Fiery Lands and Stormy Seas (Pokemon Watty Award Winner 2014)

Chapter 33

CHRIS

 

            Chris Marsh crouched down behind a big black rock on the jagged passes near Lavaridge town.  He was getting close, so close, to finding a familiar area that he had seen in his Swampert dreams. The air was hot and stuffy from the heat of the huge volcano that seemed to tower high above everything in sight, Mt. Chimney.

If only I could slip into Swampert while I’m awake, I would have already found him, he thought.  Sadly, he could only become Swampert in his dreams.  Now, he crouched behind the black rock, blending into the shadows in his dark green clothes that Solomon Forrest had given him.  The black rocks shadow stretched a long way in front of him.  The sun was setting and soon it would be dark.

There was a noise that sounded like voices nearby. Chris readied himself and gripped his spear tightly.  Lavaridge guards, he thought.  The voices were coming closer, and Chris could hear three pounding of one... two… three feet heading this way.

“Hold up,” said one voice.  Chris realized his spear was also casting a shadow.  Slowly he moved the slender shadow of the spear to join with the long shadow of the rock he was standing behind. “There’s something behind that rock. No, stay here, I’ll check it out.”

The steps got closer.  Chris could tell the man was trying to be silent, but Chris could feel him moving closer.  At the last second, he flipped out the butt of the spear and made the man double over. In a flash, he had his spear pointed at the man’s throat.

He wasn’t armored, or armed at all.  He was dressed in rags with nothing metal on him but bracelets of rusty iron that once may have been chains.  “Don’t move!” the King of Slateport commanded.  No sooner had he spoken those words than he felt something sharp press into his back.

“I could say the same for you,” said the man on the ground. Chris knew he was caught.  The two men locked eyes.  Had Chris heard his voice somewhere before? Out of the top of his eye, the third man must have run to the scene.

“Chris! Chris! Stop!” It was… Hector?

“Hector?” Chris felt his eyes widen with shock and as soon as he stopped looking at the man on the ground, he rolled to the side and Chris felt the sharp thing at his back disappear. “What are you doing here? How did you escape?”

“You have him to thank,” Hector gestured at the man he had knocked to the ground.

            Chris turned to the man to better introduce himself.  He opened his mouth to speak greetings, but the Combusken at the man’s side made his veins run ice cold.  “You’re the one who killed Ryan.”

            “The very same,” he said. “You almost had me during the battle after your Spirit Pokémon evolved.” He had short cropped, red hair and serious eyes.  “Bet you’re glad now that you didn’t, eh? Elsewise how would your other friend have lasted here this long?”

            “I thank you,” Chris said.  The King of Slateport lowered his spear and crouched into a fighting stance with it. “But tell me now why I shouldn’t gut you?” The Brightflame Prince gave him an incredulous look.  Combusken flashed its claws at Chris.

            “Chris, listen,” Hector stood between the two royals with his arms open. “He is not our enemy. Sure I know he killed Ryan, and I’ll never forgive him for that, but we need him to help us find our way out of here! He knows these lands and the patrols better than anyone!”

            “Yes I heard about how Starfall seized the lava-stone throne from a friend of mine.” Chris eyed Brightflame carefully before he stood back up and lowered his guard. “Very well. I won’t kill you today. But I swear, Brightflame, if you give me one reason I won’t hesitate to skewer you.”