Pokémon. He found himself laughing when he noticed one small icon among hundreds of open spaces. He clicked on the icon and then placed Crobat's Poké Ball inside a device beside the PC. With one press of a button, Crobat's capture device vanished and was replaced by another. The trainer glanced back at the screen and saw a visual of his winged companion. The trainer wisely pulled his eyes from the display and logged off the system.
At that moment, Chris' Pokégear began to vibrate. The trainer popped open the device's front panel and saw that it was David.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing much, man," David's voice carried a hint of exhaustion. "Just got through with another round of training."
The thought of training after just having finished an epic battle made Chris shake his head. He did his best to put on an eager sounding voice. "How'd that go?"
"Went pretty well," David replied after a moment. "Nidorina's speed has improved, I think. We're still working on getting Magmar's fire attacks under control."
"Nothing that training with Quilava can't fix," Chris replied. "How's Scyther doing?"
"I can tell he's been working on attacking from multiple angles," the former Safari Zone volunteer chuckled. "He tried this backward Wing Attack during sparring. Almost took my head off. No idea where he got that from."
"You can blame my Scyther for that one," Chris grinned, thinking back to his battle with Morty.
"I really do appreciate your help this morning," the wheels turning in David's head were almost audible over their telecommunication. "If you haven't eaten yet, I'd like to buy ya' dinner."
"Nah man," Chris was quick to dismiss the offer. "Fellow trainers should help each other out; that's the way it is. Plus, you were our guide in the Safari Zone."
"Alright, alright," David conceded with a sigh. "But can we still grab dinner? I want to hear about your battle."
"Absolutely," Chris' stomach growled at the thought. "Have you checked with Luke to see if he'd like to meet us?"
"I sent him a message," David answered, "but I didn't get any response. He may not have my contact info registered."
Chris thought for a moment. "I'll shoot him a message. Go ahead and be thinking about where you'd like to eat. I suck at those kinds of decisions."
Chris told David to let him know when he'd decided and the trainers hung up. Chris sent a quick message to Luke's Pokégear. The young man was surprised to receive a quick response.
"In for the night…" Chris studied the short message, but couldn't make heads or tails of Luke's current psyche. The trainer would try and spend tomorrow helping the young man from Tohjo Falls search for his teammate. It was all he could do to help his friend.
David got back with Chris and the two met at a local seafood restaurant near the eastern beachline. It was late enough that most of the dinner crowd had passed through. They were able to snag seats near an open view of the ocean. Looking a little further south, Chris could make out the towering Olivine Lighthouse. The two trainers ate and carried on a casual conversation. It wasn't long before David inquired about Chris' Gym battle. The trainer did his best to weave the tale in an interesting way. When he had finished, Chris couldn't tell if David was impressed or just eager to rematch Jasmine. He seemed to shake in his seat when Chris mentioned Jasmine's Steelix falling.
"Taking down her Steelix…" David smiled, "and here I can't even handle her Forretress. I'm gonna' need another couple of days to prep."
"You can do it," Chris nodded. "It'll take some extra work where you're a little behind. From what I've seen in these past couple days, it seems your Pokémon trust you. That's a crucial step in bouncing back."
David took a couple more bites. "I feel for Luke in that regard. He seems a little out of whack with his team. I'm guessing Charizard was his starter?"
The young man from Cherrygrove nodded. "I actually first met them when the lizard was a Charmander. He's a tough dude, but he's always been pretty reserved."
"I could tell the other night that he cared deeply about Luke, though," David added. "You don't get that fired up about something unless you're passionate."
A thought hit Chris. "Speaking of starters…" the trainer from Cherrygrove looked over David, "I haven't seen you traveling with a starter Pokémon of this or any region. What's up with that?"
"Nidorina was my first teammate," David answered with a grin. "I wanted to make my own way. No handouts."
"How'd you catch her without any Pokémon?"
"A trail I loved to hike skirted near Route 36," David quickly explained. "I would always see wild Pokémon roaming around. It was the first place I hit up after getting my Pokédex and Poké Balls. It took a lot of scouting, patience, and broken Poké Balls, but I finally captured her."
"I forget how close Violet City is to all of those routes," Chris replied. "Anything make Nidorina stand out to you among all the other Pokémon?"
David shook his head. "To be honest, she was just the first Pokémon I managed to successfully track. She did pack a fighting spirit and a desire to learn. That didn't hurt."
The two continued their talk until the waiter brought them their bills. They paid and walked back to the hotel without any Pokémon in tow. The sound of running water greeted them when they entered. After a few minutes, Luke emerged with his shoulder length hair still drenched.
"How was the Gym Battle?" Luke asked before Chris could speak.
The trainer from Cherrygrove flashed him the Mineral Badge. "It was one hell of a battle, but we escaped with the 'dub."
Luke's nod was curt. "Good to hear." He walked over to his luggage and began preparing clothes for the following day. A pair of worn hiking boots drew Chris' eye. "Once David takes care of business, we'll be able to head east to continue the search."
Chris saw David flinch out of the corner of his eye. The Johto native was quick to change subjects. "I'm free tomorrow. Would you want to search north?"
Luke's eyes fell on the Poké Balls that rested on the bed beside him. "Yeah. I searched as far west as I could today. North isn't a bad idea."
"I'll come too," David's words drew a raised eyebrow from Luke.
"Shouldn't you be training for Jasmine?"
"Can't I do both?" David shot Chris a wink. The Cherrygrove native groaned.
"That's fine," Luke's answer shocked Chris. The Tohjo Falls native placed his clothes and gear on the chair beside his section of the bed. He was underneath the sheets and silent in a matter of seconds.
Sunlight danced across Chris' face through a crack in the curtains. The trainer fought against the light, but ultimately forced himself to rise from the couch. Luke was already getting dressed nearby. Chris heard the shower running and realized that he was the last to wake. He attempted to wipe the sleep from his eyes.
Luke noticed Chris had stirred. "You not get to bed till late?"
The Cherrygrove native thought about the tossing and turning he had done after laying down. The trainer couldn't stop thinking about his battle with Jasmine, Eevee's role, and Luke's search for Charizard. It hadn't been until the early morning hours that the adrenaline had worn off and Chris passed into sleep.
"Yeah," Chris replied shortly.
"I think David's about done in there," Luke nodded towards the closed bathroom door. "A shower may help shake that off."
Chris got cleaned up and ate some snacks from his bag. The combination seemed to wake him somewhat. He threw on his backpack and placed his Poké Balls on a belt around his jeans. Chris would prefer to wear shorts, but their search north would take them into wooded areas. He put on a well-breathing, grey long sleeve shirt. He would need to do some clothes shopping soon. He only had a couple pairs of pants and long sleeves. With fall approaching, and winter soon after, a change of apparel would be vital.
The trio set out right before the morning traffic. They followed the main avenue north and managed to make it to Olivine's outskirts without any hang-ups. Their path began with rolling hills and clusters of trees. They came across several wild Pokémon, but had no desire to catch any on this day. There were no signs of any trainers or humans in general. The search soon led them into a deep woodland. Chris and Luke let David take charge of their direction. The young man's Safari Zone work was the trio's best shot at finding clues. Chris and David had released their squads to help give the group several pairs of eyes. Luke and David were surprised to see an Eevee among Chris' party. The trainer had purposely omitted mention of his newest teammate to have a bit of fun with the reveal. David's Eevee seemed excited to have a companion of the same species. Chris found it somewhat amusing to see the two Normal-types chatter on while the pair of Scyther remained separate and silent. Luke had only released Poochyena, but he seemed okay with putting the dog's nose to use. The Dark-type seemed eager to show off his innate tracking ability. Between David's senses and the Bite Pokémon's nose, the group found themselves heading steeply downhill. This decline eventually sloped up and the party found themselves in a valley. Trees stretched high above them, blocking out a fair amount of daylight.
"We've been on the hunt for about three hours," David wiped thick beads of sweat from his brow. "I may need a quick breather and a bite to eat."
Poochyena barked up in agreement to seal the decision. As the group settled and ate, Chris noticed David's Pokémon seemed antsy. Nidorina rocked back and forth on her tiptoes. Scyther rubbed his scythed appendages together restlessly. Magmar's body temperature seemed to have risen, slowly turning the valley into a sauna.
"Your team wanting to train a bit after we eat?" Chris asked after seeing Kadabra quick draw his spoon.
David grinned. "They seem a bit wound up, don't they?" The trainer seemed on board with a training session but he hesitated. His gaze turned toward Luke, who was currently sitting on the root of a massive tree. "What are you thinkin', man?"
"Sure," Luke answered flatly. He turned to Chris. "We can still search even while we're stopped. Would you care to have Crobat scout the area?"
A pained look came over Chris' face. "I switched out Crobat for Eevee."
Luke pursed his lips in response. He didn't say anything, but Chris could feel a level of apprehension about him.
"You have Pidgeotto with you, right?" Chris asked slowly. "He may be able to do some scouting while we're stopped."
The look on Luke's face was difficult to read. "Yeah…" He groped for the creature's capture device. He managed to release the Norma/Flying-type. Trainer and Pokémon subverted their gazes. Luke spoke more to the ground than he did to Pidgeotto. "We're going to stop here for a bit. Would you care to scout ahead and report back here in about twenty minutes?"
The Bird Pokémon kept his head low. The creature did not answer directly. He instead launched himself above the tree branches overhead and was soon out of sight.
Chris was eager to get back to the topic of training. While Chris' Pokémon sparred with one another, the trainer focused on using Flaaffy to simulate Magneton's electric attacks. It was this idea that prompted David to work with Magmar. The Spitfire Pokémon had fallen to Jasmine's Electric/Steel-type. Chris did his best to have Flaaffy simulate the attacks, but it proved difficult to replicate. Flaaffy did not yet possess the same electrical strength that Jasmine's Pokémon held. It was also tough for him to sync with the idea since Jasmine hadn't used Magneton or any of its species in their battle. The experiment went on for a few more minutes before Chris called it off.
There was a moment of silence which was surprisingly cut off by Luke. "When I battled her Magnemite, its objective seemed to focus on neutralizing my Pokémon's speed. Hard to avoid powerful attacks when you're paralyzed."
Chris and David exchanged a subtle look of intrigue. David was the first to speak. "Now that you mention it, that's how she beat my Magmar. She hit him with Thunder Wave and he eventually stalled to the point where she could take him out with Zap Cannon."
Chris stepped over to where Eevee had been sparring with Quilava. The trainer had wanted to properly introduce the Normal-type to the team before throwing him into a regime, but the adopted creature seemed excited to be training once more. Chris noticed bruises lining the creature's sides and forehead. Patches of his fur also seemed darkened by heat. The trainer turned and gave Quilava a chastising look. The Volcano Pokémon shrugged before nodding back toward Eevee. Chris' eyes came back to his newest teammate's face. The Normal-type seemed out of breath after the short sparring session, but the grin on his face was unmistakable.
At that moment, the sound of rustling wings drew the trainer's attention. Movement above gave way to the return of Pidgeotto. The bird didn't seem to have any news to report, but he seemed eager to lead them slightly westward. The group obliged and packed up their gear. Pidgeotto led them with his low glide, drifting around the lower tree branches. David and Poochyena followed closely behind, as did the rest of the party further back. Their new direction led them to a nearby hill. This trek led them up and out of the valley. They came over the hill's crest and suddenly there were no more trees in front of them.
Chris' eyes widened as he tried to take in the open view. "Check that out."
The hill dropped off in front of them. Flatlands stretched out before them, dotted by the occasional tree. Not far off, a group of uniquely shaped buildings dominated the landscape. Two dome-like structures resided on opposite sides of the settlement. Two blocked structures resided on the southern end. One resembled a castle and the other held four spires topped by orbs. A towering structure on the north end loomed over the entire gathering. The Battle Frontier's aura and design held the trainers' eyes.
"It's definitely more intimidating up close," David voiced what the other two were thinking. His eyes bounced between the facilities. "Had you guys heard they were thinking about finding permanent Johto Frontier Brains?"
Chris nodded. "I know several of the current Frontier Brains had voiced their frustration about bouncing back and forth between Sinnoh and Johto."
"Wonder who they'll get as replacements?" David murmured.
"Frontier Brains are supposed to be expert battlers," Chris tried to think of replacements. "I've heard they're at a skill level between a Gym Leader and an Elite Four member. That's pretty terrifying."
Luke suddenly piped up. "Didn't we see Dahlia at the Goldenrod Tournament?"
"You're right," Chris answered. "I bet she won the whole tournament."
"We better hope so," Luke took a deep breath. "If a trainer in the Johto League is strong enough to beat her, we're royally fucked."
There was a moment where both trainers and Pokémon remained still. A cool gust swept in from the north. The wind whipped against Chris' clothes, pushing some of the cool perspiration against his skin. The trainer was forced to squint as leaves and blades of grass whirled around him. Chris wasn't quite sure what had triggered this sudden change of wind. He looked north and swore something about this felt familiar. Either way, the visuals of nature around him contrasted with the foreboding Battle Frontier was a powerful image. This quiet moment with his companions and his Pokémon would never leave his memory.
Neither trainer nor Pokémon were eager to break the peaceful silence, but David did eventually speak. "Looks like storm clouds to the north."
"This change of wind will bring them to us," Luke added.
"We better hurry back," Chris scanned the darkening horizon. A bolt of lightning pierced the sky in the distance. "Storms like these move quickly."
The group legged it back down the hill. The increasing sounds of rolling thunder followed close behind. All around them, wild Pokémon were taking shelter underground and in hollowed out sections of trees. Once back in the valley, progress slowed somewhat. The tight collection of trees made it tough to walk a straight path in a hurry. Thankfully there were no wild Pokémon to avoid, but this did little to ease Chris' fear. The group bobbed and weaved between the trees as they chased after Pidgeotto and Poochyena. Chris mentally noted when they passed through their previous stop. It gave Chris some level of comfort to know they were heading in the right direction.
They had only made it a few meters past the camp when a flash of light lit up the sky over them. The flash's intensity was so powerful that it blinded the three trainers for a split second. Chris was the first to regain his vision. He threw his gaze to the sky above and thought he saw something shooting through the air with the lightning. He blinked and the source of movement had vanished.
Cold sheets of rain began to pound the group. Pidgeotto led them into a tight patch of trees. The area wasn't large enough to shield the entire group, forcing Chris and David to bring out their capture devices and return their Pokémon. Luke returned Pidgeotto, but let Poochyena reside beneath him. The pup seemed somewhat anxious, but Chris noticed Luke shift his body to be between the storm and the Dark-type. Chris couldn't tell if the protective move was intentional or instinctual. The leaves of the trees were thick overhead, blocking a good majority of the water. The woodlands also did a decent job of holding back the driving winds, though the group did hear the earth-shaking thuds of nearby falling trees. Lightning continued to rip across the sky. Each flash seemed to come sooner than the previous and each was accompanied by the deafening roar of thunder. It got to the point where Chris' eardrums began to ring between blasts. The trainer wasn't sure how much more he could take.
Then all at once, it stopped.
The wind gusts died down and the rain ceased. The clouds dissipated overhead in a matter of seconds.
"What in the hell?" Luke was the first to speak.
The trainers looked up at the baby blue, cloudless sky in disbelief. There was a stillness in the air that seemed very unnatural. It lasted for a few seconds longer before wild creatures came back out of their hiding. The sounds of life returned to the woodland.
"We better keep heading back," Chris said quietly.
"Yeah," Luke hesitated, "the sooner we make it back to Olivine, the better I'll feel."
The trio traveled the rest of the way in silence. None of the trainers knew how to vocalize the previous set of events. The trip southeast was uneventful. When they stepped foot in Olivine, however, they did notice something peculiar.
"Look at the ground," David slid his shoe across the pavement. "It's dry as can be."
"We weren't more than a mile west of here," Luke stated. "And the storm blew in from the north."
Chris felt his jaw clench tightly. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. The freak storm didn't sit well with him, but he couldn't explain why. They entered the heart of the city and found a park to pause in. There was still a lot of daylight left with it only being midafternoon.
"I feel like my team needs a bit more training today," David said, hiding a yawn. He currently sat on a park bench with a sandwich in hand. The young man from Violet City turned to Chris. "Would you by chance want to train some more?"
Chris tilted his head to the side. "I… think I may spend the rest of the day working with my crew. I still need to get Eevee acclimated with the team." An idea spawned in Chris' mind from Luke's previous battling tip in the woods. "How about you and Luke work a bit together? It sounds like you two may have some shared experience with the Magnemite line. Besides," Chris' eyes flickered toward Luke, "this cat did sweep her squad."
Luke did not retort, but the trainer from Cherrygrove could sense some apprehension. The trainer from Tohjo Falls studied Chris' face. He turned back to David and flashed his eyebrows. "I don't care to. I would just ask we stay in this park. I did something to my right leg when we were booking it away from the storm. Feels like it's on fire right now."
David nodded. "That's fine with me. I've had enough adventure for one day."
"Then it's settled," Chris clapped his hands together. "I'll get in touch with you fellas this evening. We may have to grab some dinner."
Chris split from the group and found his feet taking him west. Rush hour still hadn't hit yet, making street traffic manageable. He needed to speak with his team and get them ready for the next step in their journey with their newest teammate…
I have to see this first, though.
The trainer took the main road west. He walked until he had reached the next mile marker and stopped suddenly. He studied the ground closely and slid his foot across the pavement. It was dry. He looked at the sky to above him and to the west but saw no clouds.
"How in the h-"
Something solid collided with Chris' back. The blow knocked him off balance and he threw out his hands to stop his face from smacking the concrete.
"Save the star gazing for when there are stars out," a familiar voice growled at him.
Chris ignored the scrapes on his hand and spun around to apologize. When he went to open his mouth, he stopped. A girl his age towered above him. The sun behind her left shrouded her face somewhat, but Chris could make out the medium length blonde hair behind her shoulders. He stood up and was finally able to make out her face.
"…Kayla?" he said in a somewhat hesitant voice.
The girl's hand went up to the black head wrap covering much of her hair. The item had a blue Poké Ball stitched into the part covering the left side of her brow. Her eyes narrowed as she examined the young man from Cherrygrove.
"It's Chris," the trainer tried to block out the stings of pain in his palms from the concrete. "We… we battled on Route 30." Chris racked his brain for details. "I used a Golbat, I think. And you had a Mudkip! Tough to forget battling something rare like that."
The girl finally nodded. "I remember."
"How have you been?" Chris winced immediately after asking the question. He only now remembered the disappearance of her grandfather.
Kayla did not answer for several seconds. "I've been better, but that doesn't really matter."
Chris closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. "I heard what happened. Same thing happened to Earl Dervish and Bill too. It's… awful."
Kayla didn't react to Chris' words, but the male trainer could visibly see the tenseness in her thin jaw and posture. Dark bags rested beneath her eyes. Dried streaks of sweat stained the sides of her face and her visible cheek bones. Beneath her white athletic button up, Chris could tell her body was quite thin.
She seemed ready to leave, but Chris spoke again. "Hey," he glanced down at her athletic shoes and found several holes in the mesh, "I know you're doing everything you can to find your grandfather." He was having a difficult time forming his words. "You can't keep pushing forward without a break, though."
"While he's missing," Kayla finally spoke up, her words sharp and aggressive, "I can't stop searching. I know he'd never rest if I was the one missing."
Chris tried to conceal his sigh. "I get that. Still, you're going to be less effective searching for him if you're exhausted and don't give yourself a chance to recharge."
"I can't," Kayla's body seemed to shake. She attempted to walk away, but Chris grabbed her arm. She attempted to shake him off, but her strength had diminished more than Chris had realized.
"Do you have any leads?" he asked firmly.
"It doesn't matter if I do," she fought to free her arm.
Chris pulled her towards him so that their faces were close. He stared into her blue eyes and saw a manic intensity in them. "What good will it do you to run around in circles until your body gives out? No grandparent wants that."
She stopped struggling against his hold, but anger still covered her face. "It's my choice."
"And it's my choice to stop you from killing yourself," Chris retorted.
"I'm fine."
There was an audible rumble that issued out from Kayla's stomach. A grin crept on to the edge of Chris' lips. "What was that?"
"Nothing."
"Sure sounded to me like a stomach without any food in it."
Kayla's gaze dropped to the ground and she was silent. Chris watched her eyes dart back and forth along the pavement.
Chris softened his voice. "Two sets of eyes are better than one. You can fill me in on everything while we're eating lunch."
Almost every restaurant in the city was full at lunch time. After walking further west, away from downtown, the crowds seemed to thin out. There was a small burger joint tucked away in one of the alleys off the avenue. The duo found seats near the back of the establishment. As they prepared to order, Chris took note of a nearby speaker playing a classic rock tune. His eyes darted back to Kayla. She sat in the chair across from him. Her gaze never wavered from the menu on the table in front of her.
"Anything look good?"
"… couple burgers look good."
Chris nodded. He was just happy to hear the young woman carry on a casual conversation. A waiter came by shortly after and the two ordered. Chris waited until the man had left before he spoke again.
"So where all have you been?"
Kayla raised her head. "I've been all over eastern Johto."
"So you've been through places like Blackthorne?" Chris asked.
"Everywhere from the Lake of Rage to Azalea Town," she answered coolly.
"Dang," Chris' eyebrows rose. No wonder the young woman was exhausted. That section of the region had some of the most demanding routes of any place in the world. Ice Path, the route south of Blackthorn, and Union Cave were particular nuisances. Chris had first-hand experience on the latter. "I'd say it was tough to traverse all of that without your teammates. How are Mudkip and the gang doing?"
Kayla's hard expression seemed to soften. "They're holding up. All our travels have made them pretty tough."
Chris was eager to keep the focus on her team. "Who all has joined ya' since our battle?"
"Well," Kayla took a breath, "I knew I was going to need several teammates to help my cause. I caught a Ledyba early on that's evolved into a Ledian. He's a good scout Pokémon that can lead us during the night with the glowing spots on his wings. I found a Pikachu wondering around south of Blackthorn. I've been seeking out a Thunderstone to increase her strength. I acquired a Meditite from a man training in Mt. Mortar." She stopped here suddenly. Her eyes bore holes in the space just to Chris' left. She began again after a moment. "I managed to acquire a Carnivine in Ilex Forest."
The diverse lineup impressed Chris. He had feared that she might have abandoned all aspirations as a trainer in the search for her grandfather. The trainer from Cherrygrove noticed she had failed to give an update on her starter Pokémon. "What about Mudkip?"
Kayla smiled for the first time since their reunion. "He's pushed himself hard to keep up with me. He evolved both times very quickly."
"Already a Swampert," Chris shook his head. "That's tough to believe."
"My team has committed to helping with the search," the smile faded from her lips, "no matter the cost."
"I'm sure they've grown strong through the travels and wild battles," Chris replied slowly, "but you may want to consider another option." The trainer took a deep breath. "Have you considered doing the Gym Leader Challenge?"
Kayla did a poor job of hiding her skepticism. She didn't reply, but the look told Chris he would need to elaborate.
"These people that took your grandpa," Chris hated to bring up the subject again, "we know they're most likely very dangerous. And dangerous folks tend to be powerful also. Traveling and battling wild Pokémon won't be enough to get you ready for people like that. Gym Leaders are the best available option to improve your battling skills and prepare you for when you finally catch these people."
"I don't have time to backtrack and take on a bunch of Gym Leaders," Kayla retorted.
At that moment, the waiter brought their food over to them. Each trainer kept their eyes focused on the other. The music in the nearby speaker had reached its crescendo. Chris racked his brain for a more convincing argument. His mind drifted back to his experience in the Violet City Gym.
"It's about more than growing stronger, though," he finally added. He picked up the burger in front of him. "These Gym Leaders speak with one another constantly. They have their own network for passing around information to different important people. You won't find your grandfather alone. If you can work with these Gym Leaders, it will give you more eyes across the region and a fast source for communication."
When the trainer had finished speaking, he bit a massive chunk out of the burger in his hands. He waited for Kayla's response as he chewed. There was a flash of something in her exhausted eyes. It was gone before Chris could read it. The young woman also picked up her burger and took a bite. The music playing in the background had now shifted to a quiet ballad.
"You know," she said after swallowing her first bite, "the focus has been on me since we met."
Chris shrugged. "I mean, you did try and race away without even speaking to me earlier. I figured you probably weren't interested in hearing about other people's lives at the moment."
Kayla choked down another bite. "I guess things have changed since you took me hostage in this burger joint. If I can't escape, might as well enjoy the food and stories."
The young man from Cherrygrove grinned. "That's the spirit!" He brought his hand up to his chin. "Where do I begin…"
Chris tried to keep the telling of his travels and experiences as abbreviated as possible. Her eyes grew wide at the beginning of his tale when he mentioned meeting Suicune during the thunderstorm, but she never spoke out. They had finished their meal and just received the check when he finished speaking.
"Six Gym Badges," she shook her head, "and your starter still isn't fully evolved?"
"I like that you focus on that," Chris gave her an exasperated sigh. "I want it to be a natural progression. We've worked so much on power and control that I'm confident we'll be ready when the time to evolve does come. Patience is key."
"We don't have that luxury," Kayla's hard stare returned.
Chris nodded. "I know you don't. I'm not saying the treatment of your team is wrong."
Kayla's look softened as she scooped up her check. "Thanks for stopping me for a bite to eat."
Chris smiled. "No problem."
The two stood up and paid for their meals. They both stepped out onto the sidewalk. Rush hour traffic raced past them. Each trainer seemed hesitant to speak again after the prolonged silence.
As he looked up at the sky, a thought suddenly struck Chris. He spoke as Kayla turned to leave. "Hey," he was unsure how to ask this without sounding crazy, "did you notice anything weird with the weather before you bumped into me?"
Her look of bewilderment was expected. "There was a strong gust of wind that blew through here earlier. I think I saw a flash of lightning overhead, but that was about it." As she finished speaking, a strange look came over her face.
"What is it?"
"They took my grandfather while I was asleep," Kayla's sudden recounting of the kidnapping took Chris aback. "Right before I went to bed that night, I remember hearing the walls creak as a strong wind passed over them. My grandfather said he was heading out to the yard to bring some things inside. A bolt of lightning was one of the last things I saw before I fell asleep."
"That's probably just a coincidence," even though the words sounded logical as they left Chris' mouth, the young man didn't believe them. "I mean, that was the same night I ran into Suicune. I saw a lot of lightning. In fact, a bolt of lightning actually…" Chris' mouth severed the connection to his brain.
The sound of traffic seemed muted as both trainers stared at one another. Neither seemed sure of anything.
"I don't know what exactly is happening," Kayla spoke slowly, "but you need to be careful. As I've traveled around, I've begun to see… people. People whose intentions don't seem pure."
Chris wasn't sure what to say or what exactly she meant. Instead, he continued to listen as Olivine's populace swarmed past him.
"I'm seeing more and more of these people," Kayla spoke again, this time more quietly. Chris strained to hear her. "Please be careful as you travel."
"You too," Chris managed to reply.
Kayla turned slowly away from her fellow trainer. She disappeared into the crowded streets as the sounds of life returned to Chris' ears.
A little less action in this chapter, but a whole lot of developments. The trio's search may not have turned up clues about Charizard, but it certainly was eventful! Kayla returns with a bang and a lot of ominous baggage. How will Luke and David's training session go? What happens next with Chris and his team? What about David's rematch? These questions will be addressed in the next jam packed chapter of Heart and Soul! Thank you to all my faithful readers and to those that are just joining us! Please Review and Subscribe!