The Barefoot, Fighting Genius!

[Kyuuketsuki]

It wasn’t raining, and no clouds obstructed the sun. That day, all of Johto seemed brimming with energy, and the sand beneath Maylene’s feet glittered like diamonds. She stood opposite Crasher Wake on Route 40, gripping the Poké Ball that contained Machop. Only a few paces separated the two Trainers, and the longer Maylene stood there, the more her feelings of doubt left her.

‘Ready or not, here I come!’ screamed Crasher Wake. ‘Go, Gyarados!’

Crasher Wake tossed his Poké Ball into the air. It spun forward rapidly, and opened to reveal the large creature he had caught less than a day earlier. The Gyarados smacked the Poké Ball with his tail, and it flew back towards Crasher Wake.

‘Send out your Pokémon!’

Maylene was nervous. She glanced at the Poké Ball in her hands; of course she’d lose, but Crasher Wake made it clear to her that this wasn’t about winning. She had to learn to command her Machop, and that is what really mattered; she was too dependent on Riolu, who was standing by her, waiting for the Machop to come out.

Maylene flung the Poké Ball to the ground, and it split to send out the small Pokémon. Machop looked around as the Poké Ball bounced back to Maylene; he was never used in a battle before. A grin spread across Machop’s face, but it quickly disappeared when he saw his opponent. The Gyarados growled, and Machop took a step back, his arms in front of him, ready to attack and to defend.

‘Machop, start with a Karate Chop!’ Maylene shouted.

Without any second’s hesitation, Machop jumped into the air, and was heading for the Gyarados. He brought his hand down on the Pokémon, who gave no reaction except for roaring in return. Machop landed back on the sand, even more weary of the Gyarados than before.

‘I’m afraid just attacking won’t be good this time, Maylene!’ Crasher Wake laughed. ‘You see, Gyarados is Flying Pokémon; your Machop can barely do much to him.’

‘Then why did you even suggest that we battle?’

‘Because when you’re a Gym Leader, you don’t get to choose your opponents,’ said Crasher Wake. ‘You reputation will beat you, and all challengers will bring exactly what counters you!’

It was true. Maylene had seen many challengers of her father and of Crasher Wake bring exactly what Pokémon would help them get the Badge. It’s not as simple as just becoming a Gym Leader; it carried with it the burden of defeat. Maylene’s mind raced between ideas; even though the Gyarados resisted Machop’s attacks, it was still affected, if only marginally. She could keep on ordering more attacks, or actually use strategy.

She considered the route of doing what Brawly did; finding what Gyarados is afraid of, and exploiting it, before remembering how it felt and quickly disregarding that thought.

‘Focus Energy!’

Machop relaxed his body and soothes in his spot. He had been as nervous as Maylene, but his comfort seemingly extended to her, as she found herself calming down as well. It was strange not seeing her Pokémon attack after an order, even if she had never battled with Machop before.

‘That’s it?’ Crasher Wake laughed. ‘Sooner or later, I’m going to start giving orders for attacks! Better plan your moves carefully, Maylene!’

‘Use Leer!’

If Crasher Wake wasn’t attacking yet, then Maylene must use all the time she had the best way she could. Machop’s defensive stance completely disappeared; he was ready to attack, and the grin returned to his face.

‘That’s about as much time as I can give you,’ said Crasher Wake. ‘Aqua Tail!’

The Gyarados gave a deafening roar that almost took all of Maylene’s confidence. It leapt towards the Machop, flipping over itself in the air and bringing his tail down. Machop leapt out of the way, ducking and diving to the side as the blue tail crashed into the sand, creating a den, and causing some of the sea to their side to splash.

‘Low Sweep!’

Almost instantly, Machop was back on his feet and managed to strike his opponent before it had time to adjust itself. Gyarados fell to his side, creating more dents in the sand, and causing the water to slowly seep into the battlefield, and if Maylene had learned anything through her years of battling Crasher Wake, it was that a Water Pokémon with access to its habitat can be very deadly.

‘Karate Chop, and jump out of the way!’

‘Surf!’

She knew the attack too well. Machop jumped towards the rising Gyarados and gave it another strike that did nothing to slow it down. The larger serpentine Pokémon was completely upright, and Machop hurriedly jumped back as it gave a roar.

It was only a split second before an explosion of noise surrounded the group. A wave rose up to her left, and Maylene could’ve swore she saw a man in swimwear flying off of it; she did not want that force hitting Machop. She did not even consider the fact that they were battling by the sea.

The wave crashed into the sand, working its way to the end of the beach. Maylene and Riolu braced themselves; from experience, they knew that the force of the attack wasn’t directed at them, but at Machop. The grey Pokémon changed his direction and ran towards the rocks, hoping in vain for the wave to dissipate the further it got from the sea. Gyarados gave another roar, and the attack boosted itself. Another wave joined the first.

Machop leapt onto the mountain, climbing furiously as the waves hit the rocks, slowly rising and catching up to him. In moments, one of them hit him in the back, and he gave a yelp of pain as his body was pushed against a particularly jutting rock. The attack drew itself back, and Machop fell down, slowly making his way through the water and back to the sand.

‘That was a good job!’ said Crasher Wake. ‘Look at Gyarados!’

Maylene and Riolu, who were dripping with water and had been completely submerged in the waves, shifted their eyes to the larger Pokémon. It was still standing, but Gyarados was panting. Machop leaned back against the rocks, and gave another silly grin.

‘You’ve never made any of my Pokémon pant before!’ said Crasher Wake. ‘And if that doesn’t prove to you that you’re Strongest than before, then I don’t know what will.’

‘You did give me three free attacks,’ said Maylene. ‘You didn’t give any commands to Gyarados at the start.’

‘That is my strategy, then!’ he gave a much louder laugh. ‘Not all Trainers are the same, and some of them even differ from Pokémon to Pokémon. With Riolu, you gave one order of attack after another, and with Machop, you worked on giving him an advantage. In less than a year, even that will change!’

Maylene couldn’t help but give a dump smile. She gestured for Machop to come, and he ran towards her.

‘That was a great job, Machop,’ said Maylene. ‘You were Strongest; perfect for my team!’

Riolu offered his hand to the Pokémon, and the Machop took it gracefully. Soon enough, the pair had jumped off to the side, and began sparring together. Crasher Wake returned Gyarados to his Poké Ball, and made his way to Maylene. They exchanged no words, but a mere smile.

[Kyuuketsuki]

A year had passed since that day in Olivine City. For her age, Maylene had become quite tall, and Riolu and Machop had gotten stronger than they had ever been; the pair had been training against each other since that day. And like them, Maylene had been training for that whole year.

As well as training with him, Maylene had spent the year travelling around Kanto with Crasher Wake, who refused to tell her how he was able to take a year off from his Gym Leader duties. Her time with Chuck and Brawly, and her visits to Pryce and to Bruno; nothing was a match to the time she spent with Crasher Wake. She had travelled to Johto and Kanto, and completely forgot about the fact that a Gym Leader she adored and looked up to was by her all this time.

Their last stop was Saffron City, where the buildings shot to the sky and gave off many golden lights that were apparent even in the day. Maylene didn’t know whether or not Kanto had a capital, but if it did, then it had to be Saffron. The large bustling city was connected to four other cities, and each of them seemed to have been touched by residents of Saffron and their modern ways. The streets and the buildings reminded Maylene of Sinnoh. After a year, she would finally get to go back; she couldn’t even believe her mother had agreed to this tour of Kanto.

Riolu and Machop were right behind her, and Crasher Wake was leading the way, getting many looks as the passing citizens studied his outfit.

‘Did you save the best for last?’ said Maylene.

‘You can tell!’ said Crasher Wake. ‘I can’t get anything past you! You’re as smart as an adult!’

‘Or you’re as smart as a small child,’ said a female. ‘It’s nice to see you again, Crasher Wake.’

Maylene whirled around to see the source of the voice. A young-looking woman stood behind her. She had long flowing grey hair and crimson red eyes. She wore a black tight suit topped with a red shirt and skirt. Her skin was very pale.

‘Ah, Sabrina!’ Crasher Wake screamed unnecessarily. ‘It’s great to see you again!’

The large man ran over to the comparatively petite woman and took her in a hug before lowering her back to the ground. She gave a faint smile before turning to Maylene.

‘So, you’re Maylene,’ said Sabrina. ‘It’s very nice to meet you.’

She offered her a hand, and Maylene took it after noting the white glove that covered it.

‘Yes, I’m Maylene,’ she said. ‘Crasher Wake didn’t tell me who you are.’

‘My name is Sabrina. I’m the Gym Leader here,’ said Sabrina. ‘I understand you want to become a Gym Leader in the future.’

‘I do!’

‘Best of luck to you, then,’ said Sabrina. ‘Now, what brings you two to Saffron?’

‘We’re travelling Kanto,’ said Maylene. ‘Crasher Wake saved the best for last!’

‘So I gather,’ said Sabrina. ‘Well, I hope you enjoy your time here.’

Giving Maylene a pat on the head, Sabrina walked away. The young girl turned to Crasher Wake with a quizzical look as the larger man shrugged.

‘Why does she wear those gloves and long sleeves?’ said Maylene. ‘It’s really not cold.’

‘Oh, no one agrees about that!’ said Crasher Wake. ‘Some say she’s just crazy, and hey, I wear things that make people think I’m crazy!’

Crasher Wake gave his signature loud laugh; even after a year, Maylene had not grown tired of it at all. Maylene had met a few Gym Leaders along her trip around Kanto, and even a girl only a few years older than her who wanted to become a Gym Leader as well; the fact that her father held a position as one, like Maylene’s father, instantly made her like the girl.

Compared to all the ones she’d met, Sabrina seemed like the most normal of the Gym Leaders; it was only her strange choice of excessive clothing that made her stand out. In fact, all Gym Leaders seemingly had some trait that made them stand out, and it certainly wasn’t hard to figure out what made Crasher Wake different from the rest.

‘If I become a Gym Leader, how will I stand out?’ said Maylene.

‘Hmm, that’s a tough question. I guess you don’t obviously stand out,’ said Crasher Wake. ‘You’re more like Sabrina in that regard; who might stand out to us, but to the people in Saffron City, she doesn’t attract attention. She’s very subtle.’

‘Yeah, I guess she is.’

Maylene looked up to the sky; the sun was setting; almost playing a game of hide-and-seek behind the various skyscrapers that dotted the city. The streets once again became bustled as life and activity exploded throughout them. Crasher Wake wasn’t a good tour guide, and Maylene often just followed in silence and marveled at the sights she saw without knowing what they were called.

A particular building stood out amongst the others. It was the tallest in Saffron City, and the clean glass panes that surrounded it reflected every golden light from the surrounding buildings and made it look like the brightest building. The darker it got, and the more the sun was leaving Saffron, the brighter the structure became. Soon, it was as if the building had no glass panes, but was made entirely of the golden light.

‘What’s that?’

‘Oh, that,’ said Crasher Wake. ‘It’s the Silph Company, according to this sign.’

‘Well, I could’ve read that!’ said Maylene. ‘I mean, why is it important?’

‘Just because it’s big, that doesn’t mean it’s important!’

‘I could say the same thing about you!’

Once again, Crasher Wake gave his loud laugh. Riolu and Machop, who were sparring throughout Saffron City, had grown tired and were walking sluggishly behind Maylene. Crasher Wake had only ended the day when the night was certain over them. A few slowly left the streets for the comfort of their homes, but many more remained. Crasher Wake had suggested going to meet Sabrina one last time before going back to Sinnoh when Maylene saw the state of the Gym.

Several figures stood in front of it; there was no way the pair would ever get in. They were all wearing black outfits. It was only a few seconds before all the lights of Saffron City turned off at once, and everything was plunged into darkness.

A red light started spinning at the top of the Silph Company building, accompanied by a siren, but like the golden before them, it was only a matter of seconds before they disappeared.

‘Something’s not right,’ said Crasher Wake. ‘Stand close to me, Maylene.’

‘We should go check that building.’

‘I promised your mom I would protect you, and that is what I’ll do!’ said Crasher Wake. ‘You’re my top priority right now. Is Riolu and Machop still next to us?’

The two Pokémon gave sounds of confirmation, and Maylene felt Crasher Wake’s large hand on her shoulder, squeezing her in place.

‘That was an emergency,’ said Maylene. ‘It has to be! Red light and annoying noises!’

‘Sabrina is the Gym Leader here; if anyone was going to do something in Saffron, then they’ll regret it.’

‘Sabrina is stuck in her Gym! They ganged up on her!’ shouted Maylene. She tried to pry her body away from Crasher Wake’s hold, but to no avail. ‘If you want to keep me safe, then come with me! We have to check that place!’

‘No, Maylene! It isn’t our job!’

‘It’s your job as a Gym Leader!’

Crasher Wake froze in his place; it was as if the lights inside him had been turned off as well. He chanced one glance at Maylene, then a nod. His hold on Maylene was lifted, but so was the little girl. Crasher Wake took her up to his shoulder, and the two Pokémon clung onto the man.

He ran through streets of frightened people and crying babies, hushed whispers and panicked screams, before they reached the largest building of Saffron. Four figures stood in front of it, and all of them turned to face the silhouette.

A woman stepped forward. She must have been the leader, as she wore a dress that was completely white, and her hair was red. With each step she took, her heels clicked against the concrete.

‘Whoever you are, don’t think you can come in,’ the woman said. ‘I’m here to stop you if that’s the case.’

‘You can’t stop the two of us!’ Maylene shouted and jumped off of Crasher Wake’s shoulder.

‘I know you,’ said the woman, studying the large man. ‘You’d be hard to miss with such an outfit. He’s a threat.’

‘Then should I take care of him?’ a green-haired man said, taking a step forward as well.

‘It’s too dangerous; he’s a Gym Leader,’ said the woman. ‘Proton and Petrel will help you. I’ll take care of this girl.’

Fear overcame Maylene; whatever this was, she knew that her life hanged on the balance. Riolu and Machop were by her side once more, but so was Crasher Wake.

‘That’s not happening,’ he said. ‘You four will leave before all of you cry at my feet.’

‘Big words from a big thing,’ said the green-haired man. ‘I guessed you would be all doings with no words, but it must be the other way around.’

The man walked quite formally to the woman. He stood by her and produced a Poké Ball, and Maylene felt her fear cripple her. Her legs started shaking, and all the confidence she had evaporated in mere seconds. She stared at the man as he sent out a Pokémon that seemed demonic to her.

It stood on all fours, and growled at the pair of Pokémon. His tail was a pointed arrow that whipped around, and his black body was surrounded by what looked like a skeleton. He had two horns sprouting from his head, and fire leaking out of his mouth.

Fire. Maylene took a step back, and the Pokémon gave a grin.

‘Flamethrower, Houndoom,’ the man said with a grin that resembled that of his Pokémon. ‘Incinerate them both.’

A jet of fire raced towards Maylene, and the intensity of the heat was there before it. For a split second, Maylene was sure she would die, but she couldn’t blink. A familiar figure appeared in front of her, and the fear in Maylene intensified.

‘RIOLU!’

How could he be so stupid to jump in front of her? His arms were extended, ready to receive the blow of the attack, and absorb as much of it as he could.

As the attack got closer, another figure became clear. It punched Riolu away, and spun rapidly in his place, sending water flying in all directions. Maylene shielded her eyes against the droplets that stuck her like bullets; she was soaked in a few seconds.

The Pokémon exploded in a jet of water that shot to the sky, still spinning. It blocked the Flamethrower, and caused the Houndoom to retaliate in anger; his attack had been stopped.

‘Great job, Floatzel!’ said Crasher Wake. ‘Now I’ll tell you again. Leave now!’

A round, purple Pokémon dashed for Crasher Wake, leaving a trail of gas behind him. The large man was quick to act, and he tossed a Poké Ball to the ground from which emerged a Pokémon Maylene had not seen before. It was plumb and blue, with a fat tail that seemed to heavy for it to lift.

‘Quagsire, use Slam!’

The blue Pokémon jumped into the air and brought his tail down on the purple Pokémon.

‘A Weezing? How weak!’ the woman said. Maylene turned to the voice, but all she met was a purple-haired man with a slight hunch. ‘I’m Petrel, and impersonations are what makes me stand out!’

He said the last line with an almost perfect imitation of Maylene’s voice. The young girl took another step back, and the man took two steps forward. Before him was a hairy Pokémon. It had a long tail, and its fur was brown. Long, deadly teeth stuck out of its mouth.

‘Raticate, give her a little chomp, why don’t you?’

The Pokémon dashed for Maylene, but once again, Floatzel was quick enough to leap away from the Houndoom and into the Raticate. Crasher Wake sent out his Gyarados, and was giving commands to his three Pokémon as the Floatzel leapt back towards the Houndoom; it was the only one of Crasher Wake’s Pokémon that was fast enough to keep Houndoom at pay.

Through the battles around her, Maylene saw the woman send out a long purple Pokémon with a pattern that resembled a fact right below its face. She gave a grin, and even though Maylene knew it was a trap, she dashed forward. Crasher Wake screamed for her to stop, but it was in vain.

She had gotten them into this mess, and the least she could do is help. Crasher Wake showed utmost confidence in Maylene, and if he was sure Sabrina was able to defeat these people, then he must have trusted her as well. Riolu and Machop, even though they were hesitant, dashed through gaps in the battle after Maylene. The purple Pokémon hissed at the approaching trio.

‘Why don’t we start with introductions,’ said the woman. ‘My name is Ariana, and I’ll warn you before we start: you will get thrashed! It is my job to stop you from getting into that building, and if some grunts are enough to trap Sabrina in her Gym, and those three can stop that man, then, as the best, I will certainly be able to stop the worst; you.’

[Kyuuketsuki]

Saffron City has been plunged into darkness; Sabrina was trapped in her Gym, and Crasher Wake had his hands full with three opponents. The red-haired woman stood behind her Pokémon, giving Maylene a challenging grin. The young girl knew winning was almost impossible; both of her Pokémon were tired after spending the whole day training against each other.

‘Go on, then,’ said Ariana. ‘You’re the target, and it would be easy to get to you if you don’t use one of these Pokémon to defend you.’

Riolu took a step forward, ready to defend his Trainer, but Machop jumped straight towards the Arbok. His fist collided with the tall creature, but it gave no response.

‘Do you honestly think that will do you any good?!’ Ariana laughed. ‘If all you have are these two Pokémon, then I’ll take care of both of them!’

Machop jumped towards the Arbok again, but she swatted him away with ease. As the much smaller Pokémon struggled to get to his feet, Arbok dashed for Maylene. She targeted the young girl, and was flying towards her faster than the Houndoom’s attack, but once again, Riolu was ready to face his opponent.

His palm gave an orange light, and he jumped up to face the Arbok. She hissed in pain as the attack hit her neck, and in those few seconds, Maylene could’ve sworn she saw the pattern on the Pokémon shift to form an angry face. Arbok was knocked backwards, her tail lashing out at the Riolu as she flew. It didn’t seem strong, but as soon as one of her hits connected, Riolu flew to the ground, creating a dent as his body his the concrete.

‘Machop, use Focus Energy!’

As Arbok struggled to get upright, Machop managed to relax his body and focus on the target. The serpentine Pokémon hissed at him, but he only gave a grin; he had been in this situation before. Arbok made her way towards him, slowly rising up and seeming to grow in size. When she was fully uncoiled, she gave a hiss that sent shivers down Maylene’s spine.

Riolu was struggling to get back up. A purple bruise where Arbok had hit him confused his vision, sending flashes of pain through his body. He tried to regain his footings, but the poison was slowly working his way through his body, and he couldn’t even lift his body off of the ground, stumbling with each attempt.

Maylene was in danger, and he knew that he couldn’t help her. He looked at Machop and Arbok, who were standing against each other in a standstill, when a pair of arms wrapped around him.

‘You’re hurt, Riolu,’ said Maylene. ‘Don’t try to battle; you did enough.’

He struggled at first, but his previous strength had faded away. He had spent a year training throughout Kanto, and had vowed to always protect Maylene, but if Arbok was to target her again, he would be helpless to do anything. He only hoped that Machop knew what he was doing.

Behind her, Crasher Wake was trying as hard as he could to rush to her side, but the Houndoom, Weezing, and the Raticate were not targeting his Pokémon, but himself. Any attempt of escaping was met by a Pokémon who would block his way, and his own Pokémon who would protect him.

‘Strike now, Arbok!’

The tall Pokémon let out another hiss, louder than all those that came before it, and much more vicious. She lunged forward, bearing her fangs as she approached the Machop; they were dripping with venom. He didn’t jump away, and Maylene flinched as her Pokémon let out a scream of pain.

Arbok had closed her fangs around his arm, and she thrashed her head around, dragging the smaller Pokémon with her, and smashing him against the ground.

‘Let go of him,’ said Ariana. ‘We’re not killers.’

With a grin, Arbok tossed Machop back towards Maylene. The area around his wound took on a purple shade, just like Riolu.

‘There’s nothing you can do,’ said Ariana. ‘Run away before your Pokémon get more hurt.’

‘Not w-without Crasher Wake,’ said Maylene. ‘Tell them t-to stop their attacks.’

‘I can’t do that. I can only promise that I won’t let anyone come after you.’

‘Why only me?’

‘Because you’re just a child,’ said Ariana, almost with sympathy. ‘Believe me when I say you were lucky that you ended up facing me; the others wouldn’t hesitate to kill you. They’re heartless as it is.’

‘I won’t go without Crasher Wake!’

‘Well, too bad,’ said Ariana. ‘It’s not your choice.’

With a signal of Ariana’s hand, Arbok lunged towards Maylene and wrapped her long tail around her. Machop was stuck at the end of Arbok’s tail, while Riolu was unconscious. Maylene felt the Arbok about to jump away; her tail was tightening, and her body was being pulled to the ground as if she were a spring, but she gave a sudden yell of pain, and was thrust forwards.

Maylene flew in the air as the world around her flipped. The sky became the floor, and she closed her eyes in desperation. She didn’t know where Machop was, and Riolu had fainted in her arms; she should never have taken on Ariana, especially when she knew that she was not going to win.

Familiar grips held her; the cold hands were something that she experienced before, but she couldn’t place it, and she was too frightened to open her eyes. A few droplets of water hit her, and the realisation that she was safe dawned upon Maylene. She slowly opened her eyes; Floatzel had caught her, and his hands surrounded her entire body, protecting both her and Riolu.

Maylene turned her attention to where she had been, taking some seconds to figure out where she was. Crasher Wake stood panting where the Arbok had grabbed her, being protected by Quagsire from the Weezing. The left side of his face was bleeding, purple ooze bubbled at the tips of the wound, Arbok was on the ground, and Weezing had a red smudge that covered a part of his face.

He said something to Ariana, who looked panicked. She looked up again as she registered the sound of rushing water; a jet was being shot out of Floatzel’s mouth, and the Houndoom was responding with a violent stream of fire, having clearly formed some resentment for the Pokémon and abandoned his previous plans of going after Crasher Wake. Almost as if the scene was waiting for Maylene’s gaze, Floatzel’s attack overtook Houndoom’s, and the black Pokémon flew back with a howl.

Floatzel jumped again as the Raticate’s limb body rolled towards them and crashed into the wall behind where they were. Gyarados roared as his opponent lay in a heap, like Houndoom. Floatzel stared at the taller Pokémon, but the Pokémon only responded by scoffing.

Floatzel jumped again, and it was higher than all the times before it. He landed on the rooftop of a building, and set Maylene down before trying to jump back into the fight.

‘Don’t leave me here,’ said Maylene, grabbing the Pokémon. ‘You know I won’t stay still! I’ll just find the stairs and come down, and if I don’t, I will jump down! You can’t keep me out of this fight!’

It seemed that all of Maylene’s foolish enthusiasm had returned to her. With a quick swipe, Floatzel snatched Riolu from the girl’s arms, and jumped to a rooftop adjacent to the one Maylene was on. He let Riolu down, and jumped back into the battle.

If Maylene could see Floatzel’s face, she was sure he’d be laughing mischievously to himself; he knew that she would never leave Riolu, even if he were unconscious. She jumped to the rooftop next to her, towards Riolu, and she ran before she leaped again. In the few seconds, Floatzel must have considered the best and safest option for Maylene; all the rooftops she jumped towards were lower than the one before them, and the gap between each two was small, if nonexistent. Riolu was lying on the lowest of them, and the buildings after him were high enough to give Maylene difficulty.

As soon as she reached her Pokémon, she considered jumping down, but the ground was still far away, and the drop was intimidating. She wanted to get back to the battlefield, and she didn’t care if she couldn’t battle nor help; Machop was still there, probably amongst all the attacks, and he was too weak to run from anything. She quickly searched the battling Pokémon; they were far, but Machop’s silhouette was not amongst them.

Grabbing Riolu between her arms, Maylene smashed into the door that led to the staircase, and she was knocked back. It was locked, and probably barricaded as well, as it didn’t budge at all. There was no fire staircase to be found; she had to jump down, or slide down. Just as she was approaching the edge of the building, the door flung open, and an elderly woman crawled into view.

Her cane was shaking, and the woman was panting. But her hair was strangely organised and tied to a bun. Her eyes were only marginally open, and she was wearing a very messy kimono. She was much shorter than Maylene.

‘Little girl,’ the lady said. ‘Come here! Hurry!’

Maylene rushed into the building as the woman shut the door behind them.

‘What were you doing? I saw you jumping from rooftop to rooftop. I was walking back to my apartment, and it was just luck that you ended up on my building. Oh, your Pokémon is hurt; that bruise looks like it still pains him. Bring him to my apartment, and I’ll patch him up.’

‘No, really, it’s fine,’ said Maylene. ‘I have to go find my other Pokémon. Did you see a Machop by any chance?’

‘I’ve seen plenty of Machop in my day, but none in this mess,’ the woman said. ‘I kept my head down and ran, and you’re not going back out there.’

She wrapped very frail fingers around Maylene’s arm as she rested on each step for a second.

‘I really have to go,’ said Maylene; she wanted to just run away, but she suspected that doing so would pull the old woman down. ‘Please, just let me go.’

‘That’s not going to happen,’ the woman said. ‘Those blasted Team Rocket; thieves and murderers! You’re not going out there until it has all settled down. Where is that girl Sabrina when we need her? Terrorising our town when nothing is happening, but as soon as Team Rocket shows up, she disappears.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Oh, Sabrina is a psychic,’ said the woman. ‘That’s how the rumour goes at least. They’re dangerous folk, these people, almost as dangerous as the buffoons out there.’

‘I met Sabrina, and she seemed nice,’ said Maylene; the pair had finally reached the platform at the end of what was marked as the 6th floor. It was going to be a long way down. ‘And now she’s trapped in her Gym by those people.’

‘No matter,’ the woman said. ‘You’re going to stay in my apartment, as I said, and not leave until this whole ordeal blows over. It’s a dangerous affair for a young girl like you out there.’

‘No, it’s not,’ said Maylene. ‘I was just out there!’

‘And your Pokémon is obviously not unharmed,’ said the woman. ‘And you ended up on a rooftop, and now you’re searching for a Pokémon of yours; it’s obviously not safe for you, either.’

‘But I can handle myself,’ said Maylene. ‘I have friends out there.’

‘That big guy in blue, you mean? He’s barely keeping it together!’

‘You saw Crasher Wake?!’

‘I was keeping my head down, but he’s hard to miss, even in a night as dark as this one.’

‘How is he only barely keeping it together?!’

‘Oh, you don’t fret your mind with that,’ the woman said. ‘Whatever he is doing, you won’t go out to help him. Over my dead body.’

‘No, please, I have to,’ said Maylene. ‘I don’t want to lose him. Please. I saw him bleeding, and I don’t want to leave him alone.’

‘What’s a small girl like you doing with such a big guy anyway? He doesn’t look safe to befriend.’

‘No, you don’t understand, he’s like a father to me,’ said Maylene. ‘I can’t leave him. Just let go of me.’

‘I’m not doing that,’ said the woman, stopping on a step halfway to the 5th floor. ‘I’ll stay here all night if I have to. If you run, I will fall and die. And if he’s only like a father to you, then that means he’s not your father.’

Maylene pulled her hand away, and the woman lost her balance. She quickly pushed her back to her place with her free arm, and ran down. The old woman shouted after her, but Maylene was sure the lady would be safe; she still had her cane, and the railings were right next to her. And if she ran all the way up, then she can slowly go down to her apartment.

The door came into view, and the darkness outside was much more welcoming to Maylene than the safe, warm walls. She threw her body at the door, and once again, she was knocked back.

‘Stupid doors!’

‘Turn the handle!’ the old lady shouted from some floor above her. ‘I heard the crash all the way up here! I want your safety, young girl, but I want the door to keep everyone inside safe as well! And if you can run that fast, then you can outrun the people outside!’

‘Thanks!’

Riolu had stirred in Maylene’s arms. She looked down to see his open eyes; the bruise above them had slightly faded.

‘Are you okay, Riolu?’

The Pokémon gave a nod. Maylene lifted her body up, and turned the handle. The door was easily opened, and the cold air of the night outside attacked Maylene. She was from Sinnoh, and used to such weather, but after the comfort of the apartment building, it seemed harsh. Riolu shivered as well, but he jumped down from Maylene’s arms, and ran outside, prompting Maylene to follow him.

They were too far from the battle. Floatzel must have known that by trying to get to Riolu, Maylene would put a lot of distance between herself and the battle. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop was easier than running through a level street. Ariana’s back was towards Maylene, and Crasher Wake must have been somewhere amongst the Pokémon.

Maylene started crying. The idea of losing him had never crossed her mind, but seeing him bleed, as well as poison covering part of his face, planted the seed in her mind, and the old woman triggered it. She almost wanted to go back and rush into the building, ignoring whatever misfortune was happening outside, and to pretend it wasn’t happening.

Riolu was running with a limb, and Maylene had overtaken him, but her mind was full only of thoughts of Crasher Wake and Machop. She only hoped that the unwavering strength Floatzel had shown wasn’t just to comfort her, and had remained with all of Crasher Wake’s Pokémon.

Her bare feet were hitting the cold concrete harder than ever, aching her with every step. The pain shot through her entire body, and Maylene almost tripped more than once. She wanted to trip and to stay on the ground, she wanted anything to stop her, because if Crasher Wake was not standing when she reached him, then she’ll cease to stand as well.