EPISODE 84: Master Five*

I make my way to the Silph Co. garden, wherein according to the footage Giovanni showed me, that's where Charlotte and Xavier can be found.

The garden of Silph Co. is actually an indoor garden with one indoor bridge hanging from above. The bridge connects the northern and southern wing of the facility. It also helps employees reach the other side faster without any need of going through the garden.

With maximum swiftness, I dart through the halls before its too late. As I run, sweat flows like a stream down my face while my lungs burn due to the sensation of perspiration and exhaustion.

"Arcanine, Flame Charge!" On the indoor bridge is where the combat takes place. On the left side, Charlotte and Xavier could be seen trying earnestly to defeat Magnus. However, they have no clue how powerful his inner flare is.

Hearing those words, Arcanine beams into Charlotte's Pidgeotto. Abruptly, Arcanine then stops after seeing Pidgeotto glowing in a veil of whiteness.

"Pidgeotto is starting to evolve." Xavier alerts Charlotte. Seeing her bird Pokemon evolve, Charlotte is left with ecstasy and pride. She couldn't wait to see how her evolved Pokemon would like.

Pidgeot is an avian Pokémon with large wings, sharp talons, and a short, hooked beak. Its glossy plumage is mostly brown with cream-colored underparts and flight feathers. Its head has a decorated crest that is nearly as long as its body. The center feathers of its crest are yellow, while the outer feathers are red. The fan-like feathers of its tail are red or brown. Its beak and legs are pink, and there are three forward-facing toes and one backward-facing toe on each foot. Behind each eye is an angular black marking.

"A Pidgeot." Charlotte leaps with joy. She then scans her Pidgeot to see its new moves.

[-Drill Peck

-Brave Bird

-Roost

-Hurricane]

"You're Pokemon is done evolving, let's continue this match. Arcanine, Flare Blitz!" Fed up from waiting Magnus is, so he decides to attack, crushing Charlotte's joy. A veil of crimson flare shrouds Arcanine as it blasts towards Pidgeot. However, its cunning moves aren't able to intimidate the winged-beast.

"Pidgeot, use Brave Bird!" Charlotte instructs in hopes of trying out Pidgeot's new moveset.

The bird glides through the air, storing power and wind. It then bolts to Arcanine with maximum swiftness. They both collide and inflict damage on one another. However, Brave Bird is a move with recoil damage, thus Arcanine has the upper hand.

"Arcanine, heatwave." Magnus smiles with confidence and instructs Arcanine once more.

"Are you crazy?! The whole garden will burn!" Xavier shouts.

"Then so be it," Magnus responds as the heatwave succumbs the entire area, burning the lush garden in the process. With the fire engulfing underneath them, one blunder can lead to devastating effects, especially when a person or a Pokemon falls into the flames.

The atmosphere starts to heat up, giving them a hard time to breath. For Pidgeot, it starts to fall from the sky, heading towards the flames, making Charlotte extremely worried.

"Pidgeot!" Charlotte leaps to the sky, trying to catch Pidgeotto's fainted body. She was indeed successful, however upon touching the ground, Charlotte's foot accidentally slips, causing her to fall from the bridge and into the flames.

"What the?" Charlotte opens her eye and tilts upwards only to see Xavier clenching her hand. Her cheeks then turned slightly rosy.

"Stay firm," Xavier instructs with heavy breathing due to Charlotte's weight. Gradually, his hand starts to slip off.

"How romantic-" Magnus teases. "But I must say, this will be your ninth symphony." he continues his statements. From his side, the rest of the masters, Magnolia, Miriam, Finn, and Titus, make a debut to the bridge as the engulfing flames from beneath strengthens.

"Finish with Flame Charge!"

<Arc!>Arcanine obeys, following the instructions of his trainer. With no sympathy at all, it bolts towards Xavier and Charlotte, preparing to end their lives.

I then spark hope into their lives by debuting on the bridge as well. Sweat trickles heavily due to the intense heat yet I chose to ignore it.

"Absol, deploy." Without another minute to spare, I send out Absol from her Pokeball. Commands are no longer needed for she knows what I want.

Even by seeing the Master Five, the decision to return never struck me. For a moment, the five of them flinch after seeing me and my ebony scar.

"L... Luna?" Magnus starts to stutter. His eyes couldn't believe what he saw.

I respond with ignorance and lifted Charlotte and her Pidgeot. I don't want to fight, so I decided to send Absol back to her Pokeball.

From a shocked face, Magnus suddenly glares and commands, "Fire Blitz!"

"Magnus! What are you doing?!" Magnolia yells from behind.

"Her soul is corrupted, therefore it serves no use." Just like a villain, Magnus utters. Arcanine jolts to me, but I couldn't react right away.

"You're wrong, stop this madness right now! She's the daughter of the headmaster." Miriam interrupts.

Not noticing Arcanine from behind, Absol decides to take matters into her own hands. She leaps out of her Pokeball and with her throat chop attack, she pushes Arcanine off the bridge and into the crimson flames.

Dearly loving Arcanine, Magnus does something absurd and decides to jump off the bridge and come with his Arcanine to the afterlife. I am uncertain if it is the act of suicide or perhaps it's because their bond with each other is strong that even life nor death can separate them apart.

"Magnus!" Titus tries to reach for his hand but failed to do so. Hearing the fire abruptly bursting, I then realize that Magnus is now nothing but mere ashes.

Even with the flames, everyone stays silent for a moment. Such irony for a fire master to be burned by its own specialty.

From silence, comes a disruption when Jenny appears from the Master Four's side. She looks for Magnus but could no longer see him, and that's when she realized that the great fire master has fallen.

"Traitor!" Jenny glares to me then yells loudly. She clenches her fists and blames me for Magnus's agony.

"Magnus killed himself," I respond.

"If you weren't here, then this would've never happened!" Jenny's wrath and anger intensifies as she tosses out her Raichu. The Master Four try their best to quell the argument but it was no use.

"I knew this day would come." I glare back at my best friend with Absol by my side. Not only does the heat intensifies but including our resentment and bitter taste to each other. I guess even friendship has an end.