{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{
Hello, readers! Hope you all are have a great summer. A lot have stuff in this story has been building up lately, and I think this chapter brings things just a litter bit more together. It's kind of ironic that it's now this chapter is posted- in less than an hour, I will no longer be a teenager. Weird turning points. Anyway...
obsessed-beyond-reason2001- You'll see. :) Also, can I just call you OBR or something? Your name is so long!
ChaosAngel4us- Yay 'bout FMA! No matter what happens to Mel, he will not be dropping out of the story. I'm way too attached.
The One Nobody Remembers- Glad you're enjoying the story. My editor and I were soooo happy you found the website useful! I'll have to tell my editor to keep updating it! For those who don't know, my editor turned the April Fool's Day website from a couple chapters ago into an info website for this story. Check it out!
A SUPER thanks to my editor for putting up with me through this chapter. Lots and lots of revisions.
And of course, thank you readers! It's you people who keep me writing.
Without further ado...
Previously on An Apple A Day:
Anita, Erin, Jake, Mel, and Liam arrive in Vintage Village, and decide to spend the night with Liam's family friend, Lily Smith, who lives in an orphanage. This works out nicely because Mel is to be adopted (Its technically illegal for kids under the age of thirteen to be traveling without adult supervision). During the stay at the orphanage, Fiery confronts Apple, saying he know Apple is not an Eevee and asks what, exactly, she is. When she tells him she's Mew, he doesn't believe her. Splash finds a lightening stone on Lily's desk and evolves into Jolteon.
Meanwhile, the gym leaders are attempting to track the missing dark gym leader, last seen by ice gym leader Nai Shivicle in Winsk City. Sparky, the electric gym leader wants to adopt Mel.
Jamie Arkle, assistant to the Master, was spotted by Liam on his way to Hoenn. He is supposedly burying his dead mother. Rita Teal is temporarily left in charge of Team Glop'emm, and the Master is still researching how to destroy Mew.
In the middle of the night, Anita hears something outside. When she looks, she sees Liam using a device to force a Ditto to transform.
}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Chapter 35: Mendol Muddle
Skampi dove from the air back onto my shoulder as I walked through the Slateport City market. A crowd of people bustled about me—businessmen in dark suits muttering into phones, young women admiring vendors' jewelry, children weaving between legs playing tag. Skampi pointed a wing to my right, and I immediately turned in the direction the Togekiss was pointing, knocking a kid down onto the gravel ground.
I kept walking. The crowd was moving perpendicular to me.
"Getch'ya Calcium on sale. Getch'ya Calcium!" a woman wearing a repugnant stained apron yelled from behind a wooden stand. "You, sir, with the strange white Pokemon on your shoulder—"
I sneered at the woman and she fell silent.
"Hey, you hear a ship came in from Acceber today breaking another record time?" Two men in matching clean-cut beige work uniforms fell in step behind me. The one closer to my left said, "I'm telling you, whoever came up with the idea to use Starmie as a physical, psychic, and water propulsion system was a genius. The ships can travel in a few hours what used to take days!"
"Yeah, I hear that ship was one of Devon Corporation's prototypes."
Please. These people had no idea of the advancements in Pokemon technology systems. If it weren't for power source costs, there'd be teleportation devices between each region.
Just as I was exiting the market area, I felt a tug on my pants. Why wouldn't these irritating people leave me alone? A small girl with curly pigtails stood by my legs. "What type of Pokemon is that?" she asked. The girl's legs were so thin I thought they could snap at any moment. I was tempted to kick her knees to find out.
Instead, I brushed past the girl out of the market and strode down less crowded the street.
Information in Hoenn apparently was more readily available than information in Acceber. All of Slateport City's records were conveniently stored in public databases located within the city hall, which was open twenty-four seven. There were only four men with the last name Mendol living in the city, only one of which had lived here more than four years.
"Toge!"
I stopped walking. In front of me was a brick building covered in large, glass windows. A sign in front of the building read, "Devon Corporation." I reached into my pocket, unfolded, and smoothed the small piece of paper I had written the address on. Yes, this is where Don Mendol worked.
I returned Skampi to his Pokeball, and released Porygon2. "Have the video of Liam Mendol and his DNA sequence acquired by Carly Goldenthrill ready for comparison," I ordered, holding out my wrist.
Porygon2 nodded and its body narrowed as it warped into the PokeTech on my wrist, a device invented by Devon Corporation.
Team Glop'emm's obnoxious head of research had modified the PokeTech to have both a DNA and image scanner, making the little device twice as useful and probably more expensive than the money put into the record-breaking ship I'd sailed here on. Of course, I'd never admit aloud that the bitch had actually created something beneficial.
I entered the building and located the directory behind the ostentatious fountain in the lobby and located Don Mendol's office in the directory by the stairs.
As I climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, dragging my fingers across the roughly painted handrail, I wondered if this Don Mendol really could be related to the Master. Perhaps he'd know the Master's whereabouts.
Or if he was close enough to the Master, he could be a useful hostage at some point. Unlikely—the Master didn't appear to care about anyone—except for his detective, maybe. He seemed to trust the twerp, at the very least. Another viable hostage.
I had been surprised to see Liam Mendol as I left Vintage Village. Was the Master having him watch me?
Yes, I would definitely ask about Liam Mendol and his relationship with the Master. The Master had said they were related, and their green eyes indicated that this might be the case. Why would he even mention the fact that they were related in the first place? To explain the Master's unusual trust?
Whatever the case, if Don Mendol was in fact a relative of the Master, he would surely have useful information. Knowing an enemy thoroughly was the only way to bring about defeat.
It wasn't long before I located Don Mendol's office on the fourth floor. A woman with thick arms sat at the secretary's desk typing on a computer. She seemed to radiate a syrupy rose stench.
"Excuse me, Miss…" My eyes roamed her desk for a name. When none was found, I gave her a brief smile. "I'd like to see Don Mendol."
The secretary didn't look up from her computer. "He's not here. Would you like to make an appointment for next week?"
"Where is he?"
"Rustburo. He's returning tomorrow morning, but obviously he won't be in on a Saturday. Now, would you like to make an appointment for next week?"
I looked past the woman to Don's office. My eyes narrowed in on a picture frame hanging directly next to the door. I walked around the secretary's desk to get a closer look. She gave me a fleeting glance, then snorted and turned back to her computer.
In the photograph there were six people standing in front of a fireplace. I immediately recognized Velcan Mendol though I had only seen his face a handful of times. By the time I met him, he had wrinkles in the corners of his eyes and looked far more worn. Of course, I remembered him most vividly as I saw him through my Hypno's mind just before she killed him—his chest rising and falling rapidly in his sleep, as if he knew he was about to die.
At least I knew now that this Don Mendol was indeed related to the Master.
Next to Velcan was another woman. She was wearing a light green dress and had an arm hooked around Velcan's. I recognized her round face and grey-green eyes from a picture I'd occasionally seen on Velcan's desk. This was his wife.
Don must be the man on the far right with a mustache wearing a sports jacket. I assumed the brown-haired woman next to him was his wife.
Between the two couples were two toddlers, who could have been twins. Both had black hair and bright green eyes. Liam Mendol and the Master?
"Porygon2," I murmured, holding my PokeTech up to scan the frame and indicating my Pokemon should begin the comparative picture analysis with previous snapshots taken of Liam Mendol.
"Office is closing," the secretary said pointedly. I imagined turning around and bashing her head into the computer until I couldn't see where the computer started and her chin ended. Ignoring the urge, I left the office without a word.
My PokeTech beeped as I walked down the hall. Analysis Complete. I examined the results.
That couldn't be right.
Tomorrow, I'd have to have a word with Don Mendol.
o o o o o o o o o o o
"Shit, shit, shit," I swore, stumbling away from the window. Liam had some whacked device that could untransform Pokemon. He had to be chasing Mew.
Okay, Anita, think. I had to stay calm and get Apple out of here. {Apple,} I called, sending my mind into the backyard. {Wake up. Liam knows you're Mew—I'll explain everything, but we have to leave now. Get Fiery and the other Eevees. Actually, on second thought, stay where you are. I'll come to you in a minute.}
{Wha—Anita?}
{You heard me, Apple. And be quiet. There can't be any noise that Liam might hear—he's in the front yard now. One minute, Apple.}
I scrambled to the basement door, crept down the stairs, and grabbed my pack. On my way back up the stairs, I reached my mind to check if the Ditto was still outside. If the Pokemon was, Liam would be, too. As soon as my mind touched the Ditto's, I doubled over in pain—my head spun, knives sticking through my chest. I leaned against the wall, drawing back my mind. It was the Ditto's pain. Forced transformation, apparently, was painful.
Breathing heavily, I pushed off the wall and continued up the stairs. I immediately made for the sliding doors, but paused when I saw Lily's cat, Dewey. As the cat's eyes followed me across the room, an idea came to me.
It wouldn't do to underestimate Liam. I wasn't sure if he'd be able to hear the sliding doors open or my steps on the grass, but he could be ridiculously observant. I needed a distraction.
I'd never tried this before, but if I could mess with human dreams and walk around in Apple's head, giving instinctive suggestions to an animal didn't seem too far of a stretch. I only hoped my powers were working enough to do it.
I touched my mind to Dewey's, imagining Liam shaking two cooked fish in front of him outside. I imagined the smoky scent and tried to enforce the idea that these fish would be mouthwateringly delicious. I showed Dewey the route to Liam—from the kitchen into the hallway, and through the little cat flap to the front yard.
When Dewey stared blankly at me for a moment, I thought my plan had failed. Then, with a sharp hiss, Dewey frantically ran to the kitchen. I opened the sliding door only after I heard the cat flap flutter.
I tentatively reached out to the Ditto's mind, prepared to pull out if there was any pain. Through the Ditto's eyes, I saw Liam turning around in surprise as Dewey leapt at him. Grinning, I stepped outside and closed the sliding door. The Pokemon were scattered about the yard, sleeping in clusters. I spotted all of my Pokemon cuddling near the back fence. I shivered slightly at the chilly breeze and pulled out their PokeBalls—except for Apple's, of course, because she didn't have a PokeBall.
Apple perked up her head from behind Fiery. {What are we going to do?}
{First, we just have to get out of here,} I said, running across the yard and returning my Pokemon to their Pokeballs. {Come on. Over the fence.}
Apple took a running start to jump the fence. I climbed over after her, not trusting in my ability to create psychic step barriers despite my earlier successes with telepathy.
{This way, toward the pier,} I said, taking off. I ran like there was a killer chasing us, which very well could be the case when Liam saw we left.
{Anita, we need a plan.}
{Find a ship or water Pokemon heading away from Vintage Villiage and leave.} My feet pounded against the gravel. The impact strained my knees so I widened my stride, trying to take fewer steps.
{That makes us look a hundred percent suspicious. Plus, then what about Erin and Mel? You can't just leave and not tell them anything.}
{If it keeps you safe, I can. We can go hide out somewhere and train 'til we know you're strong enough to take down Liam and anyone else who wants to capture and destroy or use you. We can start in Apoosh forest—}
{Okay, first of all, what proof do you have that Liam wants to destroy me—}
I showed Apple what I'd seen through the window. {He's obviously been tracking you. And now he can untransform you with that…thingy! What else could he want besides destroying or using you to get power?} The pier was in sight now, but I couldn't see any people or Pokemon among the docked boats. I turned, dashing down the road that ran alongside the water while Apple easily kept pace beside me.
{While it's highly suspicious that a Ditto delivered that device to him, it might just be something for his research. Plus, even if he knows I'm Mew and that device was delivered to him because of me, that still doesn't mean he wants to destroy me.}
{What else could he want with you?}
{To catch me. I mean, I don't have a Pokeball. And that's pretty common—people trying to find and catch legendaries.}
Panting, I glared at Apple, not even bothering to say the obvious.
{Chill. I'm your Pokemon. Now, back to the subject of what we're doing… We are not going to become hermits in the middle of Apoosh forest. Come up with a better plan. One that involves figuring out what Liam actually wants with me, if I'm what he's actually after.}
{That would involve seeing him again and putting you in danger, which I don't intend to do.}
It was Apple's turn to glare. {Well, you better start intending. Seriously, I'm not living away from hotdogs and air conditioning.}
I looked over the water for any signs of life, but only saw waves splashing gently against the shore. The water sparkled in the moonlight. I looked to my right. We were almost beyond the village, and Mint Mountain towered high above us. The mountain Apple's predecessor fell from, where he burst into flames… Flames. Fire. {Apple, are there any dangerous fire Pokemon around the base of Mint Mountain?}
{None that we're going to see. I mean there're a few Magmars that sometimes wander near the base, but they wouldn't normally go anywhere near the ocean so—okay, wait, why? That was oddly specific…}
{And Fiery knows you're Mew?} I suddenly stopped running, resting my hands on my knees. Apple skidded and turned around. I eyed the water again. Beyond the water in the sky, the moon was but a small crescent, and Vintage Village sure wasn't giving off any light.
{Well, I'm not sure he actually believes me.}
I pulled out Fiery's Pokeball and in a flash of red, Fiery appeared in front of me. {Alright, Apple, you trust me, right?}
Apple nodded. Behind her, the water almost glowed.
{Okay then, don't move.} The wind felt good against my neck and arms, a relief after all that running. I pointed a finger toward Apple. "Fiery, use Flamethrower. Strongest you've got!"
o o o o o o o o o o o o o
ERIN, DON'T BE A BUM! ANSWER THE POKETECH! HA, HA, HA! ERIN, DON'T BE A BUM! ANSWER THE POKETECH! HA, HA, HA! ERIN—
I groggily reached into my pack and pressed a button on my PokeTech to turn off the ring. "What?" I grumbled, pulling the PokeTech out of the bag and placing it by my pillow.
"Erin, it's Anita—"
I glanced at the PokeTech. Below a screen with Anita's face surrounded by flames, the time read, 4:06 a.m. "Go back to bed, Anita," I said, closing my eyes.
"Erin!"
I bolted up in my bed and looked over at Anita's sleeping bag. It was empty. So was Liam's. I glanced around the room and found Liam's green eyes flashing at me from where he sat at the bottom of the stairs. I followed his gaze to my PokeTech.
On the screen, Anita was standing in front of a rocky terrain covered in flames and scorched stones. Her hair was frizzing and she looked pretty freaked out, though not nearly as much as when Apple disappeared. She must have been holding her PokeTech away from her body because I could see a lump of shivering blankets in her arms. "Erin, I did something really stupid."
"I think I can see that," I mumbled, frowning.
"Look, I don't have a lot of time. We were attacked by Magmar—"
"Where are you?" I asked, sitting up in my sleeping bag. I spoke quietly to avoid waking up Lily, Freddie, Jake, and Mel. "What are you doing?"
Anita grumbled something and pulled the bundle of blankets closer to her side. "I needed to train my Pokemon for the next gym and I wanted to get a head start tonight… We didn't want to wake anyone up and needed some space so we went to the outskirts of Mint Mountain." As Anita gestured behind her, I noticed her hand was covered in soot. "It was dumb. As soon we started practicing, some wild powerful Magmar attacked and I couldn't… My powers, they're still not…" Anita lifted the cover of a blanket in her arms. Apple lay in the blankets, her fur burnt and ears down, trembling against her head. "I went to the Pokemon Center here, but you saw it wasn't really up to date—the lady said to go to Artemis or Tinted Town for better care. I think Apple might've broken a paw."
"So you're leaving?"
Anita nodded. "She needs care ASAP. I gave her a burn heal, but it'll only relieve the pain temporarily."
"Where are you headed? Do you need Griffy?"
"Artemis. I saw some Lanturn near the pier, and I'll get a ride with them or with some other water Pokemon."
I nodded. "Got it." I glanced at Liam, who was still watching the PokeTech intently. "Want Liam or me to come with you now? One of us has to stay for Mel, but…"
"No time."
"Okay, we'll be right behind you tomorrow."
"I have to go." Anita hesitated. "Tell Mel I say goodbye. And sorry. We should've all told him together."
I tried to smile comfortingly, though I'm not sure how much of my face she could see in this dark basement. "We'll handle it. See ya in Artemis."
"Thanks, Erin. Bye." The screen went black. I sighed and looked over at Liam. He leaned his back against the wall and rested his elbows against his knees, sitting on the bottom step. "What're you doing over there?" I whispered.
Liam shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."
"Are you okay? You look kind of upset."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Did Apple look okay?"
"Not really, but I've seen worse. I don't know what the hell Anita was thinking, going off like that."
"I know. Unusual."
I lied back down, pulling the sleeping bag up to my shoulders. "Not really. That's just Anita. Always getting herself or us into situations. 'Night, Liam."
"Goodnight."
o o o o o o o o o o o o o
I picked up the empty syringe, examining it in the faint moonlight coming through the window. The glass case of the syringe was easily wide enough to hold three of my fingers.
Normally, I would leave this type of job to Rita or Jamie, but due to Rita's recent lack of initiative to complete projects in a timely fashion, Jamie's disappearance to Hoenn, and my lack of time, I'd have to do it myself. I had Rita request that Tal teleport the necessary materials to me immediately.
"Bend the circuit board to the exact size of the glass case," I ordered. The Alakazam's shadow fell across me as the he reached a claw out for the circuit board on the table. The circuit board floated toward the glass case and then began to bend in the air.'
I turned my attention to the syringe's needle. It was a solid needle—the type one might find in a sewing kit, only thinner—not the type of needle that allowed for the flow of fluid. It was a conductor, and thus should prove effective under the circumstances.
Everything led to this needle tip.
All the complicated circuitry, the clever design, the energy—
All to a single sharp point.
"This is pathetic. You didn't even teach your Machamp Foresight," a boy in a long dark cloak said, his green eyes glinting under the cloak's hood. He stood in an indoor arena, across from a tall teenage boy with long, curly blonde hair. In front of the teenager, a Machamp squatted, resting all four of his fists on the ground out of fatigue. A Spiritomb hovered nearby, grinning. "Finish this, Spiritomb. Shadow ball."
Little wisps of the Spiritomb's body swirled into tight balls and then shot at the Machamp. In a last ditch effort to protect himself, the Machamp lifted his hands in front of his body. The collision pushed the Machamp back, and the Pokemon fell to the tiled floor, knocked out.
"Acting Gym Leader Mendol is the winner!" the referee declared.
From the stands, a man with dark brown hair combed to cover a bald spot stood up. He was wearing a long white lab coat. "I can see why Velcan left you in charge of the gym. You're quite good," the man said.
"No. So far, they've just been bad. Training their Pokemon to be stronger without even the slightest thought of strategy," the boy answered. He looked up at the man. "Any word from him, Jamie?"
The challenger stomped toward the referee. "Hey, this isn't fair! He's like an eight-year old! He's not the gym lead—"
"I am the gym leader here in Velcan Mendol's absence. If you can't even beat me, what makes you think you can beat him? You lost, now get out." The boy pointed toward the exit.
When the blond teen made no move to leave, the boy pulled out a Pokeball. In a flash of red, a Mightyena appeared. "Notal," the boy said. "Please escort this kid out." Notal growled and took a step toward the teen.
"I'm older than—" The Mightyena took another step forward. "Um, yeah." The teenager stumbled backward, then turned around and fled to the exit.
"I haven't heard from Velcan. I came to see if you had," Jamie said. "A man from Hoenn called Team Glop'emm's emergency line, but he refused to talk to anyone but the Master."
"Hoenn?" The cloaked boy returned his Mightyena and Spiritomb to their Pokeballs.
Suddenly, the gym doors burst open. A man with soaked black hair, a drenched cloak, and muddy boots stood in the doorway. He gripped the handle of a black net, swinging it angrily by his legs as he marched into the gym. Behind the man, an Alakazam floated, keeping its distance and shutting the gym doors psychically.
"Father?" the boy asked. "What happened?"
The man ignored the boy and looked at Jamie. "Arkle," the man snapped. "Gather a group of our top researchers in conference room six. Tell them to start brainstorming ideas to track Pokemon. Any type of Pokemon. Make sure Rita Teal's in there. I'll come with more details in fifteen minutes." The man threw off his cloak, letting the dripping mass create a puddle on the floor. "You—referee—get this cleaned," the man ordered.
Only when both the referee and Jamie had left the gym did the father turn to his son. "Son, something's happened."
A single point.
I examined Tal's handiwork. If I didn't know better, the syringe would appear a typical vaccine.
Appearances deceive.
o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Don Mendol screamed in surprise when he found me sitting in his living room, leaning back in his reclining chair. Perhaps I should've put on my journalist act, I mused as I slowly pushed the chair into an upright position with my feet. I didn't want him dropping dead in shock. Not yet.
I let Don watch me for a moment as I sat perfectly still, allowing fear to trickle down his spine as the possible reasons a stranger could be sitting in his otherwise empty house flashed through his mind. He had to know I had the power here.
Especially if he was in league with the Master.
The living room was cluttered with metal scraps, wires, and half-built trinkets. Don nervously scratched his mustache and took a hesitant step forward, crushing a bent flashlight beneath his shoe.
"I'm here to talk about your family," I said.
"My family?" Don asked faintly, looking down at the flashlight's broken plastic.
"Have a seat." I gestured to his purple couch.
Don sat down on the side of the couch not covered with wrenches, wire cutters, and screwdrivers. He picked up what looked like a metal wind-up toy from the coffee table beside the couch.
I held up a picture I'd found hanging in the kitchen of Don and the previous Master. "Your brother, Velcan Mendol, moved to Acceber eight years ago, and died of a heart attack four years ago."
I waited for a confirmation. Don twisted the handle of the wind-up toy and nodded.
I put the picture down, beside the reclining chair. "Your wife, Maria Mendol, and sister-in-law, Sue Mendol, died in the 2003 Slateport tsunami. You and Velcan each had a four-year-old son at the time."
Don nodded again.
I smiled. "I have DNA and photographic proof that Liam Mendol is your nephew." Don's eyes widened.
I continued, "Tell me about your relationship with Liam—after all, the poor kid lost both his parents and you might be the closest thing he has right now to a father. Tell me: when Velcan died, why didn't Liam move back with you?"
"Wh-who are you?"
I snapped my fingers, and my Magnemite floated into the room from the kitchen behind me, releasing a threatening spark across its magnets. "As you can see, you are in no position to ask me questions. Unless you'd like to end up like your pathetic Volbeat, I suggest you answer me."
Don's eyes widened further, like balloons on the verge of popping. Worried about his little Pokemon. Pathetic. "Liam called me when my brother died," Don started, his voice raspy, "and I came in for the funeral. When I suggested Liam move back to Hoenn, Liam told me, 'I have a duty to fulfill as the dark gym leader of Acceber.' Heavy words for a ten-year-old kid. A woman named Rita Teal approached me, telling me what a sweet, small boy Liam was and how she always wanted a son. She seemed nice enough, and Liam agreed to the adoption… So that was that."
"What sort of contact have you had with Liam since then?"
"He used to call me once a month—now it's about once every three months. Rita still calls weekly. Liam came to visit once." Don gave me a tentative smile. "When Devon Corporation comes up with something new, I always send him a prototype. Sometimes I send him little gadgets he requests."
"So you haven't been much of a father to him." Don squeezed the wind-up toy in his hands, almost looking guilty. When he didn't say anything, I continued, "What do you know of Liam's… recent activities?"
Don released the wind-up handle on the toy, allowing it to vibrate across his fingers. "As the youngest gym leader in Acceber?" Don laughed half-heartedly. "What the hell do I know about the politics that boy's been dragged into over there? Why they let a ten-year-old become gym leader… It's just as wacked out as having those little psychic twins, Liz and Tate, as gym leaders over here. Sure, Liam's a genius and an outstanding Pokemon trainer, but to have that kind of pressure at such a young age…"
"I'm speaking of Liam's other activities."
"Oh, is he still trying to track down and destroy every legendary Pokemon he wanders across? Velcan was the same way—swore that as soon as Liam was old enough, he'd come back to Hoenn to destroy Kyogre. Said he moved to Acceber—supposedly, a land without legendaries—to stay safe and build up resources without legendary interference. I've got nothing against their sentiments—just think its pointless to try to kill g-d-like creatures. Better to just accept it as a natural disaster and move on with life." The metal toy had stopped vibrating. "Is that all?"
"What about your son, Landon?"
"What about my son?"
"Where is he? Does he share your views on the subject of legendaries?"
Don stared at me a moment. "My son's dead."
My smile widened. "Do you have proof?"
Don squeezed his eyes shut. "Yes, I've got the papers," Don said bitterly. "His body washed up six years ago, bloated and deteriorating and seaweed covered—do you want to see pictures? Do you want to see his grave? You want to see my tears?" Don appeared to be on the verge of a mental breakdown. "What do you want?"
I stood up, and Magnemite floated to my side. It appeared the DNA and picture analysis were not mistaken.
Liam Mendol—the supposed detective—was the Master.
"What do you want?" Don repeated.
I walked towards the door. Before I exited the room, I paused and looked over my shoulder. Don still sat on the couch, his knees shaking.
"I want you to inform your beloved nephew of this little conversation."
o o o o o o o o o o o o o
I woke to Mel's shriek from beyond the basement door. I was still curled on the basement stairs' lowest step. Slowly, I rose, stretched, and climbed up the stairs, running a hand over my belt to ensure my Pokeballs, Rita Teal's Ditto's Pokeball, the newly disguised FTD, and the walkie talkie were all in place.
I hadn't slept well again. My father used to attribute my insomnia to the dark gift, but I don't remember suffering long sleepless nights as a child. Then again, the gift often doesn't manifest itself until adolescence.
Even after the tsunami, I slept okay. It wasn't until…
And now I wake up frequently, the same scene playing out in my dreams, happening over and over like a broken record.
"Son, something's happened."
A man and a boy were standing in the middle of a gym. The man's wet black hair dripped over his shoulders.
"Are you okay? Did you catch M—I mean, Pokemon X?" The boy approached his father, his oversized cloak dragging on the ground behind him.
The father shook his head. "It was close. If I'd been able to see through the rain better, I could've figured out precisely where that dratted Xatu told me Pokemon X would appear. If I hadn't had to station my Pokemon at various locations around Melonbi… But this isn't about that."
"What then?"
The father bent down so his eyes were level with his son's and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "I got a message from your uncle in Slateport today. Your cousin's body was finally found. He's been dead for several years, probably since the tsunami. I'm sorry, Liam."
"He…he's…"
"Yes, Liam. Landon's dead."
Why is it this day, the day I found out he was dead, that keeps me awake at night?
Why not the day he died?
On that day—the day the tsunami hit Slateport City, I remember it was sunny. Even though the breeze was cool, the ocean and shells sparkled in the sunlight. The tsunami was so drastic—so unexpected.
Landon and I were playing make-believe legendary, a game fairly common among four-year-olds. We'd imagined I was Kyogre and he, Groudon. We raced down the beach—me through the wet sand and Landon across the dusty dry sand, competing to pick up the most shells and run the fastest. I was only allowed to pick up the shells in the water, and he could only pick up the ones on the dry sand.
I still remember trying to convince him that we should return to my father. When I first suggested it, Landon laughed at me, bragging this proved Groudon was better than Kyogre. When he saw I was serious, he stomped his foot in the sand. I tried to convince him that my dad would be worried when he woke up from his nap and we were gone.
Shaking his black hair, Landon stubbornly refused to go back, but I was tired and my feet hurt from the shell shards embedded in the wet sand and my ankles were numb from the water. There were almost tears in my eyes, I was so frustrated. I turned around and fled back to my father. He stayed.
"Only wusses run away!" he yelled after me.
Years later, I could still hear the words ringing in my ears.
They were his last words.
I was right there—I could've convinced him, told him I'd give him my shells, give him the candy I hid in the bottom of my sock drawer, anything to make him turn around and walk back with me to my father.
At the top of the stairs, I listened for a moment, quieting my thoughts and quickly forming my plans for the day.
"Adopted! I will not be adopted! Where's Anita? She'll be on my side. You can't make me live with someone Scary and I don't know. We'll run away—go back to our house in the woods," Mel said.
"We won't force you into anything," Helen said. "but it's not legal or safe for you to travel or live without an adult. You'll at least have to meet with the man who wants to adopt you."
I opened the basement door, walking toward the kitchen where the voices were coming from. I heard excited chatter and squeals coming from the backyard—the kids were outside.
"Where's Anita?" Mel repeated.
"She went to train near Mint Mountain last night, and Apple got really hurt. She's rushing Apple to Artemis Town as we speak," Erin said.
Rushing to get away from me, more likely. It couldn't be a coincidence that the day I received the Forced Transforming Device, the most likely suspects—Anita and her Pokemon—all ran away. It couldn't be.
Almost certainly, Rita's Ditto had given me away. Mew could read minds. It was too easy for Mew to listen to that Ditto's thoughts and learn of the existence of the FTD.
I was losing my edge. It'd been a long time since I slipped up so ridiculously and my plans went awry. What would Landon think?
I shook my head as I entered the kitchen. I couldn't possibly know what Landon would think because he'd died as a four-year-old kid and how could I guess what he'd be like if he were alive?
Damn, I really was losing it.
Helen, Mel, Jake, and Erin sat around the kitchen table while Lily stood by the stove cooking scrambled eggs. Mel leaned away from the table, his arms folded tightly. His face brightened when I entered the room. "Mel," I said. "Erin, Anita, and I talked it over already. You're not going to travel with us any more."
Mel's fists clenched. He would start crying any moment now. Erin and Lily both gave me dirty looks as Lily turned off the stove and brought the pan of hot eggs to the table. I wouldn't be in the kitchen long enough to have to deal with it.
"You're up late," Erin said as Lily seated herself across from Helen and next to Jake.
"I didn't sleep much. Last night, I received a delivery from Professor Teal. Apparently, there's been an outbreak of Pokerus. She sent me her most recently approved vaccine to give to as many people and Pokemon I come in contact with who haven't had it yet," I said, fingering the syringe from my belt. Inside the syringe, of course, was the Forced Transformation Device circuitry I'd worked on last night. One touch of the needle and any transformed Pokemon would revert back to its original form.
"Oh, fabulous!" Helen said. "We don't usually get vaccines here in Vintage Village until these outbreaks are just about over, and by then its too late."
Lily gave me a dubious look as she pulled out a chair at the table and sat down.
"I have more than enough for the entire village. If you consent, I can start here and drop the rest off at the Pokemon Center on our way out of the village today," I said.
Helen nodded. "If you need, there's rubbing alcohol and swabs in the cabinet above the stove."
"Thank you." I moved to the cabinet, took out the supplies Helen suggested, and carried everything back to the far end of the kitchen table.
"Oh, dear, you can eat before you start—"
"No, no. I'll eat after," I said, already readying the first swab and indicating Jake should hold out his arm. He did so, slightly wary.
"Hello, can we get back to the part where I'm not getting adopted here!" Mel yelled. While everyone else began arguing once more, I touched the needle to Jake's skin and pushed down on the syringe handle.
"Hey, ow!" A small blue spark zapped Jake's skin, unnoticeable unless one was looking for it. Nothing happened.
So Jake was not Mew. Big surprise. I removed the needle, and Jake looked at the spot on his arm where the needle had pressed against. "It's not even bleeding," he said.
"The needle has a very fine tip," I answered.
I moved around the table testing everyone with the FTD and listening to Erin's attempts to comfort Mel. She put a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him quietly about how much we'd miss him, how much we wish he could keep traveling with us. Jake looked torn between excusing himself from the kitchen and ducking under the table to curl up into a tight ball and whimper at the sight of an upset child.
When I reached Mel, he glared at me. "I don't want it."
"Mel…" Erin pushed Mel's blond hair off of his forehead.
"Fine." Mel held his arm out stiffly.
Lily watched carefully as the needle tip touched her skin. It was likely she noticed the blue spark, though she said nothing.
As soon as everyone inside was confirmed to not be Mew, I excused myself and moved outside to where the Pokemon and the other children were located. I sighed when I realized I could hear Mel's complaints when I was in the backyard and the sliding doors were closed.
Leaving Mel freed my plans of one more unknown factor—one less chance of a mistake. He couldn't get in the way. It was safer for him, I mused, zapping Erin's Whooper who was leaning against the house. I dodged the watergun the Pokemon shot at me.
I moved on to Jake's Quilava. Ah, Jake was another factor I'd like to dispose of.
I had just finished confirming that no human or Pokemon in the orphanage was Mew when there was knock on the door. I walked into the kitchen and noticed a small spark bounce under the door crack, fading when it touched the wooden floor. My eyes widened.
"Lily," I said. "There're some clothes you said you could give me for the road. They're upstairs, right? Can you help me find them?" I walked toward the living room as Lily got up, pushed her chair into the table, and followed me.
"Wait!" Erin called. "Don't you want to meet—"
I hurried up the stairs as I heard Helen answer the door and Mel squeal in delight upon seeing Sparky in the doorway.
"He's probably about to get some," I heard Jake mutter to Erin. Then there was the THWACK indicating Erin had just hit Jake with her backpack.
"What's with you?" Lily asked when we reached the top of the stairs. She motioned for me to follow her as she walked past me, down the carpeted hall. She pulled a string hanging from the ceiling, pulling open an entrance to the attic. Lily tugged down the fold out ladder down from the now hanging ceiling tile and tested the first wrung with her foot.
"The Cape Caution gym leader, Sparky Storm, is the person here to adopt Mel."
"Ah. Yeah, that whole not being seen by gym leaders wouldn't have worked out if you were in the room." Lily climbed the ladder, and I followed. After reaching the attic, Lily flicked on a dim light, illuminating the cramped, dusty room. Boxes lined all the walls of the room and clothes, dolls, and old toys were piled in unorganized heaps about the floor. It was quite a maze.
Lily nodded the syringe on my belt. "It that…?"
I nodded. "The Forced Transformation Device."
"I figured. I'll get you some bottles you can pretend are full of medicine later." When I didn't answer, Lily continued, "So nobody here is Mew, not that you thought as much." Lily bent over a pile near the left wall and began rummaging through the mess. "If you're so convinced she's Mew, why aren't you already going after her?"
I eyed other piles, wondering if I should help. Lily seemed to know what she was looking for, though, so I settled for sitting in a creaky rocking chair in the corner of the attic. "I don't know she's Mew, but it's highly likely. Remember, she appeared in Melonbi Town about the time my father tracked Mew to the area, she was eccentric—attracting odd Pokemon—throughout her childhood, she's a psychic, and my DNA tracker found Mew traveling a nearly identical path as her just weeks ago. Very little information was gained from psychological tests performed, but no results denied the possibility of her identity. Other evidence suggests Anita's Eevee, Apple, is Mew—the Eevee doesn't have a Pokeball and has purple tinted eyes, though this could be genetic. Apple, however, did not appear to be in Melonbi Town about the time my father was there. Not that any of this proves anything for sure. Each really only has about a forty percent chance of being Mew at this point. There are so many other—"
"Hey, stop avoiding my question. Why aren't you already going after them? I'd expect you to follow as soon as you heard they left."
Lily actually expected me to give chase? I would never be rash enough to immediately pursue Anita, effectively destroying my researcher façade, unless I suspected Anita would cut off all contact with me. "Anita plans on meeting up with Erin in Artemis Town—her Eevee's hurt. I overheard her PokeTech conversation with Erin last night. Plus, if she already suspects I'm after Mew, I'd like to avoid confirming any suspicions due to hasty decisions."
"You don't think she'll just disappear?" Lily asked, tossing me two pairs of jeans, a pair of boxers, and a crumpled black t-shirt. "Those'll have to do. The clothes you wore yesterday should be out of the wash by now, and I found a bag you could use downstairs."
"Why would she call? If she wanted to disappear, she wouldn't have contacted Erin." I leaned back in the rocking chair, causing the wood to creak.
"So why do you think she ran off?" Lily asked. "Do you actually believe her Eevee's hurt?" Lily watched me, twirling her black hair around a finger thoughtfully. Maybe I shouldn't have trusted her with so much information…
It's not like I had any other option. She knew who I was, and entrusting her with a little more information was the only safe way of keeping her quiet. By trusting her, I gained her loyalty.
"Why the sudden suspicion? You were the one defending Anita yesterday," I said.
Lily glared at me. "Just making sure you've thought through everything. Whatever it takes to destroy Mew for my parents, for this village, and for all the people still endangered by Mew's existence." For an instant, I remembered my cousin—the way he'd had that determined look in his eyes when he refused to return with me to my father on the beach.
I nodded as Lily disappeared down the ladder. "I'll let you know when Sparky's gone," she said. The ends of Lily's hair fluttered out of sight. The strands were just the same color as Landon's.
When Lily's footsteps finally faded down the hall below me, I started to change into the clothing Lily had provided me. I could just make out voices in the kitchen.
"Why didn't you tell me it was Sparky who wanted to adopt me?" Mel asked, giggling gleefully.
"I wanted it to be a surprise."
Helen and Lily said something I couldn't hear as I exchanged the wrinkled over-sized t-shirt I was wearing for the wrinkled normal-sized t-shirt Lily gave me.
"Well, if I have to be… Then I guess I could be adopted by Sparky," Mel said. I checked my PokeTech. Almost eleven. Hopefully, this would be finished quickly—I'd like to get to Anita as soon as possible.
At the moment, it was impossible to determine the reasons for Anita's actions because I had no way of knowing how much she knew about me, the Forced Transformation Device, and Mew.
I almost laughed at myself. Here, I'd thought I was well on my way to finding Mew. I barely knew anything.
"No! I don't have a last name! Scary's my parent so if you need a name for your dumb form, write Melvin Scary!" Mel yelled.
I decided I'd sat up in the attic long enough; I turned off the lights and climbed down the ladder. I'd be able to see when Sparky left from Lily's room's window.
"Mel, if you could just tell us your father's—" Erin said.
"He left me—he's nobody!"
"I'll just register him like I do the other children we pick up off the street," Helen said gently. "It's okay."
Mel sniffed. From the top of the stairs, I could hear the scratching of pen on paper. I put my hand on Lily's doorknob.
"Alright, well that's the paperwork. Sparky, Mel—I now declare you father and son," Helen said. "Oh, Sparky. Lily brought up a box of stuff from the basement she and the kids want Mel to have. Here."
There was some shuffling. "Alright. Well, kiddo, say your goodbyes. I'll be in the car waiting," Sparky said.
I took my hand off the doorknob. "You have a car?" Mel asked in wonder. I could practically feel how wide his eyes must be.
"It's electric."
I waited until I heard the front door click shut to descend the stairs. Mel was giving Helen a hug when I walked into the kitchen. Mel smiled, let go of Helen, and approached me.
"Um, sorry for making fun of you for puking on the boat," Mel said. "And for being mean this morning." I held out my hand, and he took it in both hands, unsure what to do.
"Stay out of trouble," I said, shaking his two hands with my one.
"You're really cool," Mel blurted out, before turning to Erin. He flung himself around Erin's waist.
Erin hugged him back. "We'll miss you, and remember, you can always call us for anything," Erin said. "Anita told me to hug you goodbye for her—she's sorry she couldn't be here."
Mel bobbed his blond head and stepped away from Erin.
Jake opened his arms wide, grinning mockingly. "Well?" he asked. "How about a hug goodbye before you go live with the electric zapping psychopath, huh?"
Mel sniffed and turned to Lily. "Bye. Tell Freddie I'll come visit." His eyes flickered from Erin to me. "Thanks, guys, for being friends," he said quietly.
"What am I, chopped-up, smelly Skunktank?" Jake asked.
Mel put his hands on his hips. "Yes." Then, waving his arms he yelled, "I'll be seeing ya!" and disappeared.
For a moment, Lily and Helen were stunned. Jake actually yelped. "Wha—what—"
I gave Erin a tightlipped smile. "What a joker," I said. "He always does that joking act with that joking Gengar of his."
Erin was staring where Mel had just disappeared.
"Erin," I snapped.
"Oh, yeah. Crazy prankster that one," Erin said. "Wouldn't want to cross him."
I sighed. "We'd better get going, too. Anita's got a half-a-day's head start," I said.
"Here." Lily handed me two bags—one to put my extra clothes in and another already filled with several large containers of medicine.
Erin hugged Helen and Lily. "Thanks for everything. We really appreciate a place to sleep and the food and the company."
"Oh, it's not a problem, dear. Come back any time."
Lily looked at me expressionlessly before throwing her arms around my neck. I immediately tensed. "You'll find it—I know you will," she whispered in my ear. "And Liam," she said, kissing my cheek. "Thank you."
My stomach felt a little peculiar as I watched Lily hurry away to clean up the kitchen table. I frowned.
"See, I told you they were all lovey-dovey upstairs," Jake said. He nudged Erin with his elbow. "That's what we'll be doing on our way to Artemis. Let's show Liam how it feels to be a third wheel."
Erin looked at him, horrified. "You're coming with us?"
Jake grinned. "'Course, I am. I've got some unfinished business with Anita."
Erin casually walked to my side, put her arm around my neck, and leaned on my shoulder. "I don't know if you've heard, but Liam and I actually started dating recently."
Lily looked up from the kitchen table, watching Erin with a dangerous expression and holding the back of a chair so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Jake snorted. "Yeah, right."
"I fell hopelessly in love right after we kissed in Nelcorn—you were there, Jake, remember?" There was a loud clatter as the chair by Lily fell to the ground. Erin was turning her head towards me—
I decided it was time to put my abilities to good use. In one fluid motion, I slipped out of Erin's grasp, raised an eyebrow at Lily, and slipped her bags over my shoulder. I was out the door before any of them could blink.
"Wait for us!" Erin and Jake called as I strode steadily forward, considering whether it would be advantageous to run all the way to Artemis before Erin and Jake could catch up.
Certainly, it would help my mental health.
I smiled grimly, slowing my pace. Only wusses run away.