The War of Hope Day 2
I turned on my nest. I wasn't able to sleep all night last night, and my "nest" was just a pile of rocks. Not very good to sleep on.
I opened my eyes and scanned the area. The ground was still covered in the dark, black rocks and metal laid scattered everywhere. I was still in the human territory.
The sky was as gray as smoke and the clouds looked as if they were smoke.
I looked to my left and saw the sun raise. The slightly red sun was climbing this old, weathered, gray sky as if it was old itself and ready to burn out. Everything seems hopeless here.
Speaking of hopeless, where's the human? Last time I saw him, he was asleep right next to me.
I looked to the right. No Matt.
I looked back to the left. Still, no Matt.
Where did he go? He couldn't have gone too far away, after all he was still wounded. I turned around to look behind me, but there was just the large piece of metal that helped hide me yesterday. I walked to the other side of the metal, but he wasn't there either.
"Matt!" I shouted. Stop it! You don't want another human to hear you! Said my consciousness.
Where did he go? Where could he go? I started running around the hunk of metal, making desperate loops.
Could he have gone to the other humans and told them of my existence? Could another band of RAM be making their way over to me right now?
I stopped. Stop making so many conclusions! I told myself. I started hitting myself with my hand, trying to get a grip.
Then, a noise came. A large growl of that from a demon from the debts of hell itself. The growl grew up in pitch, then went low and more base like.
I scanned the area once more. Where is that noise coming from? What was that noise coming from?
The growling stopped.
I stood there, scared out of my wits. If someone where to walk up behind me, I would have yelped and ran for cover.
The growling started again. But now, it was at a more pinpoint location. I rolled my eyes and looked down. . .at my stomach. I haven't eaten in such a long time that my stomach was growling like it was a Poochenda.
That was also one of the other reasons that I couldn't get much sleep, my stomach kept growling and kept me awake with pain of hunger. The same hunger that got me into this mess with the human in the first place.
Then, there was another noise. The noise of feet, crunching on the ground as they walked. But, these foot steps had an odd pattern in them. First, a quick crunch, then a dragging of a foot over the black soil. A limping motion?
I turned around to face the source of the foot steps. . .and found Matt. He was a distance off and was limping toward my direction, with a hand over his wound. Why would he walk off like that? Doesn't he know that he could die out there?
I looked beyond him to see if there were any RAM. None. He didn't betray me.
I took a sigh of relief and ran over to the human. He saw me coming and slowed his pace. Perhaps too slow, for his front foot got caught on a slightly larger rock and made him trip, making him fall face first onto the ground.
That can't be good. I ran faster towards him to make sure that he was okay. When I reached him, he wasn't moving much. Was he dead? I tried nudging him. . .he groaned. I sighed for relief again.
The human turned his face towards me and smiled. His face had black and brown spots all over it. Why and where did he go?
"Hey, there," Matt said to me. I just stared. Was this what humans do when they're in pain?
My stomach growled again. That made the human laugh.
"Your stomach kept growling the whole night, so I got you these," said Matt.
He extended an arm with a clenched hand. When his arm was close to me, he opened his hand to reveal a couple of red berries. Food!
I was so hungry that I almost yanked the food and gobbled it down, but I had to resist myself. I didn't know what to do. . .I was. . .confused. Why did this human risk his life and safety just to look for food?
"Go on. Take it," said Matt, still laying on the ground with an extended arm.
I hesitated, then took the berries. They were a little bit bruised and dirty, but what-the-hey! I got food! In a matter of seconds, all the berries were gone and in my belly. It wasn't enough to fill me, but it was enough to stop my stomach from growling for a while.
"Looks like you were hungry, little guy," said the human and laughed again, but had to stop due to the pain from his wound.
That reminded me why I was with the human: To take him to the MCIP back at my island home. That reminded me of the flower. Now, where did I last put it?
I looked on the ground, around the human, around myself, but still couldn't find where I put it.
I stopped. . .and slapped myself on the head, and grabbed the Blue Bonnet off the top of my head. I placed it between my ear and my head so I that wouldn't loose it. Now we're ready to go.
But how am I going to get this human to start moving? When I saw him walking, it looked as if he had trouble doing so. I sighed again. Just more work for me.
This wouldn't have happened if you left him.
I ignored the thought and tried to tell the human to get up.
"Okay! Come on! Lets go! Get up!" I said, trying to say something that he understood.
He stared at me with puzzlement. Maybe he didn't understand anything at all.
I tried body language. I tried raising my arms down and up. Another puzzled look. I tried sitting down and standing up. He thought I was doing tricks for him.
I finally just walked up to him and started pulling at his arm.
"Oh! You what me to get up?" he asked. No der, genius.
Well, he finally understood and tried to get up. His wound tried to stop him from moving so much, so I had to help him. After awhile, he was able to stand back on both feet and gain balance.
However, when he took his first step, he groaned with pain from doing so. Man, that wound is becoming a real pain. . .literally.
He tried to take a second step, but almost tripped over himself. He caught his balance by using my head to push himself back up. He caught me surprised and I almost tripped over myself from the sudden weight.
I helped him regain his balance (with my head) and pulled his hand off my head. Then, I grabbed the flower that was in-between my head and my ear, and placed it in the tare in his clothes. I figured that sense he was able to store fruit in there, maybe he was able to store my flower while we walked.
He noticed me putting the flower in his tare and looked at me.
"What did you put in my pocket?" he asked. A "pocket"? Is that what the humans called it?
He pulled out my flower and examined it.
"A Blue Bonnet. . .How did you get one of these? And why?" asked the human again.
I wanted to answer him, but I knew that he wouldn't be able to understand me.
Matt shrugged and placed the flower back in his. . .what did he call it again?. . .His flocket? Or bocket?. . .no. . .pocket! That's it!
"I suppose if it's important to you, I'll keep hold of it. After all, I do owe you," said Matt with a smile. I returned the smile.
I let him use my head to help balance him and we started walking. Did the human know where I was taking him? I don't know.
Maybe he didn't care where I took him. After all, were else could he go? Both of his parents are dead and he's dying as we speak. Maybe he truly trusted me.
I guess this is the trust that we had made so quickly. I wonder if this was how my ancestors felt.
The sun was raising from the Earth when we started walking. Now it towered above us in the sky.
I was taught that the sun gives life to all living things in this world. If that was true, then why doesn't it give us a little slack on the heat?
My fur was wet from sweat and my head was wet from the sweat from Matt. Already, we were sharing too many things.
And if the sun gave us life, than where is the nourishment? My hunger was slightly gone (thanks to the berries), but now my body begged for water. My tung felt like tree bark in my mouth and my mouth felt like sand. Even Matt muttered under his breath for water.
"Water. . .water. . ." he mumbled. I wish he would stop. It just kept getting me thirstier.
How long was it sense I last had a drink? Three days? Four?
Think about something else besides water. It'll just make you more thirsty.
Our steps crunched over the black ground. Crunch, crunch. Crunch, crunch. It was like a beat. As if our feet were making a song to try to cheer us up.
I listened to our feet. Tried to think of the beat they were making, and started humming. Matt heard me, and tried to hum along. Of course, he didn't know the song, but after a couple of beats, he got the idea.
After awhile, he even added some words.
"Everybody was Kong-Fu fighting. Those kicks were fast as lighting!" he sang.
I've never heard of this song before, but it had a good beat to it, so I kept humming along.
"In fact it was little bit freighting, but they fought with expert timing!"
He released his hand from my head and started dancing. Or, I think it was dancing, for he was throwing punches and trying to do kicks in the air.
After awhile, he had to stop. The pain from his wound wouldn't allow him to even dance. He stopped singing and panted a little. The joy from the song was gone from him.
Now, it was my turn to dance. If he was using fighting moves, than maybe I could use some of my moves to dance.
I got in front of him and made a pose to get his attention. He watched me as I sprang off my feet and flipped in the air, followed by me landing on my paws and launching myself back into the air. Then, I landed on my feet. He stared in awe.
Could humans not do a simple back flip? Well, I liked the impressed look on his face, so I kept doing more "dance" moves. As he watched me, he starting singing his song again.
"There where funky China men, for funky China Town. They chopping bent up, they chopping bent down."
I was really getting into the grove now. I was spinning in the air, doing front and black flips, attacking invisible opponents, and letting out my electricity to show off. Matt was thrilled at my tricks. Finally, someone I can show off to!
Now he walked a little closer to me and stood strait. I stopped.
"We took a bow-" he bowed to me from his hips. I followed.
"-and made a stance-" he placed both of his fists up in a fighting stance. His stance was very similar to the fighting tribe back at home.
I got into my pouncing stance (the stance that uses my size to the advantage).
"-started swinging with the hand. Sudden motion made me skip, now we're into a brand-new trip!"
He made some slow, playful punches at me. Just playing along with his song, I made slow playful attacks. I didn't hit him and he didn't hit me. We where just playing and singing the song. Laughing and joking.
"Pika!" I said. It wasn't a word, just a sound that I make when I'm happy. I laughed as I did a tail whip at him and he dogged it.
He slowly raised his foot to kick, but had to place it back on the ground due to his wound. Man, that thing really knows when to ruin a good time.
"Well that sucks. Right when we where having fun!" said Matt. He laughed again. I did the same.
Look at us. A human and a Pokemon, playing and laughing with each other. Risking both of their lives for each other, without even noticing or thinking about it. Maybe we where the first two to do so in over fifty years.
Our laughter echoed far away from us, but we didn't care. There was no one here and we where having fun.
"Hey! Who's there?"
I guess I spoke too soon.
Me and Matt looked around. I could hear something heavy rolling over the black ground. It was close. . .too close.
I hid behind Matt. Whoever or whatever was coming was coming to the front of my human friend. I still couldn't let anyone else see me.
Now, the noise was louder. But where was it coming from?
I climbed on Matt's back and looked over his shoulder.
I slapped myself for not seeing it before. To our right were multiple "trees" of metal, standing tall and weak. Through the metal, I could make out a. . .rolling. . .metal. . .thing.
It had circled shaped rubber (which was making the rolling sound), was covered in metal from top to bottom, had another (yet smaller) circled shaped rubber object inside the thing. But, that wasn't what made me slap myself for not seeing it before.
Inside the thing, where two humans. Both wore green and both had the word RAM spelled across their shoulders. The RAM had heard us.
We must have been too loud and too distracted when we were playing that we didn't even notice the RAM coming.
Did they see me without me noticing? Was that why they were coming right now? Either way, this doesn't look like it'll end every good.
"Lakachu-" started Matt.
"Pikachu," I corrected.
"Sorry. When, that car comes over here and the RAM climb out of it, I want you to go run and hide somewhere so they won't see you," said Matt.
A "car"? Was that this contraption that the RAM were riding?
Wait, he wants me to hide? Wouldn't that just put him in even more danger? Or is he trying to do that to protect me?
I shook my head. I'm not going to leave someone defenseless in front of someone like the RAM. He sighed.
"I thought you would say that. But remember, they have guns too."
The memory of Matt's mother dying in front of me appeared in my head.
Guns. The most destructive thing I have ever seen in my life. I nodded. He returned the nod and looked strait at the RAM car.
I folded my ears back and let only a portion of my head stick out above Matt's shoulder so that I could see.
They came in a matter of seconds. One RAM was white skinned with brown hair, while the other was black with black hair. Both of them climbed out of the car with guns in their hands.
"What are you doing here?" asked the black colored one. He aimed his gun squarely on Matt's chest.
"Truthfully, I don't know. I think I'm lost," said Matt.
The white colored one, eyed Matt suspiciously. Over Matt's shoulder, I could see him look at Matt's bloody, bandaged wound.
"Where did you get that?" asked the white colored one.
"What? This?" asked Matt while motioning to his wound. "Fell on a sharp rock, that's all."
The white colored one jabbed Matt with his gun on Matt's leg. Matt groaned loudly and grabbed his wound.
I had to duck down below Matt's shoulder and cling onto his clothes so the two RAM wouldn't see me and so I wouldn't fall. I could hear a small chuckle from the white skinned.
"That's a deep muscle tare. If it was just a rock, it would've spread out and be more bruised like. What you have is a small hole that might have gone through the muscle. And sense your muscles are connected, therefor, all the muscles that cling to that one are also damaged," said the white colored one.
"Speak English, Jorge," came the voice of the black colored one.
"In other words, it would be most likely that he was shot, not stabbed by a rock."
Wow, these guys where smart.
"Why were you shot, why are you here, and why did you lie?" said the black one.
Matt was silent. Obviously, he couldn't think of anything to say.
"Answer me!" said the black one again. There was a thud sound coming from the other side of Matt. One of them must have poked him with their gun.
He stayed silent. There was a WACK as one of them slammed the end of their gun to Matt's head. I had to cling for my life as Matt staggered back and tried to regain his balance. This couldn't have been good for his wound healing.
"I'm going to give you one last chance. Answer my question or I'll shoot you. Got it?"
Matt whipped off some of his blood on his mouth.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. And if you did or didn't, than you would kill me either way," said Matt.
I heard a groan of anger and the sound of a gun be readied. They were going to shoot him! Again! And this time he will die just like his mother did, quickly and with one shot.
"We warned you," said the black one and fired.
I quickly jumped off of Matt's back and ran to his front with my lighting fast speed. I then got my tail charged with glowing, white energy, jumped into the air, and swung it down onto the life threatening shot.
PING! The small metal fell down towards the ground. I landed back on my yellow feet and glared at the two RAM. They stood there, stunned.
I smiled. The element of surprise was at my side.
"W-w-what the?!" said the black one.
"Is th-that a. . .?" said the other.
They stood there, motionless. Should I attack them? Should I let them run away in fear?
They have seen me. I can't let anyone (besides Matt) see me and get away to tell others. I would have to dispose of them.
No. I refuse to kill anyone. After seeing that human mother die, I can't let myself see me do it. But I have to do something quick before they get some sense in them and shoot me.
"I don't care if it's God himself! Kill it!" shouted the black one. Well, that came out of nowhere.
The black one held up his gun and pointed it at me. I ran to my left before he had the chance to reconsider. He looked around for me, apparently his eyes couldn't catch up to my speed.
I ran towards him and swung my tail down on the middle of his leg.
"Ah! The little son of a. . ." he said and swung down the end of his gun at me. I dogged the attack easily.
Man, these humans where slow! When the black one swung down his gun, I had enough time to doge and grab the gun before he recoiled. I released my electric energy and pushed it through the gun and into the human, not with care as I did with Matt, but with force and power.
The electricity ran up to the black one's body, turning him whitish. He wasn't even able to shout from the gruesome pain.
And with that, he fell to the ground. Motionless.
"Sweat mother. . ." said the white one when he saw his partner fall.
There was a BANG and I could feel the air rip right next to my shoulder. The white one tried to shoot me!
I looked away from the motionless body and stared at the other RAM. He only took one look at my face and threw down his gun and ran for his life.
"Ah! Mercy, mercy! Oh, please have mercy!" he shouted as he ran. Coward.
I could've let him get away, but he still saw me. I charged my electric energy up, and released it into the air. From there, the thunder darted across the sky and slammed down onto the runaway RAM. He also fell down to the ground unmoving.
There was a long silence. Matt stood there, apparently stunned at what he had just seen.
"Wow. How did you do that?" he asked with astonishment.
Matt staggered over to the black colored RAM's body, kneeled down, and placed his finger on the RAM's neck.
"He's alive. . .barley. I don't think the other got as much damage, so he should be alive too," said Matt.
He turned his head towards me.
"Man, I thought that you killed him," he said.
Kill him? That's the exact opposite of what I wanted to do. I just wanted to protect Matt and possibly knock out the two RAM. The amount of electric energy I gave off couldn't even KO a Squirtle.
I had no idea that these humans where so delicate. I suppose that could explain why Matt fainted when I did a very small shock into his wound.
Matt slowly stood back up and grabbed the gun that the white RAM dropped when he ran.
"This could come in handy. Along with that," he said while pointing to the now deserted car.
He walked over to the car and sat on the seat. He turned his head towards me and motioned me to sit with him. I walked over to the car and jumped up onto the seat.
"Thanks again, Pikachu. Thanks for saving me life again," said Matt. He smiled. "This means that I owe you double now."
I tried to return the smile, but instead looked back at the two RAM bodies. Matt saw me stare and started petting my head.
"Don't worry about them. They're just knocked out, that's all. You might have given them some disabilities, but that's okay. After all, they are a part of the RAM," he said.
I looked at him again and smiled. He was right, they are RAM and deserve what I've given them.
And with that, Matt turned the car on and the human-made contraption rolled us away.
Now, the sun was returning to the Earth. It's almost been a full day. Wow, time sure does go by fast!
This "car" that we were ridding in is amazing! The speed this thing could go! Without stopping to rest! And it can go wherever we want!
I held my head out of the car to feel the wind. Ah, nothing beats this feeling. The wind in your face, the thrill of speed, and the knowledge of being able to go home.
Of course, I wasn't the one controlling this "car". Matt was. I guess only humans can control human stuff. Or, at least, know how to use them.
"That's another house right there, or the remains of it," said Matt while pointing at a broken, clay and metal structure.
While we have been "driving", Matt has been explaining some things to me. How this car moves, what the black rocks on the ground are, and other things that we see while ridding in the car.
"That, right there, is an old school. Thank God that it blew up!" said Matt and laughed. I laughed with him, even though I had no idea what we were laughing at. Just the sound of his laughter made me laugh myself.
He also told me that he had been alive for sixteen "years". I'm not sure what a year is, but it would be difficult to ask.
He also told me about himself and his life before this. I listened with interest.
He just kept talking on and on. Talking about his family, his friends, where he used to live, how he used to live, and so on.
He just kept talking about everything it seemed. Maybe it has been awhile sense he had the chance to talk about his life with someone.
I stood there and listened. I loved listening to his stories that he told me. It kind of reminded me of home, when the Elders and my mother would tell me stories about the humans and their adventures.
Now, I'm in my own story. My own fairy tail. My own adventure. Boy, I liked the sound of that!
Now the sun was half way into the Earth, sinking every moment. The day was almost over. We will have to stop and rest if we are to keep going.
Great minds think alike, apparently, for Matt soon slowed the car to a stop behind another tall, broken, metal structure. That way, we and the car will be hidden from all RAM eyes.
"So, Pikachu. Have I been driving the right way or are we totally off course?" asked Matt.
I smiled and nodded. I was wondering how the human knew which way I was going. It seems that he was just simply guessing.
"Good. So when morning comes, do I go the same direction?" he asked me again. I nodded.
If we keeping going this way, it'll lead us strait into the beach, which is where my boat is. And at the rate we are going, it might only take us another day to get there, thanks to the car. It seems that everything's looking up.
Matt staggered over to the broken down house and sat down, leaning his back to the rusted wall. He tilted his head towards the sunset and watched the sun slowly fall back into the Earth.
"I'm not sure where we're going or why we're going there, but I know it's for a good reason. You know which way we're going, don't you? So, might as well go that way," said Matt, just thinking out loud.
I walked over to where he sat and sat down next to him. Then, I watched the sunset along with him, pondering his words. He really does trust me. . .and only after one day.
Matt turned his head towards me and started petting my head again.
"I sure hope that, wherever we go, it'll be just like this," said Matt.
Just like this? This land filled with rubble and metal for ground? This place that was made from the blood of both of our ancestors?
Matt saw my confused face and placed a hand near his ear.
"Hear that?" he asked.
I listened. I strained my ears to hear the slightest noise possible, but could not hear any. I shook my head.
"Exactly," said Matt with a smile. What did he mean by that?
"This one place right here, is filled with peace and quiet. . .and that beautiful picture." He pointed at the sunset. "I hope that wherever it is that we go, it'll be as peaceful as this, and that there will always be a spot to watch the sun set," Matt explained.
He chuckled.
"Peace. An odd word, don't you think? Over here, we can't use such a word. Every day, there is bloodshed and violence thanks to the RAM."
I thought about his words.
Peace. In a way, I suppose it is an odd word. A word that either is used for wishfulness or temporary use.
Peace.
Matt looked back at the sunset. It was almost gone, and the stars where already starting to shine. He looked up to the stars.
A tear left its trail down his cheek.
"I wonder. . .I wonder if there is peace up there," he said.
He turned his head back towards me.
"Do you believe in a life after death?" he asked.
A life. . .after death? Isn't death the exact opposite of life? How could someone die and still be alive?
On the other hand, I have heard of some of the other Pokemon believe in such things. They told me of an afterlife, a time when your soul leaves your body to live in a great beyond. They spoke of death as a pathway. A pathway to the afterlife.
But, what about the ghost tribe? The ones with the forms of spirits and the abilities of the psychic? Are they one of the dead? I have never had a chance or the willingness to ask such a question.
Oh, that should be a cheerful conversation. "Hello! Are you dead? Just wondering."
That's why I never asked.
So, could there be a life after death? I never really thought about it until now.
I stared at Matt and slowly nodded my head. He turned back towards the stars.
"I wonder if my mom is finally resting in peace now. Up there," he said.
He still thinks about her. I wouldn't blame him, I would be doing the same if my mother died.
Speaking of which, I do hope that she is still okay. How long has it been sense I've been home? Four days? Five? Does she still have time to live?
I shook off the thought. Just look to the bright side, everything will be better when we get home, I thought.
I heard a faint noise. It was Matt, snoring. The human must have been so tired that he fell asleep.
I crawled closer to him and laid on his warm lap, curling up into my sleeping position. Oh, his body was warm enough to sleep on!
And with that, I fell asleep.
I hope you liked it! I do need some ideas and advice for the next chapter, so I'm open to anything. Thanks again! Please R&R! (and if you find any more spelling mistakes, please tell me. I suck at spelling...really bad.)
Also, I got accepted to the Institute of Children's Literature! That means that some day, I'm going to publish a book! Better get my autograph soon before I write a book better than Harry Potter! ;) lol