Chapter 4: They Meet.
Light.
Dark.
Light.
Dark.
Houndour's eyes dilated with each passover of the false sunlight above him, his pupils widening and narrowing as the nurse-like creatures rushed him into the operating room. The fire in his veins had not dulled, but simply moved to the background of his nervous system. The venom was excruciating, but all the beast could do was thank the entities that his mind had remained intact so-far throughout this terrifying ordeal. The pup snarled reflexively as one of the Blissey's hands checked his bodice for further injuries. The nurse-like creature, used to such behavior from still-wild pokemon, did not flinch away, which on top of the pain that the sound had caused to explode in his throat infuriated the incapacitated leader.
.He was vaguely aware of a commotion with the nurses and wondered why the cart was shaking so badly. He heard something about 'convultions' and bit back another painful snarl, he would not be convulsing so badly if they'd stop shaking the damn cart! Something was shoved into his mouth which prevented his tongue from moving, he clenched it in his teeth by reflex and closed his eyes against the pain and confusion of the outside world.
What was he doing in this human-infested filth anyhow? The last thing he could recall were those terrifying eyes glaring like bloodied diamonds through the moonlight. And then there was the pain in his neck, the only reasonable explanation was that those eyes belonged to that human's partner. At this the creature lifted his lip in distaste, that human had captured him. But why? If she had ordered that treacherous serpent to attack him and kill his pack mates, why would she waste her time saving him?
Houndour's ear twitched, he did not recall hearing her order the worm to do anything. It had simply rushed to its partner's defense. So then it was the Traitor he was to blame, not the Trainer.
It felt strange. Technically he was a Traitor now as well. The thought alone was enough to make him shudder in disgust. But that was nothing compared to the fact that his own prey had captured him. It was shameful and humiliating to say the least. But he could not rightfully ignore the fact that the human wench had at least attempted to save his life by taking him here, captured or not. Judging by the anger he had sensed radiating off his serpentine attacker once it had burst from the pokeball, and the lack of Houndour scent, the canine could rightfully deduce that it had been much too late for the bitch to save his pack-mates. Having had no expectations from the human he could not bring himself to be dissapointed, for those pack mates would not have attempted to lick his wounds, he knew. They would fight amongst one another until a new leader came out victorious, and the victor would take his life, they would then lead the pack their own way, creating chaos until a new order was established. Something warm spread throughout the beast's chest, he allotted it to the poison flowing freely within his system and shivered at the thought that it would shortly claim his heart.
Nonetheless, right then and there, Houndour pledged his life and loyalty to the human creature if he survived. She, at least, was not like his bloodthirsty pack, constantly searching for their new meal, constantly watching him for any sign of weakness. For this bitch, he would become a Traitor, but his loyalties would lie only with the female. He did not have to like her, merely obey and protect her. He owed her a debt, his life, and even if it killed him, it would be repaid.
With that thought, the hound dipped into a pool of euphoric unawareness.
Elsewhere!
Seviper hissed and thrashed against the bonds. How dare these pathetic creatures touch him! How dare these bloated females restrain him! The infuriated serpent spit venom and saliva at a nearby Chansey who just barely dodged the spray of toxins. He seethed and writhed against the confining ropes as the three Chansey exchanged nervous looks.
"I'm not doing it. You do it." Stated the nurse in the middle, handing the jar off to the one on the left, who trembled as she accepted it.
"I-I just remembered! Blissey needed help with her hair!" Stuttered that one before all-but throwing the jar at the remaining Chansey, who fumbled it and only barely managed to catch it before it shattered against the floor. Aghast she stared in the direction of the still swiveling door her two 'comrades' had just used to abandoned her with a very dangerous, deadly and utterly pissed off Seviper.
"I...Guess I'll have to do it." Trembled the nurse as she stepped cautiously toward the contemptuous serpent. It was not as if she had never 'milked' a venomous serpent before, just never when it was this pissed off...
"Keep that contraption away from me, filth." Fizzed Seviper, the sickle at his tail emitting its own poison in his rage. The pink creature before him tensed visibly but did not slow its pace. They needed this venom to save a Houndour's life and if she took her time getting it it could kill him! With one stubby arm it grasped the jar determinedly, and placed the other at the crown of the snakes head. A jolt ran through his body as the nurse used its Pound to force his fangs into the canvas lid of the jar and he blanched as the venom automatically injected itself uselessly into the container as twin rivers of sludge.
The serpent twisted savagely and disengaged his fangs from the jar's lid, glaring daggers at the Chansey who refused to meet his gaze, and therefore went unaffected by the hellion's attack.
These pitiful creatures would pay dearly for treating him in such a manner he promised himself silently as he watched the Chansey scurry from the room.
Once he had calmed down an apologetic Blissey came into the room and let him out of the restraints. He hissed disdainfully at her apologies as she showed him to the recovery room where his wounds would finally be seen to. He glared around and picked out the three Chansey from earlier shamefacedly looking away from him as he was being treated.
He would most definately have revenge.
Once he was healed of his injuries he was re-introduced to his pokeball and put on the 'waiting for pickup' shelf where he was to remain until Jasmine came for him.
That night
Seviper slithered silently through the halls, his tongue flickered steadily as he followed the scent trail of his prey, having long ago released himself from his pokéball. He was here to repay debts owed. Those impudent creatures had dared to touch him, even tied him (he shuddered at this thought with rage and disgust), and they would pay, oh how dearly they would pay... The beast's crimson eyes lit up when his tongue scented what he had been looking for. The Chansey's sleeping quarters.
A part of the beast begged him to stop now, begged for reason. He was no longer a creature of the wild, he no longer needed to be ruthless and vengeful to those around him.
But the other side, recently re-awoken from the blood spilling, screamed for compliance. He no longer needed to be ruthless, true, and he would not be ruthless, to those he held in high esteem. But these bastards, they had humiliated him, they had reaped the precious venom from his fangs without his permission, as good as rape in his eyes. They had forced him to submit to their primitive and, he would admit, painful methods of extraction.
Jasmine would not approve. His mind said suddenly, desperate to put a sop its owner's blind rage. The serpent halted himself just as he was about to slide into the darkened room, his crimson eyes taking in several slumbering egg-like forms. His scales twitched slightly at the guilt such a thought elicited.
Perhaps not. But Jasmine is not here. The darker more primeval side pointed out. Seviper moved forward again, slowly, before halting once more. There was a heaviness in his heart, he did not know why the little human mattered to him so much, only that the very thought of disobeying her wishes would leave him feeling like a shamed hatchling. Slowly, angrily, the serpent withdrew himself from the presence of the tempting door.
He would make them all pay...someday.
Morning
At long last a Chansey brought two glimmering pokéballs out to the girl, Jasmine, who had been awaiting her partners return for nigh twenty four hours. Thanks to modern technology the Houndour was going to be fine. Nurse Joy explained briefly and firmly that the hound could not battle until the scabs on his throat were completely healed over; she also explained that they must be bandaged and cleaned at least thrice a day and he could not go without food or water for longer than absolutely necessary.
The Seviper, however, was completely healed. The young woman thanked the nurse quietly as she cradled the two balls close to her chest. Absently the girl attached them to her holster as her entire figure radiated exhaustion. She was so close to her destination, Pallet town, all she needed to do was pass through the viridian forest and Viridian City... but it would not do to show up only to collapse from exhaustion. She did not know what trials would await her to become a true pokemon trainer and would have to rest if she wanted to be in top condition for them.
Some time late in the evening, or early in the morning, Jasmine awoke to find she had rolled off the bench she was using as her bed for the night. More importantly, she found she had to go the bathroom. Badly. Without wasting time to scold herself for her clumsiness in falling out of bed Jasmine sprang to her feet and made a dash down the hall for the restroom.
A similar event had happened several minutes before to a young man of similar age, when his torkoal took his nightshirt in his mouth and dragged the unfortunate teen out of bed. After muttering a number of profanities, the youth spoke with the torkoal and informed him that he had better have a very good reason for getting him up this late at night.
"Kooall" The pokémon replied calmly, explaining that he had to use the lavatory and would like for his trainer to accompany him given the unfamiliar setting they were in. The youth rolled his eyes, annoyed at being awoken at such an hour, but nodded and led the way toward the washroom nonetheless.
None of this would have been of consequence under most circumstances, the two parties would have missed each other entirely and never met if it were not for the astoundingly slow pace at which Torkoal walked. Jasmine, however, in a rush to make it before her bladder gave way flew across the tiles giving no heed to her surroundings and so soon stumbled over the torkoal.
"Whoa, crap!" Exclaimed the young woman as she tripped over the infernal creature. The lava-like cracks in its obsidian shell pulsed in the dull light as his squinted eyes swirled, twinkling in amusement at her expense. "Damned turtle!" She muttered into the tile floor. Jasmine would never admit it, but she had near wet herself as she fell.
The young man, who had, prompted by the insufferably slow pace set by the pokémon, fallen into a sleepwalk snapped awake. Not at the crash of the girl falling, followed by slightly muffled curses, but at the sharp pain which coursed throughout his foot as the girl stepped on it.
"Ow! What the hell? You stepped on me! Why don't you watch where your going with those giant feet of yours." Snarled the, now fully awake and very grumpy, young man. His dark eyes seemed to smolder with barely suppressed embers of rage, his face thrown into sharp contrast by the light emanating from the back of his torkoal. Jasmine had enough sense to peel herself from the tile and glare at him unflinchingly.
"Why don't you keep your torkoal out of the goddamned hallway, that way my big feet have more room to run!" Growled the girl in return, her own gaze reflecting the crimson light as her face, too, was thrown into a valley of shadow and flame.
"Koaaaal, koal koal," the pokémon politely said he didn't mean to be in the way and would not like to see any fighting, reminding his owner that he still had to relieve himself.
"I might have kept him inside if I had thought some idiot would trip over him, but I never imagined anyone would be blind enough to not see a pokémon that glows in the dark." The scathing retort struck Jasmine heavily and she flew to her feet in a rage, her features contorting in the lighting of the fire-tortoise's shell, resembling some sort of vengeful wraith as she stared angrily at the young man before her.
It quickly became clear that the young man was too absorbed with fighting to hear Torkoal's request, however. And, rolling his eyes, the torkoal continued on to the restroom; he knew this fight would last a long while: especially with this girl. She seemed as if she were as obstinate and hardheaded as his master.
The idiots. Torkoal thought with a chuckle.
She wanted to strangle this good for nothing smart ass with her bare hands, or better yet, Seviper could make a meal out of that overgrown turtle. But she would be the bigger man (uh woman) and walk away before she pissed herself. Slowly Jasmine took a breath, and turned on her heel and stormed off barely suppressing her rage, and the end of her digestive system. She was fortunate enough to find a secluded area in the woods where her errand would go unnoticed. Once relieved, Jasmine returned to her bed cursing and vowing that should she ever see the boy again she would gouge his eyes out with a dulled spoon.