Pokemon: A Call to Arms, Chapter 2

[Scottieboy2020]

Please keep a couple things in mind: The fangame Pokemon: Light Platinum is referenced here with the Zhery and Lauren regions. Nothing else about the game will be spoiled in later chapters, but I wanted to give a nod to what I believed was a well-made fangame.

Also, this is possibly the last chapter placed in Reborn. Last but not least, I made a slight alteration to the Gym system, where they have the main leader (say, Amaria) taking challenges during the day, and at night, a substitute GL takes his/her place if they want to get some sleep, but not close the gym to challengers.

Now, enough with the monologue--let's get this story posted.

Chapter Two: Second Start

As we walked, I felt guilt and pain. Yet again, I felt shame at my own cowardice, and wished I could take it all back. I could remember all the Pokemon in my team clearly, like they were right in front of me. My first team member was Elisa, who I’d traded my starter Pokemon, a Marshtomp, for. She was from another region, with the extremely rare fairy type. Trading a level 27 for a level 6 probably wasn’t my wisest idea to date, but it was very worth the risk.

At the time, I was a casual trainer, not challenging the league but just training with my friends. My brother Eric had long outstripped me, challenging the league and winning badges. He wanted to be as strong as our father, Norman, the Normal Type gym leader. He ended up being stronger, my dad proudly handing him his badge on TV.

I had watched the battle, studying them both. My brother and I had very different styles, with him wanting his Pokemon to take the hit and walk it off, while I wanted them to dodge everything. My Marshtomp had a low speed stat, and we didn’t get along.

When a trader from Unova had come along, I was fascinated with the strange Pokemon he brought. Marshtomp and I said our goodbyes and I swapped him out for Jade, later to be re-named Elisa.

She and I did very well in battle, as she used Double Team to dodge attacks, Draining Kiss to restore her HP when she was hit, and Confusion to push enemies away while damaging and disorienting them. When she evolved to Kirlia, and later Gardevoir, we began talking telepathically, and soon we began considering the League Challenge.

I remembered that day, replaying it in my head.

We were in my bedroom, Elisa sitting on my bed, me stargazing through my window. “Maybe we should challenge the League like Eric said. It couldn’t hurt, right?” I said, leaning back in my chair. She tilted her head, and I could hear her thoughts. “Perhaps this league isn’t right for us, though. You’ve shown no interest in the Hoenn gym leaders, but I’ve seen you looking through books and websites covering the Zhery and Lauren Leagues, their regions, and the native Pokemon. If you get a Pokedex, then we could use that to travel there.”

It was true, I had always been more interested in foreign regions. Plus, there was little fun in taking on a league my big brother had already beaten. “It’d be fun, I think. Sure, I’d be away from home, but I have a phone so I could call every once in a while. I’d be able to make new friends, put together a good team, and we could all get stronger.” I said. Elisa stood, walking to my side. Staring out the window with me, she said “I’ll go wherever you do. We’re a team, and a good one at that. We can talk to your mom in the morning; it’s already midnight. You need to get some sleep, alright?” I nodded, already feeling sleep tugging at my eyelids.

The very next day, we were on a ferry to the Zhery region.

After an hour of walking we arrived at my friend’s house. Cory had been silent the whole way, while Mira had repeatedly tried to strike up conversation. I’d given her short, unhelpful responses, knowing I should talk but not in the best mood.

I knocked on the door, waiting patiently. After a moment, I knocked again, thinking maybe he was asleep. After all, he did work night shifts…

I tested the doorknob, finding it unlocked. Slowly walking inside, I saw a Zangoose in the adjacent room, growling at me. “Easy, Havoc. It’s me. Where’s Ionas?” I said. A voice issued from down the hall, saying “Right here. You caught me getting dressed, sorry ‘bout that.”

Ionas, a substitute Water Type gym leader, came out of his bedroom and greeted us. We sat down at his table, watching as he got prepped to go to the gym. “So, Seth, how have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while, I was starting to get worried you’d gotten mugged.” my friend said.

I smiled slightly, saying “Why would I be mugged? I own nothing of value, and anybody who looks at me knows it.” I paused. “I… need to ask a favor of you.” I waited for his response, and as he nodded to me to continue, I said “You’ve been wanting to sell a Water type. I don’t have any money, but I was hoping to borrow it. I’m going back to Hoenn-you know what that means, right?”

A soft smile lit his face. “It’s about time you went back for them. She’s a Milotic named Undai. She’s got a defensive moveset, but she’s right up your alley. Take her-no charge. Don’t argue,” he held his hand up, making me close my mouth. “You helped me catch half my team, and you held on to them when I had to leave the region. You trained them, taught me, and I saw a side of you that made me believe in you. This is my way of repaying you. I’d even come with you, but I need to clear that with Ame.”

He pulled an Ultra Ball out of a drawer, tossing it to me. “Go get your friends back. If you need me, I’ll be there.” I nodded, smiling. I should have figured he’d do this. “Thanks, Ionas. Don’t tell me you’re actually going to drink that…” I said, watching him lift a mug of what he considered ‘coffee’ to his lips.

Bracing himself, he downed the whole mug as fast as he could, grimacing severely at the bitter taste. He gagged, making us laugh. Wiping his mouth, Ionas said “Yeah, keep laughing. I hate it, but it’s all that keeps me awake at work. Get out of my house, you lazy street rat.”

We all left, still laughing, heading for the train station. When it came to part ways, Ionas and I shook hands, and bid each other goodbye.

***

We were on the train, on an intercontinental railroad. Spanning an enormous ocean, it was a marvel of human construction. Cory had a Vaporeon in his lap who was purring contentedly as he stroked her spine. Mira was reading a book, and I was just staring at the Ultra Ball. Memories floated over my vision, threatening to strip me of my good mood. I remembered one particular day with Elisa more prominently than the others, and it sparked an idea within my mind.

I was sitting on a log, and she was across from me, staring into my eyes. I was trying to use telepathy, and failing miserably. She was gently coaching me, encouraging me to keep trying. She had opened a link between us, but it was one way-from my mind to hers. I was trying to peer inside her mind, and while she swore she wasn’t resisting, I couldn’t change the direction of the link.

“Can you go over it again? I think I’m missing something.” I said, trying not to wince at the headache I was developing. She broadened the link, allowing her to speak in my mind. “Focus on the link. You can already see it-the pink/blue line connecting us. Now just focus on relaxing all the various parts of your mind. Once you’ve done that, feel the link. It’s narrow, only flowing one way, much like a small river. You need only make it wider, allow the energy to head both ways, side by side, forming a circuit. If you can do that, you’ve succeeded.”

I nodded, glad she was so patient. My own frustration was nearly palpable in the air, and I felt stupid. I forced myself to relax, feeling the link return to its narrowed state. When I had calmed down, I felt around for the link, found it, and ignored everything else. I tapped my finger against the log, contemplating the intrusive psychic presence. Elisa was using it to monitor my emotions, but allowed me to keep my privacy. Perhaps I could use that.

I began raising memories at random, putting them in front of the link. I could feel it trying to avoid them-they were blocking it from accessing my emotions. I forced one through the link, allowing my consciousness to follow it, making a blind spot for myself. Suddenly, I could feel Elisa's mind, her surprise and confusion, then a mild sense of satisfaction. I had essentially made a Trojan Horse... hiding within a seemingly innocent object to sneak past her defenses.

I smiled, pulling back into my own head and letting her speak. “Nicely done, Seth. I didn’t expect you to get through so easily; most Psychic Type trainers take months to even push an emotion through.” My smile broadening, I said “I have a good teacher. What’s next?” She laughed, saying “You rest. I can feel your headache, and that’s only going to distract you. When you’re better, you can try different methods of widening the link, and when you’ve mastered that, you’ll have to break my defenses-and create your own. I’m also hungry. Let’s get some berries.”

Back in the present, I decided to try speaking to the Milotic inside the Ultra Ball. I had little else to do for a good ten hour train ride, and though I had never succeeded in breaking her defenses, I could certainly alter existing links. Perhaps I could make one of my own…

Relaxing as she taught me, I focused on the ball. With my mind, I poked at it, pushing past its shell into the murky interior. I could feel a mind, pulsing with life, calmly snoozing. With surprisingly little effort, I pushed inside it, just to the edges of her consciousness. Her mind woke, and I could sense her observing me curiously. I struggled to not only maintain the link, but widen it, and after a moment, I succeeded.

In my mind, I saw the two of us, floating in a vast sea of black. I spoke first. “Can you hear me? I’m Seth. Are you Undai?” She nodded, saying “Yes. It... might be nice to meet you, Seth. How are you in my mind?”

“My Gardevoir, Elisa, taught me a few things. This is the first time I’ve ever made a mental link though. Apparently I’m your new trainer. I hope you don’t mind…” I said awkwardly. Undai shook her head, chuckling. "That's the first time I've had a trainer ask me for permission."

Satisfied, I said “I need your help, but we’d be facing a lot of tough opponents. We won’t be alone, but it’ll still be dangerous. I don’t want to put you through anything you don’t want to do. You don’t have to choose right now; we still have ten hours on this train.”

Suddenly, another link formed. It was weak, filled with what could best be described as ‘mental static.’ The static passed, the link strengthened, and for an instant, I could see Elisa. Just as I reached out to grab her, the image vanished. The link disappeared. She had been forcibly cut off.

Conflicted emotions flashed through me. I knew Undai could see me breaking down, but I didn't care. I was slowly going insane from all my inner torment. When I regained control of myself, she nodded slowly at nothing in particular, then said "I'll help you. No one should go through what you have. This... Team Prometheus your thoughts are so cluttered with will not succeed in breaking us."

I stood, saying "Thanks, Undai. I owe you one. I'll close the link and let you sleep. Sorry you had to see all that..." She smiled. "Sometimes it's best to show others these things. Keeping them locked away inside will only serve to make it worse."

***

(Cory's POV)

I watched him, curious. It felt odd to see someone capable of beating three leagues reduced to so little. I felt truly sorry for him, trying to imagine how he felt. I could tell he cared about his team; leaving them behind like he did must torture him.

I knew a fair amount about Team Prometheus. They relied on brute force rather than careful strategies. A common Pokemon in their teams was either Tyranitar or Golem. They also used Poison and Dark types, but their personal favorite was, in accordance with mythology, Fire Type.

They generally had a single squad assigned to each city, with six people and a squad leader. In some larger cities, they had two. It would be hard to avoid detection. I had a few trustworthy friends, as did Mira, and we could hide with them if necessary.

I remembered what Ionas had said. I saw a side of you that made me believe in you. Perhaps there was more to Seth than met the eye.

Leaning back in my seat, I resumed stroking Rika. It was going to be a boring train ride, but once we arrived in Hoenn, I knew things were going to get far more fast paced.

I smiled, pulling out an MP3 player and putting in the earbuds. One of my favorite songs began playing, and I slowly nodded my head to the beat. Yes, when we got back, it would be dangerous... but we'd be ready.

***

(Mira's POV)

I was worried.

We were going up against team Prometheus, who had taken over Hoenn in three days. They were powerful, dangerous, and their leader was almost certainly unhinged.

And yet... Cory smiled. It was the first time I'd seen a true smile from him in a year. Since the Prometheans had taken over, he had grown increasingly introverted and callous to his surroundings. It had pained me to see this from him, since he was like a brother to me, although we were only cousins.

It was good to see him smile again. Seeing Seth, practically a living legend, had given him hope. Cory wanted to fight, to take Team Prometheus down a peg. He wanted to avenge all the lives ruined by them. He was a vigilante, always fighting for those who were too weak to fight for themselves.

I plucked at my sleeve, remaining silent. If Cory decided to follow Seth, then I would too. I only hoped his happiness would last...

Aaaand that's the end of Chapter 2!

I hope you enjoyed it, and if you see things I should change, feel free to leave a comment below. I'm currently halfway through the third chapter, so you should see that sometime soon, but after that.... I don't know for certain. I have other books I'm writing, schoolwork to keep up with, and I'd like to get out of the house at some point.

That being said, I want to see this fanfiction completed and completed well, so I will be putting significant time into this.

Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day/noon/night.

~Decibel.

IMPORTANT EDIT: I changed Gawain the Dragonair to Undai the Milotic. This is basically because it makes more sense for Ionas to have a water type on hand, and I didn't know what to do with Gawain once Seth gets his team back, and I have NEVER used Dragonair correctly. However, I do know how to use Milotic, and it is my preferred Pokemon, so I hope none of you mind.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Scottieboy2020

[Dypatome]

I like it, can't wait for chapter 3! I don't have much to say; in my eyes, it's really well-written.

[Scottieboy2020]

PLEASE see the edit note at the bottom of the document, as it is actually pretty important to the story.

[Damage]

I really liked going back into Seth's history with his teammate and developing a new ability slowly and naturally. There were points it was a little hard to keep track of where everything was taking place. Try to separate times and places by paragraph so its a little smoother a read. Its nice to see other's perspectives without the main character knowing how they feel about them, that said... It I feel should be done without pandering to how amazing they are. Even your closest friends can be recepients of your doubt. Also they can be thinking of other things that further their character development. Maybe they're terrified of a new challenge and are thinking of a back up plan. Maybe they want to surpass their friend. Maybe they can't wait to sleep on a nice warm bed and don't care about much else at the moment. When your characters are just thinking about the main character in their private moments it kind of sucks away from their potential depth. Read Ordinary People that book gives a master class on perspective.

All in all pretty good. I have trouble sometimes with other characters doing non-plot stuff but ya know that's all in the process. Keep it up.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Damage

[Scottieboy2020]

Please keep in mind: (I actually should have put this in the actual story, but...) All Cory's ever heard of Seth is underground whispers of a legendary trainer who could only be beaten if dozens of team Prometheus lackeys set upon him at once. I AM going to have Cory see that Seth is only human, and (spoiler alert) get into a fight with him to try and get his head on straight.

Mira sees Seth as a strong trainer that her cousin decided to help. She's not sure about his abilities yet, but she is willing to trust him. As she only really wants to protect Cory in all of this, she'll help however she can. (I'm struggling to keep her from becoming a literal third wheel character.)

Hopefully that makes things a little easier for you to understand.

[Damage]

I get it, but "show don't tell". If your characters have doubts let it show in their unwillingness to just let Seth do Seth things. Hesitation, second guessing. Yes we can hear their thoughts but if you have their actions showing some concern it lets us know without having to hold our hands through the story.

[Scottieboy2020]

Great tip, thanks! I'll appreciate all the constructive criticism!