Pokemon: Fate's Path

Chapter 24

Jay Wolfe

I coughed several times as I slowly sat up, gradually taking in the sand I was lying on and the cold waves rushing up around my waist. A red and black lump was near me and I picked it up, holding Torracat's body against me. It was so cold compared to when he was alive and the flame sac around his neck was burned out. I could hear the other two stirring to my left but didn't bother turning to look at them, I barely cared how we washed up here.

"Jay?" I heard Soren's voice behind me followed by the dull thump as he dropped down to his knees and sat down. "I'm sorry."

I stayed silent and continued shivering as I cradled my pokémon's limp body. I should never have brought him out of his ball. If I had used Soul to cut us out or fight past Hero then all of my pokémon would still be alive... some trainer I was. My second pokémon I had ever owned was dead because of my choice. He trusted me and I let him drown! Soren draped his arms around me, pulling me closer to him slightly, and gave a sigh.

I knew he was trying to comfort me, maybe warm up too, but I didn't care at the moment. Freya was still off to the side trying to find out just where on Ethereal Isle we had washed up on. Anger flashed through me for a second, Torracat could've had some chance at surviving if she hadn't pulled me back. Soren had helped her of course... I shook the thoughts aside. Freya had been right when she'd said I never would've been able to resurface. Not that it mattered in the end. We had all nearly drowned.

"Are you hurt?" Soren spoke up again.

I shook my head. "No, I'm fine."

He was silent for a few seconds again and tightened his grip. "Good... "

"...I need to bury him." I stood up, shrugging out of Soren's arms, and moving farther away from the water.

Sand wouldn't keep him buried for long no matter how deep I dug but at least I wouldn't have to see his body once it was buried. I hated the feel of Torracat's body in my arms, mainly because I knew he wasn't going to just wake up after passing out... he was dead and I was responsible. Maybe Kirlia had been right to be afraid when I'd send him out to battle. I could kill him too... or Curse... Arceus, what would I do if she died because of me? I didn't even realize I was sitting on the ground again, clinging to Torracat's body, as I cried. Soren caught up to me and I felt him rub my back soothingly as I sat there.

"I'm so pathetic..." I held Torracat tighter at the thought, muffling my crying.

"I'm sorry." Soren spoke again. "I was only trying to protect you... I didn't want you to drown like Freya warned."

"Yeah, I just didn't want to lose one of my friends." Freya said, making me jump slightly as I hadn't heard her approach. "Drowning is pretty bad too, slow, your brain loses oxygen and your body is built to make yourself breathe at a certain point so then you-"

I was guessing Soren gave her a look to shut her up because she stopped talking about it. Glad to hear I had let Torracat suffer before he died too. He seemed even colder in my arms if that was possible.

"So, how did we get out?" Soren asked after a long stretch of silence.

Freya's tone was thoughtful as she replied. "The ship could've been so damaged it broke apart and we were lucky enough to float here on the currents... It's possible some water types could've helped us."

I shrugged. Either way, we were lucky I guess. But were we lucky enough to find a way off this place? "Why don't you guys go find out? Or see how to leave?"

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to stay?" Soren asked.

I shrugged him off again and stood up, finally composing myself. "Yeah... I need to bury him... I'll catch up when I'm done."

He was hesitant to leave but Freya whispered something to him as she walked past and he eventually followed her after a moment's hesitation. I laid Torracat down on the ground as I found a spot to bury him before releasing Soul and Scourge from their balls. It didn't take them long to notice Torracat's body and the two gave me questioning looks. I turned my back to them and pointed to a nearby spot.

"I need you guys to help me dig a grave. I'll explain what happened later, okay?" They seemed to sense how upset I still was and moved to obey without a sound or action of hesitation.

They backed off once I approached, now carrying Torracat's body again, and I laid the fire type in the grave before starting to shove the sand over it alongside my pokémon. Once it was done I released Curse, Kirlia, Hati, and Sköll out of their pokéballs as well. Now was as good of time as any to tell them, and I had told Soul and Scourge I would explain. "Alright guys, I have some bad news... In the fighting against Valhalla we lost Torracat."

Curse's ears dropped and the others who hadn't been involved with digging the grave walked over and looked from me to the mound of sand. I wasn't sure if any of them blamed me at the moment but I wouldn't blame them if they did. I sighed and sat down in the sand, waiting for them to react after they finished their goodbyes. Soul and Scourge were done first, the two of them sitting off to the side as they watched the others, then my two rockruffs were done, too young to quite understand why they should be too attached. Curse and Kirlia stayed where they were though. Curse walked over to me finally a few minutes later and curled up in my lap as if trying to soothe me with her presence, which did help a little.

"Alright guys... time to get back in your pokéballs." I could hear the other two coming back and didn't want to waste anymore time. I quickly returned my pokémon, minus Curse who normally stayed out of her ball, before turning to meet Soren and Freya half way. "So... Um, what's going on?"

"There isn't a boat in sight, I don't know how we're getting off this place." Freya complained.

Soren sighed. "We're stuck here until Valhalla comes to see if we died or someone else finds us."

I was silent as I looked around... we wouldn't survive here long if that was the case. You couldn't drink saltwater and our food would eventually be eaten. I think I would've preferred drowning. Curse gave a growl of dislike as well before pausing and glancing back at the water. It took the rest of us a few minutes to figure out what she'd been distracted by before hearing to strange sound as well. Freya led the way in the direction we had washed up and I followed beside Soren, trying not to seem weak or disheartened by Torracat's death.

"It's a pokémon." Freya paused and I looked around her to see a beautiful milotic in the shallows glancing around as if looking for us. "I bet it helped us, let's go see if it'll help us get off this island."

The milotic spotted us as soon as we started moving again and waited patiently for us to reach it. Despite the pain I felt over the loss of my pokémon, the milotic's presence did give me a calming feeling and I couldn't help but feel better. No wonder the pokédex entries called this pokémon the most beautiful pokémon in the world and that the sight of one could stop wars, it was true. Well, maybe not the war part, but the calming one.

"Loo!" The milotic stared at us expectantly after its greeting.

"You saved us didn't you?" Freya spoke up. "Thanks for doing that."

"Milo." It gave a happy sound.

"Do you think you could help us get to Winterkey?"

"Mi!" It nodded and waved its tail in agreement.

"Great!" Soren spoke up.

I nodded in agreement, it was good news, probably the best we'd get today. The milotic glanced at me, probably sensing the grief buried inside my mind, before turning away and swimming along the edge of Ethereal Isle towards the opposite end. We started following it until the wild pokémon reached the end and looked back at us, waiting for us to get on. I was slightly doubtful we would make it past the whirlpools but it had done it once so... it could again. I returned Curse to her pokéball before getting on milotic with the others, at least now I wouldn't be stuck on an island with the pokémon I'd let die.