Chapter 21

BURN

I've grown accustomed to losing sleep

Sweep me off my feet

Dig your nails into my wounds and pull

A lucid dream

Where my chest will collapse from the weight of a fictitious ghost

Tear through me, sacrifice me to your sea

With broken arms I'm left to carry my shell

With no help from the current

- Counterparts

I

Zoe Johnson, her short black hair bouncing as she walked up the brown steel battlefield. Bloodstains were littered throughout it, smudges from where someone had previously half-heartedly cleaned the blood off, probably expecting more blood soon, her blood but hopefully his. She walked next to him, his canvas shoes rose under his slim jeans, to his black and white flannel shirt that fitted his slender frame. The beard he wore on his face was short, hardly a stubble, and his brown hair hovered over his deep blue eyes. He gave a small smile, but she couldn't return it to him. No matter the pleasantness her father had drilled into her as a child, she was half sure that her challenger only smiled out of habit anyway. They separated from each other and walked to either end of the arena. Her knees were shaking immensely, every step she took was as if trekking hip-deep in mud.

"Challengers, release your Pokémon!" She threw the only Pokémon she had ever possessed in front of her. Froslass emerged, and the temperature around it dropped as her graceful presence situated in front of Zoe. She recalled the memory she had when she was lost in her hometown of Rifure Village at the foot of the mountains. Lost and cold where Froslass as a Snorunt guided her back.

The slim man, in return, threw up his Pokéball into the air, and with a slam, Primeape emerged onto the field. It looked menacingly with a wicked scar above its left eye. He whispered something to it, but Zoe couldn't hear over the insanely loud crowd. She was picking her fingernails again; she couldn't stop. They were practically nonexistent at this point, and her cuticles were shredded to pieces. But she was okay, her mom was going to be okay; just win. Froslass was perfect against a physical attacker; she could dematerialize her body anytime an incoming attack was coming her way, making it immune.

"Today marks the first battle of the second day! Seth Conklin and Zoe Johnson, begin!" The crowd's voices shook everything as the vibrations collided with their surroundings.

Primeape ran full speed at Froslass. Its fist was cocked back, steam seemed to bellow out of its nose as Seth stood with his arms crossed, watching his soon-to-be final moments. "Froslass, avoid it!" She screamed out. Froslass dematerialized her body, going opaque as she witnessed Primeape launching towards her through her Pokémon's body. Seth stood back with a smirk glistening on his face. It wasn't slowing; it wasn't turning around to face Froslass, its enemy. It phased through Froslass's body, seemingly like it was the goal. Realization flooded her senses as Primeape was now running full speed at her, his heavy feet slamming on the steel floor. Froslass, understanding the situation, materialized quickly and swung around to see the retreating Pokémon running towards her trainer.

"Blizzard," Zoe screamed in fear. A freezing wind slammed into Primeape's back, ice now matted his fur. All the moisture inside of his back instantly became frozen, expanding his skin and blood vessels, tearing them apart creating shallow wounds. But he still stormed faster towards her, now only 15 feet away, seemingly gaining speed from the wind that was now making it hard for her to see.

Nothing hurt for longer than she would have expected. She looked down to see a giant arm protruding out of her stomach. She coughed, and blood splattered on Primeape's face, who was centimeters away, so close she could smell the hot air falling out of his nose. But his eyes seemed sad, like he wanted to be anywhere other than here with her right now. Pain flooded her senses, so intense that she was frozen, unable to move, as her hands locked onto Primeape's arm. It was more than just feeling his punch, but like a pressure squeezing, no, pushing everything out, up, and down in her body.

"Mom?" Zoe said, confused, her face extremely pale, losing the beauty it once possessed.

Primeape ripped his arm out of Zoe as blood splattered on the floor. Froslass made its way towards her, passing Primeape without any violence; all it wanted was Zoe. Scared, alone, tears freezing and falling, crashing to the ground below her as she hovered over Zoe.

Team Rocket grunts made their way onto the floor as the announcer claimed Seth the victor, and the crowd rose in applause. Flames raced out of one of the grunt’s Quilava's mouth towards Froslass, who went opaque again, but to no use. Her tears now no longer froze as she felt the heat, staring at her trainer. The ground mixed with blood and water, and the stands applauded even louder.

II

The flames raced over Zoe and Froslass as Seth stared at them. The heat was felt by him but only just barely. He stood solidified to the ground as he looked at Zoe, her eyes fixed on him as her collapsed body lay motionless on the ground. Had he ever killed anyone, not out of self-defense? No, this was self-defense; he would have been killed if he hadn't ordered Primeape to go after her. As if to meet his answer, Sarah floated in the middle of the glass cage, the light reflecting her pale skin as her head swayed back and forth no longer connected to her spine, "You can't save him!" he shouted loudly.

"He fucking deserved it," Seth muttered towards the apparition.

Zoe, laid motionless as the flames raced over her having the smell of burning hair and flesh bake in the green house of the arena. Primeape cut off the scene, walking back up to Seth as the cheers still exploded through the stands. "Turn around," Primeape's back still had some ice matted in with the mixture of his blood. "Are you okay?" He asked, only getting a silent nod from Primeape. He seemed absent-minded, but anything could have been further from the truth. Primeape's mind kept replaying Zoe’s murder over and over in his head.

"We will get you cleaned up, return." The red light illuminated over him, and Primeape was grateful to be free of the sight of Zoe’s corpse.

"Michael Young and Zack Mitchell, please approach the field." Even though she was now inside a body bag, Seth could still hear her, repetitive taunting, as if she was right next to him. Despite needing to help Primeape, the Pokéball wasn't magic; it wasn't going to just pause Primeape's injuries. However, Seth stayed for this match-up as both relatively younger gentlemen took the field. He could see the fear in both their eyes as a Lycanroc and Arcanine emerged before them.

He watched as both Pokémon beat each other senselessly, desperately hoping to save their trainers. Arcanine used flare-blitz against Lycanroc's orange fur. He spun around, slashing one of Arcanine's eyes, causing a deep gash and blood trickling down its face. Seth then saw Sarah sitting in the stands, her necrosis now rising from her neck, overtaking the whole side of her face, fading away from her bright white eye. Lycanroc took a piece out of the concrete wall under Sarah’s seat, gripped it with his snout and chucked it at Zack Mitchell, who dove to the ground, barely dodging out of the way.

Above him, a seat was occupied by another Sarah reflecting the aftermath of a Beartic splitting a person in half. Her face looked at Seth seriously, as if he were judging every aspect of her husband. "What!" Seth said aloud, another challenger stared at him awkwardly. "Was I supposed to give up, die like a coward?" Seth said, staring at her pale face. The other challenger moved away from him.

Arcanine bit the top of Lycanroc's neck, flinging him to the ground, blood smearing the steel floor. Finally, Lycanroc was able to get his lower legs under Arcanine's stomach and fling him into the air, taking a chunk of Lycanroc’s neck with him. Arcanine crashed to the ground, struggling to get up. In a moment, Lycanroc was above him, biting the lower jaw of Arcanine, and pulled furiously. There was a loud crack, and Arcanine's jaw snapped, and then blood slathered the floor as it pulled his jaw off his face, tearing the flesh of his neck and even the top part of his chest with it. Arcanine staggered left and right. Orange flames shot out, but most shot down out of the hole in its neck until he finally fell.

"No, no, no, no, no," Jack screamed, falling to his knees as he was no longer able to support his own weight. "Please don't kill me."

Lycanroc roared loudly above Arcanine, blood still dripping down his neck, staring angrily at Jack’s pitiful form. “Crunch,” Michael said, smiling from ear to ear out of relief. In a flash, Lycanroc's mouth and fangs closed on Michael’s head, cutting his face and the front part of his head clean off, spitting it on the floor. The entire arena got to their feet, applauding loudly.

As if there was nothing more to see, Seth turned and walked out of the stadium as the announcer called for, “Olivia Clark and William Pena.” His cost of survival is closely following behind him with their taunts.

III

The ugly carpet sat underneath Seth in the hallway outside Emily’s door. He wanted to knock on the door, but he just stood there, holding his fist up, waiting. Was he worried about what his son would think of him? It's all for him; all the blood and violence have to mean something. He knocked on the door loudly, knowing he would wade through an ocean of blood if that meant Erin could just have the possibility of a life more than just survival.

The door creaked open, exemplifying the white walls, white bed, and white pale eyes and skin of Sarah, her shirt becoming soaked in blood as a giant hole replaced her abdomen, and the blood drained on the floor. “You can't save him!” She screeched.

“I…” He stood there, looking at the blood flowing over his shoes, as he looked back at Emily’s face smiling at him.

“Hey, you alright?” she said, smiling but casting a face of concern. He grinned back but didn't give a response; he wasn't okay.

“Daddy!” Erin jumped off the bed, over Vulpix curled up beneath him, and ran to him.

“Sorry it took so long, I had to get Primeape cleaned up.” He said, hugging his son tightly.

“Is he okay?” Erin said questioningly.

“Yeah, want to see if you can make him feel better.” His son simply nodded exaggeratedly as Seth released Primeape in the confined space of the room. Primeape sat down on Erin’s bed, solemn, with Erin jumping all over, attempting to cheer him up.

“Do you want to get some fresh air?” Emily asked, looking intently at Seth. She knew what it meant for him to be here, and understood what it took, and was glad Seth stood before her. Still, her pride in Brian was immeasurable.

“Yeah, Primeape, want to stay out?” Primeape nodded, seemingly happier around Erin as they began to step out into the hallway and up the stairs.

They made it to the bow of the ship, and Erin convinced Seth and Emily to release everyone, where he played energetically. It always surprised Seth just how connected Erin was to any Pokémon he met. If it wasn't for him, Noivern, Torterra, Staravia wouldn't have joined them in the first place. Erin’s ability to initially spark trust with them is the only reason that he made it this far. But it still felt so much further, and he began to rub the Cascade Badge between his fingers in his pocket. Still resenting himself and unable to tell Emily he had it. The breeze drifted over them as they watched Erin play with everyone on the bow, laughing, caring for them.

“You did so well, Daddy,” the little girl with blond hair from the docks said to her father as they walked up close to where Seth and Emily were sitting. “Dad, can I take Donphan and Yanmega to go play with that boy?”

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The dad looked at Seth and Emily, “Do you care?”

“Go nuts,” Emily responded, smiling at the girl. She ran off with a smile taking over her whole face.

“Hi, I am--”

“Liam Foster,” Seth finished. “Yeah, I saw you down there with me.”

“That was a good match you had,” he responded.

“Was it?” Seth answered, looking at his hands clenched together as he sat stiff and standoffish.

“Yeah, it was. You did what you could. Trust me, I know.” He took a seat next to them as they all watched the kids and Pokémon run around happily as they sat with their backs against the railing of the S.S. Anne and the ocean beneath them. “Where are you guys from?"

“Outside Cerulean,”

“Outskirts of Viridian,” Seth and Emily said at the same time.

“You?” Emily continued.

“Gringey City, It's a town outside Vermillion”

“How did you hear about this tournament?” Seth asked genuinely. Even though there was a serious chance that he would have to take this man's life just like he did to Zoe, he really seemed to like him. He had this aura of being trusting, or maybe that came from him being another parent. That mutual understanding that no matter what was in front of them they would accomplish at all cost to protect their kids. He had a beard longer than his own that was grey around his chin, thick black hair laid down on his head about to connect with his bushy black eyebrows that were easy to see behind his thick glasses.

“We fled our city a long while ago,” Liam answered.

“Team Rocket ran you out of your town?” Seth interjected.

“Pollution from the factories, I mean Team Rocket didn't help, but the problems have always been there. It was a common rule growing up in the town even before the war that you don't go swimming in the lake. Beth kept coughing blood and only got worse, so I moved her out looking for some work. Figured Lavender might be a good idea. But I have to pay my taxes next month and I am nowhere close.” He smiled, but there was deep tiredness behind those eyes that Seth knew all too well.

“Did you know about what happens if you lose?” Emily asked curiously.

“I didn't think we were going to get a pat on the back and a ‘maybe next time champ’ if that's what you're asking,” he responded. “You were with that man who fought first, right?”

Both Emily and Seth didn't say anything but put their heads down slightly, clearly giving the answer without words.

“Sorry, I just saw you standing with him yesterday,” he continued. Beth and Erin were beginning to play more with each other rather than just their Pokémon. It caused a shift in Seth’s emotion, watching his son play happily with another kid. It had been far too long, he thought. The silence between them continued for a while. It wasn't awkward or tense but pleasant, letting the spectacle of their kids, who they cared so deeply for, forget about the darkness of the world, the threat over their head, just be children, running and laughing. Pelipper and Wingull continued to fly overhead, and Seth looked down at the water below, noticing a pod of Finizen jumping over the waves the S.S. Anne was creating. The sun felt amazing on his face, creating a warm almost blanket that wrapped over him with the smell of the galley reaching his nostrils.

“I looked at the bracket, provided we both make it, we will be facing each other in the semi-finals,” Liam stated, immediately throwing the pleasantness off this ship and enveloping the fog of dread over top of them.

“I saw,” Seth said bluntly, his pissed expression being impossible to miss.

“Sorry, I just... look, no hard feelings, okay.” What was Seth supposed to say to this? It was hard feelings. If he lost, all the hope he had for his son would be gone. If he won, Liam’s corpse would do nothing but haunt him, dragging him further into the insanity that his other victims had made damn sure to push his descent into.

The evening went by quickly. They made their way to the galley, which was a much more pleasant experience this time. Seth was half sure Torterra wasn't going to leave and would just sit and eat any green substance he could find. Erin watched as his Noivern dove into the ocean, catching and consuming Luvdisk. As the night began to descend over them, the crowd on the ship came alive. Even with all the spectators whose bloodlust was intense, the music and dancing that filled the ship were unique. The stars, without a moon to fade them, shone brightly overhead, brightening the party.

“Seth, Emily,” a timid voice rang out behind them. Ben stood there, dressed in new clothes that still seemed to drape over him as if he was hiding from the world. “Could I speak with you?”

They made it to the stern where it was more peaceful and quieter, although not entirely. Erin was being held by his dad, and his crashing energy was evident in the heavy eyes that he was struggling to keep open.

“I want you to give you Beldum.” The Greatball was outstretched in his hand toward Seth. “He has been the best thing in my life, and I don't want him to die for me.” There was a look of determination on his face that hung sternly over the trembling arm and body that held it up.

“Are you sure?” Seth asked, holding his son with one hand and taking the ball with the other.

“I am not going to win. Daniel is going to kill me tomorrow. They just aren't powerful enough.”

“But to give up?” Seth answered back, looking at the Pokéball, not convinced he should take it.

“A part of me gets to live on in him.” Ben was smiling while also chewing the end of his jacket sleeve. Emily hugged him tightly, knowing what he needed—just someone looking out for him. He held her close as tears began to fall freely from his face, from hers as well. “Promise you will take care of him,” he said, struggling to keep his voice together.

“Of course,” she said, taking his face and smiling pleasantly at him. The night continued, and they sat at the back of the ship, just talking. Seth was sure that Ben was terrified to go to sleep, but Seth was also terrified to go to sleep as well. It wasn't until the sun began rising above the horizon that they made their way back to Emily’s room.

IV

“Daddy, please don't go. Please, please, please,” Erin started crying, clinging to his father as he made his way to the plain door in room D76.

“I know you don't want me to, but I promise I will be right back.” Erin's cries became even louder. Seth tried desperately to unlock Erin’s hand to get free of him. “Don’t do this, buddy. I promise as soon as I am done, I will come back!”

“Then let me go too.”

“You're gonna stay here with Emily, okay.” Emily walked over and got Erin off of her father, trying to console him. He set Beldum’s Great Ball on the table in the middle of the room.

“Are you sure you don’t want Beldum?” Seth said to Ben, who was opening the door to the hallway.

“Yeah,” He gave a faint, bittersweet smile goodbye to Emily, who returned it but half-heartedly. She wanted to save him from the doom that awaited but didn't know how.

The hallway on deck F seemed longer than usual. The challengers filtered into it, being pushed along the current of despair that remained with the significantly smaller population. Seth saw Liam with his daughter on his shoulders walk ahead of them, but even they seemed to imitate a depressed walk up to the gallows ahead of them. Their footsteps echoed on the metal staircase, and Ben, trembling, was wracked with every step. He clutched Rattata's Pokéball, as his thoughts raced for a way out, any way out of this. He looked at Seth, but his face was as blank as everyone else's. They passed the glaringly bright portal, as if stepping into searing hot flames, into the arena, and the sounds of the energetic morning crowd encapsulated them. Daniel was already atop the metal battlefield, gleaming as he watched his pitiful match-up walk in.

Seth put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, gripping tightly, probably trying to give him some relief, but contrary to the bright arena with the morning sun illuminating everyone, a dark cloud was constantly hanging over him. “Am I really going to die?” He asked aloud, not really expecting a response.

“Just keep moving and dodging, look for an opening, and communicate with Rattata,” Seth said, hoping to provide some relief.

“Welcome to the 3rd day of the tournament, everyone, and for the second round of battles to commence. Everyone, please give a standing ovation to our willing competitors!” The crowd cheered loudly, as if applauding Ben's soon-to-be death. “Daniel Rivera and Ben Turner, please approach.

V

“Why does Daddy have to leave?” Erin asked Emily, sitting on the bed and petting Vulpix as her head laid on his lap.

“He wants to protect you,” she said, sitting on her bed with her head resting against the wall. She looked at Erin with nothing to do but play worst-case scenario scenes in her head. She hated this waiting, having nothing to do and being a passive bystander, letting this boat carry her on the current with no impact on anything.

“Protect me from what?” Erin asked questioningly, getting up from his bed and moving over to Emily’s. He sat next to her, then laid his head on her arm.

She put an arm around him, holding him close. “From the bad guys,” she said, holding her hands out as if pushing an evil force away from him.

“Why didn't he protect Brian, Mom, or Charlotte?” She looked down at him, meeting his hazel eyes that held an uncommon serious look, trying to piece the complexity of the world together.

“Sometimes bad things happen, buddy, but your father would do anything if it means protecting you.” She smiled a little, hoping to find one in him but to no avail. “Let's go for a walk, huh? Maybe get Torterra some more food.”

“Okay!” He yelped, surprising Vulpix slightly. “Let’s bring this Pokémon too!”

“Wait, no!” Emily yelled, but Erin grabbed the Great Ball sitting on the table next to him. Its blue form with red markings stood out in the white void of the cabin. Light flooded the room for a moment until Beldum came to, his eye darting around the room. As he looked back and forth from Emily to Erin, realization flooded his senses, and he peiced together why he wasn't with Ben. In a panic, he crashed his head against the door, denting it slightly.

“What's he doing?” Erin asked Emily, frightened.

“Beldum, go back,” she begged, the red light overtaking Beldum but unmoved from his hammering of the door.

A white light beamed out of his eye, and the door, floor, and parts of the wall began to warp. A force surrounded Beldum as light began to fold and wrap around him. Emily looked at the ball of energy but saw only the side of her head as gravity began bending the light around Beldum, blocking him from view. Erin scurried in Emily’s arms as Vulpix stood steadfast in front of him. The door cracked around Beldum, and its steel frame crumbled around it, parts of it disappearing as the light bent even more unusually. Passengers began to flood the hallway, looking at the disturbance.

With a crash, ripped-up chunks of metal fell to the ground, and sight was returned to normalcy as they stared at Metang, its blue body marked by white claws and protrusions. It looked back at them, its red eyes full of pain. Erin got up, seemingly possessed. Emily reached out for him but held herself back as a sense of knowing seemed to surround Erin. He placed his small hand on the front of Metang. “I know you’re scared, I am too. Go.”

Metang tore away from the room, nearly knocking a few spectators to the ground. It flew through the air as doors darted past its sides as it finally made it to the entryway on deck D that had a viewing area written on top. It broke through the door so hard that one fell off its hinges and smashed even louder than its body ramming through it. It looked down at the steel battlefield over the railing and lost all control. Seth looked up over his shoulder, seeing Metang smash the railing to the ground as he flew down the drop to the battlefield.

“Fuck,” he released Primeape in a hurry, hoping he made it in time. As soon as Primeape materialized, Metang was feet from him, paying him no mind. It was only concerned with the horror on the stadium and the laughter coming from Misty, but more sinisterly from Daniel. “Stop him.”

Primeape just caught Metang in time and hesitantly slammed his body to the ground, pinning him down, as its red eye stared at Ben, writhing so furiously that Primeape had to put so much force down that the steel began to dent beneath him.

“Please, calm down,” Seth begged, placing a hand on Metang's cold body. “He wanted to save you.”

Metang looked in horror; Absol had Ratatta’s convulsing body impaled on its scythe-like horn. Daniel, however, was sitting on top of Ben, hitting away like he was straddling a punching bag. Blood dripped from his fists, mixing their blood as it hammered down on Ben’s face again. Ben’s nose was completely gone, smashed inside his head, blood dripped down his eye, and any front teeth were gargling in his blood-drenched throat. Ben, still conscious, tried to put his hands up but was easily pushed down when another fist cracked his skull and broke his optic canal. He tried desperately to talk, to beg to stop, but all he could do was taste the drowning feeling of his own blood as he desperately tried to swallow to secure his next, maybe his last breath. Laughter filled the stadium as fist after fist swung down on Ben’s tiny frame.

The onslaught was so brutal that Daniel and Misty's laughter didn't need to compete with an applauding audience; they were silent as the child continued to be beaten down. The back of his skull was now pouring blood as each hit slammed the back of his head against the steel floor.

Daniel finally stood up, perhaps yielding to the last shred of humanity he possibly possessed. He then raised his foot and smashed it down on top of Ben’s skull. Finally, after the constant onslaught, Ben's skull gave way to Daniel’s heel, releasing him from the torment once and for all. His hands fell away from his protective stance and dropped to the cold, unforgiving ground.

VI

Metang’s arm crashed against the wall of the stairwell as Primeape struggled to contain its rage.

“Damn it, we're going to have to go to Emily’s room to get his Pokéball. Why would she let him go?” Seth complained as Primeape struggled to descend the bottom step of the challenger floor on deck F.

The walk towards Emily's room was incredibly slow as Metang jerked left and right, desperate to escape from Primeape and crush Daniel’s head under its foot. “Calm down,” Seth pleaded as Primeape finally reached the second set of stairs, nearly finished. The ugly carpet on D was now torn to shreds as Metang attempted twice to cling to something, anything to set him free.

“Emily!” Seth roared as she appeared, peeking her head out of the doorless frame.

“Shit, hold on.” She disappeared, replaced by Erin, who looked concerned at Metang as he flailed wildly in Primeape’s arms. Suddenly, a red light emerged around Metang, but nothing happened. His hatred was too intense and wouldn't subside until he felt Daniel’s death.

Erin placed a hand on Metang’s cold body, and Seth immediately pushed him back to protect him from the flailing arms. “Daddy, stop!” Erin said, definitely catching his father off guard. “He is sad.”

Primeape, unable to hold him any longer, pushed Metang to the ground, its arms denting the walls as people again poured out into the hallway.

Erin once again placed his hand on Metang, then hugged him silently as people witnessed Metang's form begin to calm. “I'm sorry,” Erin said, tears falling down his face. Metang's red eyes fixated on Erin’s face. It was hard to tell its emotion with its lack of facial expressions, but Metang stayed lying down as Primeape released the pressure on its body. Erin took its giant arm. “Come on,” and Metang floated behind Erin, entering the wide-open room. Seth, Emily, and all the onlookers stared motionlessly, awe-struck and completely confused.