Metamorphosis (Pokémon Watties 2017)

15: Fade Away

"Kaden!"

Isa flinched back when he heard Kaden's voice pierce the room. He turned his head away for a moment, quickly looking back. Kaden stumbled away from Valencia, falling on the ground just in front of Isa. Kaden refused to look up, kneeling and holding his chest tight. His eyes were clenched tight, and everything else about his expression screamed pain. Isa scrambled across the ground, grabbing Kaden and placing his hands across his chest. They grew moist and covered themselves with red before long.

Bad sign.

"You're such an idiot! You told me you wouldn't do this!" The healing energy flowed from Isa's hands, making no difference.

"I never promised this wouldn't happen for a reason." Kaden's voice was weaker than Isa had ever heard it. "You have to defeat her. Ayana can help you."

"You're gonna help us. We're all gonna get out of here." Isa's voice cracked up. "Just hang in there." He only looked away when he heard a few footsteps, seeing Valencia tower just above the two.

"A bit ironic how Xerneas and Yveltal are working together, is it not? Nevermind, I suppose it won't be for long." Her hair brushed across Isa's arm as she pointed her sword at him.

"Y-You..."

"What, are you going to call me a murderer? A criminal? It didn't seem to bother you when you were friends with this Admiral. Or has he not told you?" Isa could feel Kaden tense a bit at the comment. "But I've been stalling, haven't I? I believe history repeats itself. Is that a saying you've heard before?"

Valencia rose her arm and sword into the air, looking down at Isa and Kaden emotionlessly. Instinctively, Isa closed his eyes and turned away, pulling Kaden behind him. 

Isa heard footsteps, and a loud clang of metal. The attack never came. He opened his eyes, seeing Ayana hovering over the two and pushing against Valencia's sword with her own golden blade. "Get out of the way, and do whatever you need to do to keep him alive. Garchomp and I will hold her off!"

Ayana circled around Valencia, turning her attention away from Isa and Kaden. "Get going!" She demanded, stretching her head around to make sure Isa got the command.

Isa snapped back to attention, and gave Ayana a nod. He picked Kaden up, slowly moving away from the fighting. As he moved, he focused his energy on healing. "I'm gonna get you back up again, okay?"

"Don't bother. You need your energy more than I need it." Kaden glanced up at Isa, his dark eyes barely staying open.

Isa noticed red tinting Kaden's eye color. It was the first time he had seen it.

"But without that energy, you'll..." Isa refused to say the words, continuing to pour his energy into the healing.

"I remember something. From when we were younger." Kaden switched the subject, very slowly reaching for the sleeve of his jacket. He pulled off a small blue piece of cloth wrapped around the sleeve. "This is yours."

"What are you talking about?" The cloth was longer, and a little rough. It was clearly worn past its limits.

"Don't you remember? You taught me a couple games that day, and then you gave me this to remember you."

Isa fingered with the blue cloth in his hand, thinking back. A bit of blood rubbed onto the cloth, creating a brownish-purple color. "I don-" He started to deny the memory, pausing as it came back to him.

"Don't hurt me!" A timid boy calls, looking up at Isa with wide and fearful black eyes that hide behind hair colored darker than the night. He's holding a small doglike Pokemon that growls at Isa.