Defeat and Answers
Dusk has settled in before Red could return to Pallet Town. The quaint, bumpkin town had only one notable building that was renowned throughout the land. The famous Pokemon Lab of Professor's Oak was especially bustling today. Red walked up to the steps but hesitated to knock. He was looking forward to finally meeting everyone after a long, exhausting day. The appearance of Joey and losing the item his brother kept hidden has significantly drained his emotion.
All of the lights were on and multiple figures passed through the windows, oblivious to the young champion outside. Many conversations could be heard from inside, making Red anxious of his entrance.
"Not coming inside?"
Red stiffen by the female voice, startled as he thought he was alone. He turned to find Emily leaning against the wall with a satisfied smirk. She was by herself with the nearby streetlight being the only source of light this late.
"Oh did I scare you? The aura guardian can't sense my presence from a meter away," she joked, approaching Red.
"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Red asked. He recovered from the initial shock and joined her in standing outside of the lab.
Emily shrugged. "I just needed some fresh air from being inside. Many people came to see you, Red. Probably your entire town is in there and it was getting suffocating. But enough about me, what's wrong champion? Your not as happy as you should be for someone who finally achieved their grand life goal," she sounded concern without a hint of snark.
Red, back pressed against the wall, looked up to where Emily was looking at. It couldn't be missed, the lone moon fading into view. He took a deep breath to collect his thoughts. He tried his best to tell his recent encounter with Joey. He kept his frustration in check as he told her how he practically led Joey to the red stone plate.
Emily kept silent as she intensively listened. Red expected a jab or two at his expense but she simply urged for more details.
"I see but you shouldn't blame yourself too hard over this setback. You didn't know of these things existence a few hours ago. Joey got the better of you but you shouldn't put this much pressure on yourself,"she tried to reasoned with Red. She can tell that he was beating himself up over this mistake in his mind
"But I could've-"
"Enough! What's done is done. You can only focus on the present and see how we can approach this new issue," Emily refused to see Red reprimand himself. "You said that there are more of these artifacts? Then let's go find these other old pieces of rock. With help of course."
Red opened his mouth to protest but held his tongue in the end. He could tell Emily was trying to set him on right train of thought. No self pity or any blame. He needed to hear this despite not knowing what he needed.
"You're right," He admitted. His inner turmoil was settled as he looked onto Emily's content face. "I'm so lucky to have you. You're my rock in these kind of situations."
Emily's face flushed and turned slightly away. Red meant every word. In these recent times, Emily has been there for him. He experienced some of his toughest and lowest moments of his young life and Emily was there to support him through it. He didn't know who else he could turn to in these times.
Red 's gaze met Emily's stunned look. In the moonlight, he could make out her young, pale face. Red couldn't even fathom where he would be if it wasn't for her help. He noticed how little space there between the two.
He leaned forward. Their mouths open up under each other, and her warmth poured into Red. Emily felt every soft movement of Red's lips and could feel like she was drinking him with every breathe. Pulling apart, Emily was slightly trembling while Red held his smile.
"Alright, Champion. Let's not keep everyone waiting any longer," she said, taking him by the hand.
It was early the next morning and Red was awake despite staying up late last night. He was dressed and in his own room. He took out the wooden case from his backpack and set it at his desk nestled in the corner of his room. He pulled up his rolling chair, and examined the decrepit box. There was no recognizable markings on the outside and no elaborate locking mechanism. Two simple latches held it shut like a briefcase. It felt no heavier than a laptop as Red lightly shook it. The sound of marbles clattering against wood was all it revealed.
Finally mustering the courage, Red set it flat on the table and unfastened it. Opening it revealed two distinct crystal orbs. Red recognized the pattern inside the orbs, pulling out the wristband Joey threw at him. The rainbow stone had the exact same 'S' shaped pattern but these two where the size of grapefruits. One had an orange hue with a red and yellow pattern while the second was blue with a mix of black and blue in the middle.
Are these the mega stones that Joey went on about? Red wondered, seeing how they closely resembled each other. He kept them in the case and pulled out the manila folder. Papers spewed out of the musty folder, covering his desks. Photographs fell loose from the paper clip barely holding everything together.
The first page was a detailed page on a certain Professor Lundrigan. She was a renowned archaeologist from the Sinnoh Region. It contained her personal information such as height, hair color and it even had her hometown; Sandgem Town. The rest of the pages pointed to this portfolio being a case file on this specific professor who perished at a ruin excavation site in northern Johto eight years ago.
"She was found buried underneath a collapsed tunnel hidden near the Sinjoh ruins," he read the report. The rest were handwritten notes that all belonged to a single man. Red gulped as he saw who signed these reports.
His father's signature ended his notes. These pages were turning an ill yellow as the black ink lost its sheen. Red carefully shuffled through these notes, worried that he could tear something or smear the ink. Reading through, Red gathered that his father was investigating the circumstances of the professor's death.
He switched over to the pictures .There were various photographs depicting the Sinjoh Ruins, mostly focusing on the pile of boulders in a rather small tunnel. There was a picture of the professor taken before the incident. It showed her being the first to open a sealed room in the temple. She looked no older than his own mother as she smiled at the photographer. She kept her long, black hair in a ponytail and wore the trademark khaki jacket and matching shorts.
The next picture depicted her holding a stone tablet. It was the same tablet like Joey's but it was a dull purple color. A note was written in the back in his father's handwriting.
'Artifact not found at the crime scene. Photograph taken an hour before death.'
A photograph caught his gaze. The excavation crew were huddled together. A single person was highlighted from group of researchers. It was unmistakably Joey eight years ago. He looked just as he did now with a slightly shorter haircut. His father also took notice of him as he made it his mission to find him. The appropriate notes taken on him were found.
He read along to find out Joey was not originally part of the excavation crew and disappeared right after Lundrigan's death. No one knew his real name as his alias was not in any kept records of the crew.
Three years after the death of this professors, Joey reemerged as a new organization began making small movements in Kanto. He even took a photograph of a side angle of Joey, as if he was hiding and trying to get the best shot. His father figured out their name as being Kuriasora and pried into their motives.
Red flipped through the pages and saw that almost every one was stamped with the official Pokemon Police mark. How was his father gathering official documentation from the police? Why was he so interested in this professor's death and Joey.
Red had to get some answers. He packed up the items and slid the box under his twin sized bed. Downstairs he found his mother awake and pouring herself a cup of coffee. This particular kitchen was larger then the previous house and it even had a kitchen island in the middle.
"Morning mom. Can I please have a word with you?" Red spoke up.
Red's mother clasped her hands together. "We can do that while we eat breakfast," she beamed, eager to get started on the day.
Red motioned towards the dining table. "I really need to talk with you. This is really important to me."
"Oh, then I shouldn't disturb you two then," Emily surprised both Ketchums. She slept in the guest room last night and just woken, slightly groggy.
"You're not disrupting anything. You can join us since we both would like to hear this from my mom," Red said, taking a seat opposite of his mother.
Emily was reluctant but a mother's warm smile had her sitting at the end of the small dining table. She rubbed her eyes, tired and exhausted from yesterday. She was still in her sleepwear while both Red and his mother were dressed to take on the day.
"Did something happen?" she asked, passing mug of coffee towards the sleepy Emily. She paused to think for a moment and a gasped escaped her. "Wait! Did both of you cross the line? I'm too young to be grandmother, Red."
"N-N-NO! It's nothing like that!" Red stammered, beet red from embarrassment. He glanced at Emily who adamantly shook her head in denial.
"Well, then what is this about?" she became attentive as a mischievous smile left her face.
Red regained his composure, struggling to find a good way to bring it up. Giving up, Red went with the straightforward approach. "Who was my father really? I could try and figure it on my own but I rather hear it from you. I can't barely remember anything about him but after meeting my brother I need to know more about my family."
"Where do I even begin?" she sighed, closing her eyes for moment.
"How about on what his career was or what did for a living?" Red suggested. Ember talked about how his father was coming late from work and left without warning for days. His father never spoke to him about his job until that faithful day.
"Your father...your father was working for the International Pokemon Police Officer. He was an agent that investigated various organizations around the globe," she revealed. "He was really more like a detective, especially when he used his gifts to solve his cases."
"Hold up. Didn't Ember tell you that your father was Pokemon poacher?" Emily was finally awake after her few glugs of caffeine.
"Poacher? Red where did you get such notions," Delia raised her tone, appalled at the idea of her husband being a criminal. "He gave his life to uphold justice."
"That's what Ember told me. He even gave a story on how he went on a poaching trip with dad and it ended with him killing our father with a boulders raining down on him," Red defended himself, feeling hurt that his brother has once again deceived him.
Delia raised a hand to her mouth in horror. "Ember...Ember said that? Your father did perish in Mt. Silver and it was by an avalanche of boulders but I'm sure it was not Ember. Your father was on a case that had ties with a villainous group working in Kanto. Your father had to go without backup to reprehend one of these member and...and your brother followed him without his approval. Yet, the same police made Ember out to be the murderer."
"Ember went after dad knowing he had no help. If Kuriasora did killed my father, then why Ember join them?" he asked more to himself than his mother.
"I can't say why," she pondered. "That's something you can only ask him if meet him again." she sipped her coffee, taking in the aroma. "But that day, I lost two important people in my life."
Red gripped the table. Should I tell here? How Ember is no longer...with us? He looked up to his mother reminiscing on these sad memories. He decided to hold onto this information until he was absolutely sure on Ember's death.
"Do you remember anything else on the case he was working on?" Red asked for more details.
"I don't know what case was working on at any given time but I did know that this one was related to the death of a highly respected scientist...oh what was her name? Ludwig?"
"Lundrigan?"
"Professor Lundrigan!" she snapped her fingers. "A researcher from Sinnoh who died in an accident but your father believed it was murder. If only you could have seen how much work he put into solving these cases."
"Why didn't you tell me my father was part of the Global Police force?" Red asked, slightly annoyed that he never had this information.
"He was more accurately an agent for the Pokemon Police. We couldn't have you spouting how your father was a undercover agent when you were just child. He hid it to others as to protect his family. He made enemies that eventually caught up to him," she said. "Your father was not this criminal. He believed in justice and worked hard to solve these cases to find it."
Delia could have went on speaking her husband's praises but stopped herself to let Red digest the news. Emily refrained from saying anything as she finished her hot drink. The silence extended as Red thought to say something.
"I would love to ask Ember why he misled me," he began. "I can't find a way to ask him right now but I do have someone who give a light into this situation."
"And who is that?" Emily asked.
Red tapped his belt and a Pokeball snapped open. It was Rotom who Red traded last night in Professor Oak's lab. The little ghost buzzed and lighten up at the sight of Red's mother.
-"Is this home...but it looks different..."- he said, confused as things looked different around the house. He thought he was misremembering how the house looked like after so many years of not being here.
"Oh Rotom. It's been so long but it's really good to see again," Delia smiled and noticed Rotom's confused look. "The house had to go through a few renovations since last you came around."
"This guy is going to be your key to finding the reason why? Do you now have the ability to talk to Pokemon or something?" Emily was doubting Red.
"No, but it can talk to us. I just need the professor's help, So, I'm going to professors oak's lab for a bit then I'm needed at the Pokemon League," Red said getting up from the table.
"You don't want anything to eat for breakfast?" His mother asked, concerned.
"I'll love to but I don't have much time before I'm needed back at Indigo Plateu."
"Alright, have a safe trip!" she chirped back.
"I'll meet up with you later," Emily yawned.
Red had Rotom followed him through the house, taking the front door. Outside they were greeted by two other Pokemon. Infernape and Magmortar were out in the front. Magmortar was lazing about in the shade of a tree while Infernape was tending to the small garden in front.
Despite still recovering from their injuries they still wanted to help around with the chores that Red's mother lay out for them. Having finally taking retirement from any battling, these two were at peace and content to be home with Red's mother.
Infernape, who was careful to water the newly planted petunias, looked up to greet Red. To his astonishment, he dropped his watering can and jumped onto the railing of the porch. Magmortar lifted an eyelid but went back to his early nap.
-"You're alive!"- both Infernape and Rotom shouted at each other. If the ghost had arms it would embrace it's close friend but it had to do with a simple wave of it's appendage.
-"I thought I would never see you again?"- Infernape couldn't contain his excitement. - "Where is Ember? Charizard?"-
Rotom smile falter, and that told Infernape everything.
-"I'm guessing the plan didn't go as Ember planned,"- Magmortar said, getting up back onto his two legs. - "Or maybe he knew something was going to happen but didn't think to tell us."-
-"I would love to catch up with you guys but Red wants me to follow him to this pokemon lab,"- Rotom bowed his head and floated behind Red.
The trek to the lab was short and only a single intern was there to greet him. Red was pretty sure that Professor Oak lived her as he always happen to find him here at almost any given time. The Professor was in his office bight and early.
"Red, my boy take a seat," the Professor greeted. "What brings you here today? I'm honestly still surprised as to how you and my grandson have progressed since I gave you your first Pokemon." He leaned back into his chair, arms folded with a content smile.
Red took his seat and brought out his slab and a picture of the stone plate that his father took. He slid both of them across the wooden desk. The professor maintained both pieces with an inquisitive look."These slabs are connected to Legendary Pokemon but I don't know which one or where to start?" Red said.
"This one in particular is new to me," he said, pointing towards the physical slab. "There's no markings that could be considered writing, just a bunch of lines. It seems to form a picture...like the eye of a tropical storm."
"Tropical...storm? Like the ones that Lugia can form?" Red asked, seeing the connection.
Oak shrugged, "It could well be but I have no idea what it's used for. I might need to look further into it."
"You said you haven't seen this one before. Then what about these," Red gestured to the old photograph.
"I've seem these glyph before marked on these colorful tablets. I can't read them but a student of my colleagues was working on decoding them," Professor Oak revealed.. "My colleague is in Sinnoh and his aide was working on deciphering on a few of these artifacts. These were popping up in Sinnoh but their origin is unknown. I don't know much besides that. It might do you well to talk with the professor if you want to learn more. I can get you in touch with him."
Red nodded accepting the help. Next, he reluctantly took out the damaged Pokedex. The professor was eyeing Rotom with a curious look before he lay his sight on his damaged research tool. His invention was fried with a cracked screen.
"I'm sorry but I was hoping to get this fixed," Red pushed it towards the old man who took with delicate hands. "I'm grateful for this Pokedex for getting me through difficult situations and I still wished to help you on documenting every Pokemon possible."
"Did you throw this into battle against an electric type? How did it get fried?" he asked, fiddling with a cartridge on the back.
Red motioned to Rotom floating next him. "He possessed the Pokedex for minute. It used the text to speech to talk to me. I was hoping you can help Rotom talk to us. I have questions about my brother than I hope Rotom can shed his light on,"
"It went into my Pokedex..." he pondered. "I believe I have something he can test. My Pokedex wasn't contemptible with Rotom but it still managed to used it for a minute, but first here's another."
Professor pull out a drawer and produced a brand new Pokedex and placed it on his desk. "I've made plenty more Pokedexes since your last visit. I handed them out to my colleagues in other regions to help further their own research."
Red took the brand new with renewed vigor. "Did they hand these Pokedexes to trainers like you did with yours?" he asked.
"Professor Birch from Hoenn handed two Pokedexes to new trainers, including his own son. The third, however was stolen from him. I don't have to the full story but it seems a relative of the other trainer who received a Pokedex tricked the professor in giving a Pokedex and then ran away from home with the Pokedex."
"That's awful. Did they catch him?" Red felt himself become invested in this troy.
"Those other two went after him and by his account managed to catch him, but Professor Birch forgave him and gave him a second chance to be his aide," Oak disclosed. "Those three started their Pokemon Journey not to long after your own adventure. From what I hear, they are powerful trainers that have a chance to become a champion. It seems this generation are gifted with exceptional Pokemon Trainers."
Red nodded, feeling excited that more young trainers are taking champion role. Can I challenge other Pokemon Champions now that I'm one? Is their a tournament that can be set up only for the elites to participate in? Red's mind wondered on the excitement of battling trainers from other regions.
"Here it is. A prototype that might be more compatible with Rotom's body." Professor Oak took out a bare bones Pokedex that didn't even have a casing. "Try it out. Don't worry about breaking it. I have more of these for testing purposes."
Rotom glanced at Red who encouraged him with a nod. Rotom slipped into the device, giving it new life despite it not having a battery. Taking hold of the device, Rotom floated in midair and revealed his simple face on the screen.
"This...feels...good?" Rotom spoke in a more refined robotic male voice. The new body showed no signs of breaking.
"Rotom, can you tell more as to what happened to my brother? His final moments? Why he did all of this?" Red piled on the questions, not sure which one he wanted to answer first. "But if it's to hard to answer then I won't pry too much."
"I think I can give more details about Ember's final moments," Rotom said, slightly saddened. "I was with him when Joey teleported us out of that rock slide that Lugia caused."
Rotom was out of his Pokeball, disoriented and bewildered. He came to his senses and saw that his surroundings were not the same as a minute ago. They were still underground in Navel Rock but there was no waterfall. No raging Lugia to be seen.
"What is it that you want?" Ember's pained voice echoed through the cavern.
Rotom floated over a boulder to see his trainer beaten and battered on the floor across from a fellow Kuriasora member. Joey with his Slowbro and Espeon stood across Joey in a defensive manner. Ember only had his faithful Charizard to guard his broken body.
"You know damn well what is it what I want," Joey spat back. "Now, where is it? Where is the Flame Plate?"Espeon growled at his side and Charizard responded to the threat with a nasty snarl. "Want me to end you like I did to your father?"
"I would love to see you try!" Ember shot back.