Pokemon: Fate's Path

Chapter 25

Soren Rivers

We had nearly managed to get to Risen after a few days walk from Saltview, which would've been shorter if I hadn't gotten distracted and caught a new pokémon: an Alolan variance of sandslash that I had named Icepix. But overall the trip wasn't too bad, considering what had happened, and Jay seemed to be feeling better at this point. However, Freya had discovered that Valhalla wasn't finished with us and now we had to deal with the blonde woman again along with Hero if what Freya had heard was right about him arriving soon.

"Hey, hurry up Jay! Before one of their spies sees us or something." Freya whispered as we turned down an alley on the way to the airport, trying to avoid the area Valhalla seemed to be in.

I glanced back to see Jay picking up her pace again, taking her hand once she was close enough, before turning back around and following Freya. We continued on in silence and I half wondered if we should even try taking a plane or risk another boat ride to Iceshore and just getting to Xelen the long way around. I could feel the tension building up the longer we snuck around but that ended as a wall was blown out in front of us as a pokémon was thrown threw it. The pokémon, a toxicroak, lifted it's head up to face the honchkrow before nimbly dodging to the side to avoid the next attack. Freya started shoving us back the way we'd came from but it was too late... the woman working for Valhalla saw us as she walked out.

"You again!" Her naturally friendly looking face looked furious and she pulled out another pokéball. "Unfezant, go get Hero, lead him around so we can trap these nuisances! Honchkrow, forget the gym leader's pokémon and follow them!"

I couldn't let the other two get hurt. I pulled out Icepix's pokéball, he would be the best shot on her flying types. "Icepix, use icicle spear on Honchkrow!"

The honchkrow rushed forward and hit Icepix before he could get his attack out first but was knocked to the ground once my pokémon recovered and attacked. I started running again, this time backwards with glances over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't going to hit anyone or anything, and kept an eye on the honchkrow as it shook itself and started flying at us again.

"Pikachu, keep it busy!" Freya fell back and motioned her pokémon in the direction of the enemy, "Slow it down with thunder wave!"

"Keep going, I've got this." I said, glancing away from the fight to look at her.

Freya scowled. "We can protect ourselves too you know. Isn't that right, Jay?"

There wasn't an answer and we both glanced back to see her backing away from the end of the alley, not paying attention to our debate. I started reaching for Hoodini's pokéball as I saw her go for one of her own. "Jay, what's happening?"

"They trapped us." Freya caught on as Hero's carracosta lumbered into view along with the barbaracle. "Come on, there's another path between those buildings, we might be able to find another way out there."

Flames erupted from that path as she neared it and a magmortar stepped out with Alice right behind it. "Not so fast. Clara and Hero always want to hog all the fun... well, it's my turn. Magmortar, show them what you've got."

"Now hold on one second!" Clara huffed as she caught up, blood now staining her clothes. "I found them they're mine to deal with!"

"You got to play with Venin, isn't a gym leader more satisfying than a couple of children?"

"Girls please. Let's be civil about this." Hero's voice came from behind us and I turned to see him dragging Jay back towards us, though she look unharmed other than her dignity. "There's three of them and three of us. Didn't either of you learn what sharing is when you were children?"

I glared at him, he could threaten to torture me all he wanted but never Freya or Jay- and Ivan if he was here I guess- I wouldn't let that happen. "Who said any of you get to torture any of us?"

"Magmortar, why don't we show him who we are and why we can torture them?" Alice smiled cruelly. "Use fire punch on the blonde one."

"No!" I moved to get between them but Clara's unfezant flew down and slammed into me, knocking me to the ground.

Icepix started to attack along with Freya's pikachu but a quick flamethrower from Magmortar and a night slash from Barbaracle took them out. At least it meant Freya wasn't hurt though. I glanced at Jay who was still trapped in Hero's grip, she had stopped struggling but I could tell she was trying to think of another way free. I winced as Clara roughly yanked me up off the ground and shoved me into a wall, twisting my arms behind my back... for such a thin woman she was stronger than I thought.

"Move again and I'll let my pokémon gouge out your eyes after finishing your little friends off." She hissed, a cold blade pressing against my neck as she threatened me.

"Don't listen to her Soren!" Freya growled before taking a fire punch to the back and falling to the ground, her bag and red jacket seared from the attack.

I saw Jay about to make her own move to attack Hero and tried to warn her not to: I couldn't bear to see her get hurt. She either didn't see it or ignored me however and twisted suddenly in Hero's grip enough to tilt her head and bite down hard on his wrist. A moment later she was kicked onto her back and pinned down as Hero straddled her to avoid getting kicked and used his good hand to clamp down on her throat, his bleeding wrist held closer to his chest as he forced most of his weight down on Jay's neck, his sleeves protecting him as she tried to pry him off.

"Stop!" I felt the knife nick the back of my neck as I tried escaping. "Leave her alone! Leave them both alone!"

Clara laughed and a moment later the hilt of the knife was slammed into my temple and the world went black.

When I woke up I wasn't sure where I was other than somewhere uncomfortable. I soon became aware of wires attached to me that trailed across the floor to a larger area where a cocoon looking thing was hooked up to similar machines. Brief flares of pain went through my skull, radiating throughout my entire body, in a pattern of waves. What were they doing to me? Was I being used as a power source for that thing? I turned my head to look away, I could faintly make out a door from the corner of my eye but with my restrains I had no way of getting out... I didn't even have my pokéballs on me, they were sitting on a table just out of my reach.

I groaned and glanced away to the cocoon again, closing my eyes in hopes the disorientation would fade and my skull would stop throbbing so badly. I faintly heard the swoosh of the door as it opened before finally opening my eyes again as Clara spoke. "Finally awake. I was beginning to wonder if you'd be drained of life force completely before experiencing the pain."

"What are you doing to me? W-where's Jay and F-Freya?" I gritted my teeth as another wave of agony washed through me.

"It won't matter soon enough." Clara smiled in a way that would've seemed friendly and kind in any other situation.

"Tell me!" I strained against the metal holding me down before going limp... I was losing energy... I could feel it.

"I don't have to tell you anything." Clara sneered, a flash of metal glinted in her hand for a second before I felt the blade slice into my side. "Now... I have to keep you alive until the experiment kills you but... that doesn't mean I can't hurt you before that happens."

I glared at her, refusing to give her any more pleasure from seeing me in pain. They had already taken everything from me I wasn't about to die without the satisfaction of disappointing Clara's efforts to hurt me further.

Clara didn't seem to mind too much though and she brushed the knife against my jaw as she got closer, the smile still on her face as she whispered her newest threat. "Better hope you can handle it because I'm just getting started."