Chapter 13 The Road to Oreburgh

Moonlight crept across the window sill of our room as night progressed. Heavy breathing and light snores drifted across the room. Since none of our injuries were life threatening, the nurses had allowed Cindy to spread out her bedroll on the floor and sleep with the rest of her pokemon. I lay on my back trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. My insomnia had nothing to do with the wager that may change our lives (or my life mostly) for the worse. That I could live with.

I couldn't sleep because the freaking buizel was watching me from her bed.

"You should rest. Get your strength back," she said softly.

"That sounds like a great idea," I smiled. "There's just one itsy bitsy problem. For some reason, gosh I can't put my paw on it, I'm having trouble see, there's this creepy female that is staring at me from across the room to the point where I think she might be drilling holes into me. That might have something to do with it."

"Am I creeping you out?" Treacle smiled back, "Aww...Is the widdle eevee scawed of me?"

"Bite me..." I grumbled turning over.

After a few more hours of trying to ignore the itching feeling of eyes on my back, my exhaustion finally got the better of me and I drifted off to sleep.

I wasn't chased this time. That dream or should I say nightmare was still a fairly new one. This time I returned to my usual dream.

I have a confession to make. I said that I had braved the trek over Mt. Coronet to get to where I am now. That much hasn't changed though in all honesty, I really should have died up there. I don't exactly remember how I had even managed to survive or why I felt like I needed to take such a suicidal trip. Maybe that was why I had this reoccurring dream. Maybe my mind was trying to piece together the details of my journey.

It started out as usual with the unbearable cold.

When I say cold, I don't mean the kind that makes you shiver in your coats. The cold I am talking about is the merciless kind. The one that batters the strength from your body, tears at your face, stops the breath in your lungs and tries to freeze your eyeballs solid. Against all odds, I was nearing the summit of the mountain. My joints were almost locked up, I could barely see and anything I did see was nothing but a hazy white as the snow lashed at my face and the wind whipped at the rest of me. As close as I was to the top, I could go no further. I just couldn't breathe and my vision clouded over completely in white. I didn't recall it until later in my dreams, but I remember now that I had fallen and I was quickly being buried under the snowfall to join the countless dead forgotten in the snowy depths of Mt. Coronet. I was dimly aware that I was about to die and I think my last flickering thoughts were of hope that I would see my parents again, wherever I ended up in the afterlife.

I felt strong hands, fingers, tentacles (I still wasn't sure) lift me then. I was cajoled to my feet by some force and encouraged to move. I didn't know who was helping me. I couldn't see at this point and my nose and ears had frozen long before, but this presence helped me as I crawled inch by agonizing inch until I had cleared the peak and descended to it's base where I could finally collapse. I remember being surprised to find I was still alive when I regained consciousness and even more strange was that besides a few frost burns in my ears and some lingering effects of snow blindness, I was still in one piece.

I try to replay my dream then. Try to figure out who or what saved me if I was saved at all. I still would get a flicker of hope that maybe my mysterious savior had been my mother. After all, I was still looking for her.

My brain doesn't like to cooperate when it comes to my Mt. Coronet dream though. Every time I rewind it, something more ridiculous pops up. Turn it back, I'm struggling up the mountain and it suddenly starts to rain purple flowers instead of snow. Try again. Now I'm swimming in sticky rawst berry ice cream. One more time. I reach the peak and there is Treacle sprawled seductively on a bed of roses, staring at me with heavy lidded, come-thither eyes and slathered in honey.

I'll spare you the particulars on that one. Though I'm sure there are some of you out there that want the details which I would say, get your minds out of the gutter. Or, go read something else. Unless you happen to be reading that at the same time as this. Don't know whether to be impressed or disturbed.

Anyway, I gave up trying to remember after that and sink back into the dark, comforting depths of sleep.

-

"You're kidding me," I sputtered as I gazed at the map Cindy had spread in front of us. "You mean to say we have to go back the way we came?"

Morning had brought us all together in the lobby of the pokemon center and after a rushed breakfast of pack rations, we huddled around Cindy to plan our next move. Sye had recovered fully by now and with a flicker of his eyes, relayed my message to Cindy even though I hadn't intended it to. Cindy ruffled my ears and smiled down at me though I could tell she was hiding how worried she was. Her smile was tight lipped and her shoulders were tense. Dark circles lined her eyes. She must not have slept well now that she had time to think about the bargain we made with Merinda.

"Oreburgh gym is where the first badge is Corin," Cindy said. "I didn't think we were going to be challenging gyms so soon, but it looks like we don't have much of a choice."

"It doesn't change the fact that we still have to go back..." I grumbled, "And don't you relay that!" I snapped at Sye as I watched his eyes flash. "Why didn't you do this sooner by the way?"

"It never really seemed important when it concerned you," Sye replied. "Until now."

"Now that we're in a race for badges," I said grimly. "It's your fault we're in this mess you know."

"I disagree."

"You convinced Cindy to take this stupid bet!"

"I did no such thing. I merely told the truth."

I snorted. "Yeah right."

"Do you not fear Merinda?"

"Of course not."

"Do you fear her little challenge which you also believe to be stupid?"

"Well...um...no," I grumbled knowing what Sye was about to say next."

A small smile lit Sye's face. "Then you must admit that I am not at fault here. Besides, you don't have to be psychic to see that Cindy was looking for a little direction. I merely helped her find a way."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. You're a real saint all right. I'm guessing that there wont be any skin off your nose if we happen to lose this bet."

"The thought did cross my mind." Sye said smiling. "I would gather that this would mean you will have to work a little harder and be more cooperative with Cindy from now on."

"You know what Brainiac?" I barked, "I'm thinking of a few things right now involving your mother and a whailord. Wanna read my mind?"

"You guys!" Capistrano interrupted, "We have to work together on this or we aren't gonna get anywhere."

"Agreed!" Bud warbled, "The best dances are ones where the players are in perfect sync with one another."

That got an exasperated sigh from me.

"What about you Treacle?" Capistrano chirped, "You're awfully quiet. What do you think?"

The buizel shrugged. "I only care about the overall health of this hairball," She said waving a paw at me. "If it means helping you guys win some bet or making Cindy a whole person or whatever then sure. I'm in."

"I...think thats the best response you're going to get from her," I muttered.

"You already know my stance on this," Felicity sniffed. "Though I'm in agreement with Sye about not losing sleep over what will happen to Corin if we lose the bet."

"You've been sleeping an awful lot lately grandma," I shot back.

"Say that again tiny," Felicity growled.

I was about to say something heated back but Capistrano got between us and spread his wings.

"Guys! Guys! What did I just say?"

Cindy scooped him in her arms trying to quiet him.

"Easy Capistrano. Easy." She shot us all a glance. "That goes for all of you okay?"

We answered with grunts, grumbles and nods.

"Okay. Since everybody is healed we're going in a little bit," Cindy said with a sigh. "Corin, how's your stomach?"

I stretched experimentally and only felt mild discomfort. Like I said, pokemon heal fast when we have enough down time and potions. I rolled my neck and nodded at her with a confident growl. I was in as good of a fighting spirit as I was ever gonna be.

Before the sun had risen too high, we were on our way, (ugh) back where we came from. It didn't take me long to get over my disappointment though. Now that the leash law was officially dissolved, I was free to lope down the pathway marking every bush and shrub I felt fit to claim as my own. I was feeling almost like myself again though I wasn't completely stupid. I didn't let Cindy out of my sight. Not that I was feeling nervous that we were entering the territory of a rather violent, sad imitation of a tree that has tried to kill me once already. I wanted to make sure Cindy was okay if Treeboy did demand a rematch. Yeah. That was exactly it.

It turned out I didn't need to bother.

The scents hit me first before I even saw the aftermath. Upturned dirt and broken branches assaulted my senses and those were the nicer ones. I caught the sour scent of fear and desperation, only hours old since I could still smell it clearly. It was the other smell that stopped me in my tracks. It was a dark, dangerous scent. Aggressive. Coming from something that wanted to inflict pain. That enjoyed hurting things.

I saw deep furrows in the ground to the right of the path I was on. Bushes, or what was left of them, were completely obliterated. Small trees and even some of the larger ones were uprooted and tossed like matchsticks in the wind. It looked as though a miniature tornado had blown in, thrown itself a little party and faded away. A tornado would have been nicer.

A tornado would have had less of an effect on me.

I was completely unaware that my legs had stiffened, my fur stood out at all angles, my ears were flattened and I was uttering sharp snarls until Cindy scooped me up and tried to calm me down. I couldn't explain it, but I didn't like what I saw. I really didn't like it and I would be lying if I said it didn't scare the fertilizer out of me.

"Corin! It's ok. It's ok," She said as my tiny heart hammered in my chest. She looked out at the damage scanning for danger. "Theres nothing out there Corin."

I had to tell myself that what I was seeing already happened and that what ever was here was long gone now. Or at least I hoped. I relaxed slightly in Cindy's arms though I was still growling involuntarily.

"It looks as though a terrible battle has taken place here," Sye told me from the comfort of his pokeball. "The psychic imprint left behind is deep...disturbing."

"Can you tell me who was attacked here?" I thought back to Sye.

"I think you know, but I will confirm your fears if that is what you want." Sye said. "The sudowoodo that defeated you days ago was the recipient of this attack."

"Can you sense the sudowoodo now?"

"No," Sye answered emotionless. "It is possible that the sudowoodo has been captured or possibly destroyed. There is enough damage done to the area here that could indicate a pokemon attack bent on the destruction of it's target."

I felt my insides grow cold. Sure, Treeboy was not much of an opponent even though he kicked my tail, but he was no pushover. Whatever did this to him went strictly for him and no one else. Sye would have mentioned it if there were other victims. Cindy must have felt uneasy too because she started walking with me in her arms at a more hurried pace. I had no problem with that at all. One last thing was troubling me and I forced myself to ask before fear clamped down on my mind.

"Do you...sense who was responsible for the attack Sye?"

At first I thought Sye ignored me but when he answered I thought I felt some emotion flicker through him. Anxiety?

Suck a stick. What kind of thing would make a detached pokemon like Sye nervous?

"The attacker has been...shielded from me. I sense it was the work of more than one. Perhaps a group. I can sense that these people, pokemon or both are cruel, vicious and resolute."

I realized right then why I was feeling this way. I had felt the same kind of gibbering fear when I was being chased by that thing in my nightmares. "You cannot hide from me now," it had shouted triumphantly. "I have finally found you. You may have escaped us once, but not this time. I've found you and we are coming for you!"

We are coming for you.

I shook violently. It was just a dream. It had to be. There was no connection whatsoever to what happened here and my nightmare. So why did I feel like there was a connection?

Cindy had started scratching me under my leather collar. Sweet girl. She had no idea what had me so freaked out, but she was trying to make me feel better anyway. Her warmth and her fingernails sent shivers of pleasure through me that cut through the fear like a scyther shearing a mareep. I stretched in her arms with a happy groan and her fingers went up behind my ears. I had no idea my back leg was going crazy until I shook myself out of the sudden euphoria that she had put me in.

"Ey," I growled though it was more of a mumble than a growl. "Knock idoff."

Cindy giggled but she took the hint and stopped scratching.

I let her carry me for little while longer after that. Until I had calmed down completely and wanted to walk the rest of the way myself. I kicked out of her arms and trotted down the path next to her. I remained next to her until we had returned to her house in Jublife. Maybe I wasn't calmed down as completely as I thought.

Gina was there to greet us with open arms. She looked us all over and told Cindy how happy she was to see we had all grown. Especially Capistrano. She adored Bud who loved her in return. When you have as many flowers growing in your front yard as much as Gina did, It would stand to reason that walking, talking flowers would like you too. Treacle regarded Gina calmly as though filing the woman under "unimportant to the mission" and acted as though she was bored with her. Not before sticking her tongue out at me when she caught me staring.

Ben and Mandy apparently had to work late because they were not present at dinner. I noted that even though Cindy was a little disappointed her father was not at the table with them, she looked resigned as though this sort of thing happened often. As we were all busy stuffing our faces, Cindy brought up her issue with Felicity. Gina feigned that she had no idea Felicity would be so disobedient.

"I guess this means you will have to earn a couple of badges then if you want her to battle for you." Gina shrugged between bites of mashed potatoes.

The sly she-serpent. If I didn't know any better, I would think she had this planned all along.

Cindy carefully omitted the part where we made that bet with Merinda. Focusing more instead on how Treacle and Bud joined our merry little band. Gina seemed puzzled about the sudowoodo. She remarked that sudowoodos are usually found far from where we live and for one to get to where he was he would have had to travel very far. Yeah. That didn't sound eerily familiar to me at all. Cindy and her mother talked long into the night and Gina shooed her daughter off to bed only when we started falling asleep on our feet.

We left the next morning after another tearful goodbye, though it was less tearful than last time and I may have been imagining it, but I think Gina smiled at me.

Yeah. I think I have a very active imagination.

Instead of heading north out of Jubilife, we went east down a very familiar path to me. Route 203 was the closest thing that seemed like home to me. I could still smell where I had laid out the boundaries of my territory and I rushed to reinforce them. I was convinced that this wasn't the last time I would ever see my old stomping grounds again. I just had to keep telling myself that.

Too soon we were at the mouth of a cave I never even bothered exploring when I was still wild. The mouth of this cave had intricately carved rock type pokemon chiseled into the stone that wreathed it's way around the entrance. Human words lined the top of the cave entrance, but I couldn't read what it said. It wasn't until I learned how to read and write like I am doing now, that it read "Oreburgh Gate."

Cindy gave me a big grin and without another word, strode inside.

"Hey!" I called after her, "What are you doing you crazy girl? Don't go in there without me!" I bounded in after her shaking my head.