Set in Stone (A Pokèmon Fanfic)

Chapter 11

"Woah." I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Violet City was rustic and traditional, its pavement and rooftops a dark burgundy color. A large, gleaming tower rose high into the sky, its tiered sections standing proudly on top of one another. Elegant wooden bridges arched over a large, rippling lake, leading up to the majestic tower. The sun shone onto the city, giving it an eerie, mysterious feel.

I walked, trancelike, through the city. People nodded at me as they passed, walking briskly to their various destinations. I passed over the bridges, running my hand along the smooth, polished wood. When I reached the middle of the lake, I leaned over and checked out my reflection.

The water was crystal clear, and I could see all the way to the bottom of the lake. Aquatic plants swayed underwater, and magikarp passed by, blowing bubbles that streamed to the surface. I stared into my reflection, and I was surprised at what I saw. Instead of the nervous version of Regina, I saw something different. My face resembled something like a mix of hurt, anger, and sadness- I was heartbroken.

"Hey, guess who decided to de-hermit?" a rough voice taunted, and I felt a hand on my shoulder, jerking my up. I whipped around to face a cyan haired female, her dark eyes malicious and mocking. Her long, luscious hair shone in the harsh light, and curled perfectly down her shoulder. I felt like I should've known her, but I couldn't place where I knew her from.

"Who are you?" I asked, my mind racing. Obviously, she didn't like me very much. The girl sneered, and put her hands on her hips.

"Uh, don't you keep the names of all the people you've defeated in a notebook?" she taunted. Scrunching up her face, she whined, "I'm sooo honored to go down in your book as defeated!"

I frowned. "I stopped that habit six years ago," I said defensively. "And who are you?"

The girl smiled. "Skytha," she said, offering her hand. I made to shake it, but she quickly withdrew it. "And it's not cool to meet you again. I guess your parents finally got sick of you."

I raised my eyebrows, fighting to keep calm. "Excuse me?" I asked, my voice climbing. "I think I was the one who got sick of my parents."

Skytha rolled her eyes. "You don't remember me? I'm that girl who you defeated six years in a row during the Johto Junior Championship Finals. My name went into that book of yours six times, duh." She said it like I was supposed to have remembered her.

To my surprise (and hers) I laughed. "Do you think I remember something that happened years ago?" I chuckled. "Funny." I started to walk away, but she whipped out a lasso and looped it neatly around my arm.

"Can't escape," she hissed, leaning in close to me. "I've been waiting for years to get a rematch, and when Regina the Hermit finally shows up outside her house, I can't resist another battle." Yanking my arm, she led me into the tower, slamming the doors shut.

"Where are we?" I asked irritably, as I was half walked, half yanked up the tower's floors. Skytha looked back at me, and laughed.

"I forgot you were shut in your house with no life," she taunted. "Well, listen up, this is Sprout Tower. It's dedicated to the Bellsprout and peaceful whatever and other shit like that. Famous for it's pillar in the middle." To emphasize her point, she knocked loudly on the huge, thick pillar swaying in the middle of the floor.

"The pillar can withstand earthquakes, and it's supposed to be made of a 100 foot Bellsprout. All BS, if you ask me."

Just then, an elderly man swathed in purple robes walked up to us. "This tower is dedicated to the peaceful nature of Bellsprout," he said. His voice was whymsical and it sounded like chiming bells. "May I demonstrate to you the power of peace and tranquility?"