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The Dark Type	By : Manifest Destiny Category: Pokemon > General Views: 36315 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is copy write by GameFreak, INC. and Nintendo. I make no money from this story, nor do I seek any.

Chapter List
- 29
- 30
- 31
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Chapter 30: Taking Control
—————
“I don’t like this,” the anxious Sneasel complained, worry creeping into her voice.
Until a few moments ago, Rikalia had been sitting next to Iruni on the bench, quietly enjoying the pleasant weather along with her trainer. Before, she had been passing the time watching the numerous white clouds lazily drift on across the sky. Now, she nervously looked around at their surroundings, following anything that moved with her keen eyes.
“We’re too exposed out here.”
“It’s just two blocks away from the Pokémon Center from here, plus there are lots of people out today,” Iruni pointed out, leaning back against the bench.
In the distance ahead of them there were many different kinds of people enjoying their time in the park. Parents and their children playing and spending time together, runners and bikers alike getting some exercise using the pathways that ran through the plot of land, and even others like them were just relaxing in a quiet spot they had found in the park.
“Remember; we’re out in the open for a reason.”
“Because we were ‘told to’, I know,” Rikalia said with distaste. “Feels like we’re always doing what we’re told lately.”
“If this pays off, it’ll be worth it,” said Iruni. He looked down at the PokéGear he wore on his wrist.
Should just be a few more minutes…
After all of the help that she had given him while in Saffron City, Iruni had come to the realization that Sabrina was a much kinder person than her cold persona would lead someone to believe. When he had last spoken to her she had warned Iruni that Silver was a very cautious and paranoid individual. That description had proven to be a significant understatement given the reality that Iruni was now dealing with.
Even though Silver had agreed to meet with Iruni, it was only while he adhered to a series of very specific instructions and conditions.
Since contacting Silver while he was still in Saffron City, Iruni had been required to constantly update the man on his whereabouts and travel plans. He was not to follow or be followed by anyone for more than ten minutes at a casual walking pace, intentional or otherwise. He was not allowed to electronically communicate with anyone other than Silver—starting from three miles outside of Viridian City limits—until the conclusion of their meeting. Any and all instructions sent to Iruni must be followed or the meeting would be canceled.
Above all else, Iruni was assured that while he may not see anyone monitoring his actions since nearing the city, he was absolutely being watched.
“There might be eyes watching our every move, but at least these ones are friendly,” he added.
The most recent set of instructions he had received from Silver had read: [You are to wait on the fifth (5th) bench from the north located in the park southeast of Viridian Gym. You are to stay seated on the bench for one (1) hour, and you will be given directions to our meeting place. If you are unable to follow any and all directions then you are to consider our meeting terminated and to never contact this number again.]
“I’ll believe that when we meet him,” Rikalia said, looking around the park one more time. “I just hope we aren’t being used as bait.”
The bench they had been instructed to wait on was placed so that it offered a view of the entire park in front of it, the last in a line of seats along a gently curved bike trail that ran through the plot of land. Directly behind them was a short patch of well-maintained grass before giving way to the many towering trees that surrounded the city.
“Are you looking for whoever’s watching us?” asked Iruni. “Or something else?”
“Just checking for her,” she answered him, as if it should have been obvious. “I’m going to catch her spying on us one day.”
“You won’t find her,” Iruni said, trying not to dismiss her too harshly. “She shouldn’t be around for a little while longer.”
“Do you actually believe what she said?” asked Rikalia, turning around to look at him.
“To her credit,” Iruni admitted, “she hasn’t lied to us yet. She’s given us vague warnings and has been intentionally withholding, yes, but no outright deception.”
When no response came from the usually talkative Sneasel after a few moments, Iruni looked to his left, wondering what might be occupying her. Beside him, Rikalia was standing on the seat of the bench, frozen in place, looking off in the distance behind his back. Her short fur was standing on end, ears folded back, and she gripped the back railing of the bench so tightly that her arms shook. A worried growl rumbled in her throat, her eyes fixed on whatever she saw in the distance.
“What is it?” he asked, trying to keep his composure. He silently pulled Karros’ Poké Ball from its space on his belt and held it loosely in his hand. “Celebi?”
“It’s…” Rikalia kept her voice low, choosing her words carefully. “…definitely not her.”
Just as Iruni was about to turn around and see what Rikalia was seeing, he received a new message on his PokéGear: [Arrive within the next fifteen (15) minutes. See associate for final instructions.]
“I have to talk to him!” Rikalia yelled, vaulting over the back of the bench and ran off toward the trees that bordered the park.
Iruni got to his feet and spun around, still ready to send Karros to assist his ambitious Sneasel, but relaxed his posture somewhat once he saw who had just shown themselves to Rikalia. No wonder she ran to them, he thought.
Rikalia halted her approach, stopping a few feet away from the treeline, wary of the new arrival to their quiet corner of the park. Their visitor was a Pokémon whose species Rikalia knew very well. Standing a full head taller than her—not counting the crown of bright-red feathers—was an elder of her kind: a Weavile. The longer feathers that grew on his ears denoted him as a male. The collar of feathers around his neck along with the ones on his head were at rest and he wore a calm and neutral expression on his face. The Weavile regarded the younger Sneasel with little interest, only giving her a short sidelong glance, then choosing instead to lock eyes with Iruni from where he stood.
Without looking away from the human, the Weavile carved a series of symbols into the bark of the tree with rapid swipes of his claws. Once he was done, he pulled his claws from the trunk and turned away from the two.
“Hey,” Rikalia spoke up, “I know you don’t know me, but— Hey wait!” she called out to the Weavile just as he abruptly ran off into the trees. “Wait! I need to ask you something!”
“Rika, don’t follow him!” Iruni ran forward, but luckily didn’t have to go chasing her down.
Rikalia stopped a few steps from where she had been, staring off into the trees, arm outstretched in the direction the Weavile had ran off.
“I… just wanted to talk…” she said, almost too quietly for Iruni to hear.
He knelt down in the grass next to his Pokémon, putting a sympathetic hand on her back.
“You alright?” he asked. Iruni knew this sudden meeting had to have meant a great deal to Rikalia; this had likely been the first time she had even seen one of her own kind since being left alone in the forests near Mahogany Town. “Rika?”
“Did…” she slowly turned to him, looking up a bit to lock eyes with her trainer. “Did I do something wrong? Did I miss my chance?”
That “chance”, Iruni guessed, was the possibility to grow and evolve, something only a member of her own species could give to her.
It was also something that Iruni knew that she wanted desperately. It had been plain discussion when they were planning their trip through Diglett’s Tunnel, but Iruni could see in her behavior how she grew envious of her teammates as they grew more mature and stronger bodies. When it happened to Karros it had been easier. The Houndour—now a Houndoom—had been with Iruni for much longer than she had after all. However, it had been much harder to justify when Atanya became a Bayleef. With the many easy targets they had to deal with while traveling underground, the Chikorita groomed to be the companion of a Cartographer changed form just a day after Karros had.
The feeling of being left behind by her teammates was building, Iruni knew, and was only adding to the sense of powerlessness she felt when it came to Celebi interfering with their lives.
“I don’t think so,” he said with a smile. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing him again before the end of the day.” Iruni gestured behind him, pointing to the tree that had been clawed up. “Pretty clever to leave us directions only you can read.”
Rikalia rubbed her face with her paws, walking over to the tree the Weavile had carved into. She looked over the scratches a few times before clawing the bark herself, rendering the original marks indistinguishable from her own.
“It’s an address, and a warning to not be late!” Rikalia said, turning around. “How much time do we have?”
“Silver said fifteen minutes when he messaged me—”
“Well now it’s less!” The Sneasel ran back and grabbed Iruni’s hand, pulling him back toward the open air of the park. “Let’s go!”
“You got it,” Iruni said. Rikalia told him the address she had quickly memorized and they set out to follow their final set of orders.
Considering the short time-frame given to them, he and Rikalia ignored Silver’s earlier warnings to act as inconspicuous as possible and the two instead ran along the side of the road to make it to their destination on time. Perhaps they weren’t as out of place as they felt, and simply looked to the people in suburban Viridian like a trainer and their Pokémon taking a lively jog. Had Silver anticipated this as well? It was impossible to know for sure how well prepared Silver was for their meeting.
The address led the two of them to one of many similar houses on a rather uninteresting street. The house stood two stories tall with two neighboring homes on either side. Its front yard was bare of anything other than grass, while a few tall trees could be seen behind and on the left of the house.
With all the hoops he had been instructed to jump through that day, Iruni had expected a more elaborate hideout.
Knowing time must be short, Iruni all but ran up to the front door and knocked, hoping he hadn’t done so too aggressively.
In the few moments of silence that passed, he felt a clawed hand grip his own, and he held onto it until he heard the sound of many locks being undone.
The door slowly opened a few inches, revealing a sliver of an annoyed face peering back at the human and Pokémon standing on the doorstep.
“This is a surprise. I thought you’d be late,” a man’s voice could be heard from inside. After a moment’s pause, the door was pulled open. The man behind it was clearly a fair number of years older than Iruni—Late twenties, maybe? the latter thought. Silver stood and blocked the doorway as he stared at his guests expectantly, his gray eyes looking them over from behind a few strands of long, red hair that fell across his face.
“Let me say this before I let you inside; I only agreed to meet with you as a favor from a colleague,” Silver spoke again, crossing his arms. “When I agreed, I wasn’t aware of what a celebrity you would become overnight. I was half-tempted cancel our meeting all-together, you know. I don’t like attention, or people whose name has been all over the news in the last week.”
“I don’t see how that’s my fault,” Iruni fought back. “I followed your directions enough to show up here, or is that not good enough?”
“Well, you did manage to meet my partner’s standards,” Silver shrugged. “He had the final say whether or not you would come here today, not me.” He stepped back into the house and waved the two of them inside.
Iruni heard a short gasp and felt a pair of clawed hands grip the leg of his pants. Lounging in a tree off to the left of Silver’s modest home was the same Weavile that had given Iruni the coded address.
“Something wrong?” Silver asked him expectantly. “I invited you inside, didn’t I?”
“One second,” he told the red-haired man.
Iruni knelt down to his Sneasel, much like he had back in the park, and offered an encouraging pat on the back.
“Go ahead,” he said, keeping his voice low and private with Rikalia. “Just be careful. You don’t want to ruffle any feathers, do you?”
Iruni put on a kind smile when his Sneasel turned back to him, which grew wider when he saw her relax at his lighthearted remark. Rikalia looked into his eyes for a short while before nodding slightly, a newfound resolve behind her expression.
“Got it.”
Rikalia ran off and Iruni stood back up, walking into Silver’s house.
“Going back to what I said before,” Silver continued, eying Iruni carefully, “I don’t like celebrities. You’ve been put into the spotlight once before, isn’t that right?”
“Again, not my fault,” said Iruni, closing the door behind him. “I almost died down in those tunnels.”
“It happens,” Silver said, unimpressed. He motioned for Iruni to continue and proceeded to guide his guest through his home, watching his every move all the while.
The interior of the house itself was dimly lit—so much so that Iruni could see comfortably without his darkened glasses. As he noticed that the curtains and blinds pulled closed and covering all of the windows, Iruni suspected with confidence that Silver did not care much for any prying eyes or curious neighbors. Any doors that might have led to other rooms that Iruni could see were kept shut. Something conspicuously absent from anywhere in the house were any photographs of friends or family.
After arriving in what looked like a small library, its walls covered with many shelves filled with books, Silver motioned to an armchair that had its back to the door for Iruni to sit in.
“Now, I’d like to get down to business and have you out of my house as soon as possible. Sabrina only gave me a very brief summary of your predicament,” he picked up a small notebook from the lone desk that sat in the room. Silver cleared his throat, “So, I’d like you to answer a few questions, just to clear things up for myself. You have been approached—perhaps multiple times—by the fabled Time Travel Pokémon, Celebi, to help her accomplish some sort of task. Is that correct?”
“Yes,” said Iruni, taking his seat. “I’d like—”
“I’m not done,” warned Silver. “Simple answers, please.”
It took Iruni substantial effort not to talk back, wondering if Sabrina was mistaken in believing this man could help him at all.
“Now then,” Silver continued, looking over his notes again. “Have you seen Celebi in person?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know Celebi’s current whereabouts?”
“No.”
“Do you know why Celebi has visited you, out of anyone else in the world?” asked Silver, looking up from his papers.
“…”
“Is something the matter?”
“I don’t have a simple answer for that,” Iruni shot back.
“Fine,” Silver gave an exasperated sigh and tossed the notebook over his shoulder, sending it flapping through the air before falling to the floor loudly. “I’ve about had it with this professional act too. So, why you? What makes you this Legendary Pokémon’s go-to person for help anyway?”
“Well,” Iruni said, thinking back to Celebi’s own words. “She says it’s because I’m the only one who can help her. Something about how events line up in the future.”
“So you don’t even know?” Silver looked at him in disbelief. “How the hell am I supposed to help you if you don’t even know that much?”
“Look,” Iruni put his hands up, “I asked Sabrina for help and she pointed me in your direction, so why is that? Mind filling me in?”
“It was never me who—”
The sound of a doorknob turning and footsteps coming down the stairs halted the conversation in its tracks. The footfalls were uneven and slow, accompanied by a third impact and the creak of the banister on the stairwell groaning between the irregular thuds.
“If you turn around,” Silver said in the quietest of whispers, “I will kill you. Understand?”
Before Iruni could even nod, the sound of someone coming up right behind him froze him in place.
Is it this person? Iruni’s mind raced. No, she said it won’t be who I think it is…
“I told you to stay upstairs,” Silver said to the person who had come down the steps.
“You should know how well I follow the rules,” said an older man’s voice. “Who’s this?” something struck the leg of the chair Iruni was sitting in. “I didn’t know you had friends.”
“That’s none of your concern, now go back upstairs,” Silver ordered.
“Now, hold on,” the older voice said. “You told your guest that I was here, didn’t you? Are you that ashamed of me?”
Silver fumed and said nothing, only clenching his fists.
Iruni felt a friendly hand lightly clap his shoulder as the man took a few shaky steps into the dimly lit study. The older man walked with a cane, but it was clear he was unfamiliar with it. He made his way over to Silver, who had now turned away and crossed his arms, and tapped him in the back with the butt of the cane.
“Now son, why don’t you introduce me to Mr. Thomas?”
“You know him?” Silver wheeled around, pointing to Iruni.
“Of course, I never forget a face,” the older man turned to face Iruni now, eyes narrow and piercing. “No matter how many scars he gets or how he cuts his hair.”
“Wait, you’re—” Iruni shot up out of his chair, recognizing the man who had so heroically rescued him from a Gyarados attack at the Lake of Rage.
“My father,” Silver announced, defeated.
“Giovanni, former Viridian City Gym Leader, among other ‘former’ things,” he said, extending his hand openly. “Nice to meet you again, Bartholomew Thomas.”
—————
“Go ahead,” Iruni told her, kneeling down close so only she could hear him. “Just be careful. You don’t want to ruffle any feathers, do you?”
Letting go of a breath she had been holding, Rikalia looked over to her trainer one more time, losing herself in his loving expression for what she felt was all too short, then nodded her silent thanks. She knew somehow this would be her best chance to change, to grow and become better. Rikalia swore to herself she wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away.
“Got it.”
Knowing the Weavile lived here bolstered Rikalia’s hopes. If he was Silver’s Pokémon, he had to be at least somewhat nice, and if Silver agreed to help Iruni with their problem, his Pokémon should help her as well.
She eagerly ran off to the side of the house, coming to the foot of tree and calling up to the other Sharp Claw Pokémon above her.
“Hey!”
The Weavile in the tree didn’t seem to react to her greeting, merely shifting his position on the branch he sat on.
“Um, hello?” Rikalia called up again, receiving nothing in response. Growing impatient, she hooked her claws into the bark of the tree, preparing to climb up and meet the Weavile head-on. Immediately following the sound of her claws digging into the wood however, Silver’s Pokémon suddenly dropped down from his branch and landed in front of the Sneasel.
Rikalia jumped back in shock, eyes wide.
“I am not deaf, nor am I blind.” Silver’s Weavile stared her down, moving closer as he spoke. “I am your elder, not elderly.”
“What?”
“When I ignored you in the park, did you think my eyes failed to notice you?” he asked.
“No?”
“Did you think I could not hear you when you so pitifully called out to me?”
“Well, no… I thought—”
“I do not care what you think.”
Silver’s Weavile waved Rikalia off and turned around, walking off behind the house.
“Hey!”
Rikalia followed Weavile and ran past him, blocking his path.
“I want to talk to you!” she demanded.
“No you don’t.” The Weavile looked down at her with a disinterested glare. “I doubt there is anything of interest you could tell me. Right now, what you really meant to say is that you need something from me.”
An objection caught in her throat, leaving Rikalia’s mouth hanging open for a moment. More than enough to confirm the Weavile’s accusation.
“It’s obvious and expected, don’t be too surprised. I can see that ambition on your face. What’s your name?”
“Rikalia,” she answered him.
“I’m called Jallen.” The Weavile held his right hand in front of Rikalia’s face and extended his three sharp claws. “You want one of these, don’t you?”
“Yes!” Rikalia almost jumped in excitement. “I—I mean, not one of your current ones, but if you—”
“I don’t keep any discarded trimmings around, if that’s what you were hoping for.”
“Oh…” Rikalia looked away, disappointed.
“What, is that it?” asked Jallen, letting his arm fall to his side. “Do you really give up that easily?”
“You just said you didn’t—”
“I said, ‘You want one of these’,” Jallen repeated himself and flexed his claws at her again, “‘don’t you?’ You can have one to you if you can rip it from one of my paws. You seem to be pretty good at it already.”
Rikalia clenched her paws shut and hid them behind her back, but her efforts were in vain.
“Are…” she looked away, stepping back a bit from the older Pokémon. “Are they that obvious?”
“For anyone who is paying attention, it’s plain as that blue feather on your head,” Jallen said, leaning back against the side of the house. “I can’t help but wonder how your trainer could miss them. He must not care too much.”
“Yes he does!” Rikalia yelled defiantly. “He cares a lot!”
“Just not about you, huh?” he asked. “Is that it?”
“Is what it?”
“I mean, this—” he grabbed her left hand, forcing it up in the air. “This ‘glove’, this ball of yours, and your little self-destructive hobby; are they all some poorly thought out plan to beg for attention?”
“No!” Rikalia pulled her arm back, gripping onto her armguard. “This is something I wanted for me! The ball is mine! And my claws… I’m working on it! I’ve just been worried so much about so many things I just chew on them without thinking about it, and I end up ruining them. I’m trying to stop!”
“The solution to any problem can be found at the source,” Silver’s Weavile crossed his arms and tilted his head. “What caused you to start your little ‘habit’?”
“I…” Rikalia started, but caught herself. She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she thought back to the time she first gnawed at her claws in an anxious fit. “I thought…”
“Your trainer’s eyes were focused somewhere other than you?”
Rikalia looked up into the Weavile’s in the eyes, disbelief pushing past her shame. “H—How?”
“Does it matter?” he asked. “Your reaction tells me enough.”
“But— I don’t know you! I only know two other Pokémon who know that I… you know…”
“I was told where you two would appear,” Jallen rolled his eyes as he began explaining. “So I waited outside of that hole in the ground that you crawled out of. I followed your little group as you traveled to this city. I saw how you would cling to him every moment you could, and how disappointment would flash across your face when he focused on your teammates. You have the drive to be the alpha of your pack, but keep getting left aside.”
“Oh…”
“Does hearing it out loud make you feel any better?”
“No…” She couldn’t look him in the eye anymore.
“Thought so.”
“But—”
“You want his eyes only on you, but he’s unable to right now. So you so childishly lash out against yourself because you think you’re not worth it.”
“I told you that it’s not just about that stuff!” Rikalia shouted. “It’s about everything! It’s about ‘Runi and these people who might be after him now, and Celebi and what she did to Coralis, and how Iruni wants to help Coralis more than anything, and now everyone on the team is getting better faster than I can, there’s just so much stuff!” She looked down at her paws and the still-healing claws at the ends of them. “I feel like I’m getting swallowed up by everything at once and I don’t know what to do! I just want to be better!”
“When you have sharp claws, others expect you to use them. If you have more claws, that expectation only grows.”
“Huh?” she looked up.
“It’s a matter of responsibility,” he said. “You, as you are now, are so lost in your own head that you would be a terrible leader. That horned canine or leaf-headed creature would be far better choices.”
“Hey!”
“It’s the truth whether you believe in it or not. You feel like you’re powerless to change the things that bother you, so you neuter yourself and let your fears get the best of you!” Jallen pointed two of his claws at her, “Two—no, less than two claws are all that you’re worth right now! An infant with dull claws crying to the adults for help! Unless you can prove yourself worthy of having a full crown of feathers—worthy of being the leader of your pack—by being better instead of just wanting to be better, you’ll only receive exactly what you deserve! Nothing at all!”
Jallen leaned close to her and whispered, “Were you abandoned when you were young, I wonder? Is that what you’re really afraid of? Being left behind again?”
“Shut up!” Rikalia pushed the older Weavile away from her. She flexed her claws and crouched down, ready to pounce. “You don’t know me! You don’t get to decide what I deserve!”
“Ready to try and take what you want instead of expecting a handout?” Jallen asked, showing his teeth with his grin. “I’m ready. Come on! You seem so desperate to prove yourself, after all!”
Before Rikalia could give into his challenge, she caught the scent of a new human. Someone unexpected had come to Silver’s house.
Jallen noticed the new arrival an instant later. “You were followed!” he accused in a harsh whisper.
“Yeah, by you!” Rikalia matched his tone. “You didn’t catch them either!”
“Whatever. Listen up, you; enter the house from the upper floor. There’s a window to the northeast that is easy to unlock even with your dull hooks. I’ll be entering from one of the side rooms. We’ll both move against the intruder at the same time, so don’t move until I give you the signal. Understood?”
“I’m through taking orders from you or your trainer!” Rikalia spat back. “I have my own responsibilities! Don’t get in my way!” Rikalia climbed up the side of the house as quietly as she could manage, rushing toward the window.
Please don’t be late! I can’t be late!
—————
“I thought you hated your father,” Iruni said, very confused by who had just came into the room.
“Oh, I’m sure he does!” Giovanni laughed, but stopped quickly, wincing as he lightly clutched his side. “I bet he’s absolutely furious at me right now. No one’s supposed to know I’m here, you see.”
“And here you are, just exposing yourself to whoever drops by!” Silver boomed. “I should turn you over right now!”
“You won’t,” said Giovanni, slowly making his way over to the chair Iruni had stood up from and taking the seat for himself, groaning loudly as he did. “You’re still too soft.”
“Don’t tempt me!”
“What happened?” Iruni asked. “I mean, I don’t mean to sound rude, but you were… healthy when I last saw you.”
Giovanni laughed, this time a low chuckle, “That’s one way to put it. I had a run-in with some… rather interesting fellows. Let’s just say, I’m not as young as I used to be.”
“Then one day I find him in my house with multiple broken ribs, internal bleeding, fractured bones and a burn on his leg that won’t heal right,” Silver chimed in. “The once feared and respected ‘Boss of Team Rocket’ beaten to a pulp and begging his son for help.”
“And his son said yes.”
Silver growled in frustration. “I only agreed because if I’m ever going to bring you to justice for all that you’ve done, it’ll be because I beat you with my own power, not some mindless freaks working for a madman.”
“See, he loves his old man,” Giovanni smiled. “So, until I’m done licking my wounds, I’m hiding out in my son’s spare room. Not how I pictured things playing out, but you can never be one hundred percent certain one hundred percent of the time. Unless…”
“…you knew the future?” Iruni finished.
“That’s right. I had a pretty good run of things when I had my little cheat-sheet, but the damn thing gave me the worst headaches. If Mr. Harmonia wants more of those, then by all means,” he waved a hand dismissively. “But you, Mr. Thomas, have your own ‘time troubles’, don’t you?”
“I do,” Iruni nodded. “It’d be easy to blame you,” he nodded to Giovanni. “After all, these people who are after Celebi are using your old plans, aren’t they?”
“Guilty,” the ex-Gym Leader raised his hands up. “Although they’re just running around half-cocked. I never spent more than a few weeks cooking up this scheme they’re trying to pull. I don’t think I can be of much help to either side, even if they tried to beat the answers out of me.”
“Well we know they’re willing to go that far,” said Iruni. “My family has already caught their ugly side already.”
“So I saw,” Giovanni said, his voice low. “Which makes me wonder if they’re getting desperate. Desperate men can be more dangerous than they appear.”
“All the more reason to get this living target out of my house,” Silver pointed to Iruni. “Go ahead, ask your questions.”
“So, these people, whoever they are, came after me and my family because I happened to meet you,” Iruni laid out. “That means you’re their real target. What could you have that they want?”
“Pay attention,” Silver said. “He already told you he doesn’t have anything else to give them.”
“Not entirely,” Giovanni corrected. “Ever since I caught wind of these ‘Watchmakers’ and their actions, I’ve thought back to those old plans of mine. To the thing that was missing.”
“And?” Iruni asked.
Before Giovanni could answer, a sound interrupted the three men in the study of silver’s home.
A knock at the front door, calm and respectful.
Almost immediately afterward, Silver shot a deathly glare at Iruni. “You were followed!”
“Wouldn’t your Weavile have spotted that if we were?” Iruni shot back.
The knock came again, the same polite three taps.
“Stay here,” Silver said to his father, then to Iruni, “You too.” He walked out of the room and down the hallway with hurried steps.
Iruni did as he was told, but also pulled Karros’ Poké Ball from his belt and released the Houndoom. “You know what to do, Kar.”
“Loud.”
“Now, where’s Rika?”
The sound of the front door opening slowly made Iruni hold his breath.
“Yes, what is it?” he heard Silver ask impatiently.
“There’s somebody here I wish to speak to. May I ask that Bartholomew Thomas come to the door?”
Iruni didn’t recognize the voice; it sounded entirely unfamiliar.
This has to be him.
He swallowed hard, and then waved to Karros to follow him. Iruni walked out of the study and left Giovanni behind, walking down the hallway to the front of the house. He reached the entryway right as Silver began to deny knowing what the stranger was talking about.
“You have the wrong—” Silver shot a look behind him as he heard Iruni’s footsteps.
“I’m right here.” Iruni spoke past Silver’s shoulder and furious stare. “Come on in.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” the tall man stepped forward and pushed the door open with a wave of his hand, not touching it but forcing it to move with some unseen method. He came to a stop and looked to his left at Silver, “This won’t be long, I assure you.”
“Get the hell out of my house!”
Silver’s yell was just the call needed for his Weavile to make his move. The sharp-clawed cat rounded the corner from the kitchen and leapt at the intruder, silent and swift. He was met with a green blur from behind the tall man with silver hair, the punch sending the Weavile backwards and hitting a wall.
“And here I came with peaceful intentions,” said the man, shaking his head. A tall green and white Pokémon stepped out from behind his trainer, relaxing his fist. A Gallade, fierce anger on his face, stood in front of the intruder valiantly. “Now then, shall we start over?”
“Jallen!” Silver moved to check on his Pokémon, leaving nothing in front of Iruni and the man.
“My name is Sebastian; any more than that is not important. We know how damning last names can be sometimes, don’t we Silver?”
“You work with Dalton Drake,” Iruni said, stepping forward. “Are you his leader? Did you send him to attack my sister?!”
“Now, now, there isn’t any need for such anger, now is there?” asked Sebastian coyly. “I came primarily to apologize.”
“Wh-What?” Iruni blinked hard. He felt a pair of clawed paws pull on his clothes, his Sneasel climbing up his back and at the ready.
“Sorry I’m late!” Rikalia whispered.
“You’re fine,” he said.
“I meant that with complete sincerity,” Sebastian bowed. “Our leader wishes to extend his deepest regrets about how our colleague acted and the injuries you and your family suffered. They were not our aim.” He stood back up to his full height. “However, it turns out that you are.”
“And what could you want with me?”
“Any potentially useful information to aid in our cause,” he said simply. “What did Giovanni tell you that day at the Lake of Rage. I know you were there. There’s no sense in lying. I can tell when someone is lying to me.”
“Nothing important,” Iruni spoke truthfully. “We just talked.”
“Then why are you here, today?” asked Sebastian. He gestured toward Silver, “I think it goes without saying that I am aware of this particular man’s identity.”
Silver glared at his unwanted guest.
“I,” Iruni started, slightly fidgeting the shoulder that Rikalia was clinging to, “spoke to Sabrina, leader of Saffron City Gym, about who Giovanni was, because my sister was targeted over that information. I needed to know what was going on. She pointed me in this direction. To his son.”
“I see…” Sebastian rubbed his chin, staring intently at Iruni. “I sense no deception… but the coincidence still troubles me. Let me ask one last thing…” Sebastian held out a hand toward Iruni, as if gripping him from a distance.
Iruni immediately felt an intruding attempt to peer into his mind, causing him to stagger back a step. He didn’t fight it; instead he let his Pokémon protect him in secret.
“Have you had any involvement with the mythical being known to some as ‘Celebi’!? Tell me now!” Sebastian demanded.
Gritting his teeth, Iruni shook his head and stared back at the man interrogating him.
“No.”
His answer seemed to disappoint the long-haired man, who frowned and narrowed his eyes.
“Very well. You seem to truly be just an innocent bystander.” Sebastian lowered his hand slowly, then directing it toward Silver. “On the other hand, you. The prodigal son. Where is your father?”
“I don’t know,” Silver said, shrugging. “Why don’t you find him yourself!”
Silver’s Weavile, who had long since recovered from the Gallade’s punch, but had been feigning unconsciousness, leapt from his spot from beside his trainer and snarled loudly, hoping to catch the two enemies off guard.
Sebastian’s Gallade extended the blades on the ends of is elbows in the blink of an eye and slashed at Jallen’s attacks, matching them blow for blow.
“Rika, help him!”
On her trainer’s call, Rikalia leapt down from Iruni’s shoulder and took up arms next to Silver’s Weavile, lending a helping hand in fending off the much taller Pokémon’s flurry of attacks. The young Sneasel caught an overly ambitious swipe by the Gallade and gripped its long green blade in her clawed paws. Rikalia used her strength to pull on the Gallade’s arm, throwing the Blade Pokémon’s rhythm off and leaving his left side open to attack. Jallen quickly mimicked Rikalia’s tactic, wrenching the opponent’s right arm away from its body.
“Karros!”
With both of its arms in the grip of the two Sharp Claw Pokémon, Karros then took a running leap at the Pokémon’s open chest, ramming into it with all of his might.
The Gallade staggered backwards and collided with his trainer, sending Sebastian and his Pokémon tumbling backwards out of Silver’s home and onto the grass. When the two righted themselves the doorstep was guarded by the three Dark type Pokémon, all ready to attack and their trainers standing behind them.
“Quite the reaction for people with nothing to hide,” Sebastian said with anger rising in his voice. His Gallade took on a fighting stance in front of him, “Perhaps you need a more thorough interrogation!”
“It’s because you came to my son’s home uninvited and started a fight on his doorstep,” called Giovanni from behind Silver and Iruni. “Goodness, boy,” he said, walking past his son and clapping his shoulder. “If you need your old man to scare off a bully, just tell me.”
“G-Giovanni!” Sebastian gasped, jaw dropped. “It’s you!”
“Or what’s left of me,” replied the wounded man as he hobbled outside. “You want something from me, you don’t go through my son to get it, understand?!”
Giovanni’s voice seemed to silence the neighborhood with its ferocity.
“Th-Then, tell me!” Sebastian jumped to his feet and frantically got his words out, as if Giovanni would disappear if he didn’t speak quick enough. “Operation Clocktower; the last step, what is it!? We have everything that you hypothesized was needed except how to use them! The body, the mind, but what else?”
“I never figured it out,” Giovanni said simply. “Go ahead, see for yourself,” he said, pointing to own his head. “I gave up those plans to use Celebi because they were incomplete and a waste of time! You and your little club of fools are chasing something you don’t even understand how to use!”
Sebastian looked on in shock, clearly convinced Giovanni’s words were the truth.
“I see…”
The man with silver hair silently ordered his Pokémon to abandon his battle stance and return to his side.
“Then we will need to forge our own solution from now on.”
Sebastian released another Pokémon, this one a Xatu, and put a hand on its head.
“I should say, Mr. Thomas,” he called back before leaving. “Any further action taken against myself or my associates in regard to the events in Saffron City will be met with retaliation. I assure you.”
A dull glow quickly encompassed the man and his two Psychic Pokémon, and then blinked out of existence.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Silver yelled in a panic. “Get back inside before anyone—”
“Before anyone what?” asked Giovanni. “Sees me?” The old man grinned and pointed over Silver’s shoulder, to the various people who had gathered around outside of Silver’s property. Giovanni smiled and waved, “Sorry to disturb you folks. Just a minor disagreement.”
The various townspeople of Viridian City all waved back and continued on with their daily business.
“See?” Giovanni said, patting his son’s shoulder. “It doesn’t matter if people see me if they already know I’m here.”
“But how—”
“Excuse me, sir?”
A police officer called over to the group standing on the lawn, whose patrol car was pulled over on the side of the road a few houses down. “I received a call about a domestic disturbance a few minutes ago. Is there anything that I can help with?”
“Not at all, officer.” Giovanni waved the man off. “Taken care of.”
“Very well. Good to see you again, sir.” The police officer nodded and walked off back to his car and pulled away.
Silver’s defeated face only made his father laugh.
Iruni stood back and took a look around the neighborhood, finally watching the police car take a turn down another street.
“Just a small town where everyone knows everybody else?” Iruni asked.
“Something like that,” Giovanni said with a smile. “Now, let’s go back inside. I don’t think we got to the bottom of your troubles.”
—————
Once the excitement from the intrusion of the Psychic man called “Sebastian” had died down, Rikalia felt a nagging sense of having unfinished business. She wanted to finish her talk with Jallen. Since she didn’t feel needed as the humans began discussing the problems she knew full well in her mind, she set off on her own to find where the older Weavile had gone after the battle.
She soon found him in a room on the upper floor of Silver’s home, sitting on a bed.
Rikalia crept into the room quietly, though she didn’t feel the need to sneak up on him. She just felt it was the respectful thing to do.
“Um, hello?” she asked from just inside the doorway.
“You can come in, Rikalia.” Jallen’s voice was polite, with just a hint of annoyance. “I could hear you coming up the stairs, so I figured you were looking for me.”
The younger Sneasel took the initiative and jumped up on the bed to join him. “Look, I—” she started, then noticed the bloodied fur on one of Jallen’s paws. “Does… that hurt?”
Jallen looked down at the paw she pointed to. A thin but deep gash crossed two of his three claws on his left paw, likely from a clash with the Gallade a few minutes ago. The two claws on that paw had become ruined and the Weavile had been in the process of trimming them to be healed.
“Not so much. I’ve fought my fair share of battles in my life and have been left with wounds worse than this.”
“I didn’t mean the wound,” she said. “What about… being without them?”
“Ah,” Jallen nodded in understanding. “A torn claw or two aren’t the end of the world. They grow back in time, if you let them.”
“I know that, but don’t you feel bad when you aren’t at your best?”
“Listen to me,” Jallen said. “It is impossible to find anyone—human or Pokémon—who is at their best all the time. No one is perfect; everyone has flaws, everyone trips and falls, everyone makes mistakes, some even take unnecessary hits in battle. See?” he raised his bloody hand to her. “I’m just like you. Flawed.”
“Really?”
“Did you think I was perfect?” he asked.
“No, but,” she stumbled on her words. “I thought you were better than me.”
“You didn’t seem to think so when you disobeyed me,” Jallen offered. “I told you exactly what to do and you told me off like I was just child bothering a parent. You aren’t worse than I am,” Jallen told her. “You’re just younger.”
“I…”
“Your instincts in battle aren’t the worst I’ve seen either,” he added. “Stopping the enemy’s movements and means of attack at once was the right call for the situation. You deserve credit for that.”
Rikalia sat on the bed and watched in confusion as the Weavile in front of her raised his left hand to his own mouth and bite and chew at the one intact claw that remained on the paw. One final snip with his teeth and Jallen freed the scythe-like claw from his hand in one piece.
“Here,” he tossed the shed claw onto the bed in front of Rikalia. “I think you’ll need that.”
“But—” Rikalia gently picked up the claw, staring at the edge and curve of it for a moment. “Why now?”
“Because it takes more than just a few days of stalking and a heated conversation to fully judge the character of someone. Before, you did not strike me was being worthy of being a leader; not worthy of a full crown of feathers. But you showed me a drive to stick to your own convictions even when someone who you considered to be above you tried to tell you otherwise.” Jallen looked over his injured hand as he continued.
“But don’t think I’ve just handed you some miraculous solution to your problems,” he told her, licking the fur clean of the blood that clung to it. “If you try and use that claw to change before your own claws even match that one’s edge and quality, you’ll always think to yourself,” Jallen looked over to her. “I could have done better.”
Rikalia sat in silence at his words.
“Regret is a poison that takes its toll eventually. Do not let it into your life.”
“I understand,” she said, gripping the razor sharp claw carefully.
“What you have in your possession is the chance to undergo a rite of passage, a challenge to understand what it means to have three claws on each hand,” Jallen stood and approached her. “Practice with it under the night sky, and when you can wield it as well as your own—your sharpest, not those dull infant claws you have now—then you’ll wear a crown of your own.”
—————
Downstairs, Iruni and Giovanni had just finished discussing Iruni’s plan to deal with Celebi’s apparent meddling in his life.
“It’s a risky plan,” he told him. “But I like it.”
“That probably means you shouldn’t do it,” Silver warned from the kitchen table.
“I’ve got to. This is my only shot,” Iruni defended. “Look, I’m sorry I caused you—”
“I don’t want to hear it!” Silver cut him off. “You got what you came here for, so please just leave before you bring any other annoyances to my front door!” He groaned, holding his head in his hands. “I’m going to have to move now, aren’t I? Too many people have this address now.”
“They won’t be bothering us again,” Giovanni said. “I’m not the shining beacon of villainy I once was. I’m of no use to them anymore.”
“But, you lied, right?” Iruni asked. “You do know what’s missing in your old plan.”
“Of course I lied. You don’t get into my line of work without figuring out how to fool a mind-reader. Having said that, no, I don’t know for sure,” he said. “It’s like I told you before; no one can be one hundred percent certain one hundred percent of the time. But, I might just be right about this.”
“So, what is it? What’s missing?”
“Direction.” Giovanni said, taking a seat opposite his son. “Simple as that. Direction.”
—————

Later that night…

Iruni Thomas sat still on a patch of bare ground, staring blankly into the campfire a few feet ahead of him. He had chosen to set up his nightly camp to the west of Viridian City, not quite stepping foot onto Route 23’s rocky terrain. The fire had been built some time ago but it still burned and crackled with plenty of wood to fuel itself. He had been sitting in silence for nearly an hour, listening to the sounds of the forest around him. A gentle breeze blew through the trees, rustling the leaves and blowing the smoke from the fire away from the campsite, bringing with it a gust of cool fresh air. A noise that didn’t come from his surroundings was the slow and steady breathing of the Sneasel who had laid down beside him, resting her head on his thigh.
Come on.
Overhead, the sparse cloud cover was constantly shifting with the light wind, obscuring the moon above at random. Iruni looked up through the trees and watched the bright light disappear and reappear.
Come. On.
The campfire crackled loudly as some of the firewood broke apart and settled, pulling his attention back down to the ground in an instant.
Even though only a few moments had passed since he had looked up, his surroundings felt incredibly different. Iruni listened closely and scanned the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary.
“Just checking in?” he asked quietly. “Or did you have something you wanted to say?”
From behind a tree to his left, Iruni spotted a pair of blue eyes peek out at him.
‘You’re being too loud,’ Celebi scolded him, slowly revealing herself. ‘You don’t want to wake up little Rika, remember?’
Celebi took to the air and fluttered on over to where Iruni sat, landing on the ground between him and the campfire.
‘Just like in Goldenrod, you found me out really quickly. I thought I was being discreet this time too. I’m impressed.’
‘Save your compliments’, Iruni shot back at her. ‘You knew full well I’d be expecting you here. You said so yourself.’
‘When did I say that?’ Celebi looked genuinely confused.
‘Did you forget about your elaborate way of getting in touch with me already? You owe me a new badge case by the way.’
‘You’re not making any sense. Did you hit your head again down in those tunnels?’
‘This!’ Iruni pulled the folded up note out of his pocket and tossed it on the ground in front of Celebi. ‘Your little message to me that warned me about what was going to happen today!’
‘I would never do something like that,’ she said, and reached down for the folded paper. Before her small fingers could touch it a spark of energy arced from the note to her hand, shocking it and causing Celebi to recoil in pain.
“What the hell…” Iruni said under his breath.
Celebi rubbed her wounded hand, which had gone numb and limp from the spark of strange energy that had shot from the seemingly normal piece of stationary. She looked over the paper carefully, and then gently unfolded the single page with telekinesis. Here big blue eyes widened as she read it.
[Hello, Iruni.
[I’m sorry that I had to get in touch with you this way. It’s usually too risky to even try, but you need to know what I’m about to tell you. I only went this far because I couldn’t risk being discovered by who you’re about to run into. So I’m staying away for a little while. Far away. You won’t even have me looking over you—you haven’t since you left Saffron. Take some comfort in that, if you want.
[As you can probably guess from my words above, another unfortunate meeting lies ahead of you while you’re in Viridian City. I can’t say who they are, but I can say it won’t be who you think it is. I’m sorry, but even though I know how it all plays out I can’t bail you out of this one like how I once diverted you away from Ilex Forest. You need to go where you’re going. I can’t even tell you anything else about it, or it will change the course of events too much. It’s all my fault, so feel free to blame me.
[But even if I can’t intervene, I can hopefully put your mind at ease a little bit. Please believe me when I tell you these next few words: You will survive. You will be okay. You will be safe. It will just be a little tense for a bit.
[Just remember to stay calm and keep Rika and Kar close to you. If you do that you’ll all make it out okay.
[I won’t see you again until it’s all over. Stay safe. I’m betting everything on you, you know.
[I know you won’t let me down.
[—C]
‘This is bad.’ Celebi slowly stepped away from the page sitting on the ground, staring at it with distress plain on her face. ‘I’ve made a perfect loop.’
“What?”
‘This…’ Celebi pointed the page lying on the ground. ‘This note? I haven't written it yet. But now that I know that I do write it, I have to write it, or else it’ll break the loop and cause a paradox. Any inconsistency in time can be dangerous, no matter how small.’
“You haven’t written it yet?” Iruni repeated her words. “But I found that note inside my badge case days ago. It was buried in the dirt in Diglett’s Cave before I got there. It looked like it had been there for a really long time.”
‘I must have gone back in time,’ Celebi pondered out loud, ‘taken that case from you, then went forward and put it in a place I knew you’d find it on your own.’
“But you have no memory of doing any of that?”
‘Of course not. I told you; I haven’t done it yet. You can’t remember what you haven’t done yet. I must do it sometime in the future, obviously. Judging by how “I” worded this letter, it might be a while off.’
“So now some future-you is messing with me now?” Iruni shook his head, “Just how long is this all going to go on? When does it end? When do you stop trying these underhanded methods and just work with me?”
‘Hey, easy. Keep your voice down.’ Celebi held her uninjured hand up, putting a finger to her lips. ‘You’ll wake her up.’
“No I won’t,” said Iruni. “She was never asleep.”
‘Wha—’ Celebi’s eyes darted down to the Sneasel that was still lying on the ground. A pair of fierce red eyes were staring back at her.
Without making a sound, Rikalia slowly and calmly stood up on her feet, flexing her claws and staring down the Time Travel Pokémon.
‘H-Hey now, what’s the idea here?’ Celebi backed away as the Sneasel advanced on her. ‘Iruni! Call her off!’
“No.”
At her trainer’s word of defiance, Rikalia swiped forward with icy claws at Celebi, the latter flying up and landing on the opposite side of the campfire from the human and Sneasel. Eager to not let her prey escape, Rikalia circled the firepit and chased after the Time Travel Pokémon.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Celebi demanded, defensively keeping the fire between her and her aggressive pursuer.
“I’m doing what any other trainer would do when a wild Pokémon poses a threat to their wellbeing,” Iruni stood back and crossed his arms, “A Pokémon battle. You might want to fight back.”
‘What!?’
“Throw!”
Sharp, thin shards of ice flew through the air through the flames and struck Celebi in the chest and head, causing her to fall backwards onto her back. Rikalia stayed her ground across from her, waiting for her next command.
“Dowent ahndahestamate me, boyee. I’m treyeing tew.” Celebi spat out awkward, uneven words as if they left a bitter taste in her mouth. She got to her feet and stood her ground on the other side of the pit, glowing with psychic energy.
“Wow, you taught yourself how to talk?” Iruni asked mockingly. “What a coincidence.”
The shifting of burning wood caught Celebi’s attention a moment too late, as a Houndoom leapt out from underneath the campfire and pinned her down on the ground.
‘Let me go!’
“No.”
Karros began building up a mouthful of flames, holding his muzzle above Celebi’s head. Before he could strike her with the burning blast, Celebi called forth a flurry of tree roots from the ground and pushed her captor away. As Celebi scrambled to her feet, Rikalia intercepted her with a blast of cold air, pushing her back toward the trees surrounding the campsite.
Backed up against the trunk of a tree, Celebi floated above her two opponents, looking to Iruni for answers.
‘Why are you doing this? You know that note wasn’t me, right?’
“No, but it will be you, and that’s point of all this. I’ve run out of patience.” Iruni walked forward, stepping over the ruined fire pit—which had been dug far deeper than it seemed so as to conceal Karros—and stood between his Houndoom and Sneasel. “Now, I’m taking control of this whole situation. You, me, Coralis, my sister, everything that’s happened,” he reached behind his back and revealed a black Poké Ball with an orange band around its middle and large, green circles covering most of its surface. “It’s a good thing you’re so predictable. Giovanni himself recommended using one of these since you’re always showing yourself at night.”
Iruni looked Celebi in the eyes, gripping the Dusk Ball tightly. “I gotta ask; Did you see this coming?”
‘Oh no you don’t,’ Celebi fought back. ‘Just because you think you’ve had it rough these past few months, you think you get to control me? Think about how I feel! Or how Coralis feels!’
“I’ll worry about that when you’re no longer a problem.”
‘Good luck catching me then, trainer.” Celebi crossed her arms defiantly. ‘No one’s succeeded in hundreds of years. I’ll just teleport away from here the second you throw that Ball.’
“Well, I have thought about that,” said Iruni, tossing the Dusk Ball in the air a few times as he spoke. “We don’t want you going anywhere, right Hadarah?”
Immediately after his name had been said, the Drapion that had been hidden on the other side of the tree that Celebi had poorly chosen to back up against wrapped his long, clawed arms around the trunk, pulling tight against the Time Travel Pokémon’s body, trapping her against the tree.
‘I—’ Celebi struggled, unable to move. ‘I can still teleport like this, you know!’
“Rika, Kar?” Iruni pointed to Celebi. “Pulse.”
Twin beams of swirling black and purple energy assaulted the trapped Celebi from two directions. Rikalia’s Dark Pulse was unsteady and erratic, having only just began practicing that particular method, but Karros’ attack was focused and precise. Their target yelled in pain and convulsed violently as the two attacks battered her body relentlessly.
“Stop.”
On his command, Rikalia and Karros stopped their combined attack and stood at the foot of the tree on either side of the restrained Pokémon that hung there.
‘Chee… eep… trik…’ her mental words were uneasy and scattered, likely due to the large amount of Dark energy she had been exposed to.
With one slow and deliberate motion, Iruni raised his arm and held the Dusk Ball out in front of him, its activator button pointed right at Celebi’s forehead. The small green Pokémon struggled with what little strength she could still muster but was unable to break free from the Drapion’s tight grip. Her motions got more frantic as Iruni’s hand drew closer and closer.
‘Please… You don’t know what you’re doing! This is a mistake!’
“I’ll take that chance.”
‘Just stop! Please! You don’t have to do this!’
“Let’s do it the count of ‘three’,” he said, drawing closer still. “One…”
‘Let me go now!’ Celebi screamed with her mental voice, her composure all but gone now. Fear and anger were plain on her face and behind her words. ‘I’ll make you regret this, you mundane human!’
“Two…”
‘Your life wouldn’t be a tenth of what it is now, you ungrateful child! Don’t you know that I’m the one who—’
Before Celebi could finish her thought, Iruni forcefully—and in a small part of him he hoped painfully—smacked the face of the Dusk Ball against Celebi’s head, pushing it hard against her skin. The Time Travel Pokémon only had time to gasp in shock before being enveloped in a deep purple light, being pulled inside the capture sphere. Once the Ball snapped shut and began to rattle, Iruni gripped it in both hands, fighting back against the rocking of the ensnared creature inside.
Iruni clutched the shaking Poké Ball with all his might, gritting his teeth.
It shook for what felt like minutes.
Until it stopped.
The sudden absence of movement between his hands caught him off guard. He froze, holding his breath until he slowly opened his clasped hands to reveal the green and black Poké Ball was still and its target had been successfully contained within.
“We… did it.” He let go of his held breath, letting the ball unceremoniously drop to the ground. “It’s done.”
“What do we… do now?” Rikalia asked.
“We have her under control now,” Iruni said, feeling as if a great weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. He took a seat on the ground, letting his muscles relax for what like the first time that night. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try and settle his nerves. “That’s all that matters.”
A metallic click caught his attention. Worried that Celebi might’ve escaped somehow, Iruni looked down to the ground to see that Celebi’s Ball had disappeared. A wave of panic immediately shot through him until he saw that Rikalia was holding Celebi’s new Dusk Ball in her left paw and had pulled her empty Umbra Ball out from the clasp on her armguard. She held her own ball out toward Iruni and he accepted her offer, unsure of what she was doing.
“She won’t get away from me.” Using what she had been taught about Poké Balls, Rikalia collapsed the Dusk Ball and locked it into its stasis mode. Then she set the captured Celebi into place in the slot on her gauntlet. “Under control,” she repeated.
“Rika…”
“Now you won’t be the only one in charge of watching her. I won’t let her out no matter what,” she said proudly. “At least until we know what to do with her.” Rikalia lifted up her left arm and scrutinized the new ball locked into her gauntlet.
Iruni put a hand on her arm, covering up the ball on her armguard, and gently pulled his Sneasel close to him. Wrapping both arms around her, Iruni held Rikalia close to his chest and kissed the top of her head.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Rikalia stayed still for a moment, then put her paws on Iruni’s chest and slowly lifted herself up, locking eyes with his as she moved. “Y-you’re welcome,” she said and then paid him back in kind. Rikalia leaned forward pressed her mouth up to his lips, giving him her best attempt at a kiss. She pushed against him for a few seconds before backing down, looking away sheepishly.
“Was that… bad?” she asked, looking down at the ground.
“No, it wasn’t bad,” Iruni said with a smile. He rubbed her head, dragging his fingers across her feathered ear a few times.
“Time.”
“Sh-Shut up, Kar!” Rikalia spat back, hiding her face.
“Hey,” Iruni said, waving over his Houndoom, “Come here. You too, Hada.”
Karros and the Drapion both came over to their Trainer, the latter also lowering his upper body to everyone else’s level. Iruni threw an arm around his Houndoom’s neck and patted the hard shell of his Ogre Scorpion Pokémon.
“Thank you both—no, all of you three. We couldn’t have pulled this off without everyone doing their part,” said Iruni.
“Now?” asked Karros.
“I don’t even know.” Iruni let himself fall backwards onto the grass, looking up to the night sky. “But you know what?” he asked his Pokémon.
“What?” Rikalia responded.
He pointed to the Poké Ball that sat locked and secure in his Sneasel’s armguard.
“I bet Celebi doesn’t either.” Iruni said with a grin.
—————
End of Arc 3
—————
To Be Continued…
—————
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The Dark Type