Note-One month, one chapter. Ah, just like the good ol' days. I hope you're having a wonderful summer and staying cool wherever you are! It's been a big summer for yours truly, including: a thirtieth birthday, my wife graduating PA school, a month spent hiking the mountains, and now a week with my family in Mexico. Talk about a full plate. But between all of it, I've found time to work on this story. It continues to bring me so much joy and I hope that's true for you guys too.
Now back to the action!
We find our trainers in the thick of the second round of the finals. They've come so far, but one slip up could send them packing. They'll need endurance, focus, and an almost irrational confidence to survive the mental grind. How will their skills fare as they begin to battle one another? How about a battle against nature itself? What alliances might be made? And who might be making a surprise appearance?
We've got a nice, full chapter today. So let's get into it! Please consider dropping a review and follow/favorite for notifications about future chapters!
Chapter 67
Blastoise's body shifted backward, his claws leaving scratch marks in the dirt, as concentrated blasts of water erupted from his cannons. Metagross blocked one of the pressurized streams with a massive leg, but couldn't deflect the other without losing its balance. The watery blast slammed into the underside of Metagross's disc-shaped body, flipping the creature completely over. The crowd roared at the direct hit, but chants for Metagross to rise had already begun before those had even died down.
Prinny was one of the few trainers in the crowd that remained silent. Well, maybe not completely silent. If somebody had been sitting next to him, they might have eventually picked up on the nonstop string of muttered curse words he'd begun the moment Waz had taken control of this battle.
It had all started so well. His brother's opponent, Raul, was a skilled trainer. He had beaten Prinny handily in a Kanto tournament the year before. It looked early on like Waz might suffer the same fate. Raul excelled at raising difficult to train but incredibly powerful Pokémon. One of those beasts—the same Noivern that had torn through Prinny's defenses with his Infiltrator ability—had quickly disposed of Torkoal and then managed to take out Waz's strongest counter, Garchomp. He fell shortly thereafter, but a double knockout with Gengar and Raul's Eelektross left Waz without his second strongest teammate. But this fucker didn't roll over. Even with his Swellow struggling to land hits on an evasive Arcanine, Waz didn't switch. Eventually that Guts boosted Facade landed, knocking out the Fire-type and shifting all the momentum.
Prinny had no illusions about his brother's ability. Even if the little shit said he didn't take anything from him, Prinny knew he'd influenced his brother, despite his best attempts to prevent it. He'd inherited their mother's instilled steadiness too, a trait common among the hard working Sevii Islanders. But there was an innate ability there too, which hurt the most to admit. Not that Prinny would ever vocalize it. He rubbed at his eyes as Blastoise swept the Spikes off the battlefield with a Rapid Spin. This thing was fucking over.
Prinny twisted to look around his section, desperate to find any other trainer to focus on. He caught sight of the two Sinnoh trainers who had competed in the Winter Classic. He couldn't remember their names, but he recalled having a challenging battle against the guy. Their rematch would be set if they both won their next round battle. Not that Prinny would allow himself to think that far ahead. His battle that afternoon deserved all his focus.
Unlike in the first round, he would be facing a more experienced trainer, though one who had not competed in many organized competitions. From what information the database provided, his opponent had participated in three regional tournaments but never with this team. That carried pros and cons. These creatures' lack of experience on the biggest stage could certainly be exploited. Pokémon could get tight and nervous just as easily as their trainers. In some cases it could be a vicious cycle. Prinny knew all too well. An experienced trainer could help mitigate that, however. One unavoidable con involved the sparse data on these Pokémon. He had found at least one battle each of the ten opposing Pokémon had competed in, but most had only one or two results, and almost all of them had come at this tournament. That meant Prinny would have to go more general with his team build. They had to have a counter available for any potential threat, even if that meant sacrificing a more focused strategy of their own. He didn't really mind. Shutting down opponent's strategies had always been one of his favorite parts of battle.
And speaking of shutting people down, there was Chris. Of all the trainers on his radar, Prinny felt the best about his strategy against the Cherrygrove native. He had just stood up, no doubt headed for his pre battle interview. Prinny hadn't seen him enter the stadium, despite being here since Waz's battle began. Then again, Chris hadn't made it easy on him. The Cherrygrove native had been sitting right at the edge of their section, closer to the fans than trainers. Combined with his quick exit—head down and stare fixed on the tunnel—it might have been the rudest gesture Prinny had seen from him. Not that it bothered him. He actually found it a bit encouraging.
He'd enjoyed Chris's company in the limited time they'd spent together. Once the tournament was over, he hoped to spend some more time with him. Arceus knew Prinny could use some genuinely good people in his life. He had seen enough of his battles though to confidently say, from a trainer's perspective, he lacked the steadiness that allowed one to to ride the tide. Sevii Island surfers had used the phrase to describe the patience and composure needed to thrive in the unstoppable ocean. If Chris were to make it to the final four to face Prinny, the latter taking an early lead and stacking the odds would supersede the former's innate ability to fire off powerful attacks. A strong heart wouldn't mean much when all the arteries around it were blocked.
"We should train together."
He turned to find a larger man sitting next to him. Even with sunglasses on and his hood up, Prinny recognized the trainer. He had seen him battle earlier in the tournament. Maybe in the pool round?
"We should?" Prinny asked.
"For sure, broski. We would learn a lot from each other."
"We would?"
The young man threw an arm over Prinny's shoulders. The Sevii Islander fought the urge to snap it.
"We had an epic battle at the Winter Classic."
"We did?"
"Oh, come on. I know my Volbeat and Machoke combo had to leave a powerful impression on you. Especially Machoke. He's unforgettable."
Truth be told, Prinny didn't remember a lot about that tournament. He knew he had won it, but that could have been said of a couple other competitions from the past year. He had wanted his team to compete in as many organized tournaments as possible during their Johto journey. With the exception of an event or two, they had done just that.
"I'm not sure you have the right person," Prinny said.
The trainer flexed his free arm. "His biceps looked like this, just a bit bigger. I know it's hard to tell with this super baggy hoodie on."
Prinny lifted the man's other arm off his shoulder. "Are you still in the tournament?" he asked.
"I should be," the man said. He opened his mouth but it took an extra second before words emerged. "I guess—I mean, I wish I was. Our last battle ended in a draw, but we didn't have enough points to advance."
"Look… what's your name?"
"I'd prefer not to say yet."
Prinny's stare turned icy. "Then this conversation is over."
"Dobbs."
"Okay," Prinny said with a sigh. "So, Dobbs. I appreciate you asking me to train with you. I like that you want to get better. But it sounds like I might not be the right fit. There are so many trainers here. You'll find one who you can—"
"Respectfully, I want to work with a champion. You've proven yourself to be one too. If it's not you, my only other option is your bro. But I want the best."
Prinny let that last word ring in his ear. Damnnit, that just sounded right. "What do you have to offer?" he asked.
"I've been a student of the legendary Gym Leader, Chuck. He's given me his knowledge, discipline, and Fighting-type training skills. I could use those to help your Scrafty. And I could teach you all the cool martial arts stuff too."
Some new fighting skills wouldn't hurt Scrafty. The wisdom from a Gym Leader, even second hand, couldn't be discounted either. And Prinny was always looking for new ways to inflict pain on his brother.
On the battlefield below, Waz's Gallade delivered the finishing blow to the opposing Rhyperior. The judge raised both flags toward his brother's corner, declaring him the victor.
Prinny let a long exhale pass through his lips. "Be fucking ready to take some notes during my battle this afternoon. In return, I want you outside the Tin Hotel at sunrise tomorrow."
"You're going to learn so much. You won't regret it."
He already did.
She should have been happy.
Sarah had made it to the Finals and won her first round battle. She'd already done research on her next opponent: an experienced trainer from Kanto with a proclivity toward Water-types. It was a type matchup she didn't mind, despite the variety of approaches her opponent could take. Her game plan would be worked out by the end of the day. And on top of that, she had caught all of the day's first battle and still managed to grab a cinnamon roll before the eleven o'clock breakfast cutoff. Seth hadn't lied; it was the best she'd ever had.
Sarah paced, the echo of her footsteps in the tunnel barely audible over the crowd. Her hands had been scrunched into balled-up fists for nearly twenty minutes now and were starting to hurt. She'd put one into her back pocket, then the other. Nothing seemed to be working. It couldn't be fear. She refused to believe that. They'd put in too much work, had too many sleeplessness nights to feel anxiety about a battle. She should have just left the stadium and gone about her day. She still could. But now she felt like a prisoner, her eyes captive to the painted rectangle down below. This wasn't a battle. It was a massacre.
It took a buzzing sound from her Pokétch to finally peel her eyes away. She lifted her wrist and scanned the screen. This name normally would have prompted her to ignore or block the call, but any distraction right now would be nice. Even an annoying one.
"Sas'!"
"Yeah?"
"Awh—with—tone?
"I can't hear you at all."
"Guess where—am?"
Sarah sighed. "I don't know. Somewhere with a bad signal?"
A pair of arms wrapped around Sarah's waist. She recoiled and did her best to flail free, but her assailant held firm.
"What the—"
"Surprise!"
At that moment, Sarah would have preferred to be in the clutches of a dangerous stranger. She twisted around and found herself nose to nose with her sister. Her wide, amber eyes were close enough for Sarah to see her own hazel irises.
"I gotcha, didn't I?"
"What are you doing here?"
"You really thought Candy was lying about coming? I told you, Sas'. I said if you made the finals I'd be here to cheer you on."
"I remember."
"And you didn't object!"
"Not verbally."
Her sister finally released her bear hug and Sarah took a quick step back. The shock had begun to wear off, replaced by an impending dread. In all her mental simulations of how this tournament would go, losing early in the finals with her sister in attendance would rank among the worst case scenarios.
"Would you want to get some brunch?" her sister asked.
Sarah flashed the wrapper in her closed fist. "I just finished a cinnamon roll."
"Oh wow, that sounds good. Do they have them over at concessions?"
"They stopped selling them at eleven."
"Come on," her sister whined, pulling at her pigtails. "I've been traveling all morning and haven't eaten anything. Your poor sis is going to starve!"
"You can still get food there," Sarah said.
"I guess so. I was just hoping to eat something sweet while we watched these battles."
"I'm actually about to get out of here."
"You have an awesome seat to the main event of your whole season and you don't want to use it?!"
"I've seen enough. And I still need to finish the game plan for my battle tomorrow."
"Would you like me to give it a pass after you've done a couple drafts?"
Sarah opened her mouth to fire off a sharp reply, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the frustration she remembered feeling as those two brothers bickered in Ice Path. "That's a nice gesture, but I think we'll be alright. I know her preferences. It'll just be a matter of running my team through what they can expect and how to respond."
"So you're feeling good about things?"
"For sure."
Her sister frowned, a sight rarer than snow in Sunyshore City. "Are you nervous about these upcoming battles?"
"Come on, Candice."
"Us sisters have a special connection. Candy can sense when something is wrong with her baby sis, and your aura is definitely darker than normal right now."
Sarah rubbed her temples and took a deep breath. "Look, I've already told you. We've got a plan for tomorrow. And I'm seventeen. Could you please stop calling me your baby sister."
"Fine, fine." Candice took a step back and looked her up and down. Sarah had grown accustomed to the ritual, usually preceding a comment about her suboptimal fashion. A playful smile didn't appear this time. "You have grown, Sarah. That scarf with those boots is an undeniable sign of maturity. Maybe you can tell me some more about your growth over a celebratory dinner tomorrow. My treat."
"We'll see."
A roar from the crowd reverberated through the tunnel. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief as Candice turned away from her. Finally, a moment of peace.
"Oh wow," Candice said, her head tilted up toward the scoreboard. "Will you have to battle this guy?"
"Come on!"
Floatzel dropped to a knee the moment he materialized onto the battlefield. He had already appeared twice before, accomplishing little aside from knocking out Chris's Crobat. The Water-type eyed his stationary opponent, Typhlosion. The Volcano Pokémon had seen his share of action as well. His trainer had started the battle with him, and the Fire-type had unleashed an Eruption that nearly overwhelmed the type-resistant opponent Nathan brought in. The tone had been set.
Chris eyed his opponent as the judge brought his flags up. Nathan expected them to switch.
"Begin!"
"Agility," Nathan directed.
"Focus Blast!"
The golden orb flashed through the air on a swirling path. It reached Floatzel just as he had finished his meditation. The Water-type brought both paws up to catch the sphere. He leaned forward, his arms fully extended. The glowing sphere surged forward, forcing Floatzel to dig his feet into the ground. Even then, the energy refused to be held in place. The Water-type's feet began to slide and he desperately fought to twist his body in an attempt to let the attack pass by. He had nearly gotten around it when the concentrated energy suddenly destabilized. The explosion that followed sent him sideways, bouncing across the ground.
Chris returned Typhlosion to his Poké Ball and triggered the release mechanism on the capture device in his other hand. He had been holding on to this one for what felt like ages. The light that issued out from the device expanded into a long, serpentine shape. Floatzel had just brought himself to a stop as the energy disappeared to reveal his next opponent. Gyarados towered over the sea weasel, his fangs bared and wearing a furious glare. Chris liked to imagine it carried extra malice now. He had informed the Atrocious Pokémon ahead of time about who exactly they'd be facing.
Chris had mentally steeled himself in a way he still didn't quite understand. Maybe it was because of their preparation. It could have been revenge fueling the razor sharp focus he had been feeling. Whatever the cause, Chris had battled about as close to perfect as he could have imagined. And with their opponent down to Floatzel—that Floatzel—he was finally ready to just enjoy this battle. It almost made him want to reveal Gyarados's newly mastered fourth move. No, he silently countered. They would save that for Sarah.
"Earthquake!"
Gyarados's tail struck the ground, sending out a shockwave that rolled across the dirt. The rumbling ground stirred and began to rise around Floatzel, who had just made it back to his feet. Before the wave could overtake him, the Sea Weasel Pokémon vanished into a blob of red light.
Chris felt his eye twitch as the battlefield rattled for another moment and then went still. A wave of boos filled in the brief silence.
"Nathan has returned his last Pokémon," the judge declared. He pointed both flags toward Chris's corner. "That makes Gyarados and Chris the victors."
The sea serpent turned to watch his trainer march across the battlefield, a bewildered expression on his menacing face. Chris shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. Not getting to dish out some payback was frustrating. At best, he had fired up Gyarados for nothing. At worst, it felt like he'd lied to his teammate. Both left a bad taste in his mouth that still lingered when he reached the battlefield's center.
The post battle conference started with a rare moment of silence and stillness. Both trainers looked to the judge as he typed away on his datapad. After a few awkward seconds, Chris glanced over at Nathan, but the Sinnoh native couldn't seem to decide whether to stare at the ground or the judge's shoes. It was the first time all tournament he didn't feel compelled or even obligated to go for a handshake. He couldn't figure out why that was, so he turned his attention back to the official as he finally lowered his handheld device.
"Congratulations Nathan on reaching the top sixteen," the judge said. He handed him a medal. "Take this to commemorate your achievement." Nathan's poorly muffled curses were quickly drowned out as the judge turned his attention to Chris. "And congratulations Chris on advancing to the third round of the finals. There will be a two day break between the end of round two and the start of the third. Official days and times will be released the day after tomorrow. Please be on the lookout for that. Thank you gentlemen."
Whether from a genuine display of sportsmanship or through sheer conditioning, Chris found his hand extended toward his former opponent. Nathan eyed it and for the briefest of moments, it looked like he might ignore the gesture. But then his own hand slowly came up to provide Chris with the limpest handshake he'd ever experienced.
"Good to battle you again," Chris said.
"Yeah."
Chris fought the urge to make a quip about him enjoying the rest of his time in Johto. He had already refuted the Sinnoh native's view of his home. So after another beat of awkward silence, Nathan released what little grip he held and sped toward the nearest exit. Chris thanked the judge and made his way over to his still perplexed Gyarados.
"He knew he was beat," Chris told him, patting one of the creature's large scales. "I'm sorry you didn't get to put the final nail in that coffin."
Gyarados's face softened—well, as much as the serpent's face could—and he nodded. Even with his closed mouth stuck in a constant frown, Chris had come to better understand his teammate's moods. Those menacing red eyes could express a multitude of emotions when viewed up close. It was no surprise then why so few people knew the species could express feelings other than absolute rage. Even Chris had carried some preconceived concerns, which had often been informed and strengthened by his mother's frequent reports of rampaging Gyarados.
"We'll need you in our next battle though. Will you be alright with waiting till then?" Gyarados's maw opened to reveal the closest thing to a grin he could manage. Chris flashed his own teeth. "That's what I was hoping for."
He returned the Water/Flying type to his capture device and headed back down the tunnel. It felt strange to not be rushed off the battlefield and even stranger when he found nobody waiting in the locker room. Had their battle really gone that quickly? He retrieved his backpack from its locker and placed all of his Poké Balls into their usual pouches. One sniff of an armpit had him changing out shirts as well. As he attempted to squeeze his skull through the t-shirt, a loud voice echoed around the locker room.
"Now that's what I call payback!"
Chris bolted to his feet, his head poking out through one of the sleeve openings. "Come on, David. Don't scare me like that."
"I can't help it. You've got me fired up!" The Cinnabar Island native made his way over to Chris, but stopped to throw a jab at a locker.
Chris twisted to get the shirt on right, before nodding at the dented locker between them. "You better be careful not to break another one. They're probably already on your trail."
"That wasn't me. I may have been frustrated about my loss, but I'm not stupid enough or strong enough to think I'll win against a metal door."
"I don't know if I believe you."
"Wait, about the strength or the stupidity?"
"I'm not going to say."
Both trainers laughed.
"You've shown no mercy today," David said.
"I don't think I can afford to at this point. The other seven trainers won't be any easier." In truth, Chris had his eyes set on a trainer that hadn't yet earned one of those spots. It would only be a matter of time though. She would be his next obstacle.
"I'm just hoping Luke is one of them."
"Me too. I want to catch his battle, but I need to heal up my team and grab some food. Are you hungry?"
"What kind of question is that?"
The stands had remained crowded through most of the third match, but as it drew to a close, a good number of those in attendance moved into the aisles. With afternoon turning to evening, many spectators made for the vendors tucked inside the stadium. It was a quiet exodus, despite the scope and amount of movement. Considering the lull that had sat in over the course of the day's two middle battles, it seemed fitting. And from his pressbox, what little noise Morty could pick up through the glass sounded more like a faint drone.
A groan came from his left. Blue slowly sat up, a task made more challenging by his reclined chair. He wiped at his chin. "Is it finally over?"
"Thankfully."
"I don't know how you made it all the way through. That dude switching in his Rhyperior is the last thing I remember."
Morty chuckled. "The one from two battles ago?"
"Fuck me." Blue reached behind him to grab the folded green jacket that had been his makeshift pillow. He leaned back, his eyes tilting up to scan the screen hanging from the ceiling. "So this chick who won, she'll be battling that younger brother?"
"She'll be battling that guy," Morty said, pointing toward the battlefield.
"Luke? Hm. I like him, but he's not gonna wake me up right now."
"Why not?"
"He's predictable," Blue said, stifling a yawn. "I do like his team. And he's a solid strategist, despite his passion for type matchups and slow battles."
"Nothing wrong with playing to your strengths and slowing things down."
"I'm sure you're not just saying that because you battle the same way."
Morty frowned. "Hey, my ace is a freaking Gengar."
"Now give me the rundown of the rest of your team."
Morty closed his eyes and let out a sigh. So maybe they were similar. There wasn't anything wrong with that battling style, even if it had fallen out of fashion in recent years. It seemed like more and more trainers were bringing in rarer, more explosive creatures. Battles seemed to last a fraction of the time now, with quick twitch responses replacing intricately planned and timed decisions. These new methods had logic behind them, but there was still something to be said for maneuvering type matchups and grinding your way to victory.
"Look, I like the kid too," Blue said, not even attempting to hold back his next yawn. "And he probably does have a good chance of beating this guy. But he's not making it past that younger brother."
Morty smirked. "You're not just saying that because he lives in Viridian City, are you?"
"I won't take all the credit for inspiring trainers from there."
"Just most?"
"His brother's even better," a third voice added.
Blue jolted up in his seat. "Shit."
"I was wondering if you were ever going to chime in," Morty said.
Kamon sat alone in the row of recliners behind them. Morty hadn't seen him come in, but he'd first noticed him halfway through the day's second battle. The three men had been the only individuals in this room for at least an hour. It made Morty wonder if the other Gym Leaders had somehow known these middle battles would be underwhelming.
"Always a lurker," Blue said, his eyes narrowed.
"His town is steeped in ninja mystique. Can you blame him?"
Kamon didn't respond to either of them. Even with his red hair pulled back in a ponytail, Morty didn't feel like he could clearly see the man's face. He'd spent very little time around the new Gym Leader. As quiet as he had been on their monthly leader calls, Morty had nearly convinced himself that the young man was mute. Kamon now looked up at the same monitor as Blue, his expression neutral as he watched Luke's battle.
"Your boy looked pretty good this morning," Morty said. "That might have been the biggest beatdown of the finals so far."
"Mh."
Blue snorted. "That's his excited tone."
"He just better hope that girl from Sinnoh loses tomorrow," Morty continued. "I've heard she's had his number this year."
"Look at you, Morty. Tapping into the trainer gossip."
"Hey, somebody has to foster this next generation."
Blue stood up and stretched. "After ten years, I think they've sucked all the inspiration they could from me."
"With the extra time between the second and third battle, I'm surprised the committee didn't parade you out there."
"Smiling and waving. Maybe a snarky comment if they're lucky. That's about the only use they have for me now." Blue stepped over to a bucket of ice and pulled a bottle from it. He opened his mouth and popped the cap off with his teeth. "I won't complain too much, though. They've left me alone long enough to get back into the field. It's been fun to explore again and do some real research."
"Anywhere good?"
"Been doing some more work in the ruins."
"You're really committed to that Unown project, huh?"
Blue shrugged and took a swig of his drink. "Yeah, you know, it's only the key to unlocking the secrets of all creation."
"With Goldenrod being so close, I'm surprised your grandpa hasn't come down to check it out."
"He did come down a few years back. He actually helped us make a pretty cool connection between the Unown's line of communication and radio waves. He's still so proud of that." Blue's expression soured. "It's too dangerous now to try and bring him down through Violet."
"So frustrating."
"Things are rough down there?" Kamon asked.
Blue leaned back and gave the Gym Leader an upside stare. "You must not get out of town very often."
Kamon returned his stare with a glare, prompting Morty to interject, "It's gotten pretty rough around most of the cities. Even Ecruteak has seen an uptick in criminal activity."
"Do we know why?" Kamon asked.
Morty turned to Blue. "You were working with Lance. Did he have any leads?"
"Nothing he didn't already mention in our last call. More criminals. No evident coordination among them. He still thinks Goldenrod and Olivine are the two spots we should be monitoring most closely."
"No coordination," Morty muttered. He had yet to disclose it to anyone else, but Eusine had met with him the previous month. His friend's big personality and flair for drama made him a less than credible source of intel for most, but Morty trusted him. Suspicious people on the move around Violet City, just as Blue had mentioned. Even more concerning though had been the reports of attacks on the Legendary Beasts. Eusine had come upon one such event, finding Raikou locked in a fierce engagement with a large group just off Route 38. They had redirected their violence toward his friend the minute they noticed him. That distraction had allowed Raikou to escape, but Eusine had almost been overwhelmed in its stead. "I just wish we could get a few of those INTERPOL agents in Ecruteak."
Blue frowned. "There haven't been any more attacks on the Kimono Girls, have there?"
"No. I think splitting them up and rotating them around the region has helped with that."
"Wouldn't keeping them apart and on the road make them more vulnerable?" Kamon asked.
"They have escorts," Morty explained. "And that's on top of them already being powerful trainers in their own right."
"It also was their idea," Blue added.
"Why would they want to be split up?"
"They've been entrusted with very important—"
"We don't need to make all the details public," Blue interrupted.
Kamon's eyes narrowed. It was the same look he'd given Morty during their first several encounters. Shit, it had been plastered to his face for nearly a year. It was the kind of look that gave a certain credence to those who, like Blue, still had reservations about the former delinquent. "I've also been entrusted to protect this region," he said.
Blue let out a long sigh. "Well then how about you, ninja boy? You seen anything suspicious out in the boonies?"
Morty was thankful his friend wasn't looking at Kamon. The younger trainer's face color nearly matched his hair. Morty stood up and made for the drinks, partially because of thirst and also to be close in case a fight broke out.
"Not much," Kamon forced through gritted teeth. "Small town. Not many places to hide."
"I'm surprised they haven't been out that way for recruiting purposes."
"Blue," Morty snapped.
Blue threw up both hands. "The ninjas, Morty. The ninjas."
"Okay," Kamon said quietly, standing up. He turned and started for the door.
"Hey, Kamon," Morty called, and to his surprise, the young Gym Leader came to a stop. Morty grabbed two bottles and tossed one up to him. "Let's grab another beer later. I want to hear more about things up your way."
Kamon seemed to weigh the bottle in his hand. He glanced toward Blue, who appeared to be completely engrossed in the battle on the overhead screen. Morty put on his best smile as Kamon turned his eyes back on him. The red haired trainer twisted the cap off his bottle and lifted the drink. For the briefest of moments, Morty feared he might throw it at Blue or dump the contents on his head. Kamon instead tilted his own head back and took a drink.
"Sure," he said. Then he was gone.
A heavy exhale passed through Morty's lips. He hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath. The glare that came next was absolutely premeditated. Blue spoke before he could follow it up with a good scolding.
"Always a pleasure."
Tons of water rolled over the cliffside and pounded the river a hundred feet below. The constant flow could be heard from over a mile away, a roaring tumult that never lessened. Even during seasons where water was scarce, the second waterfall on the other side of the rocky divide helped maintain the imposing sound and appearance. This Spring had brought plenty of rain with it, making for an awe inspiring cascade. For Kayla however, Tohjo Falls brought more frustration than respect.
"Damnit."
She threw down her backpack and dropped onto the grassy bank. Shit, her legs were aching. They had been on the move since sunrise. No stopping. No sitting. She looked westward, but couldn't find the sun. It had to be late evening.
"'Cham."
Medicham had sat down beside her. His steady stare fixed on the massive waterfall in front of them.
"Yeah, it's taller than I realized," Kayla said, tilting her head back. "Much taller."
"Rai'!"
The large electric mouse had scurried further down the bank and now had his tail pointed. Kayla looked across the river at the sheer walls of rock.
"It's too steep," she said. He pointed again and she felt a heat rise around her collar. She shouted the same words, but Raichu looked back at her in confusion. Kayla jumped to her feet, hissing as her weight pressed down on a fresh blister on her heel. She gritted her teeth and stomped her way over, each step a failed attempt to destroy the source of her pain.
She jabbed a finger at the rocky crag. "We can't get over that. It's slippery and there are no footholds. Got it?"
Raichu took a step back and gave a quick nod. Kayla tried to meet his gaze, but the Electric-type lowered his face.
Kayla took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Spark. I should have realized you couldn't hear me. I can barely hear myself down here."
Raichu gave another nod, but kept his head down. Kayla closed her eyes.
They'd made great progress. The edge of Kanto was in sight, and they'd reached it much sooner than she'd expected. Noctowl had been the one to thank for that. The Owl Pokémon had flown them over stretches that would have eaten up the hours. Woods and lakes chocked full of things to slow them down. And that was to say nothing of all the wild Pokémon battles they'd avoided. But Noctowl wasn't the biggest or strongest flier. Carrying Kayla had taken its toll. And even with these aerial shortcuts, wild encounters couldn't be completely avoided. Noctowl had reached his limit.
Kayla limped back to her backpack and dropped to a knee. She rummaged through the bag one more time, using what little hope and sunlight she still had to search for a potion. Her stationary search turned up the same result as when she'd been walking: nothing.
A splash by the bank drew her attention. Swampert rose to the water's surface, his gaze fixed on the roaring falls. Her starter looked to be in the best shape out of all her teammates. Having so many sources of water to swim in and utilize in battle couldn't have hurt.
"What are you thinking, Tide?" she asked. When he didn't turn around, she forced herself to move closer and shout. He turned his head toward her, but didn't respond. From this distance and angle, Kayla could see bruises and cuts along his neck and cheek. Even he hadn't made it through all this unscathed. They desperately needed a Pokémon Center.
"Cham'."
The Psychic/Fighting-type had followed Kayla over to the water's edge. He nodded toward the pounding wall of water.
The Hoenn native eyed the waterfall. With the sun behind the trees, the mist at its base swirled through the shadows like a specter. It nearly obscured the white foam that pulsed out from the collision of water. She had seen none of this on their trip to the Silver Conference. Much the same as he had done on their current trip, Noctowl had helped them avoid the challenging stretches, including flying south of this most difficult one. But she had still had some medicine then. And much more food than they had now.
Seeing it far off to the north, it had been difficult to comprehend the height and breadth of Tohjo Falls during their trip east. Now it made sense why so many people hailed this as the divider of regions. She couldn't blame her starter for being entranced by it.
"Cham'."
Kayla's eyes narrowed. "What?"
Medicham waved toward her starter, who had returned his gaze to the falls.
"I don't understand."
Swampert took off, his powerful legs kicking water a dozen feet into the air. He shot straight for the waterfall, reaching his top swimming speed just as he entered the edge of the mist. Then he was gone. Kayla looked on for a few seconds in stunned silence, but her teammate didn't reappear.
"Tide?"
Kayla stepped to the water's edge, keeping her eyes on the last spot she'd seen her teammate. She felt Raichu and Medicaham press in on either side. The three of them watched on until Medicham jabbed a finger at something above them.
"'Cham!"
Orange flashes appeared halfway up the waterfall. In the darkness, Kayla had to squint to the point of pain to get a clear look, but she could now see multiple spots of that unique orange hue.
"Tide!"
She went to move a step closer, but her foot found nothing but air. Medicham's arms were the only thing that kept her from face planting into the river. When she looked up again, her starter had vanished.
Something crashed into the water just feet from the trio, sending up a big enough splash to drench them.
Kayla pushed back her soaked hair and rubbed at her eyes. "That better not have been Tide," she said.
"Swamp'."
"Shit." Kayla coughed and blinked back a combination of river water and tears. She glared at her teammate, who only dared to leave his head above water. That was still a mistake, as he'd left his ears available. "We're hungry, tired, and exhausted. What made you think we wanted to add soaking wet to the mix?"
"Swamp'!" The Mud Fish Pokémon lifted an arm out of the water and pointed it at the waterfall.
"What?"
Her starter's arm moved higher and he pointed with one of his three toes. "Swampert!"
"Climb it? You've never tried one anywhere close to this height. And even if you could make it on your own, you definitely wouldn't with me on your back."
"Rai'!"
Kayla shook her head. "I don't care how exciting the idea is. You wouldn't be having fun when I fall to my death."
Medicham lifted both palms to the sky. "Cham'?"
Kayla turned to chide him, but his sullen expression made her hesitate. If even her most calm and calculating teammate was considering something this ludicrous…
"Shit."
Kayla dropped into a squat, then onto her ass once her feet started screaming at her. Damn, she was tired. These blisters would only get worse the more she walked on them. And climbing any of those steep rocky cliffs to the west would be impossible.
May 8th.
Wind swept through the valley, shaking the trees at the edge of the southern woods. She'd gotten a good look at the space when they'd flown over it. No trails that way. Only thorns and wild Pokémon.
May 8th.
She looked back the way they had come. They wouldn't find any refuge there. Any strong trainer would be miles from here, sucked into the Silver Conference's gravity.
May 8th.
The thundering roar of the falls pounded in her ears louder than ever. Even with only the faintest of light left from the sun, she could still see rock spires poking up around the base of Tohjo Falls. If they were to fall…
Her gaze found her starter. The two were now at eye level.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She wasn't sure if she'd asked the question to Swampert or to herself.
Swampert nodded. She waited for him to say something, anything, but he just stared back. It was the kind of look that had her almost believing this wouldn't be a suicidal climb.
Kayla triggered the return button on Medicham and Raichu's Poké Balls. She kept an eye on her starter as their teammates dematerialized and then vanished.
"It's just me and you. Between the two of us, do you really want to do this?"
The Water/Ground-type had always been stubborn, but he tended to put on even more around a crowd. A one-on-one conversation served as the only remedy she'd found over the past year. And even those usually required some pushing on Kayla's end.
Swampert tilted his head. His eyes scanned the bank between them. Kayla appreciated the extra consideration, though his hesitation didn't make her feel better about their odds. Swampert turned fully around. He looked the waterfall up and down.
"What if—"
Swampert disappeared beneath the water's surface before she could finish her sentence. The water rippled, her dim reflection now unrecognizable. For not the first time, Kayla wondered if this was all really worth it. One lead. One girl. What was she going to do?
A bubble popped to the surface. Then another. Kayla scurried backward just as the water in front of her erupted. Swampert landed on all fours, back facing his trainer. He gestured toward her with his head and crouched lower.
"Shit," Kayla mumbled. She made sure each pocket of her backpack was zipped tight, before strapping the bag to her shoulders. She didn't care if water got into the bag; they had no valuable food or items to ruin. But she had to make sure none of her teammates' capture devices would fall out. Kayla took a deep breath and stepped forward. She placed a hand on her starter's tail fin. "Okay. Easy does it." She swung one foot over his back. He didn't budge as she brought her thin frame down onto his spine: one of the few perks of being on the run with very little to eat. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around Swampert's stomach. Fuck, he's slick. She fought the urge to tighten her grip, but she couldn't keep her arms from shaking. "Alright. I think I'm ready."
Swampert was gracious enough to ease his way back into the water. He kept a slow pace as they slithered against the tame current. The water didn't feel freezing, though Kayla had been drenched by Swampert only minutes prior. As she looked around them, she caught sight of Magikarp, Poliwag, and Goldeen passing just beneath the surface. Some moved in the same direction, some the opposite, but none of them bothered her or Swampert. It was an unexpected moment of serenity that slowed and quieted her shallow breaths.
It didn't take long for her ears to remind her of the looming danger. The loud roar that had echoed around the bank now sounded all encompassing. Mist brushed against Kayla's skin, carrying a deep chill that pricked her skin. The water now churned around her legs, white foam distorting the beautiful green hue of the river.
Kayla couldn't keep from raising her head. Her eyes went wide as she caught sight of the thundering sheets of water. They were less than thirty feet away. In just a handful of seconds, they'd be attempting to climb the tallest waterfall on earth. Swampert knew the move Waterfall and had used it dozens of times in battle. She had even ridden with him when he'd practiced climbing actual waterfalls for the first time. But those had been only a dozen feet tall at most. This was something entirely different. Her eyes darted to the spiky rock formations to the right and to the left of the towering falls. This could be lethal.
"Maybe it would be best to rest up and try this in the—"
The front of Swampert's body tilted down and water rushed up to blast Kayla's face. She pressed hard against the tugging current, straining her back and neck as she flattened her body against Swampert's. Her arms began to slide down his stomach, so she squeezed tighter. Swampert flinched, but quickly recovered, and even gained speed. Pain lanced through Kayla's neck as she fought to keep her head from being yanked backward. The backpack straps bit into her shoulders and armpits. Another few seconds and Swampert would be climbing the waterfall on his own.
A blast of cool air and the sound of a splash revealed they'd resurfaced. Kayla opened her eyes and immediately had them shut by what felt like a firehose.
"Fu—" Kayla's mouth flooded with water the second she opened it. She turned her head to the side, spewing the water back out in a flurry of painful coughs.
The water pounded against her skull and shoulders, but her grip held steady. Swampert's body jerked under her as his limbs churned. With her head now turned, she opened her eyes to see just how far they had climbed.
"Holly shee," she managed through her waterlogged mouth.
The tops of the trees to the east rested far below, lingering just at the bottom of her periphery. The sky above carried the deep purple of night. Tiny dots swirled through the air in the distance. We're as high as the fucking birds.
Something orange flashed at the edge of Kayla's vision. She thought it might have been the padding on her starter's legs, but then caught sight of the color several feet away. She squinted through her hanging strands of soaked hair. What looked like a white spike poked from the rolling sheets of water and then vanished. It appeared again a moment later and Kayla suddenly recognized it as a horn. She caught sight of butterfly-like tail fins and flowing white gills. It wasn't until the creature had nearly passed them by that she recognized it as a Seaking. She felt a strange comfort in seeing the Goldfish Pokémon. At least they weren't alone in this struggle.
"Swamp'."
Her starter's body suddenly shook. Kayla clamped down, but her body slid. She tried to shimmy back up, but her effort only seemed to bring her further down. Swampert shook again. Something heavy glanced off Kayla's shoulder. She tried to look up but the rolling cascade refused to relent.
"Karp."
A red blur passed inches from her face. The beady eyes of a Magikarp stared directly into her soul, then dropped out of sight. A cry, faint under the roar of the falls, echoed out from somewhere above. Then Seaking went flailing back down the falls, accompanied by a pair of the oblivious red fish. Kayla blinked. There were Magikarp falling everywhere.
"Swamp'!"
Kayla's vision filled with stars. A fiery pain pulsed out from the top of her skull. Her ears rang, giving her a strange reprieve from the deafening watery onslaught. It felt like she'd lost all feeling in her arms. Her body slid. Swampert's tail fin now pressed against her ass, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't muster the strength to shimmy back up. Tears mixed with constellations as she blinked. Long lines of red flowed down both sides of the falls. This wasn't a school of Magikarp—it was a damn army.
Swampert yelped. A familiar weight and shape bounced off the top of her soaking backpack, yanking the top loop backward. The force and whiplash swung Kayla backward, her arms sliding out from under the Water-type's slippery belly. Through the watery spray, she caught sight of the evening sky. Twinkling lights dotted the dark blanket.
Something stabbed between her two shoulder blades, pulling her focus back down to earth. Swampert's tail fin. It swung back and forth in tune with the Mud Fish Pokémon's limbs, though her backpack couldn't have been making its movement easy. Then again, Swampert's limbs weren't exactly churning anymore. They moved more frantically, like he was clawing at the water as opposed to the controlled lunges from before.
Kayla tilted her head forward, but the furious spray refused to give her even a glimpse of the waterfall's peak. Were they close? Only halfway up?
"You okay?" she asked.
Her starter growled, his legs swinging harder.
"Swampert," she said, water filling her mouth as fast as she could spit it out. "I don't know if you really believed you could do this. But I believed it." Fuck, not a headache on top of everything else. She gritted her teeth, spraying water with a hiss. "I know you're strong enough. I wouldn't have hopped on your back otherwise."
A white object ricocheted off Swampert's right head fin. Kayla swung her torso up to press against her starter's back, narrowly avoiding the tip of a horn she now saw belonged to a Goldeen. She found herself eye to eye with her first companion.
"We're not going to die here," she said, fighting and succeeding in keeping her eyes open. She brought her arms back around Swampert's stomach, her hands locking together. They took on a familiar blue glow as light began to emanate from the Water/Ground-type's body. She turned her head so she could speak directly into her teammate's ear. "We've got people to save and asses to kick. That's gonna require a lot of fighting. So show me how much fight you still have left!"
Swampert twisted his head back around and let out a roar. His shoulders inverted as his front legs swung out and disappeared into the foaming cascade. The energy that had grown to encompass his body coated the water around them in its glow. Between it and her face now being back in the path of the watery onslaught, Kayla forced her eyes shut and squeezed with every last ounce of energy her exhausted limbs held. If her starter's Torrent ability couldn't save them, nothing would.
Water pounded against her head, her shoulders, and tugged hard at her backpack. She could feel the fibers in the straps being pulled to the point of tearing. Her body wasn't far behind.
The roaring falls suddenly sounded distant. Swampert's body jolted forward and Kayla felt a sudden wave of nausea. With her eyes closed, she couldn't tell which way they were moving or facing. At this point, it might have been better not to.
"Swamp'!"
"What?!" she screeched.
Water had stopped pounding her upper body. Now it brushed against her arms and legs. The tug of gravity on her and her backpack had vanished. She allowed her eyes to slowly open.
They drifted against the current of a narrower river than the one below. The grassy banks had been replaced with dirt, and the trees with rocks. Swampert floated over to the closest land mass. He tried to lift them both out of the water, but it felt like his back was about to give out.
"Wait a sec!"
Kayla made sure to secure a hold of the embankment before sliding off her starter. She'd be damned if she ever made it more than an arm's length away from land again—absolute blasphemy from a Hoenn native. She didn't care.
Her muscles screamed at her as she shimmied up onto the dirt bank. Swampert followed suit, and Kayla made her arms even angrier by helping pull him up. Once fully out of the water, trainer and Pokémon flopped to the ground beside one another. Kayla sucked up every ounce of oxygen she could, all while coughing out half a gallon of water. Her starter looked like a blue blob in the darkness, but she could hear him wheezing, his gills working in overdrive.
The stars were out in full now. With no moon to compete against, they sparkled all the more brilliantly against the black sky. She turned her head westward. Millions of twinkling lights stretched off toward Johto, where Route 32 lay.
May 8th.
Kayla laid there for another minute, her breath finally coming back in full, slow respirations. They still had so little time and so much more ground to cover.
She twisted to look back at Swampert. With his limbs splayed wide in every direction, he looked like the world's most asymmetric Staryu. He laid on his stomach, his back rising and falling rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. Despite that, he looked at Kayla with a resolve that said he could keep going.
Her grandfather's words poured into her mind like the tears into her eyes. The greatest moments with your Pokémon won't be on a battlefield. And those will be the times that bring you closer together.
"Let's rest up tonight. We'll worry about getting down in the morning."
Nature can put up just as strong a fight as any trainer! Kayla may have survived this challenge, but even greater ones are on the horizon. Back at the Silver Conference, we saw Waz and Chris performing at their absolute best. Will that be sustainable going forward? How will Luke and Mitch's battle conclude? We've also got family beginning to arrive. How will the rest of the tournament play out for Sarah now that her sister is in attendance? And how will Chris fare with his father about to arrive? More importantly, what in the world will come from this Prinny and Dobbs team up?
With school starting back next month, it will be difficult for me to get a chapter out as quickly as this one. I appreciate your patience and your interest as we continue on this journey together!
Please drop a review and follow/favorite if you are enjoying. I'll see you in the next installment. Take care!