pbPart Twenty-Promises not to make/b
p
pWhile Kyotoshi kept talking as long as i kept asking questions, most of his answers were muddled and confusing. I learned a little bit about how these pokepeople were changed, i still didn't learn anymore about the Metal Myuu he spoke of so breifly. It posed a lot of questions, like if Myuu was a new species, how could they have been developing metal copies of her a year before my sister and I fought her? I needed some answers. Only one person might know about this...Stryker. He had the largest library of pokemon stuff in all of Team Rocket, being a Silph.
pIt was late, and both Kojiro and Dad had returned, but that didn't mean Stryker wouldn't be up. I opened J.C.N. and spoke quietly into it, for fear of waking Jasusi, who was snoozing across the tent, hanging upside down from the pole. "Place a call to Stryker Silph. You know the number."
p"Okey-day." J.C.N. whispered back. For a moment, there was a dail tone, then the operater came on. "Your calling card time has expired. Thank you for using Varri Calling Card services."
pDAMN! I knew i shoulda actually sprung for a 50$ incrimint on my card. I honestly didn't want to be charged at HQ for a call, so i shut the 'dex abruptly and decided to go to sleep. From the other tent, i could hear Kyotoshi babbling and giggling in his sleep. J.C.N. had been wrong, the effects of the Rare Candy hadn't worn off after three hours, they were still just as potent as when he'd first eaten the thing. I felt somewhat sorry for Kojiro, but figured he could sleep through mostly everything. Dad, on the other hand, i knew, would be paying Kyotoshi back for this sleepless night for a very long time.
pI felt somewhat guilty as well. I shouldn't have supported Kyo's vices, especially since i knew they weren't doing him any good now. While they didn't actually age him, the change was evident. Kyo was a little different after each candy, a little less himself and a little more the pokemon he'd been created as. Aparently, shifting more to the pokemon side of the mind wasn't a problem only my sister had. These others faced it too. There had to be a cure, i knew...and somehow it tied into this Metal Myuu.
pAnd myself. That was the odd thing. I, too, was a pokeperson, but i was still the same as the day i'd been created, although i had grown levels and been evolved into Myuutwin along with my sister in our fight with Myuutu. What was it that kept me stable, but let them deteriorate?
pI fell asleep wondering.
p The next morning, Kyotoshi didn't remember a thing from his session with the Rare Candy. he even seemed a little nervous, and a tad bit relieved that no one was itoo/i mad with the way he'd acted. Jasusi, not caring at all what he'd said so long as he didn't talk about the labs again, was tagging along behind him, mimicing his words.
pDad the Meowth hung back with Kojiro today, though. I wasn't sure why until i heard them talking. Of all things! Dad knew english.
pWe'd reached the very outskirts of Cerulean when Kyotoshi got up the nerve to be appriciative. Not that i minded, he was already pretty mortified that we'd all seen him under the Rare Candy's influence last night, although he didn't show it much.
p"Hey, Mantis." He was a few feet behind me, but caught up when i turned to see what he wanted. "I just wanted to say it was pretty damn nice of you not to..ya know.."
p"What? Ditch you? Kyo, besides the fact that i do need you to help, you're family. And besides that you're my friend." i patted his head between the ears, and a puff of dust arose. Kyo flushed, shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to avoid being reminded of what had happened. Dad had given him the full story, straight from Jasusi. Poor kid was feeling pretty cut down. "I'm not going to ditch you, Kyo."
pHe shook his head. "I ain't askin for a promise. In fact, i'm askin ya don't make one. You ain't gonna be able to put up with my damn problems forever. At some damn point you will ditch me." the pokeperson shrugged. "It ain't somethin i'm pretendin won't happen."
pJasusi, who had remained quiet until now, flapped her wings. "No ditch, Mine Kyo. damn ditch you. Okay keep you."
pI nodded, agreeing with Jasusi's broken, confusing english. "She's right. we won't leave you when you need help. If things get that bad with you," i gripped Kyo's shoulder. He backed his ears, feeling guilty. "If you ever are to the point where we would even consider ditching you, that's when you can count on us to help you out. We're always here for you, Kyo. I'm family. Jasusi's a friend. You can always beat this thing."
PHe snorted. "Don't make a bet on it."
pJasusi flung a wing over Kyo's shoulder, a wing large enough to cover his back like a cape. "Mine Kyo no fall. Jasusi catch if fall. Manti catch. Mine Kyo keep."
pKyo smiled and laughed a little, but not much. "Ya know, ya wouldn't'a seen me like that yesterday if ya hadn't givin me the damn job of teaching her, Mantis."
p"I would prefer to see you like that 24/7 then have you hide your problems." I told him.
p"Well, it ain't never happenin' again." Kyotoshi intoned. "No more Rare Candies. I ain't willin to loose my only friends cause of some damn problem i got."
pI sighed. I doubted he would be able to keep that promise, and i had a feeling his making it was only leading us into more trouble.
pJasusi must have guessed what i was thinking. "If this okay no show damn," she told me. She was right. Kyotoshi was feeling motovated, and it was better to have him that way then depressed and lagging behind. Certainly it was healthier for him. Having friends was something Kyo lost when he lost his physical humanity, and he was only now gaining them back. It was as they say..a man with nothing to loose is a dangerous adversary. A man with nothing to loose but prospects was deadly. Perhaps Kyotoshi could kick his Rare Candy addiction...though i doubted it. At least he was trying.
pI put a hand on Kyotoshi's head and messed his hair again, sending up more dust. "Be as you are," I told him. "Don't change because of what you think others want."
pJasusi grinned. "Mine Kyo keep, Jasusi no want okay Mine Kyo. Jasusi want trouble Mine Kyo."
pBefore we got another foot or another word, a siren blared on teh narrow footpath. Dad yowled and jumped onto Kyo's head, yelling at all of us in pokemon. ::It's Jenny! It's Jenny!::
pKyotoshi broke away and ran for cover in the woods. "The Cops!" He yelped aloud as he scrambled to hide.
pKojiro heard the English translation of Dad's cry and took off down the path. Good plan. Split up. I ran into the woods in the opposite direction of Kyotoshi, and Jasusi took wing straight away, shreiking loudly. "See you guys in Cerulean!" I called over my shoulder as i fled. A chorous of replies answered me, just as Jenny pulled up and began to yell on her loudspeaker.
p"Stop right there! You Team Rocket members are wanted for breaking and entering, hacking and flooding Vermillion with Magikarp! I've got an APB on you! Kyotoshi of Celadon! Stop! You're under arrest for unlawful gambling and possession of illigel amounts of Rare Candies! Hey! I said stop!"
pBy the time Jenny actually started chasing us, we all had looong head starts.
p
p
PbPart twenty-one-Good-bye Kojiro!/b
p
pI never thought Kojiro to be the one to make an intelligent decicion, but aparently he was capable of it. I had to admit, i was surprised.
p"I've been thinking it over," Kojiro told us. We were gathered behind the Cerulean City Gym, trying to keep anyone from getting suspicous. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be working so well. The man who lived in the house across the way kept looking out his window. Well, good for him. I hoped his nosey arse got burnt up by a rabid Vulpix.
p::Kojiro thinking,:: Dad said to us, ::Everyone run for cover.::
pKojiro couldn't understand what the Meowth had said. Good for him, he'd probobly get into a fight and loose. "I'm not finding a way to get the Magikarp out of Vermillion by following you guys around. So, i'm going to stay here and use Bill's computer to figure that out."
p"Bill won't be so keen on that," i decided aloud. Well, it was true. We had been the ones who'd broken into his house, and since Jenny had an APB on us, that also meant we'd been fingered with the job. Damn.
pThe not-so-bright Rocket scoffed. "No problem. I'll just turn him into a pokemon with his own machine."
pKyotoshi laughed aloud at that. "Nice plan! He ain't gonna be to compliant i think."
pJasusi chittered in her strange laughter. "Chee make trouble. Ain't so keep."
pKojiro wasn't going to be detered. "I'll gas the house with Koffing, first. In any case i'm going to get the information i need."
pKyo snickered. "Well, in that case, ain't much to say but don't get caught."
p"Yeah, don't get Jenny on my tail because of a stupid mistake." I crossed my arms and looked at him seriously. I imeant/i that. "I hope you find what you need."
pKojiro nodded and began to walk up towards Route 24. "See you back at the HQ, Mantis!"
pUnder my breath, i muttered, "God forbid.."
pKojiro, maybe thinking i said something else, turned and waved with a big grin. Why did i have the sinking feeling Team Rocket was going to make the news in Cerulean? Oh dear...
p"I MEAN it about not getting caught!"
PCupping a hand to his ear, Kojiro kept walking. "What?"
pI sighed. oooooh brother...well, at least he wasn't going to be bugging me anymore. "Nevermind!"
pI wondered how people like Kojiro got past quality control. Oh well.
p::Shall we head to Rock Tunnel?:: Dad suggested, leaping onto Kytoshi's head as usual. ::I see nothing else we need to do here. And we better get moving before that jerk over there,:: he motioned with a thumb, ::figures out who we are and calls Jenny.::
p"Not a bad idea at all." Lavender town was still a few miles off, and getting a head start wasn't a bad idea at all. "Good idea."
p"Good plan. Good idea. Keep plan." Jasusi mimiced, nodding knowingly. She cast a glance towards the nosey man's house. "Catch trouble if stay."
pKyotoshi shook his head. "Not so fast. I ain't leavin' without doin one thing." The pokeperson walked around to the front of the Gym, and Jasusi and i followed, not knowing what he planned to do. With no explanation, Kyo threw open the door to the Gym and screamed inside. "YOU ALL SUCK!"
pJasusi and i looked at eachother and Dad raised an eyebrow and tapped Kyo on the head. ::And why was that neccicary?::
pKyo slammed the Gym door shut and shrugged. "If they weren't so damn confident, i wouldn't be commentin'. But people who work in gyms need their egos screwed with. I ain't lettin' em walk around all high-n'-mighty." He grinned. "Anyway i ain't got nothin' else to do. Let's scram."
pJasusi folded her arms. "Yeah, good plan. Let's scram."
pSo we started walking again. The last pokeperson, and hopefully a few answers lay in Lavender, and Lavender lay in our way. It was time to gain something more then extra bodies on this venture.
p
pbPart Twenty-two- Lavender Revisited/b
p
pThe last time i'd been in Lavender Town, my sister and I had spent most of our time in Pokemon Tower, her trying to save the life of a boarderline Charmander, and me trying to catch a Gastly and Haunter. I never DID get that Haunter, seeing as it belonged to the extremely weird ghost keeper of the Tower, Josh. Although he could probobly help out on our quest, i had no desire to communicate with him. He was creepy. Not to mention, a ghost himself.
pBut this time around, i wasn't hunting for pokemon. I was hunting for pokeipeople/i. And hopefully when i found one, i'd find some answers too. Lavender was teh place you went if you wanted to find mysteries, but maybe there were answers here too.
pOutside the town, on the very fringes, a little boy holding a Cubone spotted my uniform and scowled. "You Rockets are nothing but trouble! Cubone's momma was killed by you guys, now he's an orphin!"
pThe fur on the back of my neck stood up. "What? That's nuts, no Rocket would ever kill a pokemon! They're too useful! And besides, only an idiot would kill a Marowak. They're no good dead, and much more friendly alive."
pThe kid just frowned and secreted Cubone away inside his jacket. Something was stinking around here, and it wasn't the wind from Vermillion. I decided to ignore the kid and keep heading in towards town. If we Rockets were being framed for a death of not just any pokemon, but a kickass Marowak, it warented a little investigation.
p"What was that about?" Kyo asked. "I ain't never heard of Rockets commiting murder."
pI shook my head. "I'm pretty sure we didn't, which is why i'm confused. Just the same, i think i'd better loose the uniform. If Team Rocket is hated here, no point in broadcasting i'm one of them." I teleported out of the uniform. It wasn't a taboo, i didn't look anymore human then Myuutu did. The uniform was strickly Team Rocket code, not my prefrence. Let's not break the rules, i thought. Let's just bend them a little.
pDad nodded. ::Good idea. Smart girl. I think we ought to check this out too. Might have something to do with your quest.::
pJasusi nodded, and turned to Kyotoshi. She rapped him on the side of the head, shaking Dad as well as her intended target. "No mimic Mantis. People no want see your damn ass."
pI burst out laughing. Maybe teaching Jasusi english wasn't such a good idea. Kyo glared at her, aparently not as amused. Dad laughed anyway.
p"I wasn't PLANNING on copying Mantis. Ain't we a bit perverted?"
pJasusi just giggled.
pI shook my head and motioned for them to follow me to the Name Rater's house. He saw almost everyone who passed through Lavender Town, he was bound to know a little bit about what was going on. Info was what i needed.
pKyo seemed a bit uncomfortable about talking to people here, i noticed. He jumped whenever someone brushed past him, and nearly beat a girl who joked about ghosts unconcious.
p"Afraid of ghosts, Kyotoshi?"
p"Me? No way. No damn ghost scares me. Just this friggin Goth town is damn freaky." He cringed and made a face as someone moved past him.
pI didn't want to say so, but that was the reason no one was bothered by us here. Lavender was a safehaven for weirdos and lunatics...it was also a place where it was easy to mask the truth with a simple lie. We left the streets and entered the Name Rater's house, hopefully not tripping any alarms from the guy who was framing us Rockets.
pThe Name Rater was actually pretty helpful, though not too bright. He answered most of my questions straight away, without ever asking ones of his own. "Sure, i know who handles the news around here. It's the Mayor, Mr. Fuji. He loves pokemon and does all he can to preserve their beuty."
pSo Mr. Fuji was the one making up that Rocket lie. The question was still how come? We Rockets left Lavender dead alone, except for passing through. Hell, the place didn't even have a GYM! I doubted the Name Rater would know about that, though. And if he did it was a sure fire tip-off we were nosing around. Best play it safe. "I can see why. Who would want to hurt a Marowak? They're rare enough. Mr. Fuji works at the volunteer pokemon center, doesn't he?"
pNodding, the Name Rater checked his watch. I didn't know why, we weren't taking up much time. "Yes, Marowaks are very rare. Perhaps the Rockets had been trying to catch it, i'm not sure. About the volenteer center, Mr. Fuji is their president. He's such a kind man, caring for those pokemon."
p"Yeah, real sweet and nice i bet," growled Kyotoshi. "Speakin' a rare stuff, there's a mother load of Rare Candies lyin around here. I've never seen so many before, why?"
pI glanced at Kyo. He glared back. ::He didn't pick any up that i saw,:: Dad told me.
p"Oh," The Name Rater looked at his watch again, seeming to grow increasingly anxious. "i'm not sure about the other routes and towns, but Lavender always gets a lot of careless trainers. They drop things all the time, i suspect that's your explanation." Abruptly, he stood up, took his hat and made for the door. "I hate to cut our meeting short, but i have an engagement in a few minutes. I hope you don't mind."
pWe got kicked out. We could have put up a fight, but doing so might have looked a little suspicious. Kyotoshi held his tongue until the Name Rater had locked his door and left us standing on the stoop.
p"What the hell was his problem? It ain't like i asked 'bout somethin confriversail." Kyo shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and scowled. "Jerk off."
PJasusi sat on the stoop and sighed loudly, putting her head in her hands. "Damn jerk, yes. But maybe catch bad idea, Mine Kyo."
pI nodded. "It does seem pretty fishy, maybe he knows something about it. Maybe it's related to this whole thing. I mean, why did he leave so quickly?"
p"Oh," said a voice from above us, "Everyone leaves at this time of day. It isn't safe to stay."
pWe all looked up. Dad's mouth dropped open, as if he was seeing something completely unusual. A boy sat on top of the house, his skin cream colored like Dad's, with a curly Meowth tail. His eyes, though, were slanted, and his ears stubbier then a Meowth's. He also glowed. I could sense it, it was obvious to me. He was a Psy pokeperson.
p"Jeez, you all seem a little shocked." The boy grinned and kicked his feet. His hair was dusky brown, Abra coloured, and he wore a baggy white tee-shirt and army coloured pants, a lot like the cargo pants my sister always wore. "Guess i should introduce myself. My name's Irin."
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p
pWhile Kyotoshi kept talking as long as i kept asking questions, most of his answers were muddled and confusing. I learned a little bit about how these pokepeople were changed, i still didn't learn anymore about the Metal Myuu he spoke of so breifly. It posed a lot of questions, like if Myuu was a new species, how could they have been developing metal copies of her a year before my sister and I fought her? I needed some answers. Only one person might know about this...Stryker. He had the largest library of pokemon stuff in all of Team Rocket, being a Silph.
pIt was late, and both Kojiro and Dad had returned, but that didn't mean Stryker wouldn't be up. I opened J.C.N. and spoke quietly into it, for fear of waking Jasusi, who was snoozing across the tent, hanging upside down from the pole. "Place a call to Stryker Silph. You know the number."
p"Okey-day." J.C.N. whispered back. For a moment, there was a dail tone, then the operater came on. "Your calling card time has expired. Thank you for using Varri Calling Card services."
pDAMN! I knew i shoulda actually sprung for a 50$ incrimint on my card. I honestly didn't want to be charged at HQ for a call, so i shut the 'dex abruptly and decided to go to sleep. From the other tent, i could hear Kyotoshi babbling and giggling in his sleep. J.C.N. had been wrong, the effects of the Rare Candy hadn't worn off after three hours, they were still just as potent as when he'd first eaten the thing. I felt somewhat sorry for Kojiro, but figured he could sleep through mostly everything. Dad, on the other hand, i knew, would be paying Kyotoshi back for this sleepless night for a very long time.
pI felt somewhat guilty as well. I shouldn't have supported Kyo's vices, especially since i knew they weren't doing him any good now. While they didn't actually age him, the change was evident. Kyo was a little different after each candy, a little less himself and a little more the pokemon he'd been created as. Aparently, shifting more to the pokemon side of the mind wasn't a problem only my sister had. These others faced it too. There had to be a cure, i knew...and somehow it tied into this Metal Myuu.
pAnd myself. That was the odd thing. I, too, was a pokeperson, but i was still the same as the day i'd been created, although i had grown levels and been evolved into Myuutwin along with my sister in our fight with Myuutu. What was it that kept me stable, but let them deteriorate?
pI fell asleep wondering.
p The next morning, Kyotoshi didn't remember a thing from his session with the Rare Candy. he even seemed a little nervous, and a tad bit relieved that no one was itoo/i mad with the way he'd acted. Jasusi, not caring at all what he'd said so long as he didn't talk about the labs again, was tagging along behind him, mimicing his words.
pDad the Meowth hung back with Kojiro today, though. I wasn't sure why until i heard them talking. Of all things! Dad knew english.
pWe'd reached the very outskirts of Cerulean when Kyotoshi got up the nerve to be appriciative. Not that i minded, he was already pretty mortified that we'd all seen him under the Rare Candy's influence last night, although he didn't show it much.
p"Hey, Mantis." He was a few feet behind me, but caught up when i turned to see what he wanted. "I just wanted to say it was pretty damn nice of you not to..ya know.."
p"What? Ditch you? Kyo, besides the fact that i do need you to help, you're family. And besides that you're my friend." i patted his head between the ears, and a puff of dust arose. Kyo flushed, shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to avoid being reminded of what had happened. Dad had given him the full story, straight from Jasusi. Poor kid was feeling pretty cut down. "I'm not going to ditch you, Kyo."
pHe shook his head. "I ain't askin for a promise. In fact, i'm askin ya don't make one. You ain't gonna be able to put up with my damn problems forever. At some damn point you will ditch me." the pokeperson shrugged. "It ain't somethin i'm pretendin won't happen."
pJasusi, who had remained quiet until now, flapped her wings. "No ditch, Mine Kyo. damn ditch you. Okay keep you."
pI nodded, agreeing with Jasusi's broken, confusing english. "She's right. we won't leave you when you need help. If things get that bad with you," i gripped Kyo's shoulder. He backed his ears, feeling guilty. "If you ever are to the point where we would even consider ditching you, that's when you can count on us to help you out. We're always here for you, Kyo. I'm family. Jasusi's a friend. You can always beat this thing."
PHe snorted. "Don't make a bet on it."
pJasusi flung a wing over Kyo's shoulder, a wing large enough to cover his back like a cape. "Mine Kyo no fall. Jasusi catch if fall. Manti catch. Mine Kyo keep."
pKyo smiled and laughed a little, but not much. "Ya know, ya wouldn't'a seen me like that yesterday if ya hadn't givin me the damn job of teaching her, Mantis."
p"I would prefer to see you like that 24/7 then have you hide your problems." I told him.
p"Well, it ain't never happenin' again." Kyotoshi intoned. "No more Rare Candies. I ain't willin to loose my only friends cause of some damn problem i got."
pI sighed. I doubted he would be able to keep that promise, and i had a feeling his making it was only leading us into more trouble.
pJasusi must have guessed what i was thinking. "If this okay no show damn," she told me. She was right. Kyotoshi was feeling motovated, and it was better to have him that way then depressed and lagging behind. Certainly it was healthier for him. Having friends was something Kyo lost when he lost his physical humanity, and he was only now gaining them back. It was as they say..a man with nothing to loose is a dangerous adversary. A man with nothing to loose but prospects was deadly. Perhaps Kyotoshi could kick his Rare Candy addiction...though i doubted it. At least he was trying.
pI put a hand on Kyotoshi's head and messed his hair again, sending up more dust. "Be as you are," I told him. "Don't change because of what you think others want."
pJasusi grinned. "Mine Kyo keep, Jasusi no want okay Mine Kyo. Jasusi want trouble Mine Kyo."
pBefore we got another foot or another word, a siren blared on teh narrow footpath. Dad yowled and jumped onto Kyo's head, yelling at all of us in pokemon. ::It's Jenny! It's Jenny!::
pKyotoshi broke away and ran for cover in the woods. "The Cops!" He yelped aloud as he scrambled to hide.
pKojiro heard the English translation of Dad's cry and took off down the path. Good plan. Split up. I ran into the woods in the opposite direction of Kyotoshi, and Jasusi took wing straight away, shreiking loudly. "See you guys in Cerulean!" I called over my shoulder as i fled. A chorous of replies answered me, just as Jenny pulled up and began to yell on her loudspeaker.
p"Stop right there! You Team Rocket members are wanted for breaking and entering, hacking and flooding Vermillion with Magikarp! I've got an APB on you! Kyotoshi of Celadon! Stop! You're under arrest for unlawful gambling and possession of illigel amounts of Rare Candies! Hey! I said stop!"
pBy the time Jenny actually started chasing us, we all had looong head starts.
p
p
PbPart twenty-one-Good-bye Kojiro!/b
p
pI never thought Kojiro to be the one to make an intelligent decicion, but aparently he was capable of it. I had to admit, i was surprised.
p"I've been thinking it over," Kojiro told us. We were gathered behind the Cerulean City Gym, trying to keep anyone from getting suspicous. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be working so well. The man who lived in the house across the way kept looking out his window. Well, good for him. I hoped his nosey arse got burnt up by a rabid Vulpix.
p::Kojiro thinking,:: Dad said to us, ::Everyone run for cover.::
pKojiro couldn't understand what the Meowth had said. Good for him, he'd probobly get into a fight and loose. "I'm not finding a way to get the Magikarp out of Vermillion by following you guys around. So, i'm going to stay here and use Bill's computer to figure that out."
p"Bill won't be so keen on that," i decided aloud. Well, it was true. We had been the ones who'd broken into his house, and since Jenny had an APB on us, that also meant we'd been fingered with the job. Damn.
pThe not-so-bright Rocket scoffed. "No problem. I'll just turn him into a pokemon with his own machine."
pKyotoshi laughed aloud at that. "Nice plan! He ain't gonna be to compliant i think."
pJasusi chittered in her strange laughter. "Chee make trouble. Ain't so keep."
pKojiro wasn't going to be detered. "I'll gas the house with Koffing, first. In any case i'm going to get the information i need."
pKyo snickered. "Well, in that case, ain't much to say but don't get caught."
p"Yeah, don't get Jenny on my tail because of a stupid mistake." I crossed my arms and looked at him seriously. I imeant/i that. "I hope you find what you need."
pKojiro nodded and began to walk up towards Route 24. "See you back at the HQ, Mantis!"
pUnder my breath, i muttered, "God forbid.."
pKojiro, maybe thinking i said something else, turned and waved with a big grin. Why did i have the sinking feeling Team Rocket was going to make the news in Cerulean? Oh dear...
p"I MEAN it about not getting caught!"
PCupping a hand to his ear, Kojiro kept walking. "What?"
pI sighed. oooooh brother...well, at least he wasn't going to be bugging me anymore. "Nevermind!"
pI wondered how people like Kojiro got past quality control. Oh well.
p::Shall we head to Rock Tunnel?:: Dad suggested, leaping onto Kytoshi's head as usual. ::I see nothing else we need to do here. And we better get moving before that jerk over there,:: he motioned with a thumb, ::figures out who we are and calls Jenny.::
p"Not a bad idea at all." Lavender town was still a few miles off, and getting a head start wasn't a bad idea at all. "Good idea."
p"Good plan. Good idea. Keep plan." Jasusi mimiced, nodding knowingly. She cast a glance towards the nosey man's house. "Catch trouble if stay."
pKyotoshi shook his head. "Not so fast. I ain't leavin' without doin one thing." The pokeperson walked around to the front of the Gym, and Jasusi and i followed, not knowing what he planned to do. With no explanation, Kyo threw open the door to the Gym and screamed inside. "YOU ALL SUCK!"
pJasusi and i looked at eachother and Dad raised an eyebrow and tapped Kyo on the head. ::And why was that neccicary?::
pKyo slammed the Gym door shut and shrugged. "If they weren't so damn confident, i wouldn't be commentin'. But people who work in gyms need their egos screwed with. I ain't lettin' em walk around all high-n'-mighty." He grinned. "Anyway i ain't got nothin' else to do. Let's scram."
pJasusi folded her arms. "Yeah, good plan. Let's scram."
pSo we started walking again. The last pokeperson, and hopefully a few answers lay in Lavender, and Lavender lay in our way. It was time to gain something more then extra bodies on this venture.
p
pbPart Twenty-two- Lavender Revisited/b
p
pThe last time i'd been in Lavender Town, my sister and I had spent most of our time in Pokemon Tower, her trying to save the life of a boarderline Charmander, and me trying to catch a Gastly and Haunter. I never DID get that Haunter, seeing as it belonged to the extremely weird ghost keeper of the Tower, Josh. Although he could probobly help out on our quest, i had no desire to communicate with him. He was creepy. Not to mention, a ghost himself.
pBut this time around, i wasn't hunting for pokemon. I was hunting for pokeipeople/i. And hopefully when i found one, i'd find some answers too. Lavender was teh place you went if you wanted to find mysteries, but maybe there were answers here too.
pOutside the town, on the very fringes, a little boy holding a Cubone spotted my uniform and scowled. "You Rockets are nothing but trouble! Cubone's momma was killed by you guys, now he's an orphin!"
pThe fur on the back of my neck stood up. "What? That's nuts, no Rocket would ever kill a pokemon! They're too useful! And besides, only an idiot would kill a Marowak. They're no good dead, and much more friendly alive."
pThe kid just frowned and secreted Cubone away inside his jacket. Something was stinking around here, and it wasn't the wind from Vermillion. I decided to ignore the kid and keep heading in towards town. If we Rockets were being framed for a death of not just any pokemon, but a kickass Marowak, it warented a little investigation.
p"What was that about?" Kyo asked. "I ain't never heard of Rockets commiting murder."
pI shook my head. "I'm pretty sure we didn't, which is why i'm confused. Just the same, i think i'd better loose the uniform. If Team Rocket is hated here, no point in broadcasting i'm one of them." I teleported out of the uniform. It wasn't a taboo, i didn't look anymore human then Myuutu did. The uniform was strickly Team Rocket code, not my prefrence. Let's not break the rules, i thought. Let's just bend them a little.
pDad nodded. ::Good idea. Smart girl. I think we ought to check this out too. Might have something to do with your quest.::
pJasusi nodded, and turned to Kyotoshi. She rapped him on the side of the head, shaking Dad as well as her intended target. "No mimic Mantis. People no want see your damn ass."
pI burst out laughing. Maybe teaching Jasusi english wasn't such a good idea. Kyo glared at her, aparently not as amused. Dad laughed anyway.
p"I wasn't PLANNING on copying Mantis. Ain't we a bit perverted?"
pJasusi just giggled.
pI shook my head and motioned for them to follow me to the Name Rater's house. He saw almost everyone who passed through Lavender Town, he was bound to know a little bit about what was going on. Info was what i needed.
pKyo seemed a bit uncomfortable about talking to people here, i noticed. He jumped whenever someone brushed past him, and nearly beat a girl who joked about ghosts unconcious.
p"Afraid of ghosts, Kyotoshi?"
p"Me? No way. No damn ghost scares me. Just this friggin Goth town is damn freaky." He cringed and made a face as someone moved past him.
pI didn't want to say so, but that was the reason no one was bothered by us here. Lavender was a safehaven for weirdos and lunatics...it was also a place where it was easy to mask the truth with a simple lie. We left the streets and entered the Name Rater's house, hopefully not tripping any alarms from the guy who was framing us Rockets.
pThe Name Rater was actually pretty helpful, though not too bright. He answered most of my questions straight away, without ever asking ones of his own. "Sure, i know who handles the news around here. It's the Mayor, Mr. Fuji. He loves pokemon and does all he can to preserve their beuty."
pSo Mr. Fuji was the one making up that Rocket lie. The question was still how come? We Rockets left Lavender dead alone, except for passing through. Hell, the place didn't even have a GYM! I doubted the Name Rater would know about that, though. And if he did it was a sure fire tip-off we were nosing around. Best play it safe. "I can see why. Who would want to hurt a Marowak? They're rare enough. Mr. Fuji works at the volunteer pokemon center, doesn't he?"
pNodding, the Name Rater checked his watch. I didn't know why, we weren't taking up much time. "Yes, Marowaks are very rare. Perhaps the Rockets had been trying to catch it, i'm not sure. About the volenteer center, Mr. Fuji is their president. He's such a kind man, caring for those pokemon."
p"Yeah, real sweet and nice i bet," growled Kyotoshi. "Speakin' a rare stuff, there's a mother load of Rare Candies lyin around here. I've never seen so many before, why?"
pI glanced at Kyo. He glared back. ::He didn't pick any up that i saw,:: Dad told me.
p"Oh," The Name Rater looked at his watch again, seeming to grow increasingly anxious. "i'm not sure about the other routes and towns, but Lavender always gets a lot of careless trainers. They drop things all the time, i suspect that's your explanation." Abruptly, he stood up, took his hat and made for the door. "I hate to cut our meeting short, but i have an engagement in a few minutes. I hope you don't mind."
pWe got kicked out. We could have put up a fight, but doing so might have looked a little suspicious. Kyotoshi held his tongue until the Name Rater had locked his door and left us standing on the stoop.
p"What the hell was his problem? It ain't like i asked 'bout somethin confriversail." Kyo shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and scowled. "Jerk off."
PJasusi sat on the stoop and sighed loudly, putting her head in her hands. "Damn jerk, yes. But maybe catch bad idea, Mine Kyo."
pI nodded. "It does seem pretty fishy, maybe he knows something about it. Maybe it's related to this whole thing. I mean, why did he leave so quickly?"
p"Oh," said a voice from above us, "Everyone leaves at this time of day. It isn't safe to stay."
pWe all looked up. Dad's mouth dropped open, as if he was seeing something completely unusual. A boy sat on top of the house, his skin cream colored like Dad's, with a curly Meowth tail. His eyes, though, were slanted, and his ears stubbier then a Meowth's. He also glowed. I could sense it, it was obvious to me. He was a Psy pokeperson.
p"Jeez, you all seem a little shocked." The boy grinned and kicked his feet. His hair was dusky brown, Abra coloured, and he wore a baggy white tee-shirt and army coloured pants, a lot like the cargo pants my sister always wore. "Guess i should introduce myself. My name's Irin."
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