AN: 'Rolling the bones' was a form gambling much like dice in the middle ages.
AN2: Please be gentle this is my first fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
The other trainer looks at me, smirks and says, "I choose you Charizard!"
I see the fire dragon materialize in the ring and hesitate. "What's the matter? Baby afraid to get his butt kicked? Hah hah ha ha ha."
I can feel my eyes narrow, as I smile "No Just wondering if you'll be so *~cocky~* next year!"
Reaching in my duster I pull out my custom pokeball and look at the Board, 2 -2 if he wins this round he will be this years champ. If I win I will be the youngest Pokemon Grand Master in League History. Lifting the pokeball to my eye level I whisper "All up to you now buddy."
With that I toss it onto the field. "Archangel go!"
As my pokemon appears on the field, the smirk melts from my opponent's face as he pales to a near white from shock. I see his Charizard visibly flinch at the sight of it. The crowd has fallen totally silent as they stare in amazement at the being before them. It hangs in the air a few seconds before releasing a cry "Mew"
As if its cry were a signal my opponent raises his eye to meet mine I feel my smile get slightly wider as I wink at him. His face turns a dark red as he stares at me. I got him outclassed, I know it, he knows it, and heck his coal for brains Charizard even knows it. I lean on the trainer's box railing as I feel Archangel touch my mind looking for my commands. I look back at the other trainer, cocking my head quizzically, letting him now that I was waiting for his move.
"Begin match now!" the ref's getting impatient. Can't blame him, if this guy don't do something soon...
"Charizard Bodyslam"
Finally!! As the lizard charges Arch. I don't say a thing, I don't need to. He knows what I wanted before his opponent had full received his command. God it's great working with Psychics! He dodges to the side and floats just out of reach, only to dodge again after flying a quick circle around him. I'll let it go on like this for a while Arch is having a blast and so am I for that matter.
The other trainer looks like he's gonna have a heart attack. He looks up at me and the look he gives me in pure death, as I watch everything seems to slow down. He yells getting his Charizard's attention then Points at me "Flame-thrower".
I see the look of disbelief of Arch's face as the fire speed towards me, I see the grin on the other trainer's face, last I see the shock on the ref's face as I pull my duster over my face. Then I'm screaming as the heat blisters my flesh and knocks me off the trainer's box. As I fall my duster opens and for one second I see and feel the rage and guilt on Arch's face as she spun towards the Charizard. Right before I hit the world changed from pain and darkness to light and sound....
*****
"Yaaahhhhhhhh"
I find myself on my couch covered in sweat. Looking around it takes a few minutes for reality to set in. Sitting up I put my head in my hands and groan. No sooner had I done this then I felt familiar weights settle on my knees and two tiny sets of arms hug mine. Lifting my head I find myself looking into two sets of sky blue eyes set in Black and silver fur.
* ConsernSadnessGuilt *
I smile at them. "Would you guys stop that I'm fine! And Arch I've told you before It-Wasn't-Your-Fault so if you don't stop feeling guilty I'm gonna give you a flea bath!"
Arch cowers in mock horror and Angel laughs so hard he falls off my knee and sits on the floor giggling, as Arch gives him a glare worthy of an Arbok.
I chuckle at their antics; if it were not for them I probably would have given up on life by now. Arch looks up at that thought and I can tell she heard it.
* FearLovePainLove *
I sigh, "I am not going anywhere! I Promise!"
I then pull her tiny body to my chest and hug it tightly. As I hold her to me I realize she's trembling ~I guess she's still afraid of losing her family again~
**FLASHBACK**
Tropical forest 9 yrs ago
"Damn could it get any hotter?"
I'm asked as I walked through the dense foliage of the forest with my new 'friends'. I've been working my dad's territory since he disappeared a few months back. So of course I get to give The League's tourists... ahem inspectors the tour and low down of our operations.
"Being a pokemon hunter is hard and dangerous work. I know, I know Pokemon-Hunters are lowlife scum, willing to do anything to make a buck. We make a living my at the expense of helpless pokemon? I got Two Words For Yah F**K Off! I have yet to meet a Trainer that knew half what a Hunter does about pokemon and few that care half as much."
At this I could almost hear their eyebrows hit their hairline. I told the others what would happen if they sent me, so if these yahoos get offended its there tuff luck!
"As for how we make our money... Next time you feel like dissing it take a long, long look at your starter Pokemon, hundreds of them are given out each year. Sorry, there's no way could they breed all those and not damage the animals. So more than likely it was one of us that found caught and brought him to the distribution center so you have him. Also take a good look at those breeders that you bought that Growlith pup from, 10-1 that when they need to expand it's us they come to."
I decide to stop and check one of my traps. I know the others would prefer I just showed them a few of the older traps that are closer to camp but I'll be damned if I would risk a catch just so some bigwig didn't need to sweat.
"And as for us being cowards not battling them and such. Got the same thing to say too yah. 1-3 hunters don't live to see 16, 1-5 do not live to see 20. Between the pokemon and poachers it's a miracle it's that that high. Just last month a guy working on the next line was checking his traps, wasn't paying attention to what was around him, came up on a sprung small trap only problem was that it hadn't caught a small pokemon. Walked up to the trap and found himself looking a Scyther in the eyes, we had to send him home in two different body bags."
Glancing back I see a startled look in their eyes as they look at me ~ What were they expecting me to sugar coat it? ~ Turning back to the front one of them clears his throat "D-did you know him?" one asks, "How would you know what happened?"
I stop kneel down checking the trail frowning and answer in an annoyed tone "Yeah, I did know him."
Pulling my shirt open up slight, I can tell they can see the bandages by the gasps "And I know what happened because we always work in pairs, and if I was a tenth of a second slower I would be right beside him! Look hold up here a minute."
I reach into my pack and pull out my only protection. As I chamber a round in my 9 mm, I hear a choking sound behind me. Looking back I see that their eye's are about the size of a JigglyPuff's "Wh-Wh-Why do yo.."
I cut him off with a one-word answer "Poachers"
With that I step into the brush and do my best disappearing act. As I approach the trap I see that I was right. I count three of them and they all have guns as well as pokemon I check the trap, I can see from here it is full. Damn if it was empty I could go for help and leave the Jag-offs to their own thing but I can't leave a full trap, especially too these guys.
Putting the safety off and pulling back the hammer I aim on the first one before making my presence known. "Drop the guns and pokeballs, and get flat on the ground."
At the sound of my voice they start firing blindly into the woods. I return fire with the ease of someone whose practice has come by experience. Six rounds later I need 2 body bags and a first aid kit.
As the inspectors burst into the clearing, destroying six month of work in the process, I have already tied the live one up and am looking at the pokemon in the netting of the trap with a feeling of awe. Hearing them approach I lift the little ones into my belt pouch, I usually keep my first aid kit in, I zip it partway so they can't fall out. Turning to the inspectors I ask, "Is there anything else you would like to see."
2 hrs later
After the chewing out I just got from the Camp master about staying behind after the clean up and my choose of discussion topics with the inspectors I doubt I will be able to sit right for a few years. The one good thing so far is no one asked what the catch was, in being a private trap if there was it was by law both written and unwritten all mine to do with as I please, But in this case its better not to take chances. As soon as I finished being lectured I headed straight to my tent which brought my by the mess. "I can't believe that Cross. Killing three people just to protect an empty trap..."
I glance in just long enough to see it was the inspectors before continuing to my tent.
The second I'm in it I tore my pouch open and started examining my catches. I have seen drawings of something like these in a few of my books but... if that's right my trap had caught me three 'Mews' and a search of the area, after they had carted the bodies living and otherwise away, had turned up two more. I can tell why they were caught too, the biggest be half again the size of my hand, meaning they are young... too young to be alone. And they are skinny I can see their bone structure clearly. I start off by giving them each a dose of Glucose then a large dose of hyper-potion. As I wait to see if this is doing any good I start breaking out the supplies we keep around for the eventuality that we get young in the camp.
Mixing the Breeders formula, as I set up the feeders, I can see visible improvement in most of them. However two of them are still in the same state, just laying there barely breathing. As I look at them, wondering what to do, my tent flap is whipped open. Startled, I stand putting myself between it and the kittens. I find myself looking at a member of the Inspection team.
"Don't you know how to knock?"
She smiles and steps in letting the tent flap fall closed behind her "Not with out a door? Hi I'm Lorelei, I want to apologize for how some of us have been talking about you."
I wave in a dismissing way. "No Problem, already forgiven!"
"Mind if I ask what you caught?"
"Huh?"
She smiles at my attempt at playing dumb "One of us made the mistake of saying you were protecting a empty trap today, your campmates made it very clear that while their glad you got rid of those poachers. Any Hunter but especially 'You' would rot in hell before fighting over an empty trap. And you've been acting secretive so I was wondering what you caught!"
I'm can't believe this for once my good guy rep's getting in the way.
"Nothing much just a..."
"Mew"
I feel my face fall as I see her eyes widen. Turning I see that the non-responses have decided to respond and have crawled over to the bowl of formula and are drinking it as if they expect it to disappear. The others having finished their meal and have crawled over and curled up on one of my old shirts lying on the table and are either watching us or sleeping.
Which means she can see them too.
Looking back at her I see her eyes are the size of saucers and her mouth is hanging open ~ Great I can see I have about ten seconds before she start yelling about confiscating them for the league! ~ Her mouth closes, she crosses her arms and looks me in the eye. "I..."
That is all she gets out before I cut her off. "Pokemon League Hunter Guidelines 3rd edition, Section 12, Paragraph 32 '...A Hunter shall have first right on any pokemon caught in a Personal trap, meeting league standers, placed inside of their territory as set by the Hunter bureau and may keep said pokemon's if so desires given that they have an license covering that classification at the time of capture..' I have a 'Class A' license."
Reaching down I remove my pokedex from the pack by my bed and hand it to her then lean against the table. "You can check the records if you don't believe me. That entitles to any pokemon I can capture, That includes rare types and I don't think you'll find rarer!"
As I lean there watching her go threw my pokedex, looking for discrepancies, I feel something on my arm. Looking down quickly I see that one of the late eaters has decided I was its pillow. It crawls all the way onto my arm, then surprises the heck out of me as it crawls into my tank top and wrapping its tail around my neck falls asleep purring. After adjusting my clothing to make sure it won't fall out, I check to see if she has finished only to find her giving me the oddest look. "What?"
She hands me my pokedex before answering "Just wondering how a 12 yr old ~Trainer~ from Saffron City got to be 'the number one son' of the best ~Hunter~ group in the league?"
I glare at her until I realize that she wasn't pulling my leg. I smile sheepishly "I grew up with it. My dad was a Hunter and until I started school he brought me on the hunts, after I started school every summer he took me with him. Soon it sorta got to be a contest between his partners who could teach me the most about their area. That's why I'm so valuable to these guys, I can take almost anyone's place and do as good if not better job or if necessary I can fill several jobs on a team."
She smirks at me and shakes her head. "You only answered half my question. How did you manage to find yourself down here?"
I sigh "My dad worked down here for the last three years, you make a lot because of the verity and quality of pokemon here. To get a territory down here was a dream come true for him. I started my journey when I turned ten occasionally swing down here to visit and see if I could catch any rare pokemon."
I turn and start cleaning the area and equipment I had used while taking care of the Mew. Smiling as one of them holds a spoon out to me.
"Well seven months ago I swing through only to find that he's disappeared, went out to check the lines and vanished! So I had a choice pick up the last year of his contract or default and have to pay back the retainer he'd been paid. So I picked up the contract it's up in a month, I caught three times the original amount in the contract and according to regulations that means I'll get 2 1/2 times the original payoff; so my family will be set and I can get back on my journey."
Lorelei glanced from me to the Mews and back. Then it hits me ~ She thinks I'm going to sell them to a lab or something! ~ I can't help it, I crack up! Seeing the flash of anger and confusion in her eyes. I try to get it together enough to explain. "I (heh) I think you should (Heh he heh) ask the others about my (Heh) 'Hobbies' Before you start (Heh) seeing images of 'ME' and a lab!"
I crackup again at the expression on her face. Looking down I find myself looking into a set of blue eyes sticking out of my tank top.
* CuriousityConfusionHurtLossTIRED *
Raising my eyebrow at this strange way of talking I answer "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you."
Looking up to Lorelei as I lift the small pokemon and lay it with the others.
"I think it's time we both got some rest."
She turns and walks out either because she got the message or decided to go on her own. ~ Well as dad said 'Hope for the best but Plan for the worst' ~ opening a footlocker I rifle around until I find what I'm looking for.
"Hope they're not still pissed.." I mutter tossing the pokeballs on the floor. I watch as my pokemon appear on the tent floor, hoping they won't be mad at the long period of inactivity.
They look around, in confusion, at their surroundings for a moment before I make my presence known "Hey guys, look..."
That's as far as I get before I'm swept into a bear hug. I cry out at the pressure on my barely healed wound and find my self on flat on my back because of the speed I'm released with. "Hitmonchan!"
As I hold my chest, while sitting up, I look up at it's worried face, and hurry to reassure it "That's okay HitMan.."
"Chansey chansey?"
I haven't even had a chance to answer before she has pushed me back on my back and started removing my bandage. "CHANSEY chansey chansey CHANSEY!"
I wince having expected this reaction once she got a look at the half healed gash that started at my right shoulder crossed my ribs and ended at above my right hip.
Sighing at the enviable reaction I start to get up only to have an annoyed Kangaskhan gently lift me to a chair. "Kangaskhan kangas khan kan."
I roll my eyes barely able to keep from screaming in frustration ~ that's it I've had enough of this ~ "Chansey 'Softboil'"
Seeing her look of concern, obviously remembering the last time I asked this, I repeat the command "Chansey 'Softboil' NOW!"
"CHANSEY" I squeeze the arms of my seat, arch my back and clench my teeth against a scream as pain runs thorough me as the wound is forcibly healed. Then darkness...
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I wake up finding myself looking up at a worried Chansey "Can't you make it hurt less?"
I can see the amusement in her eyes as she answers "Chansey chansey"
I check the clock and see it's only been about twenty minute's sense I released them. Remembering what I had called them out for, I turn to check on the Mews only to see that almost all of them were sticking there heads out of Kangaskhan's pouch.
I smile "I see you've meet my latest project!"
Looking around I can't seem to find the last one. "Where.."
At this they point to my lap where a lump under a shirt was raising and falling "Chansey"
Holding up an arm to show a line of welts. At his there was giggling from the pouch, earning them a glare. When I try to lift the shirt I'm surprised to find it's tied down.
"Hit hitmonchan."
Untying the shirt to see if it was more social I nearly jump out of my skin when it leaps out of that shirt, dives into the tank top I'm wearing, sticks it's head out the neck and hisses at my pokemon.
* FearConcernWorryAnger *
~ Great another mother hen, What did I do to deserve this!? ~
**END FLASHBACK**
`Crash`
~ What the hells going on now? ~
Setting the now sleeping Archangel on the couch I follow the sounds until I find the source, looking over the balcony I instantly wish I had stayed asleep. Several pokemon are being thoroughly beaten by several of mine.
"Would someone like to explain WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???" at this the figures below freeze I've seen enough to figure it out, but wait for the explanation just to make sure. A kid runs to the edge of the circle my pokemon have made around the battle, just as Malice appears at my side so angry that he's hissing.
Turning to Mal I have to smile, being the runt he's always had to work the hardest to get resect, but he never once let it get him down or become bitter over it. I always had a special place for him and his easy going laid back personality so I'm curious as to what got him so mad.
"So.." glancing I can see the kid's just standing there staring at Malice with his mouth hanging open.
~Guess I can understand that, Not everyday you see a smokey gray Mew appear and start hissing at you~
"I take it you have an explanation for why your trying to reenact the last war in the back yard with a stranger?"
Turning like he just realized I was there he lands on the railing * I caught that son of a Graveler trying to steal Rasser! *
I shake my head ~ I gotta put up a fence or make the signs hot pink or something. ~
Turning back to the kid I'm torn between humor and anger. He looks between 12 and 14 judging by the way he dressed it was a good guess that he was a trainer, ~ But how the hell did he get way out here? ~
"Mal did you check to see if he was aware he was taking another's pokemon before you declared war?"
Seeing the look he gave me I knew he didn't care.
"If he didn't know then he probably would have given her back when I told him he had taken one of mine. So..?" his eyes glow for a second then he looked sheepishly at the ground.
* He didn't know and is very upset that he might have tried to take your pokemon. *
He cowered slightly as I gave him a disapproving look. Deciding that he was sufficiently cowed I turned back to the trainer to see if they're going to be reasonable.
"Hello," they look startled that I'm talking to them "Did you know that your on private property?" at the shake of their head I continue.
"Well you are and according to Mal here" I jerk a thumb at him "you have in your possession one of my pokemon. I was wondering if you did, and if so will you return it?"
I see Mal's annoyed looked look a second before I feel him touch my mind. ~ Mal I'm giving them the chance to prove if they're a thief and liar or an honest trainer. Not questioning your ability! ~
"I'm sorry sir," I'm surprised to find it's a girl under that hat. She reaches to her belt and pulls out a pokeball and tosses it up to me "I didn't know or I would have left it alone. But why was it roaming so far from your house?"
I look at Mal as he seems to have developed a real interest in the wind chime at this moment.
* We were at the lake so I teleported us here so she wouldn't get away. *
Groaning I turn back to my visitor. "The lake is were I take my pokemon to relax, I let them go there on their own as long as I know where they're going. Look, come inside and we can continue this. I hate yelling back and forth at each other."
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I can see she is uncomfortable the moment she walked in.
~ Wonder what's bothering her? ~
"Follow me."
I lead her through a series of halls to our destination. "A reviver? How..."
I see the confusion on her face. "I'm a certified pokemon EMT I found living this far from a town it's easier to have my own then to go to the Pokemon Center."
Taking her pokeballs I place them on a tray and put them on the reviver "It's going to be a few hours before they're done. You look hungry, the kitchen's this way."
I start leading her down the hall again. "You're not around people much are you?"
I look back at her quizzically "It's customary to ask a person if they are hungry before taking them to the kitchen."
I chuckle at her "You saying Mal was wrong and that you have eaten in the last 36 hours?"
"Tell that rat eater to..." `THUMP` I open a closet to the left and throw a towel at the now soaking trainer sitting behind me. I turn and continue down the hall calling back a bit of advice.
"Never insult a Mew!" as the giggling echoes down the hall.
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She wolfs down the food at a surprising rate I just smile as she works her way through the plate of sandwiches. "So how'd you whined up out here in the middle of nowhere with no supplies and yes I saw the messenger badge on your cap so I know that you're with the league."
She visibly pales at my question "Why doesn't your ra... Mew just look it up for you like it has been?" I smile.
"I don't want it too" she stares at me.
"It's no fair to you to have it go through your head like a old phone book, besides its hard to find people to talk to out here!"
Hearing the giggles coming from the hall I walk over to the door pull it open and grab the ease-droppers and carry them to the table. "I'd like you to meet Angel and Archangel, Guys I'd like you to meet... What's your name any way?"
I see her cheer up immediately at the introduction and hold out a hand to each of them "My name's Felina."
Setting them on the table I look around "Guys you seen the others?"
* Negative *
"Great, Could you check and make sure they're not plotting the down fall of the human race for me?" they burst out laughing and vanish.
Seeing the look on Felina's face I explain "On going joke. I once said that it wouldn't surprise me if my pokemon tried to take over the world and when I got back to my room they had dressed up in camos and gathered around my map. They looked up saw the look on my face and started laughing their heads off. You'd have had to been there."
She smiled slightly before hesitantly handing me a message tube with a name scrawled on the side. Seeing the name I feel my lips press into a tight line. "You are Boone Cross aren't you? I've never heard of any other black Mew before, but if you aren't I'll apologize and go on my way."
I'm tempted to say no, but at that moment Arch and the others appear "Yes I am." I say in a dead tone as I open the tube.
I start to read the letter inside and freeze I feel as if time has frozen as I slowly read through it, when I reach the end of the letter I find that a note has been included.
When I reach the end of it I just stand there staring at the paper blankly.
* Nervousness *
Arch's inquiry knocks me out of my paralysis. Grabbing Arch I twirl her around laughing. As the others watched in amazement as I made a complete fool out of myself. I see Angel kinetically lift the letter and note then float in front of them. I could tell him what it says but he'll enjoy it more after figuring it out himself. When I close my eyes I can still see it.
Dear Mr. Boone Cross
It's our pleasure to inform you that due to new information introduced in your case. You have been found not guilty of the charge of endangering the public safety. Furthermore it is the decision of this court that the actions of the Mew named Archangel were taken in the attempt to protect the life of it's trainer and therefore fall under self defense. As of January 10, 2000 the sanction on Archangel has been lifted, your trainers license has been returned to full status and your former ranks of Pokemon Master and Pokemon Grand Master have been returned to you.
Please return to Indigo Plateau as soon as possible to help in preparations for next year's tournament.
Pokemon League Disciplinary Board
Crossbones
Sorry it took so long! Welcome Back!
Your friend Lorelei
Stopping because I'm to dizzy to go on I smile and sit down on the floor. Felina gets up, walks over to me and kneels down to my level to lay a box in my hand. When I open it I smile even bigger. I find myself looking at 11 Badges, the 8 gym badges that were all I had left from my Pokemon Journey, 2 Master Badges showing my strive to be the best, and one Crest. The symbol that you had proven yourself the best of the best.
Running to the balcony I whistle two notes loudly seeing all of my pokemon look at me I grin and yell a familiar old saying "Do any of you feel like rolling the bones?"
To me the roar of approval that follows is as beautiful as it is loud.
And I swear they could hear them on the moon!