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moon_blitzTitle: A Beating Heart
Fandom: Pokemon (gameverse)
Rating: PG
Genre: AU
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the characters associated with it.
Pairing: Eventual Silver/Wally
Characters: Wally, mentions of Silver, others
Summary: War can bring the most unlikely of people together. A town under enemy occupation isn't always the safest place to be, but sometimes it's the place where love can be found.
Author's Notes: Written forkuruk for Round One of pokeacts. This was originally going to be a one-shot, but the idea ran away from me.
Part 2
Mauville fell after a week of furious fighting, despite the harsh five year siege the city had endured. There were whispers that large parts of the city had been destroyed despite the occupation army’s best efforts to keep damage to a minimum, but no one knew if that was the truth or just more resistance propaganda. What was true was the steady stream of refugees and wounded occupation soldiers moving through Verdanturf both day and night. Wally could hear the constant traffic from his bed, having fallen ill again the day after the attack had begun. It was nothing serious according to the town doctor, but he was advised to rest until he was fully recovered.
He lay awake one late summer night, the heat and the drone of patrolling helicopters over Rusturf Tunnel preventing him from falling asleep. A soft tap at his window made him sit up, heart pounding. Was it Silver? A resistance member looking for a place to hide? Sliding carefully out of bed and readying Kirlia’s Pokeball, he crossed to the window as another tap sounded, this one slightly louder than before. Taking a deep breath, Wally pulled back the curtain.
“…Gengar?” he asked in incredulously, seeing the Pokemon wave back at him from the outside. What to do? Open the window and invite a strange Pokemon in, or ignore it and hope it when away? The ghost type made the decision for him, floating through the glass and frame like it wasn’t even there.
Wally backed away, raising Kirlia’s Pokeball in preparation for an attack.
“Gar! Gar, Gengar!” The Pokemon hissed softly, waving its hands and shaking its head vigorously. It then straightened and gave the occupation army salute, doffing an imaginary cap upon doing so.
“Are you Silver’s Pokemon?” Wally asked suspiciously. He hadn’t seen any of the other soldiers with a Gengar, but that didn’t mean someone didn’t have one. Its lower evolutions seemed to be a popular choice with a certain segment of the army. But why was it here?
“Gengar!” The Pokemon replied with a nod and a grin, then gestured towards the Pokeball he held and back towards itself several times.
Getting the message, the teen released Kirlia and asked softly, “Can you confirm that this is Silver’s Gengar?” His Pokemon nodded and struck up a quiet conversation while Wally settled back on his bed, pulling a blanket around himself to keep warm.
Kirlia joined him a minute later, nodding and trilling, “Kirlia, la, la.” The trust flowing across the mental link between them made him sigh and smile hesitantly at the Gengar.
“Sorry about that, I had to make sure. So, why are you here?”
Gengar accepted the apology with a grin and a wave of its hand, then pointed towards the window and back at the teen.
“Something’s out there?” he guessed, getting a pleased nod. “It it Silver?” Gengar hesitated, then shook its head. Moving to the window, the Pokemon gestured to the lock and made a lifting motion.
“You want to open it?” Wally asked doubtfully. His bedroom was on the ground floor, so someone or something could climb inside if it was left open for too long. And he really didn’t know what the night air would do for his health.
The ghost type spoke to Kirlia, who then turned to him and nodded once, silently telling him it was safe. “A-Alright…but be quick.” he agreed with a slight frown. Gengar grinned and quickly flipped the lock, cracking the window open only long enough to grab something from the sill outside before closing and locking it.
“Gengar, gar.” the Pokemon said rather proudly, floating over to Wally and presenting a plain white envelope.
“For me?” he asked in surprise, getting a wider grin and a nod back. “O-Okay…Um, thanks?” he stammered, accepting the envelope and examining it. Both sides were completely blank, with no sign of who might have sent it. Wally then realized the sender was obvious: Silver.
Opening the envelope hurriedly in an attempt to distract himself from his warm cheeks, the teen, unfolded the piece of paper that was inside, seeing a short note addressed to him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make out the words. “Where did I put that flashlight…?” he mumbled, looking away from the note and scanning his room. Turning on his bedside lamp was too much of a risk.
“Gar.” Gengar replied, holding out a fist. After a moment, electricity began to crackle, surrounding the fist and providing a steady glow.
“Is that a TM attack?!” he gasped, getting a beaming nod in return. Wally had heard of TMs, but any still left in the village had either been confiscated by the army or were being horded. Unfortunately, he had no way of guessing what the attack actually was, but it was still useful. “Thanks, Gengar! Just keep it low, I don’t want to wake my relatives.”
“Gar, Gengar.” the Pokemon responded, floating up to hover by his shoulder to cast the best light. Now able to see clearly, the teen turned his attention to the note in his hands.
Dear Wally,
I’m sorry I haven’t been able to come see you these past few weeks. As I am sure you well know, Mauville has fallen to our army and I have been kept busy organizing relief efforts and other essential tasks. While I am unable to return to Verdanturf at the moment, I hope to be back soon and attending to my regular duties. It would please me greatly to have you accompany me on my patrols again. Send a response back to me using one of HQ’s Pidgey - Gengar will grant you access.
- Captain Silver
P.S. I want to leave Gengar in your care for the moment, if your family allows it. He dislikes being in the city, so I figured you would be the best person to look after him. He shouldn’t be too much trouble.
“Silver wants me to look after you?!” Wally gasped in surprise, looking at the Gengar beside him as the electricity faded away to leave the room in semi-darkness again.
“Gengar!” The Pokemon grinned and gave him a thumbs-up sign, clearly delighted at the prospect. Kirlia seemed pleased as well, if the smile on her face and the happiness flowing through him was any indication.
“Well…I suppose you can stay…” Wally murmured, shocked at the level of trust Silver had in him. “If it’s alright with my aunt and uncle, that is.” he added, wondering what his relatives and neighbours would think. Smothering a yawn with his hand, the teen decided it was time to call it a night.
“Stay out of trouble, ‘kay? And don’t leave my room.” he told Gengar as he climbed back into bed. The last thing he needed was for the ghost type to be seen before he had a chance to explain the matter.
“Gar!” the Pokemon replied with a salute, pulling the blankets up higher once he was settled. With Kirlia stretched out beside him and Gengar curled up at the foot of the bed, Wally sleepily realized he felt safer than he ever had in a long time.
- - -
“One of the army officers entrusted this Pokemon to you?” his uncle repeated doubtfully, glancing between his nephew and the Gengar next to him.
“Yes, Uncle. I promise I’ll keep him hidden if you want, and take care of him completely. It should only be for a little while.” Wally replied, hoping that his family would agree. He knew Silver was technically the enemy, but he saw the older teen as a friend now…and perhaps something more.
“What do you think?” his uncle asked, turning to look at his wife. Wally had shown both of them the letter Gengar had brought, and his aunt scanned it again before answering.
“I think that if this soldier trusts Wally with his Pokemon, then we should trust him too.” she replied slowly, giving her nephew a faint smile of encouragement. His uncle sighed in response, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. The teen could understand why - news of this would be sure to get the neighbours talking, and who knew what could come of that.
“I suppose Gengar can stay…but I’m coming with you to tell the army about it. I don’t want any trouble from them over this, and you need to go there anyway.” he said at last, then turned to Wally with a stern look. “I’m going to hold you to your promise to look after this Pokemon. I know your parents wanted us to take care of you, but this is my house and you are obliged to follow them while you stay here. If Gengar causes any, and I mean any, trouble for us, he’s going right back to the solider. Clear?”
Wally swallowed hard, knowing that was a hard thing for him to say. That would just make him work extra hard to keep the promise, though. “Clear.” he replied solemnly.
“Gar.” Gengar said a moment later, and his uncle nodded at both of them.
“Good…Good. Alright, let’s go pay HQ a visit.” the man said, straightening up and moving towards the door. Wally blinked as Gengar vanished, then followed his aunt’s downward smile and realized his shadow was much darker than it should have been.
“Nice hiding spot. Don‘t do anything silly, ok?” he said with a small smile, his shadow giving him a thumbs up sign in response.
“Well, Gengar seemed friendly enough. Be careful out there, Wally.” his aunt said, handing him back the letter and giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
“We will. See you in a bit.” he replied, giving her a smile in return and moving quickly after his uncle. If telling his family about Silver’s Pokemon had been nerve-wracking, informing the army would be terrifying.
- - -
An army officer - Captain Maxie according to the patch on his uniform - regarded him coolly from the other side of the desk, gaze locked on Wally despite the presence of his uncle and Gengar. “What an interesting situation this is, yes?”
The teen kept his eyes fixed on the officer’s impassive face, listening as his uncle replied cautiously, “Will having Gengar in my nephew’s care be a problem, sir?”
“It shouldn’t be.” the man answered smoothly, his eyes running over the teen yet again. Wally was becoming uncomfortable with all the attention, but it wasn’t his place to tell the officer to stop. “However, there are a few things I would like to discuss in private, if you don’t mind.”
“O-Of course not, sir. Excuse me.” Wally listened as his uncle hurried out, trying not to show his fear. What did the captain want to talk about, and how would it affect his family?
“You too, Gengar. And don’t try any tricks.” the officer added, gaze flicking away towards the ghost type for a moment before settling back on the teen.
“Gengar…” the Pokemon replied softly, giving Wally a reassuring pat on the shoulder before exiting the room as well. Silence fell as the teen waited for the officer to speak, but the man did nothing except stare at him.
Summoning up his courage and hoping he wasn’t making a mistake, Wally finally asked, “Is…Is there a problem, sir?”
“Well, aren’t you a brave boy…No, there’s no problem. I’m just surprised that Silver would entrust one of his oldest Pokemon to someone like you. Surprised…and a little curious.” Pausing, the captain opened the folder that was on his desk and flipped through it, speaking again after a moment. “It said here that Silver confiscated a Ralts off of you, but returned it due to it being un-trainable. Now why would he give you Gengar if can’t even raise your own Pokemon?”
Wally stiffened, fear flooding through him. Was he supposed to answer? Could he even answer? He had no idea if anyone else knew about the odd relationship he and Silver had. Perhaps it was against army regulations or something, and they would both be punished.
“You two know each other better than just mere acquaintances, don’t you?” the captain pressed, closing the folder and leaning forward in his chair. He smiled faintly, but that did nothing to reassure Wally. “I understand that you want to protect your family, but there’s no record of Silver buying or doing anything unusual that might be linked back to you. What is it, hm? Why is he so interested in you?”
That at least he could answer. Swallowing a cough that threatened to burst out, the teen felt his cheeks grow hot as he stammered, “I d-don’t know, s-sir. R-Really.”
“I see…” the captain murmured, leaning back in his chair and looking suddenly thoughtful. “You may go.”
“Yes sir!” Rising quickly, Wally gave the officer a parting nod to show his respect, then hurried out of the office as fast as he could before his knees gave out.
- - -
“Ahhh!” Wally yelped as another explosion made his bed rattle, hearing screams in the distance. What was going on?
“Everyone out and head for the shelters!” his uncle shouted from the hallway as the raid siren started to wail.
“Be there in a minute!” the teen called back. Scrambling into his clothes, he happened to glance out the window in time to see Pokemon race by, one Absol loosing an attack as it when past.
“Resistance members? Here?” he murmured, flinching as another blur tore past the house. Judging by the dim light outside, it was just before dawn, but why where the resistance fighters attacking now? Verdanturf was occupied territory, surely they had to realize that an attack was useless?!
“Kirlia, Gengar!” The former appeared from her Pokeball in a flash of white light, while the latter materialized out of the shadows of the room. Kirlia pointed towards the door, but the teen shook his head. “No, we’re not going to the shelters. You know what the resistance fighters do - we have to protect the house.”
“Gar!” Gengar clenched his fists and grinned, looking eager for a fight. Wally had managed to arrange some secret sparring lessons for the two Pokemon to keep them in shape, but now he wasn’t sure those were enough. Leaving his room, the teen checked to make sure his family had left, then locked the front door. His family wouldn’t be coming back once they reached the shelter and realized he wasn’t coming, and if the resistance members were going to break in, it would through the back.
Gengar slid into Wally’s shadow as the teen stationed himself outside the back door, Kirlia beside him. “Here we go…” he muttered to himself, feeling sweat break out on his back. The resistance had attacked before, but the army had always managed to fend them off before they reached the town. This time was different - he could see both aerial and ground-based Pokemon streaming towards the town from the north, and while the house blocked his view, he was sure more were coming from the other directions.
The ground shook again as something exploded nearby, the smell of fuel filling the air, then something red streaked overhead, hitting the ground and sliding to a halt. Wally narrowed his eyes as the resulting dust cloud swirled around the Pokemon, hands squeezing into fists. This was it. He had to protect his uncle’s home, or die trying. But as the dust settled and a figure slipped from the Pokemon’s shoulder to the ground, he froze in shock.
“N-No- way…” he murmured, taking in the sight of the young woman standing in front of him. “M-May?”
A faded red bandanna with a white Pokeball symbol was the only visual reminder of the young trainer with a cheerful Torchic who had helped him catch Ralts seven long years ago. The rest of her outfit consisted of durable, if somewhat ragged clothes. His shock was mirrored in Kirlia’s feelings, and the psychic type edged closer to him as May’s Blaziken took a threatening step towards them.
“We know each other, kid?” May asked, confusion and suspicion colouring her voice.
“Well…kinda. I’m Wally, and you helped me catch a Ralts on Route 102 a long time ago. You might not remember me, though…” he trailed off, feeling awkward. He hadn’t expected to ever see May again once the invasion began, but to meet her like this was really weird.
“Oh. You’re Wally?” she replied slowly, the light from nearby fires flickering off her face as she scanned him. “I can’t believe it….it really is you. But what are you doing here?”
“My parents sent me here after Rustboro was attacked.” the teen explained, wondering if he could convince her to leave peacefully. As much as he hated to admit it, there were better houses to rob than his uncle’s.
“I see. I don’t want to do this Wally, but I’m going to have to ask you to let me in. There are valuable supplies in there, and we need them.” May said firmly, Blaziken dropping into a crouch. So much for that idea, then.
“No.” Wally replied, taking a deep breath to fight off the mounting fear. “This is my home, and I’m not going to let you rob it without a fight.”
The resistance fighter gave a bitter smile and nodded as if she had known he was going to say that. “Go, Blaziken!”
As the Pokemon charged towards them, Wally quickly called, “Kirlia, use Confusion!”
“La~” His partner darted out in front of the teen, body glowing slightly as she summoned her psychic powers and directed them towards her opponent. Blaziken stumbled slightly as the attack hit, and Wally took the opportunity to back away and give them more room to fight.
Blaziken quickly regained its footing however, and dashed forward in a blinding Quick Attack, sending Kirlia tumbling. The teen swallowed hard, the difference in power between the two Pokemon apparent to even him. And judging by the faint smile on May’s face, she was already envisioning her victory.
“Kir…lia…” his Pokemon struggled to her feet, the strain of battle weighing on Wally’s mind through their link.
“Don’t give up! You’re strong, I know it.” he whispered, gritting his teeth in sympathy for Kirlia’s pain. Flames shot out of Blaziken’s mouth in what looked like an Ember attack, but his Pokemon dodged them with a timely Double Team.
“Enough playing around! Finish this!” May called, eyes flicking briefly towards the house behind Wally. The teen knew he was going to lose this fight, but he wasn’t going to just lay down and let a resistance member walk all over him. He had been letting the army do that for far too long.
“Ken! BLAZIKEN!” the human-like bird Pokemon bellowed, flames bursting from its wrists and ankles and it charged towards them again. Kirlia’s body glowed once more, and while the teen was certain her Confusion attack had hit, their opponent didn’t even slow down. Wally was forced to watch helplessly as Blaziken executed a flaming kick to his friend and partner, the attack knocking her aside easily.
He cried out at the shooting pain that knifed though his mind a second later, stumbling backwards in a daze. Kirlia was knocked out, that was certain, but he instinctively knew that she was also badly injured. Then he realized Blaziken was still moving, one clawed fist wreathed in flames and heading directly for him.
“Wha-ACK!” The sudden punch slammed intro his chest, sending the teen crashing through the back door of his uncle’s home. Semi-conscious, he gagged on the smell of burnt fabric and flesh, fighting the blackness at the edge of his vision. Why…?
Blinking groggily, he saw Blaziken standing in the doorway, May just behind it. She was speaking, saying something about being forced to do it, that he could identify her and that she was sorry, but the teen closed his eyes and groaned as pain radiated from his chest. He didn’t understand her. It wasn’t right, attacking him like this. How had she changed from the kind trainer into this hard-eyed young woman?
Was this it? Was he actually going to die here? “No…” he murmured weakly, feeling tears prickle up. He had to see Silver again! They had so much to talk about, so much to share! He didn’t want to die like this, die without saying goodbye. Die without confessing his feelings, as confused as they were.
“GENGAR!”
Wally forced himself to open his eyes at that, seeing that Gengar was standing in front of him now. Right, he remembered now. The Pokemon had been hiding in his shadow all along. May looked furious at this development; she shouted something, but the loud buzzing now filling he teen’s ears prevented him from making out the words.
Electricity surrounded Gengar’s fists in response, the sudden light making Wally squint. Blaziken’s claws were once more hidden in flames, and the two Pokemon unleashed a flurry of punches at each other. The resistance member and her Pokemon were being forced back outside, but for some reason he couldn’t concentrate on the battle. Just before his vision went black entirely, the teen thought he saw a small tornado engulf May and Blaziken, and a familiar figure hit the ground beside Gengar and turn towards him.
Part 1 | Part 3
Fandom: Pokemon (gameverse)
Rating: PG
Genre: AU
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the characters associated with it.
Pairing: Eventual Silver/Wally
Characters: Wally, mentions of Silver, others
Summary: War can bring the most unlikely of people together. A town under enemy occupation isn't always the safest place to be, but sometimes it's the place where love can be found.
Author's Notes: Written for
kuruk for Round One of pokeacts. This was originally going to be a one-shot, but the idea ran away from me.Mauville fell after a week of furious fighting, despite the harsh five year siege the city had endured. There were whispers that large parts of the city had been destroyed despite the occupation army’s best efforts to keep damage to a minimum, but no one knew if that was the truth or just more resistance propaganda. What was true was the steady stream of refugees and wounded occupation soldiers moving through Verdanturf both day and night. Wally could hear the constant traffic from his bed, having fallen ill again the day after the attack had begun. It was nothing serious according to the town doctor, but he was advised to rest until he was fully recovered.
He lay awake one late summer night, the heat and the drone of patrolling helicopters over Rusturf Tunnel preventing him from falling asleep. A soft tap at his window made him sit up, heart pounding. Was it Silver? A resistance member looking for a place to hide? Sliding carefully out of bed and readying Kirlia’s Pokeball, he crossed to the window as another tap sounded, this one slightly louder than before. Taking a deep breath, Wally pulled back the curtain.
“…Gengar?” he asked in incredulously, seeing the Pokemon wave back at him from the outside. What to do? Open the window and invite a strange Pokemon in, or ignore it and hope it when away? The ghost type made the decision for him, floating through the glass and frame like it wasn’t even there.
Wally backed away, raising Kirlia’s Pokeball in preparation for an attack.
“Gar! Gar, Gengar!” The Pokemon hissed softly, waving its hands and shaking its head vigorously. It then straightened and gave the occupation army salute, doffing an imaginary cap upon doing so.
“Are you Silver’s Pokemon?” Wally asked suspiciously. He hadn’t seen any of the other soldiers with a Gengar, but that didn’t mean someone didn’t have one. Its lower evolutions seemed to be a popular choice with a certain segment of the army. But why was it here?
“Gengar!” The Pokemon replied with a nod and a grin, then gestured towards the Pokeball he held and back towards itself several times.
Getting the message, the teen released Kirlia and asked softly, “Can you confirm that this is Silver’s Gengar?” His Pokemon nodded and struck up a quiet conversation while Wally settled back on his bed, pulling a blanket around himself to keep warm.
Kirlia joined him a minute later, nodding and trilling, “Kirlia, la, la.” The trust flowing across the mental link between them made him sigh and smile hesitantly at the Gengar.
“Sorry about that, I had to make sure. So, why are you here?”
Gengar accepted the apology with a grin and a wave of its hand, then pointed towards the window and back at the teen.
“Something’s out there?” he guessed, getting a pleased nod. “It it Silver?” Gengar hesitated, then shook its head. Moving to the window, the Pokemon gestured to the lock and made a lifting motion.
“You want to open it?” Wally asked doubtfully. His bedroom was on the ground floor, so someone or something could climb inside if it was left open for too long. And he really didn’t know what the night air would do for his health.
The ghost type spoke to Kirlia, who then turned to him and nodded once, silently telling him it was safe. “A-Alright…but be quick.” he agreed with a slight frown. Gengar grinned and quickly flipped the lock, cracking the window open only long enough to grab something from the sill outside before closing and locking it.
“Gengar, gar.” the Pokemon said rather proudly, floating over to Wally and presenting a plain white envelope.
“For me?” he asked in surprise, getting a wider grin and a nod back. “O-Okay…Um, thanks?” he stammered, accepting the envelope and examining it. Both sides were completely blank, with no sign of who might have sent it. Wally then realized the sender was obvious: Silver.
Opening the envelope hurriedly in an attempt to distract himself from his warm cheeks, the teen, unfolded the piece of paper that was inside, seeing a short note addressed to him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make out the words. “Where did I put that flashlight…?” he mumbled, looking away from the note and scanning his room. Turning on his bedside lamp was too much of a risk.
“Gar.” Gengar replied, holding out a fist. After a moment, electricity began to crackle, surrounding the fist and providing a steady glow.
“Is that a TM attack?!” he gasped, getting a beaming nod in return. Wally had heard of TMs, but any still left in the village had either been confiscated by the army or were being horded. Unfortunately, he had no way of guessing what the attack actually was, but it was still useful. “Thanks, Gengar! Just keep it low, I don’t want to wake my relatives.”
“Gar, Gengar.” the Pokemon responded, floating up to hover by his shoulder to cast the best light. Now able to see clearly, the teen turned his attention to the note in his hands.
Dear Wally,
- Captain Silver
P.S. I want to leave Gengar in your care for the moment, if your family allows it. He dislikes being in the city, so I figured you would be the best person to look after him. He shouldn’t be too much trouble.
“Silver wants me to look after you?!” Wally gasped in surprise, looking at the Gengar beside him as the electricity faded away to leave the room in semi-darkness again.
“Gengar!” The Pokemon grinned and gave him a thumbs-up sign, clearly delighted at the prospect. Kirlia seemed pleased as well, if the smile on her face and the happiness flowing through him was any indication.
“Well…I suppose you can stay…” Wally murmured, shocked at the level of trust Silver had in him. “If it’s alright with my aunt and uncle, that is.” he added, wondering what his relatives and neighbours would think. Smothering a yawn with his hand, the teen decided it was time to call it a night.
“Stay out of trouble, ‘kay? And don’t leave my room.” he told Gengar as he climbed back into bed. The last thing he needed was for the ghost type to be seen before he had a chance to explain the matter.
“Gar!” the Pokemon replied with a salute, pulling the blankets up higher once he was settled. With Kirlia stretched out beside him and Gengar curled up at the foot of the bed, Wally sleepily realized he felt safer than he ever had in a long time.
“One of the army officers entrusted this Pokemon to you?” his uncle repeated doubtfully, glancing between his nephew and the Gengar next to him.
“Yes, Uncle. I promise I’ll keep him hidden if you want, and take care of him completely. It should only be for a little while.” Wally replied, hoping that his family would agree. He knew Silver was technically the enemy, but he saw the older teen as a friend now…and perhaps something more.
“What do you think?” his uncle asked, turning to look at his wife. Wally had shown both of them the letter Gengar had brought, and his aunt scanned it again before answering.
“I think that if this soldier trusts Wally with his Pokemon, then we should trust him too.” she replied slowly, giving her nephew a faint smile of encouragement. His uncle sighed in response, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. The teen could understand why - news of this would be sure to get the neighbours talking, and who knew what could come of that.
“I suppose Gengar can stay…but I’m coming with you to tell the army about it. I don’t want any trouble from them over this, and you need to go there anyway.” he said at last, then turned to Wally with a stern look. “I’m going to hold you to your promise to look after this Pokemon. I know your parents wanted us to take care of you, but this is my house and you are obliged to follow them while you stay here. If Gengar causes any, and I mean any, trouble for us, he’s going right back to the solider. Clear?”
Wally swallowed hard, knowing that was a hard thing for him to say. That would just make him work extra hard to keep the promise, though. “Clear.” he replied solemnly.
“Gar.” Gengar said a moment later, and his uncle nodded at both of them.
“Good…Good. Alright, let’s go pay HQ a visit.” the man said, straightening up and moving towards the door. Wally blinked as Gengar vanished, then followed his aunt’s downward smile and realized his shadow was much darker than it should have been.
“Nice hiding spot. Don‘t do anything silly, ok?” he said with a small smile, his shadow giving him a thumbs up sign in response.
“Well, Gengar seemed friendly enough. Be careful out there, Wally.” his aunt said, handing him back the letter and giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
“We will. See you in a bit.” he replied, giving her a smile in return and moving quickly after his uncle. If telling his family about Silver’s Pokemon had been nerve-wracking, informing the army would be terrifying.
An army officer - Captain Maxie according to the patch on his uniform - regarded him coolly from the other side of the desk, gaze locked on Wally despite the presence of his uncle and Gengar. “What an interesting situation this is, yes?”
The teen kept his eyes fixed on the officer’s impassive face, listening as his uncle replied cautiously, “Will having Gengar in my nephew’s care be a problem, sir?”
“It shouldn’t be.” the man answered smoothly, his eyes running over the teen yet again. Wally was becoming uncomfortable with all the attention, but it wasn’t his place to tell the officer to stop. “However, there are a few things I would like to discuss in private, if you don’t mind.”
“O-Of course not, sir. Excuse me.” Wally listened as his uncle hurried out, trying not to show his fear. What did the captain want to talk about, and how would it affect his family?
“You too, Gengar. And don’t try any tricks.” the officer added, gaze flicking away towards the ghost type for a moment before settling back on the teen.
“Gengar…” the Pokemon replied softly, giving Wally a reassuring pat on the shoulder before exiting the room as well. Silence fell as the teen waited for the officer to speak, but the man did nothing except stare at him.
Summoning up his courage and hoping he wasn’t making a mistake, Wally finally asked, “Is…Is there a problem, sir?”
“Well, aren’t you a brave boy…No, there’s no problem. I’m just surprised that Silver would entrust one of his oldest Pokemon to someone like you. Surprised…and a little curious.” Pausing, the captain opened the folder that was on his desk and flipped through it, speaking again after a moment. “It said here that Silver confiscated a Ralts off of you, but returned it due to it being un-trainable. Now why would he give you Gengar if can’t even raise your own Pokemon?”
Wally stiffened, fear flooding through him. Was he supposed to answer? Could he even answer? He had no idea if anyone else knew about the odd relationship he and Silver had. Perhaps it was against army regulations or something, and they would both be punished.
“You two know each other better than just mere acquaintances, don’t you?” the captain pressed, closing the folder and leaning forward in his chair. He smiled faintly, but that did nothing to reassure Wally. “I understand that you want to protect your family, but there’s no record of Silver buying or doing anything unusual that might be linked back to you. What is it, hm? Why is he so interested in you?”
That at least he could answer. Swallowing a cough that threatened to burst out, the teen felt his cheeks grow hot as he stammered, “I d-don’t know, s-sir. R-Really.”
“I see…” the captain murmured, leaning back in his chair and looking suddenly thoughtful. “You may go.”
“Yes sir!” Rising quickly, Wally gave the officer a parting nod to show his respect, then hurried out of the office as fast as he could before his knees gave out.
“Ahhh!” Wally yelped as another explosion made his bed rattle, hearing screams in the distance. What was going on?
“Everyone out and head for the shelters!” his uncle shouted from the hallway as the raid siren started to wail.
“Be there in a minute!” the teen called back. Scrambling into his clothes, he happened to glance out the window in time to see Pokemon race by, one Absol loosing an attack as it when past.
“Resistance members? Here?” he murmured, flinching as another blur tore past the house. Judging by the dim light outside, it was just before dawn, but why where the resistance fighters attacking now? Verdanturf was occupied territory, surely they had to realize that an attack was useless?!
“Kirlia, Gengar!” The former appeared from her Pokeball in a flash of white light, while the latter materialized out of the shadows of the room. Kirlia pointed towards the door, but the teen shook his head. “No, we’re not going to the shelters. You know what the resistance fighters do - we have to protect the house.”
“Gar!” Gengar clenched his fists and grinned, looking eager for a fight. Wally had managed to arrange some secret sparring lessons for the two Pokemon to keep them in shape, but now he wasn’t sure those were enough. Leaving his room, the teen checked to make sure his family had left, then locked the front door. His family wouldn’t be coming back once they reached the shelter and realized he wasn’t coming, and if the resistance members were going to break in, it would through the back.
Gengar slid into Wally’s shadow as the teen stationed himself outside the back door, Kirlia beside him. “Here we go…” he muttered to himself, feeling sweat break out on his back. The resistance had attacked before, but the army had always managed to fend them off before they reached the town. This time was different - he could see both aerial and ground-based Pokemon streaming towards the town from the north, and while the house blocked his view, he was sure more were coming from the other directions.
The ground shook again as something exploded nearby, the smell of fuel filling the air, then something red streaked overhead, hitting the ground and sliding to a halt. Wally narrowed his eyes as the resulting dust cloud swirled around the Pokemon, hands squeezing into fists. This was it. He had to protect his uncle’s home, or die trying. But as the dust settled and a figure slipped from the Pokemon’s shoulder to the ground, he froze in shock.
“N-No- way…” he murmured, taking in the sight of the young woman standing in front of him. “M-May?”
A faded red bandanna with a white Pokeball symbol was the only visual reminder of the young trainer with a cheerful Torchic who had helped him catch Ralts seven long years ago. The rest of her outfit consisted of durable, if somewhat ragged clothes. His shock was mirrored in Kirlia’s feelings, and the psychic type edged closer to him as May’s Blaziken took a threatening step towards them.
“We know each other, kid?” May asked, confusion and suspicion colouring her voice.
“Well…kinda. I’m Wally, and you helped me catch a Ralts on Route 102 a long time ago. You might not remember me, though…” he trailed off, feeling awkward. He hadn’t expected to ever see May again once the invasion began, but to meet her like this was really weird.
“Oh. You’re Wally?” she replied slowly, the light from nearby fires flickering off her face as she scanned him. “I can’t believe it….it really is you. But what are you doing here?”
“My parents sent me here after Rustboro was attacked.” the teen explained, wondering if he could convince her to leave peacefully. As much as he hated to admit it, there were better houses to rob than his uncle’s.
“I see. I don’t want to do this Wally, but I’m going to have to ask you to let me in. There are valuable supplies in there, and we need them.” May said firmly, Blaziken dropping into a crouch. So much for that idea, then.
“No.” Wally replied, taking a deep breath to fight off the mounting fear. “This is my home, and I’m not going to let you rob it without a fight.”
The resistance fighter gave a bitter smile and nodded as if she had known he was going to say that. “Go, Blaziken!”
As the Pokemon charged towards them, Wally quickly called, “Kirlia, use Confusion!”
“La~” His partner darted out in front of the teen, body glowing slightly as she summoned her psychic powers and directed them towards her opponent. Blaziken stumbled slightly as the attack hit, and Wally took the opportunity to back away and give them more room to fight.
Blaziken quickly regained its footing however, and dashed forward in a blinding Quick Attack, sending Kirlia tumbling. The teen swallowed hard, the difference in power between the two Pokemon apparent to even him. And judging by the faint smile on May’s face, she was already envisioning her victory.
“Kir…lia…” his Pokemon struggled to her feet, the strain of battle weighing on Wally’s mind through their link.
“Don’t give up! You’re strong, I know it.” he whispered, gritting his teeth in sympathy for Kirlia’s pain. Flames shot out of Blaziken’s mouth in what looked like an Ember attack, but his Pokemon dodged them with a timely Double Team.
“Enough playing around! Finish this!” May called, eyes flicking briefly towards the house behind Wally. The teen knew he was going to lose this fight, but he wasn’t going to just lay down and let a resistance member walk all over him. He had been letting the army do that for far too long.
“Ken! BLAZIKEN!” the human-like bird Pokemon bellowed, flames bursting from its wrists and ankles and it charged towards them again. Kirlia’s body glowed once more, and while the teen was certain her Confusion attack had hit, their opponent didn’t even slow down. Wally was forced to watch helplessly as Blaziken executed a flaming kick to his friend and partner, the attack knocking her aside easily.
He cried out at the shooting pain that knifed though his mind a second later, stumbling backwards in a daze. Kirlia was knocked out, that was certain, but he instinctively knew that she was also badly injured. Then he realized Blaziken was still moving, one clawed fist wreathed in flames and heading directly for him.
“Wha-ACK!” The sudden punch slammed intro his chest, sending the teen crashing through the back door of his uncle’s home. Semi-conscious, he gagged on the smell of burnt fabric and flesh, fighting the blackness at the edge of his vision. Why…?
Blinking groggily, he saw Blaziken standing in the doorway, May just behind it. She was speaking, saying something about being forced to do it, that he could identify her and that she was sorry, but the teen closed his eyes and groaned as pain radiated from his chest. He didn’t understand her. It wasn’t right, attacking him like this. How had she changed from the kind trainer into this hard-eyed young woman?
Was this it? Was he actually going to die here? “No…” he murmured weakly, feeling tears prickle up. He had to see Silver again! They had so much to talk about, so much to share! He didn’t want to die like this, die without saying goodbye. Die without confessing his feelings, as confused as they were.
“GENGAR!”
Wally forced himself to open his eyes at that, seeing that Gengar was standing in front of him now. Right, he remembered now. The Pokemon had been hiding in his shadow all along. May looked furious at this development; she shouted something, but the loud buzzing now filling he teen’s ears prevented him from making out the words.
Electricity surrounded Gengar’s fists in response, the sudden light making Wally squint. Blaziken’s claws were once more hidden in flames, and the two Pokemon unleashed a flurry of punches at each other. The resistance member and her Pokemon were being forced back outside, but for some reason he couldn’t concentrate on the battle. Just before his vision went black entirely, the teen thought he saw a small tornado engulf May and Blaziken, and a familiar figure hit the ground beside Gengar and turn towards him.
Tags:
(no subject)
14/5/12 22:10 (UTC)Speaking of May, I think her inclusion is really thought-provoking. I find myself wondering what you're going to do with her. Considering that (someone I think is) Silver has saved Wally, does that mean that May is going to be captured? I hope so. Also, that you develop her more by having her interact with Wally. The war has definitely changed her from the heroine I'm accustomed to seeing her as, but I'm curious to see if she's still that girl who saves the region from Teams Magma and Aqua.
Great update. Can't wait to read more, and I'm sorry for taking so long to get to this. Finals and papers, ugh.
(no subject)
15/5/12 01:16 (UTC)About May. I wanted to include one of the region's "heroes" in this fic, so settled on May as to avoid the entire fic being filled with strong males and weak females (there's been...two female humans show up so far, I think). She has her reasons for fighting the army, just as Silver has reasons for fighting with the occupying forces. Also, Brendan is around in the loose backstory I have, but I'm not sure if he'll show up in this fic.
The war has changed everyone, I think. I must admit it is interesting to write familiar characters such as May and Silver in this setting, because it adds another dimension to their character and allows me (and other authors as well) to do things with them or portray them in ways that would be impossible in regular Pokemon fic. Since I *am* writing this for you in a sense, are there any characters you would like to see/be mentioned?
I'm thinking of doing other fics set in this AU, since I'm in the process of developing a timeline of events in various regions covering the entire war, from its beginnings up until the point in this fic.
(no subject)
15/5/12 12:52 (UTC)That being said, I don't want to give you a list of things I want to see. The thing about requests is that it's only 15% yours; the other 85% (or more) belong to the writer. I like what you've done with this so far, and I don't want to obstruct the flow or anything, so I'll keep silent.
Which isn't saying much, because May was the only character I sort of wanted to see! Haha.
(no subject)
15/5/12 15:02 (UTC)I have some interesting things planned for the next chapter, with some unexpected characters showing up. And that's all I'm going to say about it! :P
P.S.
15/5/12 12:55 (UTC)OUaT finale!!!
Re: P.S.
15/5/12 15:06 (UTC)(no subject)
16/5/12 17:57 (UTC)