Pokémon Platinum (Currently being rewritten as Pokémon: Platinum Chapter)

Chapter 48: Sunyshore City

The first thing I notice upon arriving is the street. Instead of a normal street, like most cities have, they are glass with solar panels beneath them. There were also solar panels on the outskirts of the city as well as several wind turbines. Mom looks around. "I haven't been here in ages!"

"I see why. It took us three months to walk here," Dawn says.

I sigh. "Let's find the gym and get this over with, then."

Dawn puts her hand on my shoulder. "Remember what we agreed on."

"No Mega Evolution," we say in unison.

"I remember. I won't Mega Evolve Lucario."

Dawn pulls out her pokédex and pulls up the map. "It looks like the gym is on the hill near the lighthouse."

I look around until I see a lighthouse. It is solid white. The light turns on as the sun starts setting. The sky is a vivid orange in the west, but stars are beginning to appear in the east. "We might be able to challenge him tonight," Mom says. "He apparently works at the lighthouse."

I smile. "Let's get going, then."

We walk up a dirt path that is being lit up by lampposts. The sides of the path are marked by a white fence. We continue up the path, reaching the foot of the lighthouse, and next to it, two buildings, which I presume to be a house and the gym. I see the lighthouse door open and a man with fire-red hair, a yellow shirt, and grey pants walk out they wave back into the lighthouse and head towards the path that we're on. The man sees us and waves. "Hi there," he says. "What are you three doing out so late?"

I smile and put out my hand. The man grabs my hand and shakes it. "My name's Chris Moore from Twinleaf Town. I'm here to challenge the gym leader."

The man gasps. "Wait. You're Chris Moore?!"

I nod. I motion to Dawn. "This is Dawn Berlitz, from Sandgem Town."

She smiles and steps forward. "Nice to meet you. I'm Chris' girlfriend."

I motion to Mom. "This is Johanna Moore, my mother."

The man thinks, then gasps. "Johanna? The contest star?"

She nods. "That's me."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. My name's Flint."

He turns to me and Dawn. "It really is a pleasure to meet the two of you, though. Two of the saviors of Sinnoh."

"You've heard? I thought it was a secret to most."

"Oh. The incident isn't secret anymore, but Aura will remain a secret so people don't get too scared."

"Scared?" Dawn asks.

I nod. "I understand. It's a highly dangerous weapon in the wrong user."

"So you guys are here for the gym leader?" he asks.

I nod. "Of course."

"I'm afraid that he isn't very motivated to fight anyone at the moment. His last several challengers were too weak, well except for one. An energetic young man with blond hair, a Torterra, and a Combusken."

"Barry..." I mumble.

"He doesn't want to battle anyone."

"When do you think he'll get over it?"

"I'm not sure, but it won't be for a while. Maybe a few months at best."

"A few months?!" I exclaim.

"I'm sorry that you came all this way for nothing."

I think. "Let me talk to him."

"Go ahead. He's at the top of the lighthouse. I'm off to go get some rest. It was a pleasure meeting you all, and I hope to see you guys at the Pokémon League."

"I hope to see you there as well. Are you competing?"

"No. I'm one of the Elite Four."

I gasp. "T-the Elite Four?!"

He nods. "Yep. I'll talk to you guys later though."

"Of course. See you."

We part ways and head for the lighthouse. Dawn walks ahead of me as we go up the stairs. She comes to a door and pushes it open. We walk in and I see a man sitting in a chair. He turns his head towards us. "What are you three doing here?"

Dawn steps forward, smiling. "I take it you're Volkner?"

He sighs. "Yep. That's me."

He looks at me. "You're Chris Moore, the Aura user, correct?"

I nod. "Yeah?"

He stands up and steps out a glass door, going to the deck. He leans on the railing as the light passes by him, casting his shadow over the city for a few seconds before continuing on the only path it will ever travel. I look at Dawn, who looks at me also. She grabs my hand and we both walk out to the deck. Mom stays inside. I stand next to Volkner. "Are you okay?" I ask.

He sighs again. "Go away. I know why you're here. I won't battle you. No one has put up enough of a fight for me to get excited about a battle in a long time."

I can't think of anything helpful to say... except... "I understand how you feel."

Dawn kisses me on the cheek and heads inside. "The two of us'll go to the Pokémon Center. I'll wait in the lobby for you."

I nod and wave. Volkner looks down. "You're lucky to have someone like her at your side, Chris."
I turn to him. "What do you mean by that?"

"She's the only person keeping you sane and happy."

I think and look down. Volkner chuckles. "I knew it. People like her make the world the way it is. They prevent people from going overboard. Where someone might be brash and prideful, they will keep them in line."

A Starly lands on the railing next to me. I grab a bag of Pokémon food and put some in my hand. The Starly eats from my hand and Volkner smiles. "It's when you see how people treat the things around them, you realize who they are."

The Starly chirps and flies into the forest. I hear a pokéball open at my waist and Eve appears next to me. She runs inside and pulls the chair over with her feelers. She jumps into the chair and sits, looking over the landscape with us. Volkner pets her. "Your Sylveon is pretty smart."

Eve smiles and rubs her head against his hand. I look over to him. "You know about Sylveon."

He nods. "My sister traveled to Kalos for a while. She brought one back." He pulls his wallet out of his pocket and shows me a picture. He shows it to Eve. "Anyone you know?"

She turns her head away and jumps off the chair. She walks away and lies down next to me. Volkner looks at me. "Something I said?" he asks, worried.

"Don't tell him," Eve says.

I nod. "I won't."

I turn back to him. "Her family is a... sensitive subject."

"I said don't!"

I turn back. "I didn't tell him specifics."

"Fine."

"I see," Volkner says. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Just don't bring it up again. Eve in a bad mood is pretty scary."

Suddenly, a bright light shines down on us from the sky. Volkner turns around. "What the hell?"

I turn around and see someone I thought I'd never see again. I slowly start to smile. A man wearing an open purple shirt, purple pants with a golden belt, golden shoes and has a red and white afro is standing in the lighthouse. "Long time no see," he says. "You know the drill. Hand over your pokémon!"

Eve stands up and looks at the man, ready to battle. I grin. "No way."