Turning Point, Chapter 34
Silver was inside the Burned Tower. I could hear his footsteps down below, scrambling around to try and avoid me. Other than that, the ruins of the Brass Tower were dead silent, much like my first visit there. If Raikou was also waiting for me down below, I knew I'd need all the help I could get. For that reason, I was thankful Morrigan was at my side. We walked inside slowly, and quietly. If Silver heard us coming, he'd try and make a run for it. I wasn't going to let him get away with Lapras again.
"Star, one of us should stay up here. Actually, I should stay up here." I looked back at Morrigan, who had a Pokeball in her hand. Despite the noise it made, she released another critter, a small black dog I hadn't seen before. It started growling at me, surprisingly.
"Down, boy! This is Howler, another one of my Pokemon. He'll stay here with me, so you can take Doc." The Growlithe at her side looked up at her, and instantly acknowledged her command. He took a spot at my side, while Vulpix was on the other.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, if anything goes wrong, I'll come running. Don't let him get away!" Morrigan gave me a thumbs up, smiling behind her orange-rimmed glasses.
I descended the stairs to the lower floor, with Vulpix walking ahead of me, and Doc covering the rear. There was no sign of Raikou, which calmed my nerves a bit. A few rooms over, I heard a conversation going, but couldn't tell what they were saying. One of the voices came from Silver, but the other wasn't familiar. That is, until I got closer and closer. Then, it hit me. I turned a corner, and came face to face with him. It was Giovanni.
"Well, well," he said, showcasing that evil grin of his. "If it isn't Star. Long time."
"You know her?" Silver was shocked that we had crossed paths before. He didn't know half of it.
"This little brat has been a thorn in my side all summer long. It's amazing, actually: Lance gave up trying to find me some time ago, yet here you are."
"I'm not here for you, Giovanni. I'm here for him!" I pointed towards Silver, who turned back to the man in the suit.
"Oh? And what business would you have with my son?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Silver was Giovanni's son? It couldn't be!
"No way," I said, too stunned to say anything more.
"The family resemblance is strong, wouldn't you agree?" Giovanni looked to be having a blast, while Silver seemed more and more embarrassed. Must not be easy having a father like that.
"I just want my Lapras back!" I finally spat out. "Silver stole it from me in the Union Cave!"
"I didn't steal anything! I found that Pokeball fair and-"
"My son will return your Pokemon." Silver was just as shocked as I was at hearing Giovanni. He turned to the boy next to him, expecting him to relinquish the Pokeball. "Well? Hand it over."
"What? I'm not going to just give it up!" He yelled at his father.
"You will, or I'll take the rest of your Pokemon myself!" Giovanni's voice echoed throughout the place, finally convincing Silver to hand over the Pokeball. He held it in his hands for a moment, waving the item in front of me.
"You will take this Pokeball, Star, and you will leave this place. Do not return here ever again. Do we have a deal?"
Lapras would be back in my possession. It was tempting, to say the least, but I couldn't just walk away from this. Giovanni had been toying with me ever since I first ran into him, and in turn I've been foiling his plans with Team Rocket. Something about him today felt off, too. Why hadn't he released his Pokemon to do battle? Why was he so willing to just let me walk away under the condition I'd not return? Something strange was going on, and I wouldn't walk away again.
"No," I said, standing tall. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Why, why do you insist on interfering with my plans!" Giovanni tightened his grip on the Pokeball in his hands, causing the device to crack slightly. His scream had also drawn the attention of Morrigan, who showed up behind me a moment later. Before she could ask what was going on, Giovanni's anger melted away, and he reverted back to his usual grin.
"Very well. You wish to interfere? Then I'll make you regret your actions."
He placed the Pokeball into his pocket, and pulled out a different one from his other pocket. Nidoking was released from that Pokeball, while Silver released his Croconaw, who was still tired from the beating he had received earlier. I looked over at Morrigan, who nodded. We instantly knew how to win this fight without even breaking a sweat.
"Nidoking, Horn Drill!"
"Croconaw, Crunch!"
The two Pokemon closed in on us, but our critters stepped forward. Between Vulpix, Doc and Howler, the next attack would blow them away. Morrigan and I screamed in unison.
"Flamethrower!"
All three Pokemon opened wide, combining their flames to create a wall of heat and light so powerful, it instantly burned through both Pokemon. Croconaw fell over instantly, but Nidoking still stood, though horribly burnt.
"Howler, Firefang!"
The small black dog leapt onto Nidoking, its blazing fangs digging into the Pokemon's chest. Nidoking let out a harsh cry, and stumbled backwards. That attack did the trick, and Nidoking was out. Both Pokemon were returned, but only Giovanni released another. Silver was apparently out of critters. Giovanni's Rhydon was the next Pokemon out.
"Tell me, Star, what do you gain from this? Why battle me here needlessly?" Giovanni asked, hoping to psych me out.
"You're a criminal. Lance may not be able to do anything about you, but I can. I won't let you and Team Rocket hurt anymore Pokemon!" I released Primeape, who saw the opponent and instantly pumped himself up for battle.
"You intend to stop me? Don't make me laugh! Horn Drill!"
"Primeape, Thrash!"
Morrigan didn't do anything at first, watching alongside me as Primeape held back the larger rock Pokemon with his bare hands. The main difference now, though, was Primeape's anger. He remembered how poorly the first match against this Pokemon was, and he wasn't going to let it be a repeat. Though Rhydon's spinning horn was burning away his hands, Primeape forced the Pokemon back, using all his strength on the horn. We watched as the monkey made a swift motion, and snapped the critter's horn clean off! Primeape dropped it to the ground, and started pounding away at the defenseless and weakened Pokemon. Giovanni could do nothing but watch the carnage. In the back of my mind, I could only think of the pain Giovanni's Pokemon must've been feeling as Primeape continued to beat him into the ground.
It was then that Giovanni turned the tables. He did something so simple, so effective, that he turned the tables on me. He just smiled.
"Bravo, Star. You've become an excellent trainer. Any means necessary to win." I fell for his words.
"Primeape, stop!" I screamed, feeling that pang of guilt for having let Primeape's rage go on as long as it had.
Primeape stopped for a moment to look back at me. Of all the times for him to follow my orders, he had to be obedient now. With his guard down, I watched, as if in slow motion, as Rhydon got up from the ground, picked up its broken horn, and thrust it into Primeape's back. The whole scene seemed to slow down before me.
"Doc, Howler, Double Take Down!"
Morrigan's voice seemed to echo in the void. Her Pokemon rushed the larger Rhydon, slamming into it, and forcing it back against the wall. My Pokemon fell to his knees, but still crawled back to my side, the horn lodged in his back. I heard Giovanni's laughter in the distance. I scrambled for the Super Potion in my bag, but as soon as it was in my hands, it fell down to the ground. I panicked further, and instead tried to find the next one in my bag. Primeape's body stopped moving entirely.
I finally found the medicine, and started spraying it all over the wound on Primeape's back. No matter how much I sprayed, the wound didn't seem to close up or get better. Tears in my eyes started mucking up my vision. Again, the only sounds I could hear were that of Giovanni's laughter. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
"Terrible loss of a good Pokemon. His misfortune to fall into the hands of such a pathetic trainer."
I just sat there, hearing every word Giovanni said, but not moving. I felt Vulpix licking the side of my face, trying to comfort me. I heard Morrigan's screams as she demanded Giovanni surrender. But nothing mattered anymore. I had suffered the ultimate loss as a Pokemon Trainer. And all because I listened to Giovanni.
"No," I finally said, catching everyone's attention. There was a silence in the room. "It's not his fault. It's mine."
"Star? Get a hold of yourself! We need to get them to the police!" Morrigan's voice echoed in my ears, but I couldn't exactly make out what she was trying to tell me. I just sat there, almost as lifeless as Primeape. I felt the shuffling of feet around me, and someone screaming something. I looked up, now only seeing Giovanni standing before me. I felt the tears welled up in my eyes escape down my face.
"May that serve as a warning," he said to me. Much as I didn't want to hear his voice or listen to his words, I did. Morrigan had disappeared, as had Silver. It was just us in the Burned Tower now. I had a chance to take revenge for what he had done to Primeape. With one word, I could order Vulpix to end it all.
The anger brewing in me must've been displayed on my face, because Giovanni's grin only grew wider.
"Do it," he said. It was as if he had been reading my mind. "You'll become a fine member of Team Rocket once you do, even if I'm not around to see it."
I lowered my head. I looked to Vulpix, who had been growling at the man all this time. One word, and the threat that was Giovanni would be over. I'd be responsible for stopping Team Rocket. I'd be a hero.
But I'd also become a murderer. I'd be no different from him. I looked back up at Giovanni, the tears still flowing from my eyes.
"No."
His grin vanished immediately.
"I won't do it," I said to him. "I'd rather you get away again, than I turn into a monster like you."
Giovanni didn't say anything more. I had won.
He left before Morrigan returned to the Burned Tower, through the very same hole in the wall Rebecca had made the day before. She found me slumped by Primeape's body, exactly where she left me.
"Star? Where's Giovanni?" She asked me.
"Gone," I said, pointing to the hole in the wall. "He left a little while ago, I think."
"Damn," Morrigan cursed. I had a feeling she wanted to blame me for letting him go, but she didn't have the heart to do it. That bit of pity she probably had, considering the Pokemon I'd just lost, was what I needed.
"I'm sorry," I said instictively. Morrigan shook her head and wiped a tear from my face.
"It's okay. I've called Nurse Joy, she'll be here soon. Can you stand?"
I nodded, and tried to get up on my own, only to stumble back onto the ground. I laughed a bit, despite scraping my leg on a piece of rubble on the ground.
"Star! Are you alright?" Morrigan grabbed my leg to inspect the damage.
"Guess I can't get up by myself," I said, trying to hold back another cackle. Morrigan looked at me, and all I could do was laugh.
So I laughed. But it didn't take more than a few seconds before those laughs turned into sobs. The weight of what had just happened had finally sunk in. Morrigan did her best to calm me down, until Nurse Joy finally arrived to help.
~o~
They thought I was asleep. But I wasn't.
"She going to be okay, Nurse?" Morrigan asked the third person in the room.
"I honestly don't know," Nurse Joy replied. "She witnessed something no trainer should ever see, let alone a little girl like her. I'm afraid she might have to get some kind of help, maybe even go back home, if it's for the best."
I felt my heart skip a beat. Go home? I couldn't go back yet. There was still so much I needed to do out here in Johto. I couldn't just leave. But still, I remained silent.
"I could've prevented it," Morrigan said. "If only I had seen it sooner, Howler could've stopped the Rhydon from attacking Primeape."
"Blaming yourself now isn't going to help anyone," said Nurse Joy. "When Star wakes up, just try to tell her what happened nice and slow. We won't know the extent of the damage right away."
"What about her leg?"
"The scrape was minor. I cleaned it and patched it right up. She shouldn't have any trouble walking. If you'll excuse me."
I heard Nurse Joy leave the room. Once the door had closed, I opened my eyes. The light from the ceiling bothered me for a moment, but I adjusted quickly. I looked up at Morrigan, who was looking down at me.
"Hey, Star. You been awake for long?" I shook my head, as to not worry her.
"Not long. So my leg is okay?"
"Yeah. You just cut it a little when you fell down. How are you feeling? Do you remember everything that happened earlier?"
I did. Much as I wanted to forget the sight of what happened to Primeape, I couldn't. To forget would be to forget my faithful companion. And I'd never do that to Primeape. I noticed Morrigan panic a little.
"What's wrong?" I asked her. She reached for a tissue on the table nearby.
"You're crying," she said, wiping the tear that had escaped my eye. I hadn't even realized it.
"That's weird. I'm not even sad."
"Star, it's okay. You can tell me how you really feel. Don't keep it bottled up inside, it's not healthy." Morrigan wiped my face again, another tear that had escaped without my knowledge.
"But I'm okay," I said. This time, I felt another tear fall down my cheek when I blinked. I wiped it myself this time. "I know what happened."
Morrigan didn't say anything this time. It gave me time to sort out my own thoughts.
"Primeape is dead, isn't he?" I asked aloud. Morrigan nodded.
"Giovanni got away, didn't he?" Again, Morrigan nodded without saying a word.
"And what happened to Silver?"
"He went running in the chaos. I chased after him, but the little punk was faster than I thought. He got out of the city and headed west, towards Olivine City. When I couldn't catch up to him, I ran back to the Burned Tower. I shouldn't have left you alone back there, not after what had happened."
"I see..." My voice trailed off.
Quite a lot had happened, all at once, no less. I looked around the room for Vulpix, whom I saw sleeping in a chair next to all my stuff. My Pokeball belt had one less critter attached to it. A painful reminder, but I couldn't let that one failure, tragic though it might have been, be the end of everything I had been working for. I sat upright on the bed.
"What time is it?"
"Umm... close to seven, I think? Why?" Morrigan checked the watch on her wrist to be sure, but I was already getting off the bed. Actually, I nearly hurt myself on the way down. Didn't expect the hospital bed to be so high up.
"Star? Where are you going?" Morrigan asked, moving to prevent me from leaving the room.
"The bathroom," I said. "I really need to go!"
~o~
The next morning, I awoke with renewed determination. It was scary how effective a single night's worth of sleep and rest was for me. Still, I had little time to waste. I was on a mission still: to catch Silver and get back my Lapras. Primeape would've wanted me to finish that little errand, after all.
And speaking of Primeape, there was one final task that needed doing here in Ecruteak. With Morrigan's help, I put Primeape to rest at last. She had done me the favor of preparing a spot near the Burned Tower the day before. Once the deed was done, and I was looking at Primeape's grave, I couldn't help but cry a little. It was so final, to be looking directly at his grave. But I couldn't let it get me down.
"So you're going after him?" Morrigan asked me on the edge of the city. I nodded.
"He still has my Pokemon. I won't let him get away again."
"Be careful out there, Star. And don't push yourself, okay? I know you say you're doing fine, but-"
"Don't worry about me," I cut her off. Morrigan was a nice person and all, but when she was being overly protective, it just didn't suit her. "Thank you, for everything you did while I was here."
"No problem! You ever need another Pokemon's grave dug, I'm your girl!"
A tense silence hovered over us both in the seconds to follow. I honestly couldn't believe she had just made that joke. Morrigan went a bit pale once it sank in.
"Uhh..." She struggled to find something to say. I burst out laughing.
"That was a good one!" I said between the giggles.
"I-If you say so..." Morrigan looked away, still ashamed of the distasteful joke. And most distasteful it was.
"Well, I should get going. Goodbye, Morrigan." I offered her a handshake.
"Good luck out there. Hope you find that little punk."
I turned around and started towards Olivine City. Once my back was turned on her, I let out a heavy sigh. I didn't want to leave Morrigan on a sad note, so I did my best to cheer myself up. Vulpix did her best to help me, too, as she licked my face a few times.