The Journey Never Ends
Chapter 31: Two Heated Battles
Chapter 31: Two Heated Battles
On the hillside of Mount Silver, a small cabin stood in the middle of a grove of trees. Apart from the smoke rising from the fireplace, there was no way to find it. The building was miles from any city and wasn't connected to any roads or power lines. It was totally isolated from all human existence.
I suppose this is why no one has ever found her, a young man reflected, stepping out silently from behind a tree. After taking his leave of Domino, he had decided that he needed to do more investigating. The trail had led him here.
He calmly and silently walked to the cabin. Without knocking, he pushed the door open and slipped in. The cabin had only one room, and it was relatively small. Heat radiated from a fireplace next to the bed, and a small wooden desk was the only table. Two chairs sat on either side of it. Across the room was a woman dressed in a black robe. Her long, magenta hair was fading to gray, but it still left no doubt that he had found the correct woman. She was oblivious to him, cleaning dishes in a corner of the room.
"Miyamoto," he spoke gently.
The woman dropped a plate and spun around to face the intruder.
"How did you find me?" she whispered quickly, suddenly very alert. Her blue eyes were surrounded by the wrinkles of time.
"It wasn't easy, but I have more resources than most." He noticed her glancing at a fire prod leaning against the wall. He walked toward it and picked it up before she had the opportunity to use it as a weapon. "I'm not here to hurt you."
"Do you know what you have done, coming here? Even if you aren't here to kill me, someone else will be soon."
"Team Rocket has been gone for years," the young man reassured her. "And I'm no friend to them, anyway."
"Ha," the woman chuckled, her wrinkled hands trembling. "You might think they're gone."
"I wasn't followed," he promised her. "And I would sooner die than reveal your location. You're a brave woman, to have been here so long."
"So you know my story?" Miyamoto asked, returning her attention to a water pot on the stove.
"Not all of it. I'm here to learn more."
The aging woman sighed, and pulled two tea cups off a shelf. "It's a long, sad story. But if you've come all the way here, I suppose you deserve to hear it. Let's sit down."
The two sat down on either side of the table. Miyamoto poured her visitor a cup of tea before starting her story.
"I had my daughter when I was at a young age. I knew I could never be the right kind of mother to her. I joined Team Rocket in order to provide for her. I became an elite agent, and eventually, they assigned me the most important missions."
"Like what?"
"Years ago, I was assigned to track down a rare Pokémon."
"Mew?" the visitor guessed from his research into Miyamoto's past.
"Yes. After years of searching, I met Mew in the Andes Mountains. I tried to convince it to come with me, so that I could go home to my daughter. It refused, and rightly so. I knew what Team Rocket wanted to do to it, but I needed to take care of my daughter." Her hands trembled violently. "There was an avalanche. I would have died without Mew's protection.
"After that, I swore never to hunt another Pokémon. I bought this cabin from a hiker, and I've hidden here ever since. To avoid suspicion, I continued reporting to Madame Boss from time to time."
"Giovanni's mother?"
"Yes, his mother." Even after all the years, she couldn't bring herself to use their names.
"Miyamoto, what did Team Rocket want with Mew? Did they mean to sell it or experiment on it?"
"I… I can't speak about it. I'm sorry," the old woman apologized. "There is a lab on New Island. If you go there, you will find the answers you seek."
"New Island? I've never heard of it."
The blue-eyed woman laughed. "If you found me, I'm sure you can find it. Search the seas south of Cinnabar Island."
Cinnabar. The Emperor will have made port by the time I arrive.
"I've always wondered what was happening in the outside world. Is there any chance you've met my daughter? Her name is…"
"Jessie." The man looked to a shelf containing a photo. A little girl with long red hair looked down at him. "We've… met. She's doing very well. You'd be proud of her."
"I always have been," Miyamoto smiled sadly.
Her visitor stood up and looked around. "I need to be going.
"Now that you've found me, I must leave this place," Miyamoto lamented. "My life is no longer safe here."
"I can offer you protection."
"No one can. I'm safer on my own. I always have been," Miyamoto responded.
"Good luck with everything," the visitor said, standing up to take his leave.
"Thank you, and may Mew watch over you. If you ever see my daughter again… please tell her I love her."
"You have my word."
The SS Seagallop Emperor's loud horn could be heard across the port island. Hundreds of people came to watch the conclusion to the magnificent ship's first journey. The passengers were collecting their baggage then making their way to the exits.
"Before you go, I want to thank all of you for your efforts aboard the Emperor," the captain said, shaking each of their hands in turn as they disembarked the ship. "Without your help, we may not have made it through."
When Allie reached him, he held her hand for a moment. "Cinnabar Island is famous for its hot springs. Not so much as Lavaridge Town in my dear old Hoenn, but they're remarkable springs all the same. It would probably be good for your injuries to relax in them." He took out a slip of paper and handed it to Allie. "The company gave me this for my retirement, but I think I'll catch the next ferry to Hoenn. You keep it."
"Gull," Peeko chimed softly.
"Thank you so much," Allie replied graciously thanked him, accepting the gift.
As soon as they stepped off the ramp, Allie spotted a Pokémon Center. They made their way toward it, but a massive swarm of people blocked their path.
"What's happening over there?" Allie wondered aloud. They found an empty bench on the corner of a street and sat down.
"From what my father told me, Cinnabar Island's been a tourist attraction for years," Janine explained.
"Apparently, it's so bad that even the Pokémon Center is more of a hotel."
"There's a gym here, right?" Lucian asked, using his Xtransceiver to search for a map.
Allie realized she didn't actually know. "I'm not sure. Ash just sent the tickets; he didn't say why he thought we should come here. Is there one, Janine?"
"I know there used to be," the gym leader replied, twirling the end of her scarf. "A man named Blaine ran the gym for years, and when the island became overpopulated, he moved it to the inside of the volcano."
"In the volcano?" Allie repeated, amazed. She gazed up at the massive landform towering over the rest of the island. While on the ship, the medics had instructed her to remain still to avoid further damage to her chaffed skin. Although the trainer in her would have preferred to work with her Pokémon, she knew it was a bad idea. She spent most of the remaining trip alternating between her bed and a lounge chair. Watching the volcano grow larger on the horizon had become her favorite activity.
"Yes, but I'm not sure how to get in, or even if it is still there," Janine said apologetically.
The trainers stood together in the mass of travelers, completely overwhelmed by the crowded city. Their cruise had been a success, and, with one notable exception, very relaxing. The Sharpedo hadn't returned, so they enjoyed a nice end to the trip. Now though, they had no idea what it had led to.
Lucian was the first to speak again. Without looking up from his Xtransceiver, he asked, "What did the captain give you?"
Reminded of the captain's paper, she took it out of her pocket. "'Redeemable for one complimentary night at the Big Riddle Inn,'" Allie read aloud.
"Hopefully it's a nice place," Lucian commented unnecessarily.
"I'm sure it is," Allie tried to say, but she stopped as a passerby approached them.
The newcomer stared at Lucian, and for a moment, the boy was so focused on Xtransceiver to notice. Finally, the coordinator looked up to see the girl standing over him. She wore a black bikini top with jeans, a large brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Her curly red hair cascaded down her back. Allie felt like she looked familiar, but wasn't sure where she would know her from. Lucian, however, certainly did know her. His face transformed immediately into a scowl when their eyes met.
"Samantha." Lucian's voice was more unpleasant than usual.
"If it isn't Lucy," she taunted him. "Long time no see. Strange to see you here in Kanto."
Lucian stood up, his gloved hands curling into fists. "I go where I please, Sam."
The girl grabbed the Xtransceiver out of his hand and pushed him back down onto the bench.
"Still using this old thing?" Sam laughed obnoxiously. She reached into her pocket and made a show of pulling out a shiny device. It looked similar to the Xtransceiver, but more streamlined and high-tech. "This is the new Silph Jet, and it far outclasses any Xtransceiver. I bought it with my contest winnings." She emphasized the last two words, to Lucian's fury. "Not that you'd know anything about winnings, considering you lost the Dante Cup to an amateur."
Allie tried to protest, to explain the circumstances of her victory, but Lucian's hand tightened around her wrist. She took the hint.
"You've changed so much since the old days, Lucy. You used to have all the fancy gear. Without it, you're even more of what you always were: a loser."
"Shut up, Sam," Lucian growled.
"Oooh, getting mad at me again, are you?" his acquaintance purred cruelly. She turned her attention to the girls sitting to Lucian's right. "You two should ditch this loser right now. He's the worst kind of person.
"Get out of Kanto, Lucy," she finished, throwing his Xtranseiver back in his lap. "This is my home, and I will drive you from it."
Samatha turned around and vanished back into the sea of people. The three sat in total silence for several minutes before Janine voiced the question on the girls' minds.
"Who was that?" she asked offhandedly, trying to downplay what had just happened.
"Fellow coordinator from the contest circuit," he growled. "She thinks she's all that just because of her older sister." He paused, reflecting on his memories. "I don't really want to talk about her right now."
Janine still looked curious, but Allie decided it was best not to inquire further for the time being.
"I guess we're going to go to the inn," the blonde decided. "It's getting too hot out here with the sun." She quickly searched the location on her own Xtransceiver. Regardless of what Samantha said, she had no need or desire for a Silph Jet. Her device was still new, worked perfectly fine, and most importantly, was a gift from Ash.
And so, the three companions followed the directions for about a mile to the very base of the volcano. It towered over them now, and directly between them and it, a small building stood. When they entered, a tall man with long ginger hair and sunglasses greeted them. He was clearly the owner: a Cinnabar local taking advantage of the tourism. Allie presented him with the coupon, but his face fell immediately.
"We don't have many rooms left, I'm afraid," the man apologized. "Every year, more and more tourists come. These days, even my humble inn is full."
Lucian began to protest, but Allie interrupted him. "No, that's alright. Do you know any other places where a group of trainers could stay?"
"Trainers?" the local noted, looking at the Pokéballs attached to their belts. "Well, there is one room, but it won't be very comfortable. I'm sure the three of you won't mind."
"That's awesome," Allie replied graciously. "We'd be happy to sleep on the floor if we had to." She gave Lucian a warning glance when he rolled his eyes.
He pulled a small chain from his pocket. "Well, here's the key. Go up the stairs and it'll be the last door on the right."
Allie took the key, and turned to her companions. They were about to go to the room when Lucian had a sudden thought. "We've heard that there might be a gym on this island. Do you know where it is?"
"The gym's long gone kids. Been that way for close to fifteen years now."
"But what then happened to Blaine?" Janine wondered. "I met him several years ago at the Pokémon League, and he still seemed to be a gym leader then. Incidentally," she smiled, walking closer to their host, "I am Janine, daughter of Koga, and leader of the Fuchsia Gym."
The man's eyebrows rose at this revelation. "I'm honored to have such a high ranking guest in my humble inn. If there's anything you need, please just ask."
"Well, we would appreciate some help with our bags," Janine finished, holding out her own for him to take.
Allie was a bit perplexed that Janine would use her title to get help, especially since they only had a single bag each.
"Of course," the owner laughed awkwardly, accepting Janine's satchel. "I can take those, too."
"Oh, no, I can-" Allie began to protest.
"I'm sure it's no trouble for our gracious host," Janine cut her off, and so Allie relented.
"Absolutely none," the man huffed, struggling with the combined weight of their gear.
They followed the struggling man up the stairs and to their room. As soon as Allie pushed the door open, he tumbled into the room, too weak to carry the gear. He quickly stood up and brushed the dust off his robe. He started to leave, but Janine stood in the doorway with an unimpressed expression.
"Now that we have privacy, can you please tell my friends who you actually are?"
A frown crept across the man's face, but the dark sunglasses hid the look in his eyes.
"How do you know who I am?" he asked the purple-haired girl.
"A wig may fool most of your guests, but a ninja knows a disguise when she sees it," was the response.
Sighing, the man tugged at his hair. It came off, and Allie and Lucian finally realized it wasn't actually attached. He removed the glasses next, and his small dark eyes glared at the girl who identified him.
"Who are you?" Lucian demanded, taking a step closer. "Why did you hide your identity?"
"I'm Blaine, of course," he said quickly, disgruntling Lucian. His voice was harsher now, and it made him sound more critical. "If not for Janine, you would've never figured it out. You're lucky she was here."
"You're the gym leader," Allie realized, her hand going to her mouth in surprise.
"What kind of gym leader hides his identity from challengers?" Lucian scoffed. "He's a coward."
"He's a fan of mysteries and riddles," Blaine said of himself. "And as gym leader, he is allowed to test his challengers however he wants. And so far, trainer, you're failing."
Lucian was about to fire back, but Allie again tried to calm him. The boy crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. He was still clearly ill-tempered from their encounter with Sam.
"I'm Allie Dogwood, and this is Lucian Andrews," she introduced them. "I guess you already know Janine." The ninja girl bowed her head in acknowledgement. "We'd like to challenge you in a gym battle."
Blaine put a finger on his chin, considering the request. "I don't get many challengers, mostly just tourists. Perhaps I will do battle, but on a condition."
"What's that?"
"You will have to find the entrance to my gym, without Janine's help," the gym leader instructed them, his gaze lingering on his colleague.
Janine had the grace to agree to the condition. Blaine put his disguise back on and pushed past her. They saw him still fixing the wig as he walked down the hall.
"That was unusual," Allie whispered, closing the door.
"Indeed," Janine agreed.
Lucian was still too busy fuming to contribute to the conversation.
They looked around the room and understood why Blaine had told them it wasn't particularly cozy. It was more of an attic than a room. Perhaps it was part of Blaine's test. There weren't any beds, so the trainers would have to use their sleeping bags on the concrete floor. Lacking windows or an adequate light source, the room was dark. It would be a rather uncomfortable stay.
"On the positive side, I noticed there were hot springs out back," Janine suggested.
The others agreed, so Lucian went down ahead of them to change into his swim trunks. That left Janine and Allie in the room to change into their bathing suits. The cruise company had altruistically replaced the ones damaged in the Sharpedo attack with identical new ones. Several minutes later, they met near the front desk, and were awkwardly aware of Blaine watching them keenly.
Once outside, boy and girls went to opposite sides of the divider and began stripping. All the other inn guests were out on the town at this time of day, so they had the spring to themselves. Towels wrapped around each of their bodies, they slowly entered the water.
Allie's body tingled as the hot water cleansed the patches of damaged skin on her chest and face. The feeling was incredible. A soft moan from Janine indicated that she felt the same.
"Enjoying the water, ladies?" Lucian's cackling voice traveled over the barrier. Apparently he had heard the gym leader.
"Yes, it's very nice," Allie said calmly, ignoring the crudeness.
Janine, meanwhile, had drifted to the edge of the spring, grabbed a bucket, and filled it with water. "We shouldn't be so selfish, Allie." A mischievous grin was plastered across her face. "We should share what we have." She swung the bucket, and the water flew over the divider.
They heard Lucian whimper a few seconds later as the hot water splashed over his head. "Totally unnecessary," he grumbled.
Allie saw Janine raise an eyebrow and mouth the words, "Totally necessary." They both started laughing.
"Whatever," Lucian shrugged, lowering his shoulders into the water.
They were quiet for some time, just enjoying the spring. Eventually, Allie decided to ask about Samantha. She instinctively felt like Lucian wanted to talk about her, he just didn't know how.
"So Lucian," she began delicately. "Who was that girl earlier? You said she was a coordinator."
There was absolute silence for several minutes, and Allie began to regret her question. Just as she was about to apologize, a response came.
"Do you remember how I said you were the first person I traveled with?" Lucian finally asked. "I lied. Sam Natochenny was."
"Back when I was twelve, we traveled together. We had met the year before at the Grand Festival in my home region, Sinnoh. I had entered a couple contests, but didn't win enough ribbons to compete. Sam was in the same situation, so we watched the festival together. It was… incredible.
"We decided to travel together in Hoenn, competing in contests. It was great until the first time we faced each other." The boy made a miserable noise. "Until then, one of us had always lost before the final round. I lost the contest. And I lost my self-control. I screamed at her. I don't even remember what I said or how I justified it.
"Anyway, after that, we went our separate ways. Every time we met during contests, she beat me. Sam's a great coordinator, but she doesn't seem to enjoy it as much as she used to. It's my fault she's bitter like that, and as much as I hate to admit it, I deserve everything she says about me."
It wasn't the first time Lucian had expressed his sensitive side, but it was the first time Allie could understand the reason for it. This girl was why he promised Allie he would work so hard for their companionship. Their friendship had ended so badly that both were still carrying the scars from it. At least Allie and Ash had parted on good terms. The trainer found herself wishing that none of her friendships would ever end in such mutual betrayal.
"You mentioned she had a famous older sister?" Janine recalled.
"Her sister, Solidad, is one of the world's top coordinators. She's even better than May," the coordinator explained.
The name meant nothing to Allie and Janine, who never followed contests. But if Solidad was better than May, she must be an incredible coordinator.
"I'm really sorry Lucian," Allie said softly.
"It was a long time ago. It really doesn't bother me anymore," he lied again.
A sudden splash interrupted their conversation, showering them all in hot water. When they looked up, the barrier had fallen away from the center of the spring, leaving Lucian and the girls staring at each other awkwardly.
Quick as a flash, Janine grabbed a pebble from the edge of the spring and flung it at Lucian's face. The small rock hit him directly between eyes and he was temporarily blinded.
"Gah!"
"Turn around!" the girls yelled at him.
"Fine," he grudgingly consented, not eager to be hit by another stone.
They changed back into their swimsuits, then turned around and let the boy do the same.
"What happened to this place?" Allie wondered aloud once they were all standing together again.
The whole scene had changed. The Gyarados fountain on the girls' side, which had been acting as a little waterfall into the spring, had shifted position. A large chunk of the volcano's side, which had formed the back wall of the spring, was gone. And of course, the gender specific sides of the spring were merged by the absence of a divider.
"Looks like you found the secret entrance," Janine hummed pleasantly.
"Excellent," Lucian grinned and started to walk into the passage.
"But Janine, Blaine said you couldn't help us find it," Allie protested, grabbing Lucian's arm to prevent him from entering.
"I didn't."
"But the entrance, how did it open?"
"It seems to be connected to the Gyarados statue. When you pull down on the statue, the volcano opens up," Janine explained.
"But I didn't touch the statue," Allie reminded her.
"Neither did I."
"Can you two please stop worrying about who pressed the button and come along? I'd like my badge sooner than later," Lucian grumbled. His sensitive self again disguised, the boy resumed being obnoxious.
"Alright, let's go I guess," Allie agreed, leading the others into the tunnel.
As they entered the volcano, a Pokémon watched them from the bushes near the spring. Its round eyes sparkled mysteriously before it disappeared into the shadows.
The group, meanwhile, descended deep into the heart of the fire mountain. The walls radiated heat, and the trainers felt like they had gone from a hot spring to a sauna. Finally, the volcanic tunnel opened up into a massive room. There were torches along the walls, illuminating a huge pit of lava with a metal battlefield suspended above it by chains.
"I guess we found the gym," Allie said as she looked around.
"You have indeed found my secret gym." A harsh voice from the other side echoed throughout the room. Allie knew immediately that it was Blaine. His disguise was nowhere to be seen. "Which of you will be my first challenger?"
Allie started to step forward, but Lucian put his arm in front of her. "I'd like to go first, if that's okay. I don't want to win because you weakened him for me."
Even though she thought that an unlikely scenario, Allie agreed. "Alright, good luck."
He winked at her and said, "Never need it."
As he stepped into the challenger's box, Blaine motioned for Allie and Janine to go to rock ledge near the middle of the field which evidently served as the gym's observation area.
"Janine, would you care to act as referee?"
The young gym leader, who had performed the task many times in her father's gym, nodded and approached the very edge of the pit.
"The battle between Lucian Andrews of…" she hesitated, not knowing exactly where he lived.
"Hearthome," he told her.
"Lucian Andrews of Hearthome City will challenge Cinnabar Island's Gym Leader Blaine. Each trainer will use…"
"Three," Blaine injected.
"Three Pokémon will be used by each trainer. Only the challenger is allowed substitutions," Janine finished.
The battlers each released their first Pokémon. The coordinator sent out Fraxure, a Pokémon which Allie had never seen him use.
The battle was over fairly quickly. Fraxure devastate Blaine's first two Pokémon through a strategy only a coordinator would use. Allie felt like she was watching a contest. The tactics of both trainers were evidently very well designed. Finally, Blaine sent in Magmortar, and Fraxure was defeated by a well-timed Giga Impact. Kirlia fared better, using psychic to repeatedly bring the huge fire-type to its knees.
Before Kirlia finished Magmortar off, however, Blaine hollered, "Enough!" His challenger stared at him suspiciously. "The battle is over. You've proven your skill, and will be presented with the Volcano Badge for your effort. Well done." He signaled Janine.
"Blaine has declared the battle over," the newer gym leader announced. "The challenger is victorious. The next battle will be between Allie Dogwood of Pewter City and Leader Blaine of Cinnabar. Challenger, please approach the battlefield.
Allie walked from the observation area to the challenger's end of the arena. As she went, she passed Lucian.
"Congrats Lucian," she whispered.
"He's a lot stronger than Janine," Lucian warned her. "Good luck."
"I don't need luck either," the girl replied, grinning.
When she reached the rock overlooking the battlefield, she turned her attention to the gym leader.
"Are you ready, trainer?" Blaine called from across the pit of lava.
"Always!" Allie responded instinctively. Her face was covered with sweat from the heat of the volcano, but she clenched her fists defiantly.
"Then let our battle… begin!"
But she didn't win. Blaine's Magmortar, still weak from its battle with Lucian's team, had defeated all three of her Pokémon without trouble. Vigoroth, despite his fighting spirit, fell from lack of experience. Ruby's flamethrower was no match for Magmortar's fire blast. Even Wartortle, whose type gave him an advantage, was defeated through Blaine's superior tactics.
Her Pokémon had the power to win; Allie knew it. Wartortle, at least, should have won. It was her weakness as a trainer that cost her the battle. If she had been better able to counter Blaine's aggressive strategy, perhaps she would have won.
Janine tried to comfort her, but Lucian couldn't overcome his pride enough to avoid smirking. He had finally surpassed her as a trainer, it seemed. He had earned the badge, and she hadn't. Allie had waved them off, told them she would be fine, but she wasn't sure if she was.
That night, Allie sat in the hot springs alone, letting the warm water soothe her damaged skin. It was just a battle, she kept telling herself.
The full moon cast light across the inn's rooftop, and Allie found herself staring at a single spot on the roof. There was something there. A Pokémon, perhaps?
Not that it mattered.
The Pokémon turned around, and Allie caught a glimpse of a jagged tail.
It can't be. I must be getting overheated, she thought, attributing the appearance to the hot springs. Yet as she continued watching, a cloud partially covering the moon moved. In the increased moonlight, there was no mistaking the long ears, thunderbolt tail, and mousy face.
Pikachu?
She stood up hastily and wrapped a towel around herself. Pikachu glanced down at her, and leapt off the roof, away from the girl.
"Wait!" Allie shouted, pursuing Pikachu to the front of Big Riddle Inn. She saw a shadow running down the deserted road in front of her, and ran after it. It was hard to see in the dark, but every few minutes, she caught a glimpse of the yellow Pokémon, silhouetted in the darkness. The girl kept running until she reached the main street of Cinnabar Island. Even at night, the plaza was packed with tourists. Catching sight of Pikachu's tail disappearing into the mass of people, she continued on.
How peculiar she must have looked, dashing through a crowded town in nothing but a towel. And yet, what she wouldn't give to see Ash right now. She ignored a group of laughing teenage boys. She saw a Silph Jet's camera light flash beside her, but paid it no attention.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Allie?" a familiar voice spoke from behind her. Her slim body trembled with anticipation as she turned around.