Chapter Nine: Hell of a Night
Rocky was lying flat on his back on the floor of a grungy ally way that looked down on the Bay. His clothing was damp and smelled of the Goldenrod water. I was drowning. How am I alive? How did I get here? The answer came to him like a firework exploding within his skull. JAZZY
Rocky recalled her sitting next to him on the rollercoaster in his hallucination and claiming that she was "saving his sorry ass". Rocky pulled a long strand of red hair off his shirt. She really did save me.
Rocky was flabbergasted. He labeled Jazzy as narcissistic, arrogant, sadistic, and insane. But doing something like jumping into the sludgy waters of the Goldenrod Bay and descending deep into it in order to receive a drowning kid whom could have already been dead, then dragging him out and- Rocky blushed as he remembered his dream about Jazzy kissing him. It seemed so real though… He thought, disappointed. Then several thoughts collided. She must have given me CPR. After all, she is a nurse in training.
Does it count as my first kiss if it is under those circumstances? Rocky pondered as he picked up Sentret who awoke with a squeak. Joy erupted in Rocky as he recalled that Sentret could battle. Your strong enough to fight and you'll only get stronger. He thought to Sentret.
Oddly, Sentret seemed to acknowledge the remark with a happy squeal. Rocky starred at his ticket to wealth, respect, and fame. He felt guilt for when he wished that he had a Growlithe instead. Arby made the wrong move selling you to me, 'cause I would choose you over any other Pokemon in the world despite all your weaknesses. Arby Jones is at the top of my hit-list and I'm coming for him soon.
As Rocky started walking through the street lit sidewalks, he tried to think of a name for the Sentret snoozing on his shoulder. After fifteen minutes, Rocky realized where he was in the city and estimated that it would be about and hour's walk back to the apartment. Then he stared at his wrist watch. 9:46 PM, it said. Sh*t, that means I'm in trouble. My stepfather is going to try to kill me and walking through the streets of the Goldenrod Ghetto after sunset is an effective way to die. Someone might mug me, human traffickers might try to pick me up, I might be hustled by the cops, and… there is that serial killer that's been loose in the city lately. Rocky thought to himself, before pushing the thoughts away.
"Hold it right there kid." A gruff voice ordered. Rocky turned around and looked down the sidewalk to see a scruffy looking man that had an attire that suggested he was in a bike gang; lots of leather. Rocky was about to ask what he wants but then somebody called from behind, "It's pretty stupid of you to be wandering out here all alone. Something bad might happen if you get my drift."
Fear surged through Rocky as he realized that he wasn't equipped to take the two guys. "What the f*ck, you two want?" Rocky asked, trying to be assertive.
"You gotta foul mouth." The first man scowled. Then he asked his partner, "What do you say, Lewis? Is this punk worth the trouble?"
"I dunno. Let's see what he's carrying on him." Lewis replied, cracking his knuckles.
"You're wasting your time. I have jack-sh*t worth of valuables." Rocky snarled back, hoping that the two men would decide that he wasn't worth mugging.
"What are you talking about? You've got yourself a Pokemon." The man to Rocky's left pointed out.
Adrenaline was pumped into Rocky like pollution into the Goldenrod Bay. He wants to take Sentret. Take Sentret. Separate me from Sentret. NO!
"LIKE HELL, MOTHERF*CKER!" Rocky screamed. It was like something inside him exploded. It was as if his right leg received an electric bolt as it snapped out, connecting with Lewis's left knee cap, causing a crunching noise. He fell to the ground, crippled.
Sentret rocketed off Rocky's shoulder and smashed into the sternum of the other mug. He gasped and fell to the ground. Destroy them, destroy them, destroy them…. The words echoed through the heads of both Rocky and Sentret.
Rocky screamed as he stomped Lewis's head, repeatedly.
Sentret scratched the other mugger's face and sunk his teeth into the hoodlum's fleshy cheek. "AAAAGH! Get off!" He yelled and punched Sentret as hard as he could. Sentret hit the ground with a patch of the guy's cheek still in his mouth. Blood was streaming down his face.
"You two are a pair of freaks!" He yelled. "Get them, Growlithe." He reached into his leather coat and took out a Pokeball. Then he sicked his Growlithe on Rocky and Sentret whom were running like hell down the road, the fire-spewing Growlithe hot on his heels (literally).
Although Rocky noticed out of the corner of his eye that the Growlithe was still a puppy, the thing was vicious. "Get off, mutt!" Rocky yelled as the orange dog-Pokemon sunk its canine teeth into Rocky's ankle and he fell to the ground. Sentret tackled Growlithe but it didn't cause much damage, although it did cause Growlithe to let go of Rocky.
Rocky took the opportunity to grab Sentret and start climbing a fire escape. He didn't stop until he was on the top of the old building, looking down on the street. The Growlithe's owner caught up, huffing and puffing.
"You stupid, f*cking, worthless, Mutt!" He yelled as he kicked Growlithe, whom whined and hid under a dumpster. "You let them get away!" He screamed as he reached under the dumpster and pulled out Growlithe by its furry scruff. It yipped in pain.
"Lemme tell you what, you puny scrap of fur… I am going to leave you on your own- release you." He snarled. The Growlithe actually started crying with its puppy snobs.
"Stop being such a baby. There is one consolation- If you capture that punk-ass kid and that weak scrap of fur he calls a Pokemon, then you get to be my top dog." The Growlithe barked happily at this deal, nodding his snout.
"Crap." Rocky muttered. Not only was a natural predator Pokemon now after him, but his ankle was bleeding from the bite. However, Rocky's worries were stopped short by something he saw- the blood on his shoes. The worn out sneakers were soaked in blood from stomping Lewis's face.
"I-I didn't mean to…" Rocky muttered to himself.
Rocky sprinted through the streets. It was eleven at night when he finally reached the apartment building. He hadn't even thought of what he was going to tell his step father and mother. On second thought, screw 'em! I don't need to tell them anything. Rocky decided.
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell to Classico's apartment opened. "Rocky! What the…" He asked in disbelief.
"Do you mind if I crash here for the night…" Rocky asked, hoping that he wasn't being intrusive.
"No, not at all. Actually I'm glad you showed up. Terry is in working on an investigation in Olivine City so I'm stuck here for the next three days alone. But he'll be back by the time I leave for the academy. Plus I thought you were dead."
"No, this guy showed up with a Quilava and helped me fight off the gang." Rocky explained.
"Oh yeah, he is right here." Classico opened up the door completely, allowing Rocky entry to the tidy but large apartment. Rocky's savior was sitting at the kitchen table, looking pretty gloom. He stood up when he saw Rocky. "My name's Erich Jaeger."
"Yeah, I'm Rocky. Thanks for saving my ass." Rocky then turned to Classico. "You sent the police to the dock, right?"
"Yeah, why."
"The two people that saved my life tonight are in the same place so I can thank them. How convenient." Rocky smirked. But then he thought of Jazzy. He would be decomposing at the bottom of the Goldenrod Bay if it weren't for her selfless actions. Rocky made a mental note to thank her sometime. But something wasn't right about her, he was beginning to realize. But it hit Rocky that Jazzy had a personality disorder of some kind. She was merely saving Rocky because he provided her with excitement. He filed the theory in his brain.
"Charmander-char." The same baby Charmander that Classico saved from the clutches of the Goldenrod Wildflowers wandered up to Rocky and announced himself.
"You kept him?" Rocky asked, surprised.
"Yeah he disappeared when the police showed up and appeared inside my back pack after a police cruiser drove me back here. Pretty sneaky little guy. To be honest were growing attached. But he's still the property of the Rare Pokemon Exhibit." Classico muttered, pouting.
"After you saved Charmander's lizard ass from the Goldenrod Wildflowers, you deserve to keep him."
"Speaking of which, we're at the top of the Goldenrod Wildflowers' hitlist and I think that they will be wanting their stolen Charmander back." Classico explained.
"We got away from them once, we can do it again." He replied, confidently.
Classico changed the subject to a more interesting topic: Erich. "I met him and invited him to stay here because… well… he doesn't really have another place to go. You should hear his story." Classico, explained as he led Rocky to the kitchen table where Erich sat.
"It was a month ago when I discovered that my parents were missing." Erich began. Rocky was distracted because he was looking out the apartment window, seventy feet below on the street. There was a Growlithe pacing back and fourth.
"It was when I came home from school. They were gone. It looked incredibly professional. It's an upper-class suburban neighborhood so if two people went missing then the cops were all over it. They found squat for evidence. But the weird part is that my parents were acting very odd the week before they went missing. They were very nervous and jumpy and they wouldn't stop arguing in hushed voices. They weren't going to work either. I tried to eavesdrop on them but they were too quiet. But I heard my dad say something about PokéCorp., the corporation they worked for."
Rocky jumped to life. "PokéCorp.! Classico, that's where…"
Classico replied before Rocky could even speaking. "Yeah, I told you that corporation was corrupt."
Arby Jones had possession of Sentret before he tricked me; and Arby's parents work for PokéCorp. also. Arby must have taken advantage of his parent's job to get ahold of countless Pokemon then sell them. Sentret must have been stolen from one of the labs since it's the only explanation for the mutation and chemicals. Rocky and Classico shared the theory with Erich.
"But that doesn't make sense. Mr. Jones has a powerful seat on the PokéCorp Board of Chairmen and Mrs. Jones is the Sales Specialist. They're rolling in money! Why would a spoiled rich kid like Arby Jones be selling Pokemon like he's desperate for money?" Erich objected.
"Yeah, I was wondering about that." Classico agreed.
"I think I can explain it." Rocky told them. "You see… Money isn't just money. Wealth isn't just wealth. Have you ever noticed that even though Arby is a Douche Bag, he hates to show off his wealth. He shows off his skill, looks, girlfriends, and what not, but he never likes to prove how rich his parents are. It's because he knows that the money isn't actually his and he feels like a fool showing it off. But having his own money that he feels he earned makes him feel independent and strong. I sort of know the feeling."
"I suppose your theory makes sense. I guess Arby isn't without moral." Classico mentioned.
"I honestly think that PokéCorp. took my parents because they found something that they weren't supposed to find." Erich said.
"How important were your parents to PokéCorp.?" Classico asked.
"They were just product inspectors. No one irreplaceable." Erich replied, at the verge of tears.
Classico thought then said, "Maybe your parents did their job too well. Maybe they found something in a product that was against regulations. If this is true and PokéCorp got a hold of your parents and your parents have no further use for PokéCorp, then they are probably dead."
"Nice sugar coating." Rocky sneered. "If your parents were smart then they would have done something to make sure PokéCorp wouldn't kill them. They would have made a bargaining chip. Did your parents tell anyone or make copies of any incriminating evidence they might have discovered?"
"I have no idea. They never left the house to tell anyone and they never used any phones. Also, they disconnected all the computers in the house from the internet. They knew they were being spied upon." Erich replied.
"I say we search your house." Classico replied. "Terry won't be home for another few days. We can forget school tomorrow… well, actually, school starts in about seven hours."
"Are you insane? Erich's parents were kidnapped or worse because they probably stumbled upon some sensitive info. Let's not make the same mistake." Rocky objected.
"We decide to do something radical and you object? Who are you and what have you done with Rocky?" Classico demanded, mockingly.
"You're talking about skipping school! Who are you and what have you done with Classico?" Rocky combated.
"Look, we'll check the house and if we do find something then we'll keep a lid on it until we come up with a long term plan." Classico bargained.
"And what if PokéCorp. discovers that somebody has been snooping around. This is one of the most powerful organizations in the world. They're going to take extreme safety measures to make sure that nobody else stumbles upon anything incriminating." Rocky warned. "I'd bet that they're watching Erich's house, waiting for someone to go snooping around. I'm staying away." Rocky declared.
"Fine, coward." Classico teased, coldly.
"I'm not acting out of fear, I'm acting out of intelligence!" Rocky yelled at Classico.
"Would both you calm down!" Erich ordered. "Rocky almost died tonight and I doubt he's too eager to be in that situation again."
"As if I wasn't risking my neck!" Classico argued.
"Look at it this way! Please describe each of your family members." Rocky requested like a lawyer in a courtroom.
Classico eyed him suspiciously, but fulfilled the request. "My father was killed on the job while working undercover as a Pokemon Global Police Agent. I have no further details but it happened when I was three. My mother is a lawyer whom has dedicated her life to destroying criminal organizations. But to protect me and the rest of my family, she has severed all ties with us since in her line of work, she makes a lot of enemies. My oldest sibling, Rebecca, is a Grass Type Pokemon Expert at the Goldenrod Greenhouse. Multiple PHDs from Celadon University and the Violet City Institute. My seventeen year old brother is an important Pokemon Global Police Agent. He's definitely lived up to my father's name." Classico revealed.
Rocky realized how much he didn't know about Classico, but he continued working with blinders. "Exactly. You come from a family full of productive and well known citizens. If you go missing, then huge efforts will be made to find you. But me… look at who I am." Rocky ranted. "My past is almost as great a mystery as this Sentret on my shoulder since there is defiantly something about my father that my mother is hiding from me, my parental unit consists of my alcoholic bum of a step father and my pathetic excuse for a mother, and as far as everyone who knows me is concerned: I'm just a rabid slum dog. So to sum it all up: Nobody would give a sh*t if I went missing or anything in general happened to me."
"Okay fine, I admit that PokéCorp. would think twice before laying a hand on me." Classico admitted.
Eventually, they settled down and Classico showed them places to sleep. At first Rocky thought he'd be too hyped on adrenaline to sleep, but after relaxing on the couch, he drifted off to sleep faster than his stepfather after he's been hitting the liquor.
Rocky's dreams were epic and intense. He was being chased through the slums under a full moon. A vicious Growlithe hot on his heels, an angry Spearow, intent on capturing and devouring Rocky's Sentret, the Goldenrod Wildflowers waving torches and pitchforks, and most horrific- an blood covered, chainsaw wielding Jazzy.
"YAAA! Back the f*ck off, motherf*ckers!" Rocky screamed as he awoke. "Oh." He muttered as he realized he was awake. Classico and Erich stared back, worried and also offended.
"Uh… bad dream." Rocky told them, blushing with embarrassment. He got off the couch and checked his wrist watch. 7:10. "Damn! School starts in an hour." Rocky cursed.
"You shouldn't go anyway." Classico suggested as Rocky poured a cup of coffee. He spat it out in the sink immediately. "BLAGH! I hate decafe. Got any French Roast?" Rocky complained,
"That's not even coffee! It's-" Classico started to say. "I don't want to know, actually." Rocky interjected as he picked up the morning paper and started reading through it and stuffing his face with pop-tarts that Classico stacked on a plate. His heart rate skyrocketed and the blood drained from his face as he read a certain article.
TWO COPS ATTACKED IN HARBOR DISTRICT LAST NIGHT
Last evening, two police patrol officers were attacked and hospitalized, one of them requiring emergency medical attention. Officer Dent Rudy and his partner, Lewis Jenkes, were patrolling the Harbor District the previous evening. Officer Jenkes was not conscious to tell the story however Officer Rudy was. "We saw a kid between ages twelve and fourteen walking alone with a Pokemon that I think was a Sentret on his shoulder. It was ten at night and gang activity was reported earlier so he seemed suspicious. When we attempted to question him, both him and his Pokemon reacted extremely violently. The kid kicked the sh*t out of my partner and he was stomping his face, trying to kill him. His Pokemon was small but it was quick and had sharp teeth and claws. It ripped a chunk out of my face. I sent my Growithe after the kid but he knew the streets too well. That lunatic disappeared like a phantom." Officer Jenkes is reported to have a serious concussion, a severely broken nose, and a shattered kneecap. The violent teen is described to be around five feet, six inches, Caucasian, and wearing blue jeans and a navy blue jacket with a hood that hid his face for the most part. A Sentret is reported to accompany him.
Rocky couldn't read anymore. Acting purely on instinct, he grabbed the page with the article in the newpaper then stumbled into the bathroom of Classico's spacious apartment. He closed the door and then locked it. Then he vomited half-digested pop tarts into the toilet.
Sentret squeaked, curiously. Rocky wiped the tears from his eyes held Sentret tightly. Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t! Rocky thought to himself. He couldn't let anyone know what he had done. He took that article out of the newspaper before Erich or Classico could read it. They were the only ones whom would be able to make the connection. Rocky confirmed. No, SH*T, SH*T, SH*T, there's Jazzy and Ted. No Ted is too naive. But Jazzy will know if she reads the newspaper.
Rocky sat there in the bathroom, crying his eyes out. I could have sworn they were mugging me! But they were cops! What the hell is wrong with me!? Even if they weren't cops, I'm still f*cked up for doing what I did!
In the abyss of his thoughts, Rocky thought of one more person who would be able to make the connection: Arby Jones. It's about time that I tied up that loose end. Rocky thought as his self-loathing dissolved into anger.