For Redemption [Josh / Tower Power / Done.]

[Izumi Yamamura]

It looked like things were coming to a head, and for a while there, Izumi could feel the tension in the air as the Dragon Dance took effect—when all went to hell. She wasn’t sure what had happened, in all honesty, but just as things were looking up, a monkey wrench then unceremoniously came spinning down from the heavens, in the form of what the battlefield was transforming in to. Izumi was no hotshot Trainer yet, but she’d read up and knew about most of the attacks—and just as the black cloud of smoke came pouring from the annoying Flying-type’s mouth, she could pick up the scent of what was by now, familiar to her. “Oh, shit, definitely not. Nope. RYUEN!” she shouted, quickly plucking out the Dive Ball and recalling the Water-type in a flash of red light. She knew that Lightning had tanked the Charge Beam for her once, but to tank it again? With no healers on their side of the field, that was going to be the end of it. She knew that Josh valued Lightning as much as she valued all of her team members, and that getting him out of danger was top priority. “Enough… ENOUGH!” she shouted through the black haze, resisting the urge to burst into tears. Once, she’d fallen—but twice? That was a bit too much for her at that point. I should have gone with Momiji… I should’ve gone with her… ugh, oh Arceus, this is just too much, she thought to herself as she then blinked as hard as she could, fighting off the verge of tears—which then eventually came pouring down in full force. “Damn it. J, let’s go. Let’s get the hell out of here. This is too much…” she began, finally cracked like an egg—why the hell did they get dealt a bad hand anyway? Was this going to be just a pipe dream for her at this point? “C-c-come on, I know when I’m beat,” she said with a whimper, before turning her back on the mess and waiting for him to recall Lightning in order for them to get out of the blasted place. Would Nue offer the same headache for the sought-after Knowledge? Or would there be other ways for them to attain it without having to fight anyone for it? Gyarados recalled, throwing in the white towel. WORDS 393 TAGS Josh Dragomir NOTES Game over.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Josh Dragomir]

"STOP!" 

Josh hadn't even heard Izumi. The black haze had engulfed the battlefield, and Josh knew their stat-boosting strategy had ended, as had their chances of winning this battle. He had thrown in the towel... But the attacks had still been shot... And he knew they had called for Toxic to head toward Lightning. He would not make the same mistake again of forgetting about Poison Types and the homing functions of Toxic. Izumi was lucky though, her Gyarados's size allowed for her to find it easily in the haze and recall it. Josh wasn't so lucky... He couldn't find Lightning, and Lightning didn't know the battle was over!

Josh took a breath, trying to find Lightning in the haze... He managed to make out his outline, staring around, trying to locate his Trainer or the other Pokemon. His Pokeball had already been in his hand the moment he had called for the battle to end, but he knew he wouldn't be able to aim it accurately in this Haze. He knew he'd miss... But he wasn't going to let Lightning be harmed just because he had called it too late.

"LIGHTNING!" Josh suddenly called out to the Pikachu as he ran forward into the Haze, knowing time was running out. He would manage to scoop him up, but had no time to brace himself as something would burst out of the Haze and...

"GUH!"

Josh would be sent rolling back on his side after being hit by the Toxic, with Lightning protected in his arms. He gritted his teeth, shaking as he managed to put Lightning down once the Haze had cleared. A blue hue had begun to take form on Josh's cheeks, and he struggled to get to his feet. Every movement was shaky, and painful... He felt sick to his stomach, and he felt like he could fall down and die any moment. "PIKA PI!" Lightning cried out in devastation as he realized just what had happened. 

Josh would manage to make his way over to Izumi, weakly putting a hand on her shoulder and smiling faintly. He had seen her, during all the carnage, return her Gyarados to it's Pokeball and also call it off, just when he had... "Hey..." He managed to get out. "Listen... When you talked about how much you wanted this, this mega knowledge... I did a lot of digging, went to great lengths... To try and get as much information as I could... I knew even the smallest bit would make you happy... Even if it wasn't enough to get you what you sought for..." He breathed out. "I was told.... That Mega Evolution had something to do with the bond between people and Pokemon... And if that's true, well... While we failed and don't get the knowledge, yes... You deserve it in my eyes after what you did. You sacrificed something you desired so much for your Pokemon's safety... That says a lot about the bond between you two... Not a lot of Trainers would do that.. They would hold on no matter how much their Pokemon got hurt, for the slightest, faintest chance that they might find a way to win. Not you... And no, that doesn't make you a coward, that doesn't make you a defeatist or someone who backs out of a fight... It makes you a Trainer, it makes you someone who understands the feelings of your Pokemon and understands the bond between the both of you"

He would breathe and press his forehead to hers weakly. Why hadn't Josh sought help by now? "You have my respect, and my admiration for doing that... Don't take this as a failure... You did the right thing" He said quietly. "You'll get em next time. I'm sure of it"

The answer would come when Josh would look down at the Pikachu tugging at his pant-leg, holding up a Pecha Berry. THAT was why.. He knew as soon as Lightning realized he was poisoned, he would have started rooting through Josh's bag to find one, knowing exactly what Josh had used everytime Lightning had been poisoned during their travels. He had put his trust, his life, in Lightning's hands, and he had come through for him. Josh smiled as he would take it and eat it, and the color would return to his face as the blue hue would cease. He took a big gulp of air, and Lightning jumped into his arms. "Pika Pi!" Lightning chirped as Josh hugged him tight, running his fingers through the fur on his head. Through their bond, Josh had trusted Lightning with everything, just as Lightning had spent his life trusting everything to Josh. And they always seemed to come through for one another.

"Let's go, Izumi" He said with a smile as he would pick up his bag and allow Lightning to climb onto his shoulder. He didn't take this as a loss... Only a chance to grow. 

He would look back at the two who had bested them, and smirked faintly. "You've won, and I congratulate you for that... But we'll be back one day" He said as he would begin to walk away, motioning for Izumi to follow. 

Notes: Game over.