The Fire in Their Eyes

Chapter 6

The water churned and frothed, lapping at the banks with its silver tongue. As the river flowed northward, it carried bits of the sky with it: pink and gold, glittering blue and black, as the sun sank into the horizon and died in a burst of color. The waters parted against Gyrados's sleek scales. Blanche was perched against its shoulder. She scanned her surroundings. Keydin Forest--part of Team Valor's territory--had given way to a countryside of flowing golden grass, as soft as a brush of a fairy's hair.

Even now, as she traveled up the wide river, she kept her shoulders tense, her ears pricked. This part of the land still belonged to Valor, with its spies as numerous as the rats in a grain house. She pried the fields with her eyes, combed over the territory for a quick flicker of movement, any shadows that darted on their own, any crunch of leaves that might signal a watchdog.

It was quiet tonight. Inwardly, she sighed in relief.

Gyrados rumbled. She stroked its scales.

"No one knows when the Great War started," she murmured. "Some say that it had no beginning. That it had existed for as long as time itself." Something white hovered at the edge of her vision. She tilted her head up to gaze at the moon, fat and round and impossibly bright.

"I can't help but think," she said carefully, "what it would be like if it wasn't like this. If I could just come and go as I pleased without glancing behind my back, without fear or worry, because the world would have no borders."

At this, Gyrados gave a noise of surprise.

"I know. It's a silly idea, isn't it?"

It rumbled again, a throaty thunder from deep within its chest.

The countryside began to thin out. Team Valor's territory was far behind them now. Ark Town was just below the ridge. A neutral town, she knew, where it belonged to neither team. A safe place.

And, Blanche hoped, it was where she'd find her answers.

"Thank you," she said, as she jumped down from the Pokemon's back.

"Gyrr?" It asked. It lowered its mighty head, and up close, she could see the glint of worry in its big rolling eyes. Blanche scratched its chin.

"Don't worry. I'll do everything I can. I promise."

Once it was tucked safely into its Pokeball, she made her way toward the town washed in moonlight.

Even from this distance, she could tell something was off. The roads lay empty, barren. She was the only person in the entire street. Her footsteps were uncomfortably loud. Not a breeze stirred. Strange, she thought. It wasn't that late of a night. A glint of sun could still be seen behind the mountains. So why was it so empty? Every window she peered into was either dark or drawn shut with curtains. She could feel the tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife. Despite her coat, she shivered and drew her collar over her chin.

The wind here was unfriendly.

Should she call out? Should she knock?

Blanche strode through the quiet streets at a brisk pace, holding it out for as long as she could. Finally, she made up her mind. Drawing herself up to a random house, she knocked on the door.

Nothing happened. No voices, no frantic scuffling, no creaking floorboards. She counted to twenty five. Still nothing.

She was beginning to wonder if this town had been deserted when, ever so slowly, something unlocked. The door creaked. A crack appeared, no wider than her thumb, and beyond that was only darkness.