Ash's Story (Part 5: Modern Sinnoh)

Chapter 36: Veilstone Weight

Veilstone City rose ahead of us with stone streets, tall buildings, and a hard gray shape that made the whole city feel carved out of the mountain.

After the rain of Route 215, the dry city air felt strange against my skin. Turtwig walked beside me with his leaf held high, still proud from mastering Energy Ball on the road.

Veilstone was louder than the routes before it. Trainers moved between the Department Store, side streets, and training courts with bags full of TMs and supplies. A tall building with a cold, official feeling stood farther away, and I did not like how many people avoided looking at it.

Lillie noticed me staring. "That building feels like trouble."

"Later," Gladion said. "We came for the Gym first, but we should remember it."

I nodded, because Veilstone already felt like a city with more than one battle waiting inside it.

We had barely passed the first row of buildings when a blue sphere of energy came flying toward the street.

For one strange heartbeat, I thought Veilstone itself had thrown the attack at us.

"Duck before that Aura Sphere reaches us!" I shouted.

The Aura Sphere tore past us and burst against a wall in a flash of blue light. Dust scattered across the pavement, and Dawn grabbed Piplup before the shockwave could knock him backward.

A few people on the street barely reacted beyond stepping farther away. That told me this had not been the first blast Veilstone had heard today.

"What in the world was that?" Dawn asked, eyes wide.

"I think that was Aura Sphere," I said, already turning toward the training grounds.

Another blue blast crossed the street from the same direction. We ran toward it and found a pink-haired girl dodging backward while a Lucario rushed her with a glowing Bone Rush.

"A Lucario," I breathed, stopping for one startled second.

The girl threw up both hands. "Lucario, please stop. I said I am sorry."

Lucario did not stop. It spun Bone Rush and struck the ground near her feet, not close enough to hurt her, but close enough to make the message clear.

Lucario was furious, and the girl looked too tired to defend herself properly.

Before we could move in, electricity cracked from the side street. An Electabuzz stepped out with sparks flying from its horns, eyes locked on Pikachu like it had been waiting for him.

Pikachu stiffened on my shoulder, ears flattening with sudden recognition.

"Pikachu, do you know that Electabuzz?" I asked.

Pikachu's meaning came sharp and wary. "Paul's Electabuzz. It remembers."

"Wait, that is Paul's Electabuzz?" I said.

Electabuzz fired toward Pikachu, and Pikachu leapt down to answer with Iron Tail instead of Thunderbolt because people were too close. Monferno stepped forward with a growl, but I held him back before the fight could spread.

Lucario appeared between them and struck the ground with Bone Rush. The shock stopped both Pokémon in place, and Electabuzz grunted like it respected the warning even if it did not like it.

The pink-haired girl hurried after Lucario, out of breath. "I am sorry, Lucario. Please say you are sorry too."

Lucario turned away without answering, and that hurt more than another attack would have.