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An Uncertain Future	By : Twill Category: Pokemon > General Views: 12846 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
“Wha-” Rob's mind scrambled to understand. “Get off of her!” he shouted and took a step forward, only to be stopped. From nowhere, a large red claw poked into his chest, forcing him to stop or be impaled on its razor point. The Zoroark shook its head, eyes boring into Rob's own. His heart was racing. Trying to move the creature's arm was fruitless, red and black fur blocking him from Gardevoir and the Absol.

“Get off of her,” Rob demanded over the Zoroark's shoulder. “Where is your trainer?” Again her tried to push past Zoroark and was yet again rebuffed. “Gardevoir!”

“Absol,” the pokemon growled, face inches from Gardevoir's and slapped a large paw against the side of his pokemon's face.

“Hey-” Rob moved again but this time the Zoroark shoved him back, almost causing him to fall. Quilava and Sandshrew were there; he almost ordered them to attack, fists shaking at his side. But the other two pokemon looked completely unfazed by their presence, and Gardevoir, even if she was in any shape to battle, would be completely useless.

“R-Rob?” Gardevoir's voice froze him. It was faint, unfocused. A haunting whisper. He watched as fresh tears rolled down Gardevoir's blood stained cheek.

“Gardevoir?” He couldn't keep the tremor from his voice. “What is this?”

A green hand twitched as if to reach out, but didn't move off the ground. “Run. Please get out of here, they'll kill you.”

“Gardevoir, what are you talking about, whose pokemon are these?” At Rob's words, Zoroark took a step to the side, letting Rob have a clear view of Gardevoir now that he wasn't trying to run past.

“Get out of here, they'll kill you. You can't stop them.” Gardevoir's eyes squeeze shut. She trembled visibly underneath the Absol whose paw was stained with his pokemon's blood. “I'm not worth getting yourself killed for. Leave, just go away.”

Rob couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was almost as incredible as what he was seeing. But as he looked at the cold, watching gaze of the Zoroark, and the sick joy twinkling behind Absol's singular eye, the fury boiling in his stomach took over.

“You bastards,” he snarled and lunged, reaching towards his belt. Zoroark responded impossibly quick to his action. Three claws reached for him, gleaming like knives, ready to have a fresh coat of red paint them. Fear should have stopped him, yet watching the attack coming only fueled his rage. There was no avoiding it; the claw would tear him apart.

An orange blur was suddenly between them, and both he and Zoroark were thrown backwards. Rob crashed to the ground as Riolu was thrown into his chest. Zoroark was sent careening awkwardly into a tree, spinning and falling to the ground. Riolu? No, no time to think.

“Smokescreen, sand attack!” Rob shouted grabbing Gardevoir's pokeball. Inky smoke and debris were thrown at the two dark type pokemon as the red beam touched Gardevoir's body. “Run!”

Shoving Riolu ahead of him, he ran. The four of them took off back towards the path as choking coughs followed them from inside the smoke cloud. How fast were they? Who did the pokemon even belong two? They obviously weren't wild, as neither were native to this area. But it didn't matter, they needed to run; he had to get his pokemon away from those creatures. Rob clutched Gardevoir's pokeball tightly as his feet pounded against the ground.

Trees rushed past as Rob launched himself along the ground. A quick glance behind showed him that his pokemon and Riolu were right behind, so he put his head down and ran. A roar from the forest behind sent chills down his spine. Whichever pokemon it had been though he couldn't tell.

Run. There was no room in his mind for anything else. He had to keep moving. The ground blurred below his feet as his chest burned. Run. They were out of the forest. Each breath tore at his chest and throat, limbs burning with exhaustion. His grip on Gardevoir's ball was frozen, the features of the pokeball imprinted against his sweating palm. Keep going. Why? What were those pokemon doing? But he couldn't dwell on it, he just had to run.

Stars glimmered overhead. His body moved automatically, stumbling along as he forced himself onward. He didn't even know how long it had been. They had to get away, he would save Gardevoir. Something slammed into his back. His legs continued to move in that brief moment as the ground rushed up to meet him. He thrashed, a tangle of limbs flailing to try and remove the weight on his back, but it was just his pack. One of his pokemon lay on the ground near him though.

“Quilava?” he rasped, his throat dry, heart pounding in his ears.

“La...va...” his fire type panted with a white froth in the corners of his mouth, lying on the ground next to Rob. Sandshrew came up from behind before also collapsing to the ground panting. Rob lifted a hand to cradle his throbbing head. The world spun as he tried to sit up. Yes, some water. Quickly though, then they could get moving again. The crisp night air blew across his sweat soaked skin as he broke out two bottles of water. Giving one to Quilava, he drank deeply from the second.

Too much and, as soon as he had something in his stomach, he threw up. He rushed off the path, spewing up the water he had just drunk, his body protesting every movement. Coughing, he sat back and again drank the cool, sweet water again. Willing himself, he held it in, and then he noticed Riolu.

She looked in best shape out of all of them. Blue fur was matted against her body, but her breathing was only minimally labored. Fighting types generally had very good endurance. He held out his water bottle though anyway, even she wouldn't last long dehydrated. After hesitating a moment, she rushed to him but ignored the offered bottle. Rob grunted as the blue pokemon threw herself into his chest, wrapping strong arms around him.

“Riolu. Lu,” she whispered into his chest. His fatigued mind didn't know what to do, so he just wrapped his arms wearily around her, still clinging to Gardevoir's pokeball. After releasing him she stepped back and took the water from him. They rest a moment, a quick break, but those other pokemon could be right behind them. They had to keep moving.

After his pokemon and Riolu finished, he returned the bottles to his pack and rose unsteadily to his feet. “Come on, we need to get going.”

“Lava,” his fire type said, also getting up but shaking his head.

“There's no time,” he said, beginning to start moving again but Quilava stopped him. Once again he found himself thrown to the ground, this time by an admittedly weak push from his best friend.

“What do you think you're doing?” Anger rose inside of him, betrayed by his own pokemon. Sandshrew didn't even move to help him, the ground type just watched, chest heaving. Quilava walked on top of him, pinning him to the ground. “Are you insane? What has gotten into you?”

“Lava,” his pokemon said again in the same tone. Rob moved to shove the traitorous pokemon off him, but his hand was swatted away. “Lava.” Quilava lay down on his chest.

“Get off me,” Rob growled, balling his hand into a fist. Two large, red eyes looked into his, pleading. With one look, everything was drained from him. Anger, fear, even fatigue. And as his head fell back onto the grass below him, he passed out.

Brilliant sunlight accompanied something nudging his side when Rob next woke. He groaned quietly as he sat up, his body feeling as if it had been hit by a car. Quilava jumped up happily licking his trainer's face after having finally woke Rob up.

“Good morning. I'm sorry about last night,” Rob said running a hand through Quilava's fur. Still in a daze he gave his surroundings a quick glance. From the sun it looked to be around noon. Route 34 was an easy, winding path that was only a few hours walk away from the ocean. Lush grassy meadows surrounded the path with a scattering of softwood trees dotting the relatively flat landscape. Sandshrew and Riolu were there too, sitting off to the side of the path. And then there was Gardevoir, still in the pokeball clutched in his hand.

It was hard to even imagine that what happened yesterday was real, and it wasn't over yet. Gardevoir's pokeball was set for stasis, but the power would probably be about half drained by now. She had looked pretty bad, and if his potions weren't enough... Goldenrod was still a couple of days further no matter how far he ran last night. And they couldn't go back through the forest. It would take too long anyway, even if those pokemon who attacked Gardevoir weren't lying in wait. He placed the pokeball in his lap and rest his forehead in his palms.

His stomach burned with uncertainty, but he couldn't fail again. When he had been in danger, Gardevoir had jumped to save him without a thought. Now she was injured and he was the only chance for her survival.

“Quilava, can you please take the other and just go for a walk or something, I-I need to be alone for a bit,” Rob said not taking his face from his hands.

“Quil?” His fire type nudged him with a look of concern. Rob brought a hand and rubbed Quilava's head.

“I'll be fine, I just need a while.” Rob waited, and despite not wanting to leave his trainer, Quilava moved towards the others. A light breeze swept across the ground as Rob watched his other pokemon and Riolu talk briefly before giving him a concerned look and moving off. He was thankful for the privacy; he wasn't sure what was going to happen. With a shaking hand, Rob pressed the release button on Gardevoir's ball.

“Rob! No!” Her hand shot out as Gardevoir was released onto the ground.

“I'm here.” Rob rushed to her side, grasping her hand. Green skin was cold against his palms and shook in his own trembling hands. “It's okay now, you're safe.”

“Rob? You're, but- Where are we. I'm cold.” Gardevoir's panic quickly faded to a chilling calm, and suddenly he was reminded of the severity of her wounds. Taking his hand from hers, Rob gently brushed a finger along the skin near the wound in her stomach. He could hear her ragged breathing, heart racing in her chest. Her pale skin was clammy and cool to the touch, except where it burned around the horrific wound in her stomach. It was so deep.

“Gardevoir,” he whispered, kneeling next to his psychic pokemon. He had to act. Tears stung his eyes as he reached for his pack, searching desperately for his potions.

“Why? I said run.” Gardevoir's words rang through his mind as his fingers fumbled for the small bottles. “You should be dead.” Two would be enough right? If he used too much it could do more harm than good. “...left me, I killed them all.” Gardevoir's words weren't making any sense, and he turned back to her.

“Shh, just rest, everything will be okay.” Rob grabbed Gardevoir's arm and injected the two potions. She was beginning to look worse. Unfocused eyes tried to look up at him.

“You're a good human. I've never met one before. Just leave me here, get away from me, I can just die and-”

“Shut up,” Rob cut her off. “Just shut up.” There were tears in her eyes too. She tried to blink them away, but her eyes started to droop as her mental voice became hazy.

“I'll just die, you can go, I killed them...” He could barely hear her. Gentle tears rolled down her face as she lay in the grass.

“I said shut up; you're going to be fine.” Rob wrapped his arms around her, pulling her cold, trembling body against his. The potions had to work. “You owe me answers, you can't die, you owe me. Please Gardevoir.” Her chest rose and fell, pulling air in short gasps through her open mouth, but she said nothing more to him. So he cradled her limp form against himself, ignoring the blood staining his clothing. She couldn't die.

Rob held her close for a long time. “You're going to be fine. And once we get back on the road we can do whatever you'd like. I bet you'll really like Goldenrod City. I know you don't like large crowds, but there are lots of cool buildings and other stuff I doubt you've seen before.” Her green hair flowed easily through his fingers as he stroked her head, resting her against his chest.

“And have you ever seen the ocean before? There's water for as far as you can see, with sand all along. I bet we could also find some good restaurants too, I've never gotten you any food from Kanto, you'd probably like that.” Rob was rambling, he knew, but it was the only thing keeping him from losing it completely.

He wasn't sure how long he held her like that, whispering into her hair and stroking her back. Why he felt such crippling helplessness, he couldn't explain. Losing Gardevoir would crush him. She had been cold and distant with him since he captured her, yet he still felt like she was one of his closest friends. When he'd catch her staring at him with those cold, analyzing eyes, it was like she wanted to talk. And then she'd notice and put up her icy defenses again.

“You owe me an answer. I won't let you die,” he whispered again into her hair.

----------------------------------------------------

Gardevoir's mind buzzed, static jarring her thoughts about, unable to concentrate. She could feel the pain though. Cold, sharp pain. Breathing hurt, her chest on fire. Limbs moved stiffly, sluggish and sore. And there was noise. Talking? Warmth surrounded her cold body. Slowly she opened her eyes, blinded by the late sun.

“Gardevoir?” Rob's voice. She blinked, trying to see through the blinding light, to make sense of what was going on.

“Rob? What's going on? Where am I?” she sent faintly. Even slight movements were difficult, her body completely drained. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open. So tired.

“A-Are you okay?” She could hear the tension in his voice as he peered down into her eyes. Memory returned slowly but vividly. It was like watching it play out again in her mind, her chest tightening.

“I told you to leave me,” she said quietly, trying to ignore the concern Rob felt pouring into her through the fin on her chest. A feeling that was directed at her, cracking her.

“And I told you that I'd never abandon you,” he replied seriously, running a hand gently through her hair. It did feel nice.

Gardevoir batted his hand away feebly. “And they'll kill you for it,” Gardevoir growled through her psychic voice. “Why won't you just run?”

“But I saved you, and look, I'm fine. We all are,” Rob said, smiling down at her.

“You think they'll stop?” Gardevoir snapped back, sitting up despite the pain, clutching at the wound in her stomach. “They won't. They'll follow me, and they'll kill me. And you, and Riolu, and-” she gasped in pain, struggling to get to her feet, to stop him from looking down at her like that. Intense pain from her broken leg brought tears to her eyes but she blinked them away, staring down at her trainer.

Rob's face darkened slightly at her words, and he pulled her back down effortlessly. “Stop, you're injured,” he said gently, holding her tight in his arms. Warm, safe arms. He couldn't die for her. “And, they were wild pokemon, weren't they?” The look in his eyes though said even he didn't believe that.

“Of course they weren't,” Gardevoir spat in response to his wishful ignorance. How easily he had drawn her back into his arms also infuriating. She was so weak. At her confirmation though, she could feel anger building inside of Rob.

“Was there a trainer there?” he asked slowly, a dangerous glint she had never seen in him burning behind those green eyes.

“No,” Gardevoir said, looking away. “No he wasn't. Why are you so intent on protecting me? Why do you think they're so determined in hunting me down? You don't know anything about me, so why do you keep this up?” Gardevoir growled, a fierce heat in her voice.

“I, but- If there was no trainer there then who-”

“I killed him.” Gardevoir interrupted, just short of shouting at him, and as she admitted it out loud, to the one person still alive who had shown her kindness, all of her defenses shattered. Everything she had suppressed into the dark corners of her mind, everything buried under the icy outward calm bubbled up. Murderer branded her consciousness as tears lept to her eyes. Maybe one of those deaths were justified, if there was even such a thing, but most of them had been victims just as she had been. And she had wiped them from existence.

“I killed him, and others,” she sobbed, burying her face into Rob's chest, unable to help herself, cradled in his arms. “Murdered,” she whimpered.

“I uh, what?” Rob asked, taken aback by Gardevoir's outburst. “Shh, calm down. Gardevoir what's wrong?” he cooed, making her feel worse.

“I killed them all,” she managed to get out before losing her grip on mental communication, digging tiny claws into his shirt.

Rob was suddenly very still. “What do you mean? Did your previous trainer, make you- I mean did he-” He danced around it, but she could feel it. Worry, no, fear crept into the feelings she felt radiating from him. And now things were different, now he knew what she really was.

Anger burned within her, flared alongside the despair. “Now you see it don't you?” Gardevoir growled through her telepathy. “Trying to protect some savage freak.” She bared her teeth as she pushed away from Rob, grimacing through the pain in her torso and shattered leg. “I deserved to die, but you came and stopped it, when I told you to run.” Wet splotches appeared on Rob's shirt as tears continued to roll off Gardevoir's cheeks, but her eyes blazed as she stared him down. Raising a hand she conjured up a sphere of psychic energy.

“I could kill you right here, just like I did the others. Their minds shattered at my touch. I felt them die, their very being erased by my hand. Tell me I don't deserve what those creatures had intended. Why do you continue this farce,” she screamed into Rob's mind, pale blue light pulsing in her hand as she stared into Rob's wide eyes.

“No,” Rob whispered, bringing a hand up to Gardevoir's back. She was so surprised by the touch the sphere of energy in her hand winked out as she was pulled back against Rob's chest. “Whatever you say you did I don't believe it. You would never have done something like that.”

“I know what I am, I ki-” but Rob didn't let her finish what she was saying.

“Don't blame yourself, whatever you were made to do, whatever they did to you, it wasn't your fault. I've heard plenty of stories of how cruel humans can be to pokemon, and I promised to never become that. You can't blame yourself for what happened.” His voice was strong and calm, his arms sheltering her from all of the doubt and self-loathing.

“You don't even know what I-”

Rob hushed her. “It doesn't matter. I don't care. I saw those other pokemon, and I've spent the past few weeks with you. I know you'd never hurt someone, not intentionally or of your own will. Those two in the forest, I could see the hatred in them.”

“But I killed-”

“Stop,” he soothed, running a hand slowly along her back. “Everything will be okay, just rest. You're still badly injured. Everything will be fine, I promise.” He held her tightly, and Gardevoir gave in. His arms deflected everything that wasn't Rob's warmth, pulling her flush against him as she breathed deep the scent of her trainer. Warmth that was more than body heat. Happiness, a feeling that had been foreign to her throughout her life, and one that she thought she'd never truly experience again after that day. Closing her eyes she melted into Rob's chest.

Gardevoir woke up against the slow, steady rise and fall of Rob's chest. It was dark overhead, the night sky bathing the two of them in its pale light, a warm breeze bringing the sweet scent of trees and earth to them. A hand rested on her back, gently lying against the side of the red fin that let her detect the feelings of others.

It would just take filling the sensor with psychic energy to connect with him again, to feel his soul entwined with her mind. Warmth and purity encompassing her. A wondrous feeling, but she shouldn't have even done it the first time, without even asking Rob, or explaining what she was doing. With a sigh she moved, painfully sitting up without waking her savior.

A gentle hiss escaped Gardevoir's lips as she sat up. The wounds in her shoulder and stomach hot and inflamed, making her shoulder stiff. Her leg throbbed from where it had been broken, though luckily it hadn't broken the skin. She would heal, as long as the infection didn't get too bad. A light breeze played about their campsite, if it could be called that. Rob lay on the grass, Sandshrew curled up in a ball at his feet. Quilava and Riolu were together, the fire type with his back to a small tree and Riolu with her face in Quilava's chest, a blue paw still clutching a handful of fur, even in slumber.

“Gardevoir?” Rob's voice whispered sleepily from her side. She jumped at the noise but settled as Rob sat up beside her. “How are you feeling?”

Gardevoir didn't meet his eyes. “I'm fine. A-Are you going to release me?” she mumbled in question.

“Of course not,” Rob replied, his voice sure as he moved an arm around her.

“But I killed a human, and his pokemon. I killed them.” Anger began to rise in her again. Why wouldn't he hate her, punish her for what she did?

“I told you, I don't believe it. You saved my life; you've done nothing but help me in this short journey we've been on together. Why don't you just tell me what happened? I promise everything will be fine; I'll never release you, no matter what. Unless it's what you truly wish.”

Gardevoir bit her lip. She could sense no deception from him, and the warm, light feeling flowing through her from her fins was intoxicating. Fingers stroked through her hair, confident and sure. A solitary tear rolled off her cheek, splashing onto Rob's clothing, still stained by her blood, and she told him everything. From the very beginning, starting with the vague memories of being taken from her family. She told him all of it.

“I'm sorry,” Rob said quietly, still slowly running a hand through her hair. It was the first thing he'd said since beginning her story, listening quietly, letting her finally get it all out.

“But, I killed them,” she whispered. “Absol and Zoroark, they're the ones who are right.” Gardevoir could feel an angry heat coming from Rob though, building as she told her story.

“No, that man, Wes. What he did was wrong, people like him... He deserved to die. It shouldn't have had to be you, but that death was better than he deserved.” Rob's voice held that intensity from before; his eyes gleamed, revealing the ferocity that hid behind his gentle facade.

“And the others? Did they deserve to die?” her own voice tinged with anger.

Rob didn't respond immediately, just continued to stroke her hair. “No, they didn't,” he said finally, his voice soft, unaccusing. “They didn't deserve to die, but it was an accident, you didn't mean to kill them.”

“Do you think they care if I didn't mean to? I still killed them.”

Rob placed a hand lightly under her chin and brought her face up, their eyes meeting. “You did, and it was wrong,” the truth of his words echoing the voice inside that called her a monster. “But it wasn't done out of malice. You escaped, and have a new chance. You can make up for what you did, I can help you. Don't waste this life that others paid so dearly for though, it would be an insult and a waste. You have a chance to live as they couldn't.” His face was inches from hers, a storm of emotions radiating from him and into her. But two overwhelmed the others. Rob pulled her into a tight embrace, carefully avoiding her injuries.

A warmth filled Gardevoir. The voice that called herself a monster was crushed beneath his accepting words. She had to pay for her mistakes, and taking a life was no small debt. She may never be able to fully repay the ones she slew, but she wasn't a monster either. Not like Wes, or his two dark types. With Rob, maybe things could work out.

“Thank you,” Gardevoir whispered, returning the hug as best she could with her one good arm, pressing herself as close to him as she could.

“I'm here for anything you need, you don't have to hide things from me,” he said, resting his chin on her head and running a hand down her back. “You should get some sleep, you're sure that you're going to be all right?”

“I think so,” Gardevoir murmured into his chest, letting him lower the two of them to the ground.

“Sleep well, we need to get moving again tomorrow,” Rob said, returning an arm to rest against Gardevoir's back.

“Night,” Gardevoir whispered back, quickly falling back to sleep against her trainer, smiling into his chest.

Darkness stretched out in every direction, nothing above or below, it was only her. Gardevoir's body was perfectly illuminated, though there was no obvious source of light, lighting that was much too perfect to be normal. Heart racing she took a step back, noticing her wounds were gone, not a scratch on her pale skin. What is this place?

“Gardevoir.” The voice spoke to her mind, yet she knew it came from behind her. She spun, white gown flaring out, the ethereal lighting giving a surreal air to the place. Nothing moved though except for her and Abra.

“W-What is this, I... Abra?” Gardevoir was lost for words but was forced to look away from her old friend. A large chunk of his torso was missing from where Absol had tore into him, ending Abra's life. Blood still dripped from his small mouth, falling endlessly into the black infinity below.

“Oh so you at least remember me,” he sneered, taking a few steps closer to her.

“What is this place, who are you? You're not the same,” Gardevoir said, edging away from the advancing pokemon.

“I'm not the same? Look at you, Gardevoir,” Abra spat, glaring at her. “All fully evolved while I sacrificed myself for you, and now look. All but forgotten mere weeks later.”

“Of course I didn't forget you,” Gardevoir plead, still unable to meet those cold, dead eyes. “I miss you so much. I-I didn't know what to do, after you died, I thought I was dead too. It would have been a mercy; we could have been together again, but then...”

“You know I loved you, Gardevoir. I loved you, gave my life to buy your freedom. Are you happy, now that you're free?” Abra taunted.

“I-”

“Of course, my body wasn't even cold before you threw yourself into the arms of another. A human no less.” Abra's coat was illuminated in the same manner she was, his once golden fur tarnished brown by his own blood. His slow, once sleepy movements now resembled a Seviper, circling its prey.

“No that's not-” Gardevoir tried desperately to explain, but Abra didn't let her finish.

“Were you just using me? Was it just because I was the only one to show you an ounce a kindness? Because I was convenient?” Abra kept up his slow, viperous advance as she continued to retreat.

“No, it wasn't like that. You were my best friend, and I would have gladly spent my life with you, even if it was only ever in that cell,” Gardevoir whimpered. “Why are you doing this?”

“Why am I? You did this to me. Tell me, did you love me?” Abra stopped now, hollow eyes boring into her.

“Did I- When we were down there I- I don't know, when I was a Kirlia I still-” Gardevoir stuttered, looking out into the blackness, his gaze terrifying her.

“It's a simple question, did you love me?”

A tear fell from Gardevoir's cheek, falling endlessly into the black abyss. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I loved you. You made me happy. I thought that everything was over when you died. Why are you doing this? Even if it is a lie, for once I feel like I don't have to hate myself, don't have to seek death. Rob is kind, and he has tried to cheer me up even if I didn't want to speak with him in the beginning. He saved me from letting your death destroy me.”

Abra growled at the mention of her new trainer's name. “He's using you just like Wes did. He's a human. Do you really think their kind give a shit about us? They just want our power, especially your power. Don't you see it? You told him about how you killed Wes and the others; imagine what that kind of power could get him.”

“No he's not like the-”

“Not like what? Not like every other human? He just happens to be the only good one, and you just happened to find him by accident, caught without even asking?”

“But he didn't have a choice, I was injured and-”

“Going to die? You know you weren't even close to death from those injuries.”

Gardevoir stared into the darkness. “No, you're wrong, he isn't like them,” but even she could hear the doubt lacing her telepathic voice.

“You can't even look at me and say it,” Abra said, closing the distance between them and staring up in challenge.

“I just want to be happy. I never asked for any of this,” Gardevoir whispered, eyes glistening in the impossible light.

“You can be happy,” Abra cooed, his voice silk and honey. “You know how. The power to remake the world, fix every wrong, recreate it so that you can have your happiness. We could be together again.” The darkness began to lighten around them, but Gardevoir felt no safer, quite the opposite in fact. Crimson stained the surrounding darkness, powerful and violent.

“No, I can't, that's how all of this started in the first place,” Gardevoir said as arcs of blood-red lightning reflected off her eyes. The darkness stormed around her with energy, and she could feel it crawling under her skin, her very being resonating with each flash.

“This power saved you, freed you from Wes. You can feel it within you, I know you can. It was meant to be used, and it was given to you, the one allowed to wield it, to determine how it should be used. Consider it a blessing. It is up to you to bless the world.” Abra's words echoed throughout the black infinity. The darkness began to distort, unstable from the power's incredible energy. Abra melted into the storm as it shook and rippled around her. Red lightning arced from her body, and the air around her became distorted by the swirling power her body contained. Gardevoir screamed, and darkness shattered.

“Gardevoir? Gardevoir wake up!” Hot, her whole body was on fire. There was noise, voices around her but they didn't matter, only the blistering heat. And the pain. All encompassing. His chest heaved, trying to fill her burning lungs, but that was pain too. A bright light blinded her eyes, shadows moving about half-seen. They weren't important, the heat, she had to stop the heat. She tried to release it, force it out of her body. There was more movement, more voices, and then silence.

Gardevoir woke. Or maybe she didn't. The world passed by, except that it wasn't really the world, more of a ghost of reality, and she wasn't in it. The landscape moved oddly around her, Gardevoir merely an observer, hearing and seeing as though her senses were muted. And then she saw rob, running along with the others. This wasn't death, at least she didn't think so. There was still pain, pain and heat. A dream? But then she had spoken with Abra in that strange place. Her mind was sluggish. It was too hot, too hot, and she was so tired.

The world drifted by. Gardevoir didn't know how long, in fact she could barely tell whether she was experiencing some sort of delusion or if she was asleep. It eventually stopped though. The muted voices returned, but none of them were Rob. Suddenly the world was returned, or she returned to the world.

Color and feeling exploded as Gardevoir was deposited on the ground in a flash of red light. Three pokemon surrounded her, all prepared for a fight. Sweat drenched her as the pain of her injuries returned full force, no longer buffered by that strangeness.

“Gardevoir?” a scared voice asked from her side.

“Riolu?” Gardevoir rasped, the world spinning around her. There was a short pause and then a bottle was thrust into one of her hands. Gardevoir drank deeply, the seemingly frigid water bliss against her burning insides. She tried to sit up.

“What's going on,” Gardevoir muttered weakly, sitting slowly, clenching her teeth through the pain.

Riolu walked in front of her, taking a paw in one of hers. “You were, um, sick, and Rob was rushing to Goldenrod to get you to the pokemon center, and then he collapsed.” The baby pokemon's voice shook as she clutched Gardevoir's hand tightly. Sandshrew and Quilava both looked on edge but relaxed slightly from when she first saw them. “Can you teleport us the rest of the way?”

Gardevoir was already panting, the heat and pain unbearable, but with a glance at Rob, she looked out into the distance. A small speck marked the horizon, Goldenrod City. Her head swam as she tried to judge the distance, but she could make it. If Rob was injured then...

“Yes, I think I can make it, but not everyone,” Gardevoir wheezed. Sandshrew and Quilava, you'd need to go back in your balls, and Riolu-”

“No,” Quilava said, small flames erupting on his back. “I'm not leaving you alone with Rob.”

“What?” Gardevoir turned to Quilava, but Riolu stepped in.

“She's fine now, it'll be okay,” the fighting type said in an attempt to calm Quilava. “And I'll be fine on my own; I can make it to the city. I'll find you,” Riolu said with a determined look at Gardevoir. There was a palpable tension in the air, and Gardevoir seemed to be that cause of it, though she couldn't remember. So hot. Looking at her shoulder she winced. A brief touch to the inflamed skin sent daggers through her arm and chest, and the heat of the skin made her pale. Her stomach seemed no better; it was a shock she was still conscious.

“Fine,” Quilava relented and retreated back into his pokeball.

Sandshrew gave her one last look before following Quilava's lead. Then it was just her and Riolu, and Rob.

“Are you sure-” Gardevoir started.

“I'll be fine,” Riolu said putting on a brave face, but Gardevoir could feel the nerves of the small pokemon washing over her. “I'll see you at the pokemon center. I still remember what they look like. Just, get better, please? You're all I have...” Large eyes looked up into Gardevoir's. It felt like a bad idea, something deep inside screamed at her, telling her to not do it, but she was too tired and her mind too confused to listen.

“I'll see you there,” Gardevoir said between deep breaths, and then placing a hand against Rob's skin, they jumped. The leap had taken more out of her than Gardevoir had expected, and she took a moment to catch her breath. The infection was taking a heavy toll on her body, and having to drag another person along with her wasn't making this easy. She brushed a hand across Rob's forehead. Abra was wrong about him, he had to be. There had to be at least one good human. With a hand against him, she focused and the world shifted again.

It took a number of teleports, more than Gardevoir had expected, the city deceptively far away. Each jump brought them closer, the open fields becoming more urban. Gardevoir struggled to maintain focus. If she passed out too... Another leap and they were on one of the human constructed pathways. There were voices, shouts when they appeared but Gardevoir ignored them. She just had to get to the pokemon center. That was all.

Releasing her psychic powers out into the surrounding area she felt the very reality of the world around her. She didn't even really know what she was doing, her fevered mind taking over. One last jump. They made it into the middle of the pokemon center, and it didn't take long for a nurse to rush to their side.

“Fix him,” Gardevoir commanded into the mind of the startled human, and passed out atop Rob.
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An Uncertain Future