Advent: Explorers of Boundaries

Chapter 38: Echoes of Doubt: When Friendship Shatters

As the day progressed, Alex's anticipation grew more palpable, his eyes darting between the clock and the ceiling, half-expecting the prophesied Dimensional Dreams to descend at any moment. Elton, however, was having none of it. His frustration had reached its peak, and he couldn't contain his anger any longer.

"Look, Alex, I've had enough of this nonsense!" Elton's voice reverberated in the room, his eyes ablaze with irritation. "You keep clinging to this absurd belief, and for what? Nothing has happened, and nothing will happen!"

Alex, his sleep-deprived eyes showing signs of weariness, shot back, "I know what I saw, Elton! This isn't something I can just brush off!"

Elton scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, right, because you're the great visionary now? Give me a break, Alex. You're just a scared Riolu hiding behind fairy tales!"

Those words struck deep, hitting at Alex's insecurities and doubts that he had worked so hard to overcome. He clenched his fists, trying to hold back the flood of emotions welling up inside him. "You know nothing, Elton. You know nothing about what I've been through, about my fears and struggles."

Elton, caught up in his anger, didn't hold back. "Fears? Struggles? Please, spare me. You've always been the weak link, Alex. Always needing someone to hold your paw, to guide you through everything. You think Andrea will stick around when she sees the real you? When she realizes you're nothing but a scared little Riolu playing pretend? What a fool she is!"

The words hit their mark with brutal precision, leaving Alex stunned and wounded. The room fell silent, the weight of Elton's words hanging heavily in the air. The once-close friends now stood on opposite ends of a vast emotional chasm, their bond fractured by harsh truths and unspoken fears.

As the tension soared between Alex and Elton, Alex couldn't contain his hurt and frustration. "Don't you dare call Andrea dumb!" he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. His fists clenched at his sides, ready to charge at Elton in a burst of anger.

Elton, caught up in the heat of the moment, retorted, "Maybe she is dumb, Alex! How else could she ever fall for a wreck like you?" His words were like daggers, cutting deep into Alex's already wounded pride.

Just as Alex's rage threatened to boil over, Greninja from Team Light swiftly intervened, positioning himself between the two feuding friends. "That's enough!" Greninja's voice was firm, his eyes serious as he addressed both Alex and Elton. "This isn't the time or place for this. We have bigger concerns than squabbling amongst ourselves."

Alex, still seething with anger and hurt, took a step back, his gaze locked on Elton. Elton, too, simmered down under Greninja's authoritative presence, though the tension between them remained palpable.

"We need to focus on what's important," Greninja continued, his tone commanding yet calm. "We have a duty to protect this world, regardless of our differences. Save your energy for the battles that matter."

With Greninja's intervention, the charged atmosphere in the room gradually eased, though the rift between Alex and Elton remained, their friendship now strained by harsh words and unresolved emotions.

As Farfetch'd and the stern guildmaster Altaria entered the fray, their expressions were a mixture of disappointment and annoyance. Farfetch'd, with a whack of his leek, scolded, "Enough! This isn't a circus act, it's a guild hall! Show some respect!"

Altaria, his usual grumpy self, added, "You two should be ashamed of yourselves! Bickering like children when there are greater threats looming over us. Get a grip!"

Elton, still seething with anger, couldn't resist another jab. "Maybe I should have left that anxiety-ridden Riolu at the beach! Hope he dies, especially since he's the so-called Savior!"

Alex, being ushered away by Greninja to prevent further confrontation, felt a wave of sadness wash over him. The hurtful words from Elton pierced his heart deeply, and for a moment, he wondered if maybe Elton was right.

As Alex was led away, he couldn't shake off the feeling of his heart shattering into a million pieces. The word "die" echoed in his mind, leaving him with a profound sense of loss and isolation.

***

Hours later, in Team Awesome's room, Greninja stayed by Alex's side, offering silent support and comfort in the midst of the turmoil. Alex, still feeling the sting of Elton's hurtful words, appreciated Greninja's presence. As the night wore on and nothing unusual happened, Alex began to relax, thinking that perhaps Elton was right and it was all just a false alarm.

"Just a feeee-!?" Alex's words were cut short by a sudden, intense jolt of electricity coursing through his body. He staggered, feeling dizzy and weighed down as if an invisible force was pushing him down. Before he could react, darkness enveloped his vision, and he collapsed, unconscious.

Greninja, alarmed by Alex's sudden condition, immediately tended to him, checking his pulse and trying to wake him up. The worry in Greninja's eyes was palpable as he wondered if this was the Dimensional Dream taking effect.

As Alex gasped for air, his surroundings shifted abruptly, and he found himself inside a cavern. Standing before him were Darkrai, exulting in manic laughter, and Azelf, radiating an aura of power and wisdom.

"Hehe...hehe...haha...! Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!" Darkrai's laughter echoed through the cavern as it boasted about its imminent ascension to godhood, fueled by its proximity to Azelf.

"God... is that why you wanted us? Red Chain... yet, your demise is near. Savior. I feel you are here, watching. Good luck, I know that you will save us all." Azelf's voice cut through the eerie atmosphere, its gaze fixed in Alex's direction.

Confused by Azelf's actions, Darkrai dismissed its counterpart and began conjuring its Dark Void, a menacing aura swirling around it.

Before Alex could utter a word, a wave of dizziness and heaviness washed over him, and he lost consciousness once more.

Upon waking up with a start, Alex found Greninja by his side, who quickly filled him in on what had transpired.

"We are... in trouble... Doomsday is upon us," Alex said with a palpable sense of fear and urgency, realizing the gravity of the situation unfolding before them.