Note- I'm not quite sure what to say. I had nearly two chapters completed when school let out last May and then... the burning desire to write a novel struck me! I love my teaching job, but I've always had a passion for writing (suppose that's a bit obvious now that I think about it). I'm working on a future fantasy that I'm hoping to finish editing this summer to then see if a publisher might be interested. And I can hear what you're saying, "You've got no chance in hell at becoming a published author." Wait no, that's not what you're saying. You're wanting to know about Heart and Soul's progress! Hopefully I made it clear in the intros for the first few chapters that I would not give up on this series. Pokémon is a series I love more than any other and I've got a feeling it will stay that way long after I've finished this series and its potential epilogues. Yeah, I used the words 'finished' and 'epilogue.' I owe so much to Johto, to Gold and Silver, to Crystal, and to Heart Gold and Soul Silver. I've just finished playing through Gold and Silver on the 3DS. Starting on Crystal now! I'm also replaying through a bit of HG/SS before bed each night. Chris' journey is my journey. Luke, David, Waz, Kayla, Dobbs... these are trainers I've known and care for deeply in real life. I am so excited to continue this story and I want to sincerely apologize for putting off continuing this story. I'm working on a schedule that will allow me to go 70% on novel that can potentially make me money and 30% on passion project I love deeply. Expect the next chapter next month! ;) Now, with all that out of the way... When we last left Chris, he'd won his sixth Gym badge, explored the area north of Olivine, and had a fateful reunion with Kayla. Needless to say, a lot is going on in Chris' world. But what about David and Luke?! Well, it just so happens that we'll get to dive in and check out how they're doing. Can Luke really help David when he's struggling to maintain his role as trainer to his own team? And how will David's rematch go? Well buckle up, because today we have the longest chapter of Heart & Soul yet! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 38
Late afternoon had given way to evening. The sun continued its march toward darkness as the city's workforce finished up their jobs for the day. The roads were covered with vehicles and and the sidewalks were filled to the brim with active bodies. The few clouds floating lazily in the sky had begun to take on orange glow. There was an inescapable buzz wherever you walked during this time of day.
Among all this madness, Chris looked for an escape. He pulled up his Pokégear and examined the city's layout. This was the farthest west he'd ever been in the city. He studied the digital map for a moment before finding a park a few blocks south. Chris' steps were heavy as he shuffled through the crowded streets. The trainer's mind had been clouded since his final exchange with Kayla. The freak storm and the young woman's warning about dangerous individuals were ominous, but made even more unsettling because of their lack of clarity.
"Could all this have something to do with…" Chris muttered to himself as he shifted with the crowd around him. His feet continued to carry him as his brain attempted to recall what had been said in the Violet City Gym all those months ago. He remembered hearing about Team Plasma's mastermind, Ghetsis, moving between regions. One of the Dragon-type experts had mentioned he had been seen in Olivine City. Could this man have had something to do with the isolated storm that struck Route 30 all those months ago? Was he responsible for the lightning that hit Suicune or the winds that swept in and snatched Mr. Pokémon from his home? Could it also be possible that he had engineered the kidnapping of Earl Dervish and the PC system creator, Bill?
"Get back!"
A hand latched on to Chris' shirt and yanked him back. The trainer bounced off the sea of humanity behind him, but managed to stay upright. He glanced at the road in front of him and saw cars racing by. Turning slightly, he found a police officer standing at the edge of the curb, and he finally put two and two together. The trainer nodded appreciatively to the man in blue. "Thank you, sir."
"Just be aware at all times," he replied nonchalantly. "People always drive crazy around here, but it gets especially dangerous this time of day."
The trainer knew he'd have to put these thoughts behind him for now. There was so much uncertainty at play. With so little real, recent info, thinking about this would simply be an exercise in futility. Still, the trainer knew he'd need to keep an eye out for anything suspicious from here on out.
Chris finally arrived at the park and was thankful to find it mostly empty. He chose to release his team in an open area surrounded by a few cherry trees. The six Pokémon burst from their device and looked to their trainer expectantly.
"Sorry I had to return you guys so quickly. I'm just glad we all made it out safe." He forced the potential implications of the severe weather into the back of his mind. His gaze found Eevee's. "What'd ya think about your first foray with the crew?"
"Eevee!" The Normal-type bounced back and forth on his feet anxiously.
"You'll find out there's never a dull moment with us," Chris said with a smile, before turning to the rest of his team. "I also really want to thank you guys for working with David's team the past couple of days. I know taking a step back and practicing more basic skills isn't always super fun or exciting, but I think it helped David. Plus," he threw a quick wink at Eevee as he spoke, "it never hurts to review the fundamentals." He finally brought his focus to Quilava. "Would you be up for leading us through some training today, buddy?"
"Quil!" Flames exploded from the Volcano Pokémon's head and back.
Chris nodded in approval. "Way to set the tone. How about we get a few warm up laps in around the park?"
Quilava took off at almost a sprint, forcing the rest of the group to shift to their highest gears. The Fire-type continued his straight sprint until it intersected with the nearest concrete path. The creature slowed up a bit to allow his teammates, including Chris, to catch up. From there, the crew made three laps around the park. The trainer was once again thankful for the lack of park visitors; any potential nature enthusiasts would have been trampled by the amped up team.
When Quilava brought them back to the opening, Chris was quick to split the crew into pairs. Remembering how physical his starter had been with their newly acquired teammate, Chris made sure to avoid that matchup. He paired the Volcano Pokémon with Flaaffy to help the Electric-type's toughness and speed, but also because of his burning desire to see how a clash would look between Thunderbolt and Flamethrower. Matching Flaaffy's raw strength would be a good measuring stick for Quilava.
He placed Scyther with Nidoking. The Mantis Pokémon would have to stay sharp to avoid the super effective Ice Beams from the latter. It would also be good target practice for Nidoking. His aim with Ice Beam still needed improvement.
That left Gyarados and Eevee.
Chris remembered the terror in the eyes of David's Eevee upon being introduced to the scarlet serpent. The Cherrygrove native was horrified to find the Atrocious Pokémon already in Eevee's personal space. The Water/Flying-type still seemed hesitant to trust someone who hadn't been by his side when he was a Magikarp. He scowled at the Normal-type, but Chris was amazed to see Eevee stand his ground. His tiny frame may have been subconsciously shaking, but there was no sign of fear in Eevee's eyes.
"Let's see what kind of moves you've got," Chris brought out his Pokédex as he spoke. He scanned the Normal-type and after a few seconds received a full report from the device. "Seems like your previous trainer wanted you to be a physical attacker. We've got Tackle, Bite, and Quick Attack to work with." He managed to back the aggressive serpent away from Eevee. "Let's see what you've got. Try a Tackle attack!"
Eevee raced eagerly forward and threw himself into the scaled underbelly of the Atrocious Pokémon. Gyarados flexed out his scales at the moment of contact. The collision reminded Chris of a tennis ball bouncing off a concrete wall. Chris went to step forward but found Eevee was already back on his feet.
"How about a Bite attack?" Chris suggested.
Eevee took off at Gyarados again. The creature approached with even more speed this time.
"Aim for the soft opening in his scales!"
Eevee opened his jaw and clamped down on the Atrocious Pokémon's underbelly. A dark energy resonated from the Normal-type's teeth, but it couldn't penetrate Gyarados' rough exterior. The Water/Flying-type looked to his trainer. Chris nodded back at him.
"Gyaaa!" the scarlet serpent swung his body hard to the left. The intense movement flung Eevee through the air like a ragdoll.
The Evolution Pokémon impressively managed to land on his feet. The Normal-type winced, but did not show signs of backing down.
"Let's try attacking from a different angle," Chris said as he prepared both Pokémon for the next encounter.
This time the trainer had both combatants moving forward. Eevee had built up a good bit of speed by the time he was within striking distance. This swiftness was one of the strengths Chris had quickly identified.
"Jump to the left!"
Eevee reacted a bit slower than Chris had grown accustomed to with his other teammates. Nevertheless, the creature managed to quickly pounce to the side as Gyarados continued his approach.
"Now, Quick Attack!"
Eevee bent low and leapt off all four feet. He shot forward like a fluffy cannonball, bushy tail waving wildly in the breeze. The angle of his attack allowed Eevee to make solid contact beneath Gyarados' hard scales. The Normal-type managed to use his momentum to bounce off his training partner and land softly on the grass.
"Nice work!" Chris congratulated his newest teammate. The blow hadn't significantly affected Gyarados, but they had to start somewhere.
The team trained on for a couple hours. Quilava and Flaaffy managed to produce a flurry of explosive collisions during that time. The Wool Pokémon's electrical assaults packed a bit more power than the Volcano Pokémon's Flamethrower. Quilava managed to offset this through his vastly superior control. Chris' starter fired his attacks in a way that would hold off Flaaffy's stronger moves and give him time to dodge the electrical branches that made it through. The Volcano Pokémon still looked ready for more after a couple hours. Flaaffy lay on her back, completely out of breath.
Chris looked over at Scyther and Nidoking and found them still pushing the pace. Both creatures had their shoulders slumped in exhaustion, but pride wouldn't let them stop.
"Alright," Chris said with a clap of his hands, "everybody bring it in!"
The squad of six slowly formed a circle around their trainer. Chris had to shoot Nidoking and Scyther a look after the two Pokémon attempted to continue their sparring. Eevee wriggled his way through the Pokémon until he came to Chris' side. He looked up eagerly at his trainer. Quilava's eyes flashed toward the Normal-type beside him but he didn't say anything.
"Great practice today." Chris turned to look at each teammate. "I'm glad you guys are still motivated even after our recent Gym victory. We won't be able to take our foot off the gas pedal with these final two Gyms. I purposefully saved them for last; what does that tell you about how powerful their leaders are?"
Chris' team was silent. Even the normally eager Nidoking stayed quietly in his thoughts. He could sense his teammates had latched onto his words.
"Eevee!"
Chris flinched at the Normal-type's yelp. He glanced down and saw the newly acquired Pokémon bouncing on his toes. His teammates seemed less than pleased with the gesture. Chris gave Eevee a passing smile.
"Let's get you guys some food and vitamins."
The Pokémon ate quietly and quickly. The intensive training had stirred up a fierce hunger in all of them, Chris included. The humidity hadn't done them any favors either. The moisture in the air had all but ensured Chris' shirt weighed five pounds. Fall could not arrive soon enough.
Chris sat in the middle of their open training ground, eating a sandwich in silence as he looked over his team. Closest to him, Quilava ate silently beside Nidoking and Scyther. The two sparring partners exchanged quiet small talk, paying no mind to the silent Fire-type nearby. Gyarados had stretched himself out on the opposite end of the field. His serpentine body provided a natural barrier for the team from the watchful eyes of the few park goers on the walking path. Flaaffy ate underneath a tree not far from the Water/Flying-type.
As Chris' eyes slid over the Wool Pokémon, he found his gaze drifting upward. He looked up at the empty tree branches and felt a jolt of panic shoot through his body. He stood up quickly, drawing his Pokémon's attention.
"Where's…" he managed to stop himself.
The young man heard movement by his side and found Eevee looking up at him. The Normal-type must have been hiding behind the nearby cedar. Chris bit his lip and forced a reassuring smile to alleviate the worried look on the creature's face. His newest teammate seemed oblivious to the slip up.
The trainer sat back down and breathed a subtle sigh of relief.
Chris had waited close to an hour when he finally decided to try and get in touch with his fellow trainers. He didn't get a response from Luke, prompting him to call David. The call went to the final ring before he heard someone pick up.
"… no doubt," David's voice carried a subdued tone as he spoke to someone beside him. He finally addressed Chris. "Hey man, what's up?"
"Hey," Chris gave the Pokégear on his wrist a peculiar look, "just calling to check up on you fellas. How's everything on your end?"
"It's been pretty productive." Chris could almost see the grin on David's face. "We're thinking about getting a bite to eat soon. Would you be down?"
"Absolutely. You guys just shoot me the coordinates for the spot you decide on."
"Will do."
The trainers hung up and Chris gathered his team together once more.
"I'm thinking we're going to call it a day on training."
He was relieved to find grateful expressions on the faces of Quilava, Nidoking, and Gyarados. This trio were no doubt still exhausted from the prior day's Gym battle.
"Eevee!"
Chris felt the Normal-type pounce up to pat his knee with a paw. The trainer could sense the rest of his team watching him closely.
"I appreciate the enthusiasm," Chris spoke gently to his newest teammate. "We'll try to get in some more training tomorrow."
The Evolution Pokémon looked like he thought about objecting, but Chris was thankful to see him finally shake his head in agreement.
Chris grinned. "I'll see you guys soon."
After returning his team to their devices, Chris received the location of the spot he'd be meeting the trainers at. It was a Kalos inspired restaurant that specialized in the region's food. Establishments like this were a fantastic product of port cities like Olivine and Goldenrod. Cultures could migrate from other regions and naturally mesh with Johto's own. Chris loved his home, but experiencing the food and style of places across the world would always be a special treat.
The restaurant was located near the heart of the city. The trainer had a long walk east before he finally reached the establishment. Evening had given way to night when he arrived. As he stepped inside, he found numerous paintings and pictures of the distant Kalos region lining the walls. The layout wasn't massive, but every bit of space was used to depict the beauty of the region. As he admired the art, the trainer noticed David and Luke had already been seated on opposite sides of a booth.
"What took ya'?" David playfully chided as Chris sat down beside him.
Chris shook his head. "I've spent my whole day actively avoiding the chaotic center of this city. I was pretty far west when you chose this place."
"We thought it would be nice to choose somewhere fairly close to our hotel," Luke explained.
Chris thought about that for a moment and shrugged. "Makes sense."
The waiter swung by shortly after. The trainers ordered and then began to catch up. Chris found out that David and Luke had spent most of the afternoon and evening training. David had been the workhorse on this day, with Luke dishing out pointers every now and then. The latter trainer had used his Electabuzz to fill the role of Magneton. David's tone lead Chris to believe he'd not fared well against Luke's bruiser. Some encouragement came from hearing that Luke had at least done some exercises with his team. Perhaps that could be a real start for the young man's comeback.
"I'm planning on rematching Jasmine in a couple of days," David said, slurping at his soda.
"Glad you're starting to feel more confident," Chris said. He turned to Luke. "Sounds like your tutelage has him on the right track."
Luke's gaze held a hint of amusement. "We'll see."
David threw his hands up. "So if I get creamed again, at least I'll have someone else to blame!"
The trainers received their food and wasted little time in chowing down. After his late lunch with Kayla, and his sandwich post-training, Chris had chosen to go with a smaller meal. As they ate, he noticed Luke had also ordered smaller portions. He and David hadn't eaten since the trio had split that afternoon. This was made especially apparent by the gourmet meal David had ordered. The young man from Tohjo Falls had to be starving.
As conversation slowly started back up, Luke and David turned its focus on Chris. The Cherrygrove native was hesitant to speak in detail about his encounter with Kayla. He decided to hold off on even mentioning his reunion with the young woman. This came from a place of respect, but also because sharing this information with his companions would do little to help her search. A time might come where it would warrant mentioning, but until then, he kept it locked away in the back of his mind. That left his own training as the primary subject.
"Do you think your Eevee is just behind?" David asked after hearing about the Pokémon's less-than-effective physicality.
"I'm not sure about that." Chris' brow furrowed. "He showed speed and some resiliency. I just wish I could have seen how his previous trainer worked with him. All I have to go off right now is that she had used him as a physical attacker."
The trio talked until they had completely run through their meals. After paying, each trainer seemed eager to head back to the hotel. It was late enough that the trip didn't fall victim to traffic delays. Upon entering the room, Chris was quick to take care of hygiene. He'd made it to his bed and unconsciousness not long after.
The next day saw a focus on training for the young men. Luke's leg had begun acting up that morning, so they decided to train at a nearby park. The trainers found the space fairly crowded for a Wednesday morning. This limited the boys to only using two Pokémon at a time. Luke sat beneath a poplar and watched as Poochyena and Electabuzz sparred. Occasionally, Chris would catch his gaze drifting over to his and David's isolated training. As Eevee worked on his speed and strength against an eager partner in the form of Nidoking, Chris also found his attention creeping over to David's session.
Nidorina and Magmar were squaring off against one another. The Poison-type used her powerful legs to zigzag around the balls of inferno Magmar spat. David's first Pokémon had improved her speed to the point that she could transition from dodging to attacking much more naturally. Chris turned his attention to Magmar. Quilava had worked with the creature on controlling his fire attacks, but Magmar currently looked to be unloading with each move. As he watched, the trainer from Cherrygrove felt there was something familiar in Magmar's aggressive assault. His projectiles slammed into the ground with a concussive force, blasting molten dirt into the air, and putting off a heat so strong that Chris had to take a step back. It could not have been a more opposite approach to that of Quilava's training, but the style was all too similar to another heavyweight fighter they had traveled with. His eyes flashed over to Luke. The trainer from Tohjo Falls stared, unblinking, at David's Spitfire Pokémon.
Magmar launched a particularly powerful Lava Plume at that moment. As the sphere of fire hit the ground, a tower of flames spiraled up. Nidorina had jumped to the right a moment prior, but the explosion was large enough to catch her off-guard, and send her spinning wildly the opposite direction. She skidded across the short grassy space, but managed to roll back on to her feet.
David took a hurried step forward. "Are you alright?"
"Nido," the Poison-type announced after a long moment.
"Nido!"
The roar of Nidoking grabbed Chris' attention. The trainer spun back around in time to see his fully evolved comrade smack Eevee with his powerful tail. The blow sent the smaller creature several feet into the air. The Normal-type fell back to the ground, landing with an unceremonious 'thud', before remaining still.
Nidoking locked eyes with his confused trainer. Chris' questioning gaze was met with a stern look of disapproval from the Drill Pokémon. He shook his horned head at Eevee's crumpled form.
The trainer dashed over to his newest capture and reached a gentle hand towards the limp creature. He froze when he heard a guttural dismissal.
"'Vee."
The Normal-type gritted his teeth and slowly forced himself back to his feet. His ears drooped like dried leaves and his legs wobbled as if they were made of paper. Eevee's face was difficult to read, but his expression was unmistakably pointed toward his departing sparring partner.
The whole situation seemed like a strange dream compared to where his team had been only a few days prior. He had turned his attention away from his teammates for just a few seconds. What could have caused Nidoking to act so aggressively?
"I'll give ya' a breather," Chris said to his newest capture. Upon returning Eevee to his Poké Ball, he scanned the other camps to see if anyone had seen the turbulent exchange. David was still working with the two Pokémon he'd been using in his Gym battle. Luke was distributing his time between observing the trees and studying Magmar's Fire-type moves. Behind him, Electabuzz and Poochyena had stopped their battling to have a quiet conversation.
Chris turned back to his own camp and quickly tracked down Nidoking. "Your job was to work on your speed and help Eevee with his attacks. What was that about?"
"Nido." The Drill Pokémon shrugged his shoulders.
"Come on, man." Chris gave his Pokémon a stern look.
"Nido," and he pointed at one of his massive biceps. "King."
Chris sighed. "You had a really good showing in our last Gym battle. And I love that you want to get even stronger. But don't forget that we're a team. Eevee is our newest and most inexperienced member. We're only as strong as our weakest teammate."
Nidoking gave a short nod.
Chris brought out Quilava. "Let's get some sparring in."
The three trainers and their teams trained until lunch time. After they ate and gave their Pokémon vitamins, Chris split from the group. He wanted to spend some time on the beach and give his team a little reward for winning their latest badge. The sky was somewhat overcast when he arrived at the shoreline. He had purchased some flip flops from a nearby vendor on his first visit to Olivine. His time spent with Waz on the southern beaches then had been quite different from the scene on the eastern beach now. The white sand didn't hold the same sparkle as its southern counterpart, and the view wasn't nearly as beautiful, but the increased space was undeniable—a tradeoff Chris was more than happy to make. He found an empty chair and released his team from their devices.
"For putting in a lot of hard work," he rubbed some sunscreen on his face as he spoke, "and for earning the 'W' against Jasmine, I thought I'd reward you guys with an afternoon at the beach. Enjoy yourself, but whatever you do, please don't destroy anything."
With that, Chris laid back onto the chair and fell into his thoughts.
Luke sat comfortably against the thick trunk of an old cherry tree. Its low hanging branches provided a sea of leaves to shield him from the hot sun. Its roots jutted out of the earth on both sides, providing his arms with a surprisingly effective resting spot. He could not have found a more comfortable place in nature to sit.
"Damn it," the words hissed between Luke's gritted teeth.
Despite catching several new Pokémon in the Safari Zone, despite possessing five Gym badges, despite still having a strong team at his side, despite it all, he was still so... overwhelmed. They hadn't seen a single sign of Charizard. A small, shame-filled part of him was glad of the fact. He still had no clue what he'd even say to his starter when they reunited. If that day even comes, Luke's brain snapped back. A dreadful feeling had been building in Luke's chest since they set sail for Olivine. What if Charizard had come back looking for him. Would the creature assume his trainer had given up on him?
He shook his head and turned his focus on his present teammates. Poochyena darted between a tight cluster of trees, attempting to lose Electabuzz, who was hot on his tail. It was nice seeing the two Pokémon in good spirits, but Luke knew it would disappear the moment they gathered back together. Poochyena could chip in a friendly bark every now and then, but that was still about the extent of it. Anytime the teammates were together, Luke's mind seemed to blank. He had yet to have any sort of heart to heart with his team, but that had never been his style anyway. He'd leave the overabundance of cheerfulness and motivational speeches to Chris. Arceus knew he had enough to go around for everybody.
"But he does have six badges," Luke mumbled.
He rolled his neck along the back of his shoulders. Movement in front of him pulled his attention to an intense sparring session between Magmar and Nidorina. The two creatures danced back and forth, launching kicks, punches, and fireballs at will. Luke was happy to see Magmar firing his attacks with more intensity and build up. It took raw power to break through Jasmine's staunch Steel-types. He was glad David had taken his words to heart.
A fluttering voice shouted short commands between action interludes. His eyes fell on his fellow trainer. Despite the loss to Jasmine, the Violet City native had a bemused look on his face. His wide eyes darted back and forth, his brain working double time to interpret the movements of both Pokémon and send an appropriate follow up command for each to his mouth. According to Van, indecisiveness had been one of the trainer's issues in his defeat.
Brown eyes met his own. Luke blinked.
"You alright over there?" David's melodic voice snapped him back to reality.
"Uh, yeah, I'm good." Luke rubbed at his forehead. "Dealing with a headache and I just zoned out." He wondered why he'd lied about a headache until he felt a painful throbbing in his temple.
"Maybe getting up and moving around would help," David suggested sheepishly.
Luke frowned at his tone. Despite the productivity of the previous day's training, David still displayed some apprehension around him. To be fair to the Violet City native, the previous day's success could primarily have stemmed from Luke's purely instructional role. He had spent most of their time together sitting down and strategizing with David and his team. They'd discussed spacing, timing, decisiveness, and most importantly, having a plan of attack. They'd agreed upon overwhelming Jasmine's team with super effective barrages, while ensuring avenues for escape. He'd let Electabuzz spar with his fellow trainer's team, but had coached from David's sideline. Pushing Magmar to fire away and not hold back had been his main objective in the battle. It had been the soul behind his success against Jasmine. The thought of that battle doubled the pounding in his skull.
He had won almost every battle in his young career and each delivered a feeling of satisfaction. Elekid zapping Falkner's team amidst his proud boasts of not succumbing to electric attacks had been simply poetic. Pidgeotto taking down Bugsy's Scyther in a sky battle had been exhilarating. Drowzee sealing the win against Chuck's Poliwrath had been the perfect start for his tenure with the team. Even in defeat, he'd felt nothing but a numbness that faded with time.
But his win against Jasmine…
"It'd be awesome if you could battle with Electabuzz to simulate her Magneton," David's distant voice added.
Luke's eyes snapped back to him. "Your two Pokémon didn't fare very well against him yesterday. And that was with me on your side."
"Well, yeah," David said, averting his eyes to the ground. "That is true."
Luke felt a sharp twinge in his side. "But we still can do it. Just give me a sec to speak with Electabuzz."
He rose slowly, making sure not to tip all his weight onto his still recovering leg. At this point, he was fairly certain the bastard thing would never heal; not ideal for someone that liked to move as much as himself.
"Electabuzz."
The Electric Pokémon stopped his pursuit of Poochyena and slowly turned to his trainer. Luke could see a hint of curiosity in his eyes. The trainer came to a stop several feet from his teammate and cleared his throat. "I think David is wanting to battle with you some more and he, uh, wanted me to be in your corner." Luke forced himself to hold the Electric-type's gaze. "Sound good?"
Electabuzz shrugged his shoulders. "Electa," he said in a nonchalant tone.
Luke nodded. "Alright. Great. I think he's wanting to go ahead and get to it."
Trainer and Pokémon strode silently back to David's camp, where they found the young man locked in an intense staring contest with his Kadabra. Luke let go a suggestive cough, and David's eyelids dropped for a millisecond.
"Damnit!" David growled, slapping his thighs. He growled at his Psychic companion's smug grin. "Yeah, yeah. Just wait for our next round. Twenty-second time's the charm!"
"You ready?" Luke knew he'd back out if they didn't get started soon. He could feel Electabuzz shifting awkwardly behind him.
David studied him for a moment before flashing his smirk. "Let's get to it."
The battle that followed felt like a blur. David ran with Nidorina, who Luke hadn't dealt with as much. The past few days had seen the strong legged creature increase her speed further. Electabuzz spun around, following the Poison Pin Pokémon as she circled him. Her Double Kicks were easily countered by Thunderpunch, but the Fury Swipes attack that followed caught both trainer and Pokémon off guard. The Poison-type swung with an intensity that overpowered Electabuzz's lax guard and pushed the bipedal 'Mon backward.
He called for a Brick Break, but David had ran with Luke's advice, and already had Nidorina out of harm's way when Electabuzz swung through. The Violet City native's indecisiveness snuck back through and Luke pounced on his hesitancy to follow up his successful retreat. Electabuzz's Low Kick swept Nidorina's sturdy feet out from under her, dropping the Poison-type onto her stomach, and prone to another attack.
As Electabuzz's electric-filled fist swung down, Nidorina propelled herself backward with her front paws, dodging the punch, before bouncing forward off her hind legs, and driving a Double Kick into the Electric-type's gut. The strike didn't have Nidorina's full weight behind it, but it was enough to knock Luke's bruiser off balance.
That kind of adaptability in battle, Luke thought, Chris' doing no doubt.
Electabuzz was able to fend off a Bite attack at the last second with a Brick Break. Nidorina came in with another Fury Swipes and Luke called out a Thunderpunch more from instinct than strategy. The two creatures exchanged a flurry of strikes in just a matter of seconds. Sparks danced in the air and were quickly slashed by claws. A ringing silence followed, with both trainers finding their teammates down on one knee. There was a long moment of silence as humans and Pokémon stared at one another.
"That was awesome," David finally said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"Yeah." Luke stared into space, an uncomfortable numbness gripping his injured leg. He realized the muscles in it were fully flexed, tight as a Wrap attack. Electabuzz's gaze was on him now, but he knew he needed to sit down before his leg gave out.
As he retreated to his comfortable seat by the cherry tree roots, he could see Poochyena watching him from the corner of his eye. He hadn't the faintest idea what the Bite Pokémon might be thinking, and he knew he wasn't in a good enough state of mind to decipher it. Soon.
"You think I'm ready?"
Luke took a couple more awkward steps and eased himself back into his seat. When he turned to face David, he put on the most genuine smile he could muster. "You're gonna kick her ass."
Chris met back up with the trainers for dinner. It was fantastic to see David and Luke getting on even better than the previous day. The trainer from Tohjo Falls even managed to crack a couple of smiles at some of the awful "Violet City original" jokes David tried. It was easily the most comfortable they had seemed since Charizard's departure. Not long after grabbing a seat and ordering, David dove into discussion about his rematch for the following day.
"Would you be willing to be in my corner again?" he asked the young man from Cherrygrove.
Chris stared at his plate for a moment. "I think it might be better for Luke to accompany you this time."
"You both could," he quickly countered.
"You're right," Chris admitted. He gave out a nervous laugh. "But I feel like Jasmine has seen enough of me. I don't want to keep showing up and make her think I'm obsessed. And besides," Chris continued, nodding at Luke, "this guy has you covered. He's the one who put in the most work with you over these past couple of days."
Luke seemed to fidget in his seat. His face remained calm and collected however. "Sure, man." His eyes darted back and forth. "I'll make sure you take care of business tomorrow." His lips curled up slightly. "My leg is actually feeling better now than it was this morning. I'll be ready to set out as soon as you win that badge."
"We better go ahead and pack up most of our stuff then," Chris mentioned.
"I think we only payed through tonight anyway," David added.
"I'm glad this is gonna work out so well, because, I have to tell ya, I'll be ready to leave this chaotic city."
The trainers finished up at the restaurant and headed back to their hotel. Each trainer took turns using the facility's built-in laundromat. The trainers set out what clothes they would wear and left their hygiene supplies out for one last cleanup in the morning. As the trio settled down, Chris found the TV remote in the couch cushions beneath him. He powered on the large flat screen and flipped the channel over to the Battling Network.
"Any chance we see you guys on here?" David asked with a chuckle.
"You know you laugh," Chris smirked, "but we've actually seen ourselves at least once."
"No freakin' way," David said, sitting up from his side of the bed. He threw a playful jab at Luke, who lay on his side. "You guys never told me you were big time!"
"Trust me," Luke replied, a little more sharply than he probably meant, "we're not."
There were highlights and recaps of tournaments in the Kanto and Sinnoh regions. Chris saw a reminder for the Winter Classic that would take place by the Lake of Rage in a few months. He would have to plan his future travels around being there for the event.
It wasn't long after that exhaustion kicked in and Chris drifted into a deep slumber.
The next morning was a blur. The trainers got cleaned up and finished packing. After chowing down on the hotel's breakfast, the young men stepped out onto the sidewalk.
Chris gave David a knowing look. "Call me after you've won. We can meet at the entrance of Route 39."
Chris split from the group and headed east. Morning was beginning to wrap up, but Chris hoped the beaches north of the Lighthouse were still mostly empty. The primary attraction of Olivine were the beautiful sandy beaches on its southwest side. That part of the shoreline was especially popular due to its views of the Whirl Islands. Chris might have seen them yesterday had the sky not been overcast. The sun was out in its full, radiant glory today. This meant his only shot at beach training would come from the less popular eastern shores of Olivine.
When he arrived at the white shores, the young man was relieved to find several spots open for training. Chris released his team and saw how excited many of them were to be back at the beach. He felt a ping of guilt in his gut as he prepared to address them.
"Sorry guys, we're here on business today."
The group did some running along the beach. This allowed Chris to see just how poor Nidoking's coordination could be in the right circumstances. With each powerful step, the ground beneath Nidoking's feet gave way. As the sand was dislodged, Nidoking found himself stumbling with every move he made. He quickly fell to the back of the line. The creature didn't seem to enjoy being last, but the feet of those in front of him helped compact the sand to make it easier for the Drill Pokémon to run.
Chris rounded them up once they had circled back to the starting point. He split the team into pairs to work on some drills. He matched up Quilava with Flaaffy to work on aiming. He paired up Nidoking and Gyarados to work on speed. He was hesitant to match up Eevee with anyone after seeing Quilava, Gyarados, and Nidoking give the Normal-type a hard time. He took a deep breath and paired Eevee with Scyther to work on conditioning.
Chris stayed with Eevee and Scyther for a while to ensure nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Scyther easily avoided Eevee's attacks in a remarkable display of swiftness. The creature had taken the mantle of fastest team member with Crobat gone. His conditioning wasn't bad by any means either, but Chris felt as though the Mantis Pokémon would be even more deadly if he could maintain his quickness in marathon battles. Eevee still had a ways to go on his conditioning. Chris worked with the creature on breath control and not looking for a knockout with every attack. Eevee took to the first lesson much easier than the second.
The trainer had these two Pokémon then take a break as he slowly worked his way over to the other two groups. He spent close to twenty minutes with each duo. Chris loved seeing Flaaffy's aim improve. The creature was more focused and strategy oriented with her attacks. There was a look of intent and understanding in each move she used.
On the other side, Quilava continued to be the most accurate and well-coordinated striker on the team. His Flamethrowers found their mark more times than not and his ability to get past an enemy's defense had never been better. The fact that their next Gym would feature Ice-types had Chris giddy.
Gyarados and Nidoking's speed training had started off a bit lopsided. The sea serpent slid through the sand with ease as Nidoking struggled to maintain his balance. Gyarados began to slither circles around Nidoking, which only served to frustrate the Drill Pokémon further.
"'King!" the horned creature slammed his powerful tail into the sand. This move compacted the sand around his feet. With a solid foundation beneath him, Nidoking bent low and propelled himself forward with a mighty leap.
The move caught both his trainer and Gyarados off guard. That brought a smirk to the Drill Pokémon's face. He used this movement strategy a few more times. By the end of the showing, he'd made Chris a believer.
"Love the creativity," the young man said, giving Nidoking a thumbs up.
He returned to Eevee and Scyther's spot. The trainer was surprised to see them already training again. A look of intrigue appeared on Chris' face when he noticed that they'd actually begun to spar. Eevee showed off his straight-line speed with a Quick Attack. Scyther did not attempt to avoid the move like Chris would have directed. He tensed up and absorbed the blow with his abdomen. While Eevee was still close, the Mantis Pokémon brought down one of his bladed arms and struck Eevee's head with the blunt side. The blow planted the Normal-type into the sand.
The creature was quick to pounce back out of the sand with a Tackle attack. "Eevee!"
Scyther swung his wings around and delivered a vicious strike to the approaching Normal-type. The attack batted Eevee back into the sand.
"What are you guys doing?" Chris shook his head in disbelief. "You're supposed to be avoiding each other's moves. We're working on maintaining stamina and conditioning."
Scyther pointed one of his scythed appendages at Eevee. "Scy."
Chris placed his hands on his hips. "It doesn't matter if it was his idea. You're a veteran team member at this point. You have to help new teammates understand how we do things." He turned his attention to Eevee. The Normal-type was fighting to get back to his feet. "There's a reason I didn't throw you into strength training with Scyther. He's too strong for you right now." Chris brought out Eevee's Poké Ball. "Take a rest for now."
Scyther locked eyes with Eevee and nodded at the capture device in Chris' hand. "Scy."
Eevee remained motionless for a moment before slowing shaking his head. "'Vee."
The Normal-type gritted his teeth and began to stand back up. Scyther glanced over at Chris. The creature seemed to notice that Chris was at a loss for how to handle Eevee's stubbornness. Therefore, the loyal Pokémon stepped forward to defend his trainer's honor against his defiant teammate.
Scyther gave Eevee a chastising look as he brought back his bladed arm. "Scy."
The Evolution Pokémon had just made it back to his feet when Scyther made his move. Pure instinct drove the small creature's next move. With a roar that belied his small frame, Eevee launched a flurry of glowing, star-shaped energy bolts. The barrage of energy stars pounded Scyther's torso and face, knocking the Mantis Pokémon onto his back.
Chris immediately withdrew Eevee into his capture device as Scyther sat up. Both Chris and the Mantis Pokémon stared at the Poké Ball.
"Which one of you gentlemen will be battling with us, this morning?" asked an elderly gentlemen. After looking him over, Luke recognized the man as the same greeter that had taken him to Jasmine previously.
"I'm back for my rematch," David said with an added bravado that nearly wrenched a smile from Luke.
"Ah, yes," the grey haired man replied, adjusting his glasses, "I do remember you from a couple days prior. Though I believe you came with someone else that time."
"Well that's not the only thing that's going to be different about today."
The gentlemen nodded politely and motioned for them to follow him.
The duo were led past the same complex steel sculptures, steel paintings, steel wire murals Luke had seen on his only visit. He could feel a knot the size of a baseball forming in his gut, and he had a feeling it had nothing to do with the futuristic aesthetic. The man's polished shoes stopped their pounding against the metallic tile as he spun to face the trainers. "Here we are."
David stepped forward, his back arched, chest puffed out, in as proud a display as he'd seen. In the short time he'd known David, the trainer from Violet City had been anything but cocky. He'd shown confidence in the Safari Zone and in his battle with Luke, but those had been exceptions, not the rule. Since heading east, the trainer had been as unsure as any other new trainer Luke had met. Maybe it was a show. Maybe he was trying to will himself to believe he could bounce back after only a couple of days. Perhaps a bit of both?
A voice spoke, and Luke felt the wad in his stomach grow to the size of a volleyball. "Good morning, trainers."
Jasmine had stepped down from the raised platform behind the battlefield—her throne, in everything but name. As she took her position at the edge of the battlefield, Luke had to stop to appreciate her beauty. Perhaps it was because he'd been in a hurry to catch his cruise, or maybe it'd been mental fatigue from his weeks of non stop progression after his hospital recovery, but he hadn't paused to admire the grace with which the Gym Leader presented herself. She possessed a regal beauty, the kind his mother had read to him about in fantasies, that contrasted with her plain street-wear. I can almost see why Chris wouldn't shut up about her. Too bad she had to be such a bitch in defeat.
"Good morning," David bellowed. Luke had to keep himself from rubbing his forehead. Act or not, the young man's melodic voice was not made to command a room.
An amused smile appeared on the Gym Leader's lips. "You're back for your rematch, no?"
David paused. His shoulders relaxed ever-so-slightly, and he let out a long exhale. "A two-on-two battle, yes ma'am."
"Then I won't waste any more of your time," Jasmine replied, sliding up her salmon colored t-shirt to grab a Great Ball off her navy belt.
David swung his arm back and brought it forward, releasing the Poké Ball in his hand from his vice-like grip. Luke watched in dismay as the device's trajectory looked to send it well past the battlefield and even beyond the raised platform. The ball burst open at the apex of it's flight though, and Nidorina hit the ground on all fours like a meteor falling from the heavens.
"I remember you starting off with a different partner," Jasmine said, flashing a knowing smile.
"One of several changes I've made over these past two days."
Jasmine tossed her capture device a few feet in front of her face. A flash of light revealed it's host to be a circular Pokémon, with no observable limbs, and steel plates covering both halves of its body. It's appearance drew an immediate frown from both Luke and the challenger. David wouldn't be the only one with a lineup change.
"Is something wrong?" came Jasmine's voice, containing only the faintest trace of concern.
"No," David replied through gritted teeth.
"Then you'll have the first move."
David hesitated, and for a moment, Luke wondered if the trainer's indecisive tendencies might coming roaring back to the forefront.
"Charge in Nidorina!" David directed.
There you go, Luke thought.
"Iron Defense, Forretress," Jasmine's soft voice seemed to harden as she made the command.
Nidorina bounded forward on all fours, her powerful legs churning as quickly as they had in her battle with Electabuzz the day prior. Luke felt his eyebrows rise as the Poison-type covered the distance before Jasmine's teammate had even finished his attack. His eyes flashed over to the Gym Leader, but he saw no fear, only focus.
"Finish your move," she advised as if her partner had all the time in the world.
"Double Kick!" David shouted a split second later.
Nidorina planted her front paws down, claws digging into the soil, and allowed her forward momentum to rotate her back overtop in a makeshift handstand. She pressed off with her grounded paws, launching herself backside first toward Forretress. As she approached, her back legs took on a pale glow.
"Protect!" Jasmine called, her voice wavering.
The silver glow had just faded from Forretress' previous attack when Nidorina smashed its back legs into the Bagworm Pokémon's face. Despite its enhanced defense, the sphere-like creature spun backwards like a struck billiard.
"You've increased her speed," Jasmine assessed, her lip curling up slightly.
David's gaze never left his Pokémon. "Follow it up with a Bite attack!"
"Bug Bite," Jasmine quickly countered.
Nidorina dove forward as Forretress managed to stop it's rolling. As David's Pokémon opened her jaws, the Bug/Steel-type spun around, revealing a detached maw that was already glowing green. Its expanded shell snapped down right as Nidorina closed her black laced fangs. A sharp ping echoed out, but the two creatures refused to let up their attacks.
Get out of their and prepare another barrage, Luke's inner thoughts screamed.
Instead, Jasmine was the first to jump on the tie up. "Roll forward."
There was a grunt, then a grinding sound, and finally, the Bagworm Pokémon slowly began to inch his way toward David's partner. Nidorina dug her back legs into the dirt, but Forretress continued to roll forward, dragging Nidorina's head closer to the ground.
"Fury Swipes! Aim for his exposed core!"
Even though he hadn't retreated, it was nice to see David attempt to counter the Gym Leader's move. And at this close of range, it was a smart call to target the least protected part of the shell with a multiple hit attack. Luke still didn't envy the trainer's position, though.
Nidorina slashed at the rotating sphere, her glowing claws finding their mark on Forretress' red inner body several times. The Steel/Bug-type continued to roll though, and dragged Nidorina's upper body underneath it like a steamroller.
Luke shook his head. That had to be it.
"Double kick!" David's command sounded more like a plea. The rest of his partner's body was swept beneath the rolling ball.
Luke knelt low, ignoring the painful fire that raged down his leg. His thoughts drifted to the spikes on Forretress' sides.
From this angle, Luke could see a small amount of space between the compressed earth and Forretress' body. Enough space for Nidorina to bend her body.
A loud clang rippled out as the Bagworm Pokémon shot into air as if propelled by a rocket. Luke's eyes stayed on Nidorina, her legs fully extended, her mouth hanging open as she sucked in gasps of air.
"Heavy Slam!" a dramatic flair slipped in to Jasmine's voice. Her Pokémon had made it twenty feet above the battlefield. He stopped his momentum as a dark, spiraling energy swarmed the bottom of the creature's shell. A split second later, the massive creature had begun its meteoric descent.
"Roll out of the way!" David shouted.
Nidorina wriggled wildly as her opponent drew closer. She made it over to her side, but pain in her front legs seemed to prevent her from making it far. She tilted her head up as Forretress prepared to strike.
"Nido!"
A concussive shockwave rippled out and nearly knocked Luke off his unbalanced position.
"Shit!" he shouted, throwing a hand down to stabilize himself. When he looked back up, he saw a cloud of dust rising from the impact site. As it subsided, his mouth nearly fell open at the sight of a four foot deep crater, with Forretress having displaced so much dirt that he had shifted onto his side. If Nidorina was under there, David would be royally fucked.
"Double Kick!" David's melodic voice nearly cracked.
She's not getting up from that, Luke thought.
"Nido!"
Luke's head snapped up in time to see Nidorina bearing down on the Bagworm Pokémon from above. The creature must have rolled out of the way just enough to be launched upward instead of crushed.
"Protect!"
As Nidorina brought her glowing back legs down, a translucent green orb appeared around the exposed portion of Forretress' body. The Poison Pin Pokémon's kicks richoched off the outer barrier, followed by her body. Nidorina smacked the level ground beside the crater. She fidgeted, her fangs grinding together as she tried to absorb the painful impact. Incredibly, she managed to sit up, a winning grin etched onto her face.
David took a step forward. "You've done enough, Nidorina."
Luke gave the trainer the same look as his Pokémon. He shook his head in disbelief. Anyone could have seen that Nidorina was still able to battle.
"Nido?" the Poison Pin Pokémon tilted her head toward David, but quickly covered the questioning look with a nod.
"Thank you!" David replied, a wide smile plastered across his face. He returned the Pokémon to its capture device and released Magmar onto the battlefield without missing a beat. He turned his smile on Jasmine, and it quickly became a smirk. "You should recall your defeated Pokémon?"
One of the Gym Leader's eyebrows lifted. "Why is that?"
"I could have kept Nidorina in to win," David said, looking down at the creature's Poké Ball, "but she'd done enough. No need to risk serious injury."
"Forretress," Jasmine called. Her Pokémon shook and attempted to bounce from the crater, but didn't budge an inch. "Forretress," she whispered.
"Nidorina could have crawled over and finished off you 'Mon with a move," David continued, "because he's lodged himself in that hole. And his core is clearly exposed." The trainer from Violet City brought a hand up, and Magmar brought back his head in response. A ball of fire swelled to life in front of the Spitfire Pokémon's mouth.
"You've got us," Jasmine admitted as she brought her hands up. "We yield."
"Yes," David hissed where only his Pokémon and Luke could hear it.
Jasmine returned her teammate and brought out a Poké Ball from her belt. "This last battle will decide it." She underhand tossed the capture device and it burst open to reveal Magneton.
"Just remember what we discussed," Luke said in a low voice. "Stick to the plan and you've got this in the bag."
David nodded, but said nothing. His narrowed eyes had fixed onto Jasmine's hovering partner.
"The challenger gets the first move."
"Lava Plume!"
Magmar quickly prepared and launched a ball of fire, having already brought in heat from his previously unused attack.
"Move around it," Jasmine directed.
The Magnet Pokémon swiveled around, narrowly avoiding the fire sphere as it crashed into the ground it had just hovered over. Flames exploded upward from the collision, with embers raining down on Jasmine's Pokémon.
"Move away from the fire," the Gym Leader followed up.
"Fire a Lava Plume on the other side!" David shouted.
Magmar took more time to develop and fire its next attack. Fortunately, this was offset with Magneton's slow movement. When the Spitfire Pokémon released his next attack, it found its mark next to Jasmine's teammate. Another wave of flames rushed into the air, driving the Magnet Pokémon forward to escape both pillars of fire.
"Step on up," David sung. "Fire Punch!"
Magmar sprinted forward to meet his hovering opponent, a flame encased fist cocked back.
"Magnet Bomb!" was all Jasmine had time to command.
Gray shrapnel swarmed in front of the Electric/Steel-type as Magmar drew close. The creature just managed to fire off the attack as Magmar swung his fist forward.
Luke nodded his head. The duo couldn't let up.
Magmar's punch blasted through the clustered steel energy, scattering it in every direction. Without missing a beat, David's teammates continued the attack, slamming the closest part of Magneton's trifecta anatomy with a searing blow. Magneton recoiled back, but seemed to handle the physical attack better than Magmar's previous moves.
Luke's teeth grinded together. The Spitfire Pokémon had stayed too close.
"Thunder Wave!"
A ring of electricity leapt out of Magneton's core and surged over Magmar's body like a net. David's companion shuddered and fell to a knee.
"Zap Cannon!" Jasmine's soft voice seemed to scream every command now.
"You have to move Magmar!" David pleaded.
A twisted orb of black electricity appeared and expanded as the three pairs of magnets on the Electric/Steel-type's body continued to feed it.
"Too close to miss," Luke muttered to himself. He could feel goosebumps on his arm as the powerful attack finished forming not thirty feet from him.
"If your body won't let you dodge," David's voice had begun to crack, "then counter with Lava Plume."
Magmar fought to bring his head back against the swarming electrical current. He managed to form a sphere of fire that rapidly expanded to the size of a basketball.
Magneton released its attack, giving Magmar only a split second to counter.
"Bring the heat!" Luke found himself shouting.
Fire and electric intertwined, and as both attacks destabilized one another, their concentrated energy exploded outward in every direction. David was swept off his feet by an errant ring of energy and Luke just managed to avoid the same fate by ducking. He heard David shout something, but Luke had already tucked his head close the the ground, a finger in each ear to silence the ringing.
When he looked up, Luke saw only smoke on the battlefield. He couldn't see Jasmine, but David had only just made it back to his feet. He kneeled in silence, waiting anxiously to see what might happen next. As he watched on, it slowly dawned on him that the smoke wasn't fading. Almost like it was continuously being…
"Magnet Bomb!" Jasmine's voice sounded distant, but perhaps it was just the ringing in Luke's ears.
"Now," David growled, bringing a bloody fist up, "Feint Attack!"
A dark shape shot out of the cloud's left side, followed closely by a compacted cluster of metal. The shadowy figure sliced back through the smoke and a metallic thud rung out shortly after. The grey swarm of energy dissipated before it could pursue. A long moment of silence hung in the air as the smoke slowly vanished. As it dimmed, a figure stood at the center of the battlefield. A warm wind hit Luke's face, causing him to blink instinctually. When his eyes opened again, he found Magmar standing tall, Magneton's still body resting on the ground beneath him.
"We did it," came David's hoarse voice. He took off toward his teammate, stumbled to a knee, recovered, and hobbled the rest of the way. He went to wrap the Spitfire Pokémon in a tight embrace but thought better of it at the last moment. He instead fell to a knee beside him and pounded the ground with a fist. "We did it!"
"Magmar!" the Fire-type roared back with as much strength as it could muster.
Luke made it back to his feet just as Jasmine reached the victor and their Pokémon. She held a warm smile. "That was a fantastic battle."
"I'll happily agree," David said with a cough.
"You showed everything I look for in a trainer: skill, resiliency, and most of all, trust. You and your Pokémon trusted one another's decisions. That is the strongest sign of a maturing trainer."
"A lot can change in two days, apparently."
Jasmine shook her head. "I already saw most of those traits in you during our first battle. You and your team had that resilience and trust. But now, your skill has begun to catch up with the other two. And that's why," she said, bringing out a badge identical to the one in Luke's bag, "I'm happy to announce your team has earned the Mineral Badge!"
David gingerly took the badge from her hand and cradled it as though it were his own child. "I'll cherish it forever."
She closed her eyes and let out a soft chuckle. "You're too kind." Jasmine dropped to a knee and began to work an ointment onto her fallen Pokémon's metallic hull. "I'll be keeping an eye on your progress as you continue on the Johto League challenge." She gave him a playfully stern look. "Just don't let me hear about you regressing in any of those three categories I mentioned."
"I won't let you down," David replied.
"Just don't let your team down and you won't have to worry about me."
David gave a weak nod. "Thank you." He returned Magmar to his capture device and began to hobble toward Luke. "I'll see ya again, maybe."
"That'd be nice."
Luke stood motionless until David had reached his side. The trainer flashed him a thumbs up, a gesture that reminded Luke a little too much of Chris. "Guess our hard work paid off," he said.
"It appears that way," Luke replied. He gave the trainer a pat on the back. "You didn't stick completely to the plan, but I'll give ya a pass this time."
"Just don't tell Chris I stole a couple of his moves."
Luke shook his head but managed the smallest of chuckles. "Could have one-shotted her if you'd stolen more of mine."
"How are you, Luke?"
Jasmine's acknowledgment sent Luke staggering sideways. He turned and found her standing right beside him. "Wh—what?"
"I just wanted to see if you were feeling any stronger?"
"Any stronger…" Luke narrowed his eyes at the woman, before realizing she was more than likely referring to his health. "Oh, yeah, doing well. Very well. Pretty much back to normal."
"Charizard still dominating?"
He felt a lump form in his throat. It took all of Luke's willpower to keep a vein in his neck from bulging. He beat his tongue to keep from screaming his next words. "Yeah, he's doing well. Just doing his thing." Shit. He cringed. There couldn't have been a worse expression to use.
"Ah," Jasmine tilted her head back and accentuated a nod. "I talked with Morty and he said you might have fallen on some hard times."
Luke went to fire off a retort, but he found he couldn't say it. Her light brown eyes looked into his, and he wanted to see something that might set him off. Something that might give him just cause to explode on how condescending she sounded. But all he found was concern and sadness. He turned away and began to walk.
David said something to Jasmine, but he had already made it well out of earshot. A headache had set in, and the metallic clang of his feet on the tiles was only making it worse. He closed his eyes and tried to take deep breaths. He had to hold back a groan as he heard David's hurried footsteps approaching.
He swallowed. He needed to focus on the mission at hand. Charizard wasn't with him, but he still had friends like David who were risking their time and energy to help him search for his missing companion. Now wasn't the time to make a scene or say something he might regret.
David jogged to his side, before slowing to Luke's pace. "You alright man?"
"Yeah." Luke searched for a grin, but only managed to bring out a curl at the edge of his lips. "Just had a headache come on and a passive aggressive dialogue wasn't making it any better."
That part had been true at least.
"I gotcha," David replied. He looked to be searching for something else to say or do, but just ended up nodding awkwardly.
Luke knew he had to fill the silence. "But what matters now is that you have your third badge and we'll be ready to hit the road."
David opened his mouth, but hesitated for a brief moment. "We'll find him."
"Yeah."
Chris had just healed up his team at a Pokémon Center when he received the call he'd been waiting for. The young man from Cherrygrove could decipher the outcome of David's battle from the young man's ecstatic tone. The conversation was short, with Chris congratulating the trainer on his victory no less than three times. Upon hanging up, he fought the lunch time traffic one final time on his way to Route 39.
"What took you so long?" Luke asked upon his arrival. Chris could make out the facetious tone in his voice, but that wouldn't stop him from venting.
"I freaking hate city traffic," Chris answered through gritted teeth. "I can't wait to be back on a route again. Heck, Ecruteak City will seem like a stroll through the park after this madness."
"Then enough talk," David said, flashing the Mineral Badge at him. "Let's get a move on."
AND... breath. Training, camaraderie, team chemistry, battles... what didn't happen? We now find Chris in unfamiliar territory! Eevee isn't quite meshing as well with his team as he'd hoped! Will the Normal-type find out how to synergize with his new family and best utilize his own skills? What about Luke's psyche and his team chemistry? Things still aren't looking all that promising in that department. But it seems that Luke and David have managed to forge a comfort companionship despite the tension that Charizard's departure had brought them. And way to go David! Using Chris and David's tips, he managed to emerge victorious against the powerful Steel master, Jasmine. Where will our adventure take the trio next? Will Charizard be found? Find out next time on Heart & Soul! Please Review and Subscribe!