Sinners

A/N: Oh snap, I am so sorry it took so long to update this. I returned to my first internet-home of Newgrounds a couple weeks ago, and got caught up in the reunions and making flash again.



But now, it is time to update this story! I promised I wouldn't work on another flash until I did, so...heh.



This chapter was going to be much longer, but I decided to split it up since I want to fine-tune the latter half.



Hope you enjoy!



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Chapter 7: Something Ill In The Wind





The sun was still an hour from rising over Mauville, but three men on the outskirts of town were wide awake.



"So, boss, you finally going to tell us why we were dragged this far at this time of night?"



Maxie gave a sharp look to the man, who promptly wiped his annoyed look off his face. Giving a barely audible groan of annoyance, he nodded. "Yes, I suppose I will, since you are so bored, Ryu. We're here to help turn the tide in our fight with Team Aqua."



"What do you mean?" the other Magma asked, keeping an eye on the dark route; the last thing they needed was to be discovered by the local authorities this far from their base and reinforcements.



"As of late, we have been losing badly against Team Aqua," Maxie continued. "They defeat our men at every turn...the only times we succeed is when we outnumber them three-to-one or more, and we can't continuously send that many men out whenever we have a mission. The reason we're losing so badly is not that we are weak...although we could use some work," he growled, looking at Ryu, "but rather because of basic type disadvantage."



Ryu still looked confused, but the watchman nodded into the darkness, realizing what Maxie was talking about. "I see, sir...you're right. Most of our Pokemon are Fire and Ground types, like Numel and Geodude. While they're easy to find, capture, and train, they have a natural weakness against the Water-types the Aquas so often employ."



"Good to see that you have a sharper mind than Ryu, Fiakin. Yes, it's a basic problem that any first-year trainer could figure out. The reason we've come here is simple...we're going to obtain some new Pokemon."



Maxie gestured at the shadowy shape of the Mauville Pokemon Center. "This town is home to the Electric Gym, and the majority of trainers who live there employ the Electric type. The Pokemon Center also holds many subjects from the abandoned Power Plant under the city. With those creatures at our command..."



"...we'd be able to not only hold our own against the Aquas, but gain the upper hand," Ryu said to himself, finally understanding. "Electric Pokemon would be easy for us to capture with our Pokemon, and effective against the Aquas. Good plan, boss!"



With a ghost of a smile, Maxie lay back against his pack. "We attack as soon as the sun comes up. We'll catch them off balance, especially since Watson is in Verdanturf right now, helping with the tunnel project. We make this a hit and run; we move in, strike the Pokemon Center, grab as many Pokemon as we can, and head back to base. We can always come back if we need more."



Both Ryu and Fiakin nodded, returning to their own thoughts, waiting for sunrise.



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Despite staying up for half the night, Kirlia woke up before Slash did. As she rose to consciousness, she realized two things with a start: that Slash had turned in his sleep, and was now facing her...and that he had an arm around her small frame, pressing her against his chest.



She froze, not wanting to accidentally wake him up and have him think that she'd put herself in this position. She'd thought about it, of course...her dreams were filled with images of her and her master embracing each other, and as more than just Pokemon-Trainer partners...but she was far too shy and worried about his reaction to do something like that.



And so she simply lay there, praying he'd would not awaken like this...yet not wanting this to end. Kirlia let herself take in the sensation while she could...Slash's strong, bare arm on her skin, the feel of flesh on flesh making her body shudder between chilling nervousness and burning desire...the hard, muscled chest her face was pressed against, warm and comforting...he smelt like trees and earth, a very masculine scent that made her feel safe, secure.



Looking up into his sleeping face, she smiled and could not help reaching up and gently pushing a sheaf of his ebony hair away from his eyes. She loved that dark hair, which fluttered like ravens' wings in the cool morning breeze; it was the same jet black of Kiako's, yet not nearly as long or ominous. It made Slash look rather rugged to her...not dirty, but wind-matted, sun-baked, a sign of a trainer who spent too much time on the go to care about hairstyles.



She traced her hand down his cheek, sighing happily at his peaceful countenance. He was only 16, yes, but he looked older...she could see the years of loneliness in his sleeping face, and could sense how that loneliness was fading away as he spent time with his Pokemon.



Her face flushed as she ran her fingers over his slightly parted lips, imagining what it'd be like to press her own against them...



Suddenly, Slash's eyes opened.



Kirlia jumped back, crying out audibly in shock, making both Growlithe and Slash bolt upright. Her blush deepened as her master shook off his sleepiness and realize what she'd been doing.



"Kirlia, what were you---"



I was just...well, there was a bug on you, and I was just brushing it off.



He gave her a skeptical eye. "A bug."



Yes! She winced as she realized how foolish she sounded in her vehement denial, but knew it could not be taken back. Nonetheless, Slash nodded, his disbelief trickling over their bond and making Kirlia look away from his gaze, but he did not push the issue.



Looking at the brightening horizon, which was just starting to show the soft glow of sunrise, he stretched and slung on his backpack. "Well, it's nearly daybreak. May as well get a move on, we've got a ways to go."



Dousing the smoldering campfire and returning Growlithe to its Pokeball, Slash lifted Kirlia onto his shoulders, noticing that she was being more quiet than usual.



(I'd almost think that she was being shy around me,) he thought to himself. Gently reaching into their bond, he indeed felt a small amount of nervousness streaming from her...a strange light-pink emotion that he could tell she was trying to shield from him.



Realizing that she didn't want to talk about the issue, he didn't push it. After a last check to make sure everything was packed up, he and Kirlia set off to continue heading to Mauville.



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The two were no long trudging through the tall, grassy fields; they were flying.



They'd been lucky to wake up when they did, because it was the perfect time to travel. All the nocturnal creatures were tired from their night's hunt and were settling down to sleep; all the diurnal ones had yet to stir. Being able to pass through the grasslands without being challenged by angry Pokemon every few hundred yards made a massive difference.



Master, how much farther?



Slash glanced at his Pokenav as his continued at a steady jogging pace. "Nearly there," he panted. "We've covered more ground in an hour than we did all of yesterday afternoon. We'll probably be there before sunrise. We can recharge at the Pokemon Center, get us all a proper breakfast, then set out to train before we challenge the Gym."



Kirlia looked towards the distant lights of the slumbering town and felt a chill run through her body.



Master, I sense...something.



"What?"



She let the feeling flow through their bond, and Slash slowed his pace to a walk as he considered it, trying to put it into words for her. "It's...ominous."



Yes...I have a bad feeling all of a sudden. Maybe we should hold up on trying to race to Mauville until it blows over...we've had enough trouble for a while.



"You think you're sensing the future?"



Yes...it's vague, but it's certainly the future. Kirlia re-examined what she was getting, and it did, indeed, feel like something more related to nearby time than nearby place.



Slash frowned. "If you're sensing the true future, the...threat...could occur to us if we stay out here, don't you think? Isn't that what you mean?"



Possibly. This sense is new to me, master...it's all instinctive. I believe that, if I was more powerful, I'd be able to sense the future far more clearly, and get a sense of what the danger was. But, she sighed sadly, I'm still too young.



The idea was disappointing and frightening to her, that her incompetence was hampering her ability to warn her master of danger. But any shame she felt washed away as Slash reached back and patted her head softly.



"It's alright, Kirlia. You will get stronger over time. Besides, at least we have warning now."



I...thank you, master. She smiled and gripped his neck tightly, pressing her face in his hair. What will we do, then?



Slash considered. While most of his Pokemon were still fresh, Kirlia was still tired from the previous day's fighting, and Growlithe had been awake all night keeping watch. He didn't want to stay out in the fields, unsure of what lay ahead, any longer than he had to. He also did not want to have to face countless wild Pokemon as the sun went up and the local life began to stir.



"Let's keep going. If we have trouble, we'll handle it the best we can."



He sped up again, eager to get out of the grass before daylight fully broke.



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A slanted ray of sunlight broke through the treeline and onto Maxie's face.



Pulling himself up, he motioned for Ryu and Fiakin to follow. A sudden flash of light, and a Camerupt, a Geodude, and a Numel were trotting behind the men. They walked into the borders of Mauville, its sleeping citizens blissfully unaware of what fate was about to befall them.



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To be continued (in less than two weeks this time).