A Journey | Book 1 [Completed]

Chapter XIII | Confrontation

Inferno's POV

     After catching a Ponyta and an Eevee, I decided to head to the next gym.

     Vulpix, I thought. I still needed a Vulpix and a Magmar to complete my team.

     I needed another fire stone to evolve Eevee into a Flareon.

     Vulpix also required a fire stone to evolve. "Oh lord," I muttered.

     While flying to the next town, Blaze suddenly dove downwards to Lavender Town. "Hey, what're you doing?!" I exclaim.

     Blaze landed safely but seemed to be unable to fly afterwards. "What'd you do that for?!" I scold.

     Suddenly, I hear spine-chilling laughter. It was coming from nearby.

     "The Firelord burnt his own relatives, did he?" a chilling voice muttered. The voice echoed across the tombstones and the towers.

     "Who's there?" I demand. "Burnt them to a crisp," it repeated. I turned in all directions until my heart suddenly stopped.

     "Then he will be burnt alive," it muttered slowly. "He...will...suffer."

     Then a figure appeared out of thin air. It had grey skin and a terrifying smile. "Greetings, Firelord," it grinned.

     The figure stumbled towards me slowly, swaying side to side. "W-Who are you?!" I shake.

     "Name or species?" It smiled at my fear. "What are you, what d-do you want?!" I yell.

     "I want you to apologize, Firelord," It muttered. "Why are you calling me that?" I shake away my fear.

     "Why, you're getting a full fire team, correct?" It stumbles, struggling to stand.

     I nod, whilst sweating. "May I not call you that, Inferno?" It turns its head.

     "H-How do you know that. W-Who are you?" I stutter. "Why, my dear Inferno, how could I not know you?" It smiles with delight.

    It had no pupils, just pitch black eyes. It's skin seemed decayed and old. It's hair wasn't even a color, it was just a shaded outline.

    "What does that mean?" I ask. "You ask too many questions," it frowns. "One at a time."

     "Who are you?" I ask. "That cannot be answered. I am not a who, I am a what," it replies.

     "Then what are you?" I shake, my legs feel wobbly.

     "I cannot answer a question I don't understand. Specify, please," it replies.

     "What's your name?" I ask. "Good job, Inferno. My name is Shade," it grins.

     "Are you human?" I question him. Shade pauses momentarily then frowns. "Do you mean currently or was I before?" Shade asks.

     "What are you right now?" I eye him. "For the time being I am a ghost, one that only you can see, for I have stopped time to speak to you," Shade answers.

     "Okay, what do you want with me?" I ask. "Finally. The thing I want from you, Inferno, is your apology," Shade grins maniacally.

     "What do you m-," I start but am interrupted. "You know exactly what I mean," Shade frowns.

     "Please, I don't know," I beg, falling to my knees. "What have you done that you can still fix?" Shade asks.

     "I can't go back in time to-," I was once again interrupted. "Oh, but you can, but that's not what I meant," he grins.

     "Who have you left behind?" Suddenly, my eyes widen. A ghost came to tell me to return to my brothers? What a waste of time, I thought.

     "It's my life, why can't I live it how I want it?" I growl. Shade frowns and I see a transparent tear form on his face.

     "That's how you want to word your question, yes?" He grimaced. I nod and turn to fly away on Blaze.

     "Very well, it is your life, Inferno," Shade begins. I turn around to see his eyes glowing white. "But it doesn't mean you control it."

     Suddenly, there was a bright flash. When it cleared, Shade looked almost human. He had pale skin, red eyes and grey hair.

     "Pokémon battle, now," he ordered. "The loser pays the price." I turn back to him in shock and fear.

     "What if I decline?" I shrug. Shade grins evilly. "Then you lose your life," he grins. "Go, Mimikyu."

I decided my only chance of keeping my life was battling. "Go, Flare!" I shout. I allowed one side of my hair cover my face.

"Let's do this," I mutter. I'd never heard of a Pokémon named Mimikyu before, but it looked like a Pikachu.

"Use shadow sneak," Shade muttered, whilst stumbling. The Mimkyu quickly defeated Flare in a single attack.

"Go, Wildfire," I call on my Ponyta. "Use flame wheel!"

"Mimkyu," Shade mutters. Instantly his Pokémon dodges the attack and knocks out Wildfire.

"Go, Ignis!" I shout. Eevee was immune to ghost-type attacks, so shadow sneak wouldn't do a thing.

"Play rough," Shade mutters. Ignis was decimated in a single hit.

"Blaze, I'm counting on you!" I call. Shade looked sad and depressed, as if he didn't want me dead.

"Just apologize," he muttered. But I continued fighting.

"Blaze, earthquake!" I call. Mimkyu takes no damage. Instead, it's cloth topples over.

"Volcanic eruption!" I shout. Blaze leaps in the air and creates an earthquake.

He then quickly uses flamethrower on one of the cracks in the ground. As the earthquake ends, Mimikyu is still standing.

When the cracks in the ground shut, flames shot up everywhere, but none hit Mimikyu. "Pitiful," Shade mutters.

Suddenly, Blaze rushes through the flaming geysers. "Volcanic rush!" I shout.

Mimikyu fainted after being hit by Blaze's attack. "Now, just two more Pokémon left," Shade mutters.

"What?!" I exclaim. "Actually, five, but I'll go easy on you with one," He replies.

"Go, Marshadow." I pull out my Pokédex but nothing happens. "It's not from this region," Shade grins.

"Blaze, use flamethrower!" I shout. Marshadow evades the attack and rushes towards Blaze.

"Finish it with spectral thief," Shade mutters. With another hit, Blaze fainted. I dropped to my knees.

Shade walked up to me then grinned. "You lost," he mutters.

I shut my eyes, waiting for the end. Then I hear a voice inside my head. I'll let you live, for now, It says.

I open my eyes and find myself back in the air, where I originally was. Blaze was flying over Lavender Town.

I ordered him to fly towards Fuchsia City, to the gym.

...

I saw Atlas in the distance. Thank you, Shade, I thought. Then I rushed up to meet the group.