A/N: RECAP: Jeremy rejected Leah's invitation to travel with them, the group ventured into Mt. Moon, and we saw the horrid side-effects of getting raped by a fire-type. Joy~
Chapter Fifty-Two:
Instinct
"Didn't we already pass that rock?" asked Julie concernedly.
"There are millions of rocks in this Mew-forsaken cave, dip-shit," I barked, "you'll have to specify."
We had been wandering through Mt. Moon for hours; walking in circles and hiding from insane hikers whom wanted to battle in the cramped, damp tunnels.
"We should have just asked for directions from that hiker," whined Julie, "my feet are tired, and I think we should just-"
"Stop whining, Jules," said Leah exasperatedly as we rounded another corner. "We can't be that far from the exit, and there's nothing we can do but keep going."
For simplicity, everyone was in their Balls other than Tak, Claire, and myself. Claire so she could light our way. Tak's job was to use his psychic powers to detect other trainers, so we could avoid them. And then, there was me:
The one whom had thrown a fit, and thus was not sucked into the void of the Poke Ball.
"Is that light?" asked Claire hopefully, pointing down the tunnel with an elongated claw. Sure enough; up ahead a sliver of light cut through the perpetual dark.
"See, Julie, there was nothing to worry about," cooed Tak as he landed on her shoulder, "we'll be out of here in no time at all."
"I, for one, am sort of disappointed," I huffed, "we've been in Mt. Moon 12 hours, and haven't seen a single fuckin Clefairy. Or a Moon Stone. What was all the freakin hype about?"
"Oh, shut up, Shadow," said Claire with a laugh, "just be glad we're getting out of this hell-hole."
"The exit!" squealed Julie, taking off for the opening to the outside world.
"Julie, wait up!" hollered Leah as she took off after her.
Claire raised an eye-scale, and then snorted. "If they think I'm running anywhere, they're mentally challenged."
I chuckled, and then slowed my footsteps. I was in no hurry to escape the dark; I rather enjoyed the lack of sunlight. Claire noticed my decreasing pace, and slowed her steps to match mine.
"You okay, Shadow?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said hurriedly. She shot me a doubtful look. "I just like the darkness, that's all. It gives me more energy," I said in a reassuring voice.
She pressed the matter no further, and continued on without protest. I wanted to tell her that my nausea had come back that morning, but I didn't want to worry her.
"So Claire; you're native here, right? What's after Mt. Moon?"
The Charmeleon yawned; her crimson, muscular arms rippling as she stretched them upward. "If I remember correctly... we have to go through Route 4, and then I think we're at Cerulean City."
We paused at the mouth of the cave; blinded by the light. Claire shielded her eyes, and then stepped through. I hesitated, and looked back into the dark depths of Mt. Moon.
"Shadow, are you coming?" I heard Leah yell from beyond the exit.
I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat, and then stepped out into the sickeningly bright sunshine.
"Now, Kenya! Finish with Spark!"
The Luxio dodged the embers that were thrown at her by the Growlithe, and then slammed into it with all her might; fur crackling with electricity. It yelped, and then staggered backwards before slumping to the ground.
"Return, Fang," said the trainer we had battled in a solemn voice.
He clipped the Poke Ball onto his belt, and then smiled sheepishly. "I'm... sorta running low on cash," he said, while running his fingers through his hair.
Leah seemed a little angered, but level-headed Julie stepped in before she could chew him out.
"Oh, it's fine! It was just nice experience for Kenya, right, Lee?"
Leah nodded stiffly in response, before reaching down to scratch the panting Luxio behind her giant ear. "Yeah. Right."
The trainer smiled awkwardly, and then began briskly walking away.
"What a jerk!" huffed Leah, as she sprayed Kenya's burns with a Burn Heal. The Pokedex in her hand bleeped; announcing that Kenya had leveled up.
Kenya bit her lip and whimpered; the medicine stinging her flesh. The thought of it made my stomach churn, and I audibly gulped down bile. I had been expecting all day for Celebi to show up and explain what the fuck was going on with my nausea, since she had promised she would. But it was 5:00 PM, and there hadn't been a single sign of the neurotic green fairy anywhere.
Leah said something I didn't hear, and then we were off and walking again. We had stopped occaisonally for battles, but other than that we were just traveling. Route 4 was long. Very long.
"Did I do okay, Uncle Shadow?" asked Kenya as she sauntered up next to me.
I did my best to smile, and said, "Of course, Kenya. You were absolutely wonderful. Good work."
She beamed at me, and then bounded over to repeat the question to Tyson. I jumped as I felt a paw on my shoulder, and I slowly turned my reeling head to face Dante.
"Are you feeling quite alright, Shadow?" he asked me in a hushed voice, "You haven't quite been your opinionated, foul-mouthed self today."
I chuckled, and then said, "My nausea is back. Which reminds me; can you get me a peppermint from Leah's bag?"
He opened his beak as if to say more, and then snapped it shut; nodding. He waddled over to Leah and fished through the front pocket of her bag. He came back and walked along beside me; the cellophane crinkling as he unwrapped it.
"Here you are," he said as he popped it into my mouth for me; seeing as I lacked proper appendages to do so myself.
"This is degrading," I mumbled.
"And don't you forget it," said Dante with a smirk, before walking over to go talk to Claire.
I let the mint dissolve on my tongue, and savored the sweet taste. It was much better than the Poke Food we had been getting fed. I heard muffled talking up ahead, and realized I had fallen behind the group. I swiveled my ears forward as I trotted over, and caught a wisp of what Leah was saying, "... should I catch it?"
Completely curious now, I ignored my ailing stomach and lurched forward, pushing past Tyson and Shelley to see who our next teammate candidate was. A grey, humanoid Pokemon had its back to us; lifting two plaintive Geodude. Three brown ridges adorned its head, and a short tail jutted out from its tailbone. The muscles beneath its flesh rippled menacingly, and I recognized it as a Machop.
"Yeah, I need a fighting type," whispered Leah, bringing me back to the present, "and I think that Machamps can learn a decent variety of moves."
She appeared thoughtful for a moment, and then looked to us, her Pokemon, as if seeking the answer in us.
"What are you waiting for, Lee?" hissed Julie, "he's gonna get away if you dawdle too long!"
"I don't know who to battle against him. Shadow and Tyson are automatically out, due to type disadvantage. Claire is the second strongest, but she doesn't move all that fast. Dante knows Confusion, which is super-effective, but he's also really slow, and although Kenya's fast, she lacks the physical strength needed to overtake him...."
"You're analyzing too much, Leah," said Julie softly, eyes never leaving the Machop. "Just follow your gut instinct."
Leah chewed on her lip, and then nodded. "Claire, it's all on you."
The Charmeleon grunted in affirmation, and then stepped forward as Leah readied a Great Ball.
"Machop!" yelled Leah through cupped hands, trying to catch the attention of the humanoid Pokemon that had his back still turned to us. He didn't even look back to acknowledge her, so Leah tried again.
When this also failed to catch his attention, Claire stepped forward and roared at the top of her lungs, "Pull your head out of your ass, Muscle-Boy, and acknoweledge my freakin trainer!"
The Machop whirled around, flinging the Geodudes to the ground as he did so. I expected him to be seething, and ready to kill Claire, but he was instead smiling.
"I'm sorry, pretty little lady. I guess I didn't hear your trainer," he apologized.
"Bullshit," snapped Claire, "now get over here and battle me so we can capture you."
"As you wish," he said with a grin.
He gracefully leaped down from the ledge he had been training on, and then straightened up, eyes unwavering as he gazed at Claire.
"Has anyone ever told you," he began, "that you are a radiant beauty?"
"And has anyone ever told you," snarled Claire, "that you're kind of a creeper?"
He smiled even wider at her, and she lunged; jaws gaping. He swiftly dodged her move, and laughed. Claire roared, and then moved to slash his face. He merely snatched her arm out of mid-air, and then smirked. Claire's expression fell as she realized he would pummel her, and she froze in fear. But he simply pulled her in tight, and...
...began to waltz with her.
Believe me, dear reader; he was a marvelous dancer. It would have been a fucking Kodak moment, too; if only Claire hadn't been trying to maul his arm off the entire time.
"You are so fucking WEIRD!" she screeched in frustration, "why can't you just fight like a normal Pokemon!?"
"If that's how you want it," he said, before twirling her away from him.
When she was an arm's length away, his foot slammed into her stomach. Claire was sent careening to the left, and landed on her back. She rose shakily to her feet, and then blasted him with a pillar of fire. The Machop yelped, and then burst from the flames, fist crackling with electricity.
Claire cried out as the Thunder Punch connected with her shoulder, and then retaliated with a Scratch. Blood appeared from his back, and his mouth twisted in pain. He lifted his arm as if to execute a Karate Chop, but something stopped him. A blue sphere slammed into the back of his head; and sucked him in.
Claire, panting, limped over to Leah and sighed in relief.
"You did really well, Claire," whispered Leah; though her eyes were glued intently on the blue sphere.
We watched anxiously as the Great Ball rolled from side to side, and then finally pinged; announcing that we had the newest, and final addition to our team. We simultaneously whooshed out a breath of relief, as Leah strode over and picked up the Great Ball. A Super Potion was used on Claire, healing her as best we could, before Leah released the Machop.
I got my first good look at him; and finally got an idea of just how muscular he really was. His gaze flickered from me, to Tyson, to Dante, and then lingered on Claire.
"We might as well have dinner, now that we have everyone together," suggested Leah; grabbing a canister of Pokemon Food from her bag.
The Machop eyed it as Leah poured some in everyone's bowls that Julie set out. "Is that stuff nutritious?" he asked Claire whom chose to ignore him.
"Shouldn't you be asking more important questions? Like, what our names are, and what to do now that you are captured?" asked Tyson, seemingly angered by the Machop's presence.
Machop shrugged, "Dunno, I mean I guess I'll ask if it means that much to ya. But I've been captured before, so I don't have many questions that way..."
Everyone looked somewhat surprised, and he blushed profusely. "I mean, it's not that my trainer didn't like me... she just decided against being a trainer after a little while."
Just when the following awkward silence became too much to bear, Kenya piped up, "Well, my name is Kenya! You're going to love traveling with us, it's a lot of fun!"
He smiled warmly at her, "I'm sure it will be, cute little Luxio." I bristled at this, but held my tongue.
"This is Tyson, Shelley, Tak, Dante, Shadow, and Claire," said Kenya, pointing with her tail to each of us, respectively.
He nodded and gave us a little wave, but it went virtually unnoticed. We finished our food in silence; the only ones conversing were Tak and Shelley. I ate half of the tasteless food, and then lay down; stomach churning. As the sun began to set in the clear autumn sky, I lay down with my head between my paws, and listened to the deafening silence.
It was going to be a long night.
A/N: Meh, sorry it took so long to get this one posted. :/ Just to let you know, the first chapter has been re-written, so it might be worth checking out. (: Next thing posted will be the next chapter of LITM Chronicles. (You guys voted in Claire as the next subject) Then, Chapter 2 will be rewritten, and THEN a new chapter here. So yeah... it may be a while. I apologize. ):
New poll is up; with name ideas for the new Machop. They're all warrior themed, so please vote on it!
... I think that's it. Sorry the author's note was so long today.
HAPPY (ALMOST) THANKSGIVING!!
~Shelby
