Broken Souls

Finale

"What are we waiting on?" growls Minerva, jumping up and down on the bed.

I've managed to steal four days back from her, but I knew from the look in the team's eyes after practice last night that this would be the day we went for it, so to speak. We've dallied enough to grind, since I know firsthand that Champions and former Champions tend to be a weak area for us. I don't want a repeat of Lance. Arceus please, don't let this be a repeat of Lance.

We all dreamed together again, and this time, the six of us stood at the bottom of Mount Silver, side by side. I don't remember expressions or even an action or word shared between us. We just sat there, staring up with conviction, a single golden bond holding all of us together. I could feel their heartbeat, their breath, and their silence. The world paused for us. It was waiting on our next move.

I didn't even realize that Ethan was absent for several minutes.

"Can we go?" asks Minerva.

"Why do you always insist on doing this?" I say. "I know this is exciting, or whatever, but these are our lives we're putting on the line. We need to take time, calm down, compose ourselves. This isn't a game."

"I know it's not a game." she says, sitting down. "I'm hustling because I'm scared, Ashley. I'm scared because if I stop running or turn around to see what's chasing me, it'll devour me and everyone I care about alive." Minerva whispers. "Doesn't that scare you?"

I stroke her head. "I'm getting up."

Her usual brashness returns to her face. "Good."

The gym is one of the most if not the most lavish I've ever seen, coming close to some of the Elite Four rooms in terms of decor. It kind of resembles the type of place I imagine teenagers hang out, with dim lighting and strange panelling with arrows across the floor, but there's also a foreboding air to it. The trainers standing around are all in Ace gear. They're seasoned battlers all, not the usual aides or volunteers you see at most gyms, and they look grim as they face me.

Many of the trainers are female, including two that the gym leader has his arms around. Blue looks up when he sees me open the door (potentially because it lights up the whole room) and smiles. "Well, well. Hey, leave this one alone, will you guys? I've been itching to battle her all week."

The other trainers step out of the way. All the arrows on the floor turn off, only to flash back on. They're all facing towards Blue now. I take a step and feel the glare of the lights on me. I narrow my eyes and keep walking. Ethan, Reginae, Hycanith, Minerva, Ten, and Fang all step by me, side by side, even though we're so far apart in size. I can feel the anticipation rising in their throats. My heart feels like it's rising out of my chest and its movements are so erratic that I'm surprised I'm not having some kind of cardiac arrest. It stops, then accelerates, then, once I put my first foot up onto the step that leads onto the battlefield, it stops again.

It'll be over in a few hours. No matter what happens, it will all be over in a few hours. Reginae reminds us.

That's the problem. The battle is nothing. I'm worried about the aftermath. replies Fang.

"Calm, guys. Calm and collected." I say, taking the final step. A field of shimmering, clean glass gleams below us. Our own faces are reflected back at us, and I can see the nervous expressions of each team member.

On one side is Blue, hands in his jacket. He pulls them out to reveal his six Poke Balls wedged between his fingers. It's a gesture novices usually make to look cool or threatening, but like everything ridiculous about him, he pulls it off.

"Let's not waste time standing around." Blue tells me, placing his Poke Balls back in his pockets and bringing back out a singular orb, tapping it out to full size. "Go, Benedict!"