Star in the Storm, Chapter 4
*"No Challenges"
*No name means no narrator. Everything is in third-person. I don't know, I just thought more than two narrators would be confusing.
Shane heard Lody Chimera storm past loudly and hastily. That is, until Roary Ketchum skipped forward and opened her big mouth.
"I always knew Chimera had a serious attitude problem," she said sweetly, clapping her hands. "Well, who cares about her? Hey, wanna come inside? I could get you something to drink."
"That's very hospitable of you," Shane replied politely. "Uh, Rosie, is it?"
The girl giggled loudly, as if caught in a drunken stupor. "Roary, actually," she corrected. "But you can call me Rosie, if you want."
Okaaay, Shane thought uneasily. The people of Pallet Town were definitely weird. First there was Professor Koreyu, one of the greatest minds to ever grace the earth. And who acted as if he had a mental age of three. Then there was his uncanny daughter, Lody, who had the social skills of a rock. And now this scary girl, who couldn't stop giggling! It was really getting on his nerves by now.
"That's okay," he smiled, which just seemed to make Roary giggle harder than ever. "By the way, how good is Lody Chimera at hacking?"
Roary blinked slowly. "You mean like cutting things up into little pieces?"
"No, hacking as in computers. As in gaining illegal access to certain computer systems."
"Ooh, is Chimera doing something illegal?" Roary cried. "I'd love to catch her at that!" She puzzled out Shane's question for a moment, as he tried hard to conceal his impatience. "Oh, I don't know. Lody does make a killer PowerPoint." She pondered a bit longer, wearing Shane's temper dangerously thin. "Lody's pretty sharp, if she's in the mood. I bet she'd be capable of something like that, if she really wanted to be."
"Thanks!" Shane said gratefully, grinning so widely that Roary almost fainted. "Gotta go! I'll see you later, um, Ruby!"
Her vividly bright red face matched this name perfectly now, according to a whispered sneer from Gauntal. Shane shuddered; it almost scared him how much power he had.
"Better duck!" Gauntal called in Eonic as Roary skipped by to let them through. Shane obeyed just in time; Roary's whiplike ponytail just barely clipped him on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Gaunt," Shane said, heaving a sigh of relief. Gauntal could be impish at times, but the steadfast Umbreon guide-dog was always on the alert. Shane was thankful for that, as well as Gauntal's companionship, even going to special lengths to learn Eonic himself. But then again, he was more dependent on his Pokémon than most other trainers, and good communication between them was necessary.
Though he tried not to tell anybody, Shane was blind. Had been from birth, though he'd learned to get along well enough with Gauntal's help. But it was surprising, even to him, how many people didn't notice if he kept quiet about it. (Shane still wasn't sure if either Roary or Lody had caught on yet.) He didn't like to flaunt it, what with all these new League policies discouraging any trainers who had disabilities. Shane didn't have any reason to go to extra lengths to prove himself…he'd done that amply enough for his subordinates.
Prof. Koreyu was waiting for him in the front yard as he unlocked the gate.
"Is Lody home?" Shane asked in puzzlement.
The Professor sighed. "She's off on some quest," he answered vaguely. "I guess she just felt too much confinement here."
Shane's jaw dropped and he felt his spirits sink. "But, but isn't that dangerous?" he sputtered finally. "An inexperienced girl, out there all alone? She could get lost or something!"
Prof. K laughed. "Lody, get lost? I can't even picture it!"
"Well, somebody should keep an eye on her," Shane defended himself. "After all, she is inexperienced."
The Professor chuckled louder than ever. "Just go ahead and try your luck," he chortled amusedly. "Believe me, it's not whether Lody needs help; it's whether she'll leave you in any shape to give it."
Shane shrugged. "I'll go and pack my things."
Upstairs, he searched Lody's room thoroughly with his trusty Porygon2, Hyperion, but all in vain. If she has it, she's taken it with her, obviously, Shane thought angrily, mentally chastising himself for his lack of common sense. Oh, why did that annoying girl have to complicate things so much? She had absolutely no idea what she was meddling with, did she?
Some of it had been his fault, Shane admitted. He had been too persistent, too anxious to get to the bottom of Lody's nighttime escapade. But Shane had pushed Lody too far, especially after bringing her parents into it the situation. He hadn't expected her to get so agitated. Apparently, something really was tense between them.
He even tried Lody's wastebasket; it was possible, wasn't it? But all he found in there were some crumpled-up test results in a torn envelope.
A voice in the hallway startled him into an impulsive jump, just as he was recalling Hyperion. "Hey, Shane," Professor K. called. "Take Lody her homework for me, will you? She'd better not fall behind in her studies for some silly Pokémon journey."
Shane sighed in relief, and took the laptop the Professor placed in his hands with much relief. "I hope you don't think I'm trying to intrude on family business," he ventured nervously.
Prof. K.'s hearty laugh echoed about the hall. "Hey, it's summer break after all, and you're a kid. Go have some fun, and try not to let Lody push you in the dirt," he added, leading Shane to the door. "But hey, if you wanna rack up suck-up points with your teacher, I'd like a twenty page report on on the history of Pokémon training by next Monday."
Shane groaned. Not too loudly, though. Additional homework was of little concern compared to what could happen if things got out of hand. Waving goodbye, he started down the hill.
"Remember!" the Professor's voice pierced through the air. "I'm not reading it unless it's double-spaced!"
Gauntal had flopped out on the far lawn while he'd been talking to the Professor and was sprawled in the heat of the midday sun. Shane, sensing his friend's dejection, raised his eyebrows at the usually energetic Umbreon. "What's the matter, Gaunt? Depressed?"
"Stomach ache," Gauntal grunted out, crunching the grass as it rolled over . A dull thud sounded as it patted its tummy with its paw. Wincing slightly, it rolled back onto its stomach, sighing softly. "No offense, but I'm pretty sure it was that weird breakfast you concocted this morning,"
Shane frowned. "I guess I'll have to carry you. We're leaving to go after Lody Chimera, and we really don't have a second to spare."
Gauntal's floppy ears perked up in and instant, slapping audibly against the sides of the Umbreon's head. "You mean the Professor's kid?" it asked Shane curiously.
"The one and only," Shane replied.
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Gauntal cried, springing to its feet and charging forward like a lawn-crunching, dirt-kicking missile. "Hurry up, we don't want to lose them!" it panted, flinging its leash into Shane's hands.
Shane moved to Gauntal's side and gently turned the Umbreon to face in the opposite direction, where he felt the dirt of the well worn road beneath his sneaker soles. "Uh, I'm not sure, but aren't we're going this way?" he asked.
"Of course!" Gauntal answered quickly, charging forward once again. "Let's go, go, go!!!"
Shane smiled at his Pokémon, barely able to restrain a chuckle at the Umbreon's antics. He could be wrong, but was almost positive Gauntal had its eye on Lody's Espeon, Amulet.
"Hey, Shane!" a familiar voice rang out, one Shane had been positively dreading. Roary had arrived on the scene again, and by her labored breathing, must have been coming at a run.
"Uh oh," Gauntal groaned, edging back a bit and letting the leash go slack in Shane's hands. "She's got a pack. What ever you do, DON'T let her come with us."
"I was wondering if you'd let me come with you," Roary said eagerly, footsteps coming to a silent standstill. "I couldn't help but overhear, but I'm a pretty good battler, and I've done tons of traveling in the past two years. Maybe I can help you guys around or something."
"Pi!" a small voice trilled. Shane felt a furry paw brush his leg. Picassy.
"Really, Cass?" Gauntal whispered slowly. "You're saying Lody and Amulet borrowed your hovercraft? And you've still got the tracker?"
Tiny claws dug through Shane's skin as Picassy scrambled onto his shoulder. "Pichu! Pic ic ic!" it squealed, elated to be the center of attention.
"Quick!" Gauntal cried, tugging impatiently on its leash. "Make them come with us! They can track Lody's hovercraft!"
Shane's head did a mental flip-flop. Hovercrafts had been nonexistent for the most part up to a few years ago, but were now were in wide use with people who hated to walk, but weren't old enough to drive. Mostly eager young Pokémon trainers, or what was left of them, anyway. Shane wasn't quite clear on how they worked, but knew that at the speed which they traveled, Lody could be gone and off on a wild adventure before he had the time to sneeze. He could put up with Roary Ketchum, if that's what it took to track that pesky Chimera girl down. He just hoped he wasn't too late.
"We'd be glad to have you along," he replied, flashing a quick smile. "I don't suppose you have an old hot air balloon lying around anywhere, do you?"
"I know!" Roary yelled instantly, clapping her hands in delight. "Dad has one in the supply shed out back; he uses it during his commentaries at the League every year!"
Shane grinned to himself as Roary rushed away, all too eager to please. Gauntal sidled up beside him, bumping his nose against Shane's hand.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked, pawing through Shane's pockets.
Shane reached down to take a small PokéCapsule from the Umbreon's mouth. "Thanks, Gaunt," he said, running his fingers familiarly over the worn capsule. He felt the ridged bulge of a stomach, the smooth stretch of wings, and a blunt snout at the end of the figure's cocked head. Without hesitation, he flung the capsule high into the air.
A loud wrenching sounded as the capsule flew forward, twisting and writhing as it transformed into a Pokémon.
Shane's Dragonite unfurled its broad wings with a sharp snap and let out an enthusiastic battle cry. Charging forward, it was stopped only by Gauntal, who had planted itself in the path.
"Slow down, big guy!" the Umbreon called. "There's no battle here!"
The Dragonite made of small noise of confusion, the furious beating of its wings coming to a reluctant still.
"Over here, Ragnarok!" Shane called to his Dragonite. With a happy chirp, Ragnarok flapped to Shane's side and lowered its head as it had been trained to do. Hoisting himself onto the Dragonite's back, Shane mounted just in time to hear Roary's astonished gasp.
"You have a Dragonite?" she squealed, running forward eagerly. "This is so cool! Can I pet him? Ooh, are we gonna ride him?"
Shane laughed at Roary's excitement, not to mention the Dragonite's awkwardness as the girl came forward to pat the Pokémon's head. "No, Ragnarok couldn't possibly carry all of us. But you can ride in the balloon, and he can carry that. By the way…" Shane paused. If Lody had gone anywhere, it would obviously be to Charicific Valley, the largest Charizard reserve in all the regions. Something about meeting a Charm, he remembered vaguely. Well, that would work out surprisingly well, considering that he had been about to be drafted there anyway.
"I don't suppose you know anything about a Charm from Charicific Valley?" he asked Roary.
"Charm?" a gloomy voice intoned from behind the house. With a labored step, a droopy-eared Meganium named Bryar (according to Gauntal) poked its head around the corner and sighed heavily. "Pika and the Professor's daughter already left to meet Charm half-an-hour ago," it groaned. "Not that they bothered to ask me along, no sir. Now guess who's getting stuck with all of Pikapal's house chores?" Bryar sighed again, even louder than before.
"Say Bryar," Roary said quickly. "Have you been to Charicific Valley before? Do you know Charm?"
"Bryar's got the route to Charicific Valley practically down by heart!" a chorus of Pokémon called from behind the house. "For when it goes to see Charm!"
"Shut up!" Bryar yelled back at them, vine whips flailing dangerously. Turning back to Roary and Shane, it shrugged dismissively. "Pikapal's talked about Charicific Valley once or twice, and I met Charm a while back. Just a couple times, you know, no big deal…"
"Great!" Roary cried. "You're coming with us!"
The Meganium's gloomy voice perked right up. "Really? I mean, alright then. Let's hurry up and get it over with."
Some group we have here, Shane grinned as Roary, Picassy, and Bryar boarded into the hot air balloon. As he mounted Ragnarok with Gauntal and gave the command for take-off, he was smiling faintly to himself. This assignment was turning out to be much more interesting than he'd expected. The complications with the Chimera girl would easy enough to smooth out; he'd faced harder problems than her before. Lody Chimera wouldn't be a challenge, no challenge at all.
Notes:
The idea of a Pokémon guide-dog got stuck in my head one day and refused to go away. People are always going on about how strong the bond is between a Pokémon and trainer. Could this bond be strengthened to the point where a Pokémon could seamlessly become the virtual eyes of its trainer, and no one would notice? Just another weird idea; I have a lot of them, so don't take me seriously.