Chapter 12
Finally, answers
0820 hours
(Troy's POV)
Troy-172's team~
Pichu: lvl 2: thundershock, charm
Emily Blitz's team~
Grace(Snivy): lvl 47: Leaf storm, Light screen, Iron tail, Vine whip
We arrived at the lab of Emily's uncle. It wasn't too far from the hospital. 150-200 yards, max. To be honest it didn't look like a lab to me. Looked more like a modified house. Brown walls, blue roof, small garden out front.
Guess I should lower my expectations for everything here. Obviously they aren't as advanced as I hoped. Well the capture devices they call 'pokeballs' were a surprise. Still haven't figured out how they work. Probably don't want to know either. As long as they do their job.
"I'll go in first. Don't want you to give him to have a heart attack at first sight." Emily explained..
"Acknowledged" I replied. He could understand her worry there. He wasn't the greatest at first impressions. Then again most people who meet him are either in danger of dying from the covenant or was fighting them.
Every now and again an insurrectionist on the wrong end of his magnum. You'd think with humanity at the edge of extinction they would stop causing problems and help fight the covenant. Apparently they either don't care or really want cause more problems.
She smiled as she opened the door and walked in, leaving me outside with Grace eyeballing me and Pichu happily swinging his legs on my shoulder. Guess I should name him now while I got time.
"Serina, I'm open for suggestions on what to name Pichu?" I asked.
"He sees you as his father figure, so I think the parent should be the one to name their child." She responded. Well that was very helpful, guess I'm on my own. I can think of a few names for him, maybe I should ask him, see which one he responds to best.
"Pichu, how would you like to be called Flash?"
He didn't react at all. If anything he looked confused.
"Shock?"
Same look. This was frustrating. Reminds me of the time when a I had to help a pregnant woman give birth, on a live battlefield, with the covenant hammering our position with everything they had, several Hunters included. Both the mother and child survived, countless marines lost there lives that day. I ended up having to name the baby girl, Sarah, on the transport off-world. That was right after Actium was invaded and before it was glassed. This whole experience now comes in at a close second on my 'Weirdest stuff I've ever done' list. Don't want to know what's #1. Kid should be all grown up by now, or at lest in her teen years.
"How about Spark?"
His ears perked up at this name. Guess that means he likes it. Well close enough, I ain't thinking of any other names. Short, simple to remember, and straight forward. Don't need to waste anymore time then I already have.
"Your name is now Spark, respond when I call, okay?" I asked.
"Pichu pi." He replied by hugging my head. Wow this little guy is affectionate.
"You can come on in Spartan, he is filled in." Emily yelled from inside.
Grace quickly walked though the door. Pichu jumped down and followed. I had to duck so I didn't break he frame.
The inside wasn't too impressive. Few machines that don't look familiar, small kitchen, stairs leading upstairs which I assume has the bedroom. Whole place had a rowan wood floor. Looked pretty efficient for the a small area provided.
Emily was standing by a man in his late 40's yet looked fit for his age. Grey hair and facial hair groomed nicely. He was a good foot taller then Emily, brown trench coat and tie, blue vest and pants. He pretty much radiated confidence, till he got a good look at me. Then it was more like shock and surprise.
"You said he was tall, I didn't think he'd be this tall." The man finally said after a few seconds of silence. His voice was a little deep, definitely showed his age. "No offense Spartan."
"None taken." I replied. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you a professor of? Most these machines I've never seen." I politely asked. Before he can give he an answer as a blue penguin. . .thing started tugging on his jeans. I really need a book or some sort of device that tells me what they are for 2 reasons.
A.) If they are hostile or not.
And B.) So I actually have half an idea what the hell to things are on crazy this planet really is.
Spark climbed back up my arms and started getting curling up into a ball. He's going to sleep already? Well he is still a baby so I'll let it slide for now. Give him a few days through training and he'll get out of this habit quick. Emily sat in a chair doing something or other with Grace's scarf. I won't question it.
"One second." He look the little penguin now. "What you need Piplup?"
"Pip lup pip pip." The weird thing said pointing toward me. Apparently it's name was Piplup or was that it's species name? Does it say it's name or species? Is this how they named them? Damn it, this place is confusing. All the more reason to get back to the UNSC as soon as possible.
"Don't worry. He's not going to hurt anyone. He's just here for a few answers, that's all." He explained to the penguin. It gave a audible sigh before running off the the kitchen and hid behind the counter.
"Poor little guy, he's just so shy around new people." Rowan explained. "He is all that is left from the trainers who picked their starters yesterday. Maybe next time around he'll get a trainer." He turned back to me.
"To answer your question, I specialize in pokemon evolution. Studying the energy signatures that pokemon give off when they evolve or hatch, the conditions necessary for them to evolve, and outside influences." He answered.
"I'm going to pretend I understand half of that." Serina calmly said. Lucky my exterior speakers are off. Don't think he'll react too well to Serina.
"With all due respect, I didn't understand a word you said." I replied. He shook his head a bit and sat down in a chair close by.
"Might want to sit down, this may take a while."
Several hours and a dozen smartass comments from Serina later
I've been on dozens of planetary campaigns, fought against heavy odds, seen and heard all sorts of weird stuff. But this planet takes the cake in terms of crazy. For the past several hours, Professor Rowan has been attempting to explain pokemon types, battles, and pretty much everything I would need to know for now. Serina was taking notes for future engagements, just in case we can't call home.
Don't know how something can be a ghost type, did the animal die then come back to life? Got a good idea on how pokemon battles are suppose to work. Pretty much like warfare on a sports-like scale for civilians. All about strategy and playing your cards right, knowing when to go on the offensive or defensive. I think I might like it here, ain't the worst place to end up yet not the best.
Emily was doing something or other with Spark and Grace. The weird penguin was still looking at me from behind the counter. Oh well, ain't hurting nothing nor does it look like it can do any major harm to me.
"...Which scans your pokemon and tells you about them. Any questions." He continued with his mini lecture holding up the save device Emily used on Spark yesterday. I shook my head a bit and snapped back to attention.
"Oh please tell me more. I'm just dying to hear the mechanics behind it." Serina asked with her voice laced heavily with sarcasm. I personally don't want to know how it works, so long as it does what it is suppose to. As for questions I had none to ask, spend enough time here gathering Intel, now it's time to go. Already know everything I could want for now. Rest I'll figure out along the way. More time I spend here equals more time scrapers have to strip the ship of anything of value, and less of a chance to get home.
"No sir." I replied.
"Good, now I understand you are in need of supplies." The old man said writing something down on a piece of paper and gave it to me. "Give this to the clerk in the poke'mart next door. Should cover everything you'll need to get to the next town over. You'll be on your own from there."
Well this was...generous of him. Willing to pay for a stranger's supplies for a trip. This kind act won't go unnoticed. I'll be sure to have ONI send him the appropriate funds when I get back...if I get back. They won't send the funds I'll find a way to pay him back. A Spartan doesn't leave a debt unpaid or a promise unfulfilled.
"Thank you, sir." I replied.
"And another thing. You might need these." He said giving me the device in his hand and a five pokeballs. "The pokedex will give you knowledge of the target pokemon's type, name, and move." Very handy for future engagements, keep on belt. "I assume you know how the pokeball works."
"I have a little experience" I replied. True I only used it once but I'll figure it out as I go. Seems pretty straight forward, like throwing a plasma grenade. Only not as hard so I don't kill anything. Won't need them but you never know when you might. Better to have it and never need it, then need it and never have it.
"I wish I can do more to help you get back. Can't imagine what it's like to feel so far from home." He informed. You have no idea, would help if I had a home to get back to. Damn covenant glassed my home world and every world in it's system. I've over it now, had a lot of time to sort things out. Let's just say that a covenant cruiser that was found at my homeworld's glassing, found itself a new home all over an asteroid in billions of tiny flaming pieces. Kind of satisfying to see a Covenant ship being glassed. Like a little bit of sweet justice for all billions of people they slaughtered.
"Its okay, any and all assistance possible will not be forgotten and will be paid back in full at the soonest opportunity. I promise." I promised. When a Spartan makes a promise, no matter how impossible it seems, we keep it no matter what. Like Halsey once said, 'Don't make a girl a promise, f you know you can't keep it'. Same rules apply to anyone in general.
(Daisy's POV)
2000 hours
Pokemon center, Snowpoint city
I slowly opened my eyes to a blinding light. Everything hurt and burned. The light receded and turned out to be a florescent bulb. I get up to look around, everything in the room was white, window outside showed nothing but snow as far as I can see. Where am I? How did I get here. Okay Daisy, think. What's the last thing you remember.
Okay, let's see. I remember the warthog blowing up, running to the extraction point, pushing the Sergeant out of the way and taking the Neddler rounds for him, the Pelican exploding, some weird purple light flashing, dragging myself through the snow to a door, asking for help, the everything went blank. I can't remember anything past that point.
I pushed myself up but stopped when I felt my chest hurting like crazy. I could barely feel breath. I look down to see I wasn't in my any Mjolnir anymore. I was pretty much naked under a blanket, my chest wrapped up in a ton of bandages, all sorts of wires and tube were fed into me in various places. Those Needler rounds must of done more damage to me then I thought. The door opened slowly with a pink haired female poking her head through.
"Good you're awake. Thought you would be out for few days." The nurse said walking into the room with a cart full of different types of medications. Some type of fat pink thing waddled in holding a pretty long needle syringe chanting 'Chancy'. What every the heck that meant.
"Where am I?" I asked.
"Relax, you're in a Pokemon center." She informed checking all the machines. "You're lucky you came when you did. Any longer and you would have been a dead. You're armor was a bit of a pain to remove and work around but we managed to keep it relatively intact."
"Where is it?" I asked pushing myself up even more. Damn I need some strong painkillers, this chest pain is starting to become unbearable.
"It's in a separate room, under lock and key with the rest of your stuff. Figured you would want it back when you woke up." She replied again changing the IV bag and injected something into it. "Seven crystal shard fragments in your left lung, three large holes around your left breast and lung, at least twenty stitches to close up the wound. Don't even get me started on the fragment removal. Didn't even know where to begin when you first arrived. It was a constant up hill struggle just to keep you alive. You're lucky to be alive or even conscious right now." She checked the blood bag and taking a bottle off the cart with a spoon.
"This will help make the breathing easier." She explained holding the spoon up to me. I didn't trust her one bit, but what choice did I have in my position. I quickly ate the strange pink liquid in the spoon and swallowed it. Tastes a bit weird, like fresh strawberries. I admit the liquid did what she said it would do, I felt less pain in my chest and was breathing easier. She smiled and put the medicine away. "We did all we could, when the snow clears we'll get you to better hospital to properly take care of that damaged lung."
I say again, Where the hell am I? Last I checked, Harvest didn't have a 'Pokemon Center' or any standing medical centers for that matter. Hell, no planet I've been on or heard of has a 'Pokemon Center'. Must be local slang for Hospital. I look closer to see my dog tags were on the the IV thing. Nurse must have noticed because she took them off and gave to me.
"It's okay... Chief petty officer Daisy-023, you're in safe hands. Chancy won't let anything hurt you." She informed picking up the syringe from the pink things hands. "This might make you sleepy or loopy for a while, but it's to help dull the pain." She warned. I nodded and held my arm out. At this point I'll take anything to get rid of the pain. The plunged the needle into my vein and injected the drug into my system. Almost immediately I felt the effects take place. My eyelids became heavy as I let out a yawn. "Looks like I'm done here. I'll come back in a few hours to check up and repeat the process. Good night and hope you feel better in the morning."
With that, she walked out leaving me alone in the dark room. I quickly put my dog tags back on and laid my head down. Might as well try to get some sleep. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
I still remember a old friend, Troy-172. Last I saw him, he was on the other side of the bridge. Don't know if he is alright or not. I still remember our little chat after we escaped the facility. Troy taking out his special tracker chip and putting it on a random Moa the day after we made our escape. That must have been one crazy wild goose chase for them.
~Flashback~
2525, Forest of Reach.
2145
(Third person POV)
The six spartan drop outs made came in a small forest clearing. Been ten days since they escaped from that wretched facility. Troy exploded their 'Hog a few days ago so their captors can't trace them as easily. They were making the best of a bad situation right now.
Moa was roasting over open fire, three of them decided to sleep the day off. Troy was on watch duty with his DMR, Daisy was up because she couldn't sleep. She was eating the leg off their cooked Moa. Troy decided to take a small break and sat down next to her.
"How you feeling?" He asked shouldering his DMR and sat beside her.
"Better, but I can't help but think about what Halsey said. The fate of our success depended on you answering a simple question. Out of all the questions I can think of, why would she ask who you loved? Makes no sense." She explained.
"Let's focus on the goal right now, we need a transport ship to get you to Sargasso." He replied. "I know of a transport ship lands near the fishing village near the facility every Friday. Don't know where it goes, but it should be a good start."
"Troy, what are you not telling me?" She probed. "Who do you love?" Troy reached over and tore a chunk of meat from the cooked Moa.
"They won't expect us to stay near the facility, they'll expect us to be half way across the planet heading toward a transport ship off world. Perfect place to set a trap for us. Which is why I didn't drive us go too far. We're just outside of the radar's maximum effective range for tracking." He explained eating the meat he tore off. "I might be able to sneak a few of us aboard unnoticed.
"You're avoiding the question. Who do you love?"
"Let's just say if I ever told her, She'd rip my skull out of my head and beat me to death with it."
"How can you rip someone's skull out of their head and beat them to death with it? That doesn't seem physically possible."
"That's exactly what I'll be screaming."
She laughed a bit as she slugged his shoulder. He laughed a bit as well as the fire started going down. He chucked another log at the base to keep it going. Daisy sat there and thought for a bit.
"Is it Kelly?"
"Nope, she has a thing for John, I think. Very hard to tell. Can't compete with him in any field, more then likely not that one either, the lucky bastard."
"Adriana?"
"Nope."
"Alice?"
"Nope."
"Linda?"
"Small hint, she's the one who stole my first kiss."
"Me?" He stayed quiet. She looked his in the eyes and asked again in a much kinder tone. "Is it me? Do you love me Troy?" He looked away very obviously blushing. "You do don't you?"
"I didn't know myself till Halsey brought it up, and our chat by the beach. Since then I've been thinking of ways to tell you." He replied handing her the DMR. "If you want to hurt me, I understand and I won't stop you. Just make it quick." he closed his eyes and looked ready for the worst.
Instead, the complete opposite of what he was expecting happened. She softly grabbed his chin, looked him in the eyes, then kissed him. He didn't struggle, he was more surprised then anything. What surprised her was he started kissing back. For the first time as far back as they can remember, they were happy, genuinely happy.
~0~
"She wasn't around a lot when I was a kid, and when she was she could only stay a short time. Seems like she always had somewhere else to be; something important to do. And when she left, she...wouldn't say goodbye to me. Instead, she always told me, "Never say goodbye." If you don't say 'goodbye,' then you aren't really gone. You...just aren't here right now."
~Agent Carolina about her mother, RVB, unknown time and place.
~0~
I'm back people. I found the will to write again. Great grandma Charlotte's death has severely crippled my thought train, but I pushed through and forced myself to finish this chapter, just for my followers. You guys stuck by my side and encouraged me to continue with your sympathy, by showing you all care you motivated me to continue this story when I felt like abandoning it.
I would like to thank every one of my followers for this story, from oldest to newest. Nobody make fun of any of their user-names.
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Every single one of you help build this story so far. Every new follower gained makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something good. Makes me feel good knowing complete strangers are willing to read what I write. I am honored to have as many followers as I do now. I couldn't have gotten this far with out you all. You guys deserve a round of applause. I also would like to thank my Beta for editing this. You're all amazing and I couldn't have made this without every one of you.
Enough talking. Time to continue the story where I left off all those months ago. Into the light is back and I won't let it die. See you all next time.
~Dgreen20