Blade's Pov
I stared at Angel pretending everything was okay, when in fact it was not "So you're not going to tell me where these books came from?" I asked, pointing at the random books I saw on the nightstand when I woke up.
"Well... You see" she rubbed the back of her head "I didn't steal them! I didn't! I swear!" I was taken back by the way she spoke "I happen to have gone out for a walk and saw this cute little house that had books in it! It's free, isn't it? It said so!" I was too thrown back by the way she spoke that I couldn't even say anything "Blade?"
"Since when you started talking like that?" She tilted her head confused "Never mind..." I sighed, holding my head "You could had told me you were going out"
"I didn't want to wake you" there it is again.
"I'm sure you found a little free library. Those books are free to use and if you want to put your own book in there to share, you can. It's practically like sharing what the other person read before" she put her hands together.
"I was correct then!" She smiled "I want to read these books while we travel. I don't want to burden you with me wanting to go to a library every time we arrive to a new city"
"It wasn't really a problem for me, but I get it. As long as you have room to keep those books, I can buy you some books"
"Buy me books?" She held her heart "What do you mean? Didn't you tell me I should be making my own money through battles?" I chuckled.
"Don't worry about it" I just want to spoil my sister. Is that too much to give? "I'm more than happy to get whatever you want. I'm still going to help you battle, though" she stared at me.
"You've became happy, unlike last night. Have you settled your emotions when thinking of your sister?" I nodded.
"I talked to my mom. She was more than happy to learn that my sister was found" I said, trying not to force a lie since she knew when I did. She ended up gasping and held my hands.
"Your sister has been found?! Really?!" Her smile was bright and excited "That is so great! I am happy for you!" I nodded, happy myself.
"I don't have to worry about her whereabouts anymore" she clapped for me "we can just go on with our journey. I want her to settle in"
"I understand!"
"Want to go get breakfast?"
"Of course! Let's find you the Pokémon gym you like so much!" We left our rental room to have breakfast at a nearby cafe. I watched her staring out the window more than usual and eating slowly.
"Something on your mind?" She looked at the fork in her hands.
"I wonder why I ended up forgetting our language"
"Oh, you mean when I found you?" She shrugged "You've must've hit your head-"
"I didn't know any language growing up. I don't remember how my life was before my father found me and raised me in its world. I'm starting to remember bits and pieces... not about how I forgot many things of this world, but I remember my real father" I almost dropped my fork, making it slam on my plate "Hm?" She looked at me confused.
"S-Sorry, I think I have butter in my hands" I lied "Continue?"
"I must've forgotten language altogether when father found me. Father told me that it uses my knowledge to communicate with me. This orb helped me understand again from your knowledge" she took out her Griseous orb. l nodded.
"That's an impressive Orb but tell me about your real dad. What do you remember?"
"Father had a Charmander who passed away and has been in a depressed state. He wouldn't do much, but always made sure I was taken care of. He gave me money to buy myself food. He didn't trust himself enough to go out there and break down" she frowned "I bought some flowers, and we went together to the Pokémon Tower to meet Charmander together this time. I never went, but he told me he wants to get back on his feet" she closed her eyes "I discovered my gift of seeing ghosts and can communicate with them. That tower is where I met Litwick" Litwick spun around "It is also the place where I first interacted with a shadow. At that time, I met father in human form" I gulped, remembering how terrifying he looked "We didn't interact, or anything, but he ate the shadow and left without a word. I helped my real father settle his emotions by telling him what Charmander told me "She held her heart "That's all I can remember..."
"Have you always been able to read hearts?" She nodded "It looks like you were an easier target for these shadows. I'm sure dad wanted to change before I got the chance to go and meet-" I stopped.
"What are you talking about?" I shook my head, accidentally almost telling her the truth, and ate more of my food. It's too soon to tell her.
"Sorry! I was thinking of my dad!" I nervously laughed. She stayed quiet and looked out the window again "Say... can we battle?"
"Battle? You and me?" She looked unsure "I don't think that's a good idea"
"We need to practice. You can't be scared your whole life. My dad used to tell me 'Be strong... the world's not always black and white... you have to find the colors, and to do that..." her eyes widened.
"You have to face the darkness of things" we said together, we were both surprised "Your father said the same thing my father told me" She cupped her mouth.
"Do you remember something?" I gasped, wondering if she recalled meeting me.
"No... It must've been a popular saying" she chuckled. I sighed and nodded. I need to be patient.
"Anyway... Let's go battle" she looked uncomfortable "Come on. You know you have to do this eventually, right?"
"I do"
"You need to battle with your Blitzle. Your other Pokémon are way too strong for me" She giggled.
"I suppose that's true. I do need to battle with Blitzle"
"And you should catch yourself some more Pokémon. Who knows when your egg will hatch" we agreed on our battle conditions for two on two and looked for a place. I sent out my new Pokémon; Rufflet, that I met on the route to the city when it was caught in a net.
"Hello, Rufflet!" Angel waved to it. Rufflet flapped its wings to her and flew over to me to poke on my head with its beak.
"Ow! Hey! I already fed you!" I glared. Angel was preparing her Blitzle before it ran to the battlefield between us.
Electric vs. Flying, she has the type advantage, but strategy is always the best way next to power!
"Ready!?" I asked her. She frowned and looked around "It's okay! Just remember what I told you about battling! And remember what dad said!" She looked at me confused "I mean, our dad(s)!"
"O-Okay... I'll try" she took a deep breath and sighed for a moment before facing me again "I-I'm ready! Double team..." Blitzle nodded and multiple itself, Rufflet and I looked for the real one.
"Rufflet! Wing attack!" Rufflet flapped his wings and made the multiple Blitzles disappear "Great! Double Team then Rock Tomb!" Rufflet multiplied himself and created a boulder over his head. Angel covered her ears and looked miserable.
"I can't do it!" She started crying. I held my arm out to stop Rufflet from attacking.
"You can do it! Relax!" She shook her head and sat on her knees, crying out loud. Litwick appeared and mimicked her crying.
"No!!!" She shouted. Litwick started glowing. It-It's ... evolving!? Litwick transformed into a Lampent, but the two of them continued to cry.
"Angel! Get a hold of yourself!" I shouted.
"Shadow ball! Shadow ball! Shadow ball! Shadow ball!!" she shouted repeatedly. Lampent took over the battle and created multiple Shadow Balls to attack Rufflet.
"Dodge!" Rufflet hesitated but moved out the way in time "use Double Team! Then Aerial Ace!" Rufflet multiplied himself and they all flew over to strike Lampent to the ground. Angel stopped crying and looked confused.
"Angel! You got this! Pretend I'm in danger and you want to save me! What are you gonna do!?" She frowned and looked at the floor she was still on "Come on Angel! I know you can do it!" Everyone around us cheered her on. She looked around nervously again and looked back at Lampent.
"Litwick..?" I shook my head.
"It evolved into a Lampent! Take it out of battle! You have to battle with Blitzle!" she nodded.
"Return..." Lampent nodded and disappeared "Go Blitzle..." Blitzle came back to the field and glared at Rufflet. Angel stood up slowly and picked up her egg to hug.
"You got it! Go first!" She nodded.
"Double team..." Blitzle nodded and multiplied itself again "Flame Charge..." many of the Blitzles ran over while building up fire and attacked Rufflet before I could blink. My eyes widened.
"It's so fast!" I could see Angel smile a bit "but this isn't over! Rufflet! Use Roost!" Rufflet recovered itself back to health "Great! Wing attack!" He flew over and attacked Blitzle over and over. Angel frowned and covered her ears, beginning to cry again "Keep going Rufflet!" Rufflet continued hurting Blitzle "You have to command Blitzle to do something!"
"Agility!" Blitzle ran off and gained speed "Keep... Keep going and run around him!" Blitzle ran around Rufflet until it went dizzy.
"Rufflet! No! Use wing attack!" Rufflet was already confused.
"Spark!" Dark clouds started appearing above us.
"Huh...?" Me and the crowd looked around the dark clouds. Is Blitzle doing this? A lightning bolt struck its body and made it glow. Blitzle is evolving too!?
Blitzle now evolved into Zebstrika! "It's a Zebstrika!" I gasped, using my Pokédex to identify it.
"Zebstrika?" Angel looked calmer "You evolved...?" She huffed "O-Okay! Zebstrika! Use Spark!" Its electricity stored up and attacked Rufflet with great damage! That's no spark! That's Thunder!
Rufflet fell onto the ground and fainted. I sighed and returned him "you did good" I put his Pokéball away and sent out Dewott. I could tell people were looking confused on why I was using types that are weak against Electric, but whatever.
"Dewott! Razor Shell!" Dewott grabbed both its Scalchops and made them as sharp as a sword "go!" Dewott ran over to attack Zebstrika and just like that, won in battle.
"Oh my..." Angel frowned, returning her Pokémon. I'm sure it can be pretty overwhelming to watch your Pokémon faint for the first time, but she needs to keep battling to better herself.
"Which Pokémon will you choose?" I smirked. she hesitated for a bit.
"Next one...?" she looked around "uh... Gengar?" Gengar appeared on the battlefield and laughed at Dewott. I glared.
"What's so funny!?" Gengar shrugged, Angel mimicked it at the same time "We'll show you! Dewott! Razor Shell!" Dewott ran over to attack Gengar, but it disappeared, huh? Where did it go?
"Hypnosis..." Angel eyes lost their shine again... Angel... Gengar laughed, reappearing and put Dewott to sleep.
"Dewott! Wake up!" Angel and Gengar shook their heads.
"Dream Eater..." Gengar started glowing pink, and so did Dewott, who groaned in pain "now Nightmare..." Dewott looked even more in pain. I looked up at Angel and saw that same look she had when she first battled.
"Angel! Snap out of it!" I frowned. She snapped back up and looked around, then at Dewott, knocked out. She frowned and shook her head.
"Lampent... use Haze" Lampent came back and fogged up the area. She ran off and disappeared into the mist.
"Angel!" The fog disappeared. She was nowhere to be found...
"I never would think Pokémon would say that..." I overheard someone and saw N in the crowd already leaving. He stared at where Angel left before lowering his hat to his eyes and walked away.
"Well, color me impressed" a familiar woman walked up to me while clapping "That was one fine Pokémon battle if I ever seen one. You and your friend are talented, but I think your friend is very nervous" I faced her, shocked to meet her in the flesh.
"It's you!" She looked at me confused.
"Have we met?"
"You're Lenora! Nacrene City's gym leader! It's an honor!" I shook her hand excitedly. She just laughed.
"Ah, you know that much then! It's nice to meet you! I'm taking that you want to challenge my gym?"
"Yes! Can I? Please!?"
"You are welcomed any time" she held her hip and looked at where Angel ran off too "Did something happen to make your friend behave that way?" I frowned and looked with her.
"It's hard to explain, but I guess you can say she has some overactive thoughts while in battle. I tried helping her by going one step at a time, but I think I got too excited. I better go look for her-" Gengar appeared next to me "Gengar?" It looked at me and waved its hand "you think she'll be alright?" It nodded and patted its chest "Alright... Take care of her?" It nodded and disappeared. I looked back at Lenora "I'm ready!" She nodded.
"Right this way. I'll help you heal your Pokémon before we can do anything" I nodded and followed her while looking back at where Angel ran off too. I really hope she will be okay. I shouldn't have continued with Dewott. She was doing so good too... She might need some time to calm down. Gengar insisted on looking after her, so all I could do was wait.
Angel's Pov
I got too overwhelmed with the wisps taunting me, after I thought I was doing so good during battle...
It felt like everything was going so well until I battled with Gengar, but my body started moving on its own when I decided to use Gengar for battle.
"You know better than to battle with Gengar" I looked up to see that I ran into a dark forest and heard father's voice.
"Father...?" I looked around.
"Gengar is the shadow Pokémon. It can control the actions of shadows that are attached to human's body. It was using the shadow that almost attached to you during battle' I gasped.
"I didn't think it would go that far if I was doing so well!"
"You battling creates an opening for your vulnerability. You protect yourself every day and keep your heart at ease. But through battle, it is anything but that. You share your heart with your Pokémon while doing it" I share my heart...? That's what Blade meant when he said it creates a bond between me and my Pokémon "that will leave an open space for your shadow to find you, or the other shadows to take you. As dangerous as that is for you, you must work to get used it" I started shaking.
"How can I possibly get used to it...? I cannot allow my heart to open so freely to allow these shadows to take over me. I don't even want to know what I will become if they do" I put my egg container in my bag and looked around the forest "I've ran farther than I anticipated... How do I find my way?" I bit my nails and walked forward hoping I could recognize anything to lead me back to the city.
"As if I don't have a lot on my plate already..." I held my chin "Did I use that metaphor correctly?" I've been trying to practice using metaphors to relate to other people better. I probably sound silly doing it on my own "I should've have ran off like that..." I looked around "I hope there's no shadows around here- oh!" I fell on a log when I wasn't looking and held my bag up to protect my egg.
I sighed in relief at my success and looked to my left to see a Snivy looking at me confused.
"Sni?" It said. I shakily sat up and placed my egg down, having a hard time even holding up the container. My arms were bleeding from sharp tree branches around me.
"O-Ow..." I cried and struggled to look through my bag to look for my Griseous Orb "It hurts... I need to find it to help me heal. I don't want Blade to see me like this. He'll get mad" It wasn't in my bag, which means it probably flew out when I fell "I have to find it" I shakily stood up and looked around for it "Where is it...? Ow...!" I looked down to see my knees bleeding as well "Hey, you guys..." I called for my friends "can one of you help me look for- Whoa!!" My foot missed a step and dropped me down into a ditch. My hand was fast enough to catch a vine, keeping me from falling "You guys...? Help me!" I cried. I can't get enough of this pain! "It hurts! Please! Help me!" I lost my grip and fell, almost falling to however deep the ditch was before a hand was quick enough to save me.
Edited 2/21.23