Note- How about a quick follow up to that stunning, emotion-filled ending? I'm working hard to keep the updates coming on a consistent basis. I'm inspired by the messages you send me and the feedback you provide. I also hope you can find your own spirit and past in many of these characters and events. This world of Pokémon is deep and its mysteries are endless. Our story picks up right after Charizard has departed from the group. Luke is one step below the lowest of lows. Will he find the resolve to continue? What course of action will the trainers take? Let's find out today! Hope everyone enjoys! Please Review and Subscribe!


Chapter 35

The silence in the enclosure was suffocating. David sat alone on a stump staring into the distance. The trainer from Cherrygrove sat closest to the fire pit, quietly rubbing Quilava's head. After returning his other Pokémon to their devices, Chris' starter had rekindled the fire which had been ignored with all the turmoil happening around it. Chris turned his attention to Luke's side of the camp.

An hour had passed by the time the trainer had returned. Presently, Luke sat beneath the shadow of the pines much as Charizard had the night prior. His head had still not lifted in the hour that had followed his Pokémon's departure. He seemed to be staring holes into the dirt beneath his feet. The trainer hadn't acknowledged his remaining Pokémon since the incident. Pidgeotto, Duskull, Electabuzz, Poochyena, and Kangaskhan had looked to their trainer after the split, but Luke's despondence had left them awkwardly standing by the young man's sleeping bag.

Chris thought about approaching the vulnerable Pokémon and providing some level of support, but the trainer wasn't sure how Luke would respond. That's why the young man felt a spark of anxiety when David walked over to Luke's side of camp. The youngest trainer stepped cautiously to the Pokémon's side; a clearly apologetic look was etched on his face.

"Guys," David scratched the back of his head nervously, "I'm really sorry about what happened. It's my fault. I was just really eager to prove something… I shouldn't have imposed since you guys and Luke were so fatigued… Please forgive-"

"None of this is your fault," Chris willed himself to step forward after watching David struggle to make sense of the situation. "Something like this has been building for a while, I think."

The two trainers walked back to Chris' side of camp. There the trainer from Cherrygrove did his best to fill David in on Luke's deadly encounter in northern Johto. Chris also tried to explain the exhaustion and fatigue he had seen from Luke. While he clarified, Chris remembered some of the exchanges Luke had recently had with his teammates.

"I'm not sure what caused his physical struggles to bleed over into his psyche," Chris shook his head. "Something must have happened that he hadn't told me about."

"Charizard sounded pretty frustrated about some of their previous battles," David rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't know. I still can't help but feel awful about all of this. I should have known after today's long hike that Luke would be exhausted."

Both trainers sat quietly for a time before Chris noticed that Luke had vanished from his spot. The Johto native felt a tinge of worry about Luke running through the wild without any Pokémon by his side. Flashbacks to his description of Ursaring's attack around the Lake of Rage made Chris shudder. Luke's Pokémon also held worried expressions as they eyed the edge of the camp for any signs of movement.

Both men waited for what felt like the longest, most agonizing couple of hours. Chris could feel sleep wrenching at his eyelids, but he managed to stay conscious after seeing David's focused gaze. As midnight rolled around, the crunch of footsteps alerted all of the souls in the enclosure. The sound of snapping twigs gave way to relief as Luke emerged from the woods. It was impossible to read the look on his face as he stepped into the clearing. With no hesitation, he stepped over to his sleeping bag and wrapped himself up in the covers. There was a moment where his Pokémon looked at one another, but the pause soon gave way to action. Luke's teammates settled down where they stood, forming a circle around the trainer from Tohjo Falls.

"We better get some sleep too," David patted Chris on the shoulder. "You look like you're about to pass out."

The next morning was awkward on a number of levels. When Chris awoke, he found Luke had already packed up his gear and put out the remaining coals in the fire. His Pokémon had been returned to their Poké Balls. As Chris finished putting away his gear, he noticed David's stuff nearby, but the trainer was nowhere to be seen. Chris wondered what the former Safari Zone volunteer's next course of action would be.

"Quil," the Volcano Pokémon's voice grabbed Chris' attention.

The trainer found his starter walking back to their camp alongside David and his newly caught Magmar. The trio's return drew a look of surprise from Chris.

"Wanted to take a stroll with Magmar," David explained, chomping down on a sandwich. "Quilava seemed eager to stretch his legs too. Thought it might not hurt for all three of us to get to know each other."

Chris nodded. "I haven't given Quilava much of a chance to get out and roam. Thanks for doing that."

As both trainers finished packing, Luke slowly approached them. Chris felt himself tense up and he mentally cursed the physical response. The trainer from Tohjo had earned Chris' trust months ago. Still, the young man from Cherrygrove couldn't help but wonder what Luke's response would be to all of this.

"I'm heading northeast." Luke's gaze held firmly on Chris'. The trainer from Cherrygrove didn't need Luke to elaborate on why.

"Just so happens that I am too," Chris replied cordially.

Luke seemed to think hard about what he was going to say next. "I don't want you two to feel responsible for this. This is on me. You don't need to sacrifice your time and energy."

"Our paths should run congruent," Chris rationalized, "at least until Ecruteak."

"Besides," David's voice chimed in, "three sets of eyes are better than one."

Luke went to speak but stopped himself. He nodded to each trainer.

"The only complication will be getting back to Olivine," Chris wrinkled his nose. "We'll be heading back a few days before the cruise ship departs."

"There's a ferry business that charts people from Cianwood daily," David explained.

"I think that's the same system I went through a while back," Luke added.

The trio departed shortly thereafter. As they traversed down Route 48, David and Chris took advantage of some wild Pokémon encounters to get some training in. David busted out his Magmar to take down a Hoppip and Diglett, much to the amusement of Chris. The trainer from Cherrygrove let loose his newest capture on a Ledyba and Hoothoot. Flaaffy's accuracy with her Thunderbolt had drastically improved from when Chris had first met her. Luke kept his Pokémon in their devices and his eyes on the sky above them. They reached Route 47's harrowing cliffs by noon. David mentioned lunch, but Chris forced the trio to wait until they were inside the well-lit cavern of Cliff Edge Gate to stop for a food break.

David was quick to release his Pokémon and begin chowing down with them. The trainer ate as though he hadn't seen food in ages. When Chris gave him a perplexed look, David replied, "I have a four meal schedule that I can't deviate from."

Chris was quick to respond. "I didn't see you eat anything while we were in the Safari Zone yesterday."

"I can get away with that when I'm focused on something major," David answered. "Catching Magmar kept my mind off food. Today, I'm gonna' make up for it by getting in at least five meals."

"Thank Arceus for metabolism," Chris shook his head. The trainer brought out his team of six and supplied each creature with an ample pile of food. He made sure to give each Pokémon a vitamin he had picked up from the gate's store.

As they chowed down, Chris threw a glance at Luke. Chris was happy to see the Tohjo Fall's native had brought out his five remaining Pokémon to eat with him. To their credit, none of Luke's Pokémon rejected their trainer's offer of food. Chris did notice that only Poochyena ate near his trainer. The other four Pokémon sat a distance away and seemed hesitant to speak to one another. Chris was painfully reminded of his fiasco with Nidorino in Goldenrod City. Luke would have to work to earn their full trust back. That would take some time.

Chris was happy to see several of his team slowly begin to mingle with Luke's crew. The way Chris' crew interacted with them convinced the Cherrygrove native that his Pokémon could sense the anxiety from Luke's gang. Nidoking carried on an animated conversation with the gruff Electabuzz. The two seemed to be in a heated discussion over their forearm sizes. An exasperated Flaaffy watched the exchange, comically rolling her eyes every few seconds. Scyther didn't venture too far from his trainer but he managed to usher Crobat over for a conversation with Luke's Pidgeotto and newly acquired Duskull. The four Pokémon kept their voices low, preventing Chris from listening in. Quilava had walked over to David's group to mingle with Magmar. Without Charizard to draw his focus, the Volcano Pokémon seemed to gravitate towards the only remaining Fire-type. Even if it wasn't his intention, Chris found Quilava's decision to be a nice gesture to David's team as a whole. David's Scyther slowly inched his way over to observe the conversation Chris' Scyther and Crobat were having with Luke's two Pokémon. Nidorina stayed cozied up beside her trainer. The Poison Pin Pokémon seemed very protective of her trainer around the many individuals she still considered strangers. David's formerly revealed Eevee and Kadabra carried on a cordial conversation a short distance away from their trainer. Chris thought about sending Gyarados over to introduce himself but figured David's two Pokémon might have a heart attack upon seeing the intimidating stranger approach them. The scarlet serpent seemed content just filling his stomach anyway.

After a few more minutes of relaxing, Luke was the first to stand up. The trainer returned all of his Pokémon to their devices except Poochyena. He asked, "You guys ready?"

"Sure," Chris responded.

David glanced down at the remaining half of a sandwich on his plate. It seemed to take a great deal of effort for him to put away the food.

The trio traveled through the rest of the cavern and emerged into the afternoon sun. They now stood beneath the shadow of the bluffs. A gorgeous view of the sea resided on their left. The grassy plateau was now the only thing standing between the group and Cianwood City.

As they began to walk south, Chris swiped a hand quickly over Poochyena's head, who was conversing with Flaaffy. When the Dark-type shot Chris a curious look, the trainer nodded at all of the Pokémon he and David currently had out. Chris subtly pointed at Luke. Poochyena thought for a moment before nodding. The Dark-type trotted over to his trainer's side as they continued to walk and mentioned something quietly to Luke. The trainer from Tohjo Falls seemed incredibly reluctant at first, but finally brought out four Poké Balls and released the rest of his team. The four Pokémon seemed a little surprised by their trainer's action but quickly focused their attention on their new surroundings. The large squad made their way south at a pace dictated by Luke. The trainer hastily marched in front of the party, obviously in a hurry to finally begin heading in the direction of his missing Pokémon. Chris couldn't help but worry that the quick pursuit would only spell disaster for Luke's recovery.

Arriving back in the city at rush hour forced the trainers to return their Pokémon to their devices. Fighting through the crowded streets eventually led the trainers to the Cianwood City docks. David and Luke surveyed their travel options while Chris looked over the different docked vessels. The trainer couldn't get over how large the docks were compared to the relatively small size of Cianwood City. Considering the isolated nature of the city, perhaps a lot of space was needed for the numerous imports.

The trainers eventually settled on a decently priced trip that would leave in less than an hour. The ship's captain gave them the docking number and the trio wasted little time in heading that way. As they walked, the trainers tried to work out a plan for once they arrived in Olivine. Chris and David would need to challenge the city's gym before they headed east. In that time, Luke planned on searching the land west of Olivine City for his Pokémon. It was a plan that seemed to work well with each trainer's agenda.

The trainers arrived at the correct slip and found a small vessel with a powerful looking motor on the back. Chris' fear of overcrowding was put to rest when only six other passengers showed up. The trainers boarded the ship, found their seats near the back, and were soon rolling across the high seas. As they skidded across the small waves, Chris took one last look back at Cianwood and the cliffs beyond it. Despite not acquiring any new Pokémon, the trainer would argue his time on the peninsula had been productive. Chris and his team had earned their fifth badge from Chuck. Some added training and sightseeing were always appreciated. Meeting David had resulted in a new traveling companion. The trainer hoped that even Luke's issues would ultimately be looked back on with appreciation. Though that really hinged on the next part of their journey.

Chris turned to look north and could make out four objects breaking the horizon. The jutting rock formations around the Whirl Islands grew closer and closer. Soon, the overwhelming roar of the mighty whirlpools had overtaken all other sounds. There was no sign of the manmade floatation structure that had played host to the Whirl Island Tournament. The trainer was amazed at how quickly the makeshift battle complex had disappeared. He muttered, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised by anything after seeing artificial tectonic plates."

Seeing the islands did spark a thought in the Cherrygrove trainer's mind. "I guess we could have always ridden back on Gyarados."

"Doubt he would have been any faster," Luke nodded to the rumbling engine behind them.

"And I didn't want to say anything last night," David added, somewhat hesitantly, "but my Pokémon almost passed out when they saw Gyarados. I'm not going to lie; my butt hole was tightly clenched even during lunch today."

The trainers erupted in to laughter as the older passengers looked on in confusion. It was the first time Chris had seen a genuine smile on Luke's face since they had reunited. The young men passed the rest of their uneventful ride over with similar banter. Chris and Luke came to find out that David had captured his Nidorina as a Nidoran just outside of Violet City on Route 36. As he made his way west, the young man had participated in the Bug Catching contest, much like Chris, and much like the trainer from Cherrygrove he had also captured a Scyther. It was clear from their earlier interactions that David's Scyther was still quite shy around unfamiliar faces.

After what felt like a short amount of time, Olivine's skyline became visible to their north. The city seemed like a metropolis compared to the relatively small collection of buildings in Cianwood. Being the largest port city in Johto saw Olivine stretch east and west along the coastline for miles. Chris squinted his eyes to the west upon seeing a group of uniquely shaped buildings stand out among the architecture.

"The Battle Frontier," Chris nodded.

"Wouldn't mind visiting that place once the Silver Conference is through," David said.

"I think I read somewhere that you have to be personally invited," Luke added.

"They'll know me well enough to extend an invitation after the league tournament," Chris grinned to the other trainers. "How about you fellas?"

"Hmph," Luke managed a grin, but it soon disappeared as he turned his gaze even further west. "I'll be that direction while you two are taking on Jasmine."

"We'll try not to take too long," David replied.

Chris began rolling Quilava's Poké Ball along his arm nervously as the ship approached one of the available docking slips. The trainer's introspective nature had distracted him from the future for much of the ride. The trio's discussions had also done a solid job keeping Chris preoccupied. As they docked, though, the trainer from Cherrygrove began to realize how close he was to the next gym battle. Their trips to and from the Safari Zone hadn't given the trainer or his team much in the way of wild Pokémon battles or legitimate trainer competition. Sparring contests could simulate a battle, but the inner fire and instinctual resilience were usually missing.

"I'm thinking I may challenge the gym tomorrow," Chris said calmly.

David gave him a somewhat surprised look. "Really?"

Chris shrugged, "I want to give my team a little extra prep time."

"Didn't do that when we made it to Cianwood," Luke's eyes stayed to the west.

"My Pokémon had gotten in a lot of training after beating Ecruteak's Gym," Chris noticed Luke stiffen upon his mention of Ecruteak. The trainer from Cherrygrove raised his eyebrows but noticed Luke had now dropped the conversation entirely. He turned to David. "I don't feel like my crew has had a chance to mentally prep like that this time. It'll just be a day."

"That's fine," Luke replied after a moment.

"My Pokémon have been itching for a gym battle for two months," David explained. "I want to give 'em a chance to cut loose."

The boat docked and the trainers entered into a metaphorical sea of sailors and dock workers. Machoke scrambled past the trio hauling all manner of cargo. The evening madness did stop once they finally made it past the shipyards. Rush hour had come and gone before their arrival, leaving the city streets mostly traversable. The trainers swung by the Pokémon Center closest to Olivine Gym to freshen up their teams. Luke used the nearby PC to add a sixth member to replace Charizard; he didn't mention which Pokémon he chose.

"Just be careful," Chris couldn't hide the worry in his voice.

"I'm not going to be out of eyesight from the city," Luke assured him. "I like to think I learned my lesson in that regard at least." Luke went to step through the facility's exit but turned back to look at David. "Best of luck, Dave."

"Thanks," David gave him a grateful look as the Tohjo Native turned and left.

The Olivine Gym was the most northern facility in the entire city. By the time the duo arrived, night was upon them.

"Welcome, gentlemen," the young men were surprised to find an older gentleman standing at the entrance to greet them. "Will you two be challenging the Olivine City Gym tonight?"

"I will be," David nodded. "He's here for moral support."

"So I'm your sidekick?" Chris grinned at David as he threw out a shrug and a smirk.

"Right this way, gentlemen," the greeter seemed oblivious to the trainers' banter.

He led them through the open entrance and into a narrow hall. The walls of the facility were bathed in a metallic coat of paint that gave the gym a futuristic feel. The long corridor suddenly opened up into another expansive room. This room was filled out by every architectural design imaginable. Twisted steel had been molded into beautiful recreations of the Olivine Lighthouse. Their walk along the metal plated floor brought them to more steel plated art that lined the walls on both sides. Steel wires had been threaded like needles into intricate designs of Pokémon and popular landmarks. Passing beneath the shadows of three towering metal arches, the trainers finally arrived at the battlefield. The traditional earthen ground that accompanied most battlefields was present here, surprising the trainers.

"The one thing that isn't metallic in this place," Chris threw his hands up. "Go figure."

"You may view the battle from here," the gentleman pointed to a bench that sat to the left of the arch they had just passed through.

As Chris went to take a seat, he noticed a large stage resided beyond the battlefield. The stage extended all the way to the back wall of the room. On it, rested a raised platform that contained a set of steps that led to a chair. A massive metallic snake had been sculpted around the throne. There, Chris' eyes fell upon the beautiful young woman occupying the seat. His heart skipped a beat. She sat completely still, arms residing on the chair's armrests. Chris could feel her eyes sweep over him and fall on David. There was no mistaking the young woman's identity.

Jasmine stood up.

The gym leader's trademark off colored white dress had been replaced by a long, white tee, a gray fish tail jacket, and a pair of black pleather pants. In the eight years since the fifteen-year-old had taken over Olivine's gym, Jasmine had matured into a powerful and respected figure. She had taken Steel Pokémon, a type understood by few, and become its master. She stepped to the battlefield with a confident strut that belied her well known introverted nature.

"Welcome trainers," her soft, melodic voice drifted across the battlefield. "Who will I be battling tonight?"

"I'm David," the trainer from Violet City responded. Chris could sense a bit of apprehension in his introduction.

Jasmine nodded. "A pleasure to meet you, David. Before our battle commences it's important that I know how many gym badges you've earned."

"I've defeated Faulkner and Chuck," David answered, flashing the two badges to the Gym Leader.

"Alright then," Jasmine motioned to the gentleman that had escorted the two trainers in. The man brought the Gym Leader two Poké Balls. "This will be a two-on-two battle. Are you ready, trainer?"

"Let's do it."

The challenger and Gym Leader both released their first Pokémon simultaneously. The flashes of light faded, revealing Jasmine's Magneton and David's newly caught Magmar. Both trainers studied the other's choice for a split second.

"The challenger has the first move," the gentleman now resided beside the battlefield, standing as the official for the match.

"Lava Plume!" the eagerness in David's voice almost overtook the clarity of his command. It really had been a while since the trainer had been in a legitimate battle.

Magmar reared back and hurled a fireball from his mouth towards the Magnet Pokémon.

"Zap Cannon," Jasmine commanded.

The gym leader had her Pokémon hold the attack until Lava Plume had almost reached Magneton. With her direction, the risky accuracy of the electric attack was nullified by the fireball's close proximity. The powerful orb of electric energy was fired and easily canceled out the Lava Plume.

"Let's close the distance, Magmar!" David directed after seeing his long-range attack nullified.

Magmar, despite having limited training, displayed admiral speed in his advance. Jasmine, seeing this, was quick to prepare.

"Light Screen," Jasmine's soft voice issued.

A panel of light appeared before the Magnet Pokémon, shimmering brilliantly before suddenly fading. The move's execution had been quicker than David expected, giving the gym leader a chance to issue a second command.

"Thunder Wave," the gym leader quickly directed.

Seeing Magneton charging the attack, David called off Magmar's approach. The two Pokémon were now within close proximity of one another, giving David little time to think of a counter.

A spark seemed to jolt through the trainer's synapses. "Blind 'em with Smokescreen!"

The Spitfire Pokémon exhaled a cloud of thick smoke between himself and Jasmine's Pokémon. The Fire-type dropped low to the ground as Magneton's Thunder Wave passed harmlessly overhead.

"Magnet Bomb."

David was shocked to see gray shrapnel blast through the smoke and converge on his Pokémon in a coordinated strike. The metallic energy came together at once to slam into the Fire-type, blowing the creature back several feet.

"You alright, Magmar?" David quickly asked. The Spitfire Pokémon turned and nodded. "They're not the only ones who have an attack with perfect accuracy. Show 'em your Feint Attack!"

Magmar surrounded himself with a dark energy before hurling his body into the fading smoke. There was a loud thud as Magmar's attack made contact. The smoke faded almost immediately after, revealing a knocked back Magneton. The Magnet Pokémon's terrific defense had unfortunately ensured that it hadn't been knocked too far back.

David seemed oblivious to this. "Follow it up with Fire Punch!"

As Magmar threw a fiery punch towards the Electric/Steel-type, Jasmine called for another Thunder Wave. Both attacks landed simultaneously, surprising the challenger. David tilted his head, clearly surprised that Magneton had been able to deliver a counter at all.

"Get out of there, Magmar!" he quickly shouted.

Despite his recently acquired paralysis, Magmar was able to leap back several meters. The super effective Fire Punch had been enough to at least momentarily knock the Magnet Pokémon off guard. David seemed to have learned his lesson about physically striking these bulky Steel-types. Unfortunately, his next move was not much better.

"Lava Plume!"

A sizeable fireball rocketed towards Jasmine's recovering Pokémon. By the time the attack had closed in, Magneton had regained its balance and was ready to dodge. Jasmine held it in place, though. Chris frowned at the decision. The attack exploded upon hitting the light barrier that had suddenly reappeared and surrounded the Electric/Steel-type. The inferno cascaded over the trio of connected Magnemites. Flames from the super-heated assault seemed to peel away at the barrier somewhat, but Jasmine's Pokémon did not drop. Her direction seemed to call for Magneton to hold its ground and keep its trifecta gaze upon its opponent. As the churning flames died down, Jasmine gave her next command.

"Zap Cannon."

Unlike his first use, Magneton wasted little time in preparing and firing the move. The black and yellow ball of energy surged towards Magmar ominously.

David sensed there was time to avoid and counter the move. "Roll to the left and hit 'em with another Lava Plume!"

As the Spitfire Pokémon went to roll left, a wave of electricity spread over his body, dropping the Fire-type to a knee.

"The paralysis?" David looked on in shock.

Magmar fought to gain control of his limbs, but the electrical current had not yet released its hold on his limbs. With a frustrated yell, Magmar braced himself as Magneton's attack made contact. The energy ball shattered upon making contact with Magmar's chest. An explosion of electric energy expanded outward and completely shrouded the Fire-type. A shock wave from the collision rippled out and nearly knocked David off his feet. Before the attack had faded, the young man from Violet City already knew the outcome. Magmar dropped onto his stomach and remained motionless as electric sparks twitched across his body.

"Damn it," David hissed through gritted teeth.

"Magmar is unable to battle!" the gentleman motioned towards Magneton. "Ms. Jasmine and her Pokémon take the first round."

"You had a solid debut Magmar," David thanked his fallen teammate before returning him to his capture device.

Jasmine congratulated her Pokémon on its victory and then turned to the challenger. "Are you ready for round two, David?"

David flinched at her question. The gym leader must have seemed even more imposing with a lead in the battle. David's eyes darted back and forth between Jasmine and her Pokémon. His knuckles were clearly white from the vice like grip he held on a Poké Ball. After seeing his team, Chris knew there was only one real choice for David in this situation.

"Let's go!" David seemed to throw out his shoulder with the release of his next Pokémon.

Nidorina burst onto the battlefield and immediately crouched down in preparation. The creature held a confident grin, leaving Chris to wonder if she knew her side was currently down a Pokémon. The trainer figured she must be David's most experienced teammate.

"You have the first move once more."

The challenger seemed less eager to have his teammate leap into the fray this time. Chris did not understand the hesitation since David's Pokémon was a physical attacker. Even the Poison Pin Pokémon threw a perplexed look at her trainer, though she was quick to mask it. The young man from Cherrygrove looked at the gym leader and could see the wheels turning in her head also.

"No choice," David growled to himself. "Charge in!"

Nidorina eagerly bounded towards her hovering opponent.

Jasmine was quick to take advantage of the distance between the two Pokémon. "Magnet Bomb."

The Electric/Steel-type launched the familiar wave of gray shrapnel at its incoming opponent.

"Slash through it with Fury Swipes!" David roared in response. The trainer seemed to have regained his footing somewhat.

The fresh Poison-type wasted little time in slashing apart the projectile-shaped energy before it could fully converge. Jasmine nodded in approval upon seeing Nidorina handle her attack and continue approaching.

"Prepare your Zap Cannon," Jasmine instructed.

"Shoot," Chris suddenly remembered Nidorina's typing upon seeing the gym leader's command. "The Nido line doesn't gain its Ground-typing until its final evolution stage."

Nidorina did not slow down as Magneton's three-pronged body developed the energy ball in its center. Nidorina had almost reached striking distance before either trainer gave a follow-up command.

"Fire."

"Jump!"

Magneton released the large orb of electric energy as Nidorina bent low to the ground. The close proximity combined with the large size of the attack gave Chris the impression that David had led his Pokémon to her own defeat. Nidorina pounced from her crouched position, her powerful leg muscles fully on display. Chris was amazed to see the Poison-type launch herself quickly into the air, dodging Zap Cannon by a wide margin. Jasmine also seemed impressed with the powerfully quick leap. Her eyes followed Nidorina as she followed gravity and began to somersault downward.

David had his next command ready. "Double Kick!"

Magneton's speed finally caught up with it. Nidorina used her downward velocity to deliver two powerful kicks before her vulnerable opponent could counter. Despite its strong physical defense, Nidorina's super effective attack stacked on top of Magmar's strikes proved too great for the Magnet Pokémon. Jasmine's Pokémon withered to the ground and remained still.

"Magneton is unable to battle!" the gentleman motioned towards Nidorina. "The challenger and his Pokémon take round two."

"Excellent job, Magneton!" Jasmine stepped over to her fallen teammate and rubbed an oily ointment on its metallic surface. "You showed a lot of grit in those battles." She returned the Electric/Steel-type to its device and then stepped back into her trainer box. "I suppose it's time for round three." She brought out a Great Ball. C'mon out."

A large, round creature materialized from the device and fell quickly to earth. The Pokémon landed onto the battlefield with a deafening thud that echoed around the large room.

"Haven't seen many of those," Chris muttered to himself as he brought out his Pokédex and scanned the creature.

"Forretress, the Bagworm Pokémon," his device identified. "It is encased in a steel shell. Its peering eyes are all that can be seen of its mysterious innards."

A grave look came over Chris' face. This was not a good matchup for the physically oriented Nidorina. And unless she had a fire type move, David's Pokémon would have no way to deliver big hits. Chris felt his fists balling up.

"We're ready to see how you'll begin this final battle," Jasmine's polite tone and smile masked most of the confidence in her voice.

"We've got to get in close!" David explained. "Full speed ahead!"

As Nidorina closed the distance, Jasmine once again prepared her teammate. "Iron Defense!"

A shiny metallic sheen emanated from Forretress as the creature surrounded himself with a silver energy. The attack had not yet faded when David called out his next command.

"Strike him with a Double Kick while he's vulnerable!"

Once within range, Nidorina spun her body around and fired two consecutive kicks at the Bug/Steel-type.

"Protect."

Chris was shocked to see a green orb surround the round creature and absorb Nidorina's attack. Forretress was even quicker on defensive maneuvers than Magneton.

"Now," Jasmine was quick to follow up, "Bug Bite."

The upper and lower part of Forretress' shell seemed to unhinge and lash out like a massive jaw. The shell snapped down onto one of Nidorina's extended legs, drawing a pained cry from the Poison Pin Pokémon. Forretress lashed back and forth, slamming David's teammate into the ground repeatedly.

"Oh dang," David muttered as he attempted to find a counter. "Use your free leg to deliver a Double Kick!"

Even while she was being slammed, Nidorina managed to gather her concentration and fire off kicks with her available leg. Her powerful leg muscles were enough to push Forretress into the air and force him to release her leg. When Nidorina landed after the attack, Chris noticed her freed leg bent somewhat beneath her own weight.

David also seemed to notice this but trusted his teammate. "Power through the pain and deliver your own Bite attack!"

Chris was happy to see that Forretress' offensive follow up speed was even slower than Magneton's. Nidorina delivered the Dark-type Bite effectively to Forretress' shelled body. The move knocked Forretress even higher into the air, but Chris noticed the attack had met some resistance from a silver energy that appeared around the Pokémon's shell. The trainer remembered Jasmine's previous use of Iron Defense and felt a sense of dread.

"Your Nidorina used gravity earlier to deliver her super powerful Double Kick," Jasmine spoke quickly. "Allow me to return the favor." The excitement that Jasmine had held out of her voice suddenly emerged in her next command. "Heavy Slam!"

Forretress began to fall back towards the battlefield. His speed continued to increase as he fell. A dark, spiraling energy formed around the bottom of the round creature. His descent became so rapid that by the time Nidorina had landed on the ground, Forretress was right above her. David had no time to shout as Forretress landed on top of his Pokémon with an earth-shattering crash. The collision shook the battlefield, dropping David to a knee and almost vibrating Chris out of his seat. The earthen composition of the battlefield was launched into the air. Dirt rained down on the two trainers for several seconds. David looked worriedly into the cloud of smoke that shielded both Pokémon from view. The dust slowly faded to reveal a small crater in the center of the battlefield. Forretress lay atop Nidorina at the bottom of the depression.

The official went to call the match but stopped himself when he noticed Nidorina still moving.

"Alright!" David's voice was filled with relief upon seeing his squirming companion. "I'm gonna need you to reach down deep and get that fella off of you with a Double Kick!"

Nidorina gritted her teeth and shoved her legs upward with all the strength she could muster. As a testament to her strength, the Poison Pin Pokémon was able to launch Jasmine's teammate into the air.

Jasmine's face held an impressed look, but her counter came quickly. "Heavy Slam."

"Move out of the way!" David directed.

Nidorina made it to her feet but fell when she tried to move. The young man from Violet City realized his Pokémon's legs had all but given out.

"Roll!"

The Poison-type managed to roll up the crater just enough to avoid a second slam. Falling from a lower height, this collision did not shake the ground quite as much as the first. The impact still kicked up a fair amount of dust, momentarily blinding the trainers and their Pokémon. As soon as he could make out both creatures, David was quick to issue a command.

"Bite!"

Nidorina took advantage of the higher ground she possessed and dropped towards her opponent with fangs extended.

Jasmine waited until David's Pokémon was about to strike before giving direction. "Use Protect!"

A familiar green orb of energy surrounded Forretress as Nidorina bit down. Her fangs clanged off the protective sphere as did her body.

"Bug Bite," Jasmine's tone carried an air of finality.

As soon as the protective orb faded, Forretress reached out to snap the two portions of his shell down upon Nidorina. The Poison-type was too exhausted to resist and was soon thrown into the air by her opponent. Nidorina landed outside of the crater with a thud. Forretress bounded out of the crater to await her trainer's command.

"Nidorina is unable to-"

"Nido!"

The Poison Pin Pokémon shook her head vigorously. All three trainers were shocked to see David's Pokémon somehow make it back to her feet. She roared in the face of her stunned opponent.

"Your companion has a ton of fight," Jasmine's words were a compliment, but her tone did not match her statement.

David heard the gym leader's words and took a moment to observe his teammate. The trainer took a deep breath and slouched his shoulders.

"That's it," David spoke softly, but loud enough for everyone to hear him. "We give up."

Nidorina looked back at her trainer, who gave her a warm smile. The Poison Pin Pokémon sighed and then nodded. She gave her straining legs a break and flopped to the ground.

A smile appeared on Jasmine's face. Both trainers walked over to their Pokémon to thank and heal them. Jasmine returned her Forretress and leaned over to spray a potion on Nidorina. She patted the resilient creature on the head and stood back up to face David. Outside of his earlier praise to Nidorina, David had been completely silent.

"You showed me a lot of character with that stoppage," she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You saved your defeated Pokémon from taking further damage. That was a very mature move."

David was clearly shaken by the loss. He kept his head down but nodded at her words. Chris stood up but didn't move too close to their conversation.

"I want you and your Pokémon to grow even stronger," Jasmine nodded at Nidorina. "Your Pokémon trust you more than most trainers I battle. If you continue to work with them I know you can overcome this gym and achieve some pretty awesome things."

After shaking David's shoulder affectionately, Jasmine turned her attention to Chris. The trainer felt his body stiffen and his back straighten. Chris had never told a soul besides his brother, but the young man from Cherrygrove had carried a mega crush on the Gym Leader since early childhood. He did his best to hold her gaze as she approached him.

"Hey," Chris decided to introduce himself first. His mother had always told him to be assertive when talking with pretty girls. Chris extended a hand eagerly and almost punched her in the gut. "I'm, uh, Chris."

Jasmine pursed her lips but otherwise managed to mask the awkwardness of Chris' greeting. "Hello, Chris. I'm Jasmine." She shook his hand. "Are you also planning on challenging my gym?"

"Absolutely," Chris nodded, "but I wanted to wait until tomorrow."

Jasmine smirked. "So you came to scout out your opponent?"

"Well yeah," Chris thought about his reply and then quickly shook his head. "I mean no. I mean I wanted to see you, but like, not in a creepy way." Her smile had grown sad in nature. He gritted his teeth in frustration and forced a grin. "I just wanted to see what I'd be up against."

She nodded. "And are you a friend of David's?"

Chris was thankful for the subject change. "I think I would agree to that." He quickly added, "That's another reason why I was here. I wanted to provide him with some moral support."

Jasmine rested her eyes on David who had dropped to a knee to gently pet his defeated companion. "That's good to hear. This loss may sting for a bit. As a less experienced trainer, he'll need friends like you to help pick him up after defeats like these."

Chris thought back to his major losses as a trainer. He'd had Luke and Waz to provide support and ease his mind after his crushing defeat at the hands of Rhydon in the Goldenrod Tournament. His father had consoled him and given him a mental recharge after his loss to Whitney. His Pokémon had matured to the point of being able to console their trainer after he and Gyarados had fallen just short in the Whirl Island tournament. Chris looked over at David. Perhaps it was time for the young man from Cherrygrove to provide that same support to someone else.

A barking sound echoed through the room. Chris traced the sound to a hallway on his right. Several Pokémon poured into the room from this outlet. There was a quartet of creatures: a Growlithe, an Eevee, a Marill, and an Aipom, that began to circle Jasmine and Chris playfully. The Eevee sped around the trainers with an agility that seemed purposeful. He threw a look back at the Pokémon running behind him. This action caused the Evolution Pokémon to lose his balance and crash into Chris' leg.

"Woah there," Chris scooped up the dazed Normal-type. Eevee seemed somewhat apprehensive about being lifted by a stranger. He squirmed around and eyed Chris closely as the trainer petted his head. "You've got some speed and power hiding behind the cute exterior!"

"My goodness!" Jasmine chuckled. "Who let you four out?!"

A man who looked to be around Chris and David's age emerged from the hallway as well. "I did, ma'am. I think it's time for us to head over to the Pokémon Shelter. Tyra and Jose are probably waiting for us."

The gentleman rubbed his nose and muttered loud enough for everyone to hear him, "It is almost nine-thirty, ma'am."

Jasmine's head snapped back and forth between both men. "That late?!"

Chris sat Eevee down and stepped over to David's side. "We'll go ahead and let you guys take care of that."

"One thing before you go," Jasmine motioned towards the four Pokémon scampering around her. "I'll be at the Pokémon Shelter tomorrow in the early afternoon so I won't be able to battle then. Speaking of the shelter, send any strong, compassionate trainers you guys know over there! It's just a couple of blocks west of here!"

Chris gave her a thumbs up. He tapped David's shoulder and motioned for them to leave. David nodded and returned Nidorina to her Poké Ball. The trainers were escorted out of the facility by the same gentleman that had brought them in.

"Now the problem is," Chris peered across the street light illuminated street, "how are we gonna' find Luke?"

David pointed to the other sided of the road. "Here he comes."

"Whelp."

Luke had emerged from a coffee shop and proceeded to jaywalk over to the two trainers.

"How long have you been waiting on us?" Chris asked.

"Not long," he answered, taking a sip from the coffee cup in his hand. "I found out quickly how little progress I would make searching for him in the dark. I'm going to start fresh in the morning."

"We'll need to find a place to crash until then," David added quietly.

"Oh yeah," Luke's eyebrows rose, "how did the battle go?"

David grimaced at the question. He shook his head. "Not the way I would have hoped."

The same knowing look Chris had seen from Luke on the day's boat ride appeared again. The young man watched Luke closely as he turned to survey the city.

"We'd better find the nearest Pokémon Center."

The trio backtracked to the previously used Pokémon Center where David healed up his teammates. Chris inquired about potential rooms but was told they were completely booked.

When the trainer reported the news to his companions, David was the first to respond.

"When I trekked over to the Safari Zone back in June," he explained, "I stayed in a decent hotel not too far from here."

Chris was happy to see David had put aside his loss at least for the moment. The trio could use any knowledge of Olivine City they could get their hands on. As for David's idea, it showed some promise. The trainers decided to follow the young man from Violet City as he attempted to maneuver his way through the vast cityscape. Forty-five minutes later the exhausted trainers stumbled their way into the previously discussed establishment.

"Is there a three person room available?" David didn't attempt to hide the exasperation in his voice as he spoke with the desk attendant.

Ultimately the young men settled on a one-bed room that had a pullout couch. To repay Luke for taking the couch on the cruise, Chris volunteered to make the sacrifice this time. Upon reaching the room, the three men quickly took care of hygiene and collapsed into their respected sleeping positions. Chris fought through sleep and managed to send out an update of his whereabouts to his folks. He set his alarm for early in the morning. After seeing Jasmine battle, Chris was even more happy he had delayed his match with her. The trainer would get an early start tomorrow to help prepare his team for the tall task that stood before them. It wasn't gonna' be easy.


The trio and their Pokémon look to have covered quite a bit of ground! Despite this, we see that David still has some catching up to do. And what of Chris' upcoming battle with Jasmine? How will Luke's search for Charizard go? And what state are he and his Pokémon in? We'll find out these answers and more in the next action packed episode of Heart and Soul! Please Review and Subscribe! Thanks!