The Beast in Unleashed
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2018
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- 109
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- #21
The Beast is Unleashed
Bryan was given a hero’s welcome. People lined the streets of Olivine City to greet their former gym leader home. A huge banner was hung between two street lamps on the road south from Route 39. On the banner, in dark, blue letters, were the words: Welcome Home Bryan. We Love You. Bryan was surprised, yet pleased, at the display. He had always had great support from his home town and it hadn’t changed in the months he had been away. Jasmine led the mob of people who greeted him and he wrapped her in a deep embrace, much to the delight of the gathered crowd. They had clearly welcomed their new gym leader with the same kindness they had welcomed their former. Bryan waded through the townspeople, shaking hands, exchanging hugs, even kissing a few babies. For some reason, the adoration of the people he knew didn’t bother him like that of the random rabble who had tagged on to him at the tournament. As Bryan weaved his way toward the Pokémon Gym, the luscious taste of saltwater in the air, the town followed. By the time he had reached home, it appeared that a small parade was winding its way through Olivine. Unsure how to break up the assembly, Bryan turned to them and raised his arms. They quieted. Gathering his nerve, he gave a short speech, praising their loyalty and expressing his gratefulness. When he lowered his hands and finished, the crowd seemed satisfied and began to disperse.
Jasmine caught back up with him as the last vestiges of his welcome home party dwindled and led him into the gym. Nothing had changed. A few new scratches or dents decorated the well-worn walls, yet nothing more. Despite the fanfare and air of joy in the town, Bryan seemed to be missing something.
“Where is Elizabeth,” he suddenly asked, remembering she hadn’t been in the assembly.
“Not completely sure,” Jasmine answered, a forlorn look on her face, “she took a boat south to Cianwood last week. Didn’t say when she would be back.”
A look similar to the one on Jasmine’s face washed over Bryan’s, but he quickly washed it away. He was disappointed that he couldn’t see Elizabeth at present, yet she often made trips to Cianwood or north to Mahogany Town on business. When she would return was probably a mystery to everyone, including herself. In that spirit, he pushed his oldest friend from his mind and concentrated on the present. He and Jasmine celebrated alone that evening. They feasted on his favorite meal, spaghetti and meatballs. Number 7 joined them as well. It was an odd flashback to a night not long before he had left and he reflected on how much he had grown since. The next day, Jasmine introduced her uncle to all of her students. Like any gym leader, her disciples varied from month-to-month, but at present she had seven. Her first disciple, Steven, had stuck around a couple months, but was long gone now, so her longest incumbent student was Taran Barash, the young boy she had mentioned to him before. The other six were all relatively new and between 13 and 14 years old. Ironically, they were all boys. Taran was the youngest of the group, at 11, though a local boy who was even younger would train with them a few times a week.
They were all enamored by Bryan and berated him with questions about the tournament and meeting some of the biggest celebrities in the Pokémon world. Bryan fielded their questions for a time. When he didn’t think he could take the barrage any longer, he released Heracross and Growlithe for the boys to interact with. Of all his Pokémon, those two females could best handle the enthusiasm of the pre-teens. While the others played, Taran stood apart and, after a time, approached Bryan. He was calmer and more composed than his fellows and asked Bryan more serious, purposeful questions. The former gym leader automatically compared him to Patrick. His stark, inquisitive nature and age surely matched the reigning champion, yet he lacked the playful attitude Patrick rarely seemed to lose. Jasmine monitored the other boys while they spoke. When at last Taran’s masked curiosity was satiated, he challenged Bryan to a duel. Bryan agreed. He wanted to wait a couple of days, however, let his Pokémon get a good rest after the last few hard weeks of battle and travel.
In the intervening days, Bryan relaxed and spent most of his time musing over the day-to-day events at the gym. The six pre-teen boys probably wouldn’t last more than a month or two at the gym. He had seen their like come and go for years. They all wanted to be Masters, but they lacked the will to do so. Their concentration wavered. They struggled to pay attention in lessons. They enjoyed having their Pokémon do silly tricks instead of training them to battle. The bond they had with Pokémon was strong; their knack for battling and general obedience…lacking. Taran was different. He paid strict attention to everything Jasmine told him, as if her speech was golden. He was the first to arrive at every training session, last to leave, and most diligent in performing any task. He was the ideal student and Jasmine was grateful for it. The mature young boy had made her transition to gym leader smoother with all the hard work he put in and set a good example for her other students. Even if the other students didn’t follow it.
As if his demeanor and work ethic didn’t set him apart enough, Taran’s appearance was starkly different to his contemporaries too. The other boys normally sported loose-fitting shorts and t-shirts with sandals and occasionally ball caps. They all had long, scraggly hair, as was the fashion for boys that age. Taran, on the other hand, kept his hair neatly cut short and above the ears. It suited his plain face. His eyes were a brilliant, intelligent blue that mirrored the sea, though the boy never played with his companions in the water for he lacked the ability to swim. He would sit on the beach and read though, the only time he would forego his normal slacks and polo shirts for something more comfortable. His story was interesting as well. His mother came from a military family and was well-educated, while his father had worked in manual labor his entire life. He was the second of four children, the youngest of which wasn’t even a year old. Bryan supposed he considered Kalos home, as that was where he was raised, but the family had moved from Camphrier Town after the tragic passing of both of Taran’s mother’s parents. On the positive side, they came into a lot of money with the passing. The pain of the memories was still fresh; thus, a change of scenery was in order. His father now worked as a janitor at the lighthouse and his mother concentrated on raising and educating four children. Some nights, the boy, mature beyond his age, almost out of necessity, spent nights at home with his family. He cooked or cleaned, tended for his younger brother and sister, or found some other way to lift the burden of living in a new world. Most nights, however, he spent in his bunk at the gym, often reading lengthy texts long after the other boys had fallen asleep, who were exhausted from a day of misbehaving and rough housing.
Taran definitely lacked the child-like excitement and energy that typically came with his age and his companions rarely let him forget it. To his credit, he didn’t seem to care. He went about his days minding his own business and ignoring the joys of youth as though he had lived them once and was already over whatever entertainment they provided. Bryan experienced the benefits of Taran’s attitude first-hand the morning they battled. While the other boys had inhaled their breakfasts and sprinted for the beach, Taran had slowly eaten, his nose in a book, as was usual. He then ventured down to the arena for some last-minute training.
Their battle, though entertaining, wasn’t that eventful. Taran was definitely tough, yet he still lacked experience and refinement. In addition to Aegislash, he battled with Fletchinder and Dewott. They combined to make an excellent team, playing off of each other strengths and weaknesses. The Ember Pokémon was similar to Rocket in many ways. Her speed was unbelievable, yet she lacked overall in power. Dewott, to the contrary, could hit with tremendous force, yet lacked a lot of speed. Aegislash was different altogether. Bryan had researched the Royal Sword Pokémon while staying with Professor Oak and was astounded by its versatility. In Shield form, it could weather almost any blow and partially heal off damage with a usable item Taran just called ´Leftovers.’ In Blade form, its attacks were a force to be reckoned with. With a boosting move in Swords Dance; a powerful, well-rounded attack in Sacred Sword; and priority STAB in Shadow Sneak, Aegislash had the offensive tools to tear through nearly every Pokémon. The increased utility of carrying King’s Shield to switch back into a heavily-resistant tank just made him all the more dangerous.
Bryan had never faced anything like the Ghost/Steel-type and hoped he wouldn’t have to do so often in the future. Taran knew exactly how to wield his favorite Pokémon and did massive amounts of damage to Bryan’s team before Growlithe was finally able to bring him down. The brown-haired boy took the loss with the same calm, indifference that he took with the rest of his life. He thanked Bryan for helping his training and returned to his everyday routine. Before he wandered off, Bryan had suggested to the boy that he do some training himself, along with his Pokémon. He was thin as a rail, though a little tall for his age. Although he ate ample food, he appeared malnourished and, if he ever intended to take the Gym Challenge, he would need some more meat on his scrawny bones.
A rainy April passed swiftly into a storm-filled May and eventually into a mild June. In all that time, Elizabeth hadn’t returned and, despite telling himself he wouldn’t, Bryan began to worry. He was doing just that one morning, lazing in his old recliner watching the news, when a special report flashed onto the screen.
Cinnabar Volcano Erupts, Southern Kanto Suffering the Consequences.
Bryan wasn’t overly shocked or concerned with the headline. About a week before, scientists had predicted the volcano would erupt and an evacuation was ordered. A small subtitle beneath the main headline indicated that no-one was believed to have been injured in the catastrophe. Many members of the community in Olivine had even taken to sitting on the beach in the evenings, hoping they could see the distant eruption light the skies. Bryan wasn’t concerned about Pokémon either. They understood nature and its fury better than humans. If anything, many would likely benefit from the natural disaster. No, it wasn’t the eruption that concerned him, it was one of the minor headlines scrolling slowly across the bottom of the screen.
Aggressive, unidentified Pokémon terrorizing people near Cerulean City, with any information, please call…
Mewtwo. Bryan knew it had to be. Professor Oak said it had been living in a cave north of Cerulean, perhaps the eruption had disturbed it. He had to take action. Jumping up from his chair, toppling it with a loud bang, he rushed to his desk and pulled out the bottom most drawer. Inside was a long, hand-carved box he had bought from a vendor at one of the monthly beach sales since his return. Inside were three feathers. The icy, blue-white of Articuno; the electric yellow and black of Zapdos; and the faded white of Lugia. He opened the box long enough to confirm its contents and then slammed the box shut, tossed it in his travel bag, and stumbled to the door in his rush. Jasmine met him there.
“I heard something fall,” she started, but Bryan cut her off.
“I have to go now,” he huffed, looking for a path around her.
“Is this about the eruption,” she said, not understanding his hurry, “Erin said she saw the sky shining red in the distance last night.”
“Not the eruption,” Bryan said, his voice not losing its exasperated tone, “a lot of people are in danger, I have to help them.”
Jasmine’s brow furrowed up at her uncle. She didn’t like his mysterious manner or his attitude. And as gym leader, it was her job to protect people as well.
“I am coming too.”
“I…,” Bryan started, but didn’t have time to argue, “I am flying out on Skarmory in five minutes, that is how long you have.”
“Where are we going?” was her only response.
“Mt. Silver.”
If she was stunned or troubled, her face didn’t show it and she rushed off to grab what she would need. Bryan threw on the shoes that were resting at the bottom of the stairs and, in short time, Jasmine joined him with Taran. She was giving the boy last minute instructions on how to handle the gym while she was gone. He nodded his understanding, wished her luck on her endeavor, and the two were off. They rode their nearly identical Skarmory north out of the city. They soon left the moist, salty sea air behind them and entered the cool, mountain breeze their Pokémon preferred. Skarmory weren’t the fastest Flying-type Pokémon around, but they were the best for the job at hand. Contrary to popular belief, there were few Pokémon that had the size and strength to carry adults. Though many could carry children, it took special breeds, like Skarmory, to do the heavier lifting.
The duo flew east and eventually passed over the Lake of Rage. Searching his memory for a layout of the mountains, Bryan adjusted their course to be more southeast and they continued on. Sticking to the mountain air as much as possible, they made good time and, soon enough, Blackthorn City’s outline rose and fell in the distance. Before nightfall, Bryan could see the classic, red-roofed outline of a Pokémon Center on the mountainside. It was the only one of its kind between Viridian to the east and Cherrygrove City to the west. Living and working there must have been a lonely existence and he didn’t pity the nurse who had to do it. They landed near the solitary building and dismounted. Not far from the Pokémon Center was the mouth of a cave and it was toward the opening that Bryan hurried, Jasmine in tow. The pair had spoken very little during the journey and the near silence didn’t end with their arrival. Bryan had a single-minded goal and wouldn’t be driven from it. He had secretly been doing research on Moltres since his loss at the Pokémon League and felt this was the best place to start. All of his information on the Flame Pokémon pointed to one of two locations: Victory Road or deep in Mt. Silver. The Victory Road sightings were older and scarcer, so it was into the depths of the mysterious mountain that he ventured.
The interior of the cave was pitch-black. Pulling out Magmar’s Pokéball, he lit a torch off of his molten skin and let the Spitfire Pokémon, glowing in the dim light, lead the way. Jasmine, in aiding the venture to see, produced a Litleo. Bryan briefly considered questioning about his origin. The answer, however, was obvious. Litleo was native to Kalos, thus it likely had something to do with Taran. Mind at ease on that subject, he pushed on. Jasmine had no difficulty keeping pace, but, after an hour or so of racing through the dark, creepy cave, she broke the silence.
“What are we doing here?”
“Moltres,” was the only response Bryan gave her, his voice barely above a whisper.
Her uncle didn’t even glance back at her to see the befuddled look on her face. If he didn’t expect more questions after that answer, he was crazy.
“We are looking for Moltres? The Legendary Pokémon?”
Bryan’s only response was a nod. In spite of their close relationship, Jasmine felt like screaming at her uncle’s ridiculous behavior. She maintained her composure with a deep breath of stale, musty air.
“How do you intend to find Moltres?”
“Faith,” Bryan muttered, his voice barely audible, even in the emptiness of the cave.
Throwing her arms up in the air in frustration, Jasmine gave up on questioning her uncle and just maintained her effort to keep pace with his fervor. Another hour passed and the girl’s stomach began to grumble. She mentioned it to Bryan, but he ignored her. Another half an hour and the grumbling grew louder.
“I am done with the ridiculousness,” Jasmine finally shouted, her voice echoing off the walls and coming back to them, “I am not moving from this spot until I have eaten something.”
Bryan acted as though he hadn’t heard a word of her tantrum and continued on. The ominous sound of crumbling rock and the resulting scream, however, he could not ignore. Jasmine had plopped down on a rock cropping in her outrage and leaned back against what appeared to be a solid rock wall. It wasn’t. The thin layer of stone that separated the interior of the cave from the exterior gave way beneath her weight and she fell backwards and out of the cave. Bryan wheeled around, Moltres forgotten in his fear, and tripped over the rock-strewn floor in his rush to save his niece. Moonlight was streaming from the new hole in the wall, yet Jasmine was nowhere to be seen. Discarding his backpack, Bryan gingerly placed both hands on a large rock, cautious of other collapses, and leaned out into the gleaming night. Jasmine, abject terror evident in her face, was hanging precariously two feet below the hole. Luckily, a small tree growing out of the side of the mountain had temporarily halted her fall. Taking advantage of the lifeline, she wrapped both hands around the slim branches with a death-like grip. Now, she hung from it, muscles weakening, legs dangling helplessly beneath, hundreds of feet above the valley far below. Bryan panicked and then caught himself. She had to be scared enough without him adding to her concern. His mind raced.
“Just breathe slowly, Jasmine,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady and comfort her simultaneously, “I will save you.”
“I…can’t…hold…on,” she stammered through the effort of holding onto the branch and Bryan held up a hand to stop her.
“Save your strength,” he advised, “have I ever let you down?”
“No,” she said, a strange, peaceful smile playing across her face, “I have faith in you.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth, the branch to which she was clinging snapped off the tree and she fell. Screaming in disbelief, rage, and grief, Bryan lunged after her, attempting to grasp her arm before she escaped his reach. He failed. Tears streaming down his face, he pounded his fists on the rock before him, shaking small pieces loose from the weak stones. He stepped back, wary that he too might soon be plummeting to his death. This was his fault. He shouldn’t have let her come. He should have paid more attention to her. He should have explained more. The tears continued to flow unchecked, yet, even through the unrelenting sorrow, an eerie reddish-yellow glow caught his eye against the stark gray landscape of the cave. He wiped his eyes with a dirty shirt sleeve. Sitting on the moonlight-soaked boulder, where moments before Jasmine had fallen to her death, was a feather. Moltres’ feather.
Bryan blinked rapidly and picked up the fiery feather. Holding it before his face, he contemplated it in the moonlight and a movement from below caught his attention. Rising up from the valley, majestic and beautiful against the midnight sky, was Moltres. And upon its back…
“JASMINE,” Bryan shouted, his voice hoarse from emotion, disbelief, and the crying.
His voice echoed off the walls and Bryan barely recognized the voice that came back to him. Moltres flew close to the mountain, its wings wreathed in flames, and Jasmine motioned for Bryan to join her. The Flame Pokémon was close, but Bryan still had to jump to reach it. He didn’t care. In this world of miracles, he felt he could have leapt over the Tin Tower in Ecruteak City with a foot to spare. When he landed, Moltres flapped for more altitude and began racing at unbelievable speed for the horizon. Bryan just stared at his niece.
“How,” he murmured.
“I had faith,” she responded.
The two couldn’t find any more words to share as they sped off toward Kanto, their destination clear. Cerulean City. The journey was long with the wind whipping past them, freezing upon their face, but the radiating warmth of Moltres’ body countered it. As the sun began to rise in the distance, a poor facsimile of the wonder they rode upon, Moltres began to spiral downward. They landed in Cerulean’s central square, just outside the Pokémon Gym.
Cerulean City was in chaos. Not a chaos caused by the sighting of Moltres. A primal and terrified chaos that indicated Mewtwo had left the confines of its home and entered the city. Bryan had no time to lose.
“I have to find Mortimer,” he shouted over the din.
Jasmine nodded to him, unsure if he would hear her response over the racket in the city.
“I am here,” came a voice shouting from behind them.
Bryan and Jasmine turned to see the old man approaching, accompanied by Misty. Bryan had phoned him just moments before he left Olivine the day prior. He needed his feather. Mortimer handed it to him and Bryan dropped his backpack onto the ground to retrieve the others. The feathers of five Legendary birds clasped in his hand, Bryan hurried north and toward the source of the chaos. Jasmine and Misty weren’t far behind. Mortimer decided it best to avoid the excitement.
A woman came screaming past them, holding a bleeding arm and looking terrified back over her shoulder. Bryan mirrored her gaze. Floating a foot off the ground near the edge of Nugget Bridge was Mewtwo. Bryan had seen it in dreams, yet the fear it induced in person was far beyond anything he held felt before. Jasmine and Misty, unaware of what they were facing, stopped cold. Misty attempted some words. Nothing escaped her stupefied lips.
Mewtwo was the epitome of power. And horror. Some brave trainers were attempting to subdue the beast, but their failure was complete. A Venusaur lumbered toward the Genetic Pokémon, preparing a Solar Beam. Mewtwo tossed it aside with an unbelievably powerful Psychic. A Mamoswine beared down on it from behind. Mewtwo turned with lightning speed and delivered a vicious Drain Punch. Nothing was a match for it. Bryan held his feathers before him as Moltres swept into action. Zapdos’ and Articuno’s feathers flared and the other two Legendary Pokémon appeared. Lugia and Ho-oh, however, remained absent.
Moltres bathed Mewtwo in Flamethrower, Zapdos came in behind with Thunderbolt, and Articuno finished the trio of attacks with Ice Beam. Mewtwo held out a hand and summoned a Light Screen. The attacks bounced harmlessly off. The birds wouldn’t be defeated so easily. Zapdos swooped low with a Drill Peck while Articuno and Moltres assaulted the Genetic Pokémon from the sky. Light Screen continued to hold off the ranged attacks, but, as Zapdos closed in, Mewtwo vanished. And re-appeared in the sky above the Pokémon. He cast Psychic downward and the defenseless Pokémon crashed hard into the ground with a painful shriek. Now flying at the same level as Articuno and Moltres, Mewtwo went on the offensive. Articuno withstood another Psychic and Moltres used the opportunity to launch another Flamethrower. Mewtwo extended both strange, three-fingered hands up and…Bryan couldn’t really tell. It was either deflecting Moltres’ Flamethrower or absorbing it and casting one of its own. Whatever the case, Articuno was engulfed in flames and fell from the sky to join its fellow on the ground below. Only Moltres remained. The rest of the battle didn’t last long. The Flame Pokémon flapped for altitude and attempted a Sky Attack. A sound that could have been laughter emanated from the Genetic Pokémon. Psychic threw Moltres off target and Thunder sent it crashing to the ground.
All Bryan’s hard work was for naught. The Legendary birds had failed to defeat Mewtwo and lay, battered and bruised like all the other Pokémon, at its misshapen feet. Bryan looked up. He feared what Mewtwo would do next. Floating above the carnage it had wrought, it looked to be contemplating. Then, without warning, it vanished. Bryan stared at the point where it had been, mouth agape, baffled.
In the absence of the Pokémon that had been terrorizing the city, trainers rushed in to tend to their fallen Pokémon. A beleaguered nurse from the Pokémon Center, talking frantically on the phone, also rushed toward the mess. Mortimer, who had been watching the proceedings from the safest distance he thought possible, approached. He was visibly shaking.
“Why didn’t it work,” Bryan raged, his confusion turning to anger, “the ruins, the feathers, the legends. What did we do wrong?”
“Perhaps because you didn’t earn all of the birds’ trust,” responded Mortimer, taking a step back from the steaming Bryan. The rage didn’t last long though and he plopped down on the ground, drawing symbols in the dirt and scratching his head.
“You were here,” he said shortly, “Ho-oh didn’t appear.”
“I lied,” Mortimer admitted sheepishly, drawing a sharp glance from his frustrated associate, “the story and the feather have been passed down through my family for centuries. No-one even knows who saw Ho-oh all those years ago.”
Bryan buried his face in his hands. Both Jasmine and Misty, baffled by the conversation, looked ready to say something, but the words didn’t come to them. Despite standing, and sitting, awkwardly in a ruined portion of town, people and Pokémon running hither and yon repairing damage, no-one seemed inclined to move. Finally, Mortimer broke the silence.
“I know where we can find Ho-oh. We can still stop Mewtwo.”
“And Lugia,” Bryan questioned, looking up from his hands.
“One challenge at a time,” Jasmine chimed in.
Mortimer agreed with her heartily. Perhaps the answer would present itself later. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was exactly right. In the mean time, he told Bryan what he knew of Ho-oh.
“The story about Ho-oh may not be first hand, but the details are true. The Rainbow Pokémon lives atop Tin Tower in Ecruteak. The climb up the tower is only half the battle though, I don’t know what will make the Ho-oh appear to you.”
“Power,” Bryan muttered.
“What,” his three companions asked in unison, unable to hear his undertone.
“Power,” Bryan repeated so they could he him clearly, “I don’t have time to explain. What is the fastest way to Ecruteak.”
“The train” stated Misty, contributing to the conversation for the first time, “its not a long trip south to Saffron and isn’t Ecruteak just north of Goldenrod.
Bryan confirmed her assessment.
“I don’t know what you are mixed up in,” Misty added, “but I wish you luck.”
Bryan shook her hand in thanks and motioned for Mortimer and Jasmine to follow. His niece did so obediently, but the old man waved him off. He didn’t have the legs or the spirit for adventures anymore. So long as Bryan held the Fog Badge, he would be admitted to Tin Tower. In no mood to argue, Bryan started off again. Misty stopped him with a word.
“I know a quicker way, come with me.”
Niece and uncle fell in behind the gym leader as she jogged south and then west. She stopped before the old bike shop that had closed down when its owner felt he would do better business elsewhere. Pulling a key from her pocket, she slid it in the rusted lock and pushed open the door. It creaked as it pushed through a layer of dust on the floor. Leaning against the nearest wall, also covered in a layer of dust, were half a dozen bicycles.
“Take two,” Misty said, indicating the old bikes, “Hoj couldn’t transfer all of his inventory when he moved, but the bikes work fine. Don’t worry about returning them.”
Bryan thanked Misty profusely. Selecting two bikes from the wall, Jasmine and Bryan hopped on and pedaled fast out of town. Once in Saffron, Bryan wanted to head directly for the Magnet Train. Jasmine had other ideas.
“We haven’t slept in over a day and I am starving,” she pleaded, “as urgent as your mission is, is it worth starving over?”
Bryan conceded that it wasn’t. And it was better to stop in Saffron where the hospitality was warm and familiar. Thus, off to see Sabrina they went. She greeted them kindly and fed them a big, hot breakfast of eggs and toast. With Bryan finally at her disposal, Jasmine began to grill him for information on the mysterious adventure of the past twenty-four hours. Bryan resisted her questioning. Until Sabrina started pressing him as well. Shocked at the revelation of what occurred in Cerulean City, she wanted the truth too. Bryan caved. He told them both everything. Starting with receiving the feather from Elizabeth and culminating in the discovery of Moltres and the battle with Mewtwo. He included meeting Mr. Fuji, Mew, the circumstances around his encounters with Articuno and Zapdos, and the mysteries he discovered buried at Tanoby. He omitted no detail. The women were speechless.
Breakfast was finished and the dishes were cleared away. Still no-one spoke. When at last the silence was broken, Sabrina wanted to know what he planned to do. He told her in succinct form. She agreed with his decision. Now well-fed, they laid down for a long sleep, despite the fact that it was only mid-morning. Sabrina made sure they weren’t disturbed. Around seven that evening, Jasmine and Bryan rose and were refreshed. Still feeling the urgent push at his back, Bryan wanted to be off. Sabrina couldn’t stop him from leaving. She packed them a nice meal, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and warned him against the dangers of chasing the Legendary Pokémon again. With that, he and Jasmine caught the Magnet Train to Goldenrod and were off.
Bryan was given a hero’s welcome. People lined the streets of Olivine City to greet their former gym leader home. A huge banner was hung between two street lamps on the road south from Route 39. On the banner, in dark, blue letters, were the words: Welcome Home Bryan. We Love You. Bryan was surprised, yet pleased, at the display. He had always had great support from his home town and it hadn’t changed in the months he had been away. Jasmine led the mob of people who greeted him and he wrapped her in a deep embrace, much to the delight of the gathered crowd. They had clearly welcomed their new gym leader with the same kindness they had welcomed their former. Bryan waded through the townspeople, shaking hands, exchanging hugs, even kissing a few babies. For some reason, the adoration of the people he knew didn’t bother him like that of the random rabble who had tagged on to him at the tournament. As Bryan weaved his way toward the Pokémon Gym, the luscious taste of saltwater in the air, the town followed. By the time he had reached home, it appeared that a small parade was winding its way through Olivine. Unsure how to break up the assembly, Bryan turned to them and raised his arms. They quieted. Gathering his nerve, he gave a short speech, praising their loyalty and expressing his gratefulness. When he lowered his hands and finished, the crowd seemed satisfied and began to disperse.
Jasmine caught back up with him as the last vestiges of his welcome home party dwindled and led him into the gym. Nothing had changed. A few new scratches or dents decorated the well-worn walls, yet nothing more. Despite the fanfare and air of joy in the town, Bryan seemed to be missing something.
“Where is Elizabeth,” he suddenly asked, remembering she hadn’t been in the assembly.
“Not completely sure,” Jasmine answered, a forlorn look on her face, “she took a boat south to Cianwood last week. Didn’t say when she would be back.”
A look similar to the one on Jasmine’s face washed over Bryan’s, but he quickly washed it away. He was disappointed that he couldn’t see Elizabeth at present, yet she often made trips to Cianwood or north to Mahogany Town on business. When she would return was probably a mystery to everyone, including herself. In that spirit, he pushed his oldest friend from his mind and concentrated on the present. He and Jasmine celebrated alone that evening. They feasted on his favorite meal, spaghetti and meatballs. Number 7 joined them as well. It was an odd flashback to a night not long before he had left and he reflected on how much he had grown since. The next day, Jasmine introduced her uncle to all of her students. Like any gym leader, her disciples varied from month-to-month, but at present she had seven. Her first disciple, Steven, had stuck around a couple months, but was long gone now, so her longest incumbent student was Taran Barash, the young boy she had mentioned to him before. The other six were all relatively new and between 13 and 14 years old. Ironically, they were all boys. Taran was the youngest of the group, at 11, though a local boy who was even younger would train with them a few times a week.
They were all enamored by Bryan and berated him with questions about the tournament and meeting some of the biggest celebrities in the Pokémon world. Bryan fielded their questions for a time. When he didn’t think he could take the barrage any longer, he released Heracross and Growlithe for the boys to interact with. Of all his Pokémon, those two females could best handle the enthusiasm of the pre-teens. While the others played, Taran stood apart and, after a time, approached Bryan. He was calmer and more composed than his fellows and asked Bryan more serious, purposeful questions. The former gym leader automatically compared him to Patrick. His stark, inquisitive nature and age surely matched the reigning champion, yet he lacked the playful attitude Patrick rarely seemed to lose. Jasmine monitored the other boys while they spoke. When at last Taran’s masked curiosity was satiated, he challenged Bryan to a duel. Bryan agreed. He wanted to wait a couple of days, however, let his Pokémon get a good rest after the last few hard weeks of battle and travel.
In the intervening days, Bryan relaxed and spent most of his time musing over the day-to-day events at the gym. The six pre-teen boys probably wouldn’t last more than a month or two at the gym. He had seen their like come and go for years. They all wanted to be Masters, but they lacked the will to do so. Their concentration wavered. They struggled to pay attention in lessons. They enjoyed having their Pokémon do silly tricks instead of training them to battle. The bond they had with Pokémon was strong; their knack for battling and general obedience…lacking. Taran was different. He paid strict attention to everything Jasmine told him, as if her speech was golden. He was the first to arrive at every training session, last to leave, and most diligent in performing any task. He was the ideal student and Jasmine was grateful for it. The mature young boy had made her transition to gym leader smoother with all the hard work he put in and set a good example for her other students. Even if the other students didn’t follow it.
As if his demeanor and work ethic didn’t set him apart enough, Taran’s appearance was starkly different to his contemporaries too. The other boys normally sported loose-fitting shorts and t-shirts with sandals and occasionally ball caps. They all had long, scraggly hair, as was the fashion for boys that age. Taran, on the other hand, kept his hair neatly cut short and above the ears. It suited his plain face. His eyes were a brilliant, intelligent blue that mirrored the sea, though the boy never played with his companions in the water for he lacked the ability to swim. He would sit on the beach and read though, the only time he would forego his normal slacks and polo shirts for something more comfortable. His story was interesting as well. His mother came from a military family and was well-educated, while his father had worked in manual labor his entire life. He was the second of four children, the youngest of which wasn’t even a year old. Bryan supposed he considered Kalos home, as that was where he was raised, but the family had moved from Camphrier Town after the tragic passing of both of Taran’s mother’s parents. On the positive side, they came into a lot of money with the passing. The pain of the memories was still fresh; thus, a change of scenery was in order. His father now worked as a janitor at the lighthouse and his mother concentrated on raising and educating four children. Some nights, the boy, mature beyond his age, almost out of necessity, spent nights at home with his family. He cooked or cleaned, tended for his younger brother and sister, or found some other way to lift the burden of living in a new world. Most nights, however, he spent in his bunk at the gym, often reading lengthy texts long after the other boys had fallen asleep, who were exhausted from a day of misbehaving and rough housing.
Taran definitely lacked the child-like excitement and energy that typically came with his age and his companions rarely let him forget it. To his credit, he didn’t seem to care. He went about his days minding his own business and ignoring the joys of youth as though he had lived them once and was already over whatever entertainment they provided. Bryan experienced the benefits of Taran’s attitude first-hand the morning they battled. While the other boys had inhaled their breakfasts and sprinted for the beach, Taran had slowly eaten, his nose in a book, as was usual. He then ventured down to the arena for some last-minute training.
Their battle, though entertaining, wasn’t that eventful. Taran was definitely tough, yet he still lacked experience and refinement. In addition to Aegislash, he battled with Fletchinder and Dewott. They combined to make an excellent team, playing off of each other strengths and weaknesses. The Ember Pokémon was similar to Rocket in many ways. Her speed was unbelievable, yet she lacked overall in power. Dewott, to the contrary, could hit with tremendous force, yet lacked a lot of speed. Aegislash was different altogether. Bryan had researched the Royal Sword Pokémon while staying with Professor Oak and was astounded by its versatility. In Shield form, it could weather almost any blow and partially heal off damage with a usable item Taran just called ´Leftovers.’ In Blade form, its attacks were a force to be reckoned with. With a boosting move in Swords Dance; a powerful, well-rounded attack in Sacred Sword; and priority STAB in Shadow Sneak, Aegislash had the offensive tools to tear through nearly every Pokémon. The increased utility of carrying King’s Shield to switch back into a heavily-resistant tank just made him all the more dangerous.
Bryan had never faced anything like the Ghost/Steel-type and hoped he wouldn’t have to do so often in the future. Taran knew exactly how to wield his favorite Pokémon and did massive amounts of damage to Bryan’s team before Growlithe was finally able to bring him down. The brown-haired boy took the loss with the same calm, indifference that he took with the rest of his life. He thanked Bryan for helping his training and returned to his everyday routine. Before he wandered off, Bryan had suggested to the boy that he do some training himself, along with his Pokémon. He was thin as a rail, though a little tall for his age. Although he ate ample food, he appeared malnourished and, if he ever intended to take the Gym Challenge, he would need some more meat on his scrawny bones.
A rainy April passed swiftly into a storm-filled May and eventually into a mild June. In all that time, Elizabeth hadn’t returned and, despite telling himself he wouldn’t, Bryan began to worry. He was doing just that one morning, lazing in his old recliner watching the news, when a special report flashed onto the screen.
Cinnabar Volcano Erupts, Southern Kanto Suffering the Consequences.
Bryan wasn’t overly shocked or concerned with the headline. About a week before, scientists had predicted the volcano would erupt and an evacuation was ordered. A small subtitle beneath the main headline indicated that no-one was believed to have been injured in the catastrophe. Many members of the community in Olivine had even taken to sitting on the beach in the evenings, hoping they could see the distant eruption light the skies. Bryan wasn’t concerned about Pokémon either. They understood nature and its fury better than humans. If anything, many would likely benefit from the natural disaster. No, it wasn’t the eruption that concerned him, it was one of the minor headlines scrolling slowly across the bottom of the screen.
Aggressive, unidentified Pokémon terrorizing people near Cerulean City, with any information, please call…
Mewtwo. Bryan knew it had to be. Professor Oak said it had been living in a cave north of Cerulean, perhaps the eruption had disturbed it. He had to take action. Jumping up from his chair, toppling it with a loud bang, he rushed to his desk and pulled out the bottom most drawer. Inside was a long, hand-carved box he had bought from a vendor at one of the monthly beach sales since his return. Inside were three feathers. The icy, blue-white of Articuno; the electric yellow and black of Zapdos; and the faded white of Lugia. He opened the box long enough to confirm its contents and then slammed the box shut, tossed it in his travel bag, and stumbled to the door in his rush. Jasmine met him there.
“I heard something fall,” she started, but Bryan cut her off.
“I have to go now,” he huffed, looking for a path around her.
“Is this about the eruption,” she said, not understanding his hurry, “Erin said she saw the sky shining red in the distance last night.”
“Not the eruption,” Bryan said, his voice not losing its exasperated tone, “a lot of people are in danger, I have to help them.”
Jasmine’s brow furrowed up at her uncle. She didn’t like his mysterious manner or his attitude. And as gym leader, it was her job to protect people as well.
“I am coming too.”
“I…,” Bryan started, but didn’t have time to argue, “I am flying out on Skarmory in five minutes, that is how long you have.”
“Where are we going?” was her only response.
“Mt. Silver.”
If she was stunned or troubled, her face didn’t show it and she rushed off to grab what she would need. Bryan threw on the shoes that were resting at the bottom of the stairs and, in short time, Jasmine joined him with Taran. She was giving the boy last minute instructions on how to handle the gym while she was gone. He nodded his understanding, wished her luck on her endeavor, and the two were off. They rode their nearly identical Skarmory north out of the city. They soon left the moist, salty sea air behind them and entered the cool, mountain breeze their Pokémon preferred. Skarmory weren’t the fastest Flying-type Pokémon around, but they were the best for the job at hand. Contrary to popular belief, there were few Pokémon that had the size and strength to carry adults. Though many could carry children, it took special breeds, like Skarmory, to do the heavier lifting.
The duo flew east and eventually passed over the Lake of Rage. Searching his memory for a layout of the mountains, Bryan adjusted their course to be more southeast and they continued on. Sticking to the mountain air as much as possible, they made good time and, soon enough, Blackthorn City’s outline rose and fell in the distance. Before nightfall, Bryan could see the classic, red-roofed outline of a Pokémon Center on the mountainside. It was the only one of its kind between Viridian to the east and Cherrygrove City to the west. Living and working there must have been a lonely existence and he didn’t pity the nurse who had to do it. They landed near the solitary building and dismounted. Not far from the Pokémon Center was the mouth of a cave and it was toward the opening that Bryan hurried, Jasmine in tow. The pair had spoken very little during the journey and the near silence didn’t end with their arrival. Bryan had a single-minded goal and wouldn’t be driven from it. He had secretly been doing research on Moltres since his loss at the Pokémon League and felt this was the best place to start. All of his information on the Flame Pokémon pointed to one of two locations: Victory Road or deep in Mt. Silver. The Victory Road sightings were older and scarcer, so it was into the depths of the mysterious mountain that he ventured.
The interior of the cave was pitch-black. Pulling out Magmar’s Pokéball, he lit a torch off of his molten skin and let the Spitfire Pokémon, glowing in the dim light, lead the way. Jasmine, in aiding the venture to see, produced a Litleo. Bryan briefly considered questioning about his origin. The answer, however, was obvious. Litleo was native to Kalos, thus it likely had something to do with Taran. Mind at ease on that subject, he pushed on. Jasmine had no difficulty keeping pace, but, after an hour or so of racing through the dark, creepy cave, she broke the silence.
“What are we doing here?”
“Moltres,” was the only response Bryan gave her, his voice barely above a whisper.
Her uncle didn’t even glance back at her to see the befuddled look on her face. If he didn’t expect more questions after that answer, he was crazy.
“We are looking for Moltres? The Legendary Pokémon?”
Bryan’s only response was a nod. In spite of their close relationship, Jasmine felt like screaming at her uncle’s ridiculous behavior. She maintained her composure with a deep breath of stale, musty air.
“How do you intend to find Moltres?”
“Faith,” Bryan muttered, his voice barely audible, even in the emptiness of the cave.
Throwing her arms up in the air in frustration, Jasmine gave up on questioning her uncle and just maintained her effort to keep pace with his fervor. Another hour passed and the girl’s stomach began to grumble. She mentioned it to Bryan, but he ignored her. Another half an hour and the grumbling grew louder.
“I am done with the ridiculousness,” Jasmine finally shouted, her voice echoing off the walls and coming back to them, “I am not moving from this spot until I have eaten something.”
Bryan acted as though he hadn’t heard a word of her tantrum and continued on. The ominous sound of crumbling rock and the resulting scream, however, he could not ignore. Jasmine had plopped down on a rock cropping in her outrage and leaned back against what appeared to be a solid rock wall. It wasn’t. The thin layer of stone that separated the interior of the cave from the exterior gave way beneath her weight and she fell backwards and out of the cave. Bryan wheeled around, Moltres forgotten in his fear, and tripped over the rock-strewn floor in his rush to save his niece. Moonlight was streaming from the new hole in the wall, yet Jasmine was nowhere to be seen. Discarding his backpack, Bryan gingerly placed both hands on a large rock, cautious of other collapses, and leaned out into the gleaming night. Jasmine, abject terror evident in her face, was hanging precariously two feet below the hole. Luckily, a small tree growing out of the side of the mountain had temporarily halted her fall. Taking advantage of the lifeline, she wrapped both hands around the slim branches with a death-like grip. Now, she hung from it, muscles weakening, legs dangling helplessly beneath, hundreds of feet above the valley far below. Bryan panicked and then caught himself. She had to be scared enough without him adding to her concern. His mind raced.
“Just breathe slowly, Jasmine,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady and comfort her simultaneously, “I will save you.”
“I…can’t…hold…on,” she stammered through the effort of holding onto the branch and Bryan held up a hand to stop her.
“Save your strength,” he advised, “have I ever let you down?”
“No,” she said, a strange, peaceful smile playing across her face, “I have faith in you.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth, the branch to which she was clinging snapped off the tree and she fell. Screaming in disbelief, rage, and grief, Bryan lunged after her, attempting to grasp her arm before she escaped his reach. He failed. Tears streaming down his face, he pounded his fists on the rock before him, shaking small pieces loose from the weak stones. He stepped back, wary that he too might soon be plummeting to his death. This was his fault. He shouldn’t have let her come. He should have paid more attention to her. He should have explained more. The tears continued to flow unchecked, yet, even through the unrelenting sorrow, an eerie reddish-yellow glow caught his eye against the stark gray landscape of the cave. He wiped his eyes with a dirty shirt sleeve. Sitting on the moonlight-soaked boulder, where moments before Jasmine had fallen to her death, was a feather. Moltres’ feather.
Bryan blinked rapidly and picked up the fiery feather. Holding it before his face, he contemplated it in the moonlight and a movement from below caught his attention. Rising up from the valley, majestic and beautiful against the midnight sky, was Moltres. And upon its back…
“JASMINE,” Bryan shouted, his voice hoarse from emotion, disbelief, and the crying.
His voice echoed off the walls and Bryan barely recognized the voice that came back to him. Moltres flew close to the mountain, its wings wreathed in flames, and Jasmine motioned for Bryan to join her. The Flame Pokémon was close, but Bryan still had to jump to reach it. He didn’t care. In this world of miracles, he felt he could have leapt over the Tin Tower in Ecruteak City with a foot to spare. When he landed, Moltres flapped for more altitude and began racing at unbelievable speed for the horizon. Bryan just stared at his niece.
“How,” he murmured.
“I had faith,” she responded.
The two couldn’t find any more words to share as they sped off toward Kanto, their destination clear. Cerulean City. The journey was long with the wind whipping past them, freezing upon their face, but the radiating warmth of Moltres’ body countered it. As the sun began to rise in the distance, a poor facsimile of the wonder they rode upon, Moltres began to spiral downward. They landed in Cerulean’s central square, just outside the Pokémon Gym.
Cerulean City was in chaos. Not a chaos caused by the sighting of Moltres. A primal and terrified chaos that indicated Mewtwo had left the confines of its home and entered the city. Bryan had no time to lose.
“I have to find Mortimer,” he shouted over the din.
Jasmine nodded to him, unsure if he would hear her response over the racket in the city.
“I am here,” came a voice shouting from behind them.
Bryan and Jasmine turned to see the old man approaching, accompanied by Misty. Bryan had phoned him just moments before he left Olivine the day prior. He needed his feather. Mortimer handed it to him and Bryan dropped his backpack onto the ground to retrieve the others. The feathers of five Legendary birds clasped in his hand, Bryan hurried north and toward the source of the chaos. Jasmine and Misty weren’t far behind. Mortimer decided it best to avoid the excitement.
A woman came screaming past them, holding a bleeding arm and looking terrified back over her shoulder. Bryan mirrored her gaze. Floating a foot off the ground near the edge of Nugget Bridge was Mewtwo. Bryan had seen it in dreams, yet the fear it induced in person was far beyond anything he held felt before. Jasmine and Misty, unaware of what they were facing, stopped cold. Misty attempted some words. Nothing escaped her stupefied lips.
Mewtwo was the epitome of power. And horror. Some brave trainers were attempting to subdue the beast, but their failure was complete. A Venusaur lumbered toward the Genetic Pokémon, preparing a Solar Beam. Mewtwo tossed it aside with an unbelievably powerful Psychic. A Mamoswine beared down on it from behind. Mewtwo turned with lightning speed and delivered a vicious Drain Punch. Nothing was a match for it. Bryan held his feathers before him as Moltres swept into action. Zapdos’ and Articuno’s feathers flared and the other two Legendary Pokémon appeared. Lugia and Ho-oh, however, remained absent.
Moltres bathed Mewtwo in Flamethrower, Zapdos came in behind with Thunderbolt, and Articuno finished the trio of attacks with Ice Beam. Mewtwo held out a hand and summoned a Light Screen. The attacks bounced harmlessly off. The birds wouldn’t be defeated so easily. Zapdos swooped low with a Drill Peck while Articuno and Moltres assaulted the Genetic Pokémon from the sky. Light Screen continued to hold off the ranged attacks, but, as Zapdos closed in, Mewtwo vanished. And re-appeared in the sky above the Pokémon. He cast Psychic downward and the defenseless Pokémon crashed hard into the ground with a painful shriek. Now flying at the same level as Articuno and Moltres, Mewtwo went on the offensive. Articuno withstood another Psychic and Moltres used the opportunity to launch another Flamethrower. Mewtwo extended both strange, three-fingered hands up and…Bryan couldn’t really tell. It was either deflecting Moltres’ Flamethrower or absorbing it and casting one of its own. Whatever the case, Articuno was engulfed in flames and fell from the sky to join its fellow on the ground below. Only Moltres remained. The rest of the battle didn’t last long. The Flame Pokémon flapped for altitude and attempted a Sky Attack. A sound that could have been laughter emanated from the Genetic Pokémon. Psychic threw Moltres off target and Thunder sent it crashing to the ground.
All Bryan’s hard work was for naught. The Legendary birds had failed to defeat Mewtwo and lay, battered and bruised like all the other Pokémon, at its misshapen feet. Bryan looked up. He feared what Mewtwo would do next. Floating above the carnage it had wrought, it looked to be contemplating. Then, without warning, it vanished. Bryan stared at the point where it had been, mouth agape, baffled.
In the absence of the Pokémon that had been terrorizing the city, trainers rushed in to tend to their fallen Pokémon. A beleaguered nurse from the Pokémon Center, talking frantically on the phone, also rushed toward the mess. Mortimer, who had been watching the proceedings from the safest distance he thought possible, approached. He was visibly shaking.
“Why didn’t it work,” Bryan raged, his confusion turning to anger, “the ruins, the feathers, the legends. What did we do wrong?”
“Perhaps because you didn’t earn all of the birds’ trust,” responded Mortimer, taking a step back from the steaming Bryan. The rage didn’t last long though and he plopped down on the ground, drawing symbols in the dirt and scratching his head.
“You were here,” he said shortly, “Ho-oh didn’t appear.”
“I lied,” Mortimer admitted sheepishly, drawing a sharp glance from his frustrated associate, “the story and the feather have been passed down through my family for centuries. No-one even knows who saw Ho-oh all those years ago.”
Bryan buried his face in his hands. Both Jasmine and Misty, baffled by the conversation, looked ready to say something, but the words didn’t come to them. Despite standing, and sitting, awkwardly in a ruined portion of town, people and Pokémon running hither and yon repairing damage, no-one seemed inclined to move. Finally, Mortimer broke the silence.
“I know where we can find Ho-oh. We can still stop Mewtwo.”
“And Lugia,” Bryan questioned, looking up from his hands.
“One challenge at a time,” Jasmine chimed in.
Mortimer agreed with her heartily. Perhaps the answer would present itself later. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was exactly right. In the mean time, he told Bryan what he knew of Ho-oh.
“The story about Ho-oh may not be first hand, but the details are true. The Rainbow Pokémon lives atop Tin Tower in Ecruteak. The climb up the tower is only half the battle though, I don’t know what will make the Ho-oh appear to you.”
“Power,” Bryan muttered.
“What,” his three companions asked in unison, unable to hear his undertone.
“Power,” Bryan repeated so they could he him clearly, “I don’t have time to explain. What is the fastest way to Ecruteak.”
“The train” stated Misty, contributing to the conversation for the first time, “its not a long trip south to Saffron and isn’t Ecruteak just north of Goldenrod.
Bryan confirmed her assessment.
“I don’t know what you are mixed up in,” Misty added, “but I wish you luck.”
Bryan shook her hand in thanks and motioned for Mortimer and Jasmine to follow. His niece did so obediently, but the old man waved him off. He didn’t have the legs or the spirit for adventures anymore. So long as Bryan held the Fog Badge, he would be admitted to Tin Tower. In no mood to argue, Bryan started off again. Misty stopped him with a word.
“I know a quicker way, come with me.”
Niece and uncle fell in behind the gym leader as she jogged south and then west. She stopped before the old bike shop that had closed down when its owner felt he would do better business elsewhere. Pulling a key from her pocket, she slid it in the rusted lock and pushed open the door. It creaked as it pushed through a layer of dust on the floor. Leaning against the nearest wall, also covered in a layer of dust, were half a dozen bicycles.
“Take two,” Misty said, indicating the old bikes, “Hoj couldn’t transfer all of his inventory when he moved, but the bikes work fine. Don’t worry about returning them.”
Bryan thanked Misty profusely. Selecting two bikes from the wall, Jasmine and Bryan hopped on and pedaled fast out of town. Once in Saffron, Bryan wanted to head directly for the Magnet Train. Jasmine had other ideas.
“We haven’t slept in over a day and I am starving,” she pleaded, “as urgent as your mission is, is it worth starving over?”
Bryan conceded that it wasn’t. And it was better to stop in Saffron where the hospitality was warm and familiar. Thus, off to see Sabrina they went. She greeted them kindly and fed them a big, hot breakfast of eggs and toast. With Bryan finally at her disposal, Jasmine began to grill him for information on the mysterious adventure of the past twenty-four hours. Bryan resisted her questioning. Until Sabrina started pressing him as well. Shocked at the revelation of what occurred in Cerulean City, she wanted the truth too. Bryan caved. He told them both everything. Starting with receiving the feather from Elizabeth and culminating in the discovery of Moltres and the battle with Mewtwo. He included meeting Mr. Fuji, Mew, the circumstances around his encounters with Articuno and Zapdos, and the mysteries he discovered buried at Tanoby. He omitted no detail. The women were speechless.
Breakfast was finished and the dishes were cleared away. Still no-one spoke. When at last the silence was broken, Sabrina wanted to know what he planned to do. He told her in succinct form. She agreed with his decision. Now well-fed, they laid down for a long sleep, despite the fact that it was only mid-morning. Sabrina made sure they weren’t disturbed. Around seven that evening, Jasmine and Bryan rose and were refreshed. Still feeling the urgent push at his back, Bryan wanted to be off. Sabrina couldn’t stop him from leaving. She packed them a nice meal, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and warned him against the dangers of chasing the Legendary Pokémon again. With that, he and Jasmine caught the Magnet Train to Goldenrod and were off.
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