JMJ
CHAPTER 2: Storm Siren
Although it had been terribly bitter, the tea had no aftertaste. Even had it left one, it was more relaxing than Guzma would have admitted. All tension and discomfort seemed to be folded out like wrinkles in a sheet. Maybe it just proved how tired he truly was, but why he was so tired, that was the problem in the first place. Although he had been determined to be awake for the audino's arrival he was as unconscious as a stone in the sea before long, and like being swept away into strange warm waters off the coast of a quiet beach he was swept off into dreams without knowing it had happened.
The sound of those comforting waves and the warmth of the sun seemed so far away when staying in Po Town, but slowly and steadily he emerged into that familiar scene. He felt quite peaceful …
The sand gleamed like one great jewel before him. His bare feet at the same time felt the softness of its touch. A cerulean surf rolled into the shore, and there seemed to be nothing about more than a few stray wingull overhead, but the peace did not last for long.
"How can you have respect for yourself if you have no respect for others?" asked a familiar voice.
It was the voice of Hala.
Stupid old man, Guzma thought even in his dreams.
But Hala was not so old, nor was he so short. Guzma found that he had to look up at him rather than down upon him as a strong high-pitched voice responded from within himself, "It was only a joke. I can't help it if they don't like it! They shouldn't dis bug pokémon."
"It was not fair to the pokémon or to the people you did that to."
"I just dropped a caterpie onto their lunch," said Guzma, "so what? They thought caterpies were dumb so I showed 'em how dumb they were." He could not help but laugh a little.
"But they were so startled that the caterpie got hurt and one of them was strung up by its string shot. Every action you make creates a ripple to all around you. I know that what you did was not truly ill intended more than to give them a fright, but I only want you to use this as a lesson. You are very strong-willed in all that you do, but you should not let that strength run away with you to a level you cannot control."
As Hala spoke clouds began to darken the sky.
"Aw, c'mon, Master Hala, I thought you were a master of battling not stuff like that."
"I am," said Hala simply, "the best way to learn how to train any living thing is to first learn how to train yourself…"
Stupid old man, thought Guzma again, but the little boy's head lowered guiltily if not also a little sulkily. I'll show him. I know how to control—
CRACK!
Guzma bolted upright in bed just in time to see the flashing of lightning spasms through his window lighting the room like a snowy white fireworks display. The thunder resounding with it shook Shady House as to knock it down flat.
With teeth clenched he looked around and saw that the electric generator which was usually powered up now and again by some electric pokémon the grunts had on hand was out unless Plumeria had turned off his lamp. Only the sound of rain sounded near at hand; though there were a couple exclamations very faintly down stairs of grunts freaking out. Yes, the electricity had gone out all right. Yet something else was not right. He did not even think about how long it had been or if the doctor and his audino had appeared on the scene or not. All he thought was that something was nearby. Something that should not be; though he saw nothing.
For the first time that evening he slid out of bed and he shivered slightly as a breeze blew in through the window. He stepped closer with care towards it to look outside, but half way across the floor he stopped suddenly.
A spark.
Guzma squinted.
Then a spray of light not from lightning shone dangerously like a livewire just outside, but he did not have time to examine it further as the window crashed inward. Guzma leapt back and tumbled back against his bed. A strange noise that sounded like a cross between a growl and an electric charge sizzled through the air, drying it and almost sizzling the ends of his hair as it tingled his skin.
The creature to which this sound belonged too was crashing right through the ceiling as it almost slithered in like some great electric snake, but it possessed an almost humanoid shape. It's head was shrouded in a blinding electric pulse, and a thick tail-like appendage swung and crashed into his shelf, causing a dozen old bottles and many boxes and a couple stray magazines and books to come crashing into the floor too.
It was no pokémon Guzma had ever seen, and no pokémon in Alola that he knew of had ever been known to attack people in their homes minding their own business. But somehow he knew it was no ordinary pokémon. As his mind raced frantically and his body remained outwards merely panting with his back against the bed, he was reminded of the ultra beasts from the worm hole he and the Aether Foundation president had opened to that other world.
Had this been a dream, he admittedly would have liked it better than a dream about Hala educating him, but it was not a dream. It was not a nightmare. It was right before him and he would much rather be on the beach talking with Hala anytime than be here.
Finally his mind picked one of the options flashing through it. He reached under his bed quickly and fumbled for a sack with his pokéballs in it. He reached for the first one. He knew his golisopod's ball by touch, and he threw it as hard he could towards the creature.
At first golisopod was ready for action, but with one look at the snarling electric beast, he staggered a little and let out queer sound of fright.
"Golisopod—"
But before Guzma could give him a command the frightened pokémon returned himself into the ball.
"No, idiot!" cried Guzma. "You're supposed to fight! This is no time to act like a coward! Get back out here!"
He threw the ball again, but just as the great cowardly bug emerged again there came a shout from the hallway.
"Guzma!" cried Plumeria.
She had a pokémon already out and without anymore thought, she called out: "Crobat, poison jab!"
The crobat obeyed. Instantly both Guzma and Plumeria knew that such an attack was a bad idea however, for no sooner had the crobat bit the creature and it fell down electrocuted. It landed on the floor like an old rag, the poor creature, and Plumeria gasped.
Yet the attack had not been an entirely futile move, for the creature itself seemed to have been hurt, even if not much. It had diminished a little, but it certainly was not out. The poison must have taken affect.
Plumeria returned the crobat.
With the headboard Guzma pushed himself onto his feet.
But the creature was already leaving again out the window. It seemed more confused than hurt, but its interest in Shady House was lost at least. It disappeared though it seemed angry still as it electrocuted the trees in the backyard with a bit of a tantrum, Plumeria saw as she ran to what was left of the window. Then she turned back to Guzma.
He was slipping to his knees.
Golisopod turned around too in concern as Plumeria ran to him.
"Are you all right?"
Panting heavily for a moment more with eyes closed and fists clenched, at first he did not answer. He had to fully comprehend what had happened, but as Plumeria opened her mouth to ask again, Guzma spat, "Yeah, peachy."
Plumeria frowned, and Guzma let her.
#
Everyone had almost forgotten about the doctor when he arrived. It was only nine o'clock, but the storm made it feel like midnight. When he came in and closed his umbrella he apologized for not coming right away.
"The electricity went out and I was helping the others with the fuse box," he said; his audino Addie trotted in carefully behind him; she already looked concerned, but perhaps it was the state of the house which spooked her. "There was some complications and then, ah … I see the electricity is out here too."
"Yeah," said a grunt rather absently as she fidgeted and looked up at the ceiling.
"Is Plumeria up there with him?" asked the doctor as he climbed up the steps.
"Yo, lightning like struck the house, doc!" exclaimed another grunt as some followed him up.
One grunt tried to pet Addie, but she jolted so suddenly in surprise that the grunt quickly pulled her hand back in. It must also be noted that the one or two pokémon belonging to the grunts that had been outside of their balls during the excitement going on upstairs had long since ran and hid somewhere in the house, but the grunts did not quite make the connection with the behavior of their pokémon and the behavior of Addie.
Plumeria was with Guzma who had just climbed back into bed without accepting her help, and she straightened herself as she turned to the doctor and the grunts appearing in the empty doorway.
The doctor gasped.
"What happened here?" he demanded.
"Some weird … I don't even know," said Plumeria. "It attacked with the lightning and broke through the window. I never seen anything like it before."
"Really!?" gasped Sid.
"A pokémon?" asked the doctor.
"We scared it or confused it away, I think," said Plumeria, "but I think that's what caused the outage. Uh, we're not hurt."
"Are you sure?"
It was very dark in the room and little could be seen aside from the broken window with its rain streaming in.
The grunts all hurried to Plumeria and asked her all at once about a dozen varied questions about the attack. The doctor meanwhile gazed out a moment or so the gaping hole in the wall with Addie close to his side. Then he and Addie turned to Guzma barely more visible than a shadow amongst shadows on his bed behind Plumeria and his grunts.
"Let me help you downstairs, Mr. Guzma."
"Tch," said all Guzma said, but it was apparently not a refusal, for he allowed the doctor to help him to his feet, but he walked himself down the stairs.
To be more private, Plumeria suggested taking him into her old room, which not only did not have a gaping hole to the outside, also had a working door. As she led the way and opened the door with a bright lantern in hand, she had forgotten that she had left most of her things still in there before they stepped inside. Despite the situation she felt a little embarrassed about the plushies and doodads still floating around, but the doctor was oblivious to what the room looked like as motioned for Guzma to sit down upon the bed, and Guzma could not have cared less.
"Now be quite still and straight. It's easier for Addie to do her job then."
Before Guzma could reply the audino had hopped over to him and uncoiled her ear. She pressed it against his chest; the thin white shirt between the opening of his short-sleeved jacket he wore was apparently no barrier for her. She listened intently for a moment or two and then she began to look uncomfortable again.
Addie paused, looked at Guzma, then hopped onto the bed and listened again at his back.
Guzma was beginning to feel uncomfortable himself and he turned his head a little back at her before the doctor reminded him to be still. Returning his head towards him, Guzma slumped and glared.
Addie made a little exclamation then and went back to listen at his chest once more. She made another exclamation and looked most upset when turned to the doctor. Naturally, she could not speak, but the doctor had a broad touch screen upon which the audino had been trained to use through a type of color coding in order to tell the doctor basically what was wrong with him. When the doctor looked, he became very grave.
"Well!?" demanded Guzma jumping onto his feet. "What? What is it? Cancer? What?"
"I don't know," said the doctor. "Some of the indications are similar, but not quite, but you're losing strength fast. It won't be long before you're completely bedridden. At the rate you're deteriorating you might not have long. I'll call an ambulance."
"What?" demanded Guzma again. "What if she's wrong?"
"It's still serious," said the doctor picking up his cell phone. "The clinic cannot help you. You're to go to Malie City."
"Malie City?" asked Plumeria.
"Yes, and you should get the others out of here too!"
"But I can't be that sick!" gasped Guzma. "I was just fine! I'm always just fine! She made a mistake. I'm at the prime of my life here!"
"Do you want us to help you or not?" demanded the doctor. "When I'm done calling an ambulance we're going to call your parents too about this."
Guzma growled and kicked the edge of the bed.
"Diii!" exclaimed Addie as she reached out a paw so that she could lean on him comfortingly.
That just disturbed Guzma all the more and while the doctor was on the phone he nearly kicked her.
"Guzma!" hissed Plumeria.
Guzma flung himself upon the bed on his back sideways along it and covered his eyes with his hands as he let out a moan.
#
Guzma tried not to look at the bewildered grunts as he was led outside to the ambulance with a look on his face as though he was being taken away instead in police car. Somehow he almost would have preferred it. Almost. The grunts seemed to watch him as though the police had more to do with this than medical staff. They looked about to flee at any given moment despite wide-eyed concern. He did not look at Plumeria at all except to note that she was crossing her arms as she watched. She probably had them crossed out of nervousness.
As for Guzma himself he felt wearier than ever, but who could tell how much of that weariness was his seemingly unknown illness and just how much he hated the situation? As he was closed up in the vehicle he straightened himself and crossed his arms proudly and defiantly for his followers (team or not) to see that he was not about to be brought low by this.
No illness was going to beat him down, he was telling them.
He remained sitting that way too long after the doors had been shut until the doctors had other plans for him, but his defiance did not leave him. He determined this to himself, though rage and fear and confusion and even sorrow stormed inside of him. He was big bad Guzma. Nothing or nobody takes him down.
