The Time the Sky was Dark

Offense

ah, the ending to the mini-adventure. I suppose I should apologize for not working on this sooner, but school has started back up and I've got other exciting things in my life, as well, so I just sort of... forgot, to be honest. I'm kind of angry at this scene at the moment, but at least Rise didn't randomly turn into a chimchar in the last chapter. I failed. I failed so badly... >.>

- - -

"Noxious Gas Combo!"

Suddenly Crystal was enveloped in... well, the best thing to describe it was exactly what it was called. A rancid cloud settled over Team Sapphire, enveloping them in poisoned air. She shut her eyes when they started to burn, and felt tears beginning to run down her cheeks from the burning. She tried to hold her breath, but as the air continued smothering her, she was paralyzed from lack of oxygen. She had to take a breath...

No! The last time she'd taken a breath, she'd fainted! Her eyes darted to her teammates, and low and behold, they'd fainted. Panic set in and she forced her oxygen-starved legs to move. She couldn't keep holding her breath. She'd drown. She couldn't breathe. She'd faint.  She had to breathe!

Her vision was starting to fade. If she didn't breathe, she'd faint anyways. She had to breathe. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the slippery rock in the Beach Cave.

She breathed...

Nothing. Nothing but sweet air. She blinked a couple times in shock, and sniffed. The air smelled kind of bad, but nothing of the caliber to what Rise and Celeste had fainted from. Confused, she could only stare, and breathe. Suddenly, movement caught her eyes. Skuntank had walked over to Rise, and had flipped him over, so that his face was turned upwards. Crystal stayed still, uncertain of the purple Pokemon's intentions. Skuntank suddenly grabbed Rise's neck, lifted the unconscious fighting type into the air. She began to creep towards him in the darkness. No one treated her partner that way!

Ears halfway upwards to listen for the sycophants, she crept closer, silent. When she felt she was close enough, her rump wiggled, ready to jump to her partner's aid. She took a flying leap towards Skuntank, when suddenly a voice erupted. No, more than a voice.

A memory.

“Why were you fighting? Couldn’t you have solved it without violence? What had this Uri character done to you that required you to hurt her?” Keenan whimpered.

“Keenan, its not-”

“Why can’t everyone just talk things over…? Why can’t…” Keenan slipped into the shadows.

She froze, bouncing harmlessly off Skuntank's back, just when he turned, flinging her away. When he turned, he luckily ended up dropping her unconscious teammate in his surprise. She tumbled across the cave floor, bumping into Celeste's fainted form and finally coming to a halt in the water.

"What are you youngsters doing to those kids?!" Torkoal yelled, having been awoken by Zubat's prodding. Zubat cried out in alarm, not realizing Torkoal could see what was going on over in Skuntank's area. Crystal pulled herself up onto the rocks and shook the salty water from her fur. She could only watch as Torkoal confronted Skuntank, who had something in his paw. She was surprised to see that Torkoal was not blasting him with fire, until she realized that a fire with the noxious gas in the area would cause an explosion, most likely. Wait, why was she waiting for Torkoal to avenge her partner? She was about to step forward and rip Skuntank limb from limb when she remembered yet again...

She couldn't fight anymore.

She didn't want to hurt anyone.

She didn't want to cause pain.

Not anymore.

"Rise..." Torn between offense and neutrality, she almost missed Torkoal coming to Rise's defense, and succeeding to drive Team Skull off into the dark night.

She probably would have if Skuntank hadn't decided to skedaddle at that moment, followed by his cowardly cronies.

"Don't you think we're chicken for a moment, old man! We got what we came for! Chaw-haw-haw!"

"Whoa-ho-ho!"

"Heh-heh-heh!"

And Team Skull were gone. A few minutes passed in absolute shock, and Torkoal was suddenly at her side. (She hadn't noticed him walking slowly towards her; she was too busy picking her jaw up off the floor.)

"Are you all right?" he asked. She stared, eyes wide.

"I-I'm fine! I should be asking you the same thing!" She said, staring at the elderly fire type. Torkoal smiled slowly, amused by her reaction.

"I was making sure. You seemed to falter as you attacked Skuntank. I feared you were hurt looking for me." Torkoal said, looking over with concern.

Crystal flinched. "I'm not hurt.

There's no reason to worry about me." She insisted. Torkoal nodded, relieved, the puzzled. He stared at her a moment, deep in thought, a frown of concentration as he tried to figure whatever conundrum was on his mind. Crystal stared back, wondering what his mind. Finally, the silence got too loud, and she felt the need to say something, anything.

"Sir?" She asked, feeling the need to be respectful of the one who saved her.

"Crystal, I have heard of your vicious fighting style, and how... strong you are, considering your size and experience. Your anger is well known around these parts after a charmander incident, though I don't know the details. All I know is that Pokemon were talking of it, and your team's prowess, for days in the hot spring, wondering if you'd finally, as you kids say nowadays 'lost your cap'. If I may ask, why did you hesitate in attacking that ruffian when he attacked your friend? He's surely your enemy, from the way he treated you." Torkoal asked. Crystal frowned and turned away.

"... I don't want to hurt others anymore." She said. "It isn't right. I shouldn't have caused others so much pain..." She mumbled. "Attacking others... I just don't do that any more."

"... Let me rephrase that, then." Torkoal said. Crystal blinked. "Why didn't you defend your friends when they needed you?" He asked.

At first, she could not respond, she was so taken aback. What did he mean by that? Slack-jawed, she could only stare blankly at him, amethyst eyes wide.

Guilt settled in. Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Loyalty to friends and loyalty to her savior- how could she choose?

"Crystal." Torkoal said. "There is a difference between offense and defense. Do yo know what the difference is?" he said. She shook her head. There was no difference. They both ended in pain. How could there be a difference between them?

He took her silence as a no. She only stared at him.

"The difference, young one, is this. Offense is when you attack. Defense is when you defend."

Well, duh...?

"Offense is when you initiate an attack against someone, often times in anger. I assume that was always your reason for attacking the 'bad guys'?" Torkoal said, and Crystal nodded guiltily.

"Defense, however, is different. It is not you who initiated the attack. In fact, it may not even be on you. Defense is when someone else is the aggresser, often attacking those who cannot save themselves... such as Rise. He was unconscious. What do you think would have happened if Skuntank had been allowed to continue being on the offensive?" Torkoal asked.

"... He would have died." horrified, she whimpered, flattening herself against the ground.

"Remember this, Crystal. Defense is protection. Offense is aggression. Never forget the difference. Now let's get home. It's late and you've got a cave to explore, and a mission to fulfill."

Crystal smiled, truly smiled. "Yes sir!"

- - -

Wise old Torkoal shows off his wisdom. Finally, Crystal can get back to atta- *cough* I mean, defending her old friends!

By the way, Celeste and Rise will be just fine. And a preview for the next chapter goes to whoever can explain why Crystal did not faint when surrounded by the poisonous air.