literature

When Two Are One 23

Deviation Actions

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  I regret asking.

  White loudly groaned in her mind as she stood in the middle of the Desert Resort. The wind was just as harsh since the last time she reached the horrific place. Sands were thrown everywhere by the wind, the tiny particles landing and hitting her face and skin.

  Out of all places. Her mind continued to nag what her mouth couldn’t. With her cap pulled closer to her face, White squinted her eyes until she could see the Relic Castle. Without any haste, she stomped her feet toward the ruin, not even considering on waiting for Cheren or Alder.

  She let out a relieved gasp once she entered inside the ancient place. Head tilting to the left, White gave her temple a soft pat until she felt tiny bits of sand sliding off her ear. “Stupid place…” Her mumbling continued, this time verbalized now that she was able to open her mouth without the fear of sand on her tongue. A tired frown curling her lips, White gently rubbed the back of her neck and stared at her surroundings. Everything was just as normal since she last came here. The place had a few people looking around. Some Pokémon who inherited the place as their habitat were floating and walking around, whether it was on air or under the sand.

  “Well, I prefer to have sand in my shoes than in my ears anyways,” White grumbled as Cheren and Alder entered the Relic Castle. Both men looked around the area just as she did. Alder took a few steps forward, walking past the teenagers as he tried to quietly remember the direction.

  “Over there.” He pointed far out to the west, right toward the second turn. Alder looked at White and Cheren, both posing faces that defined either irritation or indifference. The need to smile tugged the edges of his lips. Even under a strained situation like this, they could still show such amusing expressions.

  Then again, they were teenagers.

  Teenagers that could actually change the very threatening course of the future.
  To have such a reminder, it made him flinch mentally. “Come on. If we pick up the pace, hopefully we can find the Light Stone.” With a firm nod, Alder spun his heel and walked forward. White and Cheren exchanged glances. One had her arms crossed in discomfort of her surroundings. One hand his hands hidden inside his pockets.

  “Alright then,” Huffing lightly through clenched teeth, White moved forward; Cheren following right beside her. The three walked in complete silence, letting the sounds of Pokémon and other people fill in their noiseless conversation.

  It was after the third turn of the ruin that White finally shattered the silence. “You’re probably wondering about what happened in that tower, huh?”

  Cheren cast a sideways glance at his friend, a grin pulling the corner of his mouth. “I didn’t say anything.” He saw her sigh in discontent at his blatant answer.

  “I know that.” She lazily tilted her head toward him. “And I also know you’re so damn curious when it comes to things like this.”

  Cheren chuckled lightly as he slowly shook his head. His eyes darted forward, seeing Alder navigating his way through the maze-like ruin. “I know the topic is difficult for you, so that’s why I didn’t bring a word.” He looked at White, mouth posing a small smile that brought comfort in her eyes.  

  A sigh bounced off her lips. “I’m sorry…” she apologized quietly, eyes averting away from his. “I’m sorry for causing you guys so much trouble.” Her hand went to the back of her neck, scratching the parts that weren’t even itchy.

  A scoff coughed out of his mouth. “White, there is nothing to be sorry about. It’s not your fault. Besides,” He pursed his lips, obviously holding an amused chuckle, “since when are you so apologetic? That’s quite a surprise.”

  Cheren knew it was worth it when White punched him in the arm.

  “Ha ha,” She mocked a laugh. “Congrats on getting yourself a sense of humour.” Gently caressing her fist that clocked her friend, White pulled a small pout and looked away.

  Rubbing his slightly numb arm, Cheren posed a grin. “I do have one question that’s been bothering me.” His voice took a much more serious tone. Confused at the sudden seriousness and formality, White raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s up?”

  She froze when he asked, “Did anything happened between you and that N guy?”

  White felt her blood freezing inside her veins. She felt her toes curl inside her shoes. Her eyes widened out of reflex, pupils shaking inside its irises. A flinch occurred in her steps, but she kept moving nevertheless.

  Although said, she knew she was busted when Cheren added, “You met him at the festival, didn’t you?”

  Her head snapped to face him. “I-I…” Her mouth parted open, yet words seemed impossible to slur out. Cheren watched her patiently, waiting for an explanation that was stuck in her throat. “No I didn’t!” She pitched a scream, red tainting her rosy cheeks. But then she quickly regained her composure, coughing a bit before continuing, “I was with you and Bianca.”

  White swore she had never seen Cheren rolled his eyes so sassily. “White, you perfectly know what I mean. After I left with Bianca,” It was then his turn to blush once the memory of the night served his mind, “you were obviously left alone with your Pokémon. But then again, you weren’t truly alone, were you?”

  Her silence was enough answers for him. She cringed mentally as images of that night danced in her brain. A twitch pinched the corner of her right eye. A gulp slid through her suddenly dry throat. “Of course I wasn’t alone.” A stupid laugh burst from her mouth. “I was with my Pokémon. So technically, I wasn’t alone.” She saw Cheren gave a loud groan of disappointment.

  “Besides,” White huffed, “I thought you said you were curious about what happened in the tower.” Her cheeks reddened as the memories infiltrated her mind. “What happened at the festival has nothing to do with this!” She then stopped and faced Cheren, who in the end halted as well.

  “True.” Cheren spoke calmly, one hand fixing the proportion of his glasses. “And I do know that in order to find out what happened in the tower, we must also inspect whatever happened the day before.” He looked at White, who seemed more and more nervous by the second. “And judging by your panic composure, it’s clear enough that you meeting him two days ago had something to do with what happened yesterday.” She didn’t respond a word, that he wasn’t very surprised. Cheren knew he caught her red-handed. He knew she was hiding something that could possibly be the cause of Zekrom’s revival.

  As deductions occurred in Cheren’s mind, haunting memories clawed inside White’s.

  N’s hateful eyes. His demeaning tone when spoken to her. His total change in attitude that seemed impossible for not only White, but her Pokémon to imagine. Every time she remembered, White felt like the boy standing in the peak wasn’t even him. She felt as if that wasn’t N. She felt as if it was a different man standing while in the mask of his face. She felt as if it was all a terrifying nightmare. She felt as if she had done a grave sin, causing him to act so coldly and harshly toward her and her team.

   “And that is why…it will absolutely pain me to see you being separated from your beloved Pokémon…” She remembered the sorrow that thickened his tone.

  “And rest assured: there will be no more monsters.” She remembered the grim gaze he dropped on her.

  Her heart clenched tightly inside her chest. Her hands balled to fists, nails pressing against the thin skins that were her palms. Panic reduced to one of woe, White looked down, a frown forming her pressed lips.

  “To be honest…” She spoke slowly, voice soft and faint, “I don’t even know what happened to him two days ago. Let alone yesterday…” Her head shook in denial, also removing the painful images that tugged the strings of her beating heart. Just as she closed her eyes, she saw her Pokémon – especially Marcus. A breath hitched in her throat to remember how happy he was every time he saw N. Teeth dug into the insides of her mouth to remember how much Marcus adored N as if he belonged in the group.

  “I just…” Finally, a heavy sigh dropped out of her mouth. “I just want things to be okay again, okay?” Her head shook for the second time, anger now riling up out of sheer determination.

  Cheren carefully watched White, mind ready to calm her down if her anger took over. “White,” he softly called her, torso slightly bent to meet her gaze. “You know, we can drop the subject if it’s too sensitive for you.” Her head was down, hiding her eyes that cried of grief. A concerned frown curved on Cheren’s mouth. Oh if only Bianca was here. She was skilled at handling any form of emotion, especially when it came to White’s emotions. He would just sit quietly and try his very best to help and give any word of advice when needed, even though sometimes his ‘advices’ would just made it worse.

  He saw her fists, shaking and clenching by her sides. “White…” Guilt bit the tip of his tongue. With a heavy sigh breathed from his mouth, he slowly reached out with his right hand. “White-”

  Cheren jumped when White suddenly cocked her head upwards, flashed a bright smile, and confidently exclaimed, “I’m fine!”

  Now it was his turn to drop in a stupor state. “What?”

  “I’m fine.” White convinced her baffled friend. “I just wish this will all be over so we can finally get back to our normal lives.” A wide smile beamed on her suddenly radiant face. The more Cheren looked, the more he felt in shock at her sudden change in behaviour.

  “Let’s just follow Alder and find that Light Stone, alright?” Giving no chance for Cheren to adjust his words or recollect his composure, White quickly turned to her side and walked – marched – at a fast pace toward Alder.

  A few stunned blinks later, Cheren finally shook his head and looked at her. “White!”

---

  Alder suddenly stopped in his tracks. Something’s off. His eyes darted to the left and right, scanning the walls that were positioned between him. Compared to the bricked structure from the previous mazes, the walls in this area were brighter in colour. They looked new even, as if someone had just built them a few days back. He then looked at the sand below his shoes. With mind boggling with expectations, Alder slowly slid his right foot left and right, as if trying to find something that was hidden under the deep brown pit. This is-

  “White!”

  His thoughts were cut off once a voice broke in his ears. Before Alder had the time to turn, he saw as White swiftly walked past him, not even intending to stop or slow down.

  And just as he saw her, fear rushed into Alder the second he knew what was going to befall on her. “Wait stop-!”

  Click!

---

  The second her foot took one step forward, she felt and heard a loud clicking sound. What the- Before White could bring her thoughts any further, the ground began to shake violently. “W-whoah!” Stability wobbled just like her legs. Her arms flailed up and down, feet quickly apart to prevent herself from falling.

  And just when the rumbling had stopped, another loud sound echoed in her ears.

  White turned her head to her right, only to widen her eyes in complete fear at what she was witnessing.

  A line of sharp arrows were aimed right at her.

  Just before a scream could crack, the arrows were released, zooming right toward the stunned girl.

  “WHITE!

---

  Time seemed to move faster than light. And before a second could split, everything turned still as stone.

  She remembered seeing the arrows plummeting to her blind and bloody doom. She remembered her legs feeling heavy and completely unmoving. She remembered hearing a panicked shriek. She remembered being pushed in a rather rough manner, causing her to trip and fall a few steps forward. She remembered a hiss being blown at her face, then replaced by heavy, uneven breaths.

  A groan slipped between parted lips. Her back ached as it hit the hard sand. Her shoulder received the worse, however; the bruised part thumped in swollen pain. White wanted to move her left hand to her shoulder, to ease off the swell that took place under the dirty white bandage.

  She froze when her palm felt soft skin – and it wasn’t hers.

  Her eyes snapped open like broken levers. If not for her drained fatigue, White could have screamed out loud in total shock. However, her mouth was gaped open, giving out wordless bafflement that conquered her still body.

  Cheren lay on top of her, both his arms shaking but carefully propped between her head. His left leg was pinned between her legs, careful not to squish the girl under him. Slow, faint pants slipped through clenched teeth. His eyes were on her, seeing the bewilderment that became her main expression. Their faces were mere inches apart, brushed by each other’s shaken breaths.  

  “Could you please-” Cheren silently growled, another sharp breath taken through his mouth. “-stop being so accident-prone…”

  White blinked dumfoundedly, mouth tightly pursed to a straight line. She watched as Cheren took a few seconds to calm himself down. Her heart began to race at the extremely close distance. Her arms dropped to her sides, the back of her hands feeling the bits of sand. “Um…” A small, faintest of whisper finally expelled from her mouth, the warm air gently caressing the tip of his nose, “Sorry…?”

  She saw as he shot her an unfriendly glare. “You do realize that you could almost lose at eye – or your own heart. Literally?” A scream was tightly kept in his jaw. Another cringe broke through his teeth. White remained silent and watched patiently with thinned lips. Guilt snaked around her heart and mind. With a shake of his head, Cheren sighed heavily and stared at the girl under him. “You could just say no when you don’t want to answer, you know.”  

  Two blinks occurred, and then a frown appeared. “I know that.” White wriggled her body slightly, one hand raised and tapping his shoulder. “Now get off me. You’re heavy.”

  Cheren knew she didn’t know that. And he knew she was merely avoiding the topic again. However, under all the horror that happened a minute ago, he was just glad his dear friend was fine. A dry chuckle heard from him, Cheren gave a single push to the ground and lifted himself up. “I didn’t even squish you.” Words became panted breaths, disabling White from hearing him any clearer. One hand rubbing the back of his neck, Cheren reached out his other hand to her.

  Her mouth still held the pout, but White took hold of his hand nevertheless. His tug and her push abled her to stand up straight, but that didn’t mean her dizziness could be avoided. Pain still banged the back of her head. Her left eye closed out of impulse, trying to remove the soreness that took root in her brain.

  “Are you two okay?!” Both teens heard Alder’s panicked tone. Cheren and White turned to face the man, who was standing a few feet away from them.

  “We’re fine, sir!” Cheren nodded once, one hand raised to assure their safety to him. White tried to say a word, but her headache only got worse, ceasing her from any ability to form words. Her vision began to blur out, eyes seeing more than one Cheren when she blinked for the third time.

  “Ooh…my head…” A grumbled groan was heard from White. Quickly she placed her right palm on her forehead, fingers giving little presses in hopes that it would ease off the pain. Eyes closed shut, White slowly shook her head, only to feel even more dizzy. Damn it… Her feet began to feel wobbly. Her throat felt clogged and nauseous. Due to the lack of stability, she took an accidental step backwards…

  Only to have her foot stuck in something.

  “What the…” Her body turned and her head down, White blinked in shock to see her right foot inside the sand. Immediately she jerked forward, but it was proven worthless.  

  And to make matters worse, her act instead sped up the sinking process.

  “Um…!” Her eyes zoomed to Cheren, who still had his back on her. “Cheren…!” She called him, one hand quickly stretched and fingers reaching for his attire. “Dude, I think we have a situation!”

  To hear her stricken tone, to feel the rough pull on his jacket, Cheren looked over his shoulder. “What are- White!” His body did a perfect spin once he saw White, whose head was now actually the same level as his chest. “Oh my Arceus what have you gotten yourself into now?!” His hands quickly held hers, fingers tightly clutching between one another as Cheren pulled White.

  “I didn’t even do anything!” She yelled back, obviously irritated that he would seriously find the time to lecture her at this moment. Sand had swallowed her thighs, now reaching to her waist at an alarming speed. Panic rushed to her brain like lightning, causing her to struggle and shake even faster. “HELP!”

  “I’m trying!” Cheren grunted as he tried to pull harder. His fingers slid to her wrists. His feet pressed on the sandy ground. However, no matter how hard he tried, it only made White sink faster and faster. Damn it!

  Alder watched in horror at their sticky situation. He watched as White sunk like a rock. He watched as Cheren tried his very best to save his struggling friend. “Cheren, no stop!” he shouted the moment he saw the boy picking up the pace at his rescue mission. Giving a quick glance at the walls and making sure that there were no more traps, Alder stepped one foot forward and soon began making a dash for it. “If you struggle yourself, you’re also going to be-”

  Too late.

  “What…the…” Cheren looked down once he realized he couldn’t feel his feet.

  His eye widened behind hazy glasses. His jaw dropped and hanged, almost forming a circle. Sand began devouring his body, swiftly grasping up to his waist. He ceased tugging, instead frozen in fear at the doom that was swallowing them. “W-what…”

  “Cheren!”

  He slowly looked forward, cheeks now faded from colour. A silent gasp choked his throat as his eyes stared at White – who was now lifting her head up as sand wrapped around her neck, grasping up to her chin. “Cher-” Before words could escape her mouth, White was swallowed to a whole, leaving Cheren stricken with utmost shock and fear.

  But, before he could panic and scream for his friend’s safety, he must first panic and scream for his own. “S-shoot!” His right hand went for his belt. But to his dismay, his waist was fully covered in the soft, sticky ground, disabling him from reaching for his team. “Shoot, shoot, shit!” Cheren cussed through grinded teeth. He shook and wiggled faster, palms harshly pressed against the sand. Reason slowly slipped from his mind. Survival harshly kicked in at the back of his brain. But his actions only worsened the situation, for his hands were now pulled and sank inside, trapping him in a defenceless position.

  “Sh-” Before Cheren could finish, he quickly shut his eyes and mouth and let his body be drowned in the sand, mind praying that their life would be spared by nature’s cruel claws.

---

  Her screams pitched inside the hollow halls. Her body was swiftly pulled by gravity. Her arms reached up in the air, grasping at nothing that could save her from the fall. Her eyes were wide as plates. She then shut them tight, her heart wishing that her misery could be cut short and that her fall could be forever.

  Finally, she fell to the ground. And thankfully, it was soft ground.

  However, that didn’t stop her from feeling numb and in pain. “Ow!” A pained yelp broke from her mouth once her butt kissed the sandy ground. One palm pressed onto her strained hip, White bit back a flinch and tried to sit up straight. “Ow…” I hate this place! I hate this place! Though her mouth couldn’t bear to form proper words, her mind was just as functional to express her discontent. With an angry scoff, she opened her eyes.

  Only to emit a shocked gasp.

  A flight of stairs were present right in front of her. Its steps were 10, 12 when she counted properly. Her eyes blinked in stupor at the presence of such abnormality in such a barren area. White looked left and right, seeing nothing but sand and dust. Neither a human nor a Pokémon was there, leaving her the only person present in the huge, empty space. She then looked back at the stairs, head moving upwards until she saw a pedestal positioning at the top floor.

  Her eyes blinked twice, and then her mind clicked. “Ah!” It was as if a light bulb had appeared on top of her head. A smile formed her lips without her noticing. Pain that shot through her hips and shoulder seemed to disappear the second she realized where she was. Quickly her legs were like springs, immediately hopping back to her feet. Without waiting for an invitation, White dashed for the stairway, even hopping a few steps to achieve swifter approach. I found it. Her brain cheered in glee as she took the twelfth step, I finally found the Light Stone. Yes! Finally I can take it and get out of this horrible pl-

  White froze once she reached the top – and realized that the pedestal held nothing but wind and sand.

  “What the…” Stupefied confusion slapped her right on the face. Taking a few more steps forward, she placed her hands on the empty base. “Where’s the Light Stone?” Her palms rubbed the rough exterior as if the item would magically appear. “I don’t get it.” She slowly shook her head, then quickened her pace as her hands moved faster. “It’s supposed to be here. I mean, it’s gotta be here. It has stairs and a clean-looking stone place. That’s like the most important signs for important things to be placed!” Her eyes moved left, right, up, and down, looking for any possible signs or clues. “It’s the only thing here too dammit!”

  “AHH!!”

  She jumped once that recognizable voice wheezed in her ears. A loud bump echoed inside the hollow hall. White turned around, eyes meeting a certain spectacled boy sitting, groaning, and loudly grumbling about the faults of the resort. “Cheren!” Her instincts as a worried friend kicking in, White hopped down the stairs and dashed for him. “Are you okay?”

  It shouldn’t surprise White that all she received from him was a sharp glare.

  “Are you seriously asking me that?” Cheren threw the question as he slowly rubbed his sore back.

  “Sorry…” White mumbled sourly, a pout pulled from her lower lip. “It was a standard question. I’m glad to see you’re fine enough to lecture me.”

  He didn’t say a word, but that didn’t mean his annoyance of her faded. With a quiet ‘harrumph’, Cheren held her reached out hand and White pulled him up. “Where are we anyway?” he asked without looking at her, instead focusing on dusting off the sand on his butt.

  “A secret room in the Relic Castle, I guess.” White shrugged, one hand softly squeezing her aching shoulder and mouth blowing a disappointed sigh. “I thought this room will lead us to the Light Stone. But sadly, there’s nothing here but more sand and-”

  “Well, well, well. It seems that the hero has arrived.”

  Both teenagers felt blood freezing in their veins.

  White, especially, felt her skin prickling up to the tip of her head. Her eyes widened.  Her breath was trapped in her throat. Her hands automatically clenched whether it was on her shoulder or on nothing. Like a robot being given a signal, her head turned to her right, only proving what her brain was hopefully denying.

  Ghetsis stood before them, standing proud and tall. He showed no fear whatsoever, instead emitting an aura of power and boastful confidence. His hands were behind his back, fingers intertwining together to a firm lock. “So you are the Hero of Truth that N so adoringly spoke of.”  A growl of sheer disgust dripped from his last three words. “How nice of you to finally drop by and make an appearance.”

  Anger sipped into the two, especially to a girl who had less patience than the other. “You…” She fumed quietly, her rage slowly boiling inside her to see the ugly man’s face. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Oh how White wanted to run and kick the man’s crotch when she saw him laugh. “How disappointing,” Ghetsis shook his head as he spoke, blatantly ignoring her question. “And here I am, patiently waiting and ready to tear off the Light Stone off your fragile grasps.”  

  “What did you say you little-?”

  “Wait.” Before White had the chance to take one harsh step forward, Cheren quickly held her left arm. “What do you mean tearing off the Light Stone off her grasps?” Realization hit him as Cheren gave the calm man a sharp look. He watched as Ghetsis shook his head once again, only boiling the anger that gurgled inside White.

  “N was not exaggerating. You are the clever one, I see.”

  They felt shivers running down their spines to hear such a casual tone. Cheren felt his heart stop to know that Ghetsis knew something about him. White felt her heart crumple like paper to know that N had told Ghetsis about her friends.

  A mix of woe and betrayal stirred in her to know that N, the boy she sought as a friend, would go so low as to leak information to the most hatred person in the world.

  “Dammit…” A low hiss slipped between tightly clenched teeth. Anger quickly took over and wiped the unneeded sadness. Now was not the time to lament about the loss of someone who was never a friend to start with. Now was not the time to reminisce about the memories that shouldn’t even be present. Hands rolled into fists, White inhaled sharply and glared at Ghetsis. “Where’s the Light Stone?”

  Oh hell she really wanted to kick him good when Ghetsis merely shrugged.

  “Well then, congratulations are in order!” Completely ignoring her anger and her question, he clapped his hands in an ironic matter; three slow strikes of his palms echoing in the hall and booming in her ears. Ghetsis looked at White, who seemed more than ready to tear him apart. “You are chosen by our king. Are you not proud, White?” A smile formed his lips, widening each second to see the rage that fumed on her face.

  “Proud?” White thundered, one foot hardly pressed against the sand. “You expect me to be proud over something so stupid?!” Her arms jerked as she bellowed at him, even causing Cheren to be tugged forward since his grip on her was still intact.

  “Of course you should be.” Ghetsis replied, voice still as calm as the night river. “Why, you have given the opportunity to save the Pokémon world, is it not? Any man will kill to have that sort of heavy responsibility.”

  Another shiver ran down their spines as the man emphasized on the word ‘kill’. Cheren posed a calm manner, though his teeth were tightly clenched inside his pursed mouth. “You do realize that the action your beloved ‘king’ is doing is merely making matters worse?” He obtained Ghetsis’ attention, and he could perfectly see the pure disgust in his one good eye.

  “Make matters worse, you say?” The sage boasted a single laugh, one loud and quite manic than they expected. “Are you telling me that helping Pokémon by giving them their much needed freedom from the clutches of violent, heartless trainers ‘makes matter worse’?” Another laugh dripped from his mouth, further melting what little patience White had left in her. “What a foolish young boy. No wonder our king does not see the hero in you.”

  To hear such a thing, it felt like Cheren’s reality was breaking into clear crystal glass.

  White felt his grip loosened, and – even though at times that would be a good thing – this time, it was the exact opposite. She turned her head over her friend. Though eyes were shielded by the thick lens, she could perfectly see dejection reflecting inside his hidden irises. “Cheren-” She stopped once Ghetsis’s laughter roared inside the spacious hall.

  “Are you perhaps jealous? Jealous that this insolent, reckless girl is chosen to determine the fate of the world?”

  White saw as Cheren lowered his head, avoiding any form of contact from her or him. Cheren-

  “Life is quite unfair, isn’t it? Here you are, filled with dedication and dreams of becoming the strongest trainer ever. You are just as passionate, just as determined to win like a true champion.” Ghetsis paced left and right, right hand casually swaying and swinging as he taunted. “You think to yourself, ‘Why am I not the hero? I am far more responsible than her. Why would the legendary Dragon of Truth choose someone that couldn’t even be patient for a mere second?’”

  She watched as his hands quiver by his sides. Shut up…

  His voice was louder. His smirk was wider. “No matter what you do, how you do it, how badly you trained, you will always be defeated by someone doesn’t even have to try.”

  She watched as his shoulders trembled. I said shut up-

  “Look at yourself!” Another laugh, one thick with foul mockery and unbearable taunt, “No matter how badly you want something, in the end you have been overshadowed by a person who can beat you with her eyes closed!”

  I said fucking shut up-

  “No matter how badly you train, child-”

  I…

  “-you will never be-”

  …said…

  “-the hero!”

  “SHUT UP!!!” Immediately White turned in a snap. Her eyes went mad; eyeballs seemed bulging inside each socket. Her lips were pulled back to reveal a vicious snarl that even a Pokémon couldn’t be compared. Fingers were harshly clenched into tight fists. His ridiculing laughter only increased her anger that had reached its vital peak. “I said SHUT UP YOU STUPID OLD HAG!!!” Her vision was blurred, only pinpointing to a certain man who was enjoying the misery he had caused her friend. Without thinking straight, White inhaled sharply and made a mad dash toward him…

  But was suddenly jerked to a stop by a firm grip on her left arm.

  The act was proven highly unexpected. Baffled, White looked over her shoulder, only to see none other than Cheren holding her. “Dude what-”

  Her words were cut off as she felt strong wind passing right between her.

  White then faced forward. Bafflement blanked into stupor as her eyes met three black figures surrounding Ghetsis. Their heads were down. Their positions were firm. Suddenly, a gust of sandstorm appeared out of nowhere, tampering with her vision. “Shit!” she cussed as her mouth was pressed to a shut. One hand was close to her eyes, shielding her from any bits of sand to enter her eyes.

  In less than seconds, the sandstorm subsided.

  In less than seconds, Ghetsis and the Triad were gone.

  “Shit, shit shit!” Louder and louder her curses went, giving no consideration about where she was or who she was with anymore. “That little shit!” Her eyes went to the space where Ghetsis stood, now only revealing a wave of brown dust. The more she stared, the more she felt enraged. White then threw her direction at Cheren, who was still looking down at his own shoes.

  “Why did you stop me?!” She roughly pulled her arm away from Cheren and faced him. “He was one eye away from being blinded by my fists!”

  “And you were one step away from being killed by his hands!” Suddenly, Cheren snapped and looked at her, completely catching her off guard.

  Silence stitched her mouth. Her eyes became her form of communication, showing only shock. She watched as Cheren blew a strong, shaking sigh. His eyes only met her for a short while, then he looked to the right, obviously not wanting to see her face much longer.

  To her disgust, Ghetsis’ words vehemently rang in her ears. “Cheren…” White spoke slowly, barely audible as her words were fainter than breath. “I… Don’t listen to that dick. What he just said, it’s just him wanting to bring you down and against me.” Panic struck her as she saw no changes or movements from the boy. “Cheren, please…” She slid one foot closer, right hand reached out to touch his cheek. “He’s a dickhead of a bad guy.” Woe dripped her tone. Sorrow was shaped to a frown on her lips. “To be honest, if I was Reshiram, I would rather choose-”

  “Don’t.”

  She froze once he held her right palm. Her fingers acted out of impulse, grasping his own hand and tightening around his grip. White gawked as Cheren took one deep breath, and then back to return her shocked gaze.

  “He does have a point,” Cheren chuckled dryly, eyes rolled to the side to avoid looking at her crestfallen expression.

  White wanted to pull her hand away. She wanted to shake his shoulders and scream at his nerdy face. “No he doesn’t-”

  “But that doesn’t mean I have to believe him.” He added, thus bringing White to a stupefied, silent state.

  He looked at White. A small part of him wanted to laugh at how hilarious her face was making right now. “True. I am a bit jealous about you being the next hero.” He blew another chuckle, the tone echoing a gloomy tune rather than joy. “And it does irritate me from time to time that I can’t seem to beat you.”

  “Cheren stop…” White bit back a sob. A choked hiss was blown through clenched teeth.

  “But because of that, it made me stronger and wiser.”

  She ceased the need to struggle. Almost tearful eyes blinked in confusion at his words. Cheren placed his sight on her. “After each and every battle with you, it taught me many things. It taught me that winning isn’t easily obtained. It taught me to create more and better strategies, to train my Pokémon more diligently and with care and respect. It taught me to be more aware of my strengths and to learn about my weaknesses.” A soft, sincere smile curved at each word that passed through his lips. “True. Battling you will always be an utmost challenge to me. But when I battle others, all those experiences you gave me became a total advantage in achieving my success. It made me into who I am today. It made me into a trainer that is ready to expect and accept any expectations that is thrown at him.”

  He released his hold on her palm and moved his hands toward her shoulders. “I may not be the hero. But trust me; I am more than thrilled to know that there is no better hero than you, White Eve Monochroma.” His smile was the most honest smile she had ever seen from him. “After all this time, you taught me many things. You showed me that the world is vast and filled with surprises.” One hand went to her head, fingers softly ruffling her messy brown locks. “And I know; you will be the greatest Hero of Truth that will save the world from a terrifying future.”

  White didn’t know when, but her eyes were already soaked with tears. White didn’t know how, but her arms were already wrapped around his neck.

  “You d-dork…” she sobbed unwarily, but blew a short scoff to hear his gentle laugh.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist, returning her hug and showing no signs of guilt over enjoying the sight of how moved she was. “You’re my best friend. No matter what happens, I will always have your back…” Words were gently whispered in her ear, earning a good shade of red on her cheeks.

  A few minutes lingered by, and White finally broke the hug and harmlessly pushing him away. “You made me cry dammit.” Muttering and grumbling sourly, she wiped the tears with the back of her hands and spun to the side.

  Cheren only watched in hidden amusement. His laughter turned to chuckles, then silenced to a simple smile. Suddenly, sounds of wings flapping and sand swooshing knocked in their ears. Both teenagers turned to face the source of the sound, only to see a Volcarona and a certain man riding on his back.

  “Are you two alright?!” Although the Sun Pokémon was ten feet off the ground, Alder wasted no time and jumped off his back. The Volcarona merely shook his head and sighed in disappointment at his trainer’s impatience.

  Once confirmed that her eyes were tear-free, White took one deep breath and faced the Unova champion. “We’re fine, Mr Alder.” She flashed a smile as she stood beside Cheren. The spectacled boy bit back a laugh to know just how fast White was able to change from one expression to another.

  A huge sigh of relief burst through Alder’s mouth. “Thank Arceus.” One hand was pressed onto his chest, feeling his heartbeat drummed normally once he was sure about their safety. He then observed the empty area, curiosity obviously seen in his eyes. “Have you found the Light Stone?” he asked once his eyes were back on the young trainers, and Alder should have guessed as much when he saw the small frowns on their faces.

  “Unfortunately no. The Light Stone is absent from its pedestal and we can’t find any clues about its whereabouts.” Cheren explained the situation, the boy back to its calm and steady demeanour.

  “And to make things shittier, Ghetsis was here taunting us and he was still able to leave not blind.” White replied with a clearly unsatisfied tone. One hand on her hip, she moved the other to her head, pushing the strands of her hair to the back.

  Apparently, Ghetsis’ appearance wasn’t expected in Alder’s expectations. “He was here?’ Surprise was vivid in his eyes and tone.

  “Yeah,” White answered, her reply sounding completely uninterested every time the Plasma sage was brought into the topic.

  “He waited for us and was thinking about taking the Light Stone from us if we had it. Thankfully, in a way, we didn’t have it so things didn’t get ugly.” Although Cheren wasn’t as expressive as White, he was also feeling angry about Ghetsis’ presence.

  “Thing is…” A sigh slipped from White, “we don’t have the Light Stone.” Now that the main topic was back to its original focus, all eyes were narrowed to one of fear and worry. Where is the Light Stone? Who has the Light Stone? Is the Light Stone even placed in Unova right now? All those questions invaded not only White’s, but also Cheren’s and Alder’s minds. Finally, White looked at Alder. “What now, Mr Alder?”

  Before Alder could speak, his Xtransceiver rang.

  “Hold that thought…” One finger raised, he took out the device from his pocket and accepted the call. “Hello, Lenora? Is there something wrong?” He remained quiet as the other line spoke. Cheren and White waited as the man talked on the line. Curiosity then tickled their brains as to why the Nacrene City leader was calling the champion out of the blue.

  Their curiosity then heightened once they saw a dumfounded smile on Alder’s face.

  “Okay, we’ll be there in a few minutes!” The second he disconnected the call, before any of them could ask why, Alder looked at them straight in the eye and confidently asked, “You’ll never guessed what happened.”

---

  Tap, tap, tap. The hallway was brimmed with the hollow sound of his shoes. The walls were grand and huge, painted with the colours that matched the beautiful blue sky. However, these colours were shielded from the sun’s natural rays, blinded by the thick green curtains that covered every square inch of the hall’s windows.

  Tap, tap, tap. He stopped in front of the two green doors. Its shapes were anything but the ordinary. Its height was 15 stories high, enabling almost any Pokémon to enter with ease. It was decorated with golden lines on each edge and side, vaguely forming tiny ‘N’ letters. With an expression masking one of sheer calmness and acceptance, Ghetsis held the doorknobs and pushed the doors open.

  Tap, tap, tap. He entered the throne room, walking toward the boy who sat quietly in his throne.

  “I see you are ready to face the battle that will solely change the course of this world’s fate.” Ghetsis declared peacefully, his clear tone echoing inside the extremely spacious room. He watched as N merely nodded once, not even meeting the man’s gaze.

  To be honest, his ignorant act angered Ghetsis more than anything.

  However, he remained a tranquil state, hands clasped behind his back and face expressing nothing but slight content. “I expect your battle with the champion will be smooth as ever. It is the battle with the other hero that you must stay alert and aware of.” Ghetsis observed him as he spoke, waiting for any signs of a lively reaction. However, all was just the same. N stayed quiet in his seat. His arms rested on the throne’s armrest. His legs were two inches apart. His head tilted slightly, letting his eyes be hidden by the visor of the cap.

  Oh it truly angered Ghetsis to see and know how pathetic he was.

  Mouth pursed without utterance, he spun his heel and had his back against him. “Need I remind you, N, that all the Pokémon are depending on you for the sake of their freedom and happiness. And if that freedom only costs the fall of one, selfish little girl, then that is a cost you are more than willing to pay.” And with that, Ghetsis left the throne room, leaving the stoic, silent child.

  And just as Ghetsis left, N lifted his head slightly.

  Anger. Sorrow. Hatred. Distress. Loathe. Confusion. Determination. Dejection. Disappointment. Emptiness.

  Sorrow.

  Everything was swirling in his eyes like a vicious whirlpool. Everything was clogging his heart like a knife twisting right in its core.

  The hidden photo was tightly clutched in his right hand. The photo was the only memory he had of her; the only memory he wished he could go back and stay frozen forever.
am i late or am i late
i finally have the motivation and time to do this oh my god how is this long i will neve rknow oh my god wrITING IS HARD??/??/? no srsly all this time im only able to go online through my phone coz im too tired/busy to go through my lappy.
also my main reason is act ive bought animal crossing new leaf and dammit i love every bit of it
ok recap im still tired but here i go

1. i hate desert resorts
2. white doesnt do well well N issues she has N issues
3. avoid white avoid all your N issues
4. then booby traps coz its fuckign sand
5. cheren saves the day WOO
6. sshshshshshs i like pinning charactetrs
7. i also hate quicksand in relic castle dammit i hate desert resort i need to emphasize this
8. light stone where
9. ghetsis no
10. ghetsis stop dont taunt poor cherry u dick
11. i like pain characters
12. cheren n white bfffssss <>
13. N also has N issues everybody has N issues
14. summary of this chapter is never go to the desert resort or youll sink like a rock

eheee thanks a bunch tho for ppl whose been following this u ppl are nice ppl i hope nice things happen to u /w
© 2013 - 2024 FieryFafar
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Artist-Who-Draws's avatar

WTAO: The Return of Gaycheese. :iconghetsisplz:


I like this chapter.  :iconmegustaplz: