can't we just go back? | pokémon

seventeen | fury of the skies

winona was feeding her pokemon when she felt her pokenav vibrate in her pocket. immediately picking it up, she saw wallace's name.
"hello, wallace?"

"winona,"

"what's up?"

"i need you to gather the leaders. we need to talk about something important,"

winona stood up.
"why? did something happen?"

"i may be overthinking but i want to be safe than sorry. something shady is up in the park i just went to. there are kids involved but i hope i'm wrong about this. gather our leaders and we'll talk about it later when i get back. i'll call alder about this and let him tell his gym leaders. i better get going no—,"

"wallace?"

"yes?"

winona briefly stopped speaking, fighting the urge to talk to wallace more. but her emotions got the better of her and she just kept speaking on her phone.
"are you okay?"

now it was wallace she heard that stopped speaking nor did she hear any breathing on the other line.

"yes, i'm fine, winona,"

"you're telling the truth, right?"

"of course i am, winni," he said, her nickname he fondly called her, slipped from his mouth. winona felt a thump in her heart and a lump on her throat.

"i'm.. i'm relieved to know that," she said in a low voice.

"i'll head back and meet with you and the rest of the leaders," both said goodbyes and hung up.

winona found herself sitting down by the corner of the bed, thoughts going wild with anxiety. wallace found something wrong. it could potentially be harmless. but what if it's dangerous?

it's okay, winona. everything will be fine. you've faced dangerous situations back in hoenn with team magma and aqua. you'll get through this, too. you're not alone. you're surrounded by such strong hoenn leaders.

surrounded?

like the coward that you are?

winona shut her eyes tight. her mind is too unforgiving and cruel to her.
she has been enduring harsh self-criticisms for far too long.

you always let other people save you.
you let yourself go and hide behind the back of trainers stronger than you.
you should be ashamed of yourself.

"winona?"

winona swiftly looked back and saw wattson walking towards her.
"wattson," she called, her voice a little shaken.

"what's wrong, champ?"

"i need to gather our leaders. wallace said he saw something suspicious and that we need to be on our guard more,"

-------------

all leaders were already sitting down when wallace came. he was briefly talking to someone on the phone. he looked at his watch before ending the call and standing in the middle of the leaders.

he explained to them what he saw and what his assumption of what's wrong. he may be wrong, and he said he hopes so, but it's always better to be on guard and on watch. winona listened intently.

"alder has mentioned that marlon saw several dead skarmory by the beach last night," winona's heart dropped at wallace's words. she felt her gut sink as her vision blurred.

"multiple adult skarmory and a few baby ones were found dead and that their steel wings were stripped off,"

with shaking hands and a broken heart, winona looked at him.
"skarmory are not native to this region nor is it their season of migration. i doubt it was nothing but a hunting game. someone must've brought them here for some illegal and vile purpose that we don't know but we have to find out,"

"wasn't there a previous case back in hoenn where several tinkatinks were found and their metal hammers were missing?" norman said. winona remembered what happened and somehow, things started to make much more sense now.

all of them were quiet for a while, each thinking of something terrible. a truth they now know were happening, not only back in hoenn but to unova as well. not that this wasn't a normal occurrence but more of a problem that was quickly escalating and if they don't do something yet, hundreds, maybe even thousands of pokemon will be subjected to human's cruelty.

"i will relay to alder what we talked about today. whatever happens now, be prepared to fight. remember to prioritize the civilians and their pokemon's safety. we did not become leaders to be defeated by another group of people with cruel intentions. be on your guard at all times. when you see something suspicious, call winona or me," wallace ended their meeting and the leaders all got up to leave.

winona was still feeling the anger from what wallace told them. she was shaken and so full of revenge.
wallace walked up to her and gave her a gentle pat on the back.
"are you okay, winona?"

winona shook her head as she tried her best to fight the tears wanting to escape her eyes at that moment. trembling hands and and lips showed wallace the effect of the news brought her.
"i am so full of hurt for those poor birds. they must've suffered so much with the humans who captured and killed them,"

wallace could do nothing but comfort her in silence. he let her weep silently, when the whole world around them kept moving as time went slow for winona. she let her tears fall but did not want wallace to see her face. she kept a safe distance, letting wallace close enough to touch her. she weeped and weeped as much as she felt like, for all the poor skarmory. for all the poor pokemon who were subjected to so much cruelty they did not deserve.

and after a few minutes that felt like eternity to both of them, winona looked up. but her face was not what wallace expected. her anger showed in her eyes, tears dripping down her cheeks. her stare was so cold wallace swore he was looking at a different person.
"i will defeat them all," she spoke.

wallace held her arm softly.
"winona?"

she didn't look away, only straight ahead, heart full of pain, grief, and revenge.
"i'll talk to marlon. i'll avenge those poor birds and show them the fury of the skies when you curse and spit at it," 

winona didn't wipe her tears. she let it all fall and drip and reach the ground. she let her anger fill her up and her sense of justice caved in her chest.