Chapter 6: The Case of the Missing Piplup?
Author's Note: Sorry about ya'll having to wait for weeks to read something new from me. No worries, I'll make it up to you. Just read this chapter for now, and see what will happen next! This is part one of a three-part chapter. Instead of having to re-read the first five chapters, allow me to recap you guys on what happened. Thomas and DJ just recently met on the route to Violet City, but it's not in the best of a situation to meet someone new. When they settle things, DJ trusts Thomas and Perry to take them to the 'shortcut' to Violet City. Things then go wrong when Thomas becomes unconscious, and now he is rescued by Perry...
Everything was black. I felt numb. I wasn't sure if I was dead or alive. Then, I heard voices. Familiar ones to be exact. "Check his pulse," one said. "I AM! Quit rushing me, dammit!", another one exclaimed. My eyes then opened... Where the hell was I at? I see chairs, TVs, tables... It looked as if it were a waiting room in the Prospekt City Hospital, but it's not. It's walls aren't purple, but red with a Poke Ball pattern to it. I then looked to my right. There were nurses there, carrying Pokemon, talking with what I think are the Pokemons' trainers.
"Ah, great! You're awake, Thomas!", DJ said smiling at me. "Where the hell are we at?", I immediately asked him.
"We're at the Violet City Pokemon Center."
"Okay. At least we're at Violet City... Wait... Why at a Pokemon Center?"
"Don't you know? Your Torchic almost drowned in the river! Thankfully, Perry's Empoleon saved her before the worst case scenario happened."
"What about my Piplup?"
"Well... That's what we're trying to figure out."
"WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU MEAN "trying to figure out"?", I yelled aloud as I grabbed DJ by the shirt. "Calm down, Thomas," Perry said. "Let him go, and we'll tell you." I did what Perry told me to, only feeling anger in my blood, wondering what happened to Piplup. "When we were in the river, Piplup swam away. I'm not sure if it swam up or downstream, but we'll get there! Don't worry so much." One of the nurses then came around the counter, walking towards us, then grabbing a chair to have a word with us about Piplup.
"Okay," she started to say, "I filed a missing Pokemon report on Piplup. We have our Pokemon Search and Rescue team on the case. Since you said it happened in a river, we can only assume it's the Harris river, since it is the only river in this region. It was towards this city, right?" "Yes ma'am," I answered with hope.
"Okay," she said. "In case anything happens, we'll give you a call. If you find your Pokemon before we do, then call us, and we'll call off our mission. Since you're on your journey, you are welcomed to stay here at this Pokemon Center as long as you'd like."
"Thanks a lot nurse," I said with a sad smile. "You're really helpful."
"Anytime!", she said. She then returned behind the counter, continuing her job.
As I wait for my Torchic, I looked at DJ and Perry. "Any of you hungry?", I asked them both. "Let's try out that diner down the street!", Perry said with excitement. So then we did walked down the street, finding a diner with a purple neon light saying, "Welcome to the Violet Diner!" "This is the one," Perry said. As DJ and Perry walked in, I stood outside. "What's the matter?" DJ asked. "Nothing... Nothing at all," I sighed. I then walked in, finding that the two both found a table. I took a seat, then rested my head on the table, worrying about Piplup. "Oh, c'mon now," Perry said. "Don't worry yourself sick! We're in this together. Your Piplup will be fine! Trust me!" he said with a smile. A waitress then walked toward us, saying "Oh, do you want something to drink?" "Um...," I hesitated. "Maybe just a glass of water."
"Alrighty then," she said as she walks away.
A group of men then walked through the door, dressed in some kind of policeman uniform, but with a vest over it, reading "PS&RT" I'm not sure what it stood for, but the group of men all looked very scary. One looked bald, with a glare on his head. Another one has a military haircut. The list goes on, as it sent chills down my spine, placing me in an area of discomfort. They took a seat at a table behind me, as they started to talk a loud conversation, so I listened in.
"HAHA! Good one, John!"
"Yeah yeah... But you know what Michelle told me after-wards? 'Don't you ever do that kind of nonsense again!'"
"HAHAHAHA! Go on, John."
"Nah, that's all I got."
"You sure?", another one said.
"Yeah."
"Aw... Wait! Wait wait wait! My phone just vibrated."
"What's it say, Mike?"
"We just got another missing Pokemon to look for. Dammit, we just got here!"
"Stay here. When we get done eating, just get a Piplup from the local breeding center, give it to the trainer, and then just tell him, or her, that we found it!"
"I think they're trying to scam you, Thomas!", Perry whispered to me. "Uh, no shit, Sherlock! I just heard it myself!", I sarcastically responded. "What are we gonna do?" DJ said. "I'll handle this," I said as I walked to the group's table. The mood then felt tense. If not, then even more tense. Pressure started to build in me from the moment I started to walk out of my chair. The group wasn't even a meter away from me, hence the crowded diner.
"Anything I can do for you, sir?" one of the PS&RT members asked me. "Yes, as a matter of fact", I said.
"What is it then?"
"I'm looking for a PIPLUP."
"Um... Why'd you emphasize on the 'Piplup'?"
"'Cause I'm looking for my Pokemon. It was lost in a small incident. I just reported it about an hour ago. I know YOU guys, the PS&ST, has a slightly positive reputation for the community, am I not right?"
"Um... Yeah..." He then started to give a strange look at his partners, as they exchange facial expressions. "Look," he continued, "Don't get suspicious with us. We have a great reputation here, especially in Violet City. Don't screw us over."
"What the hell are you talking about? I just heard you guys trying to scam me! I just eavesdropped on your little conversation.
"You what...?"
"You hear me."
"Look... We just want the money. We really don't want to do any good for this community. We just want money, really!"
"Ugh... You dumbasses aren't making any sense to me!"
The so-called 'team' then ran for the door, as I immediately sent out my Torchic, ready to put them to a halt. "Um.. What's going on?", a suited guy asked me. He was a tall man, with an elder, yet, determined face. I looked at him up and down, and I then read his ID badge he was wearing. He's the manager of Violet Diner, not wanting any trouble, but unfortunately, there is. Just as I was about to answer the manager, Perry and DJ flew out the door, chasing after them. "We just have a small problem, sir," I answered. I then took off after Perry and DJ, who took off after the PS&RT.