Chapter 23

White didn't stop running. She ran until she got out of the alleyway. Then she was swept into the crowd.

"Whitney!" She heard Archy bark. He ran next to her, panting hard.

"Where's N?!" she asked as they ran toward the fountain of Castelia City.

"I think he left." Archy wheezed. "He flew away on Hydreigon."

White's annoyance at her older brother increased.

"Well what am I supposed to do now?! I can't go back! Amos will tell Leia and Hugh!" She spat.

Archy sighed, "I don't know. We should try and find Mira and Sky-"

"OLIVER, WATER PULSE!"

A wave of freezing cold water crashed onto White and Archy. She spluttered, and heard people scream. Archy yowled and tried to shake his pelt free from water.

"You're a liar!" a voice shouted at her.

White spat and wiped water from her eyes.

Amos had caught up to them, his Dewott next to him. The look on his face frightened her. He looked like he wanted to kill her right there.

"Water Sport!" Amos ordered Oliver.

Oliver yowled and squirted water all around him, making it impossible for Fire type moves to hurt him.

"Extreme Speed!" White bellowed.

Archy roared and vanished next to her. He reappeared as Oliver gave a screech of pain.

"Water Gun!" yelled Amos. Oliver shot a stream of water at Archy, but the Arcanine leapt out of the way.

People were screaming as they watched the battle. White had to get away as fast as she could. The closest route was a desert.

But she was desperate.

"Archy, come back!" White screamed, and she returned the Arcanine to his pokeball.

She threw another one, and Rapi the Rapidash leapt out of her pokeball.

"Don't you dare leave!" shouted Amos, as White hurriedly got on to Rapi's back.

"THEN I WOULDN'T GO INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S BUSINESS, OR SPLASH THEM WITH WATER!" She screamed back.

Rapi let out a cry, and jumped over the large fountain. People got out of the Rapidash's way as Rapi landed on the ground and ran down the large street.

White could hear Amos yelling after her. "Keep running!" White hissed to Rapi.

"Did he find out?" Rapi asked as a woman ran out of their way.

"Sadly, yes." She growled.

"He's chasing us!" squealed Rapi as she looked over her shoulder.

"Don't stop! Make for Route 4!" White told her.

"But Whitney, what about your-"

"I don't care! Just don't let him catch up!" She snapped.

The entrance to Route 4 was just a head of them, and people were still running out of Rapi's way.

A wave of water from Oliver crashed behind them, and White yelled, "Agility!"

Rapi ran faster, and pelted through the route gateway in a matter of seconds.

Route 4 was a complete desert. The only structures were only five houses and a cement road. Thankfully, the sandstorm that was constantly blowing seemed to have stopped.

"Get off the road!" White hissed to Rapi.

"What?!" said Rapi, shocked.

"Just get off the road!"

Rapi looked as if she was about to disobey, but ran off the road into the sand. White could hear footsteps behind them. "He's coming! Agility!" White whispered urgently. The Rapidash's speed increased and she leapt over a small dune.

"Water Pulse!" Amos's voice yelled behind them, breaking the silence.

"Dodge it with Bounce!" shouted White.

Another wave sped up from behind Rapi, but the pokemon leapt into the air, avoiding the water.

Rapi landed on the sand as the water sank into the sand. White saw Amos running toward them, his Dewott still out.

"Who was that guy you were with?!" he yelled at her.

"Why would I tell you? Fire Blast!" screamed White.

Fire shot out of Rapi's horn and surrounded Oliver.

"STOP IT!" the Dewott wailed as the fire burned into its fur.

"Fire Spin!" White ordered before Amos could yelled a command.

More fire escaped from Rapi's horn and swirled around the Dewott. It wailed again, and White couldn't help but feel ashamed.

It was not Oliver's fault that she was angry with Amos. It wasn't his fault that his trainer over heard her and N's private conversation. She couldn't take out her angry on him.

"Stop it, Rapi!" White finally yelled, and the flames disappeared.

Amos was wheezing and Oliver fell to the ground, exhausted.

Rapi turned away to start running again, but Amos yelled, "Fury Cutter!"

A sharp pain struck White's shoulder, and she let out a scream. She fell off Rapi's back as the Rapidash started running away. Oliver had cut her shoulder with its scalchop.

Blood escaped from out of the cut and soaked the sand. White choked as she breathed in the sand. Oliver was gasping for air next to her.

She began to gag as her lungs tightened. She felt Amos run next to her, and heard him whisper in horror, "What have I done?!"

White grasped a pokeball on her belt and pressed the button. She was choking on her own blood as Di-Di appeared from the red light. One look at her trainer made Di-Di realize what she had to do.

"I'm sorry!" Amos yelled over Di-Di's squeals of fright.

White shook her head and choked out the words "Rain Dance!"

The Gorebyss didn't hesitate, and shot a enormous orb into the sky, making it rain. The drops of water fell onto the desert, making the air more moist.

White's lungs seemed to have loosened and she was able to breathe again. She spat out some of the blood in her mouth, and she wiped the blood off her lips with the sleeve of her coat. The attack was over.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" stammered Amos as Di-Di nuzzled against White's bleeding shoulder.

White didn't answer, and pressed her hand against her cut.

"It's ok, you didn't know about it." White finally rasped, wincing as her cut began to sting.

She felt Rapi reappear next to her and the Rapidash nudged her good arm.

"Why did the sand make you go..." he stopped, apparently not wanting to push the subject.

White saw Oliver move away from her. He must have been afraid that she was going to shout at him.

But White didn't want to shout. She wanted to get away from Amos. She was trapped though. She couldn't get away without resting for at least an hour. It was time for the truth.

"I have a disease called Asthma. I can't breathe in sand, smoke, dust, or any other substance like those. It makes my lungs stop working. You have witnessed one of my Asthma attacks before." White admitted.

Amos tilted his head and said, "Do you mean, when you couldn't breathe after that Sand Attack? During the battle when we first met?" White nodded.

To avoid looking at him, White ripped a piece of her coat off and wrapped it around the cut. She knew what he was going to ask next, but she would have to tell the truth.

"Who was that guy?" he asked, and Rapi and Di-Di turned to look at White.

Tears were now sliding down her cheeks, but she did not answer.

"If I tell you, will you promise not tell your cousins or anyone else? Will you keep it secret?" she finally asked him in a hopefully steady voice. He nodded.

White gave a sob and turned her head to face Amos. Her lip was trembling as she cried, "T-That was my older brother, N!"

~~~

... Bit of a short chapter.

.-. I have nothing to say except thank you for your comments! I don't reply to all of them because I'm a bit shy when it comes to replying to comments. So I love your comments and votes, but I'm just too shy to say thanks!

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Thank you again, and good night! It's almost midnight here.