Note- Before I jump in to the usual introduction, I want to speak from MY HEART here in the real world. As an angry, white Kentuckian who is seeing the ramifications of systemic racism spread all around me amidst a global pandemic. It's okay to be afraid, but it is NOT okay to be silent. We're all in this together. Some of you may not be able to do much, but let's do what we CAN. #BlackLivesMatter #NoJusticeNoPeace
And now...
Another two months, another chapter! It took forever to edit this one down, and even now, it just feels so FULL. Guess that can be a good thing! We find The Crew on their way west toward Chris's home in Cherrygrove City. With the Johto Gym Challenge and Silver Conference registration complete, the team has less than three months to prep for the most important battles yet! What will the following months hold? What could Cherrygrove have for them? Who might still stand between Chris and his comfy bed? Let's get some answers in today's installment! Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 55
One more hill.
Chris took the gradual slope at a full sprint. He moved with more urgency than if he were back in Mt. Mortar being chased by some angry creatures. The sweat covering his face still felt warm despite the chill they had traveled in since leaving New Bark Town. That meant they hadn't stopped on Route 29 for even a moment. And as Chris tried to mask his deep breaths from his starter, he suddenly realized that to be the case.
It was foolish to even try and pretend he wasn't feeling fatigued. Despite his lower extremities having recovered from their icy dip, he stood no chance of catching up to Typhlosion, Crobat, or Nidoking. He had a lead on Eevee and Weepinbell, but the former was gaining ground with each painfully long stride Chris took. Even Scizor had managed to keep pace, having just passed Weepinbell as she stumbled over a divot.
One more hill.
Gritting his teeth, Chris turned his attention back to the path ahead. The soft ground was beginning to level out. As he rounded the top of the hill, he found his three leading teammates waiting for him. Nidoking had a big grin on his face and a flexing bicep for his trainer's arrival. Chris came to a gradual halt, using the extra time to wipe sweat from his eyes and cover his heavy breathing. He fought the urge to bend and place his hands on his knees and instead settled them firmly onto his burning hips. "What's with the mercy?" he asked.
Typhlosion nodded toward the other side of the hill.
The smell struck before the visual—salt vapors on a cool breeze. A blue shimmer spread across the southern horizon. Tall spires of concrete stretched to the north, extending above the last rise standing between them and the team; even from this vantage point, he knew those buildings very well. But Typhlosion jabbed his claw toward something in the valley before them. A large mass of people and Pokémon bustled around crates of all shapes and sizes.
Chris took in another large whiff of the sea breeze and took off down the hill. The surge of pride at leading the pack evaporated at the sound of flapping wings. Crobat whipped past overhead. Typhlosion appeared in his peripheral, keeping stride with him for an extra moment, before pushing ahead. Nidoking passed on his other side only a few seconds later. Chris turned on what burners he still had, but that didn't stop Eevee from nipping at his heels by the time they reached the edge of the gathering.
"Hold up!" Chris called ahead.
The leading trio had already passed by a few individuals on the outskirts, but they thankfully came to a stop before they could trample the more tightly packed groups. As the trainer and his trailing trio caught up with them, Chris made it clear that they were to stay together and touch nothing.
"There are Dragon Tamers among this group," he explained. "They aren't to be messed with." In truth, Chris was interested in meeting one Dragon Tamer in particular. He pressed on toward the center of the camp, sure he would find the woman running this entire operation.
Men and women jogged past them, with individuals carrying smaller crates and groups escorting massive supply units. Many of these boxes were strapped onto the backs of the numerous Dragon-types that littered the camp. Each sized unit was fitted to an appropriately sized dragon. It was a fascinating process, made even more interesting by the sheer number of species Chris had never seen in person.
The Dragon-type had been viewed by the public—and trainers, if Chris were being honest—as the ultimate symbol of power among battling Pokémon. His brother had plastered his walls with posters of powerful trainers, most of them Dragon Tamers. Clair and her Kingdra stared down images of Lance and his Dragonite on the far wall. The multi time Sinnoh Champion Cynthia had taken residence above his bed, her ferocious Garchomp watching protectively over Matt as he slept. Dragons were the species that battled with champion trainers. Every region had at least one legendary trainer that had mastered the fierce type.
But Chris didn't care about any of that. The idea of a Pokémon type holding some greater power wasn't true. He'd seen too many great trainers—Red, Ethan, Kamon, and even his brother during his initial run— achieve incredible status without the iconic power of the Dragon-type fueling them. Despite the natural strength many dragons possessed, any Pokémon could achieve the same level of power with enough time and work. It was the trainers that could earn the trust of some of these hard to capture creatures that really earned Chris's admiration.
Perhaps that's why Chris's heart skipped a beat at the sight of a long blue ponytail. It belonged to a tall woman dressed in all black. In the time it took Chris to reach her, she'd already thrown a couple large crates into a pair of waiting arms and barked out a series of wildly varying directions. Chris found himself getting both upon stepping into her view.
"Uh, ma'am," he began, looking down at the wooden crate in his arms, "I actually—"
"What did you not under—" she paused, glancing at him again from the corner of her eye. "You aren't from Blackthorn."
"No, ma'am. I'm—oh," he did a double take as the package was ripped from his hands by a fearful looking man. "I'm on my way back home and—"
"I'm busy, boy. Get to the point."
A surge of adrenaline momentarily superseded fear. "I just finished whipping up on the Blackthorn Gym and wanted to see how its real Gym Leader was doing."
Clair's frown sank into a downright scowl. She turned and looked Chris up and down, her eyebrows rising all the while. "Junior, you don't look old enough to even be a trainer."
"That must make it extra embarrassing then. Cody and Amalia weren't trained by you, were they?"
"So you really did beat them?"
Chris dug into his backpack and withdrew the Rising Badge.
"Damn. I knew I shouldn't have been away this long."
"We're not a bad team," Chris replied, a little more firmly than he meant.
Clair's scowl lost its edge. "How many badges do you have now?"
"That Blackthorn win gives us eight."
The middle-aged woman stared at Chris for an extra second, before shifting her attention to his team. "Which of these runts did you battle with?"
"Well, one of them isn't—"
Typhlosion rose onto his hind legs, flames bursting around his neck. Chris stepped over and had just eased him down, when Nidoking nearly took his shoulder off on his march toward the Gym Leader. The trainer managed to corral one beefy arm and looked him in the eye.
"Acting this way won't prove you're tough."
A snort had the trainer spinning back to Clair. Her previous scowl had been replaced with a bemused smile.
"You're right," she said, stepping past him and nearly running over Weepinbell. She turned her head to the right and shouted, "Hey, Dragonite!" A light-orange skinned creature twisted his head around at that. "Have you got everything moved?" Upon receiving a nod, Clair waved a hand. "Then come over here!"
The winged Pokémon sat down the massive crate in his arms and shuffled over. Chris had seen this species in person only once, during his chance encounter with Lance in Violet City. This species member looked no less adorable, but seemed to lose some of his charm the closer he got. When he had stepped to Clair's side and been directed toward the visiting trainer, Chris found himself having to stare up at the seven foot-plus dragon.
"I'm a little too busy to deal with guests. Take them to our training area and entertain them all."
With an adorable growl that belied his massive jaws, Dragonite motioned them toward a nearby tree line.
Chris didn't know if he liked the sound of being 'entertained.' Glancing over at his starter, he found the same understanding in Typhlosion's eyes, but a much more excited expression on the rest of his face.
Dragonite stopped several dozen feet short of the line of pines and motioned to the crater-filled grassland around them. An Electrode could fit into most of the divots. Numerous scorch marks littered the battlefield as well, with the majority of the field's actual grass being charred or stomped flat.
Chris could feel his team's energy amplified from Typhlosion on through Eevee. Even Weepinbell looked to be rocking nervously. The feeling crept into his own voice. "What exactly did you have in mind for entertainment? Juggling?"
Dragonite shook his head and dropped into a crouched position, his small wings spreading wide. He let out a soft growl and motioned for them to attack.
"I had a feeling that's what you had in mind." Chris turned to his team. "Who'd like to step up to the challenge?"
An immediate shuffling of wings and feet showed five of his six teammates ready to go. Weepinbell slid back until she was clear of the battlefield. Chris gave her a nod and thumbs up before turning back to command his battlers.
"So who will be first?"
Dragonite cut off his teammates' responses with a more aggressive yelp. He waved his arm over Chris's entire team.
"At once?"
Dragonite gave a firm nod.
Chris inhaled and then slowly exhaled. "Fine. You guys ready?"
A cacophony of roars from Typhlosion, Nidoking, Crobat, and Eevee followed. Scizor simply raised one of his shimmering pincers.
"Then let's overwhelm him!" Chris shouted. He took another deep breath, feeling his entire body rear back as though he were his fire-spitting starter. "Nidoking will use Ice Beam, Typhlosion will use Focus Blast, and Eevee will use Shadow Ball! Crobat and Scizor will hang tight!"
Dragonite said nothing and remained still as Chris's team readied and fired their attacks. The three moves struck almost simultaneously, launching earthen debris into the sky and creating a vortex of smoke. A trifecta of strong moves wouldn't be enough to take down one of Clair's powerful dragons, but even they would take some serious damage from an attack like that.
"Nice…" Chris's compliment died on his lips as a green orb appeared beneath the fading smoke cloud. That's the last move we need him to have in a battle like this, the trainer thought. That didn't change the fact that they had still had no chance unless they overwhelmed him. "This time let's—"
A multicolored, dragon-shaped beam burst through the remaining smoke and struck Eevee head on. The Normal-type spun backward, his legs flailing wildly in his involuntary somersault. He'd just slammed onto his stomach when movement from the other side of the battlefield caught Chris's eye.
"Bullet Punch!"
A red streak intercepted the approaching light-orange blur. Scizor's uppercut landed flush on Dragonite's jaw, creating a satisfying metallic clang sound.
"Hit him again! And Crobat—"
A streak of lightning split the sky and struck the center of the battlefield. Dirt erupted into the air as sparks danced across the charred ground. A deafening clap of thunder echoed through Chris's ears and into the center of his skull. He blinked and found Scizor on a knee inside the lightning-formed crater.
We can't hesitate for even a second.
"Ice Beam!"
Nidoking's frozen stream of energy met a dragon-shaped one. The two moves clashed for an instant before destabilizing and launching shards of ice and snow in every direction.
"Wing Attack!"
Crobat had already maneuvered his way forward before his trainer had been interrupted. Now, the speedster slashed through the beautiful frozen precipitation to deliver a couple of solid wing strikes. Crobat spun away, but stayed close enough for Chris to call for a follow up. A spark between Dragonite's antennas constituted another response.
"Go low!"
A burst of yellow light filled the sky as another roaring thunderclap echoed out. This lightning bolt had missed its target though, with Crobat having swooped beneath it.
"Crunch!"
As Crobat shot forward to sink a set of energized fangs into Dragonite's shoulder, Chris swiveled to his remaining team. Scizor had made it back to a vertical base, though the way he shook gave away his paralyzed condition. Eevee had also somehow made it back to his feet, though they trembled more out of exhaustion than status condition. Typhlosion had unbelievably stepped back to join Weepinbell, his flames extinguished as he rested on all fours.
No hesitation, Chris silently reminded himself.
"If you can, let's go with another Bullet Punch! And another Shadow Ball from Eevee!" He turned to look back at Crobat, who had just finished his two-pronged assault. "Move back Crobat and fire a Confuse Ray!"
Scizor went to leap, but seized up as visible sparks danced over his metallic skin. Eevee managed to charge the dark energy sphere and fired it just as Crobat swung out to aim his status move. A third lightning bolt rent the clear sky, its accompanying thunderclap barely registering in Chris's ringing ears. A purple object fell from the sky, dematerializing into red energy just as it was about to hit the ground.
"You were amazing, Crobat."
The sound of a small explosion drew Chris's attention back to Dragonite. Shadow Ball had found its mark, but their dual-type opponent didn't seem much worse-for-wear. A second proverbial smack in the face came a moment later when a nearby thud revealed his collapsed Eevee.
"Ice Beam!" Chris called, reaching for Eevee's capture device.
Dragonite dropped like a stone, leaving the frozen beam with nothing to hit but air. As he fell, Chris could see the air crackling in front of the dragon's mouth.
"Bullet Punch!"
Chris realized then that he'd called only one attack from each of his Pokémon, barring Crobat. He didn't know if that said more about how little process time this battle presented or the lack of coverage his team had for Dragon-type Pokémon. Either way, Scizor had managed to fight through his paralysis, and now shot toward his descending foe like a crimson bullet. He leapt off his right foot and threw all his weight into a left haymaker.
A brilliant orange light filled Chris's vision. A burst of air nearly knocked him off his feet as an indescribable crackling wiped away whatever ability to hear had returned since the last Thunder attack. The sensory overload vanished as quickly as it had come, but Chris still found himself blinking away stars as he turned his attention back to the battlefield.
A long, decently wide ditch had appeared. It stretched out from Dragonite and ended abruptly near the center of the battlefield. Twenty feet beyond it, and only a couple dozen feet from Chris, lay Scizor and Nidoking. The Bug/Steel-type lay on top of the Drill Pokémon, his metallic figure motionless. With a groan, Nidoking began to move beneath him.
Chris went to grab Scizor's capture device and realized he still held Eevee's. After returning the Normal-type, he quickly did the same for his newly defeated companion. Through gritted fangs, Nidoking fought back to his feet. He thought about asking his teammate if he were still able to battle, but already knew what response he'd get.
"Let's show him what we still have in the tank! Ice Beam!"
Dragonite took one step and then another. His slow pace quickened with each step until he was sprinting toward his prepping foe. He pounced as Nidoking brought his head up to fire the beam from his roaring jaws. A green energy sphere surrounded the dragon as his momentum carried him toward Chris's Pokémon. The frozen energy shattered upon impact with the protective orb.
"That's alright!" Chris shouted, forcing any uncertainty from his voice. "Megahorn!" The trainer didn't know if he trusted his teammate's legs to hold him up for a physical assault, but with so little time to respond, Nidoking had no hope of firing off another Ice Beam.
The Drill Pokémon somehow managed to propel himself at his oncoming foe. The move seemed to surprise even Dragonite, who suddenly found his chest being struck by a glowing, green horn. The light-orange dragon let out a grunt and furrowed his brow. His clawed arms swung out to grab the back of Nidoking's shoulders.
"Look out!"
A draconic burst of energy burst from Dragonite's open mouth and struck Nidoking's exposed back. The blast propelled Nidoking face-first into the dirt, his glowing horn slicing through the earth like a hot knife through butter.
And just like that, four of Chris's Pokémon had been defeated. It all couldn't have taken more than a minute. The trainer had heard and seen glimpses of how strong Clair's true team was. He had fully believed the recent rumors that she had applied to battle the Elite Four. But to experience the speed and power of one of her trained creatures…
"That does it," Chris muttered. He returned Nidoking and looked to Typhlosion for his thoughts, but the creature had moved.
"Ty."
A blast of heat brought Chris's attention back to the battlefield. Typhlosion stood on his hind legs, mere feet away from Dragonite. The flames around his neck roared like a rocket's engine.
Confusion quickly turned to clarity, and then to humor. "Was this your plan all along?" Chris asked. When that didn't get a response, he found his eyes drifting toward the distant camp. Even from the field's edge, he could see an unmistakable blue ponytail bobbing back and forth through the crowded camp. They still hadn't earned her attention. That was about to change.
"You have one more battle left in you, Dragonite?"
The adorably intimidating creature gave a quick nod.
"Then we'll give you one more."
Typhlosion twisted to lock eyes with his trainer. The question in his fierce gaze was unmistakable.
"Not to start," Chris mouthed. He grinned as Typhlosion's squint somehow narrowed further. "We need to make sure it connects."
Dragonite let out another growl and motioned for Typhlosion to make a move. Chris nodded toward their opponent, prompting the fire starter to slowly twist back around. It was almost comical how close the two creatures stood thanks to Dragonite's refusal to move. But that would be what gave the challengers the edge.
"Flame Wheel!"
The Volcano Pokémon only had room to spin once, but the intense flames needed had alreay been stoked. The living ball of fire crashed into a green orb just inches away from the dragon's scales. Typhlosion hopped back after the initial crash, clearly not wanting to waste time fighting an impenetrable sphere
Perfect.
"Switch to Quick Attack!"
The flames around his starter hadn't even fully vanished when he charged in again. Dragonite's protective orb, on the other hand, had just evaporated when Typhlosion slashed forward. The Fire-type's claws found Dragonite's outstretched stomach, drawing a surprised yelp from the larger creature.
"Quick Attack to retreat!"
The words had barely left Chris's mouth when a roll of thunder roared across the battlefield. Sparks showered the area where Typhlosion had stood. Thankfully, the fiery honey badger was on the move, his direction bringing him alarmingly close to his trainer. Dragonite wasted no time in his pursuit, but couldn't gain ground on his speed boosted foe. Even so, the large creature refused to fire any more attacks.
Chris's grin barely fit his face. He doesn't think he can hit him at a distance.
"You're incredible, Dragonite," he heard himself say. Dragonite refused to take his focused stare off his opponent, but his words got Typhlosion's attention. "But multiple minds and bodies can take down even the smartest and strongest individual."
Chris nodded to his incoming teammate and, as Typhlosion spun around to face his surprised foe, dove into the dirt.
"Eruption!"
Chris's buzzing ears kept him from fully hearing the apocalyptic explosion of noise. The superheated ground beneath him carried the sensory overload in its stead. The dirt expanded, rising like a cake in the oven. A shadow cast over him, prompting the trainer to slowly raise his head.
Inferno.
The area where Typhlosion and Dragonite had resided now burned with flames as tall as a person. Chunks of scorched earth fell like rain and vanished inside the sea of fire. Chris rose to his feet, his eyes scanning the inferno until he caught sight of the top of Typhlosion's ears. As the flames began to simmer down, Chris caught sight of the creature's top half, still wreathed in scarlet flame.
Chris desperately wanted to find their opponent; the sinking feeling in his rapidly moving chest told him that even this attack wouldn't be enough to take Dragonite down. But something else forcibly pulled his eyes toward the camp. That blue ponytail had stopped moving. It was nearly invisible in fact, thanks to Clair staring directly at the battlefield. The trainer almost hated how big of a smile that brought to his face. Almost.
"Ty'!"
The almost panicked sound in his starter's voice whipped all focus back to the battlefield. Dragonite stood visible now above the knee high flames. A spark of joy came upon seeing scorch marks all across the dragon's large frame. Another came at the sight of Dragonite's heavy breathing. But hope seemed to vanish at the sight of his expression. Whatever aloof joy the species naturally possessed no longer existed in this Pokémon's hard stare. And that optimistic heavy breathing soon took on a different feel as an orange energy ball filled his mouth.
"Duck into a crater!"
Chris could have suggested a specific hole in the earth, but it wouldn't have mattered. The Hyper Beam that issued out engulfed Typhlosion's immediate vicinity and blasted just to the left of the Cherrygrove native. The orange energy arced higher as it traveled, wiping the tops of two pines from existence as it passed above the tree line.
The recent attacker shook as the powerful energy discharge seized his entire body. He didn't even notice as Typhlosion crawled out from the remains of his hiding place. The Volcano Pokémon could still battle, but the marks across his disheveled fur showed how much damage Dragonite had just done. Typhlosion tipped onto the back hunches of his hind legs, his body and gaze on his trainer.
Chris fought back the bubbling panic in his throat and extended out his hands as if he were holding something. A simple nod from his teammate. Good. He hadn't given up either.
The Volcano Pokémon had just finished charging the golden orb in his paws when a static hiss filled the air. A spark between Dragonite's antenna gave Chris just enough warning. At his trainer's command, Typhlosion spun around just in time to release his Focus Blast. No sooner had it left his paws that a wicked bolt of lightning intercepted it. The collision's concussive backlash sent Typhlosion tumbling backward again. When he finally came to a halt, the fire starter nearly lay at his trainer's feet.
Chris dropped down to catch Typhlosion's eye. "What are you thinking, buddy?"
"'Phlosion!"
"Yeah. Me too."
Dragonite stepped through the collision-created smoke with a steady purpose. A myriad of light illuminated his face as he opened his maw. There would be no time to recover.
"Eruption!" Chris screeched.
Golden flame poured from Typhlosion's neck as he pressed off the ground and flung himself toward the incoming attack. A shockwave rippled out from the Volcano Pokémon as the ground around him lifted into a fiery torrent. The inferno rushed up to meet a dragon-shaped beam, with the flames initially disappearing inside the projected creature's mouth. A piercing whine preceded their emergence, with every color under the rainbow blending into a destructive mix. The clash sent fire and thin streaks of energy in every direction. Chris flinched as small chunks of earthen rubble rained down on his head and shoulders.
Typhlosion stood on all fours, his back rising and falling rapidly. Chris hadn't anticipated using Eruption in battle anytime soon, let alone twice. How much energy had that drained? Could the Fire-type even generate any more fire? The weak golden embers around Typhlosion's neck cast some doubt. How could they—
Another flash of light and clap of thunder left Typhlosion laying on his stomach. The trainer blinked in shock as sparks danced around his downed partner, his flames completely extinguished. Dragonite marched calmly forward to stand overtop of Chris's grounded teammate. He glanced down at the Volcano Pokémon. Then he turned his eyes expectantly on the trainer.
"We…" the faintest light tickled the bottom of Chris's eyeline. A quiet woosh found his ear, as if someone had just turned on a gas grill. "Flame Wheel!"
Typhlosion's back legs kicked off the ground as his entire body curled into a flaming ball of fur. Dragonite brought his arms out in the pose he'd used Protect in, but the fiery vortex struck his outstretched palms first. Shock turned to grit as Dragonite dug his feet in and pressed back. Flames spun off Typhlosion and lashed his arms, neck, and face. Clair's teammate pulled back and the Volcano Pokémon surged forward…
The living fireball found nothing but air. There was no time for surprise as a pair of arms reached up to grab the flame vortex from both sides. Dragonite swung up from his crouched position, bringing Typhlosion high over his head. Chris wrestled with his pocket for his starter's Poké Ball. He was already trying to thumb the return switch when it caught on the edge of his pocket and fell from his grasp.
A proud roar issued out, followed by a ground shaking thud. Chris didn't even get a chance to survey the situation before a familiar voice summed it up.
"Looks like Dragonite finally wanted to make sure this was over."
Clair somehow stood right next to her teammate, a hand on his back. Typhlosion lay at their feet, back first in the dirt. Chris grabbed his backpack and scrambled over to his fallen partner's side. He dug out the best medicine he could find and began to spray his starter down, all while Clair and Dragonite watched silently. Chris was too lost in his own thoughts to notice them anyway.
Why had he let the rest of his team fall so quickly? He'd put them into vulnerable positions through blindy attacking head on. Had they even put up a real fight? What could he have done better? Not letting it come down to a one-on-one scenario with both Nidoking and Typhlosion would have been one thing..
And Dragonite's strength… it was tough to quantify. He'd taken multiple super effective hits. He'd battled five of Chris's teammates, including four of them at once. He'd taken Eruption head on and then matched it a second time. Master Kiyo's teammates had been strong, but this was an entirely different level. If this was the strength of a top class Pokémon, could Chris and his team hope to bridge that gap? And if they could, how long would it take?
"I wasn't planning on coming over here." Clair's words snatched Chris from his thoughts. "But Dragonite was taking too long. He still loves to play around. I think he does it just to piss me off." Dragonite pouted at that, but she brushed it away with a glare. "He's still young and doesn't realize that he may be needed elsewhere."
"I appreciate you giving us the opportunity to spar with him," Chris replied, his voice hollow. He found Weepinbell at his side. The Grass/Poison-type stared hard at the Volcano Pokémon, only breaking his eye contact when Chris returned the starter to his Poké Ball. The Flycatcher Pokémon then turned his stare onto their victorious opponent and his tamer. It still carried the usual look of fear, but there was something else there.
Clair didn't reply or even look at either of them. She jabbed a finger at a massive container on the edge of the camp. "That's the one we need you to lift. Yeah, the one we've been filling since dawn. None of the other dragons can lift it."
Life returned to Chris's legs. He stood up slowly, his lips forming the faintest hint of a smile. "Thank you."
"Yeah, yeah." She waved a hand back at the trainer, her eyes still focused on her teammate as he flew back to the camp. She began to walk that direction herself. "If you want to catch Blackthorn City at its peak, maybe think about swinging by this summer. Who knows? You might even stumble your way into the Dragon's Den."
The smell of fried meat and vegetables struck Chris before his feet had even hit the pavement. Despite the colder temperatures, the street vendors knew the demand for a hot meal would be even higher in the winter months. He could still picture their stands lining the streets near his school. Back then, he'd skip lunch one day a week, saving his money for his favorite vendor's beef and mixed veggies meal.
He tiptoed along the edge of the concrete sidewalk, narrowly avoiding cyclists in the lane beside him. He'd always found this thin lane best for avoiding traffic. With no safe haven from the masses in Goldenrod and Olivine, it felt good to have it as an option again.
Rounding the brick corner of the police station his mother had once worked at, his eyes found the city's Pokémon Center. It's exterior lights flickered to life as he approached, their glow almost blinding beneath the intense evening sun. No line for healing made it a brief stop. A trip to the PC came next. His least favorite decision was at least made easier by his desire to show his home to the Pokémon that hadn't yet seen it.
At this late hour, the trip south mercifully didn't involve a ton of traffic; not that Chris could ever complain about his city's traffic again after harrowing visits to the region's biggest metropolitan areas. As he stepped onto Bay Boulevard, a familiar crisp breeze struck his face and breathed new life into his nostrils. He thought about throwing on his toboggan but decided against it. He'd return home the way he'd left it, chattering teeth be damned.
"Chris!"
A young man around Chris's age waved at him as he passed on a bike. Chris recognized him as a former classmate, but couldn't remember his name. Another couple individuals turned at the sound of his name and greeted him. One woman, a friend of his mother's, asked how he'd been. After a quick explanation, she congratulated him, and dropped a piece of info that caught Chris off guard.
"You'll have to hold the fort down until Jen gets back tomorrow."
"She's… not home?"
The woman glanced around to make sure no one was within ear shot. "She got called to help local enforcement check on something around the National Park, I believe."
"Huh."
It being a Saturday and his mom, having finally worked her way to the point of having a say in her schedule, had always pushed for time off on the weekend. Before his journey, it had given her a chance to go hiking with Chris since he only had school through the week. They'd walked every safe trail just north and east of the city. That sense of exploration and the joy at discovering some hidden beautiful location was something they had bonded over. The young man still couldn't believe his adventurous mother had never been a trainer.
He thanked the family friend and they were on their way.
Just that morning, Chris had expected to feel like a returning conqueror at the sight of his home. One meeting with Clair later and his footsteps felt like they carried a bit less weight. That didn't stop the rush of relief he felt upon seeing his room's window. He'd officially completed his Johto Gym Challenge. Another milestone. And this one had his comfortable bed at the end. He went to step into the yard and his hand instinctively shot out to grab the handle on their mailbox. That brought out a laugh. And a moment later, he decided to bring out his team as well.
"This is the Aedan manor," he said with a flourish. "Home to yours truly!"
Eevee burst from his device in a dead sprint and had already circled the property before Chris could finish the introduction. Gyarados appeared eager as well, though his fascination lay solely on the bay. He gave an excited roar at his trainer's nod. The rest of his team's interest appeared much more subdued. Scizor trudged over to examine the brickwork, while Ampharos and Weepinbell joined Chris on the porch. His mom had surprisingly left out two chairs under the house's covered front. Urgency must have superseded her usual paranoia about thieves around every corner. Chris wouldn't complain, as they provided a great spot to view the beach. He offered one of the seats to Ampharos, but she refused to take it, and instead sat on the ground between Chris and Weepinbell. She expertly brushed aside Chris's repeated attempts to get her to take his seat, her head turned completely toward Weepinbell as the two conversed.
Typhlosion slowly paced across the front yard. He kept his head down but couldn't completely hide his furrowed brow. Chris groaned as he stood, his tired legs popping in anger. He busted out a stink eye on Ampharos and gave another furious wave toward his seat. She, in kind, politely waved and revealed her warm smile.
How do mother's do that? Chris asked himself.
Typhlosion caught wind of his approach almost immediately. The Volcano Pokémon rose onto his back legs and turned toward his trainer. He'd masterfully removed any sign of frustration from his blank face.
"Tough to believe it's been nine months since we were last here."
"Ty'."
"You think we've used all that time wisely?"
Typhlosion met his trainer's eye. The wheels turning in his head were nearly visible as he twisted to look toward the bay. His gaze then shifted to something beyond Chris's house. When he finally returned the young man's gaze, his eyes had narrowed.
"'Phlosion."
"It is tough to say. Our time with Kiyo was incredibly valuable. And all the practice rounds, the trainers we battled, the tournaments we competed in, the Gym's we conquered… I don't think any of it was a waste." It was good to see the starter nod his agreement. Chris motioned toward their other teammates. "And we picked up some friends for the cause. Think they made us stronger?"
A grin flashed across the starter's face. He dropped to all fours, a surge of fire pouring from the back of his neck. His eyes drifted from his trainer to something behind the young man. Chris turned to follow his stare. Eevee had finally reached the end of his nearly limitless energy. He'd come to stand next to Scizor, who seemed to admire him with a mixture of intrigue and annoyance. Ampharos and Weepinbell were still chatting it up, with the Electric-type doing roughly ninety-seven percent of the talking. Whatever they were discussing was drowned out by an excited roar from Gyarados.
"It's good to be home."
A beam of light found its way under Chris's eyelid. His head jerked instinctively back and found something solid. A headboard. His arm swung out and slapped another flat, solid surface above him. The trainer brought it back down so he could prop himself up on both elbows. He was in the lower half of a very familiar bunk bed. The poster of Johto on the far wall and a line of Gym Leader autographs beneath it confirmed Chris's suspicions. He was home.
It hadn't all been a dream… had it?
Chris's eyes scanned the rest of his room, but found no sign of his teammates. His hands shot down to his waist—as if he'd have worn his capture devices while in bed. The scramble didn't come up empty handed though. A bushy ball of fur lay against the trainer's hip. Chris slowly drew back the covers, a large grin filling his face.
Eevee lay curled with his back against the young man's right side. He didn't even flinch as his trainer lifted his legs and hovered them carefully past. Ampharos turned out to be his next obstacle. She'd curled up on the Ultra Ball mat beside his bed. Can't she reward herself one time.
He stepped into the hall and paused. Silence. It was untelling where the rest of the team had settled. Chris had been the first to fall asleep, nearly passing out the moment he saw his bed. Amazing how tiring a long day of traveling and getting your ass beat could be.
He peaked his head in the bathroom and found it thankfully empty. Scizor sleeping in his bath tub wouldn't have been too shocking. He took the steps down but stopped halfway.
"It still isn't as pretty as the real thing."
Even after seeing it as a child, nothing could have prepared him for his next visit to the Bell Tower. Seeing it in the distance after his battle with Anna, waking up to it shimmering in the morning sun, and looking down atop Mt. Mortar at its glow in the evening sun… it would all be ingrained in Chris's memory forever. And I'll get to see it on the inside someday, he added silently.
It was just after dawn and the sunlight had yet to find the living room. It wouldn't take long for that to change thanks to his mother's love of windows and brightly lit rooms. Scizor lay sprawled out on one of the couches. His head whipped up the moment Chris stepped into the room, but the trainer motioned him to go back to sleep with his hand. Just past him—ironically laying at the opening of the empty fireplace—was Weepinbell. The trainer tiptoed over, snatching a blanket on the open couch, and gently covered the creature's lower half.
Peaking into the kitchen, he half expected to find his starter on top of the storage bench by the window. The fabric-coated wooden structure was empty though, as was the rest of the dining area. His parents' room next to the kitchen was out of the question. That just left…
Chris crept past Weepinbell again, his eyes fixed on the slightly ajar door in the shadow of the stairs. Scizor went to sit up again but Chris shook his head. He took a couple more steps and gently pressed against the door. The guest bedroom was dark, but even when lit, it was just about as uninteresting a room as you could find. Naked grey walls, a queen size bed, a small window, and a nightstand were all that made up this space.
Typhlosion's long frame could just be seen. He stood crouched beside the bed. His ears twitched but he didn't turn as his trainer slowly shuffled over.
"I didn't know you meditated." That got a snort, but nothing else. Chris glanced around the dark room, pretending to admire it. "You were smart to go for the only other possible bedroom. I'd say you didn't have much trouble spreading out."
The Volcano Pokémon nodded but kept his head hung.
"What's up? Still thinking about our talk yesterday?"
Red and gold flashed in front of the trainer's eyes—an explosion of light in the dark room. Blinking back the splotches obscuring his sight, Chris found a small fire along Typhlosion's neck. The room now glowed like it had the evening sun in it. It did little to give it much beauty or character. There was a reason Chris only visited this room when his mom had him dusting. But something glimmered in the fire light this time.
The young man followed Typhlosion's gaze to the nightstand. A glass case lay flat, its eight shimmering contents glowing like jewels. Chris instinctively reached for his bag, but remembered he'd set it by the front door.
"Those are…"
The fire light flickered and revealed something even larger behind the case. A wide, black stand rested by the base of the lamp. On top of it lay a thin, transparent diamond. Like the badges, Chris recognized the trophy immediately. He hadn't seen the former since the week before Matt's run in the Silver Conference. The latter hadn't seen the light of day since Matt stood on the podium, the trophy loosely held in his drooping arms. When his family had finally been given access to him, the award had already been tucked away in his backpack. Chris still remembered that car ride home. His brother had only responded to questions that had nothing to do with the tournament. Chris's congratulations had fallen on deaf ears and a blank face.
"We've known what we've wanted since the beginning. Maybe that's why every loss has felt so painful. I know you and me have had quite a few this past month." Chris gently scooped up the case of badges and immediately had to stop the unstable glass cover from falling open. "But Matt went through that too. Clair beat him in their first battle. He wasn't some otherworldly trainer with unstoppable Pokémon. He and his team had to work hard for his success." The young man rubbed at his shoulder as he sat the case back down, his eyes shifting to the transparent diamond beside it. "That's why we're going to keep training over these next couple of months. Because we don't want this tro—"
"What the hell?!"
Thuds, shouts, and a slammed door. Chris and Typhlosion scrambled out of the guest room and into utter chaos. Chris had to jump to keep himself from running over his fleeing Weepinbell. Scizor had taken the opposite approach; he now zigzagged toward the intruder at the door. Said intruder happened to be a woman brandishing a stun gun and unmistakable red hair.
"Mom!"
Both the woman and Scizor's heads whipped around. Chris threw his hands up, but his mother had thankfully already lowered her weapon.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"Likewise!"
Jennifer Aiden dropped into the chair by the door and rubbed at her forehead. Chris quickly stepped over to hug her.
"I'm sorry, mom."
"It's alright. You probably weren't expecting me to be gone to begin with."
"We weren't, but one of your friends gave us the heads up yesterday."
"Claudia?"
"I think so." Chris motioned to his backpack at the foot of the chair. "I'm surprised you didn't see my backpack and realize these guys were with me."
Jen twisted the embrace into a headlock. "I wasn't expecting to have to clear the corners of my own house."
"Okay, okay!" Chris instinctively pushed off with his arms as she squeezed tighter. The whiplash sent both to the ground in different directions.
Scizor rushed over to check on his trainer, but found the young man laughing. Jennifer joined in a moment later. The quick patter of feet that rolled down the stairs revealed Ampharos and Eevee.
"I'd thought about getting all my teammates you didn't know to surprise you," Chris said. "Turns out I didn't even need to plan."
Jen stood up and wiped dust from her uniform. "You could have at least told me you were heading this way. I wouldn't have volunteered for yesterday's assignment."
"Oh yeah." Chris jumped back to his feet and gave Scizor a pat on the shoulder. "What was that all about?"
"I'll tell ya while we make breakfast. My blood sugar is getting a little low."
"Did you meet anyone on your travels?"
"Well, yeah. I've already told you about a couple of my friends."
Jennifer squinted hard as she passed the pan to her son. "Any of the female variety?"
Chris paused. "Yeah. A few."
Jen nodded. "Any good prospects?"
"Mom."
"Dating is a great thing!"
Chris shook his head as he spread butter against the bottom of the pan. "It can be. But it isn't when you feel the outside pressure to immediately settle down and have a family."
"Hey. You know your father and I aren't putting any pressure on you. We know you'll settle down when the time is right. I was just hoping these last few months might have warmed you up to the idea."
"What if I just don't? Matt never did."
His mother opened her mouth but no words came out. Just another one of the countless pregnant pauses associated with his brother's mention. Chris dug out a pair of unblemished egg shells, his mind working hard to end this one quickly.
"I didn't know we still had his badges and trophy," he finally managed.
Jennifer flipped the bacon and looked for a moment as though she had finished talking. "I'm surprised you even saw it."
"Typhlosion stumbled upon it."
Some color returned to Jennifer's face. "Can you believe how much he's grown?"
"I can believe it," Chris replied, a smile sprouting onto his face. Out the window, the fire starter darted away from Eevee's wild tackles. After the third miss, he held out a paw to get his attacker's attention. The Normal-type staggered to a halt and remained suspicious as Typhlosion slowly approached. The Volcano Pokémon began to talk, gesturing to his back legs as he did so. "Guess that's what happens when you go on a journey like ours."
"We knew you had it in you." Jennifer passed the pan to her son and went back to the bacon. "You have your father's brains and resolve. And you have my toughness."
"Oh?" Chris flexed a bicep and crushed the egg he held in the process. "Shoot!"
"That karate master must have been the real deal," Jennifer said without looking up. "Last time I saw you, those lanky arms looked like they might blow away in the wind. Building those up must have taken half your journey!"
Chris slowly slid over to the trash can and let the mushed contents drop from his hand. He stepped back over and silently grabbed another egg. He cracked it against the side of the pan and twisted to let the yolk fall into it. As he watched the egg simmer, he glanced over at the calendar. He hated to bring the subject up again, but it wouldn't stop bothering him until he knew. "It took a couple months. I think I finished my journey pretty quickly though given some of the longer, optional stops we made. When… did Matt make it back from his Johto journey?"
Jennifer flipped the bacon in the other pan. She glanced over at the same calendar. After kneeling down to check on the biscuits in the oven, she finally replied, "Around the end of the year."
That sounded right. Chris remembered being outside the day his brother came home. School was out for winter break, not that you could really tell it was that time of year. Some of the trees east and north of the city thinned, with some even completely losing their leaves the closer you got to Violet. It had snowed a handful of times since they'd lived in Cherrygrove, but the sky had been clear on that day. He'd ran down the beach with some of the neighborhood kids and found himself in the woods between Cherrygrove and Route 29. Arceus only knew what game they'd been playing, but the adventure had halted the moment Chris caught sight of his brother.
Even wearing an unfamiliar jacket, the navy baseball cap had been a dead giveaway. The two hadn't said much on their walk back home. Chris knew he'd get more out of watching his brother's team spar than what little description Matt would have given him. That had always been their dynamic. Matt's friends had called Chris 'Hoot.' He hadn't been thrilled with it, but he couldn't deny that he studied his brother's actions with eyes as wide as the owl's. Now, he could safely say the end result had been worth the light teasing.
The two finished their prep and headed to the table with full plates. As they sat down and began their meal in silence, Chris felt a renewed focus to continue talking. Call it a product of his stubbornness, but he refused to let his brother's name be a conversation killer.
"What made you want to set up his stuff?" Chris asked.
"I didn't."
The young man frowned and set down his fork. "Then why?"
"It was your father," Jennifer answered, shifting in her seat. She took a huge bite out of her egg and chewed agonizingly slow. "Work has me up in his area a bit more these days. While I've been up there I've managed to drag him away a few times. He dug all that up the last time he visited. He sat it in there and… I just haven't had time to take it out."
Chris took a moment to chew his own breakfast. Why go through all that now? he thought. Maybe Chris completing the Gym challenge and competing in the tournament had his old man waxing nostalgic? But something even more pressing pushed into the trainer's mind.
"So about this visit up north..."
"A couple of idiots," Jennifer said with a sigh. "They'd smuggled in some equipment through the woods around the park. Locals had also noticed several other shady figures swinging by to meet them at night. From what we can tell, it looked like these two were trying to build some kind of secret outpost."
"You didn't ask them yourself? I know first hand how good you are at getting information out of people."
His mother's expression turned grave. "They attacked us the moment we got close. And when we'd finally subdued their Pokémon… they took their own lives."
Chris brought a hand to his mouth. That kind of visceral violence… it felt so wrong in that peaceful park. Or really anywhere in the Johto region. His mother had joked for years about policing Johto being the easiest job in the world. But in just the past year, the region had played host to multiple kidnappings and homicides. Violence like that wasn't supposed to happen here. Unova, yes. But not in this sanctuary, where people and Pokémon lived in peace. "Were you able to figure out who they were?"
"One of them we traced back to Hoenn. He had a substantial criminal history over there." Jennifer brought her napkin up to her face and held it there for a moment. Chris could almost see the images flashing in front of her eyes. "The other man didn't leave a lot to be identified by. We had dental remains sent to Goldenrod's lab for identification. We'll be in the dark for at least another six weeks or so."
"What about their Pokémon?"
"They ran. Both men smashed their capture devices when we'd cornered them. The male we identified had been using a Mightyena. We weren't able to track her down. We did manage to rein in the other man's Houndoom. He's being treated and rehabilitated in Ecruteak."
"Huh." Chris worked his mouth as he formed his next sentence. "Do you think this stuff is becoming a region wide issue?"
Jennifer put down her fork and turned her gaze squarely on her son. Chris had seen this look too many times. "Leave it up to us to figure that out."
Chris bit down on his tongue to keep from arguing the point further. He downed most of the milk in his glass as he switched to detective mode. "Have you spoken much with Falkner? I'm sure he's stayed busy with all of this."
"Oh yes." Jennifer's eyes nearly rolled out of their sockets. "The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree in that family. The major difference being that Falkner's father was actually an officer."
"Hey, he seemed like a nice guy when we battled. And he is the strongest trainer in the district. It's good for him to stay informed. Just look at what all happened with Earl Dervish and… Mr. Pokémon."
"What is it?"
"It's just… I've met some of these people and their families." A burning sensation grew around the edge of his eyes. He continued through gritted teeth. "I guess with everything else going on, it just hadn't fully set in yet." The community shakeup that losing two prominent figureheads must have caused. Kayla's sharp, malnourished jaw flashed into his mind. The senseless murder that had happened just outside that very same city only a couple months later. "Johto isn't supposed to have this."
"Chris."
Jennifer's hand reached out to take hold of Chris's own. She squeezed so hard that the young man felt as though the tendons in his wrist might burst. For a moment, he could empathize with the countless criminals she must have arrested over the years.
"It is awful. It shouldn't happen. But it does." She took a deep breath, her grip ever-so-slightly loosening. "This region is amazing. I wouldn't have wanted to raise a family anywhere else. That's why I was so happy when you chose to start your journey here."
"I'm sure it didn't hurt that I would still be close."
Jennifer pursed her lips. "I love Johto like you, but it has flaws. Nothing is perfect."
Chris had always known that to be true. The history of his region was built on past mistakes and tragedy. The legends of Johto bore witness. And that imperfection could be seen within his family's history as trainers. "Our journey will be different," he said, almost in a whisper. "We'll have the perfect ending."
Chris's correlation of being home with no work was immediately invalidated. It turned out Jennifer could only stand one day of her son's laziness. Chris awoke the next day to a list of chores a mile long. After a morning spent painting the kitchen with his mother, he shifted to yard work in the afternoon. Uncharacteristically warm days, even for a warmer part of the region like Cherrygrove, mixed with rain showers, had the grass growing. And despite being dozens of miles away, Jen and Chris could still feel Ben's absolute obsession with yard work pressing against them. Scizor also displayed intense feelings about helping his trainer with the grass, though they fell entirely on the side of grief, as he had traded in his grass cutting scythes for pincers. For Chris, the actual act of mowing was a wonderfully mindless task that let him concentrate on more pressing matters.
One of those plans involved some light training with his team that evening. However, after a round of weedeating, he discovered his body wasn't having it.
"I forgot how much weed-eating kills my back."
He sat on the sidelines for most of the session, keeping all the physical exchanges between his Pokémon. And that's how much of the next couple weeks played out. Even when his mother wasn't there, she made sure to leave him a sizable list of things to accomplish for the day: cleaning out the garage, moving furniture across the house, and going into the city to buy groceries being just a few. Nearly a whole week had passed before the daily list began to shorten. And as free time slowly began to increase, so too did the length of their training sessions.
With a beach to run on, resistance training came into vogue. Chris managed to convince his mom to buy six mini parachutes from a local paraglider. Most of his team took a liking to the more difficult sprints, with the exception of Gyarados. Up to this point, their largest teammate had battled the breakers farther out at sea, but Chris didn't want the creature to grow comfortable in his natural habitat. Therefore, despite his reluctance, the Atrocious Pokémon soon found himself slithering through the coarse surface with them. Chris let Gyarados move without any added resistance, not that it would have mattered; the largest parachute imaginable still wouldn't work with the water serpent's build.
The team also found time to spar and work on moves. They got to where they were doing the former in the early morning hours and the latter in the evenings. There was an added sense of accomplishment at working these sessions in around productive tasks in town and at home. Chris almost hated to see it come to an end once that last weekend rolled around. His final night before he set off saw him helping his mother dismantle the top bed in his room.
"Now I won't have to hear you complaining about hitting your head every morning."
Chris made sure he had gotten the wrench from his mother before replying. "I really appreciate you waiting till my last night here to do this."
Jennifer threw her arms around his torso and nearly drove his skull into the outer frame. "You should be happy I'm helping you at all. I could have left this for you while I was working."
"It wouldn't have mattered," Chris said. He lifted one of his pinned arms and tapped the wrench to his temple. "I would have barely accomplished anything by the time you got back!"
"You certainly didn't inherit your father's handywork ability."
"Matt got that for sure. At least dad left me his looks."
Jennifer stepped back and dropped a hand to her hip. "You know you got some of that from me, right?"
The young man held back a whine as he pinched his finger unbolting the final piece. He managed to hide it with a sigh as he handed the post to his mother. It had taken nearly two hours, but Chris's bed could finally breathe the open, climate controlled air.
"Make sure you lift with your knees!" his mom shouted as he grabbed hold of the headboard.
Chris stumbled as laughter struck him. "I spent all that time with Master Kiyo and only heard him say that once. You've said it at least four times tonight!"
"It's a bit different when it's your child. And speaking of loyal laborers," Jennifer paused as she guided him through the doorway, "why couldn't we have enlisted some of your teammates for these bigger pieces?"
Chris stifled a grunt as his big toe found the corner of a chest. He swayed a bit, but refound his center in time to miss any remaining furniture in the hall. "I've already asked them to do so much," he said. "They've helped me with several of these chores. I don't want them to feel like they're being used."
Jennifer opened the door at the edge of the stairs and helped Chris guide the piece inside. She gently sat the post beside it, before wrapping her son in a softer embrace. "They wouldn't feel that way," she said.
"How do you know that?"
"Because a family raised right doesn't look at it that way."
Chris blinked hard and nodded slowly. "You probably should have mentioned that before now."
"And it wouldn't have hurt for you to give me an early warning you'd be leaving tomorrow," Jennifer replied. She let go and stepped back toward the stairs. "You haven't even told me where you're going."
"You still haven't told me about sponsorship offers."
"Your father said he'd take care of all of that. You can ask him when you see him."
As if he needed something else to add to his plate, Chris silently replied. He did owe his mother an explanation though. "I'm making the loop around central Johto."
"You don't need to go back on patrol. I already take care of most of that area."
Chris shot her a joking scowl. "I barely got to experience any of it on my first trip through. A tournament in Goldenrod and a cruise later on didn't give me much time to explore. It'll be a good chance to get some more training in too. Plus, I'll get to see dad again and ask him about where he's spent all my sponsorship money."
"Just make sure you actually give him a heads up," Jen said, dishing out a stinkeye.
"There's no chance I'll see him otherwise. You think I could get him free for a few hours for a baseball game?"
"That or fishing would be your best bet."
Chris started off toward his room but paused. "Where are you patrolling tomorrow?" he asked
"Report said Violet City and Route 36," Jennifer answered, turning toward him. "Why? Are you wanting a police escort to start your journey?"
"You'd keep me on a straighter path than I took the last time. But I would like to take my time, and I know you gotta be in Violet City pretty early."
"Unfortunately."
"Don't worry," Chris said, a grin sliding onto his face, "I'll be up to send you off."
Chris and his team managed to make it out to the beach before sunrise. Actually, 'drag' might have been the more apt term. Even with chores keeping him busy, the trainer had gotten used to sleeping in his comfy bed until eight each morning. His team didn't seem much less spoiled. Nidoking's shoulders slumped low enough that his claws scraped the sand. Gyarados seemed content to float as he entered the sea. The red orb on Ampharos's tail didn't glow even as they went through their warm up. Scizor moved like his metallic body weighed twice as much. Even Typhlosion couldn't hide his yawn as they began their training under the dim sky.
As sparring got underway, a darting ball of fur grabbed the trainer's attention. Eevee sliced through the cool morning air, zigging and zagging around Nidoking's kicks and horn strikes with ease. As the dodging exhibition continued, the Normal-type's body seemed to brighten with the morning. He pounced off of Nidoking's extended horn and blasted the creature's neck with a Shadow Ball. The Drill Pokémon's furious attacks were soon joined by his enraged grunts. The spectacle evolved to the point that the rest of the team stopped to witness the shift in power. It had even turned their trainer into a stunned witness. He heard the door to the house open, but he couldn't take his eyes off Eevee's movement.
"What kind of wakeup—"
Jennifer's question was cut off by the thud of Nidoking's tail. The sand Eevee stood upon shifted and rolled like the crashing of one of the nearby waves. It threw him onto his back, knocking the wind from his lungs. Finally prone, Nidoking leapt into the air, the claws on his feet glowing as the sun pierced the horizon. Pink and orange flooded the sky above the descending creature. Only, he wasn't descending any more.
Everyone's eyes were on Eevee. The small creature had his head lifted high despite being grounded. His teeth were clenched and concentration poured from his expression. A light aura stretched out from his body to his floating foe.
"Nido'?!"
"'Vee!"
That faint, pink aura solidified, launching Nidoking back in the direction he had come. By the time he'd struck the ground, his opponent had vanished behind a blinding white light.
Jennifer came to stand beside her son. "Is he…"
"Oh yeah."
The light faded from Eevee's rapidly expanding figure, revealing lilac fur to match the morning sky. The newly evolved creature turned his head toward his trainer, then his teammates, and finally himself. His purple eyes widened at the sight of his legs and torso, their white white pupils dilating to almost comedic levels.
As the rest of the team came over, Chris knelt beside his shocked teammate. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Esp'." The beautiful feline creature did a double take. "'Peon?" He looked up and locked eyes with a frowning Nidoking. One of the Drill Pokémon's massive arms lurched forward, prompting the red gem on Espeon's forehead to glow.
"Easy there," Chris said, running a hand over the bristling fur on Espeon's back. "What's up, Nidoking?"
The Poison/Ground-type's fist stopped just inches from Espeon's face. Just as a faint aura began to form around the Sun Pokémon's figure, Nidoking stooped over, bringing his clawed hand level with his foe's front paws. That prompted a twitch from Espeon's large ears, then a head tilt, and then a grin. The Psychic-type brought up a paw and tapped it against Nidoking's.
Chris stood up and felt his mother's arms wrap him in a sideways embrace.
"Okay," she said, "that's a fair send off."
From battles with dragons to a fight with a bunk bed, Chris and his team had themselves an eventful couple weeks. And we got the topper to top all toppers in the form of Eevee's exciting evolution into Espeon! But what will the remaining months hold for The Crew? And how about some of the other promising trainers Chris has encountered? From Luke to Waz to Prinny to Sarah to even Dobbs himself! How will these trainers prepare for the climax to their journies in Johto? And how will they all connect? That's what we're going to find out in the next exciting/ambitious chapter of Heart and Soul! Stay safe, fight for justice, and I'll join you guys again a bit later this summer! Please Review and Subscribe!