Welp... a late Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and Happy 3rd anniversary to Heart and Soul! Shew, a lot has happened in the past two months. Our story picks up with Chris and Morty, after the former has defeated the latter. Let's jump in and check out what they've been up to on this two month visit ha. Thank you for joining me again for another chapter! Please Review and Subscribe if you enjoyed it!


Chapter 26

"So Curse has a different effect when Ghost-types use it?"

The challenger and Gym Leader had come to a small sandwich joint. Despite the cramped interior, it was relatively calm.

"It's the only move of its kind," Morty nodded. "For Ghost-types, it cuts their stamina in half. The benefit is, the curse is also placed on the opponent, draining their stamina substantially over time."

"That's a huge difference," Chris whistled and grinned. "Works well with a dark atmosphere and a fast, shifty user."

"You'd think I had planned that out or something," Morty revealed a smile. "Speaking of planning," the Gym Leader bit a chunk out of his sub, "how much preparation did it take to use Magikarp? Losing to the fish was a first to me."

"I actually mixed him into the rotation this morning," the words drew a look of shock from Morty, "at Quilava's request."

"That's just humiliating on my part," Morty shook his head. "It would seem your starter is quite passionate."

"He's been that way since I received him," the trainer thought back to the stern look he had received on that day. "Quilava has come a long way, though. He's grown to understand how important his teammates are. When they're in battle now," Chris chuckled, "Quilava is their biggest cheerleader."

"Seems like your team is developing some good chemistry," Morty acknowledged. "If your Magikarp is winning Gym battles, you must be doing something right."

The trainers continued discussing each other's teams. They branched off of their battle into the workings of the other Gym Leaders. Morty didn't divulge much information on the four remaining trainers, teasing Chris about challenging them fairly."

"So what'd you think of Whitney?"

"Battled her a couple years back," Morty shrugged, "one of the easiest battles I've had."

"Oh yeah," Chris slapped his forehead, "I guess her normal types couldn't do much to your team."

"Nope."

Chris went on to find out that Morty had lived in Ecruteak for most of his life. The trainer had only left to embark on his Pokémon journey.

"I just prefer to keep to myself," Morty sat back in his chair. "Even on my site explorations, I usually hang with a small crew."

This confused the young trainer. "So what motivated you to become a Gym Leader?"

"A guy can't keep to himself all the time," Morty laughed, "this is my hobby to fund exploration, and keep my social skills sharp."

"Now that's an honest answer."

The duo moved on to discussing Chris' travels and success. Morty was interested to hear about Chris' early life in Ecruteak, recognizing his father's name.

"I'm really excited to be back," Chris went on, "and I'm hoping to visit Bell Tower at some point. Only problem is, I seriously doubt the wise trio will let me pass."

"Sounds like you know some Pokémon mythos," Morty nodded in approval, "are you big into that at all?"

"Most definitely with Johto lore," Chis answered quickly. "I've studied a bit about the Johto-Sinnoh connection, but the majority of any study I've done, has focused on Ho-oh and the Legendary Beasts."

"That makes sense, you being from Ecruteak and all."

Morty went on to explain his fascination with the trio and their rainbow-colored leader. "Once, I even came face-to-face with Entei."

"That's pretty dang awesome," Chris smiled. "I actually came across Suicune in my first week of traveling." The trainer couldn't tell if Morty believed him, but the Gym Leader remained silent. "It saved me from a pretty severe thunderstorm."

Mentioning his encounter with Suicune sparked another memory in Chris' head. The gathering of the dragon masters and their discussion of Ghetsis made Chris wander how much Morty knew.

"So," Chris wanted to tread lightly, "what's your opinion on all of these organizational takeovers in the past decade?"

The Gym Leader sighed. "It's no different than the burning of the Brass Tower." Morty noticed Chris' curious expression. "You're familiar with the Brass Tower, I'm sure. Seven hundred and fifty years ago, there was a great war involving humans and Pokémon. Millions of lives were lost. My ancestors considered it to be the beginning of a great divide between us and them."

The young trainer had read about this confrontation in a couple history books. In Chris' life though, it seemed few people felt comfortable discussing it.

"Humanity divided among itself, convincing Pokémon to join their different factions," Morty stopped to sip on his coffee. "Each faction had a different view of the world. They had individual visions of what paths would benefit their worldview."

Chris was beginning to see where Morty was going with this history lesson.

"It took the combined effort of the Ecruteak Sages and Ho-oh to stop the conflict." Looking at the Gym Leader, Chris could swear Morty had been there. "But consequences followed. Humanity was almost wiped out, leaving survivors to scavenge what was left. In response to Ho-oh sparing their lives, these people presented offerings to the Rainbow Pokémon. They swore to serve and help the remaining Pokémon, building the two towers here in Ecruteak seven hundred years ago. They are a symbol of peace between the two species."

"So there was peace between that time, and the burning of the Brass Tower?"

"Not quite," Morty shook his head sadly. "Humans and Pokémon had their disagreements, especially with the amount of land humans began to own. Despite this, the species managed to coexist. Until about one hundred-fifty years ago, when the Brass Tower caught fire."

"A lightning bolt?"

Morty nodded. "And then the deadly fire. Followed by the somber rain."

"So you don't think the Legendary Beasts' typing is a coincidence either?" Chris smiled.

"I don't believe in coincidences, period." Morty messed with his headband. "The entire point of this anecdote being, humans and Pokémon have never gotten along perfectly. My family has always tried to do what is best to maintain harmony. My only real fear is that one of these organizations may succeed, and create an irreversible separation between humanity and Pokémon."

Morty held his gaze on a particular spot on the table. "All it takes is a strong, off-base leader, and a group of down-and-out individuals to shake the world." There was a long pause. "Rocket, Aqua, Magma, Galactic, and Plasma; the corrupt have always been there."

"You're pretty wise to be this young," Chris complimented, drawing a small grin from Morty.

"I guess it's to be expected since I've studied this stuff my whole life," the Gym Leader shrugged.

"You ramble on like an elderly person too," Chris chuckled.

Morty thought for a second. "Damn," he laughed, "I guess you're right."

The Gym Leader checked his watch and informed Chris that he needed to get back to the Gym. The young trainer thanked Morty for the time and food.

"It's the least I could do for the trainer that beat my Pokémon with a Magikarp."

"You're never going to shake that, are you?"

"Never."

With a wave, Morty headed back to his Gym.


As soon as Morty was out of sight, Chris leaped into the air and shouted as loud as he could. He couldn't care less about what the people around him thought. He was halfway to the Silver Conference.

The trainer immediately headed for the Pokémon Center. Chris couldn't stop smiling as he turned his victorious team over to the nurse and took a seat nearby. As he sat, his excitement began to fade a bit as he tried to focus on the team's next step. "Now we can focus on the Bell Tower." The trainer felt knots form in his stomach. "But maybe we should check out some other places beforehand."

The day was shaping up to be fairly sunny, as the morning fog faded. It would be a beautiful day to explore Ecruteak and its surrounding countryside. After receiving his Pokémon from the nurse, Chris decided to spend the day on the east side of town. He didn't want to exhaust his team after their action packed morning. Chris decided that they could chill for a couple of weeks in the city. It would give the team a chance to rest up after the past month's high intensity pace. It would also give Chris more time to become reacquainted with his hometown. They could cap off the two week stop with a trip to the Bell Tower.

"C'mon out guys!" the trainer released his teammates from their devices. The Pokémon had not lost their excitement over the latest victory. Nidoking, despite not battling, seemed to be the most fired up. delivering painfully strong high fives. "I was thinking we could take it easy for the rest of the day. How does chilling on this side of the city sound?"

The trainer's Pokémon gave him grateful looks. Despite their excitement, the team had to be fatigued after their arduous fight with Morty. The group proceeded north, stopping by different stores and food stands. Eventually, they reached the entrance station for Route 42. Chris' Pokémon seemed pretty adamant to see what stood on the other side of the tree line. The team passed through the border station and stepped into one of the most beautiful views in all of Johto. The trainer remembered his family coming to the route for afternoon picnics and relaxation, but somehow Chris had never appreciated the sight as a child. Two mountains climbed into the sky, one close, one far. A beautiful lake rested at the foothills of the closest mountain, reflecting the rugged peaks against the blue sky. Much farther away, a massive, snow-covered peak stood over the region. It was the ultimate challenge for all Johto trainers. A challenge that perhaps even Matt couldn't have overcome.

The trainer stopped, allowing for the team to roam around the large, grassy expanse. He let his eyes rest on the large lake that separated them from the closest mountain range. Chris hated his mind's occasional habit of pushing him to a depressing thought, especially when it stemmed from such a beautiful image. The young man from Cherrygrove had always strived to live the most positive life he could. Very rarely would anyone find the trainer not upbeat, ready for another challenge to overcome.

The thought of his missing brother, Chris deduced, often seemed to unhinge his usual positive demeanor. His family had not heard from Matt in years, but no apparent reason had surfaced for his disappearance. Beforehand, Matt would speak weekly through his Pokégear.

"Speaking of which," Chris brought up the messaging screen on his device. "Wouldn't hurt to give mom and dad an update." After doing so through two lengthy messages, Chris continued to stare at the screen. He put in a certain number, as he had done a thousand times as a kid. "This is stupid." Chris shook his head, looking back at his Pokémon.

Quilava and Nidoking appeared to be racing each other beside the clear body of water. Scyther stood closeby, obviously eager to challenge the winner. Crobat sat in a tree nearby, amused by his comrades' competitive spirit. The team wouldn't always have this high of spirits, but Chris was smart enough to know that they should enjoy these moments. The trainer looked back at his Pokégear and began to type.


Throughout the following week, Chris and his team enjoyed their stay in the traditional city. The trainer continued to hold practices in front of the Burned Tower, but Chris kept them light. His Pokémon, especially Quilava and Scyther, opposed the easier workouts after going through them for a few days. Chris explained to them the importance of training intervals, and not overworking one's self. He went on to make them a deal.

The group would stay in the Ecruteak area for a couple more weeks, with the training becoming more difficult as time progressed. From there, the team would set out on Route 38, physically prepared for the road ahead. The trainer planned on spending a week along the winding, coastal route. That would leave them with a week to kill in Olivine City before the ' party agreed with the current schedule, easing the trainer's mind. With a set schedule, the trainer knew exactly where his team needed to be at the end of the remaining month before the cruise.

The second week after their Gym Battle remained pretty standard, until the final day. After much nagging from Nidoking during the previous days, Chris finally agreed to let the team sample Route 38. They passed through the border station and found beautiful rolling hills on the other side. This was one of Chris' favorite locations in all of Johto. As a boy, his mother would sometimes take him on police meetings in Olivine City. Traveling along the green hills, with Olivine and a tremendous blue sea in the distance, would be memories Chris would cherish forever.

The trainer's Pokémon roamed the grass for a while, obviously excited to see so much new space to explore.

"Quil!" the surprised tone of the Volcano Pokémon grabbed Chris' attention.

When Chris arrived at the scene, he found his Starter Pokémon locked in battle with a pink, wool-covered creature. The trainer busted out his Pokédex.

Flaaffy, the Wool Pokémon. Its fluffy fleece easily stores electricity. Its rubbery hide keeps it from being electrocuted.

"I've seen your species before," Chris remembered seeing a couple Flaaffy at the Goldenrod Tournament.

Quilava was very aggressive in his pursuit, forcing the Wool Pokémon to fire off electrical blasts in defense. The Volcano Pokémon created a ring of fire around Flaaffy, cutting off her escape. As the fire danced around the wild Pokémon, its light illuminated the fear in Flaaffy's eyes. It was the look of a Pokémon not wanting to battle.

"Stop!" the trainer roared.

The urgency in his trainer's voice surprised Quilava, prompting the Fire-type to back down.

"Guys, help Quilava put out this fire!" Chris called for his other Pokémon.

While his team worked on putting out the small flames, Chris knelt beside the shocked Flaaffy. "I am so sorry," Chris bowed his head to the ground. "We should not have attacked you, without making sure you were up for the challenge."

The Wool Pokémon did not move, but gave the trainer a baffled look. She then glanced at Quilava.

"Come over here, buddy."

The Volcano Pokémon slowly approached Chris and Flaaffy, causing the latter to tense up. With some goading from his trainer, Quilava gave a somewhat sincere apology. This seemed to be good enough though, as the Electric-type suddenly burst into laughter.

"Flaaf," the Wool Pokémon waved off Quilava's apology. "Flaaffy!"

"If you're sure it's okay..." Chris was amazed by the Pokémon's almost immediate forgiveness. "What a sweet heart."

"Mareep!" two voices echoes from behind some nearby bushes.

"Flaaffy!" the Wool Pokémon stomped her foot.

Two Mareep leaped into the open, acting much too inconspicuous.

"Are these your children?" Chris grinned.

Flaaffy rolled her eyes at the two Mareep and nodded. She joined the two children and the three began to argue.

"Mareep!" the two children seemed excited to have seen their mom battle, but Chris could tell that wouldn't get them back in her good graces. Sweet talking his mom, certainly never helped Chris.

The trainer let the three Pokémon work out their conflict, while he gathered up his team. Before he could leave though, he was stopped by Flaaffy.

"Hm?"

The Electric-type pointed at Quilava, before sending a wave of electricity into the air. "Flaaffy!"

"Wait," Chris tilted his head, "so you want to battle now?"

The Wool Pokémon nodded, pointing at her children. She waved her arms at the landscape around them. "Flaaf," the mother pointed back at her children and held her paws over her head. "Flaaffy."

Chris understood. "It'll be tough to let your children go, won't it?" The trainer thought back to his own mother. What a sacrifice for her, to allow her last child to travel the world at such a young age. Especially after his brother's disappearance.

The Electric-type nodded, releasing a sigh.

"I guess though..." Chris remembered all of the incredible moments he had experienced in the last month and a half. He had learned a great deal. "Good parents, like you, know that you've prepared your children for their road ahead. I hope that'll give you some comfort."

The Wool Pokémon looked back over her offspring. The excitement of their mother's battle, mixed with their understanding of the current dilemma, created a swell of emotion in both parties. The wool covered Pokémon turned back to face the trainer and grinned.

"Flaaffy!"

"Let's do this."

Chris stepped back several feet, motioning for Quilava to prepare for battle. The trainer had seen a few of Flaaffy's moves, but he needed to be on his toes. This line of Pokémon were known for their powerful attacks. Quilava's speed would have to be the deciding factor.

"You've got the first move," Chris nodded.

"Flaaffy!" the Wool Pokémon fired a powerful bolt of electricity at Quilava.

"Let's counter with Flamethrower!" Chris was curious to see Flaaffy's power.

Quilava released a steady stream of fire at the Wool Pokémon's attack. The two energy blasts collided with a cataclysmic roar. The attacks pushed against one another in a chaotic clash for dominance. After a moment of uncertainty, the flames break through Flaaffy's electrical assault, smashing into the stunned Pokémon.

"Follow it up with Quick Attack!"

The Volcano Pokémon wasted no time in carrying out the attack. Quilava slammed into Flaaffy, who was still recovering from the previous attack. As the Fire-type pounced away from the wild Pokémon, a grin appeared on the Electric-type's face. Chris was surprised by this, but soon saw why Flaaffy seemed so confident.

"Be careful Quilava!" Chris warned his starter, whose body was covered by patches of thick cotton. "Flaaffy used Cotton Spore to slow us down!"

"Quil," the Fire Starter shrugged off Chris' apprehension and charged once again.

"Flaaffy!" the Wool Pokémon released another Thunderbolt attack.

"Dodge it!" Chris realized the two Pokémon's close proximity left them no time to counter the attack.

Quilava pushed his feet into the ground, and pounced to the left. Flaaffy's previous move had taken effect though, as the Volcano Pokémon was still unable to get out of the way in time. The bolt of electricity zapped into Quilava's side and channeled through the creature's entire body.

"Quil!" Chris had never heard his starter roar in pain. Flaaffy's attacks were nothing to wave off.

"Stay strong!" Chris encouraged his teammate. "Counter quickly with Flame Wheel!"

The Volcano Pokémon followed through with his trainer's commands. Quilava was still quick enough to surround himself in a ball of fire and deliver a powerful tackle to the Wool Pokémon. Flaaffy hit the ground hard again, and struggled to get back to her feet. Chris wondered why she had made no attempt to avoid the attack.

"Lava!" the Volcano Pokémon collapsed to the ground as well, sparks bursting around his body.

"What?" After a quick mental check of possibilities, the answer finally came to Chris. "Flaaffy must have the Static ability! We can't risk any more physical attacks!"

"Quil," the Starter Pokémon seemed to finally understand how dangerous their opponent was.

"Not only is she strong," Chris took a moment to appreciate their opponent, "she's also very crafty. That ability to think on her feet is invaluable. I bet her strength and natural intuition come from being a mother, and having to take care of her kids." The trainer thought back to his own mom. She must have had her hands full juggling his brother's needs, along with his own, and their father's busy schedule. But, now was no time to get sentimental. Flaaffy was preparing a new attack.

Small orbs of energy surrounded the Wool Pokémon, leaving Chris to wander what Flaaffy's plans were. The energy suddenly took the form of jagged rocks, leaving Chris not enough time to realize the Power Gem attack Flaffy had mustered. Flaaffy swung her tail forward, launching the wave of rocks at an unprepared Quilava.

"Brace yourself!" Chris grimaced in dreaded anticipation.

The barrage of rocks pelted Quilava relentlessly. The Volcano Pokémon had been slowed to a crawl thanks to the combined effects of Cotton Spore and Static's paralysis. This left the Fire-type no way to escape the onslaught of rock projectiles. Once the attack had finished, Chris was amazed to see Quilava still on his feet.

"Excellent stamina!" Chris applauded his starter. "Now, fire back with Flamethrower!"

Flaaffy had not been expecting Quilava to withstand her assault, leaving the Wool Pokémon unprepared for his retaliation. The Volcano Pokémon unleashed another explosive burst of fire from his mouth. Once again, the attack found its mark, drilling Flaaffy in her stomach. The move forced her to double over in pain.

"Now, Smokescreen!" Chris did not want to take any chances and have the Wool Pokémon surprise them again.

The Fire-type released a plume of smoke from his mouth, encasing Flaaffy's side of the battlefield in darkness.

"Mareep!" the trainer could hear Flaaffy's offspring cheering on their mother. "'Reep!"

"Stay on your toes," Chris instructed, letting several tense seconds go by. The trainer was beginning to think Flaaffy had not recovered from Quilava's Flamethrower.

"Mareep!" her son's had certainly not given up on her. Regardless, Chris felt confident with the outcome.

"Flaaf!"

Chris' head snapped towards the sound of the Wool Pokémon's cry. It came from above them. Flaaffy burst through the smoke and dropped like a rocket towards Quilava.

"No time to use Flamethrower," Chris clenched his fists. "Quick Attack!"

Quilava managed to fight through his paralysis. The Volcano Pokémon dropped low, before leaping, with all of his might, at Flaaffy. The two Pokémon's heads met with a resounding pop. After the collision, Quilava landed hard on his feet, clearly dazed by the collision. The Wool Pokémon careened backwards, smashing into the ground. Chris nervously eyed the Electric-type, but Flaaffy did not move.

"Mareep!" the two children rushed to their mother's side.

"Here," Chris dashed over and took a knee beside the fallen competitor. The trainer brought out his potion and sprayed Flaffy down. As he worked on Flaaffy, Quilava and the rest of the team slowly approached.

"Flaaf," the Wool Pokémon quickly came to. She seemed surprised by all the onlookers at her side. When she saw Quilava standing near by, her head dropped.

"Hey," Chris smiled at the Electric-type, "that was a fantastic battle! You have nothing to be ashamed of." The trainer looked back at his starter, who nodded in agreement with Chris' words.

"Mareep!" her children also agreed with the trainer's words. They began to shower Flaaffy with praise, amazed by their mother's skill in battle.

"You two are lucky to have such a strong parent look out for you!"

The Mareep shrugged, blasting bolts of electricity into the sky to prove their strength.

"Flaaffy!" the mother began to scold her children, but stopped. She looked down for a moment, seeming to really contemplate her next decision. She placed her paws on both Mareep. The next words she spoke were very quiet, to the point that Chris could barely tell she was speaking at all. Not that it mattered since he didn't speak their language. The trio seemed to be getting emotional, with the Mareep pleading about something. Chris looked over at his Pokémon. Their faces held a somber look, with each Pokémon seeming to understand the dilemma in Flaaffy's camp.

"What?"

Flaaffy embraced her children, who tried to hide their whimpering. Each Mareep nodded in agreement with their mother's words, but couldn't hold back the tears. "Flaaf." The children did their best to regain composure, casting a glance at Chris. "Flaaffy."

The family embraced for a final time, before the Wool Pokémon turned towards the trainer. Chris looked into her eyes and saw the commitment and sacrifice of a young mother, ready to make a significant mark on the world. The Electric-type slowly joined Chris' group, as each teammate did their best to make her feel welcome.

"You have a lot of guts," Chris smiled at the Wool Pokémon, "and you've raised two wonderful children."

Flaaffy gave one final look towards her offspring. The Mareep were marching proudly into the distance, not allowing themselves to look back and give in to weakness. However, a shining blue aura surrounded their tails. It was a final salute. A smile appeared on their mother's face.

Chris and his teammates placed a hand on the Wool Pokémon's shoulder.

"Welcome to the team, Flaaffy."


The final week in Ecruteak for Chris' team revolved around fitting Flaaffy into the rotation. The Electric-type's speed was several levels below the rest of Chris' team, as was her defenses. The Wool Pokémon's strength and stamina however, were well above where Chris had hoped they would be. Just as the trainer had seen in their first battle, Flaaffy's attacks were incredibly powerful for an untrained Pokémon. Chris attributed her impressive stamina to birthing and raising two feisty children. This useful attribute allowed Flaaffy to fit right in with the team's conditioning exercises. The trainer eventually decided to split his focus on molding Flaaffy's powerful Special Attacks, as well as building up the Wool Pokémon's defenses. He would love to see the Electric-type become an unstoppable tank when it was all said and done.

"Great job guys!"

The team had finished up their last, most difficult practice of the week. Bodies lay scattered across the open training space in the aftermath. July had snuck up on the trainer, bringing a dead, windless heat with it. The trainer used his sweat covered shirt as a rag to keep his head cool. Glancing over at Flaaffy, Chris wondered how the wool-covered Pokémon managed to stay conscious in this heat.

"I'll get you guys to the Pokémon Center," the trainer sat up slowly, "and then we'll talk about our last day in town tomorrow."

The rest of the team seemed too tired to respond, and so Chris sluggishly returned each Pokémon to their device. After reaching the center, Chris handed his team over to the nurse and took a seat.

"Can't believe it's already been almost a month since we arrived in Ecruteak."

Chris still remembered trekking into town behind the boisterous tomboy, Anna. They had checked out the Burned Tower and even caught a Kimono Girls' performance. After her departure, Nidorino had evolved into Nidoking, Chris' team had defeated Morty, and Flaaffy had joined their group. The past several weeks had not been short on the excitement. But there was still one box Chris had been unable to check off his list.

"One day left." Chris' eyes drifted outside to a massive shadow on the road. The setting sun had fallen behind one of the tallest structures in Johto, and the source of the trainer's doubts. "Is it worth knowing?"

Every region had its celebrated monuments. From Kanto's Cinnabar Island Memorial, to Hoenn's Cave of Origin, Sinnoh's Mt. Coronet, Unova's Dragonspiral Tower, or Kalos' Anistar Device. Each held a deep meaning to the people who lived in these regions. These monuments were a reminder of the proud tradition each region held. For Chris, the Bell Tower was the symbol of Johto. Every morning, Chris remembered rising beneath its shadow. Even now, the trainer stood underneath the celebrated tower. As Morty had told Chris before, the Bell Tower was constructed to be the bridge between humans and Pokémon. It stood for the ancient traditions Chris' home and region partook in.

"So what am I afraid of?"

The trainer's father had only won two badges. Ben was a man who valued manual labor and quick progress over the grind of training. This drive ultimately led to the separation of Chris' immediate family and his father. Despite his recent acts to attempt mending the relationship, the man's faults were obvious. Chris' brother, Matt, had stayed true to the role of Pokémon Trainer. The young man had worked hard, fostered a strong relationship with his team, and had reached the finals of the League Championship. After his loss though, Matt seemed to lose whatever purpose he had worked towards. Separating from the family during this time, seemed to only further isolate Matt. Seemingly defeated, the young man had vanished on his way home. Chris could not understand what had happened. If his brother stepped before the Sages, would he be considered worthy to enter the Bell Tower?

"Where do I fall?" Chris thought for a moment, before shaking his head. "I have to stop comparing myself to them." Chris noticed the nurse wave at him. "As a team, we'll decide where our road takes us."

Upon receiving his Pokémon, Chris thanked the nurse and slowly departed the Center. The trainer needed to hear other voices. "C'mon out!"

Once released, Chris' full party of six all watched him eagerly. Quilava gave his trainer a questioning look, seeming to see the uncertainty behind Chris' eyes. "Well guys," Chris took a deep breath, "it's our last day in Ecruteak tomorrow. I'm still trying to figure out how we should spend it."

"Nido!" the Drill Pokémon wasted no time in pointing towards the sacred structure over their heads.

Chris couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Well, that didn't take much thought." Chris gave the Poison/Ground-type a warm smile. He then looked over the rest of his team. "What about you guys?"

Crobat shrugged, staying beneath the shadow of the Pokémon Center for as long as he could. Flaaffy, still being new to the team, also showed no preference in how they spent their last day. To complete the trifecta of apathy, Magikarp answered Chris' question with a blank stare.

"Quil." the Volcano Pokémon caught Chris off guard by nodding toward the Bell Tower. Flames erupted on the Starter Pokémon's head and back. "Lava!"

"Hm." Chris was slowly realizing he had backed himself into a corner on the Bell Tower issue.

Scyther stood beside the trainer, looking over the young man with his ever-focused gaze. The Mantis Pokémon displayed his bladed arms, slowly nodding to Chris. "Scyther." The Bug/Flying-type would protect Chris no matter where their next step led them.

"Alright," Chris took a deep breath. The answer would most likely be the same no matter when he visited. "Tomorrow brings us to the Bell Tower."


An eventful three weeks have led Chris and his team to their fateful encounter with the Bell Tower. Will they receive any answers? Will Chris finally come into his own as a trainer? Will the next chapter take two months to finish up? These questions and others will be answered in the next chapter of Heart and Soul! Hope you all have a wonderful beginning to your semester, whether school or work, and I'll see ya in the next chapter of Heart and Soul! Thanks!