Chapter 13 – Man with No Hope
A/N: This is a original Pokemon Fan Game, made by Amethyst. if you wish to check it out and play the game download it at Reborn Evolved. search for it on your web browser if you want to get to the website.
Time: 10:00
Location: Beryl Ward
It has been the next morning, the PULSE Machines in Beryl and Jasper had both been destroyed. Though both sides of the wards were in ruin. Per Lucille's asking, both Percival and her went around doing what they could to help the survivors of the plant attacks. They did that all day.
Where they eventually heard from Police officers, that they were attacked by a boy with black hair and an Absol. Lucille and Percival recognized the description almost immediately. With learning Nero attacked the Police, they understood why they had no help from the previous day. The reason for Taka, ZEL, and the mysterious person from yesterday escaped.
Though after learning this Percival used as much of his time he could spare to train. Preparing for a fight against the Beryl Ward's Gym Leader Corey. Percival's training had some great results where his Kirlia had finally reached its final stage of a Gardevoir, and currently sat as Percival's strongest tied with his usual Leafeon. Meanwhile his Metang held its place as the second strongest. A Unique setup for Percival's usual training.
That has gone up until now, where Percival finds himself alone in Corey's Gym. Lucille who would normally accompany him had decided to continue to see if she can help others any more, did not travel to the gym with him this day.
"Hello?" Percival called out to the empty gym.
"…" He heard no response
"Further in, maybe?" Percival said to himself, walking around in the gym. He walked up the stairs, and went into the Gym field. And looked confused as there was still no one there. "Is this place even open? Where the-."
Sizzle
Percival felt an odd sensation as he stepped into purple battle field. Realizing that it was burning through his shoe Percival jumped back. "What the hell? A corrosive battle field… This will not be easy."
Percival slightly fed up with what just happened walked back to the entrance, this time noticing the oddly colored Pillars, mostly noticing that they all had a panel on them. he walked to one of the pillars and pressed a button. The pillars around him then changed color. Slightly frustrated with himself for not noticing this. "*Sigh* A Puzzle. How could I forget."
Percival spent the next few minutes going between the pillars, changing the colors, with the only idea that he had to make them the same color. He managed to get all of the pillars blue… though nothing happened. This time Percival went around making all of the pillars red.
At the last pillar he needed to be Percival stood. "Come on. This better work."
Click
As Percival pressed the button, he heard a noise. He looked over, noticing that a hidden doorway appeared. He looked at this surprised. "A hidden room? Are you serious, is this not the actual gym?"
Confused Percival went and entered through the door way. As he entered, he saw a man with spiky purple hair, and purplish-black clothing. It seemed like the man didn't notice him. "…"
Unknown why, Percival felt a sense of unease towards this man. Though he still introduced himself. "Hello. I'm Percival Jeramiah von-."
Percival was interrupted by the man. "Generally speaking, when one has locked themselves in a hidden room, they wish not to be approached. But I see you don't care. Not that I'm surprised. This world is void of care."
"Sorry." Percival responded slightly nervous. Though understanding that this must be the gym leader. "But if you wanted to be left alone… you could have made it clearer. I just thought that the pillars outside were just some sort of puzzle."
"Percival, correct?" Corey's stern voice rang into Percival "I understand you've met my daughter, Heather."
"Um…" Percival was unsure what this meant.
"She's an unruly child. She has no respect for the way I have raised her—without hope." Corey sternly spoke.
Though… Percival had some words to say. "She's better if she has hope. There have been many of time where hope kept me going-"
"Hope is weakness." Corey said. "It's an illusion meant to sugar coat this sickening reality. The sooner one gets used to the idea that life is a nightmare and nothing less, the better off one will be."
"…" Percival shook at Corey's harsh words. Though he felt a familiar way of speaking between Corey and someone else…
"I've simple raised her keeping that in mind. Do you disagree?" Corey looked at Percival, whose face showed that he disagreed. Corey then started to walk out of the secret room. "I'll return to the arena. There, I will show you misery."
"…" Percival stood silent. Remembering the strict gaze of a man, he hated. A man who made his own life, a practical hell. Now angry, Percival followed. "I've already known misery. Like hell you'll be able to teach it to me again."
Now back at the Beryl Gym Arena Percival and Corey stood ready to fight. Corey looks at Percival, who looked more determined to win then he thought. "Your resilience is admirable, but foolish."
"Yeah, yeah." Percival was now angry.
"Wake up. Your hopes... Your dreams... Futile." Corey yelled. Tossing out a Skrelp. "I will show you the cruelty of what is real!"
"Geissler." Percival threw out his first Pokémon. His Tynamo. "Spark!"
The Tynamo charged forward with electric energy bringing the Skrelp to 46%. Corey patronized him. "Is this the best you can do."
Percival rolled his eyes. "I know what I'm doing. Don't think I didn't notice the focus sash, or the use of Toxic Spikes."
"Hm… you're smarter than you look." Corey was almost impressed.
"I'm full of surprises. Geissler again!" Percival shouted. Where Geissler charged forward with the electrical energy once again, charged into the Skrelp, knocking it out!
"this is just one of my six Pokémon. I still have more to show you, how pointless your journey is." Corey stung, sending in a Croagunk. "Croagunk."
"Oh no you don't! Geissler return! Steel you're out!" Percival knew the moves that Croagunk could make. Switching out before an attack could be made. As the steel-type Metang landed on the field no damage occurred to the creature. And the Croagunk was unable to attack.
"predicted a Sucker-Punch. Smart." Corey responded.
"It's predicting. My father has a Toxicroak, always tormented me with that move." Percival spat out.
"Is that so? I guess he tried to show that the world has no hope, just like me? Croagunk," Corey smiled at that.
"No." Percival glared. "I'm just a reminder of the mistake that he made. He's never liked me, something your daughter and I share. Steel Confusion!"
"Sucker Punch." Corey commanded. Though even with getting hit by a dark type attack Steel still stood strong at 61%. Though Steel's mental attack knocked down the Croagunk. "Oh, most people would wait to have Zen headbutt as a psychic type for this Pokémon. Though, I guess that's not you. Skuntank Incinerate."
The fire burned out of the Skuntank, brining Steel to 25%. Percival looked at the Skuntank, he had an eerie reminder, of one of the last dark types he's faced. "Steel Metal Claw! Followed by Bullet punch!"
"Skuntank Incinerate again!" With the back to back attacks of Metal claw and Bullet Punch, the Skuntank was brought to 56%. Corey was intrigued by Percival's decision to stay in. "Odd, do find it fun to watch your Pokémon suffer."
"Like you don't. It's just that I've faced a guy who loves to use pursuit." Percival thought it was odd, the way Corey spoke was reminiscent of Nero. But just focused on the battle. "Phoebe."
Once his Milotic landed on the corrosive field, her health fell to 87% then due to the toxic spikes it went further to 75%. "This Pokémon prides it's self on its special defense, so Acid Spray."
"Phoebe, Ice Beam!" Percival shouted. Though Phoebe was hit with acid spray lowering her special defense by two stages, her health fell to 54%, then to 42% due to poison damage. Though the beam of ice brought the Skuntank to 22%.
"Still struggling to survive. Skuntank Acid spray." Corey commanded, with the spray of acid hitting once more the Milotic sat at 8%.
"Phoebe!" Percival yelled for his Milotic to continue. Phoebe with its last attack took down the Skuntank, and itself fell.
"A double knock out." Corey said. half surprised. Then tossing out a Nidorina.
"I'm not finished just yet. Oracle! Psybeam!" Percival decided. Tossing out his Braixen to the battle the corrosive field brought it to 87%, and the toxic spikes brought poisoned the Pokémon. Surround itself with many of flames the Braixen took out it's stick sending a beam of psychic energy into the Nidorina. Bringing the Nidorina to 43%.
"Nidorina. Double Kick!" Corey commanded. With it jumping kicking into the brought to 61%, then fell further to 49% Due to the poisoning.
"We're not done yet. Oracle! Once more!" Percival shouted, Oracle feeling it's master's wishes once again swirled psychic energy around it's stick sending it into the Nidorina taking it out. Though Oracle still suffered Poison damage, falling to 37%
"more tenacious than I thought. But is this from your so called 'hope', or just your anger?" Corey asked, sending a Mareanie to the field.
Percival balled his fist, knowing what Corey meant. "…"
"This journey, you won't gain anything from it." Corey lectured Percival.
"Shut up. It will." Percival's anger flared further. "Oracle! Psybeam!"
With following of its master's lead, Oracle once more swirled it's psychic energy into the Mareanie, bringing it to 30%. "Mareanie. Venoshock."
With shot of sludge it hit the Braixen instantly knocking it to the floor. "Oracle!"
"The journey you're on will only lead to heartache and pain." Corey continued. "Give up, and go home."
"…" The words Corey spoke shook and stung Percival. He nearly fell to his knees, until three Pokémon shook from their pokeballs. Convincing him to continue. Percival then declared. "… I won't."
"…" Corey looked at Percival's resolve.
"the day I left with my Pokémon, I knew… no, we knew, that we may never return. I won't give up. Not until the day they do. I'm not losing, here. Vee!" Percival's resolve shown bright. Tossing out a Leafeon into the corrosive field, its health fell to 75%, though it saved itself from poison from a percha berry. "Razor Leaf!"
With a wave of leaves running into the Mareanie, it stuck with critical power. Taking down the Mareanie. Corey only looked with distain, tossing out his final Pokémon. "Disappointment is a two-way street."
"Vee! Quick attack!" Percival shouted! In alarm to it's being, as Crobat is one of the fastest Pokémon there is. Vee ran forward into the Crobat brining it 84%.
"Hm… only futile efforts. Crobat Venoshock." Corey declared. With one shot of poison, Vee was instantly taken down.
"… This is foolish. But… Artemis." Percival tossed out his Gardevoir to the field
"Hmp. Let's finish this Crobat!" Corey shouted, and Crobat shot off another Venoshock. Where in the end, Gardevoir barely survived, at just 1%. "What?!"
"Good job, you've been with me the longest. I knew you could live." Percival smiled at his Gardevoir. "Now Psychic."
With that the Crobat fell, from one blast of psychic energy. "Pah... Injury to insult, is it?"
"Thanks Artemis." Percival smiled returning her to the pokeball. "You always know the best, don't you?"
"You're only here for the badge, right?" Corey asked mad.
"Yeah… why else would I be here?" Though Percival did notice that Corey had the same Pokémon as the mystery guy, or rather he didn't want to believe that Corey was him.
"Good." Corey started to get a badge. "Then take it and go. I'm sick of-"
Corey stopped as he saw his daughter, Heather, enter the room. She noticed that Percival was also there. "Hey! Oh, hi Percy. Anyway… I'm leaving. Bye."
Both Corey and Percival were surprised, though Percival also had a slight smile, to see the girl sticking for what she believes. Though Corey was not happy with what he heard. "Excuse me?"
"I'm leaving. For good." Heather repeated herself. "And you KNOW you can't stop me, so don't even try!"
"Heather," Corey's voice was upset. "You will stop this right now."
"Make me!" She yelled at her father; Corey stood unsure what to do. "You can't! I'm done listening to you and your stupid rules! I'm sick of you saying I can't do anything ever! So, I'm just done. Bye."
"You are being completely irresponsible!" Corey scolded. "You can't just fly away and hope all your problems will be solved!"
"Watch me." Heather had a spiteful look in her eye pointed directly at Corey, she then turned and started to leave.
"Heather!" Corey called out once more.
"…What." Heather stopped just at the door.
"You took your mother's ring, did you not?" Corey asked.
"...So, what if I did?" Heather asked completely confused by that.
"Don't lose it." Corey said. though heather just rolled her eyes and left.
"…" Percival sensed the huge change in atmosphere in the room. He wanted to get the gym badge he just earned… but also kind of wish he took on Corey yesterday.
"So that's it…" Corey sighed. "Ten years of torment… For her to vanish just as quickly… No. I'll be at your side soon…"
Corey started to leave, though Percival felt something off attempted to stop him, "Wait, where are you going?"
"Percival. I'm in no place to ask you favors, so…" Corey said,
"What do you mean?" A pit of worry only increased inside of Percival.
"I'll put it this way: Come to Beryl Bridge if you want a show." Corey said, before vanishing out of the door.
"What the heck is he doing?" Percival's worry only grew. He didn't even care that he hadn't received his Gym Badge yet.