Chapter Twenty One
"Thank you, Sir."
Celia shook hands with her boss.
"Anything, Celia. You've had it hard, lately, and we ought to return your kindness."
You don't know the half of it...
Feeling emotional, woman coughed.
"Is there something you aren't telling us, Celia?"
"I am not doing so well, Sir. I want to cry, all the time." Waving hands, woman elaborated quickly, other teacher's eyes questioning her. "It isn't to do with Piers or Sylvain, or Scott, even. The idea that Henry is fairly close to us, to my family, to all of you? That frightens me, I cannot bear the thought of him, hurting us."
"Would he dare do that? I mean, he's psycho, yeah, but he isn't that bad."
Celia glared at Crispin, boring holes.
"You have no idea, Crispin. Do not use that word. Its horrible, and please," woman struggled to keep manners in check, "stay out of this. Any decisions made will be made by the headmaster."
Crispin sighed.
"Really. Henry had years to act. He didn't."
"Don't you think I know that? Please," Celia had heard enough, "spare me. He could have been indoctrinated by Ghetsis. He acts like a lost puppy, gives it the big 'I am' but doesn't dare act, without permission. He could have taken a piece of the broken vase out of the bin, and done Arceus knows what..."
Like slit my throat.
Her mind added, blond holding head.
Terrance, seeing what was unfolding halted proceedings, asking everyone to go their separate ways, make tea, coffee, and take half an hour for themselves.
Scott headed to Trainer School, Bianca asking him to wait in reception.
He did, sitting, waiting for someone to sign him in. The receptionist was not there, but someone else was, familiar eyes startling boy.
He got up, beginning to run, Henry grabbing hold of his arm, pulling on it roughly.
"If you so much as squeal, you won't ever see your precious Mom again. Follow me."
Getting as far away as man possibly could, from prying eyes, Henry took Scott to a disused classroom, shutting blinds after entering.
"Please..."
Henry pinched bridge of nose. He despised children, taking job because it was just that, a job. It didn't pay well, but he could have done much worse. It afforded him a flat, a car, and medical insurance.
"Scott..." Henry knelt, impulse to snarl battled, in favour of patience. "Haven't I looked after you? Your own Mom can't bear to be near you. Didn't I take you under my wing?"
Scott nodded, but was visibly confused.
"Well, yes, but you hurt me. She doesn't. Neither do Mrs Celia, Mr Piers and Sylvain. They say family treats each other with love and care. This isn't that, Mr Howell."
"They treat you like a child, when you could be much, much more. Ghetsis is looking for an apprentice, you have Pokemon, are capable and intelligent."
Boy's big brown eyes widened.
"Didn't he abandon his son?"
"His son abandoned him. You have your own mind, feelings, his son did not. He was controlled, a puppet. No one has controlled you, and you accomplished a lot. All Ghetsis needs is someone to take on the mantel."
"But, I care about my Pokemon."
"And, he does, too. Most people do not. That's the issue, Scott. They use their Pokemon, make them their puppets. Ghetsis utilises them to their full potential, lets them thrive on their own, their true nature has free reign."
Scott raised brow, Mother's attitude coming out.
"Because of the antennas." He made face. "None of my team have ever attacked me, or Mrs Celia's, Sylvain's, Mr Piers, or the classroom Pokemon. Surely, if they are inherently bad, they wouldn't want to be with us?"
"Because we have dampened down their instincts for hundreds of years. What do we give them in return? Affection? What is the point of that? It accomplishes nothing. We made them soppy, rendered them valueless. They needn't be, Scott. You have Pokemon, don't you? Why?"
Scott shook slightly.
"Yes, but they are my friends, not just a team."
Celia rounded corner, sitting on bench, sipping coffee, needing caffeine hit. She sighed, taking phone from pocket, a few teachers behind her making her frown. She wanted to be alone, but didn't have the heart to say it.
Scanning playground, colourful array of chalk games drawn on the ground, hopscotch, duck-duck-goose heartening, Celia playing those as a child, herself.
Something took her attention, blond turning head, seeing Henry, man having cornered Scott in disused classroom.
Her jaw dropped, throat wanting to scream, woman quickly shutting it, holding it shut. She turned, almost spilling cup, hand shooting out to stop it.
"Henry is in there..."
The other teachers saw situation, quickly leaving Celia on her own, running off, presumably to locate Terrance, and call the Police? Woman prayed to Arceus they were smart enough to do that, everyone turning into headless Torchic's the second they heard mention of Henry, scarpering, tail between their legs. Woman was single person willing to face him down.
Though, alone?
Not this time.
She picked up her phone and cup, hiding behind a wall.
Piers, please bring our Pokemon.
Fucking Henry, right? Its on the news, he escaped the hospital.
Yes. Please move that gorgeous arse of yours. He is here, and has cornered Scott in a classroom.
He fucking what? Arceus on a fucking bike. Hang on, love.
Piers took rucksack, grabbing Poke balls, securing them shoving on jacket, keys and phone into that, running towards his wife's place of work.
"Celia. Love," Piers looked around, "why are ya alone? I thought six were in the meetin'..."
"It was," Celia glowered, "they scarpered."
"Arceus-fuckin'-cowards, the lot o' 'em."
"Yes, they are, and I am done with it, with them. I can't leave, though. We need the money..."
"I finished the draft, if tha' accounts for anythin'."
"Yes!" Golden irises lit up, woman saying that a bit too loudly..."I knew you had it in you. We need to scout the building. Two of us, two entrances?"
"Got ya, an'," Piers grinned, his wife becoming jelly, "thank you very much."
"Sir?" Couple got caught in the moment. "Piers is hitting on me!"
Piers laughed.
"Celia isn't complainin', Sir..."
A yell forcibly removed them from moment.
"The last thing on my mind right now is dealing with Henry, but Scott is important, the Police won't get here on time, and I sure as fuck am not letting that bastard hurt him. Come on."
Piers nodded, sending out Cerberus, Celia Tock, the four making their way towards building, Piers heading left, Celia right.
"Cerberus?"
Houndoom lowered his head, as soon as they entered the corridor, shaking it, saliva dripping freely.
"Boy, you aren't well, are you?" Piers knelt, Dark Pokemon snapping, man retracting hand as quickly as he put it out. "'ey, now..."
Terrance ran to Celia, woman looking through window, seeing black object on the table, next to man.
Piers, exercise caution, please. I think Henry has a control device in there. If I am correct, your Pokemon will act up.
You are, love. Cerberus is snarling, foaming, though I can see he is trying to fight it. Almost sent out Ares, thought better of it...
"Sir," Celia showed headmaster her phone, "my Pokemon are more adept at battling mind control, sound waves, whatever this is. Piers will be injured, if I stand by. Standing on the hill, watching feels wrong. I must act."
Mr Wright sighed, pushing glasses up his nose.
"Okay. Celia, promise me you won't do anything rash."
He chuckled, solemnly.
"Not too rash."
Celia offered sincere smile.
"Hide, please. We can't risk Henry seeing us. He may hasten whatever it is he plans on doing if he does. Take Carnelian, get as far away from the device as possible. She will protect you, if he attacks."
"Tock?"
Celia sent out Mr Mime, Pokemon creating shapes, from what it saw, trees, buildings, it imitated scene.
"Sorry, but this isn't the time, sweetheart."
Tock frowned, his trainer's next words diminishing his miffed expression.
"Piers is in trouble. The antenna that were being used? Well, there is a much stronger version here, in the school. and unless we can find a way to get past it, with minimal damage caused, we will all suffer. I need you to create a wall between Piers, his Pokemon and the device, to shield them. Could you do that for me, for us, please?"
Barrier Pokemon nodded, heading for Piers, woman hearing familiar howls, prompting stomach to drop.
"Ares? Stop tryin' to get out of ya ball, daft sod. Its bad enough Cerberus 'as a cob on..."
Pangoro's cries were obnoxiously loud, creature in some degree of distress.
Houndoom yelped, lying down, paws covering ears.
"Wait. Is it 'igh frequency sound waves that's doin' the damage, boy?"
Dark Pokemon managed nod.
"Shit."
Mr Mime strolled around corner, miming his way through door.
"'ello, Tock." Piers looked at Houndoom. "'elp us out, please?"
Creature nodded, hands moving quickly through the air, up and down, left to right, until hardened wall of telekinetic energy, acting as a door shielded all from attack.
Celia and Piers crept towards classroom door, woman popping head up.
"Scott?"
Celia mouthed, boy seeing her. She pointed to the device in Henry's hand, whilst his back was turned. Crouching again, Celia looked at Mr Mime.
"Tock? Please haze Henry's mind, his ears. He cannot see what we going to do. He may kill Scott."
Barrier Pokemon nodded, Henry hunching, holding his head. Celia left adjourning room, popping up to see Scott, tapping on the window, and Henry sitting, clutching head.
Taking marker pen and pad, Celia wrote:
"That black device on the desk? Please, turn it off, take out its batteries, if it has them. Its hurting our Pokemon."
Boy nodded, snatching device, snapping antenna, adult's Pokemon calming.
That lasted all of ten seconds, collective groan jolting couple. Scott took his chance, three quickly bolted, running outside.
"Arceus damn it! Why couldn't have been easy, for a change?"
Celia wanted to scream, Piers rounding up their Pokemon.
"Get them as far away as possible, please. I have had enough. I will face Henry alone."
Scott looked panicked, but agreed. Celia and Piers recalled their teams, woman placing them in her bag.
"Celia. I don't wanna argue the point, but I will. I am goin' in there wit' you, after we make sure Scott is safe. I'll send Sapphire in there, peck 'enry's eyes out...get his attention off o' us."
"Piers," his wife's eyes sharpened, "if we do that, they may well attack us. I considered sending Angelite in there, have her grab the device, but it took years to fully gain her trust."
"Exactly, Celia. Years, love, years. You 'onestly reckon she'll 'ave your 'ead off, after everythin' you've done for her? Our team wouldn't touch us, I trus' 'em. Why don't you?"
"Of course I trust them!" Celia guided Scott to Bianca, blond sprinting from entrance gate to him, arms open. "Henry is in there. Tell me Looker is here, or I will do something I regret."
Scott left with blond, boy paling, distress clear for all to see.
Adults surrounding, coddling made him feel worse.
He didn't want them there.
He wanted his Mum...
"Come on. Either we go in there, drag him out, or we leave him to do Arceus knows wha' wit' tha' thingamajig."
"Thingamajig? Oh Arceus..." Celia huffed hot breath. "If we weren't in danger right now..."
Piers snorted.
"I know, love. I am on the same page, an' unless we deal wit' 'enry now, I may not wait..."
Celia smirked.
"Not in front of the faculty. They wouldn't shut the fuck up about it..."
Piers pulled her towards building, couple storming into classroom, Henry on the floor, weeping?
"What the?"
Piers picked up device, short beeps cadence.
"He didn't tell me about this. Fucking hell..."
Celia knelt.
"He, Ghetsis? There's blood coming out of your ears."
She saw an earpiece next to him.
"Cut the nonsense and tell us how to turn this off."
"You can't. The main controller is fully operational. All Pokemon within a thousand mile radius will turn on their trainers."
Celia gasped. Getting to her feet, she quickly called Terrance, telling him to get Carnelian back into her ball, get word out.
"With each second that passes, more and more will fall under control."
"Where is it, yeh wanker?"
Henry laughed, carpet fibres in mouth prompting him to spit, almost hitting Celia's shoe.
"Spare us the 'narcissistic' twat shtick, 'enry. Pipe up or shut the fuck up. Pick one."
"Where did you find the original sign?"
"The original sign?"
Piers blurted out, his wife, at the same time saying:
"The Pokemon League. Team Plasma had a castle built into the mountain behind Unova's, though, there is no way they could have built one here. We'd have noticed if scaffolding went up the damn mountain, Henry."
"No one did in Unova, Celia. Everything was done in plain sight, yet everyone missed it."
"In plain sight? Arceus on a bike...Piers."
Piers frowned.
"The antennas were not what was causing the Pokemon to act out, were they?"
"Clever woman." Henry smirked, crystal blues frightening, a haunted look lay within. "They were a cover, grunts are expendable."
"As are you, ya twonk. Why would you be sent out, on meanin'less quests, otherwise?"
"You are using awfully long words, Piers. Celia teach you how to read, did she? Is that how she spends her free time, now? I hear there is rather a lot of it. I believe I could find something to fill it with..."
Man went to hit him, Celia shaking head.
"Don't." Woman reasoned. "Please, Piers. I am in trouble for smacking him in the first place. I don't want that for you. Sylvain needs someone to look after him. Looker wants to arrest me too, I have a feeling he will."
Husband went to protest, wife refusing to hear it...
"Meaningless? Is Scott meaningless to you, too?"
Harsh glare took pearly blues, Piers growling.
"Considerin' wha' you've done, you ought to know tha' you should keep quiet in class. Any tape in 'ere, love?"
Celia grinned.
"Probably, and the safety scissors are useless, so," Celia lent over Henry, "don't bother trying to lunge, grab a pair, cut the tape, or us."
Piers located tape, turning with a sneer.
"Don't go runnin' wit' the scissors, now..."
Celia relayed information Henry had given her, readying herself to be arrested. Looker confirmed she would be, but likely let off with a caution.
That would affect her career, future job prospects.
Yes, Henry well-deserved a slap, at the least, but at the cost of more than her image?
The answer was obvious, painfully so.
Celia just didn't want to comprehend it.
She wanted to go home, Sinnoh no longer felt like it, anymore.