Kalos Quest (Vol. 1): Beginning

28. Light Screen, Force Palm, and Riolu

Luna watched Axel poke his jelly as he let out the 34th sigh today after the gym battle.

Axel had insisted he was fine after losing to Korrina, saying that they had to train much more harder. But watching Axel staring ruefully at one of his favourite food made her doubt that.

"Do you not like the jelly?" She asked. Axel continued to ignore her with a blank look in his eyes.

"Ey, Axel? Are you alright?" She asked again, leaning across the table to wave her hand in front of his face, "hey, Axel?"

"H-huh?" He blurted with a dazed look on his face, "I, uh? Yeah! Of course I'm fine!" He said with a smile.

"Wanna do some training?"

"Nah," he murmured, looking back at his untouched jelly as he continued to poke it with his fork, sighing yet again.

"Really? Hey, you're not feeling bad about losing the gym battle, are you?"

"I said, I'm fine!" Axel snapped impatiently. There was a moment of awkward silence as he quickly shut his mouth tight, rubbing his forehead and sighing for the 36th time this evening, "I'm going to sleep." 

"It's just 8:30!" Luna pointed out.

"I'm tired," he mumbled under his breath, getting up from his seat. Luna looked at Axel with her mouth open, shocked.

-

Axel closed the door behind him, sighing. His vision blurred up immediately.

Stop crying! Why are you even crying?

He winced, biting his lower lip hard as he covering his face in frustration, closing his eyes and leaning against the door. 

Force Palm.

He sighed again, staggering towards his bed and collapsed into the soft mattress. He grabbed the blanket and flung it over his head, recalling how Lucario defeated all three of his Pokemon with ease using Force Palm. Too weak. I could have done something. I could have exploited one of her openings. I could have come up with a better plan.

But I didn't even get a chance to do that.

Battling.

Why did I even agree to this whole 'challenge the Pokemon League' thing in the first place? Why did I even think that it'll be fine. I'm clearly not suited for battling, from the very start.

Tossing around, he couldn't help but to think about the battle. About how badly he had lost. About how cornered he was and how he couldn't even put a single scratch on Lucario.

Why did Professor Oak even choose to send me to the Kalos region?

I'm just useless, like back then. Nothing's changed.

His mind spun out of control as the jeers he received as a child circulated his brain, clouding his judgement.

Shuddup! Shuddup! Shuddup! He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists tighter as he held back his tears.

He heard the door creak open.

"Axel?"

Axel ignored that, pretending to be asleep.

"Come on Axel, I know you're still awake. Wanna have a quick talk with me? Everyone's worried about you." 

Axel swallowed hard, "It's alright. I'm completely fine." He lied in his calmest tone. Yet, his voice quivered slightly, "I just want to sleep."