~Morty~
Shit.
Why did stupid shit always have to happen when I wanted to have sex?! First Jasmine! Now impending doom upon Mahogany Town? Could I ever catch a break?
Fuck my life. I just wanted to get laid!
Scrambling up the ravine of soggy land with my gluttonous shadows spiraling ahead, I realized just what was happening. The lake was spiraling out of control from some strange signal coming from the center of town. There was no obvious reason as to why there would be an odd signal ruining my date, but I'll be damned if I didn't figure it out soon. The only reason I knew there was a signal anyways was because my highly sensitive ghost pokemon could hear and feel the waves coming from a tower. They sprang to action, yipping and howling mercifully with excitement while dozens of innocent magikarp were turned to Gyrados unwillingly.
The stupid fish should realize that the signal waves were helping them, but no. Instead they had to freak out and cause me young hair loss. Or maybe that was me ripping my hair out because my penis was deflated once again—for the third time today. Seriously…. Seriously?
"Morty!" A low rasp of a voice, thick with age called to me as I pushed the boundaries of town. "Morty, what has happened?"
My ghosts slipped forward on the ground, whistling like firecrackers at Pryce like a pack of wild Houndoom would over a piece of meat.
"Stand down!" I snarled at the unruly ghosts. "My apologies leader Pryce… The lake is inflamed by Gyrados. But—but no!" I blocked the caned man from moving forward. "Lance is there, I saw him. And the two other trainers everyone has been talking about. They've got it handled!"
"I'm no coward and this is my town to protect. Step aside." The elderly gym leader wacked my shin with his cane making me flinch.
"Please, Pryce don't do this." I begged. All be damned if I ever had to live with his eternal ghost. Crotchety old man. I grumbled to myself.
"No son." His voice was as wintry as his appearance.
"No!" A loud bellow from somewhere above sounded. "Pryce as champion I'm ordering you not to fight this battle."
Well if it wasn't Mr. Kiss my ass or feel my wrath. Dressed in drag with that long flowing cape and muted ruby hair. What a catch… I rolled my eyes.
"Lance…" Pryce's powdery eyes narrowed, nearly lost in the expanse of wrinkles around his brow. "Are you telling me you have my town in good hands?"
The dragon master swooped in on his dopey golden dinosaur thing, making me truly hate myself for ever associating with these people. Even Falkner's pudge ball, Zephyr had more intelligence—or at least more cockiness—than that humble ass thing did. I quite disliked the hero role, especially when it was out of arrogance.
"Yes sir, we have some top trainers at the lake as well. Falkner is there too."
"He's fine right?" I snorted. That kid had as much pride and honor as any of these other dingbats, the only difference was that he wouldn't go headfirst into a battle he knew he couldn't win. Falkner wasn't stupid like that. He was sensible, even a little selfish that way. I loved it.
Lance cast me a strange look, but nodded once harshly before continuing. "Clair is on her way, she will be here any second. I sent out a mass call to all the leaders. Though I doubt Jasmine or Chuck could travel so fa—
"Would you shut up!" I snapped. "I know where the signal is coming from already so quite talking like you're the greatest man alive!"
Lance clamped his jaw tight and lowered his heavy brow at me. "Dragonite." His voice was a low rusty purr, followed instantly by a reply of the same tone. The pale Sunkist dragon made a low moan that sounded like constipation. If that was its sound of obedience I didn't want to know what its rebellion sounded like.
"Gengar!" I hissed, snapping my fingers. Not a second later my shadow was before me, with glowing amber eyes and a ruthless toothy grin across its foggy face. My two Gastly—my apprentices—and my Haunter—the deputy—were close behind. "Lead the way." I ordered.
Pryce coughed as the toxic air that came with ghost pokemon, but said nothing of disapproval as Lance strode beside me, a whole two inches taller with his shoulders back. He didn't know where he was going and yet he seemed to be inching forward for the lead. I glared at him the whole time.
"Wait! Wait!"
Oh great.
Another one? I narrowly avoided being pummeled into the ground by an awkward dirty streaked white… thing with thick overstuffed wings. It had a very stubby—maybe not even a beak—mouth and large black eyes that shone with worry. The ground coughed out a massive wave of dust as a thick teen tumbled over and rolled once, knocking my leg and receiving a sharp spit from Haunter. Purple sludge made his sleeve sizzle as he floundered up to dust himself off.
"I'm Gold, here to defeat team rocket!" He adjusted his yellow and black cap over his head. His face was muddied and slightly bloody, making his white teeth and bright honey eyes shine. He had a very dark rim of lashes around those eyes as well—and had this all happened a few months ago I would have said he was one sexy kid.
However now that title belonged to Falkner and all I saw of Gold was a cocky brat that didn't know how to land a flying pokemon.
"Team Rocket?" Lance whirled on him. "What do you know about them!?"
A distant rumble stretched far across the ravine leading to the lake, making my knees weak and my feet numb.
"Just come on!" I insisted. If anyone else showed up to "save the day" I might as well take Falkner home and call it a day! "Team Rocket is no challenge to us."
"Quite the confidence for a gym leader that shows no sign of training." Lance sniffed curtly. "If you're so tough then lead the way."
"That's what I'm doing." I grumbled under my breath. Of course I showed no signs of training! Because I trained at night when no one was around but ghosts.
In a narrow line we weaved our way through the small town street, beckoning to each other as Gengar swallowed up the signal being released. Toxic fumes wafted from his distress, nearly paralyzing Lance's dopey dragonite. I was trying not to smirk at that, however the fact that I was heading into territory I didn't know of kept me sane. Plus Falkner was still out there at the lake…
When I had run off to find the sound of the two voices we heard I thought Falkner had been right behind me, but then after a moment when I turned and looked back he was nowhere to be seen. Assuming that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, I had kept going until the lake front was lapping at my feet. For a heartbeat I stood, shocked at the violent algae green water that sloshed in the sunlight, and then Gengar had convulsed and wretched as if something had struck him. We took off in search of the cause, reacting on instinct alone until it brought us here.
A souvenir shop?
"Morty you're out of your mind." Lance bared his teeth at me as we all stopped in front of the door in confusion. From inside we could see very concerned man with his hands up in defense as if we were police officers. Hell, we might as well be.
"Guilty face." Gold grinned a wicked smile that could have sent the high heavens aflame. "Morty you're a genius!"
Well I guess the kid wasn't all bad was he? I nodded in response as Lance pushed past and blasted the doors open with his large hands. His face held no pity, no sign of weakness, yet it was all a façade.
Gengar leapt at the intensity of such a signal coming off of this place, spewing a puddle of toxic, purple goo from his mouth and eyes. It wasn't often that he reminded me that he was also a poison type pokemon—but now was one of those times. He looked to be dripping, melting in disgust and trembling with bared teeth. His eyes pierced a nearby pine tree.
The tall dark tree looked innocent at first, with its strong needles and timid pinecones. I almost took Gengar for going crazy while he snarled at it, waiting for my order to attack—as if it would attack back. My eyes narrowed suspiciously, peering through the limbs while Lance's demand for an answer and Gold's shrill laugh cut through the gift shop doors. I rolled my eyes at them, seeing as though they had the wrong idea. Nothing was IN the shop, it was all in this tree outside of the shop.
iThese damn gym leaders better praise me for the rest of my life/i I thought bitterly, snapping my fingers at Gengar. He lunged in an instant, leaving small toxic grass-killing goo behind and then finally flitting away into the ghost he was. I could just make out his shape and shadow as he ascended up the tree to where a well camouflaged antennae was sticking out. He trembled the whole time, but managed to snake a sly finger through the keyhole on a tiny electrical box nailed to the trunk.
"Come on Gengar." I perched my lips as he screeched, flinching away from the electricity. Sparks flew as his shadowy claws pierced the wires inside, and I could only grind my teeth as smoke started to flit from his figure.
"Enough! Enough!" I shook my head when a harsh zap sent him a few branches down on the tree. "Retreat."
The ghost pokemon practically fell down from the smoking tree—an odd green gas that smelt like mildew and old gym socks. I plugged my nose, turning to look back inside the show where Lance and Gold had—disappeared?
I whirled, shouldering the door and making a bell rip from above me. It flew helplessly across the old pine flooring, across the small room until it stuttered to a stop in front of the clerk who was sweating bullets.
"Where did the—
"MORTY!"
A hand gripped me harshly while the voice flashed red. I turned to see the sweeping face of a very feminine and familiar face.
"Silver?" I remembered the name because he was a challenger at my gym. He had beaten me one night after giving me a tongue lashing about not opening my doors until late. At the time I had rolled my eyes and cursed back softly, only to be beaten then. My respect for the kid was higher now that I knew what he was capable of.
"The other gym leader— He—needs help." The foxy redhead panted, looking ragged and waterlogged. It was obvious by the mud plastered to his pants and feet that he had gone into the lake.
"Falkner?" My heart skipped a terrible beat. It was painful and mortifying, like a hiccup in the most dead center, fragile caverns of my heart. "What happened?!" My first instinct was to punch Silver in the face for not telling me before the question was even out of my mouth, but I held back.
"He's fighting the gyarados alone!" Silver wiped a hand across his face, leaving a trail of blood from a large gash in his wrist.
"Fucking—No!" I cursed, slamming the gift shop door closed again. The glass shook, threatening to shatter. I shoved Silver out of my way and took off towards the lake with a terrible sinking feeling.
Silver said Falkner was fighting the Gyrados alone, and the way he said it made it sound as if there were more than one Gyrados. But even worse than that he looked quite frightened and terrified while he said those words. A trainer like Silver shouldn't be afraid unless it was an emergency… so was it?
Dammit.
Why had I assumed Falkner would be smart enough NOT to go head first into danger? Stupid boy, who did he think he was?
I was no stranger to feelings like pain, regret, guilt, but certainly this was a new one for me. Like lust, it was powerful, but not so violent. This gave me horrible images in my head. Falkner, bloody and unmoving in the jaws of a Gyrados. His stupid pride getting him killed while I tore through the trees because I hadn't been there. I imagined myself too late to feel his warm body one more time. This emotion was so strong in me that it actually twisted my stomach in a horrible way. I had never felt this before.
People came and went in others lives, but never mine. I had the ability to see ghosts, and so I never truly lost anyone when they died. However I had never been so absolutely whipped on someone before either. Falkner was my reason now, and the thought of losing him to the afterlife truly disabled me. The blood roared in my ears while I ran, panting, searching the skies for any sign of him flying.
I had never felt this way before…
But my Arceus was it frightening. The thoughts subsided as I drew closer to the lake, and my head filled with one breathy sentence over and over again. I can't lose him… I can't lose Falkner.
I can't lose Falkner…
I love him.