Gold's POV

I didn't get a good look at the Pokemon but I didn't need to to know it's huge and angry.

Each step it takes running after us causes a mini earthquake.

Its glaring red eyes are burned in my memory.

"Gold we can't outrun it forever!" Sarah guides us out of the cave and towards the surface. 

"Just keep running!" I yell back.

There's nothing like the rush you get from a near-death experience. Let's hope it doesn't become an actual-death experience.

Now would be a great time for one of these legendary gifts to kick in. 

Granted, I don't think I'm going to win hand-on-hand combat, no matter the strength Buzzwole gave me.

We climb a final step of steps and are now standing in front of the tunnel back to Los Lumeles.

I stop at the top, using the moonlight to get a good look at the Pokemon as it jumps out of the pit. "We can't let it get to the city."

Sarah stops as well, her chest heaving with every breath. "What... what are you going to do?"

We wouldn't make it down the tunnel anyway. Only one option is left.

I bring up my fists and examine the Pokemon I can now recognize.

Kabutops, one of the first Pokemon first successfully revived from a fossil. It's a strong bipedal Pokemon, with a slick crab head and two giant scythes for arms. Except this one is two times taller than any Kabutops I've ever seen.

"Kabutops," I step forward, keeping its attention on me.

"Gold no," Sarah tries to keep me back but I continue.

"You're an alpha," I state. "Probably the leader of your colony."

"An alpha?" Sarah questions.

"Pokemon with higher than normal qualities," I explain. "They are rare these days and can only be found away from civilization."

Not that now is the time for a Pokemon lesson.

"Then something happened," I continue to talk to the Kabutops, which is surprisingly keeping it at bay.

Can it understand english or is it just waiting to strike?

"I'm sure everything looks different and all your friends are gone," I'm now standing within the could get sliced to death range. "We can help you figure it out."

"Kaaa!" It swings its scythe and...

My arms instinctively fly up above my head, not that it would've done anything.

The scythe crashes into the ground beside me and I get a closer look at Kabutop's face. It's sad.

I would be too if I lost everything.

I mean I did once.

I reach out and touch the Pokemon's cold, hard head.

I feel the same sadness as Genesect did. A new world without anyone to go to.

But it will change.

Genesect found the Professor.

I found Green.

And Kabutops found us.

In a bold move I hold out a pokeball. "Come with us," I try to smile. 

In a stroke of luck, it seems like my emotions were conveyed.

Kabutops pokes the pokeball and disappears in the light.

"Gold," Sarah says and I turn around.

"Yea I know that was crazy," I laugh.

"Who are you really?" She crosses her arms.

"I told you," I avoid her eye contact.

"Your wrist was glowing," She point to the gold bracelet.

"Oh well..."

Green's POV

Ash and Serena decided to go for a detour on our way back from the party so I'm left on my own. Not completely alone since there's many people still walking around the city at this time of the night for some reason.

I don't know if I've ever longed for my bed this much before. It's been a whirlwind of a couple days. The Hunter J attack, the childhood nostalgia with Eric, the parties, the waiting for Gold.

I need a vacation away from Elemente.

Maybe after Triton finds out about our plan and banishes me.

At least Gold would be with me.

I step into the lobby and anxiously wait for the elevator. He's probably asleep but I do want to know what he was up to. 

I'm sure there's a story.

If he's asleep, he left all the lights on.

"Gold," I whisper, tiptoeing around the apartment. 

All the bedroom doors are open but he's not in any of the beds.

"Gold?" I say at a normal volume. "Eevee?" 

"Where'd he go?" I start to get worried. "What if Eric said something to his dad?"

"Gold!" I yell.

But then I find a note on the kitchen island.

"Need to clear my head," I read.

"Clear his head?" I question. "What could he possibly-"

The tired look at the beach, the bruises on his face, leaving him behind to go to the party.

Maybe I'm a bad friend.

I should stay up and wait for him to get back.

I sink into the couch and pull a blanket over the black dress. It probably smells like fruity drinks and cologne but I can't bring myself to change right now.

Just need to stay awake.

Gold's POV

"Wow," Sarah takes in all the information. "You probably shouldn't tell people that."

"I try not to," I give a small laugh.

"So why tell me?" She laughs and we find a bench to catch our breath on.

"You asked?" I scratch my navy hair.

"If that's the requirement then you are in trouble," She shakes her head, the red curls bouncing around. "Your secret is safe."

"Thanks," I smile back.

"And thanks for dealing with the Kabutops," She adds. "You're a brave guy."

"Couldn't do it without Eevee," I pet the Pokemon who has moved to my lap.

"I do have one condition of keeping your secret," Sarah turns towards me. "You bring me to Sinnoh when you're done. I've always wanted to do an expedition there."

"I can arrange that," I nod. "I should get going."

"Yes you should," She points to the rising sun. "I'll see you at your battle, good luck."

"I'll need it," I joke and heads towards the tunnel.

I could actually spot a few Pokemon this time as the sun lights up the shallow channel. 

The last thing I needed was an all-nighter but here we are. Maybe I can sleep until lunch or something.

The elevator doors squeal as they reveal the apartment. 

They also reveal a girl asleep on the couch. I guess she couldn't make it to her room.

"Mmhm," She groans and turns over, the blanket falling to the floor.

I sigh and drape it back over her.

"Gold," She says... directed at the couch and with her eyes still closed. "I'm sorry."

I freeze and go to respond but she's just sleep talking. 

"I'll talk to you in the morning," I whisper and fix the blanket again.

The sun peeks over the neighbouring skyscraper, lighting up the whole room.

Right, it is morning,

Serena's POV

"Hi handsome," I roll over and lay my head on Ash's chest.

"Mmmm," The raven haired trainer groans. "Need more sleep."

"We'll have to party more often," I joke. "You need party training."

He shakes his head, not lifting it off the pillow.

I giggle and kiss him on the forehead. "I'll go check on Green and see if she's handling it better than you."

I glance at a clock and it's already noon. Today we'll take it easy I presume.

Turns out Green and Gold are already up, sitting on the couch in what seems like an awkward silence. I retrace my steps and slowly close the bedroom door.

"Serena?" Ash questions.

"Sshh," I whisper, waiting for one of the two to start talking.

"I'm sorry," Green's quiet voice manages to make it through the door. "I tried to stay up until you got back."

Silence.

"I was maybe a little upset," Gold replies finally. "At you, at the world, I don't know it was silly."

"No it wasn't," The girl says. "You were gone a week and I didn't even ask you how you were. And then Ash's battle happened and then the party."

"I understand Green," He says. "I just wanted to see my friends. I barely made it here."

"Wait what?" She questions.

The intrigue.

"The bruise," He presumably points to the purple gash I noticed on his temple yesterday. "Your directions led us to the ocean and a storm came through."

The "your directions" was a little loaded.

"That Lanturn you saw at the beach actually saved me from drowning."

Green doesn't reply but I can hear her sniffle. She's actually taking this quite hard. I feel like something happened last night.

"I don't blame you Green," He states. "It just hurt to go through all of that and not being able to tell you. You were too busy hanging off your boyfriend."

Green chokes. "Boyfriend?"

I facepalm. That's what he is really upset about. They go from having a mature conversation to being children.

"Gold he's not my boyfriend," She states. "I don't have many friends but he happens to be one of them. By keeping him happy I keep him from being suspicious."

"I guess but the way he looks at you..." He trails off.

"And how do I look at him?" Green fires right back.

"Well..."

"You need to work on your people reading skills," She sighs. "He is a friend, barely at this point. I realized that last night."

Oh?

"That's good," Gold says. "I don't like him."

"No you wouldn't," She giggles. "He has style and confidence, two things you're allergic to."

"Hey!" He says offended and I hear a crash.

I barge into the room to see the two laying on the floor.

"Serena!" They both exclaim.

"Am I interrupting something?" I stifle a laugh.

The two quickly get away from one another. 

"It's good to have you back Gold," I smile and give him a friendly hug. "How about we avoid splitting up for awhile?"

"Agreed," The navy haired trainer smile back. "Now can we leave this city or?"

"Your leader challenge?" The brunette questions and the boy groans.

"I know you want to beat him," I wink.

"Do you even have three water types yet?" Green questions.

"I guess you'll find out," He shrugs.

Green's POV

"Try not to lose this one too," I taunt Eric from the edge of the battlefield.

He winks and focuses on his opponent.

Losing twice in a row would do his ego some good.

The crowd is just a rowdy as it was yesterday and I can tell the trainer I'm cheering for is a little out his element. I can't cheer for him but we lock eyes and I give him a quick thumbs up.

Eric releases his first Pokemon except it's the same as when he faced Ash. Eric is going to use the same team.

I share a worried look with Serena. Gold is screwed.

Golduck stands in front of Eric with a smug look like it's trainer.

"Lanturn!" Gold yells and releases his first.

The electric and water type Pokemon finds a pool of water to swim in. At least they have type advantage.

"Discharge!" Gold wastes no time.

Bright yellow electricity fills the air but Golduck swiftly dodges it by jumping in the water.

"Zen headbutt," Eric smirks.

A couple seconds and Lanturn is shot into the air by Golduck who attacked from below. All the pools must be connected underwater.

The attack beaches Lanturn who tries to shuffle off the sand and into the water.

"Fury Swipes," Golduck jumps onto the battlefield, its long claws extended.

"Thunder wave!" Lanturn stops its struggle and send a shockwave through the air.

It hits Golduck who drops to its knees before it can reach Lanturn. Now the paralyzed Golduck is the defenceless one.

"Use Discharge Lanturn!"

Lanturn doesn't need to be in the water to send another electric type attack at Golduck. The electricity lights up Golduck who cries in pain. This doesn't help with the paralysis.

"Again!"

Lanturn continues shocking Golduck until taking a miraculous 1-0 lead in the battle. "He might actually do this," I say to Serena beside me.

"Way to go Gold!" Ash cheers and Serena quickly slaps a hand over the boy's mouth.

Thankfully Eric is too busy recalling his Pokemon to hear.

"Come one Gyarados!" Eric yells while releasing the sea monster Pokemon.

Lanturn used the break to shuffle back into the water. It now has a x4 type advantage so Gold may be able to get a big lead.

"Discharge!" Gold uses the attack again.

Eric shakes his head. "That will only work once, Hurricane."

Before Lanturn can release another burst of electricity, a gust of wind whips it into the air. The tornado takes Lanturn well above the stadium seats.

The blue and yellow Pokemon thrashes about in the air but then starts to free fall towards the sandy field. Except it won't make it there.

Gyarados becomes coated in steel for an Iron Head attack and meets Lanturn halfway up.

Lanturn crashes into the stadium wall and the crowd flinches upon impact.

Gold returns Lanturn and nods at Vaporeon.

Vaporeon can take on Gyarados.

"Disappear into the water," Gold orders.

Smart, Vaporeon goes basically transparent in water. He's finally using his brain.

"Gyarados use Whirlpool and bring Vaporeon to the centre of the pool."

Instead of the air, this time the water becomes a violent funnel. I can't see Vaporeon but she's stuck in there for sure.

"Hyper Beam!" Eric yells.

Gold doesn't even issue a command. He just watches the bright beam of energy smash into the pool and likely his partner. The attack is so violent it throws water across the sandy parts of the field.

It also washes up a fainted Vaporeon.

Gold is overmatched.

His third Pokemon better be something special.

"Woah," Ash mumbles before I can even process the next Pokemon.

"I think he left a story out this morning," I say while awing at the Pokemon.