Born of Sacred Fire

Chapter 21

Pokémon Research HQ Lab, Orre Region

Professor Krane made the final adjustments to the snag machine. Gary was watching from afar, Jovi standing next to him. While Gary was still upset, Ash's words kept echoing back at him.

"She had no choice, Gary. Just like I didn't. You have to let it go and just forgive the past. If you don't, you won't have a future."

Gary couldn't help but wonder when Ash got so wise. Then again, wisdom did come with age. Jovi was staring at him for the longest time.

Finally Gary snapped and asked, "What is your problem?"

Jovi stepped back a bit as she answered, "At this moment, you!"

Gary huffed, "Well excuse me for existing!"

Jovi teased, "Your excused!"

Gary froze for a minute. While Erika was watching them from the corner of her eye, Gary knew in an instant that Jovi was just like her big sister. Gary sighed, seeing Jovi puffing her cheeks in frustration.

Gary whispered, loud enough for her to hear, "You are just like your big sister."

Jovi hissed, "Well of course. And I'm not letting any wanna be professor hurt her!"

Gary stated, "Hey, I would never want to hurt your sister."

Jovi warned, "I'll be holding you to that. We both will."

With that, Jovi left the room quietly. It didn't take Gary to figure out what Jovi meant. Michael.

Erika's voice snapped him out of his thoughts as she asked, "Gary?" Gary turned, seeing that she was wearing a modified snag machine. While it was her father's, the fit was perfect on her right arm. (Probably with the adjustments that Krane had made on it.) She stated, "She didn't mean anything by it."

Gary nodded as he replied, "I know." He paused for a moment, letting an uneasy silence settle between them. He finally whispered, barely audible, "I'm sorry."

Erika looked at him confused as she started to say, "Sorry about what? I can't change what happened to Michael and you can't either..."

Gary sighed, "Not what I meant." Erika shot him another confused look as he explained, "I'm sorry about being upset at you for lying about your family. I realize now that you really had no choice in the matter and if you did, you would have told Ash or me."

Erika softly smiled as she kissed his cheek. Gary blushed a bit, his eyes completely on her.

She whispered, "Thank you."

Gary blushed and was about to return her kiss when they heard Professor Krane clearing his throat. They quickly broke it up.

Krane told Erika, "Now the snag machine is completely operational but we need to test it."

That's when Jovi came back in, walking with her Plusle and Minun. Behind them were Eldes and a Tropius. Erika's Aura Reader went nuts, identifying Tropius as a Shadow Pokémon.

Erika asked, "That Tropius is a Shadow Pokémon?"

Eldes nodded as he answered, "I managed to, uh, borrow it from my brother."

Gary accused, "More like stole it."

Jovi hissed, "Hey, his brother totally deserved it and more."

Eldes started to nag, "Jovi..."

Krane broke them up as he told Erika, "This Tropius is very timid. But wants to revert back to its normal state. We think it is a good test subject for the snag machine."

Erika asked, frowning a tad, "Since it is very timid, do I have to battle it? I don't really want to scare it further."

Krane nodded in agreement as he answered, "Yes, I don't see anything wrong with that."

Erika took a breath as she turned to Tropius. She got a snag ball ready. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the Pokémon. The Grass/Flying type looked at her, no malice in its eyes. Erika threw the snag ball at it.

One shake.

Two shakes.

Ding. It had been caught. Erika let out a breathe that she didn't know she was holding.

...

Viridian City, Kanto Region

Ranee was on her Pokegear. When Ash had told them that Gary and Erika didn't really want to fly back on their Pokémon, she knew she had to call in her old friend.

A female voice broke her out of her thoughts and asked, "What's up Ranee?"

Ranee answered, "Aria, I need a favor."

Aria was older than Ranee, she was twenty years old. She ran a hot air balloon company in Foretree City in the Hoenn Region. An avid and frequent flyer, obtaining her pilot's license from the gym leader herself, Winona.

She had short hot pink hair, blue eyes, wearing a white pilot's scarf around her neck, a red short sleeved blouse, a Pretty Wing necklace, white caprice, and pink sneakers.

Aria questioned, "Like what?"

Ranee answered, with a question of her own, "Well, would you be up to join an adventure?"

...

Holly still couldn't believe what was happening. This purple rain had driven the young Pokémon trainer inside, where it was safe. Her Wingull sat on her shoulder with a frown.

"Win..." The Water/Flying type said.

Holly looked at her Pokémon as she gently petted it and tried to reassure, "Don't fret, Wingull. It will be over soon. I'm sure the Champions are working on it."

"Wingull..." Wingull said, unsure.

Holly frowned as she looked back outside again. She knew Wingull was right. The Champions were taking their time with this matter and she had no clue as to why. No one did. It was as if they were waiting.

She whispered, "But waiting for what? A hero?"

"Win." Wingull said, shrugging its wings as it did.

Holly added, "But they are the heroes. They do everything they think is right to protect the citizens. I mean, look at where we are. The Kanto region. They have all kinds of trouble with Team Rocket as we did with Team Galactic."

"Gull..." Wingull deadpanned.

Holly denied, "I'm not trying to convince myself." When she saw Wingull's 'don't give me that' look, she groaned. She stated, "You don't know anything, Wingull. I was right about a lot of things and one of those things was leaving the Tag Team Battle early." She paused, a frown on her face as she added, "I did my research. Brock is top class cause he was a gym leader of Pewter City, here in Kanto."

"Gull?" Wingull asked, surprised.

Holly added, "Yeah and he's a lot like me. He wants to be a good breeder. But he can't do that and be a gym leader at the same time." She paused as she now looked confused. She wondered, "How did he wind up travelling anyhow?"

Before her Wingull could squak, a familiar man stepped near her. And it was none another than Brock. Holly blushed upon seeing him, knowing that she was overheard. But instead of a frown, he had a smile on his face.

He told her, "You better sit down. Cause this has to do with a trainer and his Pikachu."

...

Wishmaker1028: Thought I make this chapter to tie up a few loose ends from the original story. I had Holly appear out of nowhere, no reasoning of why Aria came to help, and more. So here is the chapter to clear that all up. Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!