watch and wonder
" 'Cos all I can do is watch and wonder,
Where the boy I know has gone."
--M2M
*****
The ride to Pewter was a fast one. Even though Moonsong was keeping up nicely, I could hear her steady breathing becoming a bit labored. Gary hadn't even broken a sweat.
"You think we should stop for the night?"
"No, not yet," came the curt reply.
Moonsong whined in disagreement.
"We'll camp just outside of Mt. Moon. I don't want to stop and make us vulnerable. I have a secret spot that we'll be safe at for the night."
And so the ride continued. It was a smooth one, even riding bareback, but the two of them ran as if Xanady was right behind us. Maybe she was. For now, all I could do was wait.
*****
What felt like hours of now azz-numbing riding, and in reality had only been about twenty minutes, stopped as we suddenly came upon the ruins of Pewter. We stopped on the top of a ridge outside of the city, the backlash of wind from our ride gusting past us. I started to get off, but Gary told me not to.
"We'll skirt around the city limits. I know there are some of Xanady's people around here." He looked down at the city, there were no lights on anywhere. "I know there are some down there...waiting for you."
"Yes, I can smell them. Some have recently passed by." Moonsong sniffed at the ground, wrinkling her muzzle at whatever scent she picked up.
"Gee, it's so nice to be reminded that I'm a liability." I muttered. "Please, let's just go before they come back. I don't want to make a scene."
"As you wish, Highness." Gary said as he picked up the pace, keeping to the forest surrounding Pewter.
It was eerie. No sounds when there should be some. No people, cars, not even someone walking a Pokémon. At one point, I thought I saw glowing red eyes, but when I looked again, there was nothing...so I said nothing. If Gary or Moonsong hadn't picked it up, then I must be seeing things.
Pewter fell behind us, literally..a chunk of concrete or something fell to the ground...as we made our way on the road to Mt. Moon. Moonsong had spooked at the noise, growled over her shoulder, and followed us. About ten minutes of winding path and brush later, I could see the dark entrance to Mt. Moon.
I shivered. "Man, that is one spooky looking sight."
"Try walking in there. There are strange Pokémon in there." Gary said as he led the way into the forest.
We made "camp" in a clearing about twenty feet from the road leading to the mountains' entrance. I could still see it, though a few branches blocked my way. I slid off Gary's back and took off the pack. It still felt wierd, taking this unknown Trainers' pack, but it would help me more than the lost Trainer.
"You guys stay here," Gary said. "I have to go check some things out."
With that for an explaination, he left.
"Is he always so nice?" Moonsong looked after him, puzzlement in her speech.
"Eh, kind of. I really only met him a month ago." I unrolled the sleeping bag that was attatched to the pack and used the pack itself as a lumpy pillow. "He's not really that bad. He used to be a lot more arrogant."
"Somehow, that's not hard to believe." She stretched, very cat-like. "I'm sorry to do this, but I need to hunt. I'm starving and your little berries won't fill me up. Do you mind?"
"No," I waved her on. "Please, go ahead. I'll be okay here."
She didn't look that convinced, and said, "I'll be very quick," as she left.
Now with both Gary and Moonsong gone, I felt very alone. I rubbed the necklace Mew gave me. It had been growing warm and now was very hot in my hands. Could it be?
"Mew?" I called out, my voice echoing disturbingly. I tried a little softer. "Mew, I know you're around. Show yourself!"
I heard a whooshing noise and turned around to see Washu and Ares staring at me.
I blinked. "This is so not funny guys."
"What?" Washu asked. "What do you mean? I'm not being funny. I'm the number one scientific genuis!"
"Yeah and what do you think you're doing, yelling like that?" Ares demanded, the moonlight glinting off his black hair. "Do you know how many of Xanady's creations are running around here?"
"Gee, why don't you tell me....Mewtwo!" I was a bit smug at the shocked look on Ares' face.
"How did you know?"
"You'd rather not know and I'd rather not tell you." I glared at them. "Now, how about more appropriate forms?"
The two sighed and glanced at each other. Washu and Ares were both surrounded by blue light and when it faded...I winced.
Mewtwo stood where Washu stood and Mew hovered where Ares stood.
"C'mon! Do you think I would think you would...geeze! Proper forms, please!"
The shrugged and reached up to the tops of their heads, between their ears. Zippers appeared suddenly, right down their centers, and they unzipped their costumes to reveal the truth.
"You two have been watching Looney Toons too much."
The Mew and Mewtwo costumes disappeared and Mew giggled, pleased with her trick.
"You are so silly, Cirrus! We thought you'd enjoy Washu and Ares!"
"Well, I did...I do....It's just that this isn't the best of times!" I sat down on my borrowed sleeping bag and looked up at the most powerful Psychic Pokémon of this dimension. "If you hadn't noticed, that is."
Mewtwo was the first to speak, "Of course we noticed, we'd be fools not to. All of the Legendary Pokémon are in hiding and Mew and I have been waiting for you to return. Everything rides on your shoulders."
"Why me?"
"You are the only human Xanady cannot influence," Mew said, hovering near me, her voice a gentle chime. "It is because you are from a different dimension and also because you wear my necklace. You have to destroy her and her plans. Once you do that..."
I frowned at her pause."What? Once I destroy her, everyone will become human again, all that was destroyed will be made whole again, and people will forget?"
"No, but it's a beginning." This from Mewtwo.
"You. My question to YOU!" I couldn't keep the anger from my voice. "Why didn't you tell me? Why keep me, not only in suspense, but indebted to Team Rocket? To Xanady her-freaking-self?"
"I am sorry and I know I cannot do anything now to be satsifactory to you." Mewtwo looked uncomfortable. "I will be able to make it up to you, once Xanady is defeated. I can create a link to your dimension and this one. You can go back and forth as you wish. Or I can make the time equal in both dimensions. Or you can bring your family here."
"Is that possible?" I breathed. "The possibilities....I could bring my mother here and we could live here. She'd be so happy!"
"Then I guess you have your motivation."
"Gary!" I lept to my feet. Mew and Mewtwo vanished as Gary stepped into the clearing.
"Who were you talking to? And where is that dog?" He looked around and the moon lit his horn silver.
"Um, no one?" I snuggled down in the pack. He could find out later, when we weren't so stressed. "Moonsong had to go hunting, she was hungry."
His eyes narrowed as he setteld down beside me. The warmth radiated off of him, just as when he'd been a Charizard. "She could get us caught."
"No I won't, horse." Moonshine chided as she stepped into the clearing. I thought I saw a splotch of blood on her muzzle. "I hope no one has a fondness for purple rats, 'cause they're good eating!"
Moonsong's words took me back into the clutches of a Spearow and I shivered as I closed my eyes to block the image. I felt her lying near me, curling up on her side. So now I was a Pokémon/Wolf sandwich, snuggled between a Rapidash and a Wolf. I would be so safe!
*****
"Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to see Ash I go!" I whistled the rest cheerfully off-key.
Behind me, I heard colletive grumbling, mostly about "pain in one's ears". I ignored it, reveling in the bright sunshine and warm breeze. Fortunately, Xanady had no control over the weather and it was simply drop, dead gorgeous!
The entrance to Mt. Moon loomed ahead of us, a small wooden sign was posted nearby, warning Trainers of the Pokémon inside. The usual cave fare: Ratattas, Geodudes, Onix, Zubat, and the possibility of their evolved forms, save for Onix.
We strode inside, instantly envoloped by a dank coolness and utter, pitch darkness.
"Um, I don't suppose either of you know Flash?" I asked, the only light from the forest behind us and Gary's flaming mane and tail.
"No, of course not." This from Gary. "Do you?"
"Why would you want to flash a cave?"
I burst out laughing at Moonsong's innocent question, the sound echoing in the cave. I shut up quickly, not wanting to attract any undue attention and tried to explain it to her. "No, Moonsong, it's not like that. Flash is a way of lighting dark places, like this cave."
"Well, I can see just fine. What about you?" Moonsong asked Gary.
He snorted, "Of course I can see in the dark and anyway, Flash isn't required all the time. I know where I'm going, so just follow me."
Before he could protest, I vaulted onto his back, "Because I don't wanna slow you guys down."
"But..."
"Go. Now. Before I start singing again."
Gary shifted from one hoof to the other. "But I..."
"Mm-bop, dop dop doo wop, diddy-bop..."
"STOP!" Gary started off and I heard Moonsong snickering. "I don't know what that was for, but it was painfull!"
I thought I heard Mew's tinkling laugh, but I didn't make an attempt to contact her.
*****
Mt. Moon was indeed a creepy place, dark and spooky. I mostly kept down low against Gary's neck, to keep warm, and tried not to fall asleep. I didn't get that much sleep last night and had actually had a nightmare. Xanady had caught me, re-transformed me, and totally destroyed this dimension. She injured me fatally and laughed as she crossed over into my dimension and did the same. The last thing I saw before I died was Xanady.
No Pokémon bothered us, though I felt like we were constantly being watched. I guessed that they were all in hiding, not wanting to be bothered. At one point, I thought I heard the low growl of an Onix, but I couldn't see crap past the light Gary's flames let off.
"So you said that Ash was unaffected?" My voice echoed slightly.
"Yeah. That looser has always been the lucky one." He snorted. "Figures he'd come out of this without even a scratch."
Suddenly, a bolt of electricity struck the ground in front of us.
Gary reared up in surprise, throwing me off.
I struck the ground hard, stars filled my vision, and the wind was knocked out of me. I heard Moonsong growling meanacingly. I stood up, using the rock I struck as an aide, and brought my left hand up to the back of my head. It came away sticky with blood.
"STAY AWAY!" The Pokémon voice was full of anger and determination. "I WON'T LET YOU HURT HIM!"
It was Pikachu.
Gary sounded bored and a bit miffed. "It's just me, Pikachu. I've brought help for Ash."
The electric mouse stood on top of a rocky ledge. I could see it now since electricity sparked at its cheeks. It looked a bit undecisive. A minute passed and finally, it said, "Allright, but he isn't doing too well."
Pikachu disapeared and Gary started walking to the left. Moonsong's eyes caught the flicker of his flames and reflected the light as she stared up at me.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
I nodded, though it made me a bit dizzy and my stomach tied in nautious knots.
"Come on, I hope they have water in their den."
I followed her and Gary, folllowing the guiding light of his fire. I wondered about what Pikachu had said. Had Xanady made it in here somehow? Perhaps she had she modified the beams' intensity...
I didn't have much time to ponder the thought. We rounded a bend and suddenly we were surrounded by light. The hideaway was in a large cavern, its roof soaring a hundred feet easily. There was a small skylight directly above the center of the "room" and it let in fresh air and sunlight. There were people here, about fifty and about half of them were not changed. Most of them teenagers, Trainers on their journey's. A few were adults, those who haven't outgrown their wanderlust.
Many were changed in some way, perhaps they had been near the entrance of Mt. Moon or not far enough inside. Some had slight changes like the coloration of Pokémon, others had physically changed: fins, tails, ears, or even wings. Those were like me. Others were not as "fortunate"; they looked like a horror directors dream come to life. One girl looked like a Ponyta-centuar, one boy had a Jolteons lower hindquarters, and one other girl looked like a full-grown Beedrill, save that she had human eyes and long blond hair.
Pikachu stood next to Gary and was talking to him. I was not near enough to hear their conversation, but when Gary followed Pikachu, I followed closely, Moonsong by my side.
There was a small niche on the right side of the cavern. A small group of people, some changed, some not, surrounded the entrance of the niche. Pikachu muttered a warning and the crowd parted to let us through. I heard Gary gasp in surprise, a sound mingled with...sorrow?
I shoved ahead of him to see a small form laying on a small, natural ledge from the niche wall. Huddled beneath blankets and breathing harshly, lay Ash Ketchum, Pokémon Master.
What happened to Ash? Will Cirrus' nightmare come true? Did Togepi really get squashed? All this and more in the next exciting chapter!
It's unquestionably a great read!