Following Disaster
Chapter IV


Naia tightened the belt meant for holding Poké Balls tighter around her waist. She hadn't needed to use it until now, and it seemed silly to do so when there was only one Poké Ball to store there. But as Cloudburst took off and gathered speed, it seemed less likely that Chaos's Poké Ball would be safe anywhere else. She checked to make sure it was fastened as tightly as possible before clinging with both hands to the Flygon's neck and trying to enjoy the ride.

It was wonderful to soar through the sky and scatter the clouds and attract attention from the occasional swimmer down below. But at this high an altitude and with the wind from the Flygon's speed rushing past her skin, she was starting to feel chills.

Naia didn't have much of an idea where she was headed, nor did she have any clue of Spect's whereabouts. She had a vague idea of reaching the distant islands or mountains, but she didn't see how that would help. The little islands that they had already flown over looked tiny and deserted, and she didn't expect any of the ones she spotted in the distance to be inhabited.

She thought of her dream. Spect had been somehow toppled from the back of his Skarmory and fallen into the ocean. Maybe he had simply drowned. Or maybe whatever had befallen him was in store for Naia too..

Naia scolded herself. It was just a dream, there wasn't anything real behind it. She couldn't depend on it to show her the way to anything. But, she reminded herself, you did start on this path because you recognized it from your dream..

It is my only guide, she thought sullenly. Didn't seem like asking around Lilycove would help. And if it would have.. it's too late now. If the dream I had really was clairvoyant, even in a metaphoric sort of way, it means Spect's in trouble and I was given that warning for a reason.

Naia looked at the sky. The sun was still bright and high, and it beat down on her mercilessly. She was beginning to feel tired and she noticed Cloudburst's wings had slowed their energetic pace. A tiny island was coming up in the next stretch of sea, and Naia pointed it out to her mount. The Flygon nodded in assent and dove swiftly, wings pinned torpedo-like to her sides. As they neared the inviting sands, the wings popped out again and let themselves catch the friction of the wind they had stirred.

Naia hopped off and headed for the shade of a few lone trees. They seemed strange and out of place, growing from sand, but they offered cool shadow nonetheless. Naia let herself rest under one of them, and Cloudburst lay beneath another. She was surprised at how comfortable it felt--probably because it was such a relief to get out of the sun. Slowly she could feel herself losing consciousness and warned herself that she couldn't take a nap--it would be dark when she awoke and that could be dangerous.. Her eyes ignored her brain and closed in relaxation.

Naia jerked awake to an expanse of deep, velvety blue seen through the shifting silhouettes of the leaves above her head. The regular, gentle roar and lap of the waves against the shore were the only sound. Naia sat up quickly and hated herself. How could she let herself and the Pokémon both fall asleep? She scanned the darkness for the glimmer of reflective, ruby-red eyes. There was nothing to be seen but the black, blue, and gray of darkness. There was no moon and she was blind in the night, fumbling around for the Flygon.

'Ack!'

'Flyy?'

'Oof.. sorry about bumping into you, Cloudburst.. I can't see too well.'

'Flygon,' reassured Cloudburst.

'I'm sorry I let us fall asleep. It was dumb of me.. we really have to get going. I'm sorry.. unless you can't see in the dark either?'

'Flygon gon.' The answer informed Naia that Cloudburst could, in fact, navigate in the night.

'Good.. then let's go.'

Cloudburst stood and stretched, shook herself, and was prepared to go. She was an amiable, easygoing Pokémon and Naia knew Cloudburst wouldn't hold this interruption of her naptime against her. She touched the Flygon's back and made sure she had the right idea of the Pokémon's position before swinging herself onto her back.

Why was she going now? There was no rush to get where she was going, Naia thought as they lifted off. But even as she told herself that, there was an urgency that pounded at her heart and made her stomach turn. The question that never ceased, that What If? What if I'm not on the right track? What if I am, and I quit because I think I'm not? What if he's dead? What if I can save him, but what if I'm too late?

Not even bothering to control and quell these discouraging thoughts, Naia dwelled on them as they sliced silently through the night air. It was refreshing and cool after a day of hot sun and sand, and Naia was beginning to enjoy it, regardless of the fact that she couldn't see a foot in front of her due to the darkness.

WHAM!

Suddenly, impact, pain, a flurry of wings and confusion. Something had smacked into Naia's side and she could feel it there, the pain, burning, as she was frozen in the air for what seemed like an eternity. Separated from the Flygon. Then, suddenly, sickening descent. Gathering speed from the altitude, air rushing past her at such a frightening rate that she couldn't muster up a gasp or scream. Toward the unknown and murky water below. A pair of scarlet eyes flashed above. Cloudburst! Help! A rustle of wings, but too late--Smack, she hit the water with agonizing pain, forcing her limbs to relax, covered all over in tingling pain. She couldn't move. She was slowly moving down.. waves lapped over.. water filled in.

Darkness.