Notes- Welcome to the new longest chapter of Heart and Soul! My apologies for the slight delay, but I hope the length makes up for it. In this installment, Chris and Luke are going to experience the true nature of an unknown forest as well as begin participation in the Goldenrod Tournament! I hope you enjoy this next step in Chris' journey! Please Review and Subscribe.


Chapter 13

The sun's light seemed to fade the minute the trainers stepped underneath the trees. Ilex Forest was one of the oldest forests in the world of Pokémon. Its trees had grown so tall, that their branches blocked out almost all light. As the duo set off down a winding path, Chris felt as though the trees had begun to close in on them.

"It's a bit claustrophobic don't you think?" Chris kept his voice casual.

"It is strange being in a perpetual night," Luke nodded.

Luke brought out his flashlight as the trainers headed further beneath the towering trees. Even though it was difficult to tell, both trainers could feel that night was quickly approaching. And neither wanted to be wandering around when complete darkness surrounded them.

"How much progress would you like to make?" Chris asked.

"We wanna be well rested for the tournament tomorrow," Luke replied, "but I feel like we should continue for another hour or so. We don't want to have to rush tomorrow."

"Then we'd better get to moving," Chris responded as he checked his PokéGear.

Out of fear of separation, the trainers agreed to not have their Pokémon travel with them. Nidoran and Wooper were brought out to fend off some brave Hoothoot and Pineco, but travel remained calm for the most part. The duo followed the path west for a fair distance before turning north. They were led into a shallow valley which seemed to amplify the shadows around them tenfold. Even Luke's heavy duty flashlight could not pierce the smothering darkness.

"This looks like a good place to rest for the night," Chris pointed towards a large tree to their right. "It's just off the path, so we shouldn't have to worry about visitors or getting lost."

"It is getting a little unbearable," Luke agreed with a sigh. "I'd like to build a fire and at least be able to see something."

Chris grabbed a large amount of dead branches beneath the tree as Luke made a makeshift fire pit. Chris brought out Cyndaquil briefly to light the fire, before returning him back to his Pokéball. The trainer felt uncomfortable enough in the forest, but he could not stand the thought of his team wondering the darkness alone.

"You think the fire is far enough away from the tree?" Chris looked up at the canopy overhead.

"As dense as this forest is," Luke laughed, "I doubt there's enough air for this fire to feed off of!"

Chris and Luke set up their sleeping bags on opposite sides of the fire, with Chris' lying near the base of the tree. Having a visible, immovable object near him made Chris feel a little bit more comfortable.

"So have you decided what Pokémon you're going to use?" Luke inquired.

"I honestly hadn't given it much thought," Chris laughed. "I like to go with my gut in these situations."

"It's been driving me crazy!" Luke shook his head. "I'm torn between experience and winning."

"What do you mean?"

"My Wooper and Poochyena could use some experience," Luke admitted, "and they have yet to battle on a big stage."

"Right," Chris thought back to his Pokémon and realized that each had experienced a Gym Battle. Certainly that didn't make him a better trainer, did it?

"But I'd really like to shoot for winning the tournament as well," Luke continued. "My strongest Pokémon right now are Charmeleon and Elekid. They'd give me the best chance to win, but I'd like to get my other Pokémon caught up with them."

"I try to just evenly distribute experience among my Pokémon," Chris chimed. "Having equally developed Pokémon seems to boost the team's strength as a whole."

"I know you like to spread the wealth," Luke chuckled, "considering you used Magikarp in a Gym Battle!"

"Hey," the Cherrygrove trainer shrugged, "all the great trainers had to take chances. I might just use Magikarp tomorrow!"

"Please don't," Luke pleaded. "If by chance we do reach the finals, I don't want you to have any excuse when you lose."

"Oh!" Chris threw a small rock at the trainer. "Those are big words coming from a trainer who doesn't even know which Pokémon to use!"

"I've been looking forward to this tournament since I started my journey," Luke tossed a stick into the fire. "I have to weigh all of my options if I'm going to be successful."

"You sound like my brother," Chris' smile vanished as he realized what he had just said.

"I didn't know you had any siblings," Luke looked at Chris with a quizzical expression.

"I've never made a habit out of discussing my personal life," Chris threw a fake smile on his face.

"Don't worry about it man," Luke waved.

"No," Chris took a deep breath. He needed to clarify, more for himself than Luke. "We've traveled together for almost three days now. We've had each other's backs, so it makes sense to get to know one another. Especially since we'll be splitting up after tomorrow."

The flames began to pop as they consumed the wood. Each trainer could feel the heavy presence of the forest weighing down upon them. Some genuine conversation would certainly take their minds off the unknown.

"I was born and raised for the first few years of my life in Ecruteak City," Chris began.

"I didn't ask for your life story!" Luke laughed, but motioned for him to continue.

"Maybe I want to tell ya!"

"Please continue then," Luke bowed.

Chris could still remember looking towards the shining tower on a beautiful afternoon. "My mother found a job in Cherrygrove City when I was seven and we moved there. My father was promoted to head technician at the Radio Tower in Goldenrod, and had to stay in the city to keep close to his job."

"Hm..." Luke simply listened to the trainer speak.

"My brother Matt started his journey that year," Chris remembered fending off his brother's Totodile in a similar way to Adam. "He was a very skilled trainer who always planned out his next step. I'd always loved Pokémon, but Matt inspired me to pursue the life of a trainer. To build and bond with a team of Pokémon has been my dream since I first watched Matt battle."

"Where is he now?" Luke inquired, seeing a painful expression on Chris' face.

"I... don't know," Chris answered, feeling his voice shake. "A year after that he had collected all eight badges and was about to compete in the Silver Conference. Right before the conference started, Team Rocket stormed Goldenrod City and took over the radio tower."

"I know about Team Rocket," Luke scowled at the mention of the criminal organization.

"They didn't hurt my father, but the damage they caused forced him to miss seeing Matt battle in the tournament," Chris continued. "Heck, he's still trying to repair some of the damage they caused. After the Silver Conference, Matt and my dad had a falling out. My brother left to travel the other regions and did not come home for the next three years. He stayed in touch with us through his PokéGear though, so I never felt left out of his adventures. I always expected to see him and my father walking up to our doorstep, free of their conflict."

"I can tell you didn't base your battling style off your brother," Luke shook his head and smiled.

"It's a good thing he hasn't seen me battle," Chris laughed. "He'd stop me as soon as I called out an attack. We didn't agree on several things."

"Me and your brother would have had a lot to discuss," Luke replied.

"Your composure in battle reminds me of him," Chris agreed. "He liked to let things naturally progress."

"That must be where the comparisons end," Luke responded. "I'm anything but content."

"Well I've told you about my background," Chris waved a hand at Luke, "so how about I learn a thing or two about the pro from Tohjo?"

"I like that title," Luke grinned. "My Gym Leader title might be that one day!"

"So you're a man with Gym Leader's aspirations?" Chris inquired.

"Perhaps," Luke rubbed his temples. "I'm not exactly one to be tied down by responsibility or location. I heard enough of that back home." Upon a strange look from Chris, Luke clarified. "My folks wanted me to grab a job in Viridian City and settle down near home. That's just not me."

"You're indecisive and restless?" The Cherrygrove trainer shook his head. "We've been in such a rush these past couple of days, I've had no time to really get to know the real you. I just assumed you mirrored your cool and collected battle style."

"And I've taken you to be an ambitious, heart-on-your-sleeve fellow," Luke laughed. "Guess I pretty much got that down."

"I'm a man with a couple of goals," Chris shrugged, "and I plan on accomplishing them."

"What if you fail?"

"I hate losing," Chris answered through gritted teeth. "I don't do this just for me."

"They're your goals aren't they?" Luke asked, confused.

"They're for my family," Chris explained. "I need more strength and experience before I bring my family back together. And the Pokémon League is the perfect place to hone my skills."

"That's admirable," Luke replied. "You do realize this is your life though? The balance of your relatives shouldn't hold you back from living!" Luke fell back into his sleeping bag. "The more we talk, the more distant I feel we are. While I'm trying to get away from home and shape my own path, it seems that you're doing the opposite."

"I guess I do have a couple of personal motivations," Chris thought back to his youngest memories. "Winning the Silver Conference would be a personal testament to my team's dedication and battling style. Getting further than my brother would answer a lot of insecurities I have as a trainer." Chris remembered watching his brother battle on the television back home. "Maybe more important than that, I'd really like to understand the bond between us and Pokémon. The relationship we have is both intriguing and baffling."

"I can relate to that last statement," Luke released a long yawn. "I'd love to explore some mysteries in this world. Honestly, I think that may have been a subtle nudge to come to Johto. The mythology here is so much deeper than Kanto."

"I understand," Chris maneuvered into his sleeping bag. All of this talk of time and the future directed Chris' attention to the upcoming tournament. "Have you figured out which Pokémon you're going to use tomorrow?"

"Shit."

There was silence for the next few minutes as both trainers settled in for the night. Chris kept his backpack tucked beside him underneath the sleeping bag. Even in a calm forest like this, Chris still felt vulnerable. He remembered his father telling stories of the woodland guardian and the great mysteries it held. The Johto region truly was a mythical setting.

As night wore on, Chris found himself staring into the dwindling fire. Something about its glow kept Chris' mind churning. The trainer wondered where his brother could be, a thought he had not wanted to entertain since starting his journey. Chris' travels were supposed to be about developing a bond with Pokémon and displaying his growth. Why did he find himself now shooting towards some righteous crusade? Who was he to take charge of his family's lives? Until he had established his own unit of Pokémon and friends, his unselfishness would have to wait.

"I think I've figured out what to do about the tournament tomorrow," Luke suddenly piped.

"You've decided on your combo?"

"No," Luke answered, drawing an exasperated sigh from Chris, "but you will."

"What do you mean?" Chris asked, sitting up to look at the trainer.

"Here," Luke tossed five Pokéballs at Chris. "Just pick two of those Pokéballs."

"You're leaving this up to me?!" Chris exclaimed, feeling a heavy pressure overcome him.

"If we leave it up to me," Luke chuckled, "I'll still be trying to decide tomorrow night."

"Alright..." Chris exhaled as he stared at the five devices.

"Just toss them over here when you decide," Luke laid back down.

Chris stared at the Pokéballs for what seemed like an incredibly long time. He picked up each device as if to study it. The trainer had never concentrated on something this long in his life. Finally, the trainer placed them in a circle and grabbed the farthest and closest Pokéballs.

"Here," Chris pitched the two devices at Luke who put them away in his satchel's pocket. "And here is the rest!"

"Thanks man," Luke smiled as he put the other Pokéballs away. "That's one big decision I don't have to worry about."

"Unless I chose the worst Pokémon possible..."

"Shit."

Chris set his PokéGear alarm for early in the morning. The trainers would need to set aside plenty of time to ensure they reached Goldenrod City. Not to mention the extra time it would take to sign up for the tournament. But these worries could be saved for the morning.

An explosive ringing sound swept through the forest, snapping Chris out of his slumber.

"What the hell?!" Chris heard Luke shout over roar.

The trainers suddenly noticed a radiant glow emanating from the trees around them. Waves of light rippled across the branches overhead, illuminating the forest around them.

"I'm guessing this isn't normal?" Luke quipped to the Johto native.

"I don't know," Chris thought back to his father's tales. "This may be the voice of the forest."

"The what?" As Luke spoke, the chaos around them suddenly ceased.

"I've heard stories about a guardian that watches over this forest," Chris explained.

"Well it does a damn good job as an alarm clock," Luke hissed, rolling out of his sleeping bag.

"Speaking of which," Chris checked his PokéGear, "we're up a couple of hours early."

"I would say that explains the darkness," Luke studied the now quiet trees, "but this place is always dark."

"Would you rather the whole place be lit up like before?" Chris laughed. The trainer could feel his morning crankiness begin to rise.

"I'd be happy just to see the sun," Luke yawned. "You want to get an early start since we're up?"

"Might as well," Chris nodded. "It'll give us a chance to beat the crowd."

"Let me check on my Pokémon egg and I should be ready to go," Luke scrambled over to his satchel.

"How's the egg doing by the way?" Chris asked. "I haven't seen it since Drayden gave it to you."

"It heats up every now and then," Luke gently scooped the brown object out of his bag, "but I try to keep it tucked away. I'm guessing it's pretty fragile and needs warmth."

"Maybe it'll hatch soon," Chris proposed as he put out the remaining coals from the fire.

"Today," Luke put away his sleeping bag and put away the egg, "that'll be the last thing on my mind."

Once they double checked their camp, the trainers set off once more. With the sun slowly rising from the East, the trainers were relieved to see lighter seeping through their dim surroundings. Both trainers decided to save their Pokémon for the actual tournament, as they didn't foresee a chance to visit the Pokémon Center. This did not keep them from using their other Pokémon however.

"So Poochyena and Wooper are the duo, eh?" Luke said aloud after releasing his three available Pokémon. "Those two probably need the most battle experience anyway."

"Luck of the draw," Chris smiled as he tucked away two of his Pokéballs. The trainer had decided on his combo. "Golbat is still probably worn out from its battle with Bugsy, and you told me not to use Magikarp! That leaves me with only two options."

"Cyndaquil and Nidoran are two of your best," Luke stated as they winded through the forest. "That's a strong line up."

"We'll see," Chris shrugged. The trainer felt strange without a Pokémon by his side. He wanted to keep Nidoran and Cyndaquil fresh as well as allow Golbat enough time to recuperate. Magikarp would be immediate prey for all of the woodland's Bird Pokémon. The trainer just decided to let Luke's Pokémon take care of protection.

The path took one wide left turn before stopping at a small clearing. A structure of small size immediately caught the group's attention. Charmeleon led the group towards the structure, until they had surrounded it.

"It looks like a shrine," Chris studied the small structure, before backing away as Pidgeotto perched on top of it.

"Might be for your voice of the forest," Luke nodded towards the trainer. "Don't touch it Pidgeotto."

Elekid ducked beneath the legs of the shrine and motioned towards Charmeleon. The Flame Pokémon came to stand beside the shrine and Elekid pointed towards something out of Chris' sight. Charmeleon immediately grabbed Elekid and roared at the rest of the group. The Flame Pokémon ushered them away from the shrine with a serious look on his face. As they walked away, Chris thought he could make out a small opening in the bottom of the shrine.

"Pokémon seem to be pretty in tune with nature and other Pokémon," Chris spoke out as they continued on. "It probably is best for us to not mess with the shrine."

"I would like to have seen what Elekid was looking it," Luke mused. "I guess we really don't have time to slow down though."

"We're moving at Luke speed now!" Chris chuckled.

The sight of Charmeleon, Elekid, and Pidgeotto forced almost every Pokémon back into the shadows. Only a few Weedle and Hoothoot attempted a battle, with each being quickly defeated. The trainers found themselves heading up hill at a starling pace. The group began to notice fewer trees around them, expanding their sight. A beautiful lake rested to their left, forcing the trainers to head east.

As the sun continued to rise, the trainers felt their pace increase. It was still four hours till noon, but the group did not want to take any chances. Eventually, their path came to a fork, with one path heading left and the other right.

"My PokéGear doesn't have any information on this section of the forest," Chris announced.

"Pidgeotto," Luke tapped the Bird Pokémon, "scout out which path will lead us to Goldenrod."

"Pidgeo!" The flying type took off into the air and disappeared over the tree tops.

As the trainers waited, Chris took a moment to chug a bottle of water from his bag. This day was going to be a hot one.

"There he is!" Luke pointed towards a circling bird over head. The flying type dove towards the trainers before shooting over the left path. "We must not be very far away."

The path wrapped itself back around the lake so that it covered their left view once more. The trainers were relieved to see a building ahead, marking a return to civilization. Once they had reached it, the trainers noticed that it was the only structure around.

"I guess this leads out of here," Luke surmised as he returned his Pokémon to their devices and entered through the sliding doors.

The duo found themselves in a relatively narrow terminal. The building was quite bare except for a woman at a nearby counter.

"Ma'am," Chris spoke as they approached her, "does this way lead to Goldenrod City?"

"Why, yes it does!" She answered with a smile, much to the trainers' relief. "It's just beyond Route 34."

"Route 34?" Chris felt his jaw drop. "There's another route between here and Goldenrod!?"

"I thought your PokéGear showed you the routes?!" Luke's voice had risen in frustration.

"Calm down fellas," the woman pleaded, "it is a very short route. It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes to get to the city."

"That's what I like to hear," Luke sighed. He turned to Chris. "Still, we don't have any time to waste. We'll still need to maneuver through the city."

"It's half past nine," Chris informed as he looked at the PokéGear device around his wrist. "Let's try to be registered by ten."

"Then enough planning!" Luke roared as both trainers sprinted through the terminal.

The duo busted through the exit and found themselves completely blinded by the sun's light.

"Shit," Chris heard Luke murmur as the trainers rubbed their eyes.

"Probably should have planned for the sun," Chris opened his eyes slowly, allowing them to gradually adjust to the light.

"Ten o' clock!" Luke exclaimed as he stumbled blindly forward.

"You can carve it in stone!" Chris agreed with a laugh as they hustled along the short route.

The appearance of traffic was the first thing Chris noticed. Cars flashed by the sprinting trainers, as the smell of exhaust lingered through the air. The path forced the trainers onto a walkway which kept them on the right edge of the road. Chris could make out a long line of beaches beyond the left side of the road and a blue expanse past that. The trainers soon found themselves swerving between power walkers, forcing Chris to turn away from the wild sight.

"Where exactly will the tournament be held?" Chris asked between pants.

"In a stadium on the west side of the city," Luke answered. "I think they built it over the torn down Global Terminal."

"That's weird," Chris thought back on his knowledge of the city, "I'm pretty sure that tower was built less than ten years ago."

"The architectural cycle of the city isn't exactly a priority," Luke reminded the trainer.

"This tournament really has you pumped!" Chris noticed that they had entered into the city limits.

"Why shouldn't it?" Luke came to a stop at a chaotic intersection. "There are going to be some incredible trainers there."

As the boys waited to cross the street, they took in their surroundings. Even near the edge of the city, the buildings stood taller than Chris could imagine. Business offices and stores completely dominated the scene. Once the trainers began to make their way across the street, Chris noticed that dozens of people were suddenly walking around them. Before he could sprint ahead with Luke, a wave of people from the other side of the crosswalk crashed into them.

"We're going to be crushed to death if we're not careful!" Chris shouted over the noise of the crowd.

"Let's just stick to the edge of the sidewalk till we get to the right street!" Chris saw Luke point towards a clearing on the walkway.

"You seem to know the general information," Chris began, "but I think I can get us there if I know what street we are looking for."

"You didn't live in Goldenrod did you?" Luke inquired.

"I'd stayed up here with my dad from time to time," Chris explained. "I know the streets well enough, anyway.

"The Poster said it was on West Main Boulevard," Luke informed him.

"I know where that's at," Chris answered shortly.

"Really?"

"It's the same road that the Radio Tower is on." Chris' mind immediately brought up a picture of his father. "That'll have to wait," Chris muttered to himself.

The trainer from Cherrygrove led them north. Just a couple blocks from downtown, Chris turned them left onto their desired street.

"Now this is a boulevard," Luke announced, marveled by the street's great width.

"The trees planted down it were a nice touch," Chris chimed in.

The trainers stayed on the left side of the vast street, doing their best to stay out of all the commotion. Chris noticed two large structures looming in the distance as they broke away from the downtown skyscrapers.

"There's your Radio Tower," Luke nodded at a wide building on the right side of the street.

Chris immediately recognized the large antenna atop it. "The one and only."

"Maybe you two can meet up while we're close," Luke proposed.

"We may see him at the tournament," Chris responded. "He may be personally overseeing the broadcast of the event."

"That'd be pretty-" Luke was cut off by the solemn look on Chris' face.

As the trainers passed by the Radio Tower, they noticed a massive, dome shaped building in the distance.

"Almost there," Chris could feel his body tensing up as the arena grew larger before them.

The street suddenly turned north, but a large bridge stood before the trainers. On the other side of the structure, Chris could see the arena standing firmly beyond an open area. As the trainers began to cross over, Chris noticed a growing number of youth had begun to appear around him. He noticed several young men walking beside him had belts laced with Pokéballs. Chris and Luke remained silent as the bridge led them to the other side, and into a festive atmosphere. The whole space was covered by brick flooring, providing a stark contrast to the modern feel of the city. Two fountains resided in the middle of the expanse.

Chris noticed that sea now covered the horizons of his vision. They had stepped onto a makeshift island.

"I think I see some stations set up in front of the arena," Luke pointed towards a line forming near the building. "We better jump in."

The trainers quickly took their place in line, relieved to see that their wait would not be a long wait.

"Never thought I would be grateful for an early morning rise," Chris chuckled, seeing a large group of trainers cross over the bridge behind them.

"The forest guardian has my sincerest gratitude," Luke agreed.

As the line shortened and the registration desk became more visible, Chris noticed Luke walking in place.

"I'd say there's a restroom inside," Chris couldn't hold back a laugh after seeing annoyance on Luke's face.

"I'm nervous about your selections," Luke clarified, drawing an exasperated sigh from Chris.

"You agreed they were good picks!" Chris retorted. "If you don't like them then you're welcome to choose your own."

"I'll stick with them," Luke calmly stated after a pause. "I know any team member will be ready when called upon. That's the key with these tournaments. You have to be able to adapt to any situation in a very short period of time."

"Maybe I should go with Magikarp to throw everyone off balance!" Chris suggested much to the chagrin of Luke.

"No one needs to prep for a Pokémon that only learns three moves," Luke shook his head as both trainers stepped up to a row of tables.

Chris noticed that multiple lines had formed all along the lengthy trail of tables. The trainer now realized that the competition was much larger than he could have possibly imagined.

"May I please see your Pokédex and gym badges?" An older gentleman asked them from behind the table.

Luke withdrew his Pokémon identification device and placed his gym badges on the table. The man skimmed through the Pokédex and verified the authenticity of both badges. He began to type on a computer that rested on the table, before suddenly looking up.

"What Pokémon will you be using for the tournament?" He asked.

"My Poochyena and Wooper," Luke confirmed, revealing their Pokéballs.

The man printed out an ID card for Luke and attached it onto a necklace. "Please wear this at all times once inside the arena. Welcome to the tournament."

The same process was repeated with Chris, with the trainer picking his Cyndaquil and Nidoran as battling partners. Once Chris had slung his ID necklace around his neck, the two trainers exploded with excitement.

"We're in man!" Chris exchanged a high-five with Luke.

"Now the only competition left to face will be on the battlefield," Luke smiled, checking out his face on the card around his neck. "The ID says to be on the arena floor by 11:30."

"It's five past ten," Chris informed, "so I guess we have some time to kill."

"Any ideas?" Luke asked, looking out into the different stands and tents set up across the island.

"We could grab an open bench and sit down for a bit," Chris was beginning to feel fatigue from their blistering pace. "It'd give us a chance to prep our Pokémon."

"Some rest isn't a bad idea," Luke acknowledged.

The trainers grabbed some water from a nearby stand and found a couple of seats close to the arena. Chris was baffled at the island's capacity to hold this many people. Both trainers and anxious fans ran back and forth between the different tents, throwing their money away on games and prizes. Chris noticed a small group of trainers standing off from everyone else. All of them were older than Chris, though a few didn't look to be too much older. He wondered if these trainers maybe knew one another.

Looking at his ID card, Chris noticed that they had used the picture of him from his Pokédex. It was crazy to think that just a short time ago; he was outside in his yard practicing battle strategies with imaginary Pokémon. Had he accomplished everything he had wanted to at this point? Two badges were his as well as a great team of four Pokémon. What tone would this tournament set for the next stage of his journey?

"It lists our number of badges on here," Chris heard Luke state.

Studying his card, Chris found the number of badges listed at the bottom. Above the number, Chris noticed 'Section 1' written.

"What do you think that means?" Chris pointed out the section number.

"With all of these trainers," Luke pulled out an apple from his bag, "I'd say they have to divide us up into groups."

"Guess we'll find out," Chris answered.

Chris noticed people beginning to gather in a circle nearby, sparking the trainer's curiosity. Chris got up and stepped in with the growing number of trainers. They had formed a large circle around two trainers who appeared to be locked in a Pokémon battle.

"Flame Charge, Houndour," The trainer closest to Chris directed. Her command was so fluid, that Chris was taken aback.

"Take that blow Primape!" Her male opponent countered. "Then slam it with Reversal!"

The Dark Pokémon was engulfed by fire as it slammed its body into its opponent. As Primape went to grab Houndour, a light glow overtook the Pokémon.

"Dash out of there," The female trainer's calm voice echoed.

The canine-like Pokémon spun away from the fighting type's clutches. This maneuver caught everyone in the crowd by surprise.

"How's the battle?" Luke came to stand beside Chris.

"While it's off balance," the trainer of Houndour did not miss a beat, "finish it with Ember!"

The Dark Pokémon released a shower of flaming bolts upon the defenseless Primeape. The attack knocked the fighting type off its feet and left it unable to battle.

"She's great," Chris breathed, amazed by her fluid style.

"You can say that again," Luke responded with a whistle. "I hope we don't see her in the tournament!"

"Great job, Sarah!" A voice from nearby cheered.

"Flame Charge's speed boost saved her Houndour from Primeape's attack," a trainer beside Chris explained to his partner.

"Flame Charge increases the Pokémon's speed?" Chris had never heard of such a useful technique. He would probably never experience the entire vast array of moves in the Pokémon world.

"She only has three badges," a guy from the crowd called out. "That's pretty sad, Brian!"

"I used my weakest Pokémon!" The trainer retorted, giving the spectator the finger. "If you would like to see my strong ones, step the fuck up!"

Chris was beginning to feel his warm, perfect view of a journey fading away. These trainers were evidence of the grind and grit of the Pokémon League.

"Better luck next time!" The trainer named Sarah called as she made her way out of the circle.

"That was quite impressive," Luke complemented as she passed by the duo.

"Thanks," she answered back with a smile.

"Yeah," was all Chris could get out as she turned away from the boys and headed towards the arena.

As the crowd began to dissipate, Chris felt a nudge on his shoulder.

"Is that the charm you use to pick up women?" Luke laughed as Chris' face reddened. "'Yeah' was quite the attention grabber!"

"I was caught off guard," Chris threw a punch back at the trainer. "You stole the words from my mouth!"

"Now you're making excuses like that Brian punk!" Luke sighed. The Tohjo Falls native pointed to other crowds close by. "Maybe we can find some other battles to entertain ourselves with."

"And check out the competition while we're at it," Chris added, remembering that they would be battling soon as well.

For the next hour, the duo migrated between different battles. Most were between average trainers, though the last battle they watched really stood out. The fellas joined in at the climax of the battle.

"Blast it with Thunderbolt!" A tall male ordered his Starmie.

The trainer of the green sauropod Pokémon on the other side quickly responded. "Into the air, Tropious!"

The flying plant Pokémon unfurled its wings and rose into the sky to dodge the electrical attack. Without hesitation, Tropius shot towards Starmie with its wings glowing brightly.

"Bring it down with Psychic!" Starmie's trainer directed.

A pale glow surrounded the sea star Pokémon as it carried out the order. Suddenly, a large pulse rippled out from Starmie and froze the Fruit Pokémon in midair. The back set of Starmie's arms suddenly began to spin, as the sea star slammed Tropius into the ground with telekinesis.

"We're stronger than this!" The gentleman encouraged his Tropius. "Fight back with Leaf Storm!"

"Match it with Blizzard!" The opposing trainer roared.

Tropius quickly regained its footing and swung its wings forward in a circular motion. A barrage of leaves spun off of the Fruit Pokémon's wings and raced towards Starmie. The sea star Pokémon spun its arms once more and a condensed burst of frozen energy sped towards Tropius' attack. When the crowd noticed that the attacks would collide, everyone immediately dove away from the battle.

The attacks slammed into one another in an impressive display of power. The blast sent rouge leaves shooting in all directions, and caked everyone in the vicinity with a light snow. Chris noticed that only Starmie remained standing.

"Thanks for that awesome battle," the victor kindly thanked as the two shook hands.

"The pleasure was all mine!" The gentleman replied.

"We need all trainers to report to the arena at this time," an intercom rang from overhead.

"I guess we're up," Chris could feel his excitement growing after witnessing the other trainers' battles.

The duo joined the mass of trainers heading back towards the stadium. Once they arrived, the trainers noticed four different gates lining the entrance.

"Please proceed to the gate number that matches your section!" A voice directed.

"There's our answer," Luke said, tapping his card.

Chris and Luke made their way over to gate one and found themselves surrounded by trainers their age.

"I don't see Sarah," Chris announced to Luke as he scanned the crowd.

The sections were told to form straight lines and prepare their Pokémon. As the multitude of trainers continued to shift lines, a male voice rang out over the speakers.

"Just to clarify," he paused, "gate one should be populated with trainers owning one or two badges. Gate two should hold trainers with three or four badges, and so on." There was another moment of silence to allow all the trainers to find their gates. "When you enter through these gates, you will immediately be divided up into one-on-one matches."

"Weeding out the weak," Luke whispered to Chris.

"Let's hope we're not the weak ones," Chris replied, thinking back to Sarah and the trainer of Starmie.

"These screening battles will end once every section is down to sixteen trainers," the explanation continued. "From there, those remaining will be randomized into the final sixty-four trainer tournament."

"Sounds groovy," Luke chuckled. "Even better than I imagined."

Chris was surprised to find himself unsure of his decision to participate. Some of these trainers were the best in all of the region. To even make it to them, Chris would have to survive a marathon of Pokémon battles.

"Just remember," Chris took a deep breath as they were led through the gates, "it's all for the bigger picture."

"Best of luck man!" Luke patted the trainer's shoulder as he was led down an adjacent hallway.

"You better win!" Chris called after him as his group headed the other way.

The lights were kept dim, but Chris noticed metallic fences lining the aisles. This tournament was making quite a first impression.

"Here," the woman pointed at an opening in the fence and nodded at Chris.

The trainer from Cherrygrove found his hands twitching as he stepped inside the fenced in area. Looking at the floor, he noticed a trainer box in front of him and realized what was about to happen. There was a ringing sound as the fence door closed and a dozen lights from above flashed on. Chris looked through the chain link fence and realized that he was standing in one of hundreds of fenced off battlefields.

"My gosh..." Chris hadn't seen such a sight since his brother participated in the Silver Conference.

"Trainers," a woman's voice echoed over the speakers this time, "you may begin your one-on-one battles."

Chris turned to look across the battlefield and noticed a boy his age staring back at him. The lights covering the roof overhead made it difficult to make out the trainer's features.

"Let's get things going," Chris' opponent announced as he tossed a Pokéball onto the battlefield.

Chris instinctively did the same, not thinking on which Pokémon he had chosen.

"Nido!" The Poison Pin Pokémon roared as it burst onto the battlefield.

"Let's slow him down with Cotton Spore!"

The Wool Pokémon shook its body violently, sending clumps of fur across the battlefield.

"Watch your step!" Chris warned his Pokémon as he charged towards the opponent. "Slam it with your Horn Attack!"

"Drill it with Signal Beam!"

As Chris' Pokémon nimbly leap across the slippery battlefield, Flaaffy fired a multicolored beam from the orb on its tail.

"Slide underneath!" Chris quickly commanded after seeing their opponent aim high.

The poison type used the slippery wool beneath it to accelerate towards Flaaffy. As Chris had hoped, the Wool Pokémon's attack sailed over Nidoran's head and caught the opposing trainer off guard. Nidoran was upon Flaaffy before its trainer could counter, leaving the electric type open to a brutal shot from the porcupine. The strike knocked Flaaffy to the ground and left Chris smelling blood.

"Poison Sting!" Chris enthusiastically called.

The trainer did not take notice of the fur beneath Nidoran's feet though. The poison type slipped as it went to charge, leaving it prone to attack.

"Take Down!" The opposing trainer recovered, seeing Chris' blunder.

Flaaffy jumped back to its feet and threw itself into the off balanced Nidoran. The heavy blow sent Nidoran flailing to the ground, but also made the electric type recoil in pain.

"Don't let up! Let's go with Signal Beam!"

Nidoran resisted bug type moves, but even he had difficulty standing back up after the combo attack. Chris could tell that his Pokémon was still able to battle, but the poison type was forced to catch his breath while still on his back.

"Finish things up with one more Take Down!" The trainer smiled, believing that victory was in his grasp.

Chris' mind was moving at a thousand miles an hour as Flaaffy dove towards Nidoran. At the last possible moment, Chris called out a command.

"Double Kick!"

Flaaffy's position set it up perfectly for two well placed kicks. The first strike caught the Wool Pokémon in the throat, while the other shot into Flaaffy's ribs. Nidoran managed to get back on his feet as Flaaffy collapsed and remained motionless.

"That'll do!" A voice announced from behind Chris.

The trainers turned as a man wearing judge gear entered the cage. He carried a small device and Chris noticed that he was furiously typing something out.

"Chris from Cherrygrove City is the victor!" He announced after finishing. The man pointed at Chris' opponent. "There are two escorts behind you that will lead you out of the arena. As for you," he nodded at Chris, "I will lead you to your next opponent."

"There's no break?" Chris gulped as he wiped sweat from his brow.

"Follow me."

The trainer was lead out of the cage and down another aisle. With the bright lights overhead, Chris could now see the multitude of battles going on around him. He noticed that each fenced in battlefield had an official judge standing close by to monitor the action. The man suddenly stopped in front of Chris and pointed to an empty battlefield beside them.

"You're opponent will be with you shortly," he informed, before jogging off to another assignment.

Chris stepped inside the fenced in area and stood by the trainer box.

"Might as well check out the other competition," Chris felt relieved to have notched a win in the first battle. The tightness he had experienced before was fading.

The trainer tried to observe a battle going on across the aisle next to him. It appeared that an Ursaring and Wartortle were doing battle, with the water type clearly dominating.

"Your opponent is here," Chris heard a woman's voice from outside the cage.

The trainer looked at the other side of the battlefield and noticed someone was indeed there. She appeared to be around Chris' age, but had a care free expression that befitted someone younger.

"Guess we'll get to battling!" She announced with a smile, maximizing the Pokéball in her hand.

"There has to be something to this girl's style," Chris analyzed his opponent as she danced back and forth, "because she didn't win her first battle with complete concentration."

"Let's go Cyndaquil!" Chris released the fire starter from its device. "Let's prove how far we've come!"

"Quil!"

"Oh it's so cute!" Chris' opponent squealed, much to his annoyance. She tossed her own Pokéball high into the air. "C'mon out Beedrill!"

A high pitched buzzing sound filled Chris' ears as the Poison Bee Pokémon circled overhead.

"Ladies first," Chris suggested politely with a smile. He was actually still trying to figure out what her play was.

"Thanks!" She ran a hand through her short blonde hair. "I guess we'll start with Fury Attack."

Beedrill's speed exceeded Chris' expectations, forcing the trainer to play defense.

"Dodge those strikes!" Chris commanded, hoping to buy some time for a counter.

The always nimble Cyndaquil managed to spin around Beedrill's armed stingers. The Fire Mouse's evasiveness gave Chris enough time to prepare a combo.

"Smokescreen!" Chris directed after seeing Beedrill's strikes slow down.

Cyndaquil released a heavy plume of smoke from its mouth. With the close proximity, the fire type's attack staggered Beedrill. This allowed Chris to execute one of his oldest strategies with his starter.

"Listen for the buzzing sound," Chris called to his Pokémon, "and use Quick Attack!"

The smoke blocked the action from view, but Chris heard his starter's trademark battle cry. There was the sound of a collision and Chris watched the Poison Bee Pokémon crash to the ground outside of the smoke.

"We need to get a little bit faster!" Chris' opponent finally spoke. "Let's see how Agility goes."

Chris would not allow the bug to boost its speed. "Char it with Ember!"

Cyndaquil unleashed a barrage of fire from underneath the cover of smoke. As the flames approached the bug type, a cool glow enveloped Beedrill. As the attack bore down on the Poison Bee, the bug type suddenly disappeared.

"Too late," Chris muttered through gritted teeth. His opponent had the momentum now.

"Great job!" The young woman waved towards Chris, much to his confusion. "Now let's box them with Poison Jab!"

"I like that," Chris took a split second to admire the pun, before trying to locate Beedrill. He suddenly realized that her compliment had been towards the bug type, prompting Chris to look behind him.

"Oh shoot!" Chris yelled.

The familiar buzzing sound shot past Chris' ear as Beedrill raced towards Cyndaquil from behind. Chris had no time to warn his starter and watched as the Poison Bee delivered a vicious shot with one of its stingers. The blow caught Cyndaquil in the chest as he turned toward the buzzing sound. The fire type was slammed onto his back and held there by Beedrill's weight.

"How about a Twineedle Attack?" The female trainer chirped in excitement.

"Don't give it a chance!" Chris hollowly commanded, unsure of how to escape the jam.

To his surprise, the fire starter latched on to Beedrill's attacking stinger and wouldn't let go.

"There's the resiliency I love!" Chris cheered. The trainer had become motivated by his Pokémon's tenacity. "How will it like a point blank Ember attack?"

The flames on Cyndaquil's back ignited once more as the Fire Mouse Pokémon exhaled a wave of inferno onto its opponent. Cyndaquil released himself from the bug type as it collapsed beneath the surging flames.

"Oh no Beedrill!" The young woman returned her defeated Pokémon to its Pokéball before shaking her head. "Darn! I knew I shouldn't have used my best Pokémon in the first battle!"

"Who is your best?" Chris' curiosity inquired.

"My wonderful Kingler of course!" She exclaimed.

"Oh..." Chris released a nervous laugh as he returned Cyndaquil to his Pokéball. Chris' tournament run would have most likely ended with that type match up. "Better to be lucky than good, I guess."

"Right you are," Chris' opponent acknowledged, before trudging out the exit behind her.

"Chris of Cherrygrove City advances!"

Chris turned to see a judge enter into the cage. He watched as she processed the information into her electronic tablet. The trainer assumed that all of the judges recorded results through these devices. He figured that there was a computer somewhere in the arena storing all of the information.

"I'll take you to your next battle," she announced, causing Chris' heart to sink.

"Even with injured Po-"

"This tournament was set up to test the will of trainer and Pokémon," the judge answered firmly. "Your next opponent will be waiting on you. Follow me."

For the first time since the tournament had begun, Chris thoughts led him to Luke. He wondered how the trainer had fared in his screening battles, and if he had even made it passed the first round.

"Of course he did," Chris breathed. The trainer was ashamed to even question Luke's abilities. Especially since he had watched the man from Tohjo Falls defeat two Gym Leaders.

Chris followed the judge back into the aisle space. Their destination was only two cages over.

"This will be the final round of screening," she informed him. "Will you have the strength to finish standing?"

As Chris walked into the cage, his mind could not decide which Pokémon to go with. Nidoran had more time to recover, but it had taken significantly more damage than Cyndaquil. He would have to hope that his opponent's Pokémon had taken significant damage.

Stepping into the trainer's box, Chris was relieved to see that his final opponent would not be Luke. Chris hoped that the trainer had already qualified for the tournament.

"I'm ready to perform on the big stage," Chris admitted to the short, blonde haired male he now faced. The trainer aimed for intimidation, hoping to appear much more confident than he really was. Chris decided to go with Cyndaquil, releasing the Fire type from its Pokéball. "I hope you plan on stopping me!"

His undersized adversary quietly released his Pokémon from its device. Chris couldn't help but feel terrible for his actions as he analyzed the severely weakened Umbreon before him. Chris noticed its legs were wobbling beneath its own weight and realized that the Pokémon had barely made it past her last fight. This battle was already near a close.

"Alright Cyndaquil," Chris sighed, "no need to drag this out. Ember attack."

Cyndaquil seemed to have shaken off some of the damage from his last match. A strong surge of flames rippled across the Fire Mouse's back. Cyndaquil fired off a wide shower of fire that raced towards the feeble looking Umbreon.

"Faint Attack!" Chris' opponent said the words so quickly, that he did not have time to decipher them.

The Moonlight Pokémon lurched forward, as if to topple over, before vanishing from view.

"To your left!" Chris warned his Pokémon.

Cyndaquil brought up its arms to absorb a strong tackle from the deceptively fast Umbreon. The attack knocked Cyndaquil to the ground, but the fire starter was ready to go when Chris called for a Quick Attack to counter.

The two Pokémon crashed into one another, but both refused to back down. Despite Cyndaquil's more healthy condition, Umbreon managed to push Cyndaquil back.

"Pursuit!" The opposing trainer could feel momentum coming his way.

Chris could tell that his opponent was trying to end the battle as quick as possible. Unfortunately for the Cherrygrove trainer, the strategy was proving to be successful. Umbreon seemed to be using all the energy in its body to complete the series of attacks. The Moonlight Pokémon followed through with its most recent order, slamming Cyndaquil with its body.

"Stay strong!" Chris encouraged his starter as he skidded across the ground. "Buy some time with Smokescreen!"

The Fire Mouse managed to release a black wall of smoke, before dropping to a knee. Chris could tell that his Pokémon had been shell shocked by the sudden life of Umbreon. Cyndaquil was dazed.

Chris noticed movement from inside the black cloud and realized that Umbreon was on the move. The dark type burst through the cover and charged straight at Cyndaquil. The trainer had no chance to react as the Moonlight Pokémon went to leap at Cyndaquil.

"Umbreon!" The opposing trainer shouted.

The Dark Type's legs gave out from underneath it, causing Umbreon to unceremoniously sink to the ground. Both Cyndaquil and Chris could only look on in shock at their depleted opponent.

"That was too close," Chris could feel his heart racing. He had severely underestimated his opponent's spirit.

"And that will do it!" A judge declared, stepping into the battlefield. "Chris will advance to the tournament."

"Awesome," Chris breathed. He gently scooped up Cyndaquil and held the fire starter. "We did it!"

Cyndaquil squirmed out of Chris' arms and jumped onto his shoulder. "Cynda!"

"I'll show you to the other fifteen finalists," the male official announced. "We should hurry because they will be displaying the tournament match ups soon."

"Right," Chris hustled after the judge as he typed away on his tablet.

The trainer noticed that all of the cages they passed were being deconstructed. Dozens of workers were scrambling back and forth through the aisles. Chris noticed that the floor remained level as they continued on through the aisle. The trainer noticed that they were approaching a large, circular wall. Looking up, Chris had to hold back a gasp.

"We're standing in the main stadium," Chris' voice was filled with wonder. And these massive walls around it are the edges of the stadium seats!"

"Yes," the judge's tone remained very even. "This stadium holds close to one hundred thousand viewers."

"My gosh," Chris shook his head. He could not imagine battling in front of that many people.

"Here we are," he pointed to a group of trainers huddled by the stadium wall.

"Luke!" Chris felt a smile creep onto his face seeing his fellow trainer had advanced. "How'd things go for you?"

"Well," he couldn't hold back a chuckle, "I advanced! It certainly wasn't a walk in the park though."

"Not even a battle marathon could stop us, eh?" Chris noticed the other trainers held perplexed looks on their faces. These trainers had not experienced the companionship that came with travel.

"How'd your matches go?" Luke inquired after seeing Chris' exhausted expression.

"They were a lot closer then I would have liked," Chris admitted after reminiscing. "I didn't realize that other trainers our age were this focused. I'm kinda scared to battle trainers with even more experience."

"It is sort of daunting," Luke nodded, but then shrugged. "But it's also exciting. Gotta battle the best to become the best."

"That last line," Chris shook his head, "that's good stuff man."

"Pretty sure I read that in a fortune cookie," Luke smiled and pointed at a cameraman setting up nearby. "I think they're getting ready for Chris' mug shot."

"It should be a crime for the beat down I'm about to unleash!" Chris' bravado could only conceal his nervousness for so long. The trainer would have to be cast into battle before the butterflies in his stomach would subside.

"Excuse me," the cameraman nodded at Chris, "could you come over here for a second."

Luke shrugged. "What'd I tell ya?"

Chris was a bit apprehensive as he approached the stranger. The man bore a smile of familiarity, but Chris could not return the greeting.

"Name's Chris, right?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Ben's boy?" The question instantly cleared Chris' confusion.

"You work for the Radio Tower!" Chris shook the man's hand as he laughed.

"I do indeed!" He pointed at his camera. "Your dad is back at the tower making sure the broadcast stays strong."

"Broadcast?" Chris responded in confusion.

"You don't think one of the largest tournaments in the region will go unnoticed, do you?"

"The lighting might be a little heavy on your cameras," Chris thought back to his father's ramblings.

"We'll be getting quite a bit of natural light soon," he answered cryptically. The technician pointed over Chris' shoulder. "Looks like their bringing a healing unit over to the trainers. Better get your Pokémon taken care of before the tournament starts!"

"Good talking to you," Chris waved to the man as he hurried back over to the group of trainers. He turned to Luke. "We were both wrong. Still small timers I guess."

"You almost missed the team healing," Luke placed his Pokéballs inside the portable healing chamber that a Nurse Joy had brought to them. "I've never even heard of these machines before."

"They were created by a man named Bill who lives in this city," she answered before proceeded to heal Chris' Pokémon.

Luke nodded. "I have heard of him."

Once the sixteen trainers had finished healing their Pokémon, the judge returned.

"We need all of the trainers to report to the seats directly behind you," he announced.

As the trainers made their way into their designated area, a hissing sound escaped from the roof above. The whole arena was bathed in darkness as the ceiling lights shut off. The sound of hydraulics filled the stadium as the roof suddenly began to slide to the left. A piercing light filtered in from above, as the suns rays washed over the arena's inhabitants. After several more seconds, Chris could see an expanse of blue overhead and felt a light breeze flutter past him.

Luke turned to Chris. "I don't think we're small timers any more."


Closing- I'm a little winded after writing this chapter! I hope you enjoyed Chris' next step towards becoming a Master Trainer. I enjoyed fleshing out the characters after receiving some motivation from a friend. Speaking of which, there will be some exciting new material coming your way after the next chapter. Another point of view might be nice, eh? Can't wait to catch you for the next chapter of Heart and Soul!