Note- Surprise! Another chapter less than a month later! I'm so excited to continue Heart and Soul on a normal, hopefully respectful, schedule that keeps readers engaged and excited for the upcoming content! Hope everyone is enjoying the dog days of summer, despite the intense heat and unrelenting rain. As we turn our attention to H&S, we find Chris having just accepted a week-long internship of sorts under Mahogany's Gym Leader, Kamon. Their battle may have been put on hold, but the trainers will still find themselves testing each other's ideals. Let's see how the week treats 'em! Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 44
"Ty'?"
"We didn't... lose."
"Nido'!"
"Well… we didn't win, either."
"'Vee?"
"Yes, your battle counted. It's… well… it's a bit weird."
Chris sat beneath the grove of trees at the town's center. The afternoon sunlight fought to break through the ancient pine leaves. Five of the trainer's teammates sat with him, each holding the same, confused expression.
"Ty'!"
"Okay," Chris replied. He took a deep breath. "I passed out after the second battle." Intrigue turned to worry at that. "I'm alright, though. They brought in a doctor to makes sure. As it turns out, you handled that two month training a lot better than me." Chris forced a chuckle. "I'm still recovering from all those butt kickings."
Scyther pointed a bladed arm at Chris' legs. "Scy'?"
Chris nodded. "They're worn down. Luckily, one of our crew was there to look out for me."
"'Vee?" The Evolution Pokémon turned her head to the left and right. "Eevee!"
The trainer couldn't hide his smile. "We are missing someone, aren't we?"
"Nido," the Drill Pokémon pointed at the Poké Ball in Chris' hand.
"I'll bring her out."
The capture device opened and Ampharos appeared in a flash of light. A moment of confusion overtook the other Pokémon. Nidoking was the first to approach the Electric-type. "Nido'?" he asked.
Ampharos nodded slowly, revealing her warm smile.
"Eevee!" the Evolution Pokémon squealed.
Typhlosion and Scyther both stepped forward to congratulate the Light Pokémon. Crobat swooped over and began to dance through the air around her. Nidoking's jaw hung open, his wide eyes having stayed on his newly evolved teammate.
"She took down one of the Gym Leader's Pokémon," Chris acknowledged. "And she helped me even more after the battle." He nodded to her. "Speaking of our battle―the Gym Leader gave me a month to heal up and prep for its conclusion." Chris saw the fire in his teammates' eyes dwindle. "After two months of training, I know waiting another month isn't what we wanted. But this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Kamon is tough," Chris paused to exchange a look with Eevee, "like, really tough. I didn't realize who he was until after our battle. This guy beat my brother to win the Silver Conference."
"'Vee?"
"Amph?"
Chris realized he had never spoken of his brother to his two newest captures. The rest of his team looked intrigued. "This month can give us a chance to prep for his Ice-types and explore this part of the region. Also," Chris stopped and pointed to the north, "it'll give us a chance to win the Lake of Rage Winter Classic!"
"Ty'!" the Volcano Pokémon took several steps toward the nearby northern route. Eevee did the same.
"I hope that'll hold you guys over until we nab badge number seven." Their roar of approval gave him great relief. "Then let's get to work."
Whack.
The wooden broom clattered to a halt against the icy floor. As Chris slowly bent down, the stiffness in his knees made him wish his teammates could be here to help, but Kamon had prohibited him from receiving their aid. It had been one of the many pieces of info he had assaulted the trainer with on his first day at the job. After what felt like the slowest game of limbo ever played, Chris managed to get a hand on the broom. He gripped it tightly and gritted his teeth as he brought himself back to a vertical base. The overall tightness in his legs had actually decreased overall, due in no small part to the thorough warm up routine required by the Gym Leader.
Chris inched his way across the slick ground, carefully maneuvering around several deep cracks in the ice. He swept all debris to the edge of the battlefield and tried to distribute any broken shards of ice to spots that lacked the slick substance. Of the few challengers who had faced Kamon during Chris' three days of employment, this battle had proven to be the most competitive. The challenger out of Olivine City had managed five Gym victories, earning herself a three-on-three battle with Mahogany's leader. Her Graveler had done his best to tear up the battlefield with numerous Rock Slides and Earthquakes. Kamon had managed to once again prevail through a combination of Lapras' endurance and Sneasel's blitzing speed.
"That will do for now," Kamon's voice echoed around the open space. "Move on to the meditation chamber."
Chris eased himself off the battlefield and dropped the broom into a hidden closet. He entered into the nearest hall and traveled down the narrow space. He passed the guest bedroom Kamon had lended him and eventually reached the end of the hall. Entering the final room, his eyes—as they were inclined to do— were immediately drawn to the many hanging ancient artifacts. He stepped over to a featureless spot on a wall and began feeling for the hidden latch. Once in hand, he pulled off the panel and withdrew the room's cleaning supplies. The fact that almost all of the secret storage areas held only cleaning gear still made him snicker.
He polished the blades and dusted off the masks. As he worked, his eyes continued to drift back to the painted symbol on the ceiling. He had yet to ask the Gym Leader about its meaning. Kamon had called this room the 'meditation chamber,' but its practicality was lost on Chris. Was the daily Gym grind that stressful? Did every leader have a room like this?
Footsteps caught the trainer's ear as he finished with the room's last item. He turned and found Kamon staring him down. "How's it going?" he asked.
"Just finished."
Kamon made his way over to the weapon covered wall. His eyes scanned the handles and blades. He ran a hand over the ancient cloth that made up the masks. Then he turned to Chris and said, "You're already better than Kirk."
"How long has he been here?"
"He joined my staff when I took over. That's been almost a year ago."
Chris put the cleaning supplies away. "Why keep him on if he's so bad at his job? Can't you put in a request to the league for a replacement?"
"I was the one who requested his services."
Chris frowned. "Did you not know how bad he'd be?"
"I had a hunch."
"Then why hire him?"
Kamon turned to look at an empty spot on the wall. It seemed as though he'd stare a hole right through it. "I owed it to him."
"What do you mean?"
Kamon's stare didn't move. "The Pokémon pool needs cleaning."
"Dinner time!"
Chris carried two buckets in each hand, filled to the brim with a variety of Pokémon food. Between the morning and evening feedings, Chris had managed to keep up some semblance of an upper body workout. It wasn't nearly as strenuous as Kiyo's drills, but perhaps that was Kamon's intent.
He had just entered the second largest room in the facility. It played host to the living area for Kamon's Pokémon. A giant, circular pool lay at its center. Chris could see the two Lapras swimming on opposite sides. In the room's corners, compacted mounds of ice lay scattered about. Where each wall met the other, a large pillar jutted upward, mimicking the peak of a mountain. Piloswine leisurely strolled around these frozen corners. A Mamoswine slept at the top of one of the icy pillars.
Chris was thankful for the worker's jacket Kamon had provided. The insulated material held off even the bitter chill of this—the coldest room in the Gym. The trainer lugged the buckets over to the water's edge. As he sat them down, he caught movement at the other end of the pool.
"Now, Ice Shard!"
Weavile kicked up the ice around his feet and flung it toward one of the abandoned mounds. The pointed shards exploded into the bulky foundation, opening up gaping cracks. The attack had begun and ended in an instant. But when Chris looked for Weavile's trainer, he found Kirk instead.
"Is that your Weavile?" Chris asked.
Kirk nearly fell over as he spun around. "What?"
Chris motioned for the other Pokémon to get their food before he continued. "I was just wondering if this fellow was yours?"
Even though the pool lay between them, Kirk took a step away from Chris. "Of course not," he said. "All these Pokémon are Kamon's."
"Oh," Chris replied. "Well, here's some food if he's hungry."
"I'm… sure he'd like some."
Kirk awkwardly made his way over with Weavile. He helped Chris dump two of the buckets into the water for the Lapras to enjoy. The trainer waited until the rest of the Pokémon were eating before speaking again.
"Sorry about earlier, man," Chris apologized. "I wasn't trying to insinuate anything. I just remembered you saying something about wanting to be a Pokémon trainer."
Kirk shook his head. "It's okay. You just surprised me."
"Does Kamon not want you instructing his Pokémon?"
Kirk hesitated. "Well… not necessarily. It's just that… Weavile used to be mine."
Chris' eyebrows rose. "Really? That's cool." The trainer threw a glance at the Sharp Claw Pokémon, who was absentmindedly chowing down. "What did he trade you?"
The color drained from Kirk's face. "Well… it wasn't exactly a trade. It's… complicated."
Chris opened his mouth to inquire further but stopped. The official looked suddenly on the verge of exhaustion. "I gotcha," Chris finally replied.
That seemed to liven the official up somewhat. "How have the last five days treated you? I feel like I've barely seen you outside of post-match cleanups."
"Definitely wouldn't want to do this for a living," Chris answered.
That drew a chuckle from Kirk. "It's certainly not easy or glamorous," he said.
"Does Kamon normally do the jobs he has me doing?"
Kirk nodded. "Yep. Outside of my official capacity, I try and help him around the Gym as much as I can. He pays me more than most officials, so I feel like it's the least I can do."
"That's still a lot to be responsible for," Chris replied. "Getting to keep all your Pokémon in the Gym is a cool perk, but taking care of them all on top of maintaining the facility… man." He looked over at the official. "Are you liking things here?"
"I enjoy interacting with the Pokémon and getting to ref all the battles. I just wish I was better at it. Sometimes I think Kamon's job would be easier if I wasn't here."
"Getting better takes time. I've been on this Pokémon journey for nearly six months and my main goals still aren't within reach." Chris paused to crack his knuckles. "But I know I'm heading in the right direction. As long as I'm taking steps forward, I can live with a bump or two along the way."
"I don't think I've taken a single step forward on the path to becoming an S-class official status," Kirk replied with a chuckle. "But that's not really what I want to do, so I guess it doesn't matter too much."
"Oh, really? Where are you hoping to find yourself then?"
"To be honest," Kirk began with a sigh, "I'm not sure. I accepted this official gig to get some cash and make amends with—" he stopped himself, and took a moment to recompose. "Kamon." Then he continued. "But I never intended to stay on this path. I'm hoping to save up some money and finally take a stab at the Kanto League challenge."
Chris clapped his hands and grinned. "So you haven't given up on being a trainer!"
"I'd still like to give it a shot," Kirk admitted. "But I don't think that's ultimately the career I want to pursue."
"Man… you really want to try everything, don't you?"
Kirk shrugged. "We just have one life. I want to try as much as I can until I find the thing that makes me most happy."
Chris thought about that. In his two months in Mt. Mortar, he had seen Kiyo struggle with this very thing. The Karate King had kept his emotions in check for the majority of his stay, but his departure had made his changed mindset clear. The other example that came to mind was that of his father. Ben Aedan's dream had at one time been the same as his sons'. But through lack of skill and funding, he'd ultimately had to steer his life in another direction. Chris' mind wondered back to the topic of anxious uncertainty that was his brother. Had Matt made a breakthrough in his trainer quest? Had he moved on to other endeavours? Was he even still alive? Stop it, Chris told himself.
"If I had to nail down one thing," Kirk's voice pulled Chris back, "I think I'd enjoy working in broadcasting. While in Kanto, I've thought about applying for an entry level position at Lavender Town's Communication Center."
"That's… actually my dad's field," Chris managed.
Kirk's eyes lit up. "Really? What does he do?"
"He works at Goldenrod Tower. Arceus only knows what his title is. It sounds like he does a bit of everything: television, radio, and server management being the three I remember off the top of my head. He works a lot on the technical side of things: electrical, internet, cable—that sort of thing."
Kirk leaned in close, throwing Chris off balance, and dropping him ass first onto a multicolored rock. "Do—do you think he could get me in the door? Sounds like he may be more on the production team, but I'd say he would know some of the creative staff. I have some awesome ideas for shows about the potential of Pokémon and their useful abilities."
"That, uh, sounds—holy hell!" Something pressed up into the back of Chris' pants. He jumped to his feet, but fell back down at the sight of a snake-like creature wriggling from a hole in the rock. The reptile did not look happy. "What is that?"
"It's okay!" Kirk shouted, stepping between the two. "This gal's mine!"
"She's… your Pokémon?"
"Yeah," Kirk quickly answered.
Without taking his eyes off the annoyed creature, Chris withdrew his Pokédex and scanned it. "A Shuckle, huh?"
"Yes. We use her shell to ferment berries and create nutrient drinks for the Pokémon here."
Chris slid back a few more feet as the Pokémon's yellow limbs slid out from her shell. A pair of them lashed the air between her and the trainer. "I passed by that rock a half dozen times this week and never realized what it was." Chris carefully brought himself back to full height. "I wouldn't have gotten close had I known how much spirit she had."
"She wasn't always that way," Kirk said with a grin. "She was as timid as me before she went off with Ethan."
"With Ethan…" it took Chris a pair of seconds to process that. "You mean the Ethan? Gold?"
Kirk nodded, his grin twisting into a smirk. "After what you said about Kiyo, it's nice to have a surprise of my own."
Chris stopped to imagine what it might be like to have one of his teammates work with the master trainer. The same man who partnered with what many agreed to be the most powerful Typhlosion in existence. What wonders could such a trainer bestow upon Chris' own? The man had also battled with an Ampharos at one time. If he could just spend an afternoon studying Gold's battling method...
"Chris?"
"What, uh, is it?"
"You zoned out on me."
"Sorry. It's just really cool that you've gotten to work with Gold."
"It was more like Shuckle getting to work with him," Kiyo said. He flashed a guilty smile. "He really didn't give me a whole lot of pointers until he returned him. I suppose he could sense how little talent I had for the craft." Before Chris could counter, he added, "But what about you? We've done nothing but talk about me."
"I'm not too crazy on discussing myself," Chris admitted. "I think I've already found my calling, so I'm not the most diverse subject."
"So you want to be a great trainer?"
"The best in Johto, for sure."
Kirk pursed his lips. "Like, the strongest?"
"If possible," Chris answered. "I think my team has the potential."
"They did look pretty impressive against Kamon," Kirk agreed, though he added, somewhat shyly, "but several trainers have passed through with even stronger Pokémon."
"That's alright. We still have almost five months of training left. And besides," Chris added with a grin of his own, "none of those trainers are me."
"You're late." The statement turned to visible condensation as it left Kamon's mouth. The cloud struck Chris' face but he paid it no mind.
"It's early," the trainer countered, throwing on a weary smile. When Kamon's emotionless stare didn't change, he realized he'd have to change his approach. "Sorry, sir. I think my two months in the cave messed with my sleep cycle. And I wasn't exactly a morning person before."
"You become one if your job demands it," Kamon replied. "You're lucky I waited to do this until your last day."
The sky overhead was a mix of purple and grey. The sunrise was still an hour away, but the overcast sky would prevent it from being seen. The chill of oncoming winter filled the air beneath. Chris shook in the morning cold at the northern outskirts of Mahogany Town. He tugged the Gym worker jacket's zipper up as high as it would go. He already missed the warmth of summer and the long days of sunshine. Even the memory of sweating buckets with David and Luke on Route 39 seemed nice by comparison.
"We'll head for the eastern outpost first," Kamon announced, before taking off up the route. Chris attempted to follow leisurely behind, but the Gym Leader's pace demanded hot pursuit. By the time they had made it to the nearby watchtower, the trainer had worked up a legitimate sweat. "Still feeling cold?" Kamon asked. He didn't wait to hear Chris' response, instead, grabbing the base of the tower's ladder, he began to climb, and added, "If you are, you won't be after this."
Chris watched the Gym Leader scramble up the ladder before attempting to do the same. His tight muscles still felt sore and this full body activity only reminded him. Each metal rung Chris' hand found felt colder than the last. As he continued climbing, the metal seemed to become slicker as more and more ice collected on the bars. One of Chris' hands gave way once or twice near the top, nearly giving the acrophobic trainer a heart attack. He finally let out a relieved breath after crawling through the opening that signified the watchtower's entrance. As he stood up, he grabbed the wall for support, and glanced around the space. The surveyor room held the same square shape as its exterior. Each of the four walls came to waist level, providing a three hundred and sixty degree view for its occupant. Wooden support beams in each corner held up the thatched roof.
"This thing is ancient," Chris said.
"Yes, it is." Kamon leaned out into the frost tinged air. His eyes scanned the eastern horizon. He then shifted to stare south without a word.
Chris watched the Gym Leader at first, but eventually found himself admiring his surroundings. Route 44 twisted like a snake to the east. Nests of Spearow dotted the tops of several trees bordering the path. Movement at the water's edge inspired images of Poliwag nestling into the muddy banks and Remoraid splashing in the shallows. Bringing his vision south, Chris found Mahogany; her brown topped roofs blended in with the surrounding mountain dirt. Beneath the morning fog, Chris could see how such a populace could garner an aura of mystique. "So… you just check out the surroundings every morning?" he finally asked
"I survey the area for any signs of discord," Kamon elaborated. "It's one of the many tasks my position demands."
"I don't know of any other Gym Leader that has to do something like this."
"That's because this tradition goes back well before the time of Gym Leaders—back to the days when ninja ruled Mahogany and its surrounding land."
"So they passed on these traditions once Gym Leaders became the town's official advocates?"
Kamon nodded. "That's right."
Chris shook his head. "I still can't believe you're a Gym Leader."
A long trail of breath floated into the morning air. Kamon turned his narrowed, dark red eyes on Chris. "That's what I am. I need you to forget about everything prior."
"I can't," Chris replied. Laughter fought its way through his chattering teeth. "Your battle with my brother… that trilogy with Gold… they're a big part of why I am here—why I'm a trainer. I don't care that you're going by 'Kamon' now. That doesn't alter your influence. It doesn't erase the past."
The Gym Leader slowly turned to face the east and said, in almost a whisper, "I wish it did."
For several minutes, the condensation clouds were the only movement from atop the watchtower. The grey sky began to fade as a warm light fought its way through the clouds.
"We still have to make it over to the western tower," Kamon suddenly announced.
Chris' trembling jaw nearly hit the ground. "We have to climb another one?"
Kamon didn't face the trainer, but Chris could see the Gym Leader's expression soften as he said, "Doctor's orders."
Later that day, Chris found himself back in the Gym's central room. He bent low and slowly rolled a fallen ice pillar away from the battlefield, ultimately settling on the nearest corner as its resting place. He stayed low and quiet as to not disturb the battle in progress. The match had started as a back and forth affair, but as it continued, the challenger began to take control. Chris had loosely followed the action at the beginning, his agenda full of cleaning and viewer tolerance at a low after seeing so many battles. But as he grabbed his broom and tried to sweep, he found that his eyes wouldn't leave the battlefield.
The challenger's six badges had warranted the same four-on-four stipulation granted to Chris. The red haired boy looked to be about his age. His commands sounded more like suggestions, but his voice remained firm. He clenched and unclenched his fists with each clash.
Chris could see sweat forming on the Gym Leader's brow. He had never seen Kamon like this. Frustration flashed across his face as his Piloswine collapsed a moment after the challenger's Magnezone. That meant a two-on-one advantage for the challenger. Kamon's last stand came in the form of Weavile. Not a second later, a winged dinosaur launched into the air and circled the battlefield.
Chris' jaw fell open. "A fossil Pokémon?"
The Gym Leader, clearly focused on winning the battle, didn't give an outward reaction, but Chris thought he could see a hint of surprise in Kamon's eyes. As excavating had increased throughout the regions, and technology improved, it wasn't unheard of for trainers to have fossil Pokémon. The fossils themselves, however, were incredibly expensive, and the restoration process only possible at certain research facilities. Chris honestly had no idea if such a facility even existed in Johto.
The challenger called for Aerodactyl to strike with Iron Head. Night Slash was Kamon's counter. Chris looked on, the broom rocking loosely in his fingers, as the two speedy creatures exchanged one powerful blow after another. Despite his best efforts, Weavile couldn't seem to lock down his opponent. Each time the Fossil Pokémon looked to be cornered, the Sharp Claw Pokémon couldn't capitalize. It seemed at first like Kamon was to blame. But as the missed attacks and squandered momentum began to pile up, Chris slowly realized what was occuring.
"Aerodactyl is faster," he mumbled. It was the first time Chris had ever seen Kamon's ace be outsped. The Gym Leader seemed to have realized this also, pulling his teammate back to play defensive. But the Weavile species didn't possess the bulk or defensive prowess to properly handle the role. An outsped and outmuscled Weavile wouldn't last long.
"Ice Punch," Kamon directed.
Weavile swung a flurry of icy punches at his rapidly advancing adversary. Aerodactyl twisted through the air to avoid them. And as the Fossil Pokémon swung low to dodge a wild haymaker, Chris saw the creature's clawed feet scrape the earth.
"You've got this," the challenger encouraged.
Aerodactyl's claws sank into the battlefield as he kicked his legs violently forward. A tumultuous Rock Slide ensued, with the flood of earthen debris quickly overtaking Kamon's exhausted partner. The Gym Leader was already on the battlefield before Kirk had announced the challenger's victory.
He didn't even need his fourth teammate, Chris silently acknowledged. And we both have the same number of badges. Well… we did. The Cherrygrove native leaned in as Kamon, having congratulated and returned his teammate, approached the challenger.
"You came in with a great strategy and strong Pokémon," Kamon announced. "What impresses me is that you managed to get the most out of both. There aren't many challengers I've faced with the level headedness to do that." The Gym Leader brought forth a small, snowflake shaped object. "You and your team have rightfully earned the Glacier Badge."
The challenger took it with one hand and extended the other for a fist bump. "It was a great battle," he said. Despite the sweat pouring down his freckled face, the young man sounded as though they had just gone for a leisurely stroll. Chris couldn't imagine being this calm after beating a historically great trainer.
The two exchanged more words, but they spoke too low for Chris to hear. Finally, the Gym Leader audibly asked, "What's your next step?"
"Figure I'll head north," the challenger answered. "I'd like to take a crack at the Winter Classic. Be nice to see where I stack up."
Kamon nodded. "I look forward to seeing your performance there. Just make sure you continue to improve."
The challenger brushed aside a strand of his long red hair. Despite his gentle expression, his reply carried a razor's edge, "Trust me, I will." And with that, the red haired boy returned to his waiting Aerodactyl. The challenger patted the Pokémon's wing as the Rock/Flying-type admired the badge in his other hand. He said something inaudible to the Fossil Pokémon, who nodded slowly. Then the two were heading off the battlefield. As they walked, the trainer unzipped his backpack and whipped out a green jacket with black stripes. Only then did Chris realize that the trainer had battled in this freezer-like room—on the frozen battlefield—wearing only a black t-shirt and jeans.
The two passed Chris. The victorious trainer nodded at him without making eye contact. His short, quick steps brought him rapidly to the thing he seemed most focused on: the door.
Chris found Kamon's hand on his shoulder the moment the challenger had left. "You said you planned on participating in the Winter Classic, right?" he asked.
"Yeah."
Kamon nodded at the door. "Try and find him before it begins."
"Why's that?"
"Just trust me on this one," Kamon answered, his eyes never leaving the door. "His name is Seth." He waited for Chris to nod. There was a brief moment of silence before he spoke again. "Go ahead and get the battlefield cleaned up. We're going on watch tonight."
A southern breeze managed to combat the chilly night air. Chris still gripped the worker's jacket tightly, but his teeth presently didn't feel the need to chatter. He and Kamon stood atop the northeastern watchtower. Amongst the darkness, the Gym Leader stared intently at the town's distant lights. What little traffic passed through Mahogany's eastern entrance didn't escape his eye.
"I know it's tradition," Chris kept his voice low, "but why come up here at night? It's impossible to make out anything."
"Look out there," Kamon said.
Chris did as he was told. He squinted into the darkness, cherishing every light filled window that allowed him a glimpse of anything. "Okay," he said.
"What do you see?"
Chris scanned the dark streets, the occasional flash of movement, the low lit lamps that provided just enough detail to frustrate him. He looked at the homes, most of which showed no signs of life. "Not much," Chris finally admitted. "I can sorta see signs of life every once in a while. Why not do this during the day? Or how about you invest in some night vision goggles?"
"You're missing the point of why I come here."
"Because it's tradition, right?"
"But why was it done to begin with?"
Chris thought for a moment. "Well, it's a watchtower. So I'm guessing people would come up here to look out over the land. Make sure everything was alright."
"That's just one part of it," Kamon explained. "Gym Leaders are called to serve their community. That's why I often disappear between Gym battles. That is why I have workers like Kirk and, at least for the past week, you to help with the Gym." Kamon took a deep breath. "I don't use night vision goggles because that would be an invasion of privacy. I'm not up here to spy on my community."
"Then what's the point of climbing up here and squinting into the dark?"
There was a light tap on the wooden roof. Something swung over the edge and bolted between Kamon and Chris. It took several seconds for Chris to identify the blur as Kamon's Weavile.
"The town knows where I am. Many have beacons mounted near the top of their homes. If they need me, they can either speak with me here or light the signal. If it's the latter, Weavile can scout the situation and catch me up before I get there."
Chris' mind drifted to his mother. "Do you not have a police force?"
Kamon shook his head. "Ecruteak's officers will occasionally swing through as a courtesy. We sometimes get volunteers, but the background checks have to go through Johto's criminal justice department. And that can take some time."
"Trust me, I know," Chris muttered. He'd seen his mother put up with the slow gears of bureaucracy for years. Despite her high scores and visible aptitude, she'd spent her first two years without so much as a whiff of patrol experience. And when she finally had gotten her chance, and had excelled, she'd been thrown into the sector containing the routes between Goldenrod, Violet, and Ecruteak City. The assignment had been expansive, but incredibly dull, making for many nights of exhaustive coverage with little to show for it. At least that brought her to dad, Chris thought with a smile. As they dated, she had continued to patrol the sector. His father had told him that she'd done well to hold in her frustration during those early days. Chris still thought that to be true, but he could sometimes tell by his mother's silence after a weekly meeting that the system had spluttered.
"Thank you," Chris said.
Kamon turned to him and nodded.
A low ringing started up at that moment. Chris instinctively looked to his PokéGear, but found it to be silent.
"It's mine," Kamon said, bringing out an older model of the device from his pocket. As he brought the PokéGear up to his face, the screen light revealed the tightening of the leader's jaw. "You can head back to the Gym," he said after a moment.
Kamon and Kirk escorted Chris to the Gym's entrance the following morning. He shook their hands and thanked the Gym Leader once again for the impromptu internship.
"I trust you've updated your wardrobe?"
Chris revealed a painful grin. "I did." It had hurt him to let go of most of his summer wardrobe, but it had hurt his wallet even more. His winter attire and newly purchased boots had taken a considerable chunk out of his funds, making him even more grateful for Kamon's medical coverage. The pain had been mitigated somewhat by the charitable organization that had taken his old summer threads. At least they'd eventually be put to good use. The trainer waved a hand at Kamon and added, "Between the new threads and Typhlosion, you shouldn't have to worry about me freezing to death."
"You can always overwork your way to it," Kirk added. Chris had enjoyed getting to know the slightly older teen. Seeing him come out of his shell had been nearly as nice as the time spent with Kamon.
Chris brought out the light tan worker's jacket and extended it toward the Gym Leader. "I wanted to make sure I got this back to you."
Kamon pushed it away. "Keep it," he said. "The days can get cold up around the lake. Typhlosion or not, it wouldn't hurt to have something that insulated."
Chris went to object, but stopped after meeting Kamon's stern look. He noticed, for the first time, dark rings around the man's eyes. The previous night's phone call came to mind. Must have been an all nighter, Chris thought, before turning his attention back to Kamon's generous gift. "I really appreciate it."
"You best get moving," the Gym Leader replied. He pointed to the northern path. "Visitors always underestimate Route 43. I would recommend the western branch. It's a bit longer, but not nearly as steep." As Chris turned to go, he added, "Good luck in the tournament, but don't forget what's waiting for you when you return."
Chris nodded to the Gym Leader and Kirk, before turning and heading east. Though he'd had no time to train with them, it'd still been a week since his team's last checkup. He swung by the Pokémon Center and submitted his six teammates. The nurse barely registered his existence as he handed her the Poké Balls. Better than before, he thought. I must look like a human again.
As he sat down at a nearby counter, he noticed for the first time just how packed the lobby was. In such a quiet, isolated town, it was odd seeing so many people gathered together. Most of the men and women didn't appear to be Pokémon trainers, only adding to the strangeness. Chris looked them over and realized that everyone's attention seemed to be focused on the same thing.
"—reporting live from Route 39," an off camera news anchor spoke. The video on screen, however, didn't resemble anything close to the open, uphill path that Chris, Luke, and David had traveled on. The sweeping, aerial shot displayed a massive expanse of blackened earth. At its center lay a crater the size of the Pokémon Center he now stood in. "Through eyewitness and recorded video, it appears as though a Dragon-type Pokémon delivered a massive, electrical assault last night on the wide stretch of land you see now. Authorities arrived on the scene shortly after. Olivine's Chief of Police has confirmed multiple fatalities—all human. The victims' identities have not been revealed at this time."
Dragon-type. Chris could only think of the Dragon Tamer council he'd been privy to in Violet City's Gym. This has to be Ghetsis, he thought.
"—police on the scene," the anchor continued.
At that, Chris' body went rigid. He whipped open his PokéGear and called his mother. The knot in the trainer's stomach grew tighter with each repeated dial tone. As he went to close the device, a muffled voice echoed through the speakers. Chris snapped the device up to his mouth.
"Mom."
"Chris," her voice was deathly serious, "are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I'm glad to hear you are too."
His mother's voice grew quiet. "You heard about the attack?"
"Yeah. It's on the news here in Mahogany Town."
"I can't talk for long," his mother said. "I'm working security for northern Olivine right now. The media and local curiosity are making it a madhouse. The commissioner is pushing for all hands on deck."
"Sorry to bother you."
"No," her voice hardened, "don't apologize. I appreciate you checking on me. And I'm glad you made it to Mahogany." A chuckle came over the speakers. "It's just great to talk to you again. It's been over two months since I've heard your voice!"
"I missed ya'," Chris replied. Those dreary months he'd spent under the mountain—breaking his body down—had reminded him of just how much he'd underappreciated his home. Despite her erratic schedule, his mother had almost always found a way to provide her son with dinner. She'd somehow found time to take care of their home and finances as well. Chris had handled the yard work and occasionally cooked dinner, but he only recently had realized just how much of the burden his mother had taken on. And nothing I've eaten on my journey has compared to her cooking, Chris silently admitted.
"Me and your dad have missed you, too. He actually called me earlier this morning. I guess with his work, he probably found out about this story as soon as anyone in the media."
"That's good."
"I think work has been extra stressful for him recently. You should give him a call."
Chris stared silently at his PokéGear for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice gave an adolescent crack. "I may."
"He'd really appreciate hearing from you," she continued. "But I'll let you go. I need to get back on security detail and I'm sure you have a Gym Leader to whip up on. I love you!"
"Love you too."
Chris ended the call and watched as the contact screen appeared. Ben Aedan topped the alphabetical list. The trainer's finger struck the necessary prompts. Then the dial tone started up. His eyes watched the Pidgey letter delivery animation repeat a half dozen times. He ended the call at the first sound of the automated voicemail. Wish I could say I was surprised, he thought.
Once his team had been returned, he swung by the PC and, after deliberating for an eternity, made one change. He then headed back outside. With his supplies replenished and his team healed, nothing was keeping the trainer from heading north.
The sky was overcast, but the temperature surprisingly warm as Chris began on Route 43. He'd released five of his teammates from their devices the minute he'd passed under the town's northern exit, spurred on by the growing guilt he'd felt while working his internship under Kamon. Outside of a few minutes in the evening, and the occasional late night walk, Chris hadn't been able to spend any time with his crew. He'd wanted to ask the leader why he'd been unable to have his team help him around the Gym, but the right moment had never presented itself.
"You guys can stay out as much as you like," he'd told them.
"Ty'?" his starter had asked, closing his eyes and pointing to his flameless neck.
"Okay," Chris had conceded, "I may return you if you faint. But only for serious reasons like that."
They hadn't walked far before Ampharos had grabbed everyone's attention. "Amph'?" The Electric-type asked, pointing at the ground beside her.
Chris grinned. "We are missing somebody, aren't we?" He took out his sixth Poké Ball and prepared to toss it.
"Scy'," the Mantis Pokémon's snarky response caught Chris off guard. The trainer turned and found the Bug/Flying-type pointing at the device. Scyther took his other scythe and slowly bought it over his head. "Scyther."
"No!" Chris said defensively. "I'm not trying to surprise you guys with a new evolution."
"Eevee!" the Normal-type pointed at himself.
"It's not a new teammate."
"Cro'!" the Bat Pokémon screeched.
"We have a winner!"
Chris launched the device into the air. It opened, and a massive creature materialized below. The other five Pokémon roared their approval at the return of Gyarados. The red serpent greeted his teammates with his own terrifying grin. As both sides exchanged words, Chris noticed Ampharos still staring at the ground beside her.
"Back in Olivine, both Crobat and Nidoking had offered to sub out," Chris explained. "It was Nidoking's turn. Don't worry, though. I'll need his infinite energy back soon."
The party continued north, with the trainer allowing his team to roam across the open fields. A few of them stumbled upon some wild Pokémon willing to battle. A pair of Venonat, a Girafarig, and even a Buizel were defeated after a series of quick exchanges. The sight of a Buizel surprised Chris, until he remembered that he was in northern Johto. Sinnoh lay not far to the north, and the migration of Pokémon from nearby regions had only increased in recent years.
The party reconvened upon reaching the fork that Kamon had mentioned. To the right, the path remained open, but the flat terrain they'd been traveling over would take on a severe uphill slant. The left branch had a much more gradual climb, but the path looked to be much more wooded. For once, Chris was thankful for late fall. Most of these trees had lost their leaves, with only the pines presenting any amount of growth to traverse. This would also make it easier to spot any potential ambushes from wild Pokémon. And there's no way any trainers can scout me or take me by surprise, he thought.
"To the left!" Chris announced.
That's when his PokéGear began to vibrate. Looking down, he saw the caller's ID: Ben Aedan.
Who knew a phone call could provide an ominous cliffhanger? After his week of working with Kamon, Chris finds himself with an updated wardrobe, and perhaps an updated perspective. The Gym Leader has sent Chris off with the expectation of finishing their battle, but he first must focus on the upcoming Winter Classic. And even with two major battles on the horizon, what about everything happening elsewhere? The deadly attack on Route 39. The status of Chris' father, who now awaits on the other side of the line. Perhaps we can find some answers in the next expansive installment of Heart and Soul! I hope to see you then! Please Review and Subscribe!
