Music in media: Running From The Storm by Gary Moore

18 January, Tuesday, 11 a.m. | Winter

Every Cinccino's deadly weapon is its irresistible cuteness. However, the issue with Attract lies with its limit on gender. There was but a 50% chance the Eelektross was female and because Rae wasn't Unovan and didn't know much, she couldn't tell its gender at all. So why did she gamble her way like this?

Technically, it wasn't a gamble. Her mentor, Kaspar, had tried something similar back then with his Teddiursa in his battle against Arena Tycoon Greta at Hoenn's Battle Frontier. She was simply learning from him and utilising her immediate environment.

So of course Rae expected Chilchil's Attract to fail, though expectations didn't have to materialise. Funny. She rarely went for drastic, out-of-the-box thinking like this but when fight or flight kicked in, she would always choose to fight and let the ordinariness of the everyday shine through in times of need. That was a strategy Kaspar taught her too. That to be a Normal-type trainer didn't mean simply to befriend and train a bunch of Normal-types but to embrace "normalcy" and "mediocrity" and let the status quo do its moderation business, perhaps even bite its own tail in the process.

The Eelektross guffawed at Chilchil's failed attempt. More shriek of mockery than guffaw, really, which made him all the more haunting.

Perhaps not that haunting if it was interjected by ferocious cries as a swarm of Eelektross which Rae guessed must be female encircled him in a matter of seconds.

"Now, we run!" Lenora hollered over the Eelektross' screeches and pulled Rae and Chilchil out of the crossfire. Rae's gaze never left the scene. A twinge of guilt bugged her as the male Eelektross tried to excuse his actions and regain his ilk's trust. She didn't need to understand their language to know this. It was all panning out like the incident with N at Driftveil. To think she was the instigator now.

"What was that even?" Cheren shot Rae a look as the trio bypassed a Chargestone boulder.

Rae, with a determined flare in her eyes, evaded the question while turning a corner.

The deeper they ran, the sparser the area, leaving but a couple of Pokémon that lived in their own little bubble roaming about. Where Chargestones blocked their paths they pushed them aside without much effort. The water bodies didn't alter the original route thankfully.

Suddenly, Cheren gripped Rae's shoulder and they all dropped to a halt.

"What is it?" Lenora blinked. "Why did we stop?"

"The Eelektross aren't chasing us at all. Why did we run?" Cheren asked.

"You don't know if they changed their mind," said Lenora. "Anyway, we should have covered a lot of distance. We should be safe for now."

"I don't think so," Rae mumbled and pointed to an oblong patch of light illuminating a split rock face.

"Based on the map, that's the exit. We are safe. What are you saying?"

Noko-Noko leapt off Rae's shoulder at Cheren's question and wiggled to the exit. However, she was unable to pass through.

But it couldn't have been a barrier. There wasn't any psychic energy in the area. It couldn't have been a Pokémon, especially not a Snorlax. This wasn't Kanto.

"Why can't we pass through then?" Lenora rubbed her temples and surveyed the area. The water bodies were the only thing that changed in the cave, the only addition. "Hold on... How are the waters so clear and serene? Like a layer of film."

Cheren pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "If an Eelektross survives in that water, it must have a high salt content. It's unlikely to be seawater given our location but we can't dismiss it either."

"Sea?" Rae glanced at the exit. "Wait. Isn't there another way to Mistralton or something? I don't remember entering this cave when Icosa drove me to Aspertia."

Cheren and Lenora exchanged looks. Then Cheren said, "Isn't this the only route? Maybe he took the long way round."

Rae pondered over it and nodded reluctantly. "Are we going to be stuck here like this?"

Cheren sighed. "I guess we have no choice but to use brute force... Come on out, Bouffalant."

A bovine Pokémon with two silver horns sprouting out of its large dark afro materialised and grunted.

"Head Charge at the exit."

A thud rocked the cave as Bouffalant struck the wall with its head.

"Again."

"Again."

"Again."

"Wait-Cheren! It's not working. You can't brute force your way out like this. And what's gotten into you? When were you this reckless?"

"Well, Rae was reckless and it worked so I thought I should try."

Lenora hissed under her breath. "Look, I get that you're worried about Icosa. But this is not the way to go. You were never one to lose your cool."

"So what if I do just that once in a while? I'm not defined by my calmness. I am just someone who seeks the right path and right now, this is it."

"It's not. The cave will probably collapse if this goes on for any further."

Cheren returned his Pokémon and slumped against the impassable wall. He felt his clothes flap against his back and heard, as if distantly, the sharp whistle of a chilling wind.

"I-I get it now... It's Tornadus. That's why we can't g-g-get out. The wind is too s-s-st-strong! It's keeping us in."

"If only Icosa were here..."

Cheren blanched. "Rae... It stopped. Icosa must have cleared it up for us like you said."

Lenora glanced at the stirring water and began to move. "We got to leave. Fast. I think the Eelektross are back thanks to you and your Bouffalant."

With that, they dashed out of the cave. The sight was unsightly to say the least. Rocks were sliced into bits. Where there was grass, there was only soil left now, as if tilled by an overzealous farmer. Trees toppled over one another and some Pokémon were trapped beneath the mess. A bunch of Conkeldurr were helping to push the trees up. The ground was full of seemingly unthawable ice, however much Cheren kicked at it.

Though one thing was clear: it was no longer winter. The snow seemed to perpetually be replaced by the scent of rebirth and blossoms, albeit ravaged in appearance and by the cold sharp smell of Tornadus's wake. Whatever that was wasn't Hurricane. Did Tornadus acquire a new move or something? Perhaps the music worsened it? Lenora made a mental note to check what was going on.

Serving as an anteambulo of sorts, Chilchil dusted the path. Lenora walked ahead and switched to typing notes on her phone, tapping branches and examining twigs, chipped rocks, frost-tipped grass...

Behind her, Rae strolled beside Cheren. There had been too much running around lately and it was better to slow down and evaluate the situation anyway.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rae got Tabutabu out just in case.

"I don't know, Rae. I've been a bit out of sorts." Cheren sneezed when a petal wheezed past his nose. "Besides, we're reaching Mistralton soon. It's just up ahead. Icosa will be there."

"Will that make you feel better? Seeing him?"

"Well, he's my student. I am very concerned about his welfare, Rae."

Rae sighed. Tabutabu gave them both a healing touch. Wordlessly, they reached the city.

It didn't look any better than the ruinous state of the earlier route. The planes were dented, trees uprooted, a few buildings roofless. A young woman in a sky blue cargo pilot suit hopped up to them with a strained smile on her face, slightly obscured by her auburn bangs.

"Skyla, was it Tornadus?" Cheren asked.

Skyla sulked. "Tornadus wasn't like zirself today. Zie flew into a rage trying to hide zir hurt."

"Hurt?" Lenora echoed. "Is it the music?"

Rae then noticed the music was slow and melancholically grand with a bell tolling in the background every thirty seconds. Everyone seemed to be going about their lives just fine, however. What was the effect of the music then?

Skyla shook her head. "Not sure. Nothing seems to be happening. At least not on the surface. But my people have been feeling rather sombre. Like they are going about their lives faking happiness."

Imposter syndrome? Monday blues? Toxic positivity? Rae didn't know what to make of it.

"But as you can see, the airport's on lockdown and... under repairs," added Skyla. "Besides, Tornadus left us with a Red Shoe."

"That's the same as Thundurus back in Nimbasa!"

"Yes, Lenora. Elesa has told me about it." Skyla glanced at Rae grimly. "You're Aomine Rae, the challenger curing our region."

"Th-That's a bit much but yes, I'm Rae."

"You should take a break first. We can battle once you're well rested."

"Speaking of Thundurus, have you seen Icosa? I'm sure Elesa would have told you about him," said Cheren.

Skyla shook her head and expressed that the boy had never been here. Instead, she was the one who quelled Tornadus with her trusty Swanna.

"What about the move zie used? It wasn't Hurricane."

"No. I'm not sure either but it's very chilly. I almost had frostbite." Then Skyla's eyes widened and she perked up. "Oh! The repairs are done. It's really convenient when construction companies use Psychic-types along the usual Fighting-types these days."

The trio and Rae's Pokémon, now out of their Poké Balls to satisfy their curiosity-Noko-Noko told them this was where she and Rae first stepped foot into Unova-snapped their heads towards the flight information display board. As expected, no flights incoming or outgoing. But-

"There's a mistake," said Lenora. "The date and time should be January 18, 1 p.m., Skyla."

Skyla placed her arms akimbo. "Don't go 'round saying things like that. You don't have jetlag, do you? It's now the 18th of March, 1 p.m."

The trio and Rae's Pokémon exchanged glances.

Then they gasped in unison.

Cheren started, "Does that mean all this while..."

Lenora frowned. "... time has been passing way too slowly for us?"

Rae nodded and stared at her Pokémon. "This isn't good. We have only about three months left. I mean, we are down to three badges now but..."

"Jeez, calm down you three!" Skyla's legs trembled. "There's still time till June 22."

"But how can we trust the time when it's all haywire?" Lenora crossed her arms and lowered her gaze. "This sends our investigation to a whole new direction."

A/N:

And that marks the end of Arc 1 | Next to Normal!

Arc 2 | Shadows of Tomorrow will begin shortly. The next chapter will likely be up next week.

Thanks for your support and patience up till now! I haven't been able to write consistently or as much as I would like to because life has been busy so thanks a lot for sticking with me as well as Rae's journey!

Now that there are only three Gyms left for Rae to challenge, it shouldn't take that long... right?

And where did Icosa go? What exactly is his relationship with N and Team Plasma?

And how are the other mythical and legendary Pokémon related to the Tao Trio?

The next Arc will offer some answers to these questions among others!

Meanwhile, here's a teaser of what's to come:

"Is that it? Once I get the last badge, it'll all be over, right?"

"You cannot save us. You cannot do anything. You are nothing but a damn foreigner."

"It's not a coincidence. All this only proves that Unova has had a strong connection to Hisui all along."

"You can't stop us now." Chili jabbed a pair of DNA Splicers into the three elemental Pokémon. "Your heroism ends here."

"I will bring Unova back to its ancient balance, to the time of the Original Dragon! And restore the legacy of Harmonia once and for all. Mark my words. After all, the King's words will always resound from the heights to all below."

Till then, take care everyone!

- Tor