Pokemon Evolution: A fanfic for older Pokemon Fans

Chapter 24: Cornered

"Any sign of her Hans?" Kaladin called to his Ambipom. The purple simian shook its head as he scanned the area from his perch above his Trainer. After Ryanne had disappeared unannounced in the night, Kaladin made it his personal duty to find his old friend and rival. Shortly after the traveling Trainers had received Mallow's first message, Ryanne had run off. They had only just pulled her out of the gutter, but now she was nowhere to be seen. "We've got to find her Hans. She could be in danger. Keep looking!" he ordered as he out more Pokemon to aid in their search.

Kaladin and his Pokemon scoured Megalopolis for hours before finally he caught a glint glimpse of her auburn hair. He scaled what felt like fifty flights of stairs before finally reaching the observation deck of the tower in the center of the metropolis. His friend rested with her back against a reinforced railing, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle. At her feet, her Mimikyu attempted a dance in an attempt to cheer her up. As Kaladin and Hans approached, 'Pikachu' looked to the duo for help, then turned back to xyr Trainer with concern.

The younger Trainer opened his arms to offer a hug, a rare gesture for him, only to close them when he saw his friend's thousand-yard stare. He bent down to give her Mimikyu a head rub of reassurance before he gently placed his hand on her folded arms. To his surprise, she jumped slightly. "Hey. Everything okay? You ran off so fast, none of us knew what happened. Was there something bad in your message?"

Ryanne's eyes shifted away uncomfortably. "No, I was just ashamed when I realized that Alola is receiving our messages at such a delay. Werdna's been gone for days, but they might not even know yet. I thought I was starting to get better, beginning to move on, but realizing my message's future ripples filled me with anxiety, fear, shame... I just... I can't explain it. But-but you know what I mean, right?"

Kaladin leaned in to embrace his old rival. It was hard for him to wrap his mind around, but only a little over a year ago, they stood opposing one another of the beach. Only a little over a year ago he learned that Ryan, the apprehensive Trainer always a few steps behind him, had grown into Ryanne, the wise and upbeat Trainer who helped mentor other Trainers. His mouth leaked a soft grin, she had come such a long way. "Your not the only one who misses him you know. We ALL miss Werdna. If he was in Hoenn for a competition, I'd visit him on my days off. We got to be decent friends. I found out from him a few days after our battle on Route 118 that you two knew each other. He was a good guy. Irresponsible, but a good guy."

Ryanne sighed in his arms, reached a hand up to wipe a tear from her eye. She fixed her glasses back into place and gave him her best attempt at a smile. "Yeah, you're right."

"Your niece got me thinking though," Kaladin shifted subject. "Werdna's legacy is in our memories, but also in the Pokemon he left her. His passing made me wonder- if I were to die tomorrow, what legacy would I leave? How would I be remembered? And that's when I realized... I still have a long way to go."

"What do you mean?" Ryanne asked breaking free from Kaladin to pick up her Mimikyu in her arms. The Ghost-and-Fairy-type snuggled against her chest, filling her with feel-good vibes.

"I used to be self-absorbed, arrogant, and pretentious all the time. It was an act to hide how I really felt. I mean, I have a high aptitude, but that shouldn't affect how I treat people. I want to be someone worth remembering! Not because of how much people disliked me, but for the impact I've made!" Kaladin's voice grew with enthusiasm. It had been a long time since Ryanne had seen him so excited. "You've mentored several Trainers. Your niece, Paul, Kale, and probably more I don't even know about. I think I'd like to try that too. I want to find a protege of my own, to leave behind something meaningful. So... what do you think?"

A grinned spanned her face, "that sounds like a great idea." The two Trainers and their Pokemon descended the tower together. Ryanne had made a promise, and she intended to keep it.