Blazing Tower
So! Ein kleines Weihnachtsgeschenk von mir. Schön wa? Hoff ich zumindest. Habt Spaß beim lesen! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Oder freie Tage, falls ihr dieses Fest nicht feiert.
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The next time, Dawn opened her eyes, she and Piplup were hanging from the ceiling of a large, dark room and met the annoyed glare of Hunter J. Just a second ago, Dawn was about to ascend the stairs to the next floor, before suddenly some sticky threads wrapped around her arms, pulled her upwards and prevented any movement.
Dawn's right eye twitched. When she had reached the ninth floor of the nightly Bell Tower, which was contaminated by hordes of ghosts, traps and occasional warp fields, she had anticipated a big, final surprise. That sudden encounter with the huntress, however, had not been on her mind at all.
And so, she found herself at a stunning lack of words. "... Hi..." And suddenly, I wish, the Hauter from earlier were stalking me again, Dawn thought and shot a side glance at her partner. Piplup was almost completely covered by the white, faintly glowing threads, only the frantic struggle of its legs could be seen. It wouldn't be able to help its trainer, who anxiously waited for a reply.
J, clearly not in the mood for the young girl, let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ariados, get them down. But make sure you're not gentle."
The spider did, as its mistress had ordered and quickly climbed to the ceiling, to cut its strings. While Dawn managed to land on her feet after a low drop, Piplup met the wooden floor with its face. Enraged, the penguin jumped to its feet and chirped angrily at its enemies. Before it had the chance to make any moves, though, Dawn picked up Piplup and the flashlight she had dropped before and looked into J's eyes once again.
"Hi," J replied with probably all the sarcasm, the woman could muster. During those five years, Dawn's body had changed; especially in the height. She was grateful, that she was almost at J's eye level. Yet the sheer presence of the irritated huntress towered over Dawn, like a Darkrai over its next victim.
The bluehaired girl furrowed her eye brows at the hostility, J displayed. "You know, I just climbed this whole hauted tower. Every. Single. Floor. With ghosts trying to be scary; I don't need you to do the same, get it? You can stop being so damn intimidating, it's annoying." Dawn emphasized the word "damn" and hoped, the huntress would get the hint: Dawn was no longer a child; her journeys did a well job, hardening her.
Although the woman didn't show any physical sign, J was clearly taken aback by those words. Her frown deepened and instead of drawing back, the threatening aura became worse. "And if I refuse? What will - no - what can you do about it, huh? Little girl."
Dawn merely shrugged as a reply. "Nothing. If you want to keep on wasting your energy, then go ahead."
J clearly showed her displeasure, but at least she stopped radiating imminent danger. "So you do have some backbone. What a surprise, considering that just hours ago, you almost fainted because of me."
"Of course not! Since you were already aggressive and violent, there was no need to push you. But this time its different."
"Oh? Do you assume, that I'll just listen to every word of yours, without fighting back? That you won't end up with a blue eye in your pretty face?"
"No," Dawn said, slightly angered by the sarcasm in J's voice, but kept a cold control over hers. "It's because I already decided, that you're my enemy - not someone, I fight with together and especially not someone, I'd put trust into. I won't mind you battling Team Rocket alongside me, as long as your actions won't bother me-"
J interrupted Dawn's tirade with short laughter. The woman couldn't believe her ears. "Me? battling alongside you? The ghosts must have played some kind of psychic games with your mind; your words are simply ridiculous. You are the one, who is better of staying out of this fight and you should feel very sorry, if you bother me.But you are right at one point. We're certainly no allies. I don't accept weaklings in my team."
Dawn felt those words stinging at her instable self-confidence, but that was not the time to back away. "And I don't accept ruthless criminals in mine! Especially not cowards, who hide their true intentions behind a facade!" Similar as in the gym, the air around the two young women tensed noticeably. Yet, Dawn didn't want to withdraw; some absurd desire kept her going on, despite the regret, she would surely experience. And regarding the change on J's expression from dark to furious, the possibility of a blue eye wasn't so far off.
"I'm right, aren't I? After all, Why should you - The Pokemon Hunter J - suddenly do something good for society, huh? Until now, you didn't have any problem ignoring trainers' and Pokemons' feelings, as long as you get your profit!" She continued, but strangely, J's posture changed again. The sudden wrath seemed to cease fast and was replaced by what appeared to be... resignation? Dawn continued unfazed, but the impression only fortified, the more she spoke on. "This time, it wont be any different! Team Rocket is just a cover, right?! Your true target is Ho-Oh and the money you could make with it. Well, forget it! I'll stop both of you, if you give me a reason! That'll be the end of the great Hunter -"
"Would it help," J interrupted the younger girl with a loud voice, since Dawn had almost began to shout herself during the tirade. "If I told you, that I'm no longer a hunter?"
The words took a moment, to reach Dawn's agitated mind. As soon as she was able to comprehend the message, her jaw dropped. Did she hear right? J claimed, that she was no Pokemon Hunter anymore? Did the ghosts really hit the young trainer with a Confuse Ray and played some nasty mind tricks with her?
"You heard me right. I retired. And you can relax. I couldn't care less, whether we're trying to protect Ho-Oh, Lugia or a damn Magikarp. My aim is Team Rocket, nothing else. So watch your mouth with those assumptions, understood?" The last words were spoken with such venom and bitterness, Dawn had to gulp. Usually, J radiated only so many emotions, Dawn could recognize them, not comprehend them. That time, it was different. No matter what kind of problems the huntress had with that organization, it affected her greatly in her subconsciousness.
Yet that didn't mean, she would believe J. "Now your words are ridiculous! Just how naïve do you think I am, believing something like that?!"
J smirked as a reply and crossed her arms. "Whatever happened to; 'I just know, when someone lies'? Shouldn't you be able to tell, that I am honest? Besides, why do you think I would make that up, huh? To gain your trust?" She shook her head. "I just want you to shut up already."
Dawn didn't pay attention to J's last words; she was still in bewilderment about the revelation. "Well... Maybe you found a way to deceive me, who knows?!"
The argument had started so well. Dawn's verbal attack had definitely taken the huntress by surprise, yet one single statement had turned the tables and regarding the satisfied smirk on her face, J knew it. "And how am I supposed to accomplish that, without any useful knowledge about it? In contrary to you, I don't have the abilities of a psychic type. I can just read one's mind to a certain degree." She made a brief pause and intensified her piercing glare on Dawn. "You however..."
The pressure around J had returned and the huntress made a threatening step towards the younger girl.
"So what?! We were not talking about me, but about you! You said it yourself, right? Criminals don't change, so don't believe me to trust any of your words!" It was a useless try to safe herself from the situation, but Dawn didn't want to talk anymore about her "ability". About her secret, she tried to hide from the whole world.
J on the other hand, didn't even seem to notice her exclamation. Or rather, she obviously ignored it. "You remember what happened in the Ilex Forest, don't you? The wound on my leg?" To emphasize her words, J pointed towards her right leg. She didn't wait for a reply. "I don't recall showing you any weakness or pain, yet you still knew about it."
Of course, Dawn remembered. And she could kick herself, because she simply had to help the huntress. Now she paid the price and it made her anger and some kind of rebellious impulse return.
"How are you able to 'just know' about my pain? Or the fact that I am lying?" Somehow, they had taken in a similar position to the one earlier that day; their faces just inches apart with J's greyish eyes piercing Dawn's. For a brief second, the young coordinator wondered, whether J cornered her even consciously or not. At least, Piplup was too caught up in the tension and rather waited for something to happen, than acting on its own. "Spit it out."
Just for a moment, Dawn thought about a deal with the huntress; answers for answers. But in the end her stubbornness won and she gave a simple, definite reply. "None of your business."
J nodded with a sour expression. "And with that, our conversation is over." The huntress backed away, until Dawn could release the breath, she had been holding without noticing. Piplup showed a similar reaction, but quickly recovered and shot a ructious glare at J's back.
The huntress headed towards the staircase to the next floor and gave her Ariados an order, to renew a trap. Dawn figured, that she had stepped into the spiderweb earlier, which had yanked her right in front of J's nose. She was already wondering, whether Team Rocket would really climb the tower, but brushed the thoughts about the upcoming battles to the back of her mind.
The silence, which replaced their argument, was icy and felt even worse, than the harsh words they had spoken. Dawn almost found herself wishing for the conversation to return, preferably less tense. She even noticed faint vibrations on the left side of her belt. Pichu's Pokeball. As a prevention, she had provisionally locked the device with a inverted ball capsule. She didn't want the tiny mouse to get caught in danger; but it could feel the presence of its "mother" and tried to break out.
Dawn wanted something else than her guilty conscience, she could concentrate on. That, and the annoyingly considerate streak of hers, were probably the reasons, for her to speak up one more time.
"So... How's your leg?" Dawn asked reluctantly.
There was no reply at first, just a sigh. While the young girl wondered, whether there was anything more to come or not, and why she even tried to break the ice in the first place, J put her hands on her hips, but didn't turn around. Then came the reply.
"And that's exactly, why you're pathetic. I thought, I wasn't your ally, yet you care about my well being. Don't you realize, that such a behavior will kill you? This time I have to protect you, but if you keep up caring about your enemies, the outcome will be inevitable. Your oh so noble reasons will cost your life, I can guarantee it. Girls like you should stick to your contests and live your carefree life."
That did it. Dawn had tried to be nice, but obviously, J resisted vehemently against it. "You know what? You're right. I shouldn't care about you - after all, you deserve it!After everything you did to innocent Pokemon and trainers you deserve every ounce of illness and pain. Since you can't comprehend the suffering of others during your actions, you should at least experience it otherwise!"
To Dawn's surprise her words had a huge effect on the huntress. J flinched - both outwardly and inwardly. In the wan light, the young trainer could barely make it out, but J clenched her fists, the tension quickly expanding over all of her body.
"You want me to suffer?" She asked dangerously quiet. In a quick motion, J spun around and strode towards the young trainer, her body language roaring of the urge to punch Dawn. "Then why won't you make me?"
Suddenly, strong vibrations traveled from the ground through their bodies, forcing the two young women to stop. It was a sensation that reminded of a low humming and the source seemed to be the tower itself. Confused, Dawn looked around, as if the answer would hide somewhere in the room. Piplup jumped out of her arms and took a fighting stance in front of its trainer, ready to strike any enemy, which might appear. It was then, a certain, unexpected noise sounded through the nightly air. Clear chimes - probably made by a choir of golden bells, which would only ring, when Ho-Oh is summoned by a hero. No storm could cause them to make a sound. That they were chiming now, was no good sign.
"Aria!" J's spider Pokemon hissed and pointed towards the ceiling. Without wasting any time, J spun around and rushed over to a certain spot, behind the staircase, which would lead to the roof. Something must have been on the silver haired woman's mind, and although Dawn knew, that at the end of the stairs would be some kind of trap waiting, she still took that way upwards. Taking two steps at a time, with Piplup directly behind her, she quickly left the coldness of the tower and emerged into hot and dry air.
As she had guessed, offenders were already waiting for her. And with a large number.
"Galvantula, Electro Ball!"
A mass of electrical energy flew towards them, but thanks to Piplup's Bubble Shield, that attack was deflected easily.
Illuminated by headlamps of helicopters, stood a large group of men in front of Dawn, all dressed in black uniforms with the red letter "M" displayed on their chests. Many held Pokeballs in their hands, while multiple Crobats and Magneton soared through the air above them as well as some Houndoom between them. In the very front, there was a tall man, dressed in a coat, rather than a normal uniform. His olive green eyes pierced his fiend, with the intensity of a merciless commander. It was his spider Pokemon, Galvantula that had attacked the two.
He would be the hardest opponent, Dawn already knew. Especially, after part of the little army was abruptly blasted away. The floor exploded, as J alongside her Salamence, Drapion and Ariados crashed through the ground beneath the grunts. Only their surprised cries were louder, than the breaking sound of wood and battle roars.
Many were wrapped in Ariados' String Shot, no longer able to move, while others were simply knocked out by the force of J's mainbattelers. Dawn already grabbed her own Pokeballs, with the plan of defeating as many opponents as possible with one massive attack, but the defeaning roll of thunder stopped her.
For a second, lightning illuminated the dark sky and a flying object - another helicopter, to be precise - hovering right beneath the thunderclouds that had gathered in the evening. The girl had the uneasy feeling, to have spotted the source of her worries.
Suddenly, however, all her thoughts were drowned as the sky exploded in an inferno of electricity and fire so bright, Dawn had to avert her eyes. Then she heard it. The mighty cry of a bird Pokemon. Colors of a rainbow filled the dark night sky, lanced with a golden glow. The creature flapped its wide wings and a strong gust arose. Ho-Oh had arrived and its appearance raised both awe and fear in the young coordinator. At another time and in a different situation she wouldn't be able to avert her eyes from its beauty. Now however, she wished for nothing more, but for the legendary to disappear.
Ho-Oh's fierce glare pierced the invaders of its sacred temple, reading their intentions. Just for a second, its eyes lasted on Dawn and it was enough, to see the consuming fire within the legendary. She had no time to waste.
Unfortunately, the leader of the troop had similar thoughts and with that, his Galvantula attacked using the same move again, aiming towards the young trainer. She grimaced, but sidestepped it easily - and almost ran into Machoke's crossed hands, indicating its Cross Chop. More than ever, Dawn was glad about her own battle experiences she made during her journey. Not even a second to early, she jumped backwards, avoiding the hit on her head. Nevertheless, she still felt the gust of that attack blowing her hair away from her face.
Immediately, Piplup began firing water attacks towards Machoke, giving its trainer time to release their other partners. But once again she was interrupted by the muscular, heavy body of Arbok, which had appeared out of nothing. The snake hissed venomously in her ear, preventing any movement. The pressure it put on its prey was already on a level, where Dawn had difficulties to breath. Another curse escaped her lips. She really disliked people, who attacked the trainer rather than their Pokemon. Obviously, those were the most determined to win and mixed with both quick reaction time and intelligence, there were no more doubts about his superior skills.
It didn't mean, Dawn was defeated, though. Even without her command, Piplup had a good plan, how to react. Arbok's jaw clacked noisily, as the penguin used its Drill Peck move like an uppercut. The force knocked the snake's head backwards, but otherwise didn't show any effect on the grip - in contrary, it became stronger, until the pain and lack of oxygen clouded Dawn's mind. To worsen her situation, Machoke stormed towards her once again, ready to strike a Power Punch.
With such bright prospects, the young trainer was more than willing to execute the plan, she and Piplup came up for such a case long time ago. Despite the dizzy feeling in her head, she nodded towards her partner, which was still airbone - and took in a deep breath.
Suddenly, masses of water crashed upon her, spinning around her forcefully. What Drill Peck missed to accomplish, Whirlpool was able to do; the power and the rotation into the other direction, than Arbok had wrapped itself around her, loosened the grip, until the snake was completely yanked away from her body.
She was free, once again, but also perfectly aware, how fast her situation could change. So despite her position, she called out her Pokemon and in a flash, the four created a little wall around her, ready to follow her only command she could give at such a moment; "Attack!"
One thing she had learnt that day. The roof was not a soft place to crash upon with the back. Finally, her lungs were filled with air again and the blood circulation returned to a normal pace, so that the numbness of her limbs slowly faded away. Several coughs shook her body, as she struggled back to her feet.
"Pip lup?" The penguin asked its trainer, but was cautios not to touch her. Sparks were dancing around its body; she just hoped, it wasn't paralyzed through some nasty electric attack.
"No need to worry. How about you?"
As a reply, the penguin spun around and took in a fighting stance. For the moment, Dawn was convinced and she could resume to the battle. Even before the young trainer stood upright again, her eyes darted around, observing the changes of her situation. Four more Pokemon had added to her opponents; An Electrode, two Houndoom and a Hypno. She grimaced at the thought of batteling the electric and the psychic type; one with rapid speed, the other with nasty telekinetic powers. They could become a devastating combination.
At least the other grunts were too occupied with their owl brawl against Drapion and Ariados. There was no trace of J on the roof. She and her Salamence soared through the sky, fighting of flying objects that tailed Ho-Oh. Machines, no doubt, which were built to catch the legendary. Dawn just hoped, the huntress would at least do a good job on protecting Ho-Oh. She and her team would have enough work cleaning up the mess of Rocket members.
Finally, her gaze met the more or less determined eyes of her partners. Aron, her steel type. Braviary, soaring through the air and fighting the Crobats. The fox Pokemon Ninetales. And Kirlia, one of her youngest and most unexperienced partners.
Wiping a wet strand of hair out of her eyes, Dawn quickly gave several commands. "Piplup, Drill Peck on Machoke, Aron Iron Defense and Ninetales Flamethrower on Hypno!"
Without hesitating, the Pokemon executed their moves. Machoke managed to block the Drill Peck with its one hand and had the other ready to strike a Power Punch. Ninetale's Flamethrower was enveloped by a light blue light and with its psychic powers, Hypno lead it back towards Dawn. Their satisfied expressions showed her, how little they thought about her battling skills. Too bad for them, she was about to fix that impression.
"Braviary!" Was all, she had to say to get its attention. Almost immediately, it paused its battle with the Crobats and crashed into Machoke with its Arial Ace. At the same time, the two Houndoom added their Flamethrowers to the massive inferno that sped towards Dawn. The licking heat was already close enough to her, to dry some of the water on her face; if Ninetales had waited any longer to absorb the fire, it would have consumed the young trainer. Fueled by the additional flames, Ninetales was able to take down most airborne Pokemon above the roof with just one Flamethrower.
Sure, no need to rush things... Who cares, if I'm crispy fried? Dawn thought sarcastically, but was quickly pulled back to reality, as Arbok and Electrode attacked her with Poisontail and Thunder. Both assaults were intercepted by a greenish shield; Aron's protect. It let out a little roar and beamed at its trainer, who couldn't help but return the smile.
Quickly, she glanced around and took in the sight of their surroundings. To their left, there was an altar in the shape of a smaller Bell Tower. Behind her was fortunately no one, only a grunt, his Machoke and Arbok to her sides. The little army further behind the leader was still busy fighting J's Pokemon and Dawn hoped it would stay that way. So, that she had the time to focus on the ones directly in front of her.
It took her a moment, to decide on her next step; or rather, on the Pokemon, she would concentrate her attacks on first. "Aron! Braviary! Heavy Slam combination on Hypno, go!"
The eagle let go of the heavily breathing Machoke and flew over to Aron. With the steel type on its back, they rushed towards Hypno, a yellowish aura around them; the beginning of a complex combination.
"Wha-?! Hypno, Psychic!" One of the grunts - a bulky man short blond hair - gave an order to his partner. As predicted, Braviary and Aron were stopped in midair, creating a putative opening. "Alright, Houndoom, use Crunsh on the girl! And Electrode, Thunder attack on that damn fox and the chicken!"
Another grunt joined his comrade; he ordered his Machoke to take care of Ninetales from behind. The leader didn't seem to care at all, he merely watched the battle in front of him. Not that Dawn would miss his absence at all. The timing for that maneuver was crucial enough without him.
"Will-O-Wisp, behind you! Whirlpool on the Houndoom! And Psybeam on Hypno, GO!" Dawn was glad for all the experience she had gathered with her Pokemon. Otherwise, they probably wouldn't have understood her intentions well enough.
Before Machoke could reach Ninetales, huge, blue flames gathered around its white fur; not only were they hot enough, to burn Machoke's arm, they were also capable of blocking the Thunder for a short moment. Enough time, to dodge the move and let it hit the fighting type instead.
Piplup, at the same time, slid under the attack on its back and created a huge Whirlpool. The Houndoom were sucked in and shot towards the sky, closely followed by the penguin. As it and Dawn had planned, it executed another powerful attack. Flippers were glowing white, indicating Piplup's Brick Break, which catapulted the dog Pokemon straight towards the floor again.
Lastly, Kirlia shot the colorful Psybeam towards Hypno. It wasn't effective, but the shock made Hypno lose its concentration. Braviary and Aron were free once again, and without any other hinderance, they crashed into the psychic type.
"Okay, Aron and Braviary, finish with Bite and Arial Ace!"
The steel type leaped towards Hypno's risen arm and it dug its jaw into the yellow skin. A somersault later, Braviary crashed into the psychic type. Dawn was not able to see, how they returned to her side, since Arbok was attacking her once again with bared teeth. She ducked under its head and moved next to Kirlia. Now the psychic type had a perfect chance to catch the snake with its powers and that's just what it did. If it wasn't for a surprising Electro Ball, the strategy would have succeeded.
The orb came flying towards them at rapid speed. There was no time to waste, and so Dawn herself had to step between and kick the sphere away. Stinging pain jolted through her leg, because of the electricity and once again numbness crept in the limb. That unpleasant sensation, however, was not the worst effect. The shock made Kirlia's concentration waver. The Psychic attack lost its power and gave Arbok enough time, to wrap its strong body around the young Pokemon. It hissed threateningly at Dawn, as its prey let out a choked cry.
"Kirlia! Use Teleport, quick!" Dawn shouted with both her voice and mind, hoping to reach the troubled Pokemon somehow. The words didn't seem to have any effect, though, as too much fear and shock clouded its thoughts. It wasn't surprising, regarding what little battle experience Kirlia had. Situations like that were a risk, Dawn had been well aware of. She still decided to put it in her team - psychic types were usually very convenient for those kind of battles.
And fortunately, the young trainer thought of a good option to minimize the damage as little as possible. She grabbed its Pokeball and tried to recall it. However, it failed. Instead, Arbok put even more pressure on the helpless Pokemon, drawing out another pained cry.
Irritated, Dawn spun around and tried to make out the reason for her failed plan, but instead, she could only watch another nasty problem appearing. An explosion, caused by lightning, burst parts of the ground apart, obscuring the view of one of her opponents. She had to avert her eyes because of the brightness, but because of the position and metallic cry the Pokemon made, Dawn could guess, what had been struck. Electrode, a Pokemon, which was know for its enormous appetite for electricity and the powers it could unleash with so many volts cursing through its body.
With incredibly speed, it rushed over the battle field, right towards the Pokemon, which was the last one to attack it with another Flamethrower. Ninetales appeared to be unfazed, as it glared at its foe. The little flames of Will-O-Wisp were still active and had molded with its white fur, creating the image of a burning helldog with glowing eyes. Dawn knew, her fire type was more than capable of defending itself; she just hoped, its moves wouldn't put the whole roof on fire.
So she didn't watch the clash of fire and electricity, which blasted more parts of the roof apart and focused on saving her Kirlia first. A Wobbuffet had accompanied Galvantula and stood protectively in front of the leader. Dawn grimaced, its unique ability Shadow Tag prevented Pokemon from returning to their Pokeballs. Not bad, she had to compliment him silently. With little effort he created a worst case scenario for Dawn. Kirlia was trapped, and any false move could result in devastating consequences for her partner.
To make things worse, Hypno and Houndoom recovered far enough, that they could stand on their feet again. They panted heavily, but were more than ready to strike back. "Commander Pierce! We're ready to-"
"There is no need for you to continue. Retreat this once! But leave Electrode here," the bluehaired man with the name Pierce ordered. His subordinate wanted to object, but any words of his were futile. After another, harsher order of his leader, the grunt bowed submissively and left.
The whole conversation was a perfect chance for Dawn, to save her Kirlia. "Braviary, Aron, come!"
The eagle was about to charge towards its trainer, but suddenly, a strong hand caught its right leg. Machoke had recovered from the Thunder attack, and part of the electricity now shocked Braviary. At such a close range it had no problem landing a Power Punch on the flying type, knocking it to the side. Aron couldn't keep its balance and fell of.
"Damn it," Dawn hissed, angered that she had to change her plans again. "Aron, push it back with Protect! Braviary, Arial Ace!"
Immediately, the shield slammed into Machoke's side, causing it to almost lose its footing. Braviary took the opportunity and attacked head-on with air circling around it. The attack succeded and Dawn was about to call her steel type back to her side. She planned on using the shield one more time to shake Arbok of in as similar manner. If there weren't three more attacks, claiming her attention.
The armor clad figure of a Bisharp jumped up from behind Arbok. Its two claws shone like long swords made out of crystal - like the one-hit knockout move Guillotine. Dawn felt her insides freeze. A mere second later, Galvantula sped over the ground, a large mass of electricity surrounding its body. Its aim was once again Dawn herself.
However, those attacks weren't even the worst part of the assault. Suddenly, an enormous Fire Blast engulfed the altar in the middle of the roof, turning the battlefield into a raging inferno. The heat was burning on her skin, it was almost unbearable. Above the noisy flickering of the fire, a few pained cries were audible and although Dawn desperately wanted to overview their situation, there was no time. She couldn't even shout a command, all she could do was trusting in her Pokemon's own decisions.
And trying to stop at least Galvantula's Wild Charge, before it had the opportunity to inflict damage on Kirlia behind her. She squatted and braced herself for the pain that would come as soon as she tried to catch the bug type with her own arms.
But before anything devastating could happen, Aron countered with another Heavy Slam and crashed right into its side. The force knocked the spider Pokemon sidewards, while Aron stood still. Sparks flew from its body, yet it didn't show any weakness. One problem was solved; and the other one as well. As Dawn turned around, she could catch a glimpse of Piplup, spinning like a spear with its Drill Peck. It collided with Bisharp and the two battelers disappeared behind Arbok to continue their battle.
Dawn found the time to sigh in relief. Now she had a few seconds to spare on shouting at a certain woman, she thought was responsible for the blaze. "J! Stop it, you're insane! Are you trying to-" She abruptly ended her tirade, though, when she saw the real culprit behind the destructive move. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Ho-Oh, soaring through the air and unleashing fire attacks at the swarm of Pokemon around it. Even J and Salamence were targeted and despite their outstanding flying skills, they could barely dodge the moves.
At first, the young trainer hoped, it just hit the tower by accident. However, when it dove towards the corner further behind Dawn and destroyed it with Steel Wing. The loud noise of metal shattering sounded in the sky, probably caused by one of the bells. There was no doubt left, that it tried to destroy the building. But for what reason? Why would Ho-Oh destroy the Bell Tower, which was built to honor it?
Dawn's mind was too agitated, to search for an explanation. Her concentration was fully occupied with the battle; for jobs like that she had taken Kirlia into her Team. That just made the need of rescuing her partner even more urgent.
And to accomplish that there was only one option: Attack!
"Ninetales! Confuse Ray, go!"
With ease, the fire type caught the eyes of the already aroused Electrode with its own red glowing glare. As a result, the electric type staggered backwards - and then began spinning rapidly in a Rollout attack. A smirk crept on Dawn's face; just as she had hoped.
"Now, Irontail towards Machoke!"
Suddenly, the leftover grunt had something to tell as well. "Hah! Machoke, we'll counter that, right? Both your bird and the fox, no matter how many tails it has!" Although the fighting type was still paralyzed and roughly beaten, it followed its trainers almost ridiculous order. Dawn had other plans in mind anyways.
And Ninetales understood her intentions perfectly, as that was its prefered way of fighting; using the enemy to beat up the enemy. When Electrode rushed towards it, the fire type simply sidestepped the attack and hit it afterwards with three glowing Irontails. In the blink of an eye, the overly charged projectile crashed in the perplexed Machoke and knocked it finally out.
"Braviary, Rock Slide beneath them!" Dawn continued the assault, always hoping, those moves would not cause a direct reaction of Arbok. Quickly, the eagle dove closely to the ground, followed by white rings that turned into stones. The boulders landed on the floor without to much damage. Their purpose was to keep Electrode in place as it fell onto the new ground and was helplessly spinning between the bumps. Little damage could its electric attacks cause; it was stuck. Two opponents down, so far.
apparently, the commander didn't care about his subordinates at all, as he stayed remarkably calm. His attention laid on Galvantula, which attacked Aron from a distance and Arbok. They exchanged a nod and Dawn could hear another cry. She gritted her teeth. Time was running out!
But the next step of her plan was already in progress. "Ninetales," she called out for her fire type. A deep breath filled her lungs with necessary air, to shout the next command on top of her lungs. So that the commander could hear it. "Use Flamethrower on Wobbuffet!"
Pierce was obviously taken aback, as the fox rushed directly in front of Wobbuffet, opened its mouth - and shot a star-shaped Fire Blast. The psychic type reacted automatically and countered the devastating attack with Mirror Coat. The move was split in five beams. While a few of them disappeared without harm in the sky, the other two shot directly - with the help of Ninetales powers - towards Electrode and Galvantula. Both ended as critical hits. The bug type was knocked out instantly, but didn't block all of the flames. Aron had to deflect some with its own shield, protecting itself, its trainer and Kirlia from fatal damage.
Worried, Dawn glanced towards the other victim of the assault. The rocks were glowing red because of the heat and for a moment, Electrode stood still. Then it returned to its spinning with a speed that made her dizzy. She had to be cautious, since she didn't want Electrode to explode and tear the whole roof apart.
"Now, Aron! Help Kirlia!" If the quadruped Pokemon had been able to salute, it would have probably taken a second for such a movement. Instead it dashed towards the snake, which wouldn't have the time to take down Kirlia anymore. Its teeth were glowing purple, though, about to dig in Kirlia's neck.
Suddenly, a black and yellow Pokeball popped up directly in front of Aron and released... something with a glowing Dragon Claw. The steel type couldn't react and took a direct hit to the head. Despite its type resistance and risen defense, it still appeared shaken, which was never a good sign. It meant the opponent was strong. Strong and noisy.
"Druuuh! Druddigon!" Roared the roughly skinned dragon type and tried to continue its assault. Quickly, Braviary joined the battle and grabbed the spiked shoulders of Druddigon. Immediately, both Pokemon struggled over dominance, but eventually, the eagle lifted the weight some meters in the sky, clearing the way for Aron.
In a desperate try to safe Kirlia, the steel type increased its speed with Rock Polish, although it might already be too late. Yet it would never reach the snake in the first place, as the commander called out for another Pokemon; Crygonal. And immediately, it moved in with Sheer Cold. Aron barely managed to dodge the attack, but as a result, the floor was partly frozen, so that the steel type had difficulties even standing four legs kept sliding apart on the slippery surface.
Oh no! Dawn spun around. Although it wouldn't change the situation, she had to see it. She couldn't just avert her eyes, after all, that was her partner! Images of Kirlia's unconscious body filled her mind and it was her to blame.
As expected, Arbok had its jaw locked around Kirlia's neck. But before she could have a closer look, something heavy fell on the floor right beside her. Druddigon's blue glowing claws were risen and ready to strike Dawn's head, ready to end her final battle.
Dawn hated to admit it, but in that moment her limbs were paralyzed in mostly shock, leaving her completely immobilized. If it wasn't for a turquoise ball of energy, which collided with Druddigon, that would have been her last retained breath.
Since her ears had stopped hearing any sounds for a second, beside the abnormaly loud hissing of the air around the claws, the explosion on Druddigon almost deafened her. A shockwave pushed her backwards, but the burning pain of heat in her back made Dawn regain her footing quickly. The fire behind her was still raging; strangely enough it remained in the center.
"Dra... Dragon... Pulse?" Dawn breathed, well aware that none of her Pokemon were able to use that move and it was most unlikely, that there was another intruder in the tower. She could only think of one person, who would perform such a rescue. And Dawn was not happy about it.
"J..." The young trainer hissed. Without being aware of it, she glared at the silver haired woman standing atop of Salamence. The huntress returned the look with similar anger.
"Is that how you show gratefulness towards the person that just saved your pathetic life?!" J replied, her eye twitching.
"No one asked you to do that!" Dawn shouted, so that the huntress could hear her. It wasn't like the girl was actually mad about J's help. It just didn't fit the image, she tried to carve into memory of the huntress. Yet she came and had to rescue her. "What kind of great rescue plan was that?! If Dragon Claw didn't work, maybe Dragon Pulse could give me the rest?!"
That sentence reminded her...
Quickly, Dawn looked back to Arbok, which had still its fangs dug in Kirlia's neck.
Or so it seemed. Something was off with the poison type; its head shook slightly, as if it tried to escape a relentless grip. Slowly, its head moved backwards, away from Kirlia's unharmed skin. Dawn could shout out of happiness. Even in that state and without any visible sign, her partner used a psychic move to stop Arbok!
"Especially you shouldn't complain about it-" J tried to continue the discussion, but since Dawn lacked the interest and Ho-Oh kept attacking them, she and Salamence were forced to leave once again.
Their presence was quickly replaced, though, with a much more pleasant companion. Finally, Piplup reappeared behind Arbok's back, jumped over its head with a somersault - and used the poison type as a shield against Bisharp's Guillotine. Both Arbok and Bisharp were shocked at that outcome and while the steel type simply froze in the middle of its movement, the snake stiffened. It hissed once, then its body became limp and sagged towards the ground.
But even before Arbok hit the floor, Piplup jumped over the steel type and pushed it forward. To make sure, that toss covered enough distance, Piplup shot a Hydropump after its opponent. Bisharp ended up crashing into the still dazzled Druddigon.
"Pip! Piiip lup!" The penguin exclaimed proudly, as it landed beside Dawn with its flippers on its hips. Its trainer couldn't pay it too much attention, though, as she held Kirlia in her arms and tried to shake it awake. Reluctantly, the psychic type opened its eyes and looked hurtfully at its trainer.
Dawn suppressed a sigh. "Sorry, Kirlia. Bear with it for a while, alright?" She shifted her attention towards the water type. "Good job, Piplup. Now, I need you to take care of the fire."
Although she had already noticed, that the flames behind her didn't seem to spread for unknown reasons, the heat became troubling. Piplup ran of towards the flames and Dawn told Kirlia its next task. It should find out the reason for Ho-Oh's aggressive behavior and simply ignore the events around it. Despite the unmotivated look on its face, Kirlia closed its eyes and used its psychic powers.
Finally, Dawn was able to fully concentrate on the battle. Ninetales was mostly defending against Crygonal, as Wobbuffet kept interfering with its counter attacks. Fire attack's wouldn't have any effect on the fox, but those enormous amounts of power were to hard to control even for the skilled Ninetales. Another blaze on the roof would just cause unnecessary troubles.
So it was up to Aron and Braviary, fighting off Druddigon and Bisharp. With no type advantages, even more disadvantages, it would become a very interesting battle. The problem was, that Dawn didn't wish for such kind of troubles.
"Well then... Braviary, Hone Claws! Aron, Rock Polish!"
While Braviary's legs shortly emitted a black light, the steel of Aron's body became a lot brighter; every sign of a bruise was erased. The two opponents were still recovering at that time. They couldn't attack just yet. But as soon as Dawn gave the order for the assault to begin, they countered.
That's strange... Dawn wondered, as she watched her Pokemon battle. Why is he the only one left, who is fighting me? She averted her eyes for a second and tried to look at the little army of grunts, she had seen at the beginning of the assault. At that time, most had dealt with J's Pokemon. And although her view was mostly blocked because of the blaze, Dawn could still see some shouting orders at each other. They couldn't possibly still fight Drapion, could they? Or did they try to execute an evil plan?
The young trainer would have loved to let Kirlia scout the direction, but the psychic type was already occupied. She shot a last glance towards the huntress, who was back soaring through the sky, then resumed to her own battle.
Braviary had just tossed Druddigon on the ground with Sky Drop and Aron held Bisharp's claws in place, using its strong jaws. Dawn took the moment of dizziness to attack, hoping to defeat at least one Pokemon. "Braviary, Brave Bird and spin!"
Blue, sizzling energy enveloped its body and with the additional rotation it looked like a huge comet. Druddigon lifted itself up, yet the Dragon Claw on its hand looked almost like a joke, next to Braviary's power.
But they never made contact. Instead a huge, dark orange shield popped up in front of the eagle. It looked like Wobbuffet's Counter - but it shouldn't have been possible! It was still standing on the same spot, where it had been released. Yet Braviary was blasted away with such force, that it crashed on the roof and left long cracks in the wood. Worried, Aron looked out for its partner and was almost hit by a Brick Break.
Since when has Wobbuffet such a range? But this is my chance! Dawn thought. "Ninetales, Fire Blast, go!" Counter was still effective, making the psychic type vulnerable.
But despite Ninetales' overwhelming power, Crygonal was able to block the attack, until Wobbuffet could switch to Mirror Coat. The flames were reflected, leaving the fox no choice but to absorb all of them.
Dawn gritted her teeth. at that rate, she had no choice, but take down Wobbuffet first. She already had a plan, but no opening. Fortunately, a grunt was kind enough, to grant her wish.
Several shouts were audible over the sizzling of the fire, but she couldn't understand the words. The popping noise of a Pokeball, however, as well as Rhydon's loud voice, proved to be more distinct. Suddenly, the ground shook violently, in a result of an Earthquake move. The burnt and weakened wood gave in and the whole altar in the center collapsed into the tower. Tiles and wood, Pokemon and people were lifted in the air, only to crash down on the roof again. Not even the leader could remain in his position and lowered on his knees. Since it was his subordinate, who had caused that trouble, his attention's was shifted for a second to the brawl behind him.
Perfect, Dawn thought, although she was sprawled on her back. Quickly, she shot up and began the assault. "Ninetales, get Wobbuffet in the air with Irontail! Braviary and Aron, follow it!"
The steel type jumped on Braviary's back and together they soared over the roof. Neither Druddigon nor Bisharp could stop them, especially, since Electrode had escaped its prison and wrecked havoc.
At the same time Ninetales catapulted the surprised Wobbuffet highly into the air. The power it had gathered through the countered Fire Blast protected it against Crygonal's ice attacks.
What followed, was a gamble the Rocket member had to take. A gamble of life and death, actually. "Now, Flamethrower one more time!" Dawn kept a close stare to Pierce. His posture seemed to stiffen almost unnoticeable. He knew, where the flames would most likely hit, if his Wobbuffet used Mirror Coat. So he had to decide, whether letting the much tougher psychic type take the hit, or suffer severe injuries himself.
Yet a little smirk curved his lips upwards, as if he was sure, his next move had outwitted the girl. She couldn't hear his words over the sizzling of Ninetales' Flamethrower, but she could see the white sparkle around Wobbuffet - Mirror Coat.
She narrowed her eyes. That hadn't been the reaction she had hoped for. That didn't mean, she hadn't planned for such an event in advance. "Braviary, Aron!"
The duo closed in towards the blue Pokemon, ready to strike anytime. Obviously, Wobbuffet was highly skilled with its reflection moves; it deflected the flames and aimed for its two foes in front. Crygonal even added its Sheer Cold to the inferno, a truly devastating combination.
"Now, Protect!" Once again, the shield blocked the attacks. "And finish with Bite and Brave Bird!"
Aron jumped from its riding position and aimed for Wobbuffet's weak spot. Then it dug its strong jaws into the black tail and wouldn't let go. The blue body stiffened, only a choked breath was heard. Then the tension ceased, and Wobbuffet simply fell back down. Nevertheless, Braviary continued its attack and catapulted it with enormous speed towards the ground. Finally, the second psychic type was down. And there were hopefully not to many other opponents on their way.
Braviary and Aron had returned to their flying position, but both were panting heavily, especially the eagle, which had suffered most hits.
Pierce couldn't suppress a little smirk, at the sight in front of him. "I guess we are very close to the end."
Dawn couldn't help but agree. There was the tip of a blade carving her back, after all. Shortly before Wobbuffet hit the ground, Bisharp had sneaked behind the young trainer and it was its claw that was on the verge of piercing her body. Whenever she tried to turn or move in another direction, the pressure increased; even a single drop of blood escaped the puncture. Her Pokemon were visibly horrified, yet they were able stay away and watch.
The commander spoke up again. "I think, this is a good time to return your Pokemon. Do it and fast!" His composure showed his calmness, but also his idea of superiority. Too bad for him, Dawn thought differently.
"That's interesting. I can say the same about you; hurry up and retrieve your Pokemon."
A frown crept on his features. Although he wished for it, he didn't give the command to attack. "Is it just me or aren't you the one, who is about to be stabbed in the back?"
Certainly, he was right, yet Dawn could imitate his calm with ease. "And you're about to suffer hell-fire," Was her dry reply. The very idea made her cringe, but it was her probably last chance. As well as the truth.
Only then he seemed to notice, how close Ninetales was to him; its eyes were still glowing red and most of its white fur was covered by red flames. It wasn't just its appearance, though, that looked like a demon. The Fire Fang, which was dangerously close to the leader, burnt with unbearable heat. He gritted his teeth. "I didn't expect you to go that far."
Dawn raised a brow. Hadn't she already provoked a similar scenario with Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat? "Don't think, I'd do something like that voluntarily. No matter what I say about it; if you harm me, Ninetales will make you suffer the consequences."
All the while she had been carefully fiddling with something on her belt. Pichu's Pokeball. It was still blocked with the capsule, but she managed to turn the contest device around. Only a little more and she could cause a surprise that would buy her enough time to get free of Bisharp. It involved an action of herself, she would rather avoid, but there was no other choice.
At the same time, Kirlia send the image of Ho-Oh to her - a sign, that it was done with the research. Dawn nodded inwardly. Good. I'll just get out of this situation, then we can think about the answer... Easier said than done, of course.
The pressure of that staring contest laid heavily on her shoulders, but she did well to keep her calm. Only the nervous thought, whether her plan would succeed or not haunted her mind. There wouldn't be a second chance. She just hoped, Pichu would understand and act quick enough.
Suddenly, just as she was about to grab for the Pokeball, the blade in her back jerked upwards, scratching her skin in the process. She didn't know, why it had moved like that, it didn't matter for the moment. As soon as any contact was gone, the coordinator quickly turned around - and kicked Bisharp's arm away. Under compulsion, she followed with a push kick, forcing the dark type away. That distance wouldn't have lasted long, if Piplup hadn't charged towards Bisharp with glowing flippers.
Dawn sighed in relief. Finally, the horrible feeling of death lurking behind her back was gone. Only a few meter in front of her, Salamance hovered over the roof once again. J stood on its back, as well as Ariados. It was probably its String Shot that caused the unexpected movement of Bisharp. Maybe it was also the reason, why Arbok didn't bite Kirlia?
"This was the second time already," J stated calmly, although her crossed arms and the whole body posture suggested otherwise. "The second time, I had to save you."
"And it was unneccessary, again!" Dawn retorted. She almost felt bad for the nasty reply, but no matter what, she couldn't bring herself to simply thank J. The bluehaired girl simply couldn't be grateful. In a subconscious attempt to escape the huntress' glare, Dawn turned her head towards Kirlia. She gave the psychic type a nod, that it could start filling her with information telepathically.
In that direction had also been the altar. Thanks to Piplup, the flames on their side had been distinguished and revealed an unobscured view towards the huge hole in the center. Her heart sank, when she saw the bright, orange flare in the building. The Bell Tower was on fire, an image Kirlia sent her as well.
"Of course it was. I mean, what value could your life have?" J talked.
Majestical Ho-oh. Consuming wrath, Kirlia thought.
"If you have any reasonable logic in your mind, then get lost already!"
Urge to destroy the origin. Urge to banish the intruders.
"I will not accept it, if your carelessness causes me any consequences!"
A helicopter engulfed by thunder. Bells chiming for the first time.
"Okay, I'm confused..." Dawn mumbled and tried to sort out the words, emotions and pictures in her head. Why did J have to be so talkative that day?
What did she find out so far? That Ho-Oh liberally tried to destroy the tower, and still was. The reason was linked with the legend, that the arrival of a hero would cause the mighty Pokemon to return to the tower. Since that description didn't apply on anyone standing atop of the roof, the trigger of summoning Ho-Oh must lie within something else. There was the possibility, that the numerous bells didn't simply announce its arrival. They might actually be able to summon Ho-Oh - they never chimed at any other occasion.
Team Rocket must have found a way to force the bells to ring and Kirlia had even found the source; the helicopter floating directly beneath the storm.
"Are you even listening to me?!" J interrupted her chain of thoughts.
Dawn gritted her teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate! In contrary to you, I don't have the time to argue around like that! I'm trying to find out, why Ho-Oh is here and how I can save it!"
J huffed. "Its because of those damn bells. Its useless to try and destroy them, since those idiots protect all of them with shields. And reaching the helicopter is just as futile." The huntress pointed behind Dawn, so she turned around and was very surprised, to see a barrier of blue and grey Pokemon. She had to narrow her eyes, to make out the details in the distance.
"Aren't those... Crygonal and Magneton?" She asked hesitantly, then looked back at J again. "Shouldn't one Flamethrower be enough?"
J snorted at the very idea. "You think I wouldn't have thought of something that obvious? Are you really that stupid?" She shook her head. "The Magnetons are arranged like honeycombs and can use Protect, Lightscreen and worst of all Lock-On. The Crygonal attack with Sheer Cold all the time. Now try to break through a wall like this!" The huntress scowled and crossed her arms. "I don't know how they are able to combine their moves like that, but one-hit knockout attacks with one hundred percent accuracy? You should be very grateful, I am here. Any other person would have died a long time ago and with that you aswell."
Despite the rather dangerous situation they were in, with the building beneath her feet burning and all the hostile Pokemon around them, Dawn couldn't help but pose one question. "Is it possible than no one in your life ever thanked you and you developed a complex? What's with this 'you should be grateful, damn it!', huh?" While J appeared like she was about to explode, Dawn let out a sigh. "Let me think of something..." Her gaze was fixed on the huntress. "Couldn't you just fly over there and distract them, so that I attack them..?"
"I'm not a decoy!" J snapped and quickly left with Salamence. They headed towards Ho-Oh once again, which was still struggling with all the smaller flying types around it.
Dawn resumed to her own battle. The leader was now outnumbered, yet Druddigon, Bisharp and Crygonal seemed to be unfazed; they fought even more fiercely than before. Nevertheless, the young trainer couldn't relax. The floor was getting hotter and hotter by any minute and after a while, her feet were painfully aware of the flames. Thick clouds of smoke made their way through the hole. Dawn was still some meters away, but a sudden gust could envelop her in the toxic fumes. It was only a matter of time, before they had to flee from the tower and from then on, her partners were limited to Piplup, Aron and Braviary, since there wasn't much more space on the flying type.
Her mind was racing in search of a good idea. Braviary and Aron could use another Heavy Slam combination to break through both the barricade and the helicopter. For that task however, they needed a lot of additional weight. The eagle would be able to lift even the Rhydon rampaging on the other side of the hole, but there were still to many uncertainties. If Protect didn't deflect every attack aiming for them, her partners would be in great danger. Not to mention, what effect that assault would have on the other Pokemon and humans involved.
A powered Fire Blast of Ninetales would be able to drive the Pokemon apart as well, but who would distract the Crygonal for long enough? She couldn't just send Braviary up there, she still needed its help to end the battle on the roof.
"Any ideas?" She asked Kirlia and through it her other partners. J still clung to Ho-Oh and occasionally attacked the wall. That there wouldn't be any success at that rate was obvious. On the other hand she refused to play the decoy for just a minute. Couldn't the woman make up her mind?
On top of that the barricade was enormous. Dawn couldn't make out anything in the northern side, expect the mass of Crygonal and Magneton. Hundreds, maybe thousands were gathered. As much as Dawn despised those criminals, she was awestruck. That they abused so many Pokemon was unforgivable.
Whether those thoughts, she still shared with her partners via telepathy, were the trigger of the next move or not, she wasn't sure. But it was then, Ninetales acted on its own with unpredictable consequences. It withdrew from the battle against Crygonal, Bisharp and Druddigon and attacked the most explosive Pokemon of probably the whole Johto region; Electrode, which would occasionally jump into the battle and annoy mostly the dragon type. Before the electric type could notice its presence, Ninetales used a combination of Confuse Ray and Will-O-Wisp. Now burnt, unoriented and weakened, it finally resort to its last tactic. Both Dawn and the leader gasped at the sight of its rapidly blinking body, the indication of a devastating explosion that would certainly cost their lives.
With as much force as Ninetales could muster, it used all of its Irontails to bat it straight towards the barricade. It was probably only a coincidence, that J and Salamence were hovering in front of the position that very second. They dodged the deadly projectile, but the powerful shock wave of Electrode's Explosion still reached them. Dawn couldn't see any more, since she had to look away from the bright flash.
The hiss of fire echoed in her ears; rapidly, Ninetales gathered masses of flames in its body and unleashed the power in a single Fire Blast. Not even a second later, the inferno passed the hole, where the wall was torn apart and disappeared in the clouds. But only, after it set fire on a flying object that was quickly retreating.
Ho-Oh let out a long cry of relief. Its eyes wandered shortly over the situation below, before it decided to return to its previous location in the vastness of the skies.
Suddenly, Ninetales let out a painful growl; Druddigon had used the moment of surprise and attacked the fire type with its Dragontail, so that Ninetales was forced back inside its Pokenball. Of course Dawn wanted to call it out again, but then several blasts in the tower prevented that plan. Eerie cries made her wince. The ghost Pokemon, which had lived in the now burning tower, broke free and lunged at the intruders of their home. They battled merciless and did not differ between Pokemon and trainers.
A Gengar and two Gastly appeared behind Dawn's back and launched Shadow Balls directly at her head. Piplup was able to deflect those attacks with a Whirlpool attack, but it was also panting heavily. They wouldn't survive a long battle, that was clear.
"Braviary!" She tried to call out for the eagle, but was drowned by a loud Roar. Braviary and Aron, which were still next to the dragon type, were forced into their Pokeballs, as a result of Druddigon's nasty move. Even Kilia glowed red and returned into the device, although it hid behind Dawn.
As if something like this would work-! She thought, but was quickly convinced to believe the opposite. A strong spark went through her body and her muscles stiffened. For a second, any movement was prevented and even as the first shock wore off, her limbs didn't obey her wishes. The sensation reminded her of the several paralyses, she had endured during her journey. She could catch the glimpse of the tiny and slender figure of Tynamo, another electric type from Unova.
The leader had a seventh Pokemon hidden from her view and in those rare occasion she remembered, why the arrangement of six partners per team was a good idea.
"Pipluuup!" The penguin cried out and it was obvious, why. Bisharp had sneaked up from behind; that time, Guillotine worked and it knocked out the water type within seconds.
Dawn could barely breathe in that state, nevertheless she picked up her most trusted partner - and was trapped. Masses of ghost types floated around her, behind her back there was still the Rocket member and his team of ruthless Pokemon. Heavy steps shook the wooden ground and before Dawn could turn around with her paralyzed body, Druddigon hit her side with its blue glowing Dragontail. Although she was only hit by the tip, the young trainer cried out in pain and rolled over the roof. Her destination was, of course, nothing but the hole in the center.
Fortunately, there were no flames that had spread over the side yet, but it was still unbearable hot, as Dawn grabbed the edge with her hand. Since her body flipped over, she was hurled back towards the direction she came from and that force dug a broken piece of wood into her palm. She was still determined to hang on; a look at the merciless inferno beneath her drove any thoughts of pain out of her mind.
Dawn still clutched Piplup in her right arm. If she wasn't strong enough on her own, then she should at least safe her partner!
But every mental effort she made was nothing compared to the overwhelming strain her body had to endure. The pain of the heat clouded her mind, and before she could realize it herself, her vision became black and her grip loosened.
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Hats gefallen? :D Oder ist das Ende würdig, Cliffhanger genannt zu werden? Naja, ich denk mal, das Kapitel endet genauso, wie's anfängt... an einer nicht nachvollziehbaren Stelle! He.hehe. he. huh.
Abschließend noch nen guten Rutsch, write ya next year!
