Chapter Twenty-Nine -- Vacillate
"Mr.Koguu am I right?" Ryuu questioned, he took the poke'gear from Ivory for a split second before her new tears landed on it. Yet now his life – more so his hands – were in jeopardy.
"GIMME MY PG!" Alas, Ivory nicknamed the darn thing PG. The poke'gear was swiped out of his hands faster than he had snatched it from hers. Instead of fighting over it, he settled down comfortably beside her, the speaker was loud enough for him to hear five feet away anyway.
"Daddy!?" Ivory hugged the gear, Ryuu feared for its life but did not dare reach for it.
"Don't break it!" Ryuu hissed, Kameko and Ivory's other pokemon watched and listened with curiosity.
"Chill," Ivory replied.
"Who are you with Ivory?" Dale questioned, his voice crackling slightly.
"His name's Ryuu, he's been helping me since after I left Daddy," Ryuu took note of how she said 'Daddy'. Like she thought she would never say it again…her tongue, cheeks and teeth were easy on it like it was a delicate thread connecting her to Dale that would easily snap if she wasn't careful. Ryuu resisted wrapping his arms around her shoulders in means of comfort.
Dale sighed with relief and further worry.
"Where are you?"
"Don't say anything," Ryuu whispered in her ear, she understood without argument. Not only could their conversation be tapped into by unknown detection technology of Team Rocket's, but also they could be on the other line trying to gain information through her father…oh no…
"Daddy?" her voice was strong, but her heart quivered.
"Yes?"
"I have to go,"
"Okay, I understand."
The poke'gear beeped off, Ivory continued to stare at its blank screen a few minutes afterwards. Kameko looked toward the other pokemon, they too held a sad face. Panther pawed at her ankle with large eyes.
"What made you shut it off?" Ryuu asked carefully, like Ivory, his thoughts revolved around similar situations her father could be in, but unlike Ivory, he had more ideas on the matter. He just wanted to hear hers.
"What if Team Rocket was trying to trace us through him?" she muttered, he had to strain his ears to hear her.
"What if that wasn't even your father?" he said it without thinking her azure eyes turned on him faster than any pokemon's could have. Her eyebrows furrowed and her soft lips tightly pressed against each other.
If he knew where her father was or even if he was still alive he would have given her that information at that very moment just to stop her from looking at him like that.
"Think about it," he quickly added, "How would he have gotten Marina Dani's poke'gear number?"
"Why are you so insensitive?" her voice was still strong, but it was lacking fiber, it was lacking emotion – she was going numb.
"I didn't mean it like that…I was just saying-"
"Without thinking," she cut in curtly; she looked away, trying to busy her focus on something else.
"What if they found him…what if they USED him then killed him…what if-" Ryuu couldn't stand it, the mean spirit inside him fled as his arms instinctually brought her to his chest. As she sobbed quietly into his shirt, like the two he had called sisters had once done, it scared him. It ripped open a wound that never properly healed within his own heart, her thoughts were exactly as his had been when Aubrey and Catherine had gone missing…
He clenched his eyes shut as he attempted to block off the memory.
Off in the distance a lone figure stood in a black kimono. Over the years her form had matured since her battle with Ash Ketchum, her hair was still short, but lacked the gloss from two years ago. Her eyes were tired and her skin pale, she folded her hands up into her sleeves.
Sabrina, I see why she has intrigued you so… Erika thought with a mental sigh, she withdrew her hand and in between her fingers were three minimized poke'balls.
Maybe she can bring life back into this gym…into me… after ten more minutes her hand hid away back into her sleeves before she retreated into shady ferns beyond their small refuge.
Panther's ears twitched, but when he looked back at the bushes he saw no one. He frowned, he could have sworn he heard footsteps…
Ryuu and Ivory hadn't broken apart yet, but didn't seem like they would for a while. They seemed so comfortable, but neither was looking the other in the eye. Instead, Ivory's eyelids drooped as Ryuu lightly stroked her head.
Change was good.
Sylvia raised a brow, unaware of what she just walked into she cleared her throat.
Ryuu stifled a snarl in the eleven-year-old's direction as Ivory practically leaped out of his embrace. Her face blazed a deep crimson as she attempted to gather her thoughts.
"What is it?" Ryuu said coolly, Sylvia frowned. Dot sat in her arms comfortably.
"Team Rocket's near, Erika-san sent me to tell you to be prepared, they're armed." Ryuu's glare turned into a firm frown while the blush evaporated from Ivory's face.
"Who is leading them?" she asked, Sylvia looked up in thought.
"We're not sure," she replied.
"It's important that we know," Ivory growled as she returned her pokemon to their balls.
Depending on whom was leading the mission their fight could rage in various ways. In the past, at Cerulean Team Rocket was led by Tyson (supposedly) and he had organized an all out siege. By this, they could assume he was temperamental and headstrong, alas he was an executive so he still shouldn't be taken lightly. Even reckless people can summon miracles.
"Look, I don't know, if Erika knew she probably would've told me." Sylvia claimed, Ivory snorted and Ryuu's brows rose into his hair. Since when did Ivory snort? Perhaps she was growing assertive or indifferent?
"Whatever, what does she want us to do?" Ivory snapped, obviously the whole chain of events from her father's "voice" to Team Rocket's untimely decision to appear to Sylvia's tongue was ticking her off. Ryuu suddenly felt like the adult that had to settle this dispute among these children.
"Does she want us to do anything specific?" asked Ryuu lightly; he didn't want to trigger anything in Ivory now. Sylvia narrowed her eyes.
"Stay put and not do anything stupid." Sylvia replied, Ivory's cheeks flushed out of anger.
"Is that you speaking or Erika?" Ivory snarled, Ryuu put a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, I just like giving out orders. I'm joking though, she wants to see Ryuu, I'm supposed to escort him there and you…" she pointed at Ivory, "She wants you to battle her."
Ivory was surprised out of her fury.
"Huh?"
"She wants to battle you in a gym battle," Sylvia repeated, "duh!"
"Well, why? Now?"
"Of course not now! There's a bunch of Team Rockets heading our way!" Ivory believed if Sylvia stuck her nose any higher in the air Aldara might mistake it as a good place to perch. Ivory was horribly tempted to release her to try out her theory, but alas, decided to behave and her hand stopped itching for Aldara's ball.
"What does she want me to do during the fight then?" Ivory questioned, Ryuu had this deep, and sinking feeling this might not end well.
"What could you do during any fight against Team Rocket? They don't resort to pokemon battling as much as they used to, honestly, could you hold your own against fully arm Rockets?"
"Could you?"
"Yeah, I know how to use guns,"
"You kill pokemon with those guns?" Ivory asked, hardly believing what she was hearing, the naïve Sylvia shrugged.
"It's either me or the pokemon," Sylvia stated simply, Ivory felt her ears turn blister-red.
Ryuu's eyes had gone wide when Ivory lunged at Sylvia.
"THEY DIDN'T CHOOSE THE FATE THEY'RE IN YOU BRAT!" Ivory cried, Ryuu snapped out of his stupor and ran to her. He attempted to pry her away from Sylvia but to no use, Ivory was bent on gouging her eyes out.
"HOW COULD YOU KILL AN INNOCENT POKEMON!?" Ivory continued, eyes glistening again. Images of the venemoth and Diamondpelt at their time of massive abuse raced into her vision, Sylvia tried to claw back.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY GO THROUGH! THEY'RE TORTURED! PUNCTURED! RIPPED! EXPERIMENTED ON! YOU THINK THEY'RE WORTHLESS AND YOU CAN JUST KILL THEM!? YOU'RE MORE TERRIBLE THAN TEAM ROCKET YOU PIECE OF CRAP!" Ryuu finally lifted her off of Sylvia; both sporting savage scratch marks from one anothers nails. Sylvia felt as if Ivory had slugged her ten times, perhaps she had – Ryuu was too busy with Ivory to worry what they were doing to each other.
"Brat," Ivory hissed as Ryuu placed her on her feet.
"Ivory," he hissed back, "Act your age,"
Ivory glanced at him with a deeper glare than she had before; hurt and betrayal swam in her azure orbs.
"Thanks for the help," she grunted gruffly, she readjusted her shirt. "I'm going to be a good girl and go to my room, don't bug me." With that, Ivory left the two. She left Ryuu frozen; he didn't even offer Sylvia a hand as she stood up on her own. She brushed off her pants and Dot, who had been thrown from Sylvia's grasp, stared up at her trainer with pain in her expression.
Ryuu sighed.
"Girls," Sylvia snorted at the comment he made.
"We're not all as nasty as she is, c'mon, Erika is waiting." Sylvia was rubbing a long red scratch along her chest when Ryuu peered over at her.
"What does she want Ivory to do?" Ryuu asked, he felt as if he had been asking this question one too many times.
"Probably drown in our garden's pond," Sylvia said sharply. Ryuu rolled his eyes.
Who was she to demand of anything of her? The brat was two years younger than she was for cryin' out loud! Ivory was infuriated beyond belief, in a few short hours the feeling would blow off, but that wouldn't be anytime near Team Rocket's attack. Ivory didn't want to see, hear heck work alongside Sylvia! Forget Erika, let the two of them battle and Ivory will show her who's boss!
"I hate kids," Ivory growled to herself, "I'm never having any,"
Oof! Ivory was too busy looking down and being blinded by her fury to realize someone was in front of her. She bumped into the body and quickly stepped back to catch herself.
"Oops, sorry," she growled bluntly, then she looked at the person's feet – enclosed in soft geta sandals, above that was the hem of a colorful kimono.
"I see, you must be Ivory Koguu." A feather-soft, but experienced voice entered through her ears. Ivory looked up at the face of Erika, the Celadon Gym leader.
"And you Erika," Ivory replied without missing a beat, Erika smiled.
"You've been traveling as a new forbidden trainer have you not? You must have spirit, I do wish to battle you." Said Erika.
"So I've been told," Ivory stated, trying not to sound rude. Erika scanned her form.
"Were you in a fight?"
"Recently, but it's not important." Ivory hoped she would drop the topic, now that the adrenaline was dying, she was finding the whole scenario humiliating. Why did she launch at Sylvia like that? She wasn't proving to be anymore grown up than Sylvia by pulling something so immature.
Erika's eyes softened.
"You're eyes are growing deep for someone so young," Erika claimed as they made eye contact. Ivory couldn't help but look away.
"If it's a battle you want, we can do so later. What about Team Rocket?"
"No, we need to battle now."
"Now? Are you insane-"
"Release your pokemon, it will be a three-on-three match."
"What!? I'm confused we're going to be attacked!"
"We won't win unless the best trainers have their focus!" Erika claimed, as if scolding Ivory for her stupidity. Focus? What was she ranting about? She held up a minimized ball, with her thumb it grew to it's larger form.
"Choose! Now! Go!" She threw the ball and quickly, Ivory ran ten feet away, the light vanished and in its place stood a victreebel. Ivory clenched her teeth; a fire pokemon would do better against Erika.
"Go! Blaze!" The charmander appeared before the grass pokemon Erika smirked.
"A Fire type? How predictable, just as he had done." Erika recalled.
"You really want a battle in a hallway?" Ivory asked as she looked around her, her room was naught but in the center between Victreebel and Blaze. Erika nodded.
"Any place is for battle, Victreebel! Razor Leaf!"
"Blaze! Flamethrower!"
The leaves were burned to crisps as soon as Blaze's flame engulfed them; the flame continued unto Victreebel was too. Erika didn't appear worried in the slightest, for a brief moment Ivory feared she was using very high-leveled pokemon in which she didn't have a chance!
"Vine Whip!" Out of the fire rose a single vine; it slapped at Blaze, successfully flinging him into a wall.
"Blaze!" Victreebel appeared burned, but still stood. The vice protruded from behind its large mouth, it went to slap at Blaze again.
"Hurry and get up! Bite the vine!" Blaze's jaw was knocked to the side as the vine smacked him into the floor. Ivory gasped.
"Bite it!" As the vine slithered closer Blaze did, Erika's gaze darkened.
"Draw it in Victreebel!" Ivory watched as Blaze clung on to the vine like a magikarp to an old rod's line. The victreebel poised Blaze over it's gaping mouth as if about to eat it. From the way Erika was acting, Ivory wouldn't put it past her to allow her pokemon to feast on hers.
"Flamethrower into its mouth!" Ivory demanded, Blaze let go and instantly exhaled a mouthful of flames into the unsuspecting Victreebel. Erika flinched as the victreebel sagged into a miserable weed charred to the ovary. Blaze jumped away as soon as his paws hit the floor, he gave Ivory a high-five.
"Good job Blaze!"
Erika returned her pokemon and replaced it with another.
"You have yet to win Miss Koguu," she released a tangela. Blaze growled, he was growing restless but Ivory couldn't imagine why.
"Sleep Powder!" Erika ordered Tangela shook its body enclosed in vines sprayed blue powder that closed in around Blaze.
"No! Blaze cover your nose and mouth!" Blaze did so, but to no avail, the powder seemed to sink into his skin and put him into a deep slumber.
"Blaze!"
"Constrict!" Tangela summoned three vines and squeezed them around the sleeping pokemon. Ivory was disturbed she wasn't even given the chance to switch pokemon.
"Erika! What are you playing at?" Erika didn't respond.
"Erika! This isn't a game!"
"Team Rocket seems to think so, tell me Miss Koguu, what are you going to do?" Erika asked pleasantly, Ivory winced. Tangela continued to constrict Blaze's airways, slowly, but surely killing him.
"Blaze! Wake up! We CAN'T lose!" She didn't know why, but they couldn't. It was much more than ambition, losing meant taking Blaze away from her. Cecil was enough; she wasn't about to let him down.
"Blaze! Cecil would want you to wake up and win this!" Ivory's words seemed to fall on deaf ears, his face was turning colors, it was no longer a healthy orange.
"BLAZING HEART!" Blaze's eyes snapped, they disappeared into the white light that suddenly emerged from his skin. Ivory and Erika both gasped as he grew larger, the claws sharper and flame brighter.
"Charmeleon!" The glowing stopped, Blaze evolved!
"Awesome!" Ivory cried, Erika grasped her mouth with one hand.
"Break out of it! You can do it!" Encouraged Ivory, the vines around Blaze's new red body shook, a ripping noise began to emit from the strength building up against Tangela's vines. In a split second, the vines were torn and Tangela withdrew them in tears. The charmeleon landed gracefully on the floor before Ivory. Blaze as a charmander had been a sweet thing with baby-like features, but now that he has matured, it seemed muscle had formed along each limb, even his tail looked strong enough to crack a rock!
His eyes did not hold the sad, despaired emotion he had as a charmander; they contained a passion for battle. A passion to make his previous trainer proud no matter where he was now.
"Char!" He released a vivid flame with a sharp roar; Ivory couldn't help but grin.
Erika smiled as she returned Tangela, Ivory and Blaze looked at her; baffled.
"There is no need to battle further, our focus has returned." Erika said as the poke'ball vanished into her sleeves.
"Does this mean you're not sadistic anymore and we can take on Team Rocket now?" asked Ivory, Erika laughed softly.
"No," she said, "You're taking on Team Rocket,"
A/N:
Hullo! I've been updating my profile, so go and visit it! I'm going to try keeping you guys updated on my plans for present and future fics and what's going on about 'em.
Aspen
