Symbiont || Pokémon Short Story ✓

Chapter Three: Addiction

Anabel awoke in an oddly familiar abyss. As she was gazing around, she failed to notice the dramatic change in atmosphere. The air became thick and murky, and she realized it only when she had to clutch her throat desperately. Choking from the lack of oxygen, she let out a gasp. Knees wobbling and vision fading, she collapsed to the ground.

An ear-splitting screech echoed through the emptiness that surrounded her. Her eyes grew wide.

No... It.. it can't be.

Tears glistened in her dull purple optics. Scrounging up what little energy she had left, Anabel dragged her body across the floor in a desperate attempt to flee from the area as quickly as her arms could take her. Abruptly, the sound of metal clinked somewhere in front of her, causing her to pause. It was none other than her golden Ability Symbol that had fallen from the sky.

She stared at it. The identical scratches, the odd shine and chips in the metal. There was no doubt, it was her's.

Another scream rang in her ears, making her brain pound. Then another and another, until a thousand cries barraged her. It was too overwhelming and her eyelids slowly fell closed, her eyes honing in on the last visible thing.

Her Symbol.

~~~~~~

"Challenger incoming," a robotic voice that emanated from her watch informed.

Anabel, who stood in a slumped over position, smiled eerily. The bags under her eyes were apparent from yet another sleepless night riddled with bad dreams. She was as close as one could get to looking like the living dead. The young woman gestured to the closed entrance that Entei was facing.

"Send them in."

The doors parted, allowing a figure to appear. It was a boy that looked somewhat familiar and yet the Frontier Brain couldn't place where she knew him from. He stopped on his end of the field.

"We meet again," the minor greeted. "It's been a long time."

Anabel's ghastly grin faltered. "I don't know what you're talking about. We've never met."

He frowned, his confident disposition giving way to confusion.

"I'm Arno, I battled you several months ago and you beat me. I've been training hard so I could face you again."

"Arno..." She trailed off and shook her head. "I can't say that name rings a bell. You see, I only remember those that have defeated me, not the other way around."

"Sounds disrespectful to those who worked so hard to battle you, but that doesn't matter. I'll get your Ability Symbol today! You'll definitely remember my name after that."

Something inside Anabel snapped at the mention of her beloved badge. She grabbed the side of her head as Arno sent out a Blaziken.

"How dare you stroll... into my tower and say... such horrible things," she muttered, eyes widening in hysteria. "You've come to steal my Symbol! My beautiful Symbol! You're just like that wretched princess!"

Arno blinked. "I haven't come to steal anything, I just want to-"

"I won't let you lay a finger on it!" The Tower Tycoon suddenly cried, frightening even her Pokémon.

"Hey, what's going on? Calm down!"

Anabel gritted her teeth. "Entei, destroy them!"

The Legendary didn't look at all happy with the current situation but turned toward the enemy nonetheless. He roared, and the dirt underneath his feet burst into flames and rapidly spread outward. The fire formed a circle around Blaziken, who was too paralyzed by fear to move. A column of fire hot enough to melt rock erupted in his face and sent him flying. Arno stumbled back as stray embers threatened to sear his exposed skin. Anabel laughed hauntingly.