Arisen Anew- a Pokémon Fanfiction

Chapter Seven- First Gyms and Forests

The next morning, I am awoken by the morning sun shining straight onto my face. I stand up and stretch, turning to look at the huge rock-it looks like Salamence got bored in the night and tore off. I know my dragon can fend for himself - I just hope he hasn't caused any mischief.

I look down and realize I'm still in the Team Cere suit. Did I pack a change of clothes? I grab my backpack and open it quietly so not to wake my sleeping friends, and dig around inside. Aha! My training suit is there. I sling my pack over my back and trudge into the woods, hoping to find a natural water source to maybe clean off in and change near.

With a chuckle, I think of Diamond's reaction when she finds out I bathed in a river.

Suddenly, a bright blue blur leaps from the trees and tackles me - it's Salamence! I laugh and hug him.
"You know where I can find a body of water? I need to clean up."

The dragon waves his tail and turns back into the trees, and I hasten to follow him. After about 10 minutes of trudging through the trees, I see what looks like a hot spring. My muscles ache as I think of how good that water will feel on them, and in one fluid motion I pull off my clothes and hop in.

The water feels amazing- warming me from the outside to the inside, and I think of everything that has happened already on this journey.

Then, the pain hits.

Pressure falls onto me as I think of Oliver, the boy who died for me.

For the first time, I feel raw dread. I think of William, and Team Doom back at camp with Team Rogue, friends and enemies...

But mostly, I think of Neura. I can't forget the look in the Team Cere leader's eyes as I sprung up from the meeting table- cold, calculating. Cruel. Nonplussed. Crystal blue orbs of pure deceit- I wonder if the man with her, Ron, could see what I did. Her eyes, in that brief moment, said so much, and I found myself craving to see her again. I wanted to battle. I could almost feel the raw power behind her gaze, and I wanted to prove that I was stronger.

I know what I have to do. I have to battle though the New Kanto League and beat William- and then, I will face her.  I have to do this. For that mysterious Shadow Lugia, and for Oliver....

I shake my head, unable to think further, to even think of him. Using my upper arm strength, I push out of the pure blue pool and grab my training outfit(which I had hung on the spikes on either side of Salamence's face), a black tank top and a pair of raven colored joggers with a red stripe down each leg. I have Salamence flame-dry my hair, and pull part of it back before dragging a brush through it. Slipping on a pair of beat up white tennis shoes, I check my reflection in the pool. I look different, more tired. My eyes are dull, and the healed scars that slash across my cheeks nearly force me to wince away.

I bend down to touch my toes and straighten back up, stretching out my back and core. It's been a while since I myself trained- that will come soon. After I make sure everyone at camp is fine. After I'm sure everything will be okay.

•••

I make my way through the woods, with Salamence trailing behind, sniffing flowers and searching for snacks. Looking up as the sun dapples us with light through the trees- it's beautiful. I find the path Salamence trampled before, and follow it for a bit, until-

"Found you!" A blue haired trainer in a Cere Suit swings from a branch and onto the ground before me. Momentarily taken aback by her entrance, I gasp.

Be calm.

She walks slowly around me, basking in this moment- Neura will praise her for my capture beyond anything she knows.

"Tris and Amber will find the rest of you, undoubtedly." She looks down at me as though she thinks she's supposed to gloat, but something tells me that her heart is really not in it. I press onto my only advantage- that flicker of uncertainty. I remember her face from Cere HQ- absolutely relishing thebattle, bathed in the silver light from her Gorebyss's attacks. She's no different than me.