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Sinners: The Show Must Go On	By : Stormborn Apostle Category: Pokemon > General Views: 1424 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Pokemon and make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-The Show Must Go On
- 2-Blood and Honor
- 1
- 2
Empty spaces – what are we living for?
Abandoned places – I guess we know the score...
On and on...does anybody know what we are looking for?
Another hero? Another mindless crime?
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime,
Hold the line – does anybody want to take it anymore?
The show must go on!
The show must go on, yeah!
Inside, my heart is breaking,
My makeup may be flaking,
But my smile still stays on...

The Show Must Go On, Queen

*****

(Author's Notes at end of chapter!)

*****

Chapter 1: The Show Must Go On

Even in a place as small and sleepy as Oldale Town, Certification Day was always a major spectacle. Oh, there was more excitement and grandeur in the larger cities, sure – the parades, the fireworks, the traditional spar between the First Classman and their local Gym Leader – but those were merely for show, a way of blowing off steam after the unrelenting stress of the final Academy exams. What mattered was the certification itself, of course. Regardless of where they were and what the day's upcoming festivities would be, every single student (yes, even the boldest of them) awoke in a cold sweat, their hearts racing, because they were acutely aware that this day would define the rest of their lives.

For good or for ill.

The vast majority of these young men and women knew what their results would be, of course; the rigors of the Academy did not allow for many students to remain 'on the border'. The first year of study generally saw more than half of the starting class either fail out or leave of their own accord. By their fourth and final year, however, nearly every remaining student had long since purged their doubts and weaknesses. Most of those remaining few, who knew that their results were in jeopardy, generally withdrew before the final exams. Considering the overwhelming dangers of the Trainer's Path, this was considered a wise and honorable retreat rather than a rage-quit. Going into the wilds when you had just barely passed the trials was asking for disaster; why chance it? Better to become a server or stock-boy than to die in some godforsaken wilderness.

And that was why even the brightest and most successful students of the Academy, sure of their certification, still woke up trembling with dread...because what they had chosen was *not* the safe path. They'd entered the Academy as mere children, with boundless optimism and excitement, so sure of what they were getting into...but a child of eleven or twelve has no idea how harsh the world can truly be. Much of the first year's studies were devoted solely to erasing these unrealistic dreams from the young students, explaining the full dangers of the Trainer's Path and making many of them flee from it in horror.

It was all well and good to imagine being a mighty trainer one day, battling alongside their beloved Pokemon and obtaining great glory and riches. It was quite a bit less so when the instructors shared story after story of trainers – even powerful and experienced ones – dying gruesome deaths out in the savage wilds of Hoenn. Starvation. Dehydration. Exposure. Illness. Broken bones from falls and rockslides. Volcanic activity to the west; strange spirits and phantoms to the east. There were criminals in the wilderness, and why wouldn't there be? Why risk challenging the law at home? It was so much easier to rob or rape or kill someone in the deep forests or rugged mountains, untold miles from the nearest Protector.

But, of course, most of the predators out there were *not* human, and that perhaps presented the most horrific dangers of all – being struck down by some feral beast and dying a bloody, screaming death. The difference between a wild and uplifted Pokemon was as stark as night and day, and most city-born folk rarely understood or appreciated that. You had to teach these children that while a stray city Mightyena might dig through your trash, a wild forest Mightyena would just as readily tear through your flesh; many of the carnivorous Pokemon in the wilds would not even wait until you were dead before beginning to feed.

Most of the cartoons and movies that glorified the Trainer's Path tended to leave that part out.

Those who had come this far, however, knew what they were getting into...in theory, at least. They had heard the cautionary tales, drilled into them by instructors who had witnessed such tragedies firsthand. Much (but not all) of the typical teenage brashness and arrogance had been driven out of them. They had been taught how to hunt, how to fish, how to scavenge, how to tell the difference between edible and poisonous plants. They knew how to build fires, and how to preserve their strength and supplies when conditions were poor. They had been trained in first aid and self-defense, and how to tell a passive Pokemon from an aggressive and territorial one.

But there were no guarantees, of course.

After all, nearly all the victims of those horror stories had possessed the same training that they were now receiving.

And as anyone fortunate enough to survive to adulthood can attest, no amount of knowledge can fully drive out the arrogance of a teenager. You could tell them to be careful until you were blue in the face, and they would say that of course they understood, they weren't fools...and still some of them would make those very same mistakes, and their last thoughts would be “wait, this can't be happening to *me*, I'M different!”. Many of these lessons would have to be self-taught in order to be truly understood...but some would not live long enough to learn from them.

Yet this was still the Path they chose, and those who had endured all four years of their training would not be swayed. The wilds called to them. Yes, you could stay in civilization and enjoy a relatively safe life, sure; city walls, electricity, running water, warm beds, a hospital within easy reach, a job that paid the bills. You could be born inside the walls, grow up, raise a family, and die inside the walls. To many – most, in fact – that was a perfectly reasonable and honorable way to spend your days.

But to these strange and bold young men and women, that was not enough.

There was still glory to be found in this world. There was discovery and adventure. There were sights that no one had ever yet laid eyes upon. There were living gods to commune with. There was political power for those with the strength, determination, and charisma to pursue it; to best the country's mightiest warriors and claim the Championship by force of arms. There were mysteries, both mundane and mystical, to be solved. There were criminals who needed to be brought to justice. There were countless people, human and Pokemon alike, who needed protection, guardians...they needed heroes.

What a wonder it would be, to become a hero in this day and age!

Ah, but the dangers. The burdens of responsibility. The risk of failure and obscurity.

Is it any wonder, then, that this year's graduating class - the Class of Year 1000, the first new crop of trainers for the new millennium – felt their hearts pounding as they walked to their mailboxes?

It was the last day of December, the last day of the year, and the last day of their old lives.

*****

By two in the afternoon, the festivities in Oldale Town were well underway. Even the most fearful of the Class of 1000 had by now overcome their hesitation and opened their letters from the Academy. As mentioned, most were not surprised by their results. A good deal of their previous dread faded as they read their final scores, and the rest of it vanished (for now, at least) as they showed off their hard-earned licenses to their friends and family, beaming with justified pride.

...but still, it was strange just how heavy those little pieces of plastic felt in their hands.

A young and dark-haired man came out of the town courthouse, an Arcanine and Froslass following closely behind him. He found a bench close to the street and sat down with a heavy thud and grateful sigh. It had been a long shift, but he was finally off-duty. Well, mostly off-duty. Any Protector worth his salt would tell you that even in a small town like Oldale, you're never *really* off the job, just off the clock – hence why he generally carried his Peacekeeper sword with him at all times, and why it was still strapped to his back despite having changed back into his civilian attire. It would earn him a few strange looks, yes, but he never quite felt right without it, not even within the walls.

He didn't expect to need it, though. As he watched the crowded town square bustle with activity, he could practically feel the uplifting and positive mood in the air. It was a nice change of pace from the oppressive, nervous atmosphere of the past few days, as roughly two hundred fourth-year students in Oldale ruminated over their fates and impending certifications. No, there probably wouldn't be much trouble today. Maybe some excessive celebration and drinking, especially once the sun went down, but not too much. This wasn't a hard-partying city like Slateport or Mauville, where you had to worry about windows being smashed or things set on fire after a major League match (apparently in celebration; that was something he would never understand). He had seen some terrible things in his six years as a Protector, sure...but for the most part, Oldale was a good place. He wouldn't have stayed here so long if it wasn't.

Despite having worked for ten hours straight, he was only tired, not sleepy. He had volunteered for the early shift for a reason – with work out of the way, he could devote the rest of his day to his cousin Naomi's certification celebration, and he was looking forward to it. There were no doubts that she would pass; Naomi was a brilliant student, certainly better than he had been during his own time in the Academy. He was still worried about the dangers ahead of her, of course, but he doubted that many of these fledgling trainers were as prepared as she was. She was a student of both the Academy and their great-grandmother's tutelage. There was no point in worrying excessively about it. He had enough stress to deal with as it was.

He wasn't due to meet up with her for another hour, so he decided to take a walk through the town square and see how the festivities were going. As was the norm for Certification Day, the main street had become an impromptu marketplace, lined with food stalls and vendors hawking various goods and gear. Their sales were going to be strong today. The fledglings would be spending the day celebrating, as well as buying the supplies that they were finally licensed to carry now that they were officially trainers. They'd stay in town for this one last night, however – by tradition, the new class of trainers would set off tomorrow at first light, starting their journeys under the first sunrise of the new year.

As the young Protector walked through the crowded streets, his Pokemon faithfully in tow, he admired the bustling fledglings with a somber smile. Their Path was one that he had once chosen for himself, years ago...before life seemed to choose a different one for him. He was proud of his work as a Protector, make no mistake; while he couldn't help everyone that he met, he had nevertheless helped a great many people, and he considered it an honor to serve them. His great-grandmother had been a Protector of Oldale for many decades; his father served as one still. Perhaps their family's ancient legacy as a mighty clan of warriors had come to an end in more modern times (no shame in that; nearly all of the old clans had been forced to adapt as time and technology marched onward)...but most of his family still lived and died with honor, and he intended to do the same. And despite some of the struggles of his job, his life was pretty damn good here. How could he complain?

But sometimes...sometimes he still wondered.

He wondered what it would have been like, traveling across untamed lands, challenging fierce opponents, and conquering deadly obstacles, as he had dreamed of doing since he was a young boy.

He wondered if he had made the right choice by staying in this small town with his family, earning honor within the walls instead of seeking true glory in the greater circles of the world.

He wondered if these teenaged fledglings – still children in the eyes of many – were actually braver than he was.

Pointless to think about, of course. He had made his decisions and stood by them. It was absurd to long for something that fate had prevented him from pursuing. You didn't always grow up to become what you dreamed of being as a child, after all.

Ah, well.

His stomach grumbled as the delicious spicy scents of roasting meat hit him. He was starving after such a long shift, and his Pokemon were likely ravenous, as well. There would be a fabulous dinner later, of course, a feast in Naomi's honor...but the thought of waiting that long to eat was not terribly welcome. A little light lunch wouldn't hurt his appetite later. He was looking up and down the line of food stalls, trying to decide which to order from, when a young woman sitting at a nearby table caught his eye.

She looked roughly his own age. She was red-haired, fresh-faced, and quite attractive. Very attractive, to be honest. And most interestingly, despite the sword on his back and the pair of intimidating Pokemon flanking him, she was looking back at him with a pleasant and friendly smile on her face. Most people gave Protectors a bit of a wide berth, not really wanting to attract the attention of a lawman (regardless of whether or not they had anything to hide)...but she didn't seem intimidated, not a bit.

Okay. This was interesting.

He was working up the courage to speak to her when there was a sudden crashing noise behind him. He immediately forgot about the pretty stranger and turned on his heels, his hand darting to the handle of his Peacekeeper out of sheer reflex. Someone had dropped a tray. He lowered his hand, embarrassed; his training didn't simply turn off just because his shift was over, and wasn't that just wonderful? He grimaced and turned back to the young woman, expecting to see that pleasant look replaced by distaste...but no. If anything, she seemed amused.

“I think it's safe to stand down, officer.”

Her words were sarcastic, but playful instead of mocking. Okay, not a great first impression, but it seemed that he hadn't blown it just yet.

“Sorry. That was just a...well...”

“Force of habit?”

“Something like that, yes. My apologies if I startled you.” He paused, hoping his face wasn't as red as he feared it might be. It had been years since he had actually flirted with someone. Strange as it may have seemed, he was far more at ease tackling some shoplifting thug to the ground than asking a pretty girl out to lunch. It certainly seemed easier to him...and maybe even less painful when you slipped up and got punched in the gut. “I was wondering if, um...if you were looking for some company? I promise to keep my sword in its sheath.”

She shot him a bemused look, and it wasn't until he saw his Froslass shaking her head in disappointment that he suddenly realized how that last comment could have been interpreted. Oh, great. This was why he was single. Fortunately, she seemed to either realize that he wasn't trying to be a smartass, or just found it more funny than cringe-worthy. “That would be lovely, yes. Please, join me.”

Arcanine and Froslass took up their normal positions on either side of him, and once again he was surprised at just how calm this pretty young woman was, despite being face-to-face with two battle-trained Pokemon – Arcanine especially, who had occasionally made criminals surrender with nothing more than a sharp glare and a booming roar. Perhaps she was a trainer herself. She wasn't carrying any Pokeballs or Pokenav, not that he could see, but one could never be sure. He extended his hand and she shook it. “I'm Slash Firestorm.”

“Call me Kayla. Nice to meet you, officer.”

“Likewise. Are you from around here, miss Kayla? From the look of you, you don't seem to be a local.”

“I'm not, but I'm actually not a complete stranger to these parts. I'm just visiting for the first time in...a long, long time.”

“At the risk of being cliché, what brings a girl like you to a place like this?”

She smiled back at him, but it seemed a bit more somber than her original sunny grin. “It's funny you should ask. I'm actually in Oldale looking for someone. An old friend. I haven't heard from him in a long time...not for years. I was planning on going to the courthouse later, maybe seeing if I could track him down, but...now that I've met you here...maybe I could just talk to you about it, instead.”

Slash didn't fail to notice the gender of this long-lost friend of hers. That didn't bode particularly well for his romantic chances, but he was still a Protector, and duty came first...no matter how gorgeous the girl in question might be. “When you say you haven't heard from him, do you mean that you just lost contact, or something more serious?”

Kayla seemed to hesitate. “Are you sure that I'm not bothering you? I know you're off-duty. If you'd rather I go to the courthouse so you can enjoy your lunch, I promise I won't be offended, Officer Firestorm.”

“Not at all. But since I'm off-duty, you can just call me Slash.”

“I...” She chuckled. “Forgive me. It's just...were you named after the guitarist, or the, uh, erotica?”

“The guitarist, I think. Gods, I hope so...but who knows what kind of stuff my mom read when she was younger?”

Kayla tossed her head back and laughed prettily. “Okay, I'm definitely glad that I decided to talk to you instead of one of those stuffy guys in the courthouse. You're very nice to be around. Well...Slash...this person was an old friend of mine. I was a transfer student from Kanto, and we went to the Academy together. He was my best friend. We were inseparable in those days. But I'm worried that...he might be gone.” Her eyes locked with his, suddenly completely devoid of any amusement. “To be honest...I'm actually worried that he might be dead.”

Slash immediately pulled a small notepad from his pocket and flipped it open, mentally cringing that he'd been making jokes with someone who was clearly just trying to work up the courage to come to the police with a problem. He made sure his voice was clear of its flirtatious edge before he responded to her. “Alright, Kayla, don't worry, we're going to do our best to help you out. Let me just ask you a few questions, and then I'll take you to the courthouse to get this filed properly. Is that alright?”

She didn't answer at first, and when she did, her reply was so seemingly off-topic that it threw him off-kilter. “Slash...I have to confess, I actually happened to see you crowd-watching for a bit, when you came out of the courthouse. I was just wondering...what were you thinking about when you looked at all of these people?”

He blinked in confusion. “What? Oh, I was just...reminiscing, I guess. Remembering my own Certification Day.”

She looked him up and down, observing contemplatively. “Hm...I'm going to guess that you're...twenty-four, twenty-five? So it would have been eight or nine years ago?”

“Good guess. Eight, yeah. Class of 992. What does that have to do with anything?”

Despite years of detective work, he found her expression completely unreadable. “When you look at them...the new trainers...you envy them, don't you?”

“I...I don't know. Maybe, I guess, in a way. They just...still have their whole lives ahead of him. They've got a dream, crazy as it might be, and they're following it. Most people don't have the courage to do that. So...yeah, I guess I do envy them a little.”

“Did you have a dream once, Slash? You did, didn't you? And it wasn't just being a Protector. Why didn't you follow it?”

He frowned as he locked eyes with the woman. Kayla just sadly stared back at him, and he now wondered if she had been reading his mind earlier. She didn't have the golden eyes that most human espers had, but that wasn't a sure thing. “Miss Kayla, I'm sorry, but I really need to get some information about this missing person. The sooner we start looking, the more likely we are to find him.”

“Of course. Forgive me.” She took a deep breath and continued. “Like I said, he was my best friend. I didn't have a lot of other friends at the Academy...not any at all, to be honest...but he always made me feel welcome. Like...less of a freak, I suppose. His kindness meant a lot to me...which is why I was so worried when I lost contact with him.”

“Which Academy was this? Maybe we can pull up some of the records on him.”

She stared at him meaningfully. “Petalburg Academy. Class of 992.”

Slash looked back in puzzlement, but suddenly some of the pieces seemed to click together, explaining her behavior. “Petalburg? So you and I were in the same class together? I guess that's why you preferred to come to me instead of someone else. I, um...I'm very sorry, but I don't...quite remember you. Please don't take it personally,” he quickly added, seeing an upset and disbelieving look suddenly blooming on her face. “I've met a lot of people through my Protector work...a lot of faces. It's hard for me to remember the people that I knew almost ten years ago.”

Kayla exhaled heavily, shaking her head. “Clearly,” she replied, icily.

Slash winced. So much for asking this pretty young woman for a date. How on Earth did he not remember a beauty like this in their Academy class? Even among two hundred students, she would have stood out! He supposed that he only had himself to blame for her irritation. “I'm...I'm really very sorry. But...listen, what about this missing person? Maybe I knew him. What was his name?”

She looked him dead in the eye, smiling bitterly. “He...is someone who is very, very stupid.”

Slash looked back in confusion for a long moment. She glared back at him...but upon close inspection, that glare didn't seem to be full of real malice. It was chiding, mocking...and a bit legitimately angry, yes...but not hateful. Arcanine suddenly began sniffing the air more fervently, as though uncertain of what he was detecting. Froslass' eyes widened, apparently realizing the truth a bit faster than Slash himself did.

“...Eleanor?” he asked hesitantly, uncertain. This would certainly be embarrassing if he was wrong, but... “Ellie? Is that you?”

She didn't respond. But there was a sudden fluttering of wings and gust of wind...and before either of his own Pokemon could react, a large Murkrow landed on the table beside her, its sharp talons passing less than a foot away from Slash's head as it flew by. Had it wanted to claw his face off, neither Arcanine nor Froslass would have been able to stop it in time. He realized that the young woman who had called herself Kayla was smiling again, this time genuinely.

Gods, and he was supposed to be a detective.

“Ellie!” Slash yelled happily, still half-disbelieving, and he practically leaped over the table to embrace his best friend for the first time in nearly a decade.

*****

Despite the unexpected reunion, there was still plenty of time left before he was supposed to meet up with Naomi. Slash went to one of the nearby food stalls and brought back a few slices of pizza for himself and Eleanor, along with a slab of meat for Arcanine and a basket of mixed berries for Froslass and Murkrow. Now that Eleanor's cover had been blown, the mood was considerably lighter.

“You can't be mad at me for not recognizing you, Ellie,” Slash said with a laugh, ducking as she tossed a balled-up napkin at his head. “You do look...*quite* a bit different since I last saw you.”

“Aren't Protectors supposed to be, like, pretty smart? I guess I know where to come if I want to rob a bank or something.” Eleanor sighed and shook her head in disappointment. “You really have gotten dumber, just as I feared.”

“Give me a break. Even Arcanine didn't realize it at first, and you know how good his nose is. Although I guess I should have figured it out right away when you gave me shit about my name.”

Eleanor laughed, reaching over the table and smacking him playfully on the shoulder.“Yes, because I'm sure I'm the only girl who's ever made fun of that. Definitely.” She finished her pizza and tossed the plate in a nearby trash can. “Thanks for buying, Slash. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. I was hungry, anyway. Hadn't eaten anything since the sun came up.”

“You should have just bummed some doughnuts or something. Or is that just a myth?”

Slash chuckled and shook his head. “It's...really nice to see you, Ellie. It's been way too long.”

She met his gaze and smiled back sadly. “Yes, it has. I really missed you, Slash.”

They sat in uncomfortable silence, their Pokemon quietly eating and feeling just a little awkward. Slash was glad that they were here, though, providing at least a small distraction. He didn't feel completely prepared to see Eleanor again after so many years, and her little stunt had ensured that he hadn't been able to throw up any defenses. He had a bad feeling that he understood why she'd played this sort of trick on him. It might have been a bit of a performance, a bit of a joke...but he had no doubt that when she had been talking about their old friendship – and how distraught she was with his silence – that she'd meant every word of it.

“Hey, Ellie...I'm, um...I'm sorry.”

She let out a long, shuddery breath. “I've known that you were a sorry guy for years, Slash. You'll have to be more specific.”

“For not contacting you in so long. It's not that I stopped caring or anything, I swear. I just...” He trailed off. He didn't really have a sensible explanation, and that made it so much worse. Part of him just wanted to blame it on the normal fading of friendships over time, to blame it on the years and miles between them...but that was bullshit, and they both knew it. He could have picked up the phone at any time. Nothing had been stopping him. “I don't really know what to say, Ellie. It was shitty of me.”

He met her eyes and winced. Eleanor was not typically the weepy type, but he knew barely-restrained tears when he saw them. He felt like a bastard, and that made sense, because he had indeed been quite the bastard. Her words were so quiet that he could barely hear them over the crowd.

“Do you have any idea how much I worried about you? When I suddenly lost contact with you, I was sure that you'd been hurt or...or worse. I checked the news as much as I could, but Oldale's such a small town that we barely get any news from it over in Kanto. Can you even imagine what that was like for me? Pouring over tiny, outdated news articles, desperate for answers but hoping that I wouldn't find my best friend's name in the obituaries?”

She sniffed, wiping her eyes with a quick, embarrassed movement. Slash desperately wished that this conversation wasn't in a public place, but most of the passersby were giving the Protector and this clearly-upset woman some distance. His Pokemon were still standing nearby, trying very hard to not overhear this conversation. Her Murkrow, however, seemed to be staring daggers at him. Not surprising. Murkrow had known Eleanor even longer than he had. Why wouldn't he be angry at someone who had caused his master such pain?

“I even called your parents, Slash. They told me that you were alright, but that's *all* they would tell me...and even then, I couldn't trust that they were telling me the truth. You know they never liked me.”

“Ellie, that's not true...”

She interrupted him briskly. “I know that your mom assumed that the two of us were sleeping together. I know that she didn't like me hanging around all the time when none of them were home, like I was a bad influence or something. And your dad always seemed to be a little suspicious of me...your great-grandma, too, and I even think she might have figured out...some of my little secret. She was always so damned sharp. They were probably happy when I left Hoenn after graduation...and they must have been annoyed when I started calling again out of the blue, years later.”

“I promise you, it wasn't like that. They just...didn't know the details, and didn't want to interfere.”

Eleanor sighed in irritation. “Well, whether they liked me or not, all they would tell me is that you were 'very busy'. I eventually decided that you must have...found someone, and your family just didn't want to tell me because they figured I'd be angry.”

“It wasn't that,” Slash said softly. “Even if there *was* someone, I wouldn't have hidden it from you. And nobody, not even a woman, could have gotten between us like that.”

“So what *did*, Slash?!” Her voice finally broke, and his heart broke along with it. “We...we promised. I know we were just kids...but we promised, we swore, that we'd be friends forever. It really meant something to me...and I thought it meant the same to you. And we were...good together. Am I wrong about that?”

No, she wasn't.

They had been close – inseparable – ever since they met on their first day at the Academy, half a lifetime ago. He wasn't very good at making friends; she, herself, had been outright terrible at it (understandably, as it turned out). But they had bonded with each other almost immediately, and their friendship felt so natural that Slash sometimes wondered if they'd known each other in a previous life. They had lunch together. They studied together. They confided in each other, sharing their doubts and fears and weaknesses...and, as the years passed and they both became stronger, they shared their hopes and dreams and grand ambitions for the future.

Even when they weren't at the Academy, they spent every day together, and never once did either of them grow bored of the other's company. Sometimes they'd sit atop the town walls and watch the Pokemon out there in the wilds, and talk about how they would one day carve their own path through the world. Sometimes they'd curl up together and watch old movies on rainy days. They had never been lovers; fate simply never seemed to nudge either of them towards those sorts of feelings for each other. But the love that they had shared as friends was no less real, nor even less passionate.

And when they graduated, and Eleanor had to go back to her homeland of Kanto, they refused to let their friendship fade with distance, as so many other friendships did. They'd sworn to each other – upon both their love for each other and their dreams for the future – that no matter what happened, they'd be best friends until the day they died.

It was a promise that Slash had tried very hard to keep. They talked almost every day; sometimes by text and sometimes by voice, depending on how the spotty Indigo/Hoenn communications network was behaving that day. Even when the network was cooperating, it wasn't always easy. Slash had gone into Protector training almost immediately after graduating, trapped in Oldale (or so he told himself) due to circumstances beyond his control. Eleanor, who was still following the Trainer's Path, had ventured into the wilds of Kanto – not quite as savage as the untamed lands of Hoenn, perhaps, but still a dangerous endeavor. There were days when both of them were physically and mentally exhausted, and their nightly phone call ended with one of them falling asleep on the other.

Still, it had always been worthwhile. Thousands of miles weren't nearly enough to keep them apart. When Eleanor had rough days out there in the wilds, she could always count on Slash to brighten her mood and make the lonely, dangerous nighttime a little less scary. When Slash's mother got sick, she was there to comfort him as best as she could, and lend a listening ear to his doubts and fears about staying in Oldale with his family instead of following the Trainer's Path.

When Eleanor had her first loss – a Gym Battle with Sabrina that had gone disastrously wrong, resulting in a humiliating and sweeping defeat – Slash was able to remind her that even the mightiest trainers could have bad days. When she challenged the Gym again a month later and succeeded, she found out that Slash had sent her a delivery of flowers – before the match had even been decided, such was his confidence in her victory – to congratulate her.

When Slash had his first truly horrible day as a Protector – a hostage situation gone awry, resulting in a crazy bastard murdering his wife and gutting his toddler son before his team could get in and stop him – Eleanor was up all night with him, talking Slash through his feelings of guilt and failure, and assuring him that nobody could save everybody. She did that despite being deep in Rock Tunnel at the time, hiding in a narrow crevice and having to keep her voice down to avoid being found by territorial Pokemon. That was something she had never told him, because she knew that Slash wouldn't have wanted her to endanger herself just for him...but still, she'd done it, and she had done it gladly.

When Slash got engaged to a woman who Eleanor truly didn't care for, she nevertheless managed to fake a smile and congratulate him. When it fell apart a few months later, she had been there for him, and managed to resist telling him that he'd been a fool. For a while, anyway, and by then – thanks to her helping him work through his feelings – Slash was able to laugh about it.

But despite all of that...

Here they were, finally together again. They hadn't seen each other in nearly a decade. He hadn't even heard her voice in four years. And as he reached out and took her hand...she was crying. Eleanor was the toughest girl that Slash had ever known, but here it was, and it was his fault. He'd spent years as a Protector, telling himself that he was one of the good guys...but as his father had once told him, a man who makes a woman cry – especially a woman who loves him – was no man at all. How could he even begin to explain himself to her? He could barely explain it to himself.

He wasn't able to speak at first. This could very well be their last conversation; it could be the last time that he'd ever see her, and there would be nobody to blame but himself. Part of him didn't want to answer purely so this moment could go on just a little longer, and he wouldn't have to see her walk away for the last time...but she was crying. After everything they'd been through together, she was crying, and he couldn't selfishly prolong that. Not any more than he already had.

“Ellie,” he said quietly, “I don't have an excuse...just an explanation. It's a shitty one, and I don't think it's going to help much...but you deserve to hear it. Please.”

She looked up at him, wiping her eyes again, and nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak. Eleanor hated being like this – crying and vulnerable – especially in a public place, and doubly-especially in front of Slash. This hadn't been the plan; she'd explicitly told herself that she wasn't going to cry, and yet look at her now. She would have hated him for bringing her to this...except that he looked as miserable as she felt. The wet sheen in his own eyes blunted the anger that was trying to boil up in her heart.

“The last time we talked...it was September 3, 996.” He saw her surprise and laughed softly. “No, I don't have a photographic memory, and I'm not just guessing either. I still have the messages saved. Text format, because the damned relay was down at the time. You broke the big news and told me that you'd been named the new Saffron Gym Leader. I was so happy for you...and I still am. But when I heard the news, it also felt like...like a wall had come between us. I was proud of you, but I was also...ashamed. Not of you. Of myself.”

“What are you talking about?” She remembered telling him about her appointment, of course; how could she forget? And even then, in those last few messages before he suddenly shut her out, she'd thought he seemed a little strange. Becoming a Gym Leader was the proudest moment of her life, one of the dreams that the two of them had shared with each other back in their Academy days...but Slash had seemed to almost desperately not want to talk about it. Even through text, it showed enough to make her feel a little off. If they'd had a voice connection, Eleanor was sure that she would have caught his strange mood completely, and maybe none of this would have ever happened. Too late now, of course.

But better late than never. Maybe.

“You were right about me,” Slash admitted quietly, suddenly unable to look her in the eye. “About me envying these kids. Having a dream and not following it. The two of us made a promise to take the world by storm...but only you were actually doing it. You were a *real* trainer, on the Path, kicking ass and moving up in the ranks...but I was just a Protector, trying to keep my one little corner of the world safe. I'm not ashamed of my job, but...I'm ashamed that I lost sight of the future we promised each other. All of a sudden, you were just so far ahead...the whole world was starting to acknowledge you...and I was all the way back here. I couldn't even work up the guts to talk to you about it.”

Eleanor frowned, managing to fight past her anger and heartache and gently squeeze his hand. “It's never too late, Slash. I'm here now.”

Slash saw that her anger and hurt had dimmed a bit, and realized that yes, she meant it. “When...well, when my mom got sick, all my plans got put on hold. I hadn't even made it past Petalburg when I got the call about it. I went straight back home to Oldale, no hesitation...the thought of continuing my trainer career while my mother was dying wasn't even an option.” He laughed bitterly. “I mean, nothing was forcing me to try and become the Champion in my first year as a trainer! It's not like Hoenn was going anywhere! But...my mom was.”

Slash felt a sudden warmth on his side as Arcanine gently pushed against him. The fierce Pokemon remembered how badly his trainer – his friend – had been thrown into chaos by the sudden illness. Slash had been torn between his love for his family and his desire to follow his own ambitions...so much so that he was disgusted at himself for even considering the latter. Both Arcanine and Froslass had sworn to follow him, no matter what path he chose, but neither could really help him through that personal struggle. Slash stroked Arcanine's thick fur, taking comfort from his warmth.

“So yeah, Ellie, I stayed here. They put her on all these medicines and treatments...gods, it was so expensive...so I started looking for a way that I could help out in Oldale, and make some money to help with the bills. Becoming a Protector like my dad...it seemed like a good choice. It'd be a good cause...I'd learn a lot...and hopefully it would keep me sharp. That way, when I went back to the Trainer's Path, I could quickly make up for lost time.”

He looked across the table, suddenly worried about what expression he'd see in Eleanor's face...but to his relief, her tears had stopped and she was looking back with genuine curiosity and concern. As upset as she'd been – and still was – she meant it when she said that she was still here for him. How had he even considered throwing away a friend like her?

“I guess you know what happened. I stayed. Months became years, and mom got better, which was nothing short of a miracle...but still, I stayed. I...I want to say that it's because I came to love being a Protector...and, to be honest, that's not a lie. I want to say that it's because I formed a lot of ties here...other Protectors who I work with and respect, and people in town who I've managed to keep safe and happy. People who counted on me. And that's also not a lie. I loved all of that, and I love it still.”

He paused, shaking his head, seemingly lost in thought. Then he suddenly slammed his free hand down on the table, making Eleanor jump and chasing off a few of the passersby close enough to hear it. His next words were like ice.

“That may be true, but it's *still* a lie, Ellie. It is. Because the real reason I didn't turn in my badge isn't because I loved my job...it was because I was scared. The thought of upending my life and going back out there...following the path that I'd been admiring since I was a kid, even before I met you...I wasn't strong enough to do it. Why rock the boat, I thought, even though 'rocking the boat' is what I'd always dreamed of! You're right about our promises, Ellie, and that's what I'd always promised to do!”

“I can understand why you'd be hesitant, Slash. You made a promise to me, yes, but it's not as cut-and-dry as that. You also swore an oath as a Protector.”

Slash shrugged dismissively. “What good is an oath made to them if I can't even keep an oath to myself? An oath I made to you? This isn't what I wanted out of life. It's selfish to complain about it, I know that...to want it *all* instead of just wanting *enough*...but you've known me long enough to understand that's the kind of person I am.”

“Of course I do...because I'm that kind of person, too. I was never ashamed of you being a Protector, Slash. I was proud of you, even. But to be perfectly honest...yes, I did worry about you, and I started worrying long before you stopped talking to me. Staying here in Oldale wasn't your dream and I knew it...and maybe I should have told you so. But you *seemed* happy, despite not following your dream, so I couldn't bring myself to do it, promise be damned.” Eleanor hesitated. “I feel like I've made that mistake twice now. I knew that you were making a mistake with that...trashy Rachel woman, too...and I also didn't say anything.”

That relationship had always been a sore point with Slash, and Eleanor expected him to be irritated that she was bringing it up...but to her surprise, he burst out into genuine laughter. “I don't remember you being *completely* quiet about that her, Ellie. Maybe you kept your opinions a little closer to the chest once things got serious, but...you never really completely hid your feelings about her.”

“Maybe I should have been just a little more vocal, then. It might have saved you some grief.”

Slash squeezed her hand and chuckled. Their earlier tension had seemed to be breaking like a dying fever, and it felt nice. It almost felt like the two of them had never been apart at all. “That's completely my fault, not yours. It's not your job to stop me from making stupid mistakes.”

“That's a shame, because I'd get a hell of a lot of overtime.” She looked back softly, and like him, she felt the hand clutching her heart seem to loosen. “But I'd still gladly do it as volunteer work, you know. And don't blame yourself for what happened with that witch. You're a good guy, alright?”

“Thanks, Ellie. Really. It's just that...I wasn't supposed to just be a 'good guy', you know? Me and you were supposed to be the *best*...walking the world, seizing the Championship, and becoming the stuff of legends. It was hard, admitting that I was failing at that, especially when I saw how strong and brave you were being. I guess that's why I...shut you out. It was one thing when I was a cop and you were just a normal trainer, but all of a sudden you were a Gym Leader!” He shook his head and laughed in affectionate disbelief. “I mean, gods, Ellie, you've sparred with Red! You drew blood from one of the most powerful trainers in the world! I haven't even *met* our Champion, and the only reason I've even met the Petalburg Gym Leader is because she's technically my boss! I was happy for you, but it was just so damn...intimidating. Fuck, I'm sorry, Ellie, I was an idiot.”

“Like I haven't known that for years,” she replied, but her words lacked any real venom. “Slash, listen to me. I didn't come here to...break things off with you. Maybe I wasn't sure *why* you had stopped talking to me, but I...actually suspected it was something like this. Fear and doubt about doing what *you* want to do, instead of just treading water and doing what's expected of you. I'm actually almost happy to see that I was right about that...because I *am* still your friend, and I want to help you find what you're looking for out of life. Even if I need to give you a bit of kick in the ass to do it.”

“Are you saying...” he paused, praying that he wasn't wrong about what he was going to say. “Are you saying that you forgive me, Ellie?”

“I need you to listen carefully, Slash. The only reason that I was mad at you is because you shut me out. If you had just told me all of this back then, I wouldn't have been angry...I wouldn't have thought you were jealous, or berated you for taking an easier path, and I certainly would never abandon you. You were afraid. To be perfectly blunt, you were a coward. But you were also my best friend, and instead of leaving you, I would have tried to help you remember your dream. I know what kind of man you've always wanted to be, Slash, and I've always wanted to have that kind of man as my friend. That's all. So I could forgive you for breaking our promise – easily, in fact!” She gave him a shy, hurt, small look. “But you also broke my heart.”

Slash felt his own burning tears of shame return, and only with great difficulty was he able to suppress them. “Ellie...is there anything I can do to make this up to you? Please. I was an idiot, I know that...and you're right, I *was* a coward. But I don't want to lose you.”

She suddenly reached over the table and hit him on the shoulder – not nearly as softly or playfully as she had earlier. “What part of *listen carefully* did you not understand? Let me try this again, idiot. You don't need to apologize anymore, because I would never – ever, in a thousand lifetimes – ever abandon you.”

Eleanor then did something that she hadn't done since they were young, and it was something he hadn't realized that he missed until it happened again. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. And maybe he did cry for a moment or two, and what of it? There are few things in the world as powerful as simple forgiveness.

*****

Despite not even being three in the afternoon, the winter sun was already on its downward swing toward the horizon, and the temperature was already dropping quite rapidly. Roiling dark clouds were also moving in from the west, promising bitingly-cold rain in the next few hours. It was the kind of weather that most people hated – it was ominous, especially on such an auspicious occasion as Certification Day – but Slash and Eleanor had always loved it. Both felt as though their hot and hurt emotions from earlier were being blown away by the chilling breeze.

They chatted pleasantly as they walked towards Slash's home, and as they did, Slash found himself regretting the past few years more and more. Eleanor hadn't been idle during the years since they'd last spoken; she had been getting ever-stronger, training apprentices and going on expeditions to track rare and majestic Pokemon. As a Gym Leader, she was the effective ruler of Saffron City – itself one of the largest cities in the entire world – and several million people depended on her leadership. She had met many famous and powerful trainers in the Indigo League, Red being (by far) the greatest, and gained great knowledge and experience from fighting so many strong opponents. By the age of twenty-four, she had already accomplished more than the vast majority of people would achieve in their lifetimes.

Those old feelings of weakness and inadequacy tried to rise up again, but Slash fought them down with difficulty. Eleanor was here with him now, and despite everything, their friendship was as strong as ever. Maybe she was right, he thought, looking over his shoulder at the receding courthouse. Maybe he didn't have to accept that this would be the rest of his life. Maybe it wasn't too late to follow his dreams, after all.

And, as unbelievable as he would have found the thought just a few hours earlier, it looked as though he'd have Eleanor by his side as he pursued them.

Slash wondered what his family would think about her return. Despite what she believed, they had never really disliked her. On the contrary, his parents had initially been quite happy when their son brought a pretty girl home to them; Eleanor was polite, intelligent, and ambitious, and would have fit in quite well with the Firestorm clan had they intended to marry someday. Thus, his family didn't seem to believe (or perhaps simply didn't want to believe) that their friendship was purely platonic in nature. Slash supposed he could understand that – they had been teenagers, after all, and they both enjoyed sharing a bit of physical affection (although not anything remotely like what his mother had suspected was going on). But he couldn't explain to his family *why* he'd never felt a romantic attachment towards her...not without betraying her secret, and that was something he would never do.

Eleanor wasn't completely wrong about certain people finding her to be a little...odd, however. His father Maxim had been a Protector for almost fifteen years now, and while he wasn't sure *why* Eleanor seemed strange, his sense for the unusual had certainly been triggered by her on several occasions. As for his great-grandmother Aideen, the matriarch of the family...she probably saw more in a single glance than most people (himself included) would see during their entire lives. There was no way that Aideen could have guessed the full truth about Eleanor...but it was equally impossible that she had been completely fooled, either. She had asked Slash about Eleanor's history on several occasions, and he had always feigned ignorance...but that wouldn't be easy to do these days.

The world – or at least their corner of it, the Indigo/Hoenn alliance – knew his friend as Copycat, the enigmatic Gym Leader of Saffron City. She was quite popular among the Kanto Gym Leaders, as her Gym was a maze of illusion and memory games; very popular to watch on television as trainers struggled to even get the chance to challenge her. Copycat herself was a crowd-pleasing master of disguise, sometimes seamlessly blending in with her audience before revealing herself to be the one they'd come to see. Her ability to change her appearance was absolutely extraordinary.

If only they knew the half of it, Slash thought to himself with a grin.

But to him, she was just Eleanor, and that side of her – the real side, as opposed to the stagecraft – was almost exclusively something between the two of them. After a few years of traveling through the wilds of Kanto, Eleanor had decided to take on the more public-friendly persona of Copycat to challenge the League and make her move towards gaining real power. It was easier that way; it allowed her to follow the Trainer's Path to its heights while also keeping a private life for herself.

This wasn't without its own difficulties, however.

“I never really got a chance to ask you before, but who exactly are you today?” Slash asked, an embarrassed smile on his face. “Whoever it is, it's, uh...it's nice.”

“Some girl I met on the train back in Saffron. I never even got to know her name. She just looked really gorgeous, so I decided to add her to my...collection.” Eleanor grinned back at him. “If you're really that interested in her, just try looking her up? She's out there, somewhere!”

“Oh, sure, that'd go really well,” Slash scoffed. “Hi there, random stranger, I'm Slash. You don't know me, but my best friend – who's secretly your Gym Leader, surprise! - stole your appearance as a joke. But you're super-hot, so you wanna go see a movie? I only live about four thousand miles away.”

“I'm not even sure she'd hear most of that, Slash. She'd probably start laughing as soon as she heard your name and miss out on the rest.”

Slash raised a finger at her, readying a retort, only to find that nothing was coming up in his mind. Whatever. “So, are you going to stay, uh...like this for a while? Because if my parents see you, they're going to want to know who you are, and you *definitely* don't look like the Eleanor from our school days. We might need a cover story, here.”

“Well, you definitely don't want me to be 'Academy Eleanor' again, trust me...I haven't updated it in years, and I'm fairly certain that you showing up to dinner with a sixteen year old girl would cause more problems than it would solve.” She shot him a playful smirk. “I could just be Kayla, the attractive redhead you picked up at the food court? Gods, Slash, I still can't believe you got reeled in so easily by this one. I thought you were crazy for blondes?”

“You misunderstood,” Slash muttered in irritation. “I went crazy *because of* a blonde. That's probably why I wanted something different for a change.”

Eleanor gave his hand a sympathetic squeeze. It was good that he was able to joke about it, she supposed. It had taken quite a while for that to be the case. “In any case, it might be best if I...don't meet your family again. At least not right now. I think you're right, there would just be too many questions. It's not like I'm planning to stay in Oldale for very long, anyway...I'm in Hoenn on League business, but the only reason I came through this little town was to...you know, to see you.”

“I'm very happy that you did,” Slash said softly. “Are you sure you don't want to stay for a while, though? If you don't have a room or anything, you know that you can stay with me. My house is on the family property, but it's still separate from the others...they wouldn't have to even know you were there, if we're reasonably careful.”

“Thanks, Slash...and I would, if I was staying in town for a while...but I'm actually planning on leaving tonight. There's a few Gym Leaders that I came to Hoenn to meet with, and the sooner I head out, the better.” She hesitated, seeing the Firestorm property come into view just a few blocks away. “Listen, Slash. I was hoping that...you might actually want to come with me.”

He blinked in surprise. “What, tonight? Ellie, I...I don't know. It's Certification Day, and...”

“No, not tonight, stupid. I know that you've still got obligations here...and even if you really do intend to leave Oldale, you shouldn't just walk into the courthouse and turn in your badge on a whim. As much as I want you to come with me on the Trainer's Path, I don't want to force you into anything. Sleep on it. Hell, take a few weeks to think about it, if you really need to, because it'll be at least a month before I come back here. But...when I do...I'm really hoping that you'll come with me.”

Slash glanced at his watch and saw that it was just about time to meet his cousin, but his curiosity was piqued. “What exactly are we talking about?”

“The reason that I'm in Hoenn isn't just some political nonsense. It's something really exciting...and if we're right about what we think we've found, it could be...outright incredible. And my hope is that you'll be a part of it...with me.”

Eleanor took his hand once again, amazed at how much she had missed these simple little touches with Slash. She was happy to see that his disastrous experience with his former fiancée hadn't ruined his enjoyment of the little things.

“I know that you're in a hurry, Slash, so we'll have to talk about the details later...but I can tell you that the Indigo League is trying to mount an expedition to a...unique location that we discovered from our satellite images. I volunteered to lead the project. Red sent me to Hoenn in order to arrange transport, and to see if certain local Gym Leaders would like to be involved.”

“Okay, but why run this out of Hoenn, of all places?”

“Well, for one, because nobody builds ships like Hoenn does, and it's going to be quite a rough voyage. And also because Hoenn is the closest country to this...place that we discovered.”

Slash's eyes suddenly widened as a thought occurred to him. “Ellie...you're not talking about the Northern Anomaly, are you?” She didn't reply, but her eyes almost seemed to glow with excitement. “Holy shit, you *are*, aren't you?”

“Like I said, there's too much to talk about right now. But...you're on the right track.” The town clock tower struck three, and Eleanor let out an annoyed sigh. “Listen, you go home and have one hell of a party for your cousin, alright? Celebrate. Have fun. Get drunk. But in the morning, just...think about it, okay? I won't lie to you, this expedition is likely going to be very, very dangerous...but also one hell of an adventure. We're talking about going somewhere that nobody has *ever* been before. So...it's up to you. You can come with me on this crazy trip...or you can follow the Trainer's Path here in Hoenn...or you can stay a Protector in Oldale. Even if you choose that last one, I'll still be your friend, Slash, like I promised. But I know that you want more than this.” She squeezed his hand again. “And I know that you're destined for more than this, too.”

He reached out and hugged her tightly, and didn't this feel familiar? It was now eight years to the day since they had last embraced – their own Certification Day – and it had been a cold, stormy day just like this. Eleanor was going home, so they had celebrated and cried and promised to never grow apart, even though they'd have a whole ocean between them. And while they *had* grown apart...here they were, together again, and this time it wasn't to say goodbye. Just the opposite, really. Their promises to each other had not died; if anything, they'd been renewed.

“I won't ever leave you again, Ellie,” he said softly, squeezing her tightly against him. “I'll be waiting for you. And I won't let you down. I promise. Thanks for coming back for me.”

“Don't you get your stupid ass killed before I get back,” she whispered shakily in his ear...and then kissed his cheek again, making him tremble for a moment. She turned to Arcanine and Froslass and nodded tearfully. “You two keep this idiot safe while I'm gone, alright? And for his own sake, keep him away from blondes. And redheads. Women in general, really. I don't want him to embarrass himself again.”

She withdrew from his arms, and for a moment she was tempted to change her mind – screw the League, she was planning to resign from the Gym soon anyway – and instead agree to stay here with Slash. Maybe even live with him, like he'd asked her to. It wouldn't be so bad, settling down and living in a place like this, so much smaller and quieter than Saffron. Perhaps she could become a Protector herself; she certainly had the qualifications. The two of them could be the twin guardians of Oldale, really making a name for themselves...while still being able to enjoy a roof over their heads and a warm bed at night, instead of camping out there in the savage darkness.

It'd be smarter, certainly. It'd be easier, definitely. It'd be safer, most likely. It might even be happier, honesty.

But much like the fledgling trainers being certified today, both she and Slash were far too crazy to be satisfied with the safe path. And that was...alright. That was what being a trainer meant.

“I'll see you later, Slash. I'll call you tomorrow morning, okay?”

“That's definitely okay. Goodbye, Ellie. Be safe.”

Slash watched Eleanor walk off with her Murkrow fluttering overhead, protectively circling his trainer and keeping a watchful eye on those nearby. She would be fine, he knew that – she was a Gym Leader, after all, and her Pokemon could likely run circles around his own. The wilds of Hoenn wouldn't pose much danger to her even if she was traveling alone instead of in a convoy.

But still...

Maybe it was just the storm clouds rolling in, rumbling with distant thunder and starting to dim the city under a shadowy veil...but he didn't think he'd be able to really relax until he heard Eleanor's voice again in the morning.

*****

Even as excited as Slash was after patching things up with Ellie and deciding to resume his own journey as a trainer, he still didn't think that he was half as excited as Naomi. She was waiting by the front gate to the family manor, a manilla envelope in her hand. She smiled brightly as Slash walked up the path, and even eight years after the fact, he remembered how he'd felt in her position. The culmination of four years of hard work, all for this day!

“Well? Let me see it.”

She pulled out her Trainer ID, still shiny and unscratched, but Slash shook his head. “No, no, not that, I knew you were gonna pass! Show me the results!”

Naomi smiled and took a sheet of paper from the envelope. Slash skimmed down it until he found the part he was looking for.

NAOMI FIRESTORM
BIRTHDATE: 4/19/84
TRAINER ID: 74882-3

FINAL EXAM SCORE: 972/1000
CLASS RANKING: 24 of 481
CERTIFIED AS OF 12/31/00

“Holy hell, 972,” Slash read with a grin. “Mine barely broke 900 back in the day. Now, I ain't no math whiz, but if I'm reckoning this right, 24 out of 481 is definitely in the top ten percent, isn't it? Silver Honors?”

“Top five percent, actually,” Naomi replied sunnily. “So, Gold Honors, Slash. You know what that means, right? I'm going to get a starter Pokemon from May! My first Pokemon is going to be specially-bred and raised by a Gym Leader!”

“I'm afraid not. I'm sorry Naomi, but...that's not how it's going to be.”

Her own smile faded slightly. “Wait, what...what do you mean?”

“I mean that May's going to give you your *second* Pokemon. You're getting your starter here in Oldale. Right here. Today.” Slash motioned towards the manor proper, where their great-grandmother would be waiting for them. “Granny's got something special for you. I would have thought you'd have expected this, honestly. Did you really think we were going to let you leave home without one of our own Pokemon?”

“But...I didn't think...because of my dad...” Naomi stammered, flabbergasted. Slash understood her confusion. Since time out of mind, each child of the Firestorm clan was granted a powerful Pokemon raised by the clan's elder. But when a member of the family was found guilty of dishonoring their bloodline (as Naomi's father had been), they and their descendants were excommunicated forever. By tradition, Naomi shouldn't have even been allowed to live on the family property, as unfair as that might be. But, of course...

“Granny's not one to keep doing stupid things just because they've been done for a long time,” Slash replied with a smirk. Very much the opposite; Aideen liked a bit of theatricality, but she despised pointless ritual and tradition. “Surely you know that. Besides, she's outlived all the other elder Firestorms by...a pretty damn wide margin. I think she gets to decide what the rules are.”

Naomi didn't respond at first, likely because she didn't want Slash to hear her voice break from this revelation. That was something he could also understand. What had happened with Naomi's mother was tragic; what happened with her father was monstrous. But it wasn't her fault, and it would be idiotic to behave as though it was. What was the point of having a clan at all, if it rejected those who needed their extended family the most?

Once she was able to compose herself, Naomi asked a simple question. “Do you know what it is? The...the Pokemon, I mean?”

“Nope, she's been keeping it a secret from me, too. But you'll like it, I'm sure.”

“Do you think it's a Growlithe, like yours was? Or a Vulpix? Or...”

“If we get moving, then you can see for yourself.”

“Hey, Slash...”

“Yeah?”

“Who was the girl?”

Slash froze, smiling guiltily as he looked down at his terribly observant cousin. “What girl are you talking about?”

Naomi flashed an aggravating smirk. “The one you were hugging down the road there. You know, the one who kissed you before she left.”

“Listen, alright? It's not like that. And even if it was, don't tell my mom and dad about it, okay? And especially not Granny. I don't need them pestering me about this.” He frowned. “Also, don't tell Granny that I called her Granny. Seriously.”

“What, are you planning to run away with this lady or something?”

“...kinda, actually, yeah,” Slash admitted, “although, again, it's not what you think. Tell you what...you keep this a secret, and the dozen Great Balls that I was going to give you as a going-away present will be replaced by a dozen Ultra Balls. That sounds fair, doesn't it? It better be, those things are expensive.”

“If it's going to be a secret, at least tell me who she is...”

“Just an old friend of mine. You've actually met her before, but you were just a kid at the time, and she's...definitely changed since then. I'm not surprised that you don't recognize her. Now, please...drop it, kiddo.”

“Dropped,” Naomi replied. “Just remember...Ultra Balls.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

*****

Aideen Firestorm was one hundred and two years old, and she wasn't too vain to deny that she looked like it. Still, considering that most people beyond the century mark were corpses, she rarely complained about her appearance.

She had never been a particularly statuesque woman, even in her youth, and her old bones had settled such that she barely stood over five feet tall – making her look quite small indeed compared to her great-grandson Slash, and absolutely tiny compared to his father Maxim. The fiery red hair that had once charmed her late husband (and earned her the admittedly-appreciated moniker of “Lady Supernova” from her unsuccessful admirers) had long since turned white. She looked frail enough to break at a light touch...and yet her gaze and voice were still full of command. Her mind was sharp, and her wisdom was untouched by the ravages of age (for now, at least).

In her youth, she had followed the Trainer's Path; back then, the wilds of Hoenn had been even more uncharted and savage than they were in the modern day, and that was quite the statement. She had conquered Gyms, braved Victory Road, and challenged the Champion of her era on several occasions. After her husband's untimely death, she returned to her hometown of Oldale and became a Protector, and held that position for a staggering fifty years before finally retiring. These days she was a Pokemon Master, a private citizen who was entrusted by the Hoenn League to train and certify apprentices based solely on her own judgment...and although her apprentices were few in number, nearly all of them had went on to have impressive careers after leaving her tutelage.

She enjoyed teaching, whether it was a promising student or her own family. Both Slash and Naomi had attended the Petalburg Academy...but when their summer breaks came, they chose to spend their time training with her, rather than loafing around like so many others. Aideen loved and respected her great-grandchildren, and was pleased that she'd lived long enough to see little Naomi earn her certification. Given Naomi's youth and Slash's...poor luck with romance...it was highly unlikely that Aideen would see the next generation of Firestorms...and that was alright. She was thankful that she'd been around as long as she had.

Not that all of the years had been good, of course. The Trainer's Path had been relentlessly cruel to her family, and now only a handful of Firestorms were left. While she never (well, rarely) begrudged her old age, Aideen was tired of outliving her loved ones. There were so many that she could barely keep track of them all.

Her husband Isaac, dead at only thirty-seven, literally vaporized by a rampaging Gyarados' Hyper Beam. He had been a mighty trainer, but it didn't matter how powerful his Pokemon were – humans themselves were just so terribly fragile.

Her older sister Angeline, killed only a year into her journey as a trainer. She had been exploring a cave in search of precious gems; not for herself, but to use for an engagement ring for a young man who she'd fallen for. And indeed, she found a motherlode of gemstones deep beneath the earth – but the Sableye colony nesting within them didn't appreciate her intrusion, and tore her apart.

Her little brother Teddy, not even a trainer, mauled to death by a feral Mightyena in the days before the city walls were built. He was only ten years old. There were times that Aideen actually wished for just a little senility to come to her, so the memories of that day could be dulled...but tragically, she remembered that day down to the last, smallest, most terrible detail.

Her only daughter Katherine, along with her husband Maddock, who disappeared in the Great Hoenn Desert back in 962. The search was called off after only a week, as the League couldn't risk any more lives being lost in the brutal conditions. Aideen, however, had remained in the desert for more than two months, desperately trying to find any sign of them – even if it was only their remains – but their bones had been lost to the shifting sands. Her only daughter. Her only child. Despite being nearly forty years behind her now, gods, how she still grieved.

Her grandson, Shane, Naomi's father...that one she could not blame on the dangers of the world. The first Firestorm excommunicated in over a century, not that it mattered – he was dead less than a week after his crimes had become known, and good riddance. He had only been seven when his parents were lost to the desert, and his wife had died when she was still quite young; some would say that those losses contributed to his...instability. But Aideen was a firm believer in personal accountability; her grandson's choices were his own, and as horrible as it was, he had earned his gruesome fate. The real victim in the tragedy was poor Naomi, who had to struggle to keep herself together even as her entire life fell apart around her. But Aideen's great-granddaughter was far stronger than the girl gave herself credit for; less than a year after her father's demise, she had entered the Academy...and she had excelled.

And today, Naomi had proven that tragedy did not have to define one's fate. Aideen was fiercely proud.

She stood by the window, watching as Slash arrived. There was something strange about the way he looked today. Physically fatigued, yes, but emotionally...he looked more alive today than she'd seen him in years. Part of it might have been his happiness for Naomi, or the overall excitement of Certification Day...but not all of it.

Slash and Naomi talked, and Aideen listened in with great interest. They would be quite surprised if they knew that her old ears could easily hear them, even from this respectable distance! She was pleased with Naomi's results, and almost as pleased by the fact that Slash had apparently been seen with a young lady. Slash hadn't had a steady girl since his engagement fell apart. And if it was indeed an “old friend”, as he claimed, there was really only one person that it could be. That girl had always been a strange one, and Aideen knew that she was hiding *something*...but unlike Slash's former fiancée, Eleanor's affection for Slash had always been sincere. Hopefully she was the one being discussed.

Aideen reluctantly pulled herself away from her eavesdropping (always a guilty pleasure of hers) and took her more distinguished place in the center of the manor's main hall. As she daintily sat cross-legged on a cushion, her Pokemon knew their positions and took them – a loose circle of five around her, with the sixth hanging from the stone wall at the rear of the chamber.

An Arcanine and Ninetales, both very old but still extremely powerful, flanked her on either side. They had been with her since her youth, and experienced both the glories and hardships of her long life. Both were also the progenitors of a great many offspring used by the younger members of the Firestorm clan; Slash's Arcanine and his father's Ninetales had both descended from these mighty creatures.

Behind her was a large and battle-scarred Camerupt, another trusted Pokemon who had been with Aideen for over eighty years. The craters on his back smoked and glowed with heat, easily filling the hall with warmth despite the chilly outside air.

In front of her, on either side, were a Shiftry and Ludicolo. These were younger members of her pack, chosen during her Protector days; they also served to surprise anyone foolish enough to believe that Aideen's mastery of Pokemon was limited to Fire-types. Of course, both were well-trained in fighting alongside the others of their pack – Shiftry could manipulate a raging inferno with his mighty fans, and Ludicolo was able to douse even large blazes after a battle was concluded.

But it was the Pokemon on the back wall that would command the most presence here, of course. Her mightiest by far, and much older than Aideen was herself. As Slash and Naomi entered the hall and approached her, both of their eyes were glued to the large and imposing creature. That was not surprising. While it was not a true Great One, it was still considered a minor deity by the cultures that had encountered it; that it had come to Aideen in her youth was more akin to fate than chance. She rarely showed it off, and it typically preferred to lurk in the darkened aviary that was built atop the manor specifically to offer the mighty beast some seclusion when it roosted. Slash had only seen this Pokemon a handful of times in his entire life; this was the first time that Naomi laid eyes upon it.

Slash's Pokemon waited by the entrance to the hall; they would remain there until they were given permission to enter by this holy creature, the dominant Pokemon of Aideen's pack (and quite likely the single most powerful Pokemon in Oldale Town). Slash and Naomi sat on the floor in front of Aideen, quiet and respectful.

“Behold Volcarona, champion of the fire fields, who feeds on the fury of volcanoes as a lesser insect would feed on a flower,” Aideen stated in a clear, strong voice that rang of command and sovereignty. “Volcarona is my Kaishakunin, as Slash knows. Do you understand what a Kaishakunin is, young Naomi?”

“No, master, I do not,” Naomi said shakily, believing that she could actually feel the heat baking off of Volcarona's wings even from the other end of the hall. She was wrong, of course; it was Camerupt whose warmth she was feeling. If Volcarona had chosen to release flame from its wings in this relatively small chamber, then the three humans within it would be burned to ashes in mere seconds.

“It is a very old term, dating back to ancient times. In those eras, when a warrior felt that his honor was in peril – for example, by failing to serve his lord to the best of his abilities, or behaving in a manner unbefitting to his station – he would commit ritualistic suicide in order to restore his honor in death. The manner of this death was rather gruesome – he essentially disemboweled himself – and he was expected to show no pain during the act, lest he appear weak and endanger his honor once more. In order to ensure that this did not happen, he would choose a second – a Kaishakunin – to assist him. Should the warrior show even the faintest sign of pain during the process, the Kaishakunin would behead the warrior in a single strike, sparing him from both the agony of the suicide and the dishonor of weakness.

“The role of Kaishakunin was both a great honor and a terrible privilege. They were typically the warrior's closest friend...but not always. Even an enemy who came to respect the warrior after an honorable battle could serve the role. Regardless, there was great trust inherent to asking one to serve as their second; it was considered the ultimate sign of mutual respect, both for the warrior asking and the Kaishakunin agreeing.

“For a trainer, a Kaishakunin is their most trusted friend...but there is more to it than that. It is not a matter of strength, either; while most trainers' Kaishakunin are indeed their strongest Pokemon, this does not necessarily have to be the case. Like the Kaishakunin of old, they are mighty war-companions. They are entrusted with the very life of their trainer. They are not bound by Pokeballs unless absolutely necessary, as a Pokeball prevents a Kaishakunin from properly defending their trainer's blood and honor. Most of all, a Kaishakunin is entrusted with defending the trainer's very dreams and ambitions – and they are expected to personally end their own trainer's life if he or she ever betrays those ideals.

“Many trainers could not bring themselves to trust a Pokemon in this manner...that is why the majority of trainers do not have a Kaishakunin at all, nor even understand the term. But among the truly powerful trainers of this world, the vast majority of them do – including Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and even League Champions. Because when it comes to attaining power in this world, we humans are so very weak...it is our Pokemon that we rely upon to fight on our behalf. And if a human cannot enter into a true bond of companionship with their Pokemon, where their ambitions are intertwined to the point of death, then they will never – ever – become truly strong.

“A trainer can only have a single Kaishakunin; that is its nature. It is not a matter of preferential treatment or favoritism, nor is it a sign of distrust to not name a Pokemon as such. Like all true trainers, I love and trust all of my Pokemon with my life – indeed, I have fought and bled with most of them since long before either of you were born. But the bond between a human and Kaishakunin is not a matter of choice...it is a literal and essentially magical bond between them, and it forms without conscious decision. Some scholars believe that it is a matter of destiny, although I am not sure of that, myself. But to put it simply: if you have to ask yourself if a Pokemon is your Kaishakunin, then the answer is always no.”

Slash stared at the floor and frowned in contemplation. He loved both Arcanine and Froslass to the point that they were as much family to him as his own parents were, but such a bond had not developed between himself and either of them. He kept them out of their Pokeballs nearly all the time, and had no doubts whatsoever over their loyalty and resolve...but still, such a connection had thus far eluded him.

Seeming to hear his thoughts, Aideen looked at her great-grandson and gave him a meaningful look. “Something else to consider, young ones. A man or woman who is without ambition can never have a Kaishakunin. How can a Pokemon defend a trainer's ideals if those ideals do not exist? Do you, Naomi, have a dream that you would see fulfilled?”

Naomi nodded respectfully. “Yes, master, I do.”

“And you, Slash?”

Slash looked up at his great-grandmother in surprise...and then grinned widely. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

“Then your Kaishakunin will eventually come to you to protect those dreams of yours...of that, I have no doubt. But do not forget what I said; a Pokemon does not have to be your Kaishakunin to be your friend, or your guardian, or your war-companion. They are all precious creatures.” Aideen turned to Naomi and smiled. “And as for you, young Naomi...before you set out on your journey, I will bestow one such a precious defender upon you.”

Naomi's lips trembled slightly. “Are you sure that...that I'm worthy of such an honor?”

Aideen's gaze suddenly sharpened, and Slash cringed as he saw the anger blazing in her eyes – it was the same death-glare that Lady Supernova's enemies had once wilted under, in the days before even his grandparents had been born.

“That is a foolish question, and such self-doubt *is* unworthy of a warrior. And make no mistake – no matter how 'civilized' the world may have become, all of those on the Trainer's Path are warriors at heart. Do not allow such weakness to bloom within you.”

Naomi paled as she bowed her head. “I am sorry, master. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

“Such forgiveness is granted.” Aideen's fierce gaze softened a bit. “Your honor is not in question, your ambition is alive and restless, and your strength and wisdom are well-proven. *You* are the only one who can destroy those things, Naomi. Do not allow that to happen. Too many promising men and women – including those of our bloodline – have destroyed themselves with such weakness, as you well know. Do not lower yourself with doubt.”

Slash remained silent...but he found himself wondering if those words were really only meant for his cousin.

“Now, my dear, rise and approach me. It is time to bestow your birthright upon you – your first Pokemon, and your lifelong protector.”

Naomi slowly climbed to her feet and stood in front of her great-grandmother, somewhat confused; Aideen had no Pokeballs on her person. But suddenly Volcarona's wings spread wide, and a small creature leapt from its back and landed precisely in Aideen's lap. It was about the size of a Growlithe, with a long abdomen and furred upper body; five horns jutted from the fur, each radiating intense warmth. Neither Slash nor Naomi had ever seen such a creature before, but the similarity in appearance between this Pokemon and Volcarona made its identity obvious.

“My dear Naomi, I grant you this Pokemon – Larvesta – as your guardian. Likewise, its mother has entrusted its safety unto you. Go out into the world and fight the battles that you must fight with your guardian at your side...but never fail to protect each other with your lives. The passing of time has changed much for our family, but the bond that we share with our guardian Pokemon will always endure. Now, Naomi Firestorm, go forth...and stand true.”

Naomi reached out solemnly, taking the small creature into her arms...and then broke down into happy tears. Slash felt his own eyes water a bit at the sight of his little cousin finally having her own Pokemon. He remembered being given his Growlithe as a young boy, and the moment had been no less meaningful. “How?” he asked Aideen softly, motioning at Larvesta. “I thought your Volcarona was the only one of its kind.”

“That is actually not the case, but it was still unexpected,” Aideen replied, taking her great-granddaughter into her arms and smiling up at Slash. “The former Champion of Unova, a man by the name of Alder, also possesses one, and it is the only other known member of the species. Both he and I regularly allow our Volcarona to wander abroad, sometimes flying for incredible distances, as they must occasionally ingest certain volcanic energies to properly sustain themselves. After returning from one of those flights, my Volcarona produced a single egg, much to my admitted surprise.”

“So Alder's is the father, then?”

“Wrong again; his Volcarona is also female. And this isn't a case of parthenogenesis, either...this Larvesta is male, not just a genetic copy of its mother. It seems that there is at least one other Volcarona out there, a mature male, somewhere in the world. Despite untold years of study by countless trainers and researchers, it has managed to avoid being seen. The world is an enormous place, Slash. Who knows what other wonders are out there, waiting to be found?”

Slash saw the gleam of challenge in her eyes, and he was suddenly sure that she knew of his intentions to leave Oldale in the near future. She seemed to approve, as well. That wasn't unexpected, really. She had groomed him to follow the Trainer's Path, not to be a Protector, and had only grudgingly accepted his decision to remain here for so long. No, it was his mother and father that were apt to be the problem...but he'd save that conversation for another day. No need to disrupt the celebration with an argument.

With the ceremony concluded, Slash climbed to his feet and bowed to his great-grandmother, and then caught Naomi in a strong embrace. He found himself face-to-face with the Larvesta now perched over her shoulder; not the cutest creature, maybe, but he felt better knowing that his little cousin would be heading out there with the child of a god as her guardian. He released Naomi from his arms and patted her softly on the head. “I'm proud of you, kiddo. You're gonna do great.”

Aideen stood up in a single smooth motion, showing no signs of ache or age; she hadn't felt this alive in years. “Slash, I'm going to go over some things with Naomi about her new Pokemon. Go inside and let your parents know that we've finished the ceremony, so we'll be ready for dinner when it's ready.”

“Sure.”

He turned and walked back towards the entrance of the hall, contemplating just how unexpectedly eventful this day had been. Eleanor had come back into his life, and their friendship seemed stronger than ever. He had been convinced to return to the Trainer's Path and once again pursue his dream of seizing the Championship. Slash almost felt as though time itself had been peeled back, giving him a chance to redo the wasted years of his young life.

And yet, at the same time, time was clearly marching forward. Little Naomi had grown into a strong young woman, and was now blessed as a full-fledged trainer and warrior of their clan. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Naomi had already shaken off her overwhelmed tears; she was, in fact, listening eagerly and jotting down notes as their great-grandmother explained everything she knew about Larvesta, from its dietary needs to its combat capabilities. (I'll have to be careful,) Slash thought with a smile, (or she's going to become Champion before I even get back from whatever crazy trip Ellie's planning.)

Slash stepped back outside into the windy afternoon air, and he was immediately struck by how rapidly the sky had darkened during his short time indoors. The fast-moving storm clouds seemed to be flowing from the west on a conveyer belt, and the rumbles of thunder were far closer and more constant now. Thunderstorms were quite common in Oldale, even in winter; they brewed in the warm southern seas and swept over a fair chunk of Hoenn before the colder climate sapped their strength. But something about this sky just didn't seem right to Slash. It wasn't just that the storm was coming from the wrong direction (although that certainly was unusual); the clouds were also oddly tumultuous, shifting and flowing so rapidly that they almost looked alive...and angry.

He wasn't an esper by any means, and he wasn't the sort of superstitious fool to believe in omens...but Slash did have a Protector's intuition, and he was suddenly glad that he still had his Peacekeeper strapped to his back. Maybe he was just being paranoid – it wouldn't be the first time – but he *was* sure about one thing.

One way or another, a storm was about to break upon Oldale Town.

*****

After a brief chat with his parents, Slash headed into town one last time, needing to buy a few things for Naomi's celebration. The crowd had lessened somewhat as the fledgling trainers were beginning to return home for their own feasts and parties, but there were still a good amount of people on the street. He checked in at the courthouse on the way to the market and found that the day had gone as smoothly as he'd initially expected – a few drunk and disorderlies, a couple pickpocket attempts, but that was it. For a town of nearly six thousand people, that was a pretty damn peaceful day. Even the drunks they'd arrested weren't any of the fledgling trainers (yet), but just the usual recurring visitors to the town jail.

Still, he couldn't shake that ominous feeling, and his eyes continually surveyed the passersby as he walked. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Arcanine seemed a bit on-edge, but that could have simply been due to the approaching storm.

The closest Pokémart was out of Ultra Balls, and that was to be expected on a day like this; only a fool would go gift-shopping at four in the afternoon on Certification Day. Many of the market stalls in the town square had already closed down for the day as the weather continued to worsen...and the few that *were* still open were selling their last wares at ridiculously marked-up prices that were well beyond what he could afford. He still had the Great Balls that he originally intended to give Naomi, but he'd made a promise (well, a bribe, at least) and he intended to keep it. There was another Pokémart not terribly far out of the way, and Slash thought that he'd have plenty of time to check it out and still get home before it was time for dinner.

He walked briskly down one of the narrow and quieter side streets, the sound of the crowd starting to fade as he left the town square behind him. He felt the first drops of rain on his neck, tiny and needle-cold, and winced at his own forgetfulness. Of course he didn't think to bring an umbrella. There was no point in turning back now, though; even if he did, he'd be soaked by the time he reached home, so he might as well keep going and at least get the damn shopping done.

Slash was still lamenting his idiocy when he caught a sudden movement in the corner of his eye.

He had left the busiest part of town, and the buildings were fewer and farther between, giving Slash a clear view of the western city wall. Perched atop the wall, maybe fifty yards away, was a Gardevoir, willowy and beautiful. She appeared to be a wild one, and that was a surprise; uplifted Gardevoir were famous for their devotion to their trainers, but feral ones were extremely shy and rarely approached humans. Slash paused in mid-step, more interested in this uncommon sight than he was with the worsening rainfall. He watched as her gaze slowly swept over the town, wondering just what she was looking for. Shelter from the storm, perhaps?

The Gardevoir suddenly realized that Slash and his Pokemon were staring at her, and drew back as though upset at being observed. Her eyes momentarily locked with Slash's, and then she teleported away in a flash of soft blue light. Slash saw no sign of her inside of the walls; apparently she had retreated back into the fields and forests of the wilds. He felt a flicker of sympathy for the shy little creature. He had no doubt that she could take care of herself, as Gardevoir were quite powerful, but it was nevertheless sad that she was so skittish of people. Maybe she had bad experiences with them in the past.

Arcanine whimpered with displeasure, startling Slash out of his thoughts. The rain, of course. While it wouldn't actually hurt the big guy, it was definitely uncomfortable. He was just starting to reach for his Pokeball when there was a sudden and tremendous crash from somewhere nearby. It couldn't have been thunder, as there had been no flash of lightning. Slash's blood ran cold.

It almost sounded like an explosion.

There was another even louder crash from the same direction, and Slash and his Pokemon immediately sprinted towards the sound of it. The western wall. A portion of it was cracked and bulging, as though it had been struck from the outside by an enormous battering ram – which was almost precisely what had happened. Arcanine growled viciously in the direction of the impending breach, fire glowing behind his clenched teeth, his displeasure at the rain completely forgotten. Froslass conjured ghostly balls of energy in both hands and moved away from Arcanine to establish what Aideen called canda – a sufficient distance to ensure that two Pokemon couldn't be hit by the same enemy attack. Keeping his eyes locked on the damaged wall, Slash tapped his Pokenav and quickly accessed the Protector network.

“Protector HQ, this is Slash Firestorm. Unknown attacker is attempting to breach the western wall, section 4. The wall has taken serious damage, breach looks imminent. I need backup immediately.”

The only response was a loud burst of static, laced with a few words that were barely audible and completely incomprehensible. The storm, of course. Hoenn's communications network was notoriously poor, and while a mere thunderstorm wouldn't normally cause major disruptions, the black and roiling sky overhead – glowing and strobing with lightning contained within – was clearly out of the ordinary.

Shit.

Before Slash could try again, there was a third and final strike upon the wall, and this time the damaged portion exploded outward in a rain of debris. Something – some creature – charged through the breach that it had created, sprinting onto the streets of Oldale and snorting in apparent outrage. It was quadrupedal, powerfully-built, and completely unfamiliar. Slash drew his Peacekeeper and tapped his Pokenav again, this time bringing up its Pokedex functions.

[Pokemon unknown. No available data. Power levels exceed scanning capabilities of this device.]

“That's not good,” Slash muttered, remaining still and observing the strange beast, which had thankfully not seemed to notice their presence just yet. Whatever it was, there was no way that it was native to Hoenn, or at least not to this part of it. Its gray body was armored in what appeared to be solid stone. Two powerful horns jutted from either side of its skull, both coated in dust that was rapidly washing off in the rain. And judging from the way it was sweeping its eyes over its surroundings – methodically, as if searching for something – it was intelligent.

Two more Pokemon appeared through the breach in the wall, running up to the first and flanking it on either side. They looked vaguely similar in body shape, being quadrupeds with powerful horns, but were clearly not the same species – one was blue in color, muscular and imposing; the other was a vibrant green, more streamlined and feminine-looking. The three Pokemon looked at each other for a moment, apparently conversing, and then split up, each running a different direction into the city. The first creature charged east; the blue one ran to the south. The green one turned towards Slash and began sprinting in his direction.

The creature didn't notice Slash or his Pokemon at first; like the one that breached the wall, it was scanning the streets and nearby buildings as it ran. Slash didn't know what it was looking for, but considering the damage that had already been done, and how immensely powerful these Pokemon seemed to be, he could not allow them to run wild through his city. Arcanine let loose a thundering roar that brought the creature to a skidding stop, and it glared at the three of them with something that looked almost like...hatred. Slash brought up his sword in a defensive stance. He was unsure if this Pokemon would understand him, but he had to try.

“My name is Slash Firestorm, and I'm a Protector of Oldale Town. Where is your trainer?”

For a moment the strange Pokemon just glared back at them, apparently seething. Then a slender, strong vine suddenly burst from the fur on its chest, cracking towards them like a whip. Froslass immediately flung a blast of ice that encased the vine, the added weight causing it to crash into the street instead of reaching its intended target – Slash's throat.

Slash and his Pokemon exchanged a confused glance. Out of all three of them, why would it aim for the human instead of the two Pokemon alongside him? Whatever this thing was, it seemed to be a Grass-type, making it vulnerable to both Arcanine and Froslass. So why –

The creature growled and attacked again, firing a short burst of energy-infused seeds at Slash, who just barely had time to duck under them. The seeds struck a building behind him, each blasting a small baseball-sized hole in the concrete. It fired another larger volley directly at him, but Arcanine leapt in front of his trainer and released an enormous blast of flame from his maw, incinerating most of the seeds in mid-flight. Most, but not all; the rain was hindering Arcanine's power, and some of the burning seeds pushed through the blast and struck the Pokemon in the chest, drawing blood.

Slash stepped out from behind Arcanine, his eyes sharp and furious, and activated his Peacekeeper's combat mode. The rain was a problem, of course – it would significantly weaken the sword's Fire Mode, and make using Lightning Mode outright dangerous. So Slash chose the third option, and his blade was enveloped in an aura of ice energy. If this thing *was* a Grass-type, it would be adequate.

Slash lifted the blade and pointed it directly at the creature. “Fine, then. You were warned.” He spoke again, not taking his eyes off the enemy. “Go.”

Arcanine and Froslass broke formation around Slash, jumping to either side and charging. Their enemy was extremely nimble, easily evading their first strikes of fire and ice, and likely would have easily bested them on a more open battlefield; however, the streets in this part of town were very narrow, and Slash's Pokemon were highly experienced in urban combat. Arcanine chased the creature with predatory bloodlust, managing to get behind it and herd it towards Slash, knowing that it would likely aim for the human again now that it had a chance. But before the creature could attack their trainer, Froslass phased through a nearby building and reemerged from the street, cutting off their enemy's path. It again slid to a stop, realizing that it was now pinned between two opponents, both of whom had a significant type advantage over it.

“Finish it quickly!” Slash shouted, struggling to make himself heard over the intensifying wind and rain. He didn't want to kill this creature – he didn't want to kill anyone, if he didn't have to – but considering how powerful their enemy was, and the lack of information they had about its motives, Slash didn't see any other choice. He could hear loud crashes and people screaming from further in town, from the directions that those other two Pokemon had gone; he needed to end this quickly so he could try to deal with them.

Arcanine opened his jaws and released an immensely-powerful Flamethrower, putting as much strength as he could into the attack to compensate for the hindering effects of the rain. At the same time, Froslass fired an Ice Beam, and in this case the storm would actually be beneficial; droplets struck the beam and instantly froze solid, coating the attack in sharp, jagged spikes. No matter how powerful this creature was, Slash thought, it wouldn't be able to withstand both attacks at once.

That might or might not have been true, but it was also irrelevant. Just before being struck, the Pokemon suddenly leapt into the air, allowing both attacks to collide beneath it. The Flamethrower and Ice Beam exploded violently as they came into contact with each other, sending both Pokemon flying and buffeting Slash with the shockwave, knocking him off his feet. Tiny shards of melting ice struck his exposed skin like shrapnel.

Slash watched in amazement as the Pokemon reached the peak of its jump. It could have easily cleared the thirty-foot city walls in a single bound, had it wished to, but escape was clearly not its intention. Two vines burst from its chest once again, but this time Slash was not the target; the vines wrapped around a radio mast jutting from the top of the city wall, and the creature used the force of its own fall to snap the structure like a toothpick. Slash scrambled against the wall of a nearby building as broken rods of metal slammed into the alley below, threatening to impale him and his Pokemon.

The creature landed gracefully among the still-falling shards of jagged debris...directly in front of Slash. Before he could react, he found himself pinned against the wall with a vine around his neck, gripping him so tightly that he could barely draw in a breath. He still had a grip on his Peacekeeper, but he couldn't swing it with any real power or accuracy in this position. He looked up and found that the Pokemon's enraged eyes were mere inches from his own. A voice rang out in his head, a feminine-sounding voice that was thunderously loud and distorted with rage.

[No trainer will ever command us, human. Now stop wasting my time and tell me *where Keldeo is.*]

Even as he struggled for air, Slash was mystified at hearing the creature's voice in his mind, as clear as day. How could that be? Even for an uplifted Pokemon, such direct communication with a human was highly difficult to achieve; Slash had been with Froslass for eight years, and Arcanine for twice that long, and yet he still struggled to hear their true voices unless he was in a state of near-meditation. But for a wild Pokemon, it was theoretically impossible – untamed Pokemon were feral, animalistic creatures, and remained that way until continued exposure to human minds (typically a trainer's) “uplifted” them to true sapience. The only real exceptions to this rule were the Great Ones, so-called Legendary Pokemon, who were akin to deities in terms of intelligence and power.

Slash hoped that she was simply lying about not having a trainer. Because if she truly didn't, and this Pokemon *was* a Great One...then the odds of him surviving this encounter were very poor.

“I don't know...what Keldeo is,” Slash gasped, desperately pulling on the vine around his neck with his free hand. “Whatever you are, you need to stand down. The Protectors of this town will destroy you if you don't.”

The vine's grip tightened, cutting off his airflow entirely. He swung his Peacekeeper at the Pokemon's legs, but the lack of air and his awkward position made the swing slow and clumsy. She easily sidestepped the blade and kicked it out of his hand, sending it sliding down the debris-choked alley. Arcanine and Froslass were back on their feet, but both held steady – if this enemy could tear through a steel radio mast so easily, they could imagine what she could do to their trainer's neck.

[Keldeo is *my child*. I know that one of your filthy ilk brought him to this place. I can *smell* his kidnapper's stink on you.] The vine loosened very slightly, but only enough to allow Slash the minimum amount of air needed to reply. [I will *not* ask you again. WHERE IS HE?! You will tell me now, or we will rip this town to pieces – along with *every single human inside of it* – until he is found!]

Slash glared back at the creature, debating his reply. Part of him – a very insistent and troublesome part of him – wanted to tell this thing to go fuck herself. Not the most diplomatic move, nor the most intelligent when she had such a deathgrip around his throat, but it was still distressingly tempting. He could still hear shattering glass and collapsing stone in the distance, along with the sounds of other Pokemon fighting the invaders – both Protectors and common trainers, all desperately trying to defend their city. Probably even some of the fledglings, who would be eager to prove themselves despite being absolutely unprepared to face enemies of this caliber. How many were already hurt?

How many were already dead?

He was opening his mouth to choke out a reply (and perhaps not a terribly-wise one, at that) when a ghostly hand phased through the wall next to his head, with a palm full of charging ice energy aimed directly at the creature's face. Slash's attacker immediately released her grip and leapt backwards, only narrowly avoiding taking a point-blank Ice Beam from Froslass that would have done severe damage even if she really *was* a Great One. Arcanine raced back to Slash's side and let loose another gust of flame with a mighty roar, daring her to come at them and continue their battle. She backed away, uncertain.

[I don't have any more time to be fighting vermin. But remember what I said, human...and pray that I find Keldeo somewhere in the rubble of your city. Because if I don't find him...or if he has come to any harm...then every last one of you will pay with your blood.] She gave Slash a very direct, very personal, and very hateful glare. [And I will deal with *you* myself.]

She whipped up a storm of razor-sharp leaves and sent it flying at them like a tornado. Arcanine and Froslass attacked together, their fire and ice destroying the deadly whirlwind before it could slice into their flesh...but when the smoke cleared, the strange creature had vanished. The sound of fighting from deeper in town was definitely intensifying.

“Damn, that was a close one,” Slash groaned, rubbing his throat and spitting out a mouthful of blood. Gods, that thing was strong. If she had been more intent on slaughter than finding her child, she would have likely killed all three of them with little effort. Slash retrieved his Peacekeeper and tapped his Pokenav. He had to know what they were dealing with. “Run deep Pokedex search on unidentified creature. All regions.”

[No matches detected.]

“Alright, compare unidentified creature to artistic depictions of legendary Pokemon, all regions.”

There was a lengthy pause. [One potential match detected.]

His Pokenav emitted a hologram of several paintings and etchings of a green, horned Pokemon that looked remarkably similar to the one that he had just encountered. He scrolled through a few more pages of information, quickly finding what he was looking for. “Virizion,” he read aloud to Arcanine and Froslass. “A Great One of *Unovan* lore, of all places. The legends say that she's one of the Swords of Justice, a group of three warriors that have protected Pokemon from humanity for untold centuries. I'm willing to bet that the other two Swords of Justice are going to match the other Pokemon that we saw.”

He kept searching, and sure enough, he was right. “Seems that the one that broke through the wall is called Terrakion, and the blue one is Cobalion. Look at these paintings...there's no doubt, these are the ones attacking Oldale. There's no other information, though...typing, strength, attacks, none of it. Virizion is clearly a Grass-type. I'd guess that Terrakion is a Rock-type...no idea about the other one, though.”

[What about this Keldeo thing?] Arcanine asked, and Slash jumped in surprise. He had never been able to hear his Pokemon so easily before; it had always taken deep and deliberate concentration to achieve direct communication, even briefly. Perhaps making mental contact with a Great One had something to do with it? An interesting question, but there was no time to wonder about it right now. He ran another search on his Pokenav.

“There's no artistic depictions of Keldeo on record. Not even the name is coming up. If it really is Virizion's child, then it might be so young that there simply aren't any human encounters with it.”

[Until now, it seems,] Froslass said, her own voice coming through as clearly and audibly as Arcanine's. [So what should we do? If a human really did steal her kid, then we should probably try to find it. But why did she say that she smelled the kidnapper on you?]

“I don't know. But you're right. We should help reunite her with her child, if we can...but for now, our only objective is to push them out of the city.” Slash wiped a handful of water from his brow; the storm was not abating. If anything it seemed to still be worsening, which was the last thing they needed right now. “Maybe this Keldeo *is* in the city. Maybe he isn't. But either way, we cannot allow innocent people to be killed by these Pokemon. Maybe we'll help these creatures later, but for now, we *need* to drive them back. Immediately.”

[Agreed.]

[Yes, master.]

“Then let's go.”

*****

The trio ran deeper into town, towards the sounds of battle. They didn't see any bodies, not yet, but the damage to the city itself was significant. The other two Swords of Justice were apparently just as intelligent and aware as Virizion, because they seemed to be deliberately targeting important infrastructure – radio masts, satellite dishes, power substations. They were cutting off Oldale from the rest of Hoenn with great efficiency. Slash looked to his Pokenav and was not surprised that its previous [low-signal] alert had now become [no-signal].

[They don't want whoever stole their kid to escape,] Froslass guessed. [And they're cutting off all the communications and power so they can't contact any accomplices.]

“What makes you think that they have accomplices?” Slash asked, panting. “It could have just been some random trainer who didn't really know what they were capturing.”

[Even a juvenile Great One still has that air of power and majesty around it. No, Slash...whoever took Keldeo knew *exactly* what they were doing.]

[And they were strong enough to actually do it, which is just as troubling,] Arcanine added. [That Virizion had a severe type disadvantage against us, and still we couldn't stop her. There's good reason to think that her child would possess a similar level of power as her. How many trainers in Oldale do you think could match blows with these guys?]

“Not many,” Slash admitted. “And there's something else...whoever managed to capture Keldeo might not let go of it willingly. Another problem to worry about.”

Arcanine came to a sliding stop as they reached the town square. [We've got enough to worry about right now, Slash.]

Scattered across the square were a great many injured Pokemon, unconscious or worse. At the center of the plaza was a tight circle of perhaps a dozen of Slash's fellow Protectors (including his father Maxim), standing shoulder to shoulder, their Peacekeepers drawn and shimmering with cloaks of ice. It was a defensive formation called the Last Stand, and Slash's heart sank at the sight of it. All of these Protectors were at least as skilled as he was, and his father was a great deal stronger; despite that, their enemies had been able to force them to their limits in the span of perhaps ten minutes.

Surrounding the ring of trainers were perhaps fifty of their Pokemon, also fighting to their limits, desperately trying to repel the unstoppable onslaught of the Swords of Justice. The three Great Ones were racing around the defensive ring with almost unfathomable speed; even the heavy and cumbersome-looking Terrakion was moving as fast as Arcanine, as hard as it was to believe. The trio relentlessly struck at the circle of Pokemon, delivering incredibly brutal and merciless blows.

No, Slash realized, they *weren't* attacking the Pokemon, not really. The Pokemon were intercepting the attacks, yes, but the Swords of Justice were actually aiming at the trainers behind them. Even a glancing blow from one of these attacks would likely be fatal for a human...even for one as strong as his father.

Reactivating his Peacekeeper's Ice Mode, Slash nodded to his Pokemon. “Let's do this. Don't hold back. We have no chance of even hurting these things unless we attack with killing intent.” He paused, and then added: “if I get hit, don't stop. Keep fighting and don't stop until you drive these things *out*.”

[Don't you dare get hit, then,] Froslass said, charging spheres of ice and ghostly energies in both hands. [We promised Eleanor that we wouldn't let our idiot get hurt.]

Slash chuckled, gripped his sword, and led the three of them into battle. He had a plan, of course. It was a really, *really* bad one, and his Pokemon would absolutely refuse to go along with it if he told them about it beforehand...but it was all that he could think of. They had to end this as quickly as possible – a protracted battle against three Great Ones would end in utter disaster.

Arcanine and Froslass split up, striking rapidly in an effort to disrupt the relentless whirlwind of attacks that were raining down on the circle of trainers. Both Pokemon were almost immediately driven back, battered and bleeding, unable to match the combined ferocity of all three Swords of Justice...but that brief interruption was all that Slash needed.

Through the slight gap that his Pokemon had forced into the maelstrom of combat, Slash locked eyes with his father, who was alarmed to see his son on the *outside* of the defensive formation. He couldn't hear his father over the roar of the battle, but he clearly mouthed an order for his son to retreat. Slash shook his head and mouthed one word back – 'distraction'.

Just as the whirlwind of attacks was beginning again, Slash deliberately stepped in Virizion's path, wielding his Peacekeeper and grinning fiendishly. She slid to a grinding stop, shocked and outraged that the same stupid young human from earlier was not only continuing to interfere with their efforts, but was apparently directly challenging *her*, despite her previous warning.

“That's right, bitch, it's me again. And guess what? You were right. It was *me*.” Slash's smile widened, full of dark menace. “I took your kid. But you'll never see him again. He's dead.”

For a moment, Virizion was too flabbergasted to even respond; when she did, it was the response that Slash had expected. Unsure and uncaring as to whether it was brutal truth or a cruel lie, she began charging an immensely powerful Energy Ball between her horns – strong enough to pull the very blood from his pores and literally turn him inside-out if it struck him. He simply raised his sword, his face devoid of fear. Thankfully the torrential rain was hiding the sweat pouring out of him, or else Virizion might have realized that Slash was desperately trying to goad her into dropping her guard.

Even more thankfully, Maxim had understood his son's intentions (foolish and reckless as they might have been), and directed one of his Pokemon to stealthily move closer to the distracted Great One. Mere moments before Virizion could launch her attack and erase Slash from the world, her rear legs suddenly buckled and a horrific pain tore through her body, causing the gathering Energy Ball to snuff out like a candle. She turned to find that Maxim's powerful Seviper had stabbed her in the flank, its scythe-like tail ripping through her divine flesh and pumping deadly poison into her bloodstream.

She violently kicked the Seviper away, breaking its jaw and sending it crashing into the ground...but before she could regain her footing, Slash's Arcanine and Froslass struck her from behind in perfect unison, and this time their combined attack struck home. Virizion fell to her knees, blood flowing freely from her scorched and frozen back, her body already hot and throbbing from the poison now coursing through her veins.

Cobalion and Terrakion ceased their attacks on the other trainers and immediately turned their focus to Slash. Despite all of his training, he felt his blood turn cold with panic as he realized that he now had not one, but *three* angry Great Ones aiming for his head. But despite his fear, he calmly stepped forward and brought the ice-enshrouded blade of his Peacekeeper to Virizion's throat.

“Nobody has to die today,” Slash said. His voice was loud, clear, and (amazingly) devoid of the terror that was squeezing his heart. Even with part of his mind screaming that he was about to be killed, his hands remained steady. “Stop fighting and leave this place. You can take her with you and treat her wounds...or you can stay here and force the fight. If that's really what you want, then come at me right now. You'll kill me, of that I have no doubt...but she'll be dead before you do.” He locked eyes with Cobalion, who (from the stories that he'd read about the Swords of Justice, at least) was supposed to be their leader. “But I was under the impression that you want to protect your family, not lose it. Leave now and you can preserve the family that you still have. If you do...then, on my honor, I'll help you find your lost child. I swear it on my father's name.”

The furious Cobalion stared daggers at him, his horns glowing an ominous silvery-gray and crackling with power. Slash looked back, unflinching, keeping his sword at Virizion's neck. A loud blast of thunder echoed over the damaged city. Pokemon and trainers alike watched the scene in silent dread.

Cobalion approached Slash cautiously, with Terrakion following closely behind, keeping a close eye on the circle of trainers and Pokemon. Either of these Pokemon could tear him in half with a single blow. If they did decide to force the fight, there was a very good chance that everyone here, human and Pokemon, would die.

This was not how he had expected this day to go. He was supposed to be sitting down to dinner right now, not holding his sword to the throat of a god.

Slash exhaled harshly as the aura of energy around Cobalion's horns faded.

[Very well,] Cobalion said, his voice cold but steady. [We will take Virizion and leave without any further quarrel. But be warned, human, I will hold you to your promise. I grant you three days to bring my son back to us. Find Keldeo, and find him quickly, or else this war *will* be reignited...and next time, we will not be quite so merciful.]

“You don't need to threaten me. I'm a Protector. You have my word.”

He glared at the gathering of trainers, making even the hardiest of them flinch. [*Nobody* leaves this town until then. If there is any attempt to flee...or to call for reinforcements...or to get the revenge that you humans so enjoy...then the deal will be broken, and I will kill you all.]

“We understand,” Maxim replied icily. “You have my son's promise. Now, from one father to another, I urge you to take your friend and leave.”

Cobalion gave a small nod, and Slash withdrew his sword from Virizion's throat, his heart pounding as he did so. This was the moment where he was sure that he'd be killed. Even as badly injured as she was, it would only take a single strike to cut him down. But for whatever reason, Virizion didn't attack him. Cobalion and Terrakion nudged her to her feet and allowed the unsteady Pokemon to lean against them, and the trio began slowly trudging back toward the breach in the western wall.

“I could give you a Pokeball, if you want,” Slash offered, pulling one of the devices from his belt. “It'd make it easier to move her.”

Cobalion suddenly turned to him with a look of such hatred that Slash stepped back in fear, once again filled with the certainty that he was about to die. [Don't you ever put one of those things in my face again, human,] he spat, [or our deal will be off and I'll kill you right here and now. Do you hear me? Don't you dare, ever. You and your vile machines have done enough.]

Slash stood speechless as the trio disappeared into the curtains of rain. When they were finally out of sight, he collapsed to the street, landing hard on his ass...but he was too overwhelmed with relief to even feel it. His fellow Protectors suddenly cheered, and he waved it off with an embarrassed flap of his hand. He looked up to find his father standing over him, slowly shaking his head.

“You really aren't terribly smart, Slash.”

“Is that just the theme for today?” he muttered, laughing humorlessly. “How bad is the damage, dad?”

“Well, there are lots of minor injuries, and a few serious ones...but as far as I know, everyone's still alive. They weren't targeting people...at least, not at first. They were tearing buildings apart looking for something, and I guess we know why, now. It wasn't until we started doing some actual damage to them that they began fighting back. Even then, they almost exclusively aimed for us trainers. If our Pokemon hadn't protected us, then a hell of a lot of people would be dead right now.”

“And the town itself?”

His father dropped on his haunches next to Slash, sighing heavily. “The town's a wreck. We don't even have internal communications, let alone external. Power's off to most of the city. It's going to take weeks, maybe months to get everything back up and running. Eventually Petalburg will notice that they've lost contact and send people over here, but...it might be a few days before that happens. We're on our own for the time being. We can't even risk sending people out to get help or those...things...will just attack the city again. What in the world were they, Slash? You seemed to recognize them.”

Maxim stood back up and pulled his son back onto his feet. Slash felt utterly exhausted, but the day wasn't over just yet.

“They're Great Ones, dad. I know it sounds crazy, but...they are.” He quickly relayed what little he knew of the Swords of Justice and their missing child. “Cobalion wasn't bluffing, you know. If we don't find this Keldeo in the next three days, then they *will* come back here, and they *will* try to kill us all. I don't think they were very fond of humans even before this happened, and now...they don't see any innocent bystanders in this situation. They'll kill everyone, or at least they'll try.”

“And they'll likely succeed,” Maxim said warily. “If they truly are Great Ones, then we're in serious trouble, Slash. I'm one of the most powerful trainers in Oldale...in fact, other than your great-grandmother, I'm probably the strongest that we've got...but even my team wasn't able to match the Swords of Justice. We only managed to hurt Virizion because we caught her off-guard. That won't happen a second time.”

“I'm not going to let it come to that.” Slash shivered as the chilling rain continued to drench him. The storm wasn't letting up, not at all. “Where is Granny, anyway? I thought she'd be at the front lines.”

“She stayed back at home to protect your mother and Naomi...and it's a good thing she did, too. That blue one, Cobalion, showed up at the gates during its rampage...but he took one look at Volcarona and decided to find other things to destroy.” Maxim shrugged. “I guess there's a food chain even among Great Ones. It's a good thing that it didn't know Volcarona can't fly in the rain. But we can't just rely on Granny Aideen to save us, Slash. For one thing, that Terrakion guy is probably the worst possible opponent for her Volcarona, whether it's raining or not. But that's something else, too...this damn storm. It doesn't seem to be...natural.”

“What do you mean?”

“The weather guys down at the lab were getting some very unusual radar readings not long before the system went down. They told me that this storm didn't seem to develop over time, but just sort of...spontaneously appeared out of thin air over the course of only a few minutes. Not to mention that the environmental conditions out on Route 102 should never have supported a front this powerful. It's just too cold, and the wind shear *should* be tearing any organized storm system to pieces. Some of the Psychic Pokemon in the area have been acting strangely, too, both wild and uplifted...but even the uplifted ones can't give a clear explanation for what they're feeling, just that everything feels...wrong.” Maxim hesitated. “I almost think I can feel it in the air, myself.”

Slash looked up at the lightning-wracked sky, knowing exactly what his father meant. It didn't take an esper to sense the wrongness of this storm. Normally Slash would be filled with excitement at such wild weather, and indeed he had been thrilled back when it was just a rumbling wall of clouds in the distance...but as it actually moved over Oldale, his excitement had turned into icy dread. He wondered if Eleanor, who must have passed through the storm as she traveled towards Petalburg, had felt the same way.

Wait.

Oh, gods, no.

His heart suddenly seemed to stop. What if something had happened to her? It wasn't just the storm that Slash was worried about; the Swords of Justice had attacked from the direction of Route 102, the same path that Eleanor had been traveling. What if they crossed paths? And if Virizion had (somehow) scented Keldeo's kidnapper on *him*, then what if she also smelled it on Eleanor?

As humbling as it was to admit, the Swords of Justice had clearly been forced to suppress their power while fighting in Oldale; they believed that Keldeo was somewhere in the city and couldn't risk hurting him during their rampage. But out there, in the wilds, there would be no reason to hold back their full power.

Eleanor was skilled and strong, of course; she had been a successful Gym Leader for several years now, and was perhaps as fearsome in combat as his father. But there was no chance that even she could fight off three Great Ones at once. No chance at all.

Slash turned to face the western sky. It was still more than an hour until sunset, but already Oldale was as dark as midnight. Darker, in fact, as most of the city was without power; only the constant arcs of lightning, creeping over the clouds like spiderwebs, provided any semblance of illumination. His sense of foreboding had not faded with the departure of the Swords of Justice; on the contrary, it was stronger than ever.

If there was even the slightest chance that she was in danger...

“Dad, I'm sorry, but...I have to go.”

“What? I know we're on a tight timetable here, Slash, but we need to get you home. You and your Pokemon are drenched and exhausted. I guess the party is canceled, but you still need to get something to eat and at least a few hours of sleep. You won't be able to help anyone if you fall down in the traces.”

“I'll be fine. But this can't wait. I need to leave town, now.” Slash hesitated, but saw no other way around it. “Eleanor's out there, dad, on Route 102. I have to make sure that she's alright.”

Maxim's eyes widened. “Eleanor? As in, Eleanor from the Academy? How can you possibly know that? You haven't spoken to her in years.”

“She passed through town just a few hours ago. We talked, patched things up. But she was heading to Petalburg, and...that's the direction those monsters came from. You saw how they felt about humans. If they crossed paths...then she could be in serious danger. I have to look for her.”

“Slash,” Maxim said patiently, “the Swords of Justice threatened to destroy the city if anybody left the walls before their child is found, and I highly doubt that they were bluffing. We have no idea where they're holed up out there...it could be a hundred miles from here, or it could be ten feet from the gates. If they see you outside the walls...”

“I'll have to risk it.”

“It's not just your own life that you'd be risking, foolish boy! The entire town is at stake! And what if they *did* hurt her, Slash? What would you do then?”

Slash gripped the handle of his Peacekeeper, his face drawn down in an expression of barely-restrained hate. “If those things hurt her...or worse...then as far as I'm concerned, my agreement with Cobalion is broken, and to hell with their missing kid. I'd do everything in my power to see them destroyed. They deserve as much just for their attack on the city...but if they hurt Ellie, then I'll see to it personally. I'll kill them all.”

Maxim's hand suddenly shot out like a serpent and gripped his son by the throat – and not gently, either. Slash winced as a powerful hand clamped down over the dark bruise that Virizion's vine had left around his neck. His father's eyes were cold and pitiless, even as Arcanine and Froslass turned toward him in alarm, clearly on the verge of attacking to defend their master.

“Are you listening to yourself, boy? Look at yourself! Look at what just one of those things did to you! And you know as well as I do that they weren't using their full power, not with their child somewhere in town!” He scoffed derisively. “Kill them all, are you insane? It was pure luck that the two of us, working together, were even able to hurt one of them! Fighting them on your own would be nothing less than suicide. You're not going out there, Slash. I won't allow it.”

“Dad, I'm not a kid anymore. The only way you're going to stop me is by choking me unconscious, so either do that now or let me go.”

Maxim hesitantly released his son's neck, but as Slash tried to walk away, he was caught by the arm and held in place. His father's grip was unbreakable.

“Fine, then. If you won't listen to me as your father, then you're going to listen to me as your commanding officer. This isn't just about you, brat. The town was torn to pieces tonight by enemies that are far beyond our ability to defeat, and the only thing that stopped a full-fledged massacre was you brokering a deal with Cobalion. You swore an oath – to a Great One, and on my name! – that you would do everything in your power to prevent an all-out war, and I'll be damned if you're not going to follow through. Your personal feelings became irrelevant the moment that you swore that oath.”

“I don't care,” Slash growled. “Ellie – ”

“Eleanor is a trainer, a trainer who is outside of our jurisdiction. Whether you like it or not, she is responsible for her own safety. Let me make something clear, boy. Even if your friend *is* hurt, or gods forbid, dead...then you will have two choices. You can either do your duty and work to ensure that nobody else in Oldale has to die over some idiot kidnapping the child of a god...or you can throw everything away – including your own honor – and get thousands of people killed over pointless vengeance. I know that you care about this girl, Slash, and I sympathize. Hell, maybe if the two of us *weren't* Protectors, then I wouldn't even try to stop you. But we are. We are both bound to defend this city, and you are bound to follow my orders. You *will* keep your personal feelings in check for the greater good of Oldale, and you *will* remain inside the walls until we manage to find Keldeo and fulfill your promise.” Maxim released his son's arm, his gaze softening slightly. “Now...come home, Slash. Your mother is going to be worried sick about both of us.”

Slash stared at his father for a long moment, the drenching rain seeming to weigh his entire body down. He was tired. He was injured. His Pokemon weren't in very good shape, either. Even if he disagreed with every word his father had just said, it would still be wise to return home anyway, if only to restock and rest up for the trials that awaited outside the walls. But Eleanor was out there somewhere. Maybe she was miles away, safely holed up in a cave and waiting for the storm to pass; maybe she lying dead in a puddle with her chest torn open. And maybe his father was right, and his responsibilities weren't just something that he should shirk so easily...but no, he still couldn't do it. Not when the sky was still flowing and raging with unnatural power. Not when he still felt Eleanor's kiss of forgiveness on his cheek.

He had spent years being a terrible friend to her, and for no reason other than his own shame and cowardice...but he would never abandon her again. No matter what the cost.

Slowly, but without hesitation, Slash reached into his pocket and pulled out his Protector's badge, the culmination of nearly a decade of training and service. He held it up so his father could see it reflecting the flashes of lightning overhead. And then deliberately, purposefully, he dropped it onto the muddy ground.

It felt like throwing away part of himself. He may have been ashamed of abandoning the Trainer's Path, but he had never been ashamed of serving as a Protector. He had saved many innocent lives, brought numerous evil men to justice, and earned the respect of his community. He was proud of that badge.

But when Slash heard it land in the dirt with a wet thud, it also felt like a huge burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders.

“Consider this my resignation.”

Maxim stared at his son, dumbfounded. “What...what on Earth are you doing, boy? You can't just...”

“Yes, I can...and I am. I love you, dad...but you'd have to kill me to stop me.”

“Slash, there are six thousand people relying on you...and unless we find Keldeo in the next three days, every single one of them will be dead. You can't just abandon your duty to run off after some girl!” His eyes blazed with the power of command. “You are a Firestorm, and you swore an oath!”

“I made an oath to someone else, long before I became a Protector...and that's the oath that I intend to keep. A promise that I made to my best friend...and to myself...and it's long past time for me to stop shirking it.”

Slash again turned toward the western wall, hoping that he could still track the Swords of Justice in this heavy rain. It wasn't going to be easy.

“Don't worry, dad. If Eleanor's dead, then all bets are off, like I said...but if she's not, then I *will* keep my promise to Cobalion. I'll do everything in my power to find Keldeo in time and stop anyone else from getting hurt. But either way, once all is said and done...Oldale Town will no longer be my home.”

He started to walk away, but Maxim wasn't finished with him just yet. “So you're not even going to come home and tell your family what you're doing? Just what am I supposed to tell your mother, boy? Or your great-grandmother? Or your cousin?”

Slash stopped in mid-step, considering his father's question seriously.

His mother wouldn't want him to leave Oldale, he was sure of that. While she may have once grudgingly supported his dream to follow the Trainer's Path, she had also made no secret of her relief when he had abandoned it. As dangerous as the life of a Protector was, it was still safer than being out there in the wilds.

His great-grandmother, however, would almost certainly approve of his decision; it was the Path she had trained him to follow, after all. He even suspected that Aideen would understand his rash desire to inflict vengeance upon anyone who harmed Eleanor, no matter how disastrous the consequences might be. While she put on a stoic and thoughtful front in her old age, as was expected of a Pokemon Master, she had also shared many stories of her youth during Slash's training; Lady Supernova had been hot-blooded, brash, and borderline-insane during her younger days as a warrior. Yes, Slash thought, his great-grandmother would understand. She might even be proud.

And as for young Naomi...

Slash turned around...and despite his own fear, and despite seeing the very real frustration, anger, and worry on his father's face, Slash couldn't help but smile. He was cold, he was soaked, he was exhausted, worried, and afraid...but by the gods, for some reason, he had never felt so alive.

“Tell Naomi that, if all goes well, I'll see her again...somewhere out there.”

Without waiting for his father to reply, Slash broke off into a run, heading towards the shattered western wall with his Pokemon faithfully running alongside him. Maxim watched, torn with regret, as his son vanished through the narrow gap between civilization and wilderness; he was suddenly sure that he would never see his boy again.

*****

Author's Notes

Q: I'm a reader of the original story. So...what's going on here?
A: I appreciate all the love that the first story got from so many people. Really, I do. But please understand...as an author, re-reading it made me want to kill myself. Parts of it are solid and hold up quite well...but a lot of it was also cringe-worthy garbage. That doesn't mean that I want to delete it, but I definitely don't want to continue the story as it was. It needs new life. Hopefully I can breathe some into it, because I still hold the original concepts and characters close to my heart, and I want to bring them to life in a way that I won't be ashamed of.

Q: So it's not a continuation or sequel, then?
A: A little too soon to be certain of that, isn't it? All I ask is that you give it a chance. Perhaps it's not as removed from the original story as it may initially appear.

Q: I've never heard of Sinners before. Do I need to read the original story to understand this?
A: My goal with this project is that any new reader would not have to read the original (and, as mentioned, terribly embarrassing) stories in order to follow along with it. It should stand on its own merit. However, I also hope that any old readers of the original will appreciate it more, and may catch certain things that new readers may not.

Q: What's the update schedule going to be like?
A: There won't be one. One of the things that killed the original story was an admittedly-self-brought sense of dread at “needing” to update at regular intervals. Back when I first started the original Sinners in 2007(!), I was in my early twenties, with lots of free time on my hands, and I *still* struggled to write the damn thing. Now I'm damn near forty (ugh) with far more of that damned “real life” stuff to deal with. I will write when I have the time and drive to do so, and update when it's done, simple as that. I understand that's not how it's “supposed” to be in this era of algorithm-driven content, but I don't care. I don't write to get tons of views or attention; I write because I enjoy it. If I don't enjoy it, I don't write. I'd rather let the story stagnate and die again than force a resolution. I almost canceled this whole “reboot” as it is, due to losing someone very important to me – someone who was the inspiration for restarting Sinners in the first place. But, like the title says...the show must go on.

Q: Are you going to fix up the original story?
A: Maybe. I don't like giving things the George Lucas treatment, but I also don't see a reason that trash should remain trash when something can be done to improve it...particularly if the original is preserved somewhere for people to see if they really want to. Some of the OG Sinners is just...really, really godawful. I'd like to make it slightly less awful if I can. And it'd certainly be easier to fix an old chapter than write a whole new one, so...we'll see.

Q: Your story is bad and you should feel bad!
A: I'm sorry. I'll commit sudoku immediately, but I must confess that I always cheat at the really hard ones.

Q: Wait, are you saying that Slash from Guns N' Roses exists in this universe?
A: He exists in EVERY universe.
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Sinners: The Show Must Go On