Heart of Steel [Pokémon Fanfiction]

16| Up in Flames

Several days had passed since my encounter with Valerie. Wallace, Winona, and I had made the unanimous decision to cut our time in Mauville short and move on to Lavaridge Town, the next town on Hoenn's map. It was a small settlement built near Mt. Chimney, one of Hoenn's two mountains. We found out that it would take much longer to travel there, so we decided to leave as soon as we could. The traveling itself was quite easy, and all three of us were able to train our Pokémon some. Unfortunately, my personal experience with this trip was considerably soured by one reoccurring event.

   For the fifth time, I woke up a couple hours before dawn shuddering and shaking. Yet again I had been torn from my sleep by a nightmare. I sighed and clutched my aching head in my hands. Everything is fine... Be happy you're awake, because that means you're safe...

It was the same dream I had before I had my strange vision of the future. The unrelenting screams, the shadow of the monstrous Pokémon, they were all the same. And while it had become a reoccurring dream, at least I wasn't waking up practically screaming now. Luckily, I was accustomed to not getting a full night's sleep thanks to my previous study habits.

   Once the sun had risen over the peak of Mt. Chimney on that same morning, the others woke up and we set off on what was hopefully our last day of traveling for a few days. Running parallel to the mountain was an overgrown road that had markers displaying that it led to Lavaridge Town. There was no other possible way we could have gone so we began making our way down this literal "road less traveled."

   "What's so special about Lavaridge Town?" I asked Wallace while we were walking.

   "It's home to some famous hot springs and the fourth Gym," he responded.

   Another Gym? Already? Talk about odd placement... "Really? What does the Leader specialize in?"

   "I..." Wallace looked puzzled. "Don't actually remember. Give me a second, I know this."

   "Take your time," I remarked casually, looking back towards the road. At that moment, a wave of dizziness washed over me and I began to feel faint. Not this again... I thought. The dizziness wasn't as severe and I could still continue walking, albeit at a slower pace. I involuntarily shuddered as a chill spread through me and my vision darkened.

   I was now standing in an open room that was insanely warm. For some reason, I was trembling and my heart was pounding out of my chest. Meteor was out of his ball and he looked back at me with a concerned look in his eyes.

   Are you sure you can handle this? You don't look too good... he said.

   I am feeling a little shaky. But we're so close to winning anyways! I heard myself reply. My vision was then invaded by white laced with red lines. I can handle it? Handle what? And what are we winning? I wondered as the scene changed to something different. It then registered with me that we were in the middle of a battle.