Being Sunday morning, the library was as quiet as a tomb, save for the spot where Inyssa, Barry and Lucas hung out as they searched through bookcases together.
"A field mission, eh?" Barry said, standing atop one of the moving ladders, returning one of the books to its spot. "What do they want you to do there in Iron Island anyway?"
Lucas looked up from the tome he was reading. "Well… there's been unusual tremors in the subterranean floors these past weeks, and no one seems to know why."
"So you gotta go there and see who's doing it?"
"Yes, it seems the Gym leader of this town decided that this was a job better suited for a scientist than a miner," Lucas shrugged. "He asked the professor for help and then he asked me if I could take a look."
Inyssa made a face, pretending to read the title of the book she held. She'd expected to be able to hang out with Lucas a bit more, though then again it's not like she'd stay in Canalave for much longer anway. They'd already wasted more than a week without even visiting the Gym once. They had to pick up the pace.
But before that, I need to find this damned book, she thought, frowning. If I want to inspire Shadi then I need inspiration myself.
"Let's hope it doesn't take too long," she finally said, placing the book back where it belonged. "It'd be nice if you and your boyfriend could get back as quickly as possible so we can hang out one last time before we head north."
Lucas stopped halfway while climbing the moving ladder, his cheeks reddening a little.
"He's not… he's not my boyfriend," he whispered, barely audible. "Besides, you're talking as though you'll be leaving in like… a couple days. Didn't the last Gym take you two more than a week to beat?"
She simply let out a small heh and flipped a strand of hair over her shoulder, smiling confidently.
"I've got a good feeling about my chances," she declared.
"Based on… what, exactly?"
"My trainer's instinct, I guess," she shrugged.
"And my gut," Barry added. "When you're a trainer that's all you need, really."
"If you say so…" he whispered, looking down. "Speaking of which, this book we're trying to get for you… I assume it's for Shadi?"
Wrinkles formed at the edge of Inyssa's eyes. She tried to stop herself from wincing at the name, though she felt a small jolt as her eyes flashed golden for a moment. Her hand came to rest on one of the bookshelves to stop shaking.
He's not talking about… her, she told herself. He means your Kricketune. Stop overreacting.
"Yeah," she said, voice flat. "I'll start training her again today. I'm counting on her to be my ace against Canalave's Gym Leader."
Even Barry froze at that. Though it was understandable, as this was news to him as well. It wasn't like she didn't trust him with the information; she just wanted to be one hundred percent sure that her plan would work before announcing anything.
"Really?" Barry asked, mouth slightly agape. "You think…? I mean, did you find a way for her to fight without… you know…"
"I... think so. It's a pretty crazy idea, but at this point I'll take anything as long as it has a chance of working…"
She left the sentence hanging, not knowing what else to say. And what was there, really? The matter was as simple as it could be. Either she found a way for Shadi to fight without shortening her lifespan or she would be forced to release her. Just like that; another friend gone, another partner leaving her side…
Breaths came in slower as she tried to calm herself.
"I got the idea from re-watching my fight with Fantina," she said. "That… thing I told Shadi to do, using Bide for more than its intended purpose… I think there's something else there that I failed to see at the time." She looked down at her palm, frowning. "If I'm right then moves like Bide, Counter, Mirror Coat and Protect might be a bit more versatile than people think they are."
Even with her back turned to them, she could imagine the confused looks on the boys' faces. She didn't blame them. She barely understood it herself, to be honest. And that was something that needed to be fixed.
She stood on her tiptoes to reach another book, and a smile stretched across her lips as she read the title in its spine.
Experience is the best teacher, a voice said in her head.
"If I'm right about this… then Shadi and I might just make history." She turned around and looked up at Barry and Lucas, smiling at them with a determined expression. "And all I need is some inspiration from this book."
Both boys leaned forward a bit, squinting to read the stylized title written in gold which adorned the book's cover.
Sinnohan Music Theory and Terminology.
----------------------------------------
Two hours later Inyssa stood atop a grassy hill, arms crossed as she witnessed the training of her Pokemon throughout the empty field at the edge of Canalave. Water and lightning flew through the air as Johnny and Kuro exchanged blows. A gust of wind carried Steven as he sent an endless assault of razor-sharp wind projectiles toward Bret, whose vines did their best to shield him as he shot pulsing balls of energy back, eyes narrowed with concentration.
"Come on Bret! Just because you're at a disadvantage doesn't mean you can give up!" she hollered, closing her hand into a fist. "You've always had trouble dealing with opponents faster than you; it's time you learn how to deal with it! I know you can do it!"
Her eyes moved to the other side of the field, where sparks and steam danced together with every clash between the Quagsire and Luxray, the latter of which was starting to pant in exhaustion, none of his attacks having dealt significant damage yet.
"Kuro! If you keep relying only on your electricity to win then you'll be no better than a one-trick Ponyta!" she yelled. "Use your speed and your opponent's weight to your advantage, just like Barry's Houndoom did to you! Or have you already given up after only one loss!?"
Both Kuro and Bret froze, eyes going wide while their opponent's attacks flew directly toward them. Their trainer's words lit a fire in their chest. Its heat rose up toward their throats as they looked up and screamed in unison, throwing themselves forward with wild abandon, leaving the safety of their respective elements behind.
Inyssa smiled, feeling her throat ache from all that yelling but proud nonetheless. Over-reliance on only one specific form of attack would get them nowhere, but if they could fight and win without limiting themselves to only their specialties, then they'd be ready for the fight against Byron. None of her Pokemon had a clear advantage against Steel types. An all-round, diverse team was the best chance she had at claiming the Mine Badge.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, another, bleaker one did as well.
If only Enma were here…
She bit her lower lip, chasing the thought away with all her might. Enma wasn't here. Wishing he was wouldn't do any good for her. She'd been dealt her cards. It was time she played them.
Speaking of which…
She glanced over her shoulder, where Shadi struggled to push herself up to her feet, the entirety of her body shaking. Her mustache was frazzled, and her knees shook under her own weight. Inyssa saw that and clenched her teeth, feeling a pit in her stomach. Even so, she wouldn't allow herself to show her worry outwardly; that would only make things worse.
"It's okay. Take a few seconds to catch your breath."
She knelt in front of Shadi, placing a hand on her shoulder. A thin line of mist curled around her lips as she exhaled. Ignoring how cold the ground beneath her was, Inyssa reached for a nearby water bottle and handed it to her Pokemon.
"Bele…le…" Shadi let out tiny gasps once she finished drinking, her eyes narrowed in exhaustion. "Be…"
"I know, it's fine. Take your time. Breathe." Inyssa made a point to breathe slower and louder, prompting Shadi to do the same. "You're almost there. Just a little more practice before we go back, okay?"
A shaky nod was the only response she got. Maybe it was just her exhaustion, but it seemed as though Shadi was avoiding looking up at her. Scorched grass formed a multitude of circles all around them, marking the spots from which she was supposed to jump from in quick succession
"Remember what I told you. Think of it as music instead of battling and it'll flow out of you easier." Inyssa smiled, squeezing her shoulder slightly. "Imagine half the energy of each jump traveling through your body; from your toes to your legs and up to your chest and head, and then back down again, like a succession of music notes that form the perfect symphony. You have to keep it flowing inside you, no matter what."
Another nod, even less enthusiastic than the last one. Her breathing was finally stabilizing, though that made her look even gloomier and more lethargic than before. Inyssa bit her lower lip, thinking.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"You've been working harder than anyone in the team today, and it shows. I know you can do it."
Finally the Kricketune glanced up, if only for a moment. The tip of her antennae shook for a second and then she lowered her head again, letting out a sigh. But Inyssa had seen it. It was all over her face.
Shame.
It was hard, containing herself from throwing both arms around her Pokemon and telling her over and over how great she was; how proud she was of her, how much she'd improved. But she knew it wouldn't help. It hadn't when she'd gone through the same, over and over and over. You couldn't get rid of someone else's shame with words; you had to make them prove to themselves just how wrong they were. All Shadi needed was a little inspiration…
Inyssa blinked, an idea coming to her. It wasn't much. Might not even make the situation better, but it probably wouldn't make it worse either.
"Hey… wanna hear a story?"
She felt the change in the atmosphere as she said that. The way Shadi stopped, blinked and then looked up at her, befuddled, would've brought a smile to her face if she weren't smiling already.
"Here. You can sit."
Inyssa leaned back and sat with her legs crossed, hands resting on her thighs, and urged Shadi to do the same. The Kricketune followed, confusion written all over her face. The sounds of the rest of the team battling seemed to fade as Inyssa took a deep breath and thought of a way to start.
"You know… you're not the only one named after someone else," she said, raising an eyebrow. "There lived a woman, a long time ago, whom everyone called Nyss too. She was strong and courageous and just a little bit unstable."
She left a pause for Shadi to laugh, though she seemed more entranced than anything else. She leaned forward, eyes wide and curious.
"Anyway, Nyss grew up in the shadow of an older sibling who, by all accounts, would go on to become the most renowned hero in Sinnoh's history. Tough shoes to fill, considering she wanted to follow on his footsteps." Inyssa spoke softly, the memory of the story she was telling bringing a warm feeling to her chest. She'd heard it so many times that she could probably tell it backwards. "It wasn't a surprise that, while her friends and family supported her decision to become a soldier, none of them believed she could ever live up to her older brother's accomplishments. Yet they only thought that because no one had ever seen her fight before.
"True, she was about as charismatic as a rock and the few people she considered friends liked her despite her cold demeanor, not because of it. And yet, who would have thought that such a shy, unassuming girl would turn out to be a monster in the battlefield?" Inyssa placed a closed fist against her chest, pretending to hold a sword in front of her. "She applied to be a knight as soon as she turned fifteen, and aced the exam in such a way that even the royal guard itself was deeply impressed by her skill. The youngest student to have ever entered the academy since its funding and, by all accounts, the most skilled as well.
"For the next three years she continued to impress both her teachers and her fellow classmates. There was no exercise she couldn't complete, and there was no test she couldn't overcome, for her spirit and her skill burned brightly, shining through her in such a way that others couldn't help but stare in amazement. And yet… strangely enough, this might of hers failed to attract others toward her. Just as a dancing flame entrances our gaze, it also repels us with its overwhelming heat. And that is the perfect word to describe Nyss: overwhelming.
"It only makes sense that such a shining spirit would create shadows of jealousy in those unfortunate enough to stand near it. As it stood, by the end of her third and final year at the academy, Nyss had managed to make only one friend, yet a multitude of enemies. Not that she saw them that way. Caring about what others thought of her was very low on her list of priorities, which only made those people angrier. They tried to convince themselves and others that Nyss must have been using some sort of trick; there had to be a secret to her strength. After all, no human could be so powerful in battle, could they?
"That jealousy came to a boil during one of the last class meetings before graduation. It was a standard test; the last they would ever take before they became full-fledged knights. Each student would be prompted to declare their worst fear to the class and, after hearing it, their professor would devise a way for them to combat that fear and beat it. Those who won would be granted the right to graduate, and those who didn't would need to repeat the year over again.
"Unsurprisingly, when it was Nyss' turn to speak, she stood up and declared that she feared nothing. The room grew silent, festering with disdain and envy. Those students who already disliked Nyss glared at her with eyes full of hatred, not believing what they had heard. Who did she think she was, posturing in such a pathetic way? Did she really expect them to believe that there was nothing in the world that scared her? Or did she just not want to bother with the test? Such disrespect, such arrogance... it became clear to these students, that this time she had gone far enough. Nyss needed to be taught a lesson.
"One of these students, Ainby, broke the silence by standing up as well and issuing a challenge to Nyss. He said that, even if her claim was true, it wasn't fair for one person not to take the final test just because they believed themselves to be perfect. So, for the sake of fairness and defending her words, Nyss should simply tackle the Master Trial.
"Gasps and wide eyes filled the room. Such a thing was almost unheard of in modern times; a relic of a crueler past in which warriors needed to be the best of the best, no matter how many of their weaker companions would have to fall to accomplish that. You see, the Master Trial consisted of a very simple, yet extremely difficult task. Defeat the Blood Seeker in combat, and take its head as a trophy."
Inyssa took a moment to breath, leaning forward a bit as she caught Shadi's attention.
"To be honest, there's a lot of conflicting accounts on what this Blood Seeker actually was," she explained. "Some stories describe it as a really big and powerful Pokemon. Others describe it as something eldritch and other-wordly. But for now just imagine… a huge, insect-like creature, blood-thirsty and with really sharp claws and fangs, okay?"
Shadi nodded enthusiastically, eyes almost sparkling with excitement.
"Okay… where was I…" Inyssa nodded to herself, lost in thought for a moment. "Right. It should come to no surprise that their professor shut down the idea immediately, or at least tried to. He scolded Ainby and said that it was pure madness. There was a reason the Master Trial had been banned from the academy many years ago; very few students had ever survived it and most of those who did ended up too wounded and traumatized to become proper knights. He would allow such a…
"But just then, Nyss spoke again. She firmly declared that she had no qualms about tackling the Master Trial. In fact, she found the prospect rather exciting. She agreed with Ainby as well, claiming that if she ever wanted to become the captain of the royal guard then she needed to lead by example, and what better way to do it than to face the Blood Seeker and emerge victorious?
"Of course, her professor refused at first, but you can only argue so much against someone possessing such suffocating willpower. In the end, she won, and the arrangements were made. Three of the royal guard members would be sent to capture a Blood Seeker, and she would face it in combat in three days.
"And yet, with his wish granted, Ainby was still not happy. Nyss' confidence had been such that he was beginning to doubt himself. What if… she really could pass the Master Trial? What if she really was as powerful as she claimed to be? No… no, this would not stand. He would do everything in his power to make sure Nyss showed her true colors during that trial; he would ensure that the world would finally see her for the fraud she was.
"So the day of the test came, and pretty much everyone in town came to the coliseum to see Nyss fight. Rumors had spread like wildfire. Everyone was excited to see the might of the so-called terrifying monster who had been blazing through the academy during the past three years. And in between all those little flames of excitements, high above the arena, sat Einby, smiling and waiting. He'd already made his play. Today, Nyss would fall.
"She entered the arena as the same time as the three knights carrying the Blood Seeker's cage. Then, after a few words from the king himself, the trial was set to begin. Nyss walked toward the hidden pedestals from which her sword and shield would raise. Except… as she saw the stone pillars break free from the ground, dust clearing around them, Nyss realized something. There was nothing there.
"Shock made waves all throughout the coliseum, and for once even Nyss herself froze. Einby cackled to himself as he looked down on her. What would she do, he wondered. Would she admit that she couldn't defeat the beast without weapons, that she wasn't as wonderful as everyone thought she was? Or would she stick to her pride and start a battle that she had no chance of winning? Either way, he had already won."
"One thing you have to know, though, is that Nyss was a stickler for the rules. Strange, considering how independent she was otherwise. She believed that laws and guidelines existed for people to follow them, and refused to take any shortcuts or bypass bindings set upon her in any aspect of her life. This might explain why she did what she did.
"Sighing, Nyss looked up at the audience and declared that, without a sword and shield, she could not take on the trial as it had been intended. It just wouldn't be right. At this point, Einby's smile grew bigger and he had to contain himself from laughing. That is… until Nyss spoke again.
"As such, said Nyss, I will make my own. Then, to the bewilderment of all spectators, she closed her fingers around a single strand of her ashen-black hair, and pulled it out.
"This shall be my sword, Obsidian, she said. Then, a moment after, she raised her right hand, palm down, and showed everyone the delicate ivy ring wrapped around her index finger, in the middle of which rested a small, golden stone.
"This shall be my shield, Amber, she declared. I am now ready. Unleash the beast.
"Many of the people who witnessed the ensuing battle would live on and eventually die still doubting what they saw in that arena. It was a brutal clash, to be expected. As courageous as Nyss was, even she had trouble against a beast of such power and malice. Yet, all throughout, the spectators couldn't help but notice something very interesting.
"Nyss never let go of the strand of hair, nor the ivy ring. Not only that, but at no point were they harmed or severed in any way, even when directly struck by the beast's incredibly sharp claws. During certain parts of the battle, for a single moment and only if their vision focused just right, they could have sworn that Nyss wielded a real sword and shield. It was ridiculous. But… how else could she have endured so many slashes from the beast? How else could she have cut one of its horns off?
"They would never be sure of what they saw, for the battle ended in only a couple of minutes. Dust settled around the now deceased beast, Nyss standing atop its chest. The black of her hair and uniform had been stained a deep crimson, falling down her shoulders and coursing through her arms in flowing bands, like vines of flames. The coliseum stood silent, except for the woman's heavy breathing and the sound of blood droplets hitting the beast's chest as they fell.
"I know this was no coincidence. Nyss' voice broke through the silence, barely a whisper yet easily reaching every single person watching from above. Many of my colleagues hate me, wished they were as good as me, and that feeling turned into poison inside their chests, rotting their spirit and preventing its growth. But they will not bring me down. As long as I breathe, I will keep teaching this world the same lesson over and over.
"Her gaze went up, meeting fiercely with those watching. The entire coliseum felt the weight of her stare.
"Willpower is the strongest weapon in this world. It can turn a strand of hair into a sharp blade, or a ring of ivy into an impenetrable shield. By tempering ourselves in its heat, we can go beyond. We can evolve and show the world why humanity deserves to rule this world! Just as a willow can't help being swayed by the wind, reality shall bend to our Will!"
Inyssa had almost run out of breath, but she deemed that final scream necessary in order to truly capture the feel of the story. Slightly out of air, she leaned back and breathed in. No one said anything for a few seconds. Behind her, she could hear the shuffling of her four other Pokemon, having come to hear the story after the end of their skirmish, eyes wide in surprise.
She breathed a few more times before looking at Shadi. Her expression was unreadable, though she could detect a hint of happiness in her eyes.
"Some… some versions of the story keep going, but I always liked ending it at that," she admitted. "What do you think? That Ainby was a real piece of shit, huh? No wonder his name eventually morphed into our word for extreme jealousy."
"Belele…"
Shadi looked down, frowning. There was something in her eyes that hadn't been before. A spark. A flame. Inyssa's lips stretched into a proud smile as she pushed herself to her feet, extending her hand to her Pokemon, the rest of her team smiling behind her.
"I'm guessing you got the point of the story. Now… what do you say? One last try before we call it a day?"
"Bel! Belele!" Shadi offered Inyssa the dull part of her scythes, helping herself up. The tips of her mustache were slightly curled up, accompanying her smile. "Bele-be!"
"That's what I like to hear."