Through Shadow and Lightning A Warrior Rises

Chapter 11

The morning light flashed through the cracks in the blinds and Steven Stone woke up. He got off the couch he was sleeping on and saw that Alexa was still sleeping on the bed. He took a shower and walked out to find her still sleeping. After they met up in Santalune City, they had talked about how much X had revealed to them. They both knew as much as the other one, next to nothing. The only reason they even considered trusting him was because Ash Ketchum, a mutual friend, fully trusted him. That night, he got a message from X telling him and Alexa to go investigate a village that had reports of attacks by shadows. Steven gently shook Alexa awake.

"What time is it?" Alexa asked sleepily.

"It's 9 am" Steven answered. "X sent me our assignment. The place we have to go is pretty far so I say we go now so we still have light."

"Okay, first let me get ready" Alexa said.

An hour later, they were on the road. The angel, who identified himself as Scrap, had ditched the taxi and instead picked them both up in a Jeep. Steven told Scrap the destination, a small village, and gave him the coordinates. Scrap drove like a speed demon and they got there in 8 hours (for some reason Scrap had raided a metal junkyard and taken a bunch of old parts). When they arrived, what Steven and Alexa saw shook them to their core. Houses were demolished and burned to the ground and the ones still standing were heavily damaged. The trio got out of the Jeep and walked into the village. People stared at them and children ran and hid behind the legs of their parents. Steven didn't need to be told where to go to begin their search. There was one place where he could get answers, the hospital. They walked to a building that had a Poke ball and a red cross on it. Alexa guessed this was both the Pokemon Center and the hospital. They walked in and approached the front desk. The nurse person standing behind the desk looked at them.

"We don't have anymore beds available, I'm sorry" she said.

"We don't need medical attention" Alexa said. "We just want to know what happened here. We heard that there was an attack here. Something about shadows."

Everything and everyone stopped moving all at once. Everyone stared at the three new arrivals with a look of fear. Whatever happened at the village had shaken the residents to the core.

"Another reporter comes to hear the story" a young man said angrily. "What are you gonna once you hear it, post it on some conspiracy theory blog?"

Steven stepped forward. "We are not here for a laugh or to joke" he said. "Unlike those other reporters, we take these things seriously."

"Why should I believe you?" the young man asked.

"My name is Steven Stone. I am the champion of the Hoenn region and, by extension, one who is called upon to assist with...unusual incidents, especially when it is considered a threat to the world."

"Enough Kenai" a voice said.

A man who looked to be in his 60s limped up to them with a cane. He had a patient expression on his face. A boy who looked to be 20 or so helped him along.

"My son has trust issues with those who live in the cities" the old man said. "Reporters have come and heard our story just to turn around and mock us for cash. My name is Kawhi and I am the leader of this village. I have heard of your successes as a champion. Who are your companions?"

"My name is Alexa, sir. I am independent investigative journalist."

"You admit you're a journalist even after hearing what was just said?" Kawhi asks.

"Yes, I have no reason to lie" Alexa stated.

Kawhi nodded and looked at the last one. "Who are you?"