Chapter X: Know

October 18, 2116

12:10 pm

Route 43, Johto region

Rocket Campsite

He groggily opened his eyes and glanced around. He was lying down on a hospital bed with wires attached on both of his cheeks. Taking them out he felt fur rub against his leg as he attempted to sit up. Sky was fast asleep by his bed, her head rested on the edge of the bed.

"Huh? She's usually the first one up." He mumbled to himself as he stared down.

"That's because she was up all night watching over you." A voice of a woman said. He turned to the sound of her voice and saw the lady he saw before at the counter when he was looking for Sky.

"Why would she do that? It's not like I was dying when I got here." He asked looking back at Sky with confusion.

"You were 'close' to dying." The woman said emphasizing the word 'close' as she walked towards Aye's bed.

"But I'm not. I'm still alive." He said looking at the woman with his confused face. "You don't seem to care about other peoples' feelings." She said taking her hands out of her coat pocket.

"If you were gone, she would be shattered." She continued writing down required medicine names for the injured pokemons on a piece of paper.

"She likes you, you know." She said as she left the piece of paper clipped on a board and walked out of the room.

What? How can anybody like me. I'm just a monster built to destroy.

He thought as looked back at Sky. The sun shone down at them through the little window across his bed. It illuminated the room and made Sky's fur appear shinier than usual. He gazed at her pale yellow fur and her innocent face as she slowly awoke from her deep slumber. He watched her warm hazel-brown eyes as they fluttered. He smiled at her and said,

"Morning, Sky." He greeted softly as she stretched and yawned.

"Oh, I'm sorry I must've overslept." She apologized noticing the time.

"How are you feeling" She asked, examining the scar across Aye's eye brow.

"I feel great." He replied with a friendly smile.

"Just swell..." He muttered to himself sarcastically.

They heard the door knob turn and saw Creed on the other side as he opened it.

"I see your awake." Creed said, stepping inside the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Woah, what happened to you?" Aye asked, noticing Creed's purple swollen eyes. Creed gave him a menacing glare which immediately told him that it was from the punishment he received from Giovanni.

"I'll ask you the same question. What happened to 'you'?" Emphasizing his last word, Aye couldn't answer, because he himself doesn't know either. All he remembered was that Clint set him up, and next thing he knew, Clint was lying down on pool a of blood three floors beneath him.

Sky and Creed could see him all vexed-up from the question as he tried to find the right words to say.

"Shit happened alright? I got my ass beat but I intend to return the favor."

He said sternly, giving a serious look to both chus, hoping they would buy it.

"And the human?" Creed asked sounding completely unsatisfied with his answer.

Aye began to panic as he raced his mind, seeking for alibis.

"I lost him during my battle with an exploud." He replied, trying to make a grieved expression on his face.

Creed sighed and crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall.

"We all know you're lying, so you might as well talk." Creed demanded, with Sky giving the same demanding look.

Aye sat down on his bed with a discombobulated expression.

"I-I don't know alright? I'm as dumbfounded as you are..." He said, staring at his own reflection on the metal bars from the bed frame.

Silence overtook the room as both Sky and Creed examined him in his puzzled state.

Creed sighed one last time before breaking the silence.

"I just received orders from Petrel." He said calmly, changing the mood in the silent room.

"The Grunts pushed through Route 44, so now we need help them overrun Blackthorn city." He stated as both chus directed their attention to him.

"When do we leave?" Aye asked, getting up from his bed.

"We'll leave at dawn." Creed said, looking out the window to see the sun's intense heat over the tents around the infirmary cottage.

"Wait, are you sure you're alright to go already?" Sky asked with her concerned eyes staring at Aye.

"I'm fine." He said, turning to her and offering his hand to help her up from the other side of the bed over to Creed's side.

"Then both of you get some rest." Creed said to them both.

"Tomorrow will be hectic..." He sighed as he closed his eyes and scratched the back of his head.

- END OF CHAPTER X-