- Neojourney -
.:.14.:.
You and I
"Say it ain't so
I will not go
turn the lights off
carry me home."
--All The Small Things-- by Blink 182
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A white light was the first thing I saw when my eyes opened next. I was pleasantly surprised to find I could open my eyes. I'd thought I was a goner for sure. I took a looksie around at my surroundings and...
"..."
I screwed my eyes shut and then re-opened them. The scene was disturbingly the same and my heart sank at the sight. Though my feet did not drop through them, the fluffy white clouds that made for a lumpy floor stretched for great distances in all directions around me.
Feet? Yeah, that's right. I was human again, wearing a flowing white robe/dress thing. It was lightweight and comfortable, the material was incredibly silky feeling. Being human once again should've been the happiest thing I'd experienced so far, but could it just confirm what I'd thought? Was I dead?
Not feeling very sure that I was..a goner..('cause I felt very much alive), I carefully made my way around the area. The sky above me was a brilliant blue, only a few thick clouds soared in it. Not much else did and if this was Heaven, then I was in trouble. Trouble of the boredom.
Unsure if hours or minutes passed, I made my way around, taking a tentative poke at the cloud-base with each step. It seemed I was treading in the right direction. About a hundred yards, feet, whatever, it was still a ways off, I saw what looked like two people around a...a pool table?
The closer I got, the better view I got of the people. They were indeed people and they were gathered around a pool table. There was someone sitting and watching the game, partially hidden from sight due to the umbrella on the cafe style patio furniture.
Uh-huh, this was getting weirder. Not all that worried about footing anymore, I walked up to the pool table. There was even a suspended stained glass lamp hovering above the center of the pool table. I looked up at the small cloud it was suspended to, and shook my head. The two players were both women, one dark haired, quite tall, and wearing a red-beaded in some places robe, the other was a petite red head and she was wearing a pink-ish kinda beaded robe. The dark haired woman fiddled with the pool stick hickie, aiming with intense concentration.
"Um, hello?" I asked, my voice a bit shaky. I cleared my throat, but neither of the three paid any attention to me. Grrr. "HELLO!!!"
The dark haired woman's shoulders visibly tensed as she missed the shot and I took a step back. She was only a bit taller than I was, but I'd made her miss her shot.
"Fine job, that one!" The red head cheered. "Now you owe me dinner!"
The dark haired woman spun around, pool stick-amabob in hand, and her sapphire blue eyes glinted with suppressed anger. "How dare you! Now I have to cook for this...this princess wannabe!"
A very pissed off Xena was glaring at me with the intent to do me bodily harm with a pool stick-amagigger. I would be being in so much trouble if I didn't think fast. I blurted out the only thing I could think of. "Am I dead?"
"...I don't think so," Xena was definitely taken aback by my question. "Why don't you ask Mr. Owl, over there at the bar." She gestured to the patio furniture. I frowned when I saw green legs, crossed at the ankles.
"..Are you sure?" I asked, but to no avail. Xena was back to playing another round with...riiiight. Was it any surprise to see Rose DeWitt Bukator? I think not. I shook my head and walked to the patio furniture. It was nice stuff, greenish umbrella on a bamboo pole. The table was of frosted glass and four Paris cafe style chairs surrounded it, one already taken.
Ducking my head under the low-riding umbrella (I really hate those things), I was shocked out of my gourd to see whom I saw...
"Welcome, Cirrus Blaine!" His deep baritone voice called out.
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"You're saying that the Dark Charizard is home alone?" Gary asked, cradling his left arm to his stomach. It was in a cast, the last injury to heal being his broken arm. He stared down at Cirrus' body, lying in the hospital bed.
Nurse Joy sighed and shifted from one foot to the other. "Yes, it's really very strange. I've gotten Meowth to act as a translator, and the Dark Charizard has said repeatedly that it is the only entity in its body. Cirrus isn't there anymore."
Gary sat on a chair next to Cirrus' bed, and picked up one limp hand. It was reassuringly warm, but for how long?
"We can keep her alive, on life support, for quite some time. People have been known to stay in coma's for..."
"Have her parents been notified?" Gary broke in rudely, reverting back to old habits.
Nurse Joy nodded, "Of course. As per your request, they haven't been told that she was the one fighting the..the, ah..."
"Pokedemons."
"Right, the Pokedemons. What a strange term." She shrugged, and turned on the bedside lamp. The natural light was fading in the room. "They were concerned, but not overly worried. Her mother was blasé about the whole thing, but her brother didn't seem all that persuaded by his mother's reaction."
The P.A. system came on then, paging Nurse Joy. She bowed slightly and left, closing the door gently behind her. Gary stared down at Cirrus, her face so pale and lifeless looking. He glared suddenly at her. Why are you doing this to me, Cirrus? Why did you leave me again?
He let go of her hand and stood up, walking to the window. Looking out it, he could see the main street below, looked at the people going about their business. Night was falling fast, streetlights were beginning to glow, and he opened the window to let the cool air in. Gary sat on the wide sill and just stared out, suddenly hating the weight of the cast.
Things were slowly going back to normal. There wasn't a lot of damage done to the cities, not like last time, but the people...they'd remember this one. Neither Mew nor Mewtwo could be found and it was obvious by the news reports that everyone remembered this strange rift in their little lives.
"Insects," Gary spat out. "Go on about your boring, mundane lives. Try to pretend that Cirrus hasn't about given her life to save the lot of you. Or me."
It was me that she went back for, to save me from those horrors. He shuddered, thinking, remembering it. It was cold, so cold and I couldn't get away from it. I thought I was going to die...horribly and slow. When Cirrus grabbed me, I passed out. Me! I'm a Pokemon Master, I'm Gary Oak, I don't do things like that.
"But that's not what's really bothering you, is it, Gary?"
"Cirrus!" Gary spun around, only to see an empty room. He looked around, eyes darting from corner to empty corner of the room. No one but him and Cirrus in it.
"No, you simply aren't looking hard enough. I'm here and I'm real." The voice giggled in his mind.
Gary squinted and suddenly saw a glimmer of silver hovering in the air in front of him. He reached out and touched something! He jerked his hand back, and did another Brock impersonation. "Who are you?"
More mental giggling, then another glimmer of silver, and a very faint, "Mew!"
He gasped, "Mew?"
"That's what I said, don't wear it out." Mew said, appearing finally. "You're good at imitating me, but don't do that around Ash. He might try to catch you!"
"What do you want, Elmo?"
"That's not very nice." Mew disappeared and then reappeared over Cirrus. "Has she been teaching you to be rude, or did you learn it all by your widdle self?"
"I taught her," Gary stalked over to the Psychic Powerpuff. "What do you want, O' flying stuffed animal?"
"Oooh, good come back. Nothing less than perfect from Mister Master." Mew landed on Cirrus' stomach. "What will I do with you, Cirrus? I've made more personal appearances now than the New Island Incident." Mew flew above Cirrus' head, landed on the pillow, and put a forepaw on each of Cirrus' temples.
"What are you doing?"
"Swedish Massage, it works like a charm." Mew glared at him. "Grow eyes and use them, Oaky-boy. While most of this is just for show, it's pretty effective for intense mind probing. I have to find out where Cirrus is. Some of the lights are on, but no one's home. So be a good little human and sit! Down boy!"
Gary grumbled and scowled at the pink flying cat-Pokemon, but he sat in the chair by Cirrus' bed.
"Not there! Sit on the windowsill. I can't concentrate with your handsome mug so close."
Gary grumbled some more, something about "Razzin-frazzin'," but made like an obedient Pokemon Master and listened to Mew's orders.
"Here, catch!"
Reflexively, Gary caught the small box she threw at him. "What is this?"
Mew sighed, "I forgot, Pokemon Masters can't read. They're bang-snaps, genius. Have fun."
"What about your concentration?"
Mew only laughed and suddenly, her eyes started glowing an ethereal blue shade. Even Gary could feel the intense powers Mew was using on his girlfriend. Mew's body began to glow blue, the glow spreading through her paws to Cirrus, and soon the two of them were making like glow-sticks at a concert. Then a bright silver light began glowing under Mew's paws and Gary could see the small cat begin to frown.
Bang-snaps forgotten on the windowsill, Gary stood up. He wanted to ask what was going on, but didn't dare break her concentration. Five more minutes passed as the silver glow intensified and then suddenly faded. The blue glow left Cirrus, seeping back into Mew. When the glow faded completely, leaving the room lit only by the bedside lamp, Mew fell to lay half on the pillow and half on Cirrus' prone shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
The pink head nodded and Mew's voice sounded weakly in his mind, "I found her and I tried to contact her but...I wasn't strong enough."
Gary laughed, a harsh sound, "That's a first. You aren't strong enough? Where could she be at?"
Mew looked up, "You want the truth?"
"Don't play games with me..."
"...You can't handle the truth! You wouldn't be able to and this little search drained me of a lot of energy. I couldn't stop you from doing something irrational."
He hesitated, then walked over to the bed. Gary reached out a hand and gently touched the back of Mew's neck. The fur was incredibly silky, but the muscles beneath it were very tense. She flinched away from him. "Don't do that. I don't really like you all that much right now." She fell silent, her eyes closed.
Gary hesitated once more, then pressed his question. "Where is she, Mew?"
One azure blue eye opened, "Promise you won't do anything Cirrus would...kill me for?"
"I swear it."
"....She's....Her essence, her soul, is on a parallel plane. She's safe, but I think it's up to her as to the question of her return."
He sat down, feeling lightheaded, "Are you saying..saying that she's...dead? Mew, is that it?" He looked at Cirrus, so seemingly peaceful.
It can't be..can't be true....Not after what you've done for our world....your world...
"I'm sorry, Gary. For now, there's nothing more that I can do. Until she contacts us, we have to wait."
And wait we will. I won't leave you, Cirrus.
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The black chair was hard beneath me. I shifted in it and sipped at my iced tea. It was actually very good tea, ice cold and smooth. Setting the glass on the table, I looked at my patio-furniture companion. "Nice furniture."
He shrugged, "It's from the Martha Stewart collection. It was on sale."
"Oh." A pause. I watched the condensation gather into little beads on the side of the tall glass, watched the droplets slide down into others, and pool at the base of the glass. I looked up at a sudden whoop of joy. Xena had won another pool game. It seems my earlier interruption had broken her winning streak.
"Eat that, Princess!" She hollered, a huge grin on her face. "Now you owe me dinner."
Rose pouted, then shrugged, "From what Gabrielle has told me of your cooking skills, or lack thereof, that's a relief."
"What's that supposta mean?"
"I mean your cooking sucks! How many wars have you won by serving your enemies dinner?"
A small snort of laughter from my companion. I sipped my iced tea to hide my mirth.
Xena seemed to think it over, "Hmm, not a bad idea. If I got another chance...nah."
"Is this the only thing you guys do, day in and out?" I blurted out.
Xena shrugged, "Well, there is karaoke night..."
Rose nodded in agreement, "And don't forget Dollar Movie Night."
"Waitaminute, you guys pay for movies?"
Nods of agreement.
"That's lame. Why don't you just pop into one of the theaters and watch for free?"
Blank stares.
"Because," Xena said, "It's hard sneaking in outside food."
More nodding from Rose.
"Why did I bother asking." I shook my head.
"Don't you want to know why you're here?" My drinking buddy asked. "Aren't you in the least curious?"
I grinned, "Why, yes. It's been positively killing me."
He motioned to Xena and Rose and they vanished, leaving the pool table behind. A second later, that too vanished. I blinked at the sight and shrugged, When in Rome...
"When in Rome...?" He looked amused. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Whaa..? Can you read my thoughts?"
"My dear, when you project them that loudly, it's kind of hard to not hear them." He sipped his Starbucks Caramel Mocha Latte. "I suppose I should explain where you are."
"Why you?"
My question took him aback, then he shrugged, "Why not me?"
"Does this mean there's a DBZ universe somewhere in the parallel continuum?"
"Yes." The Starbucks cup vanished, followed by my empty glass.
"Are your eyes purple or pink?"
"..."
"Sorry, I guess I'm just bored and pulling any question out of the air." I thought for a moment. "Are you really Cell, or are you just using his form for familiarities sake?"
He shook his head. "I am really Cell. My eyes are light purple, I'm an Aries, and I enjoy long walks on the beach at night."
"...?"
He grinned coldly at me and I wondered where I really was. "Are you ready to learn your ultimate fate?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Not really." He stood up and motioned for me to do the same. I did, uneasy at the move. The patio-furniture vanished with a popping sound.
"You aren't...the, uh, Big Guy....are you?"
He cocked his head, glanced at the sky, then shook his head, "No, I'm not. That position has already been...filled. I merely represent a liaison between Him and you. There is a job that He needs you to do for Him."
"Huh?"
Cell sighed, crossed his arms, "Does the name Brock ring a bell with your brain?"
"Duh, he's the Pewter City gym leader." I rubbed at my upper arm. "What's Brock got to do with anything?"
"He is Ash Ketchum's best friend, mentor, and older brother..."
"His brother?!"
"Not his biological brother, but...just forget it. Brock means a lot to Ash and the gym leader plays a crucial role in Ash's future."
"Is there a point to this speech of yours?"
He scowled and I thought I saw the outline of a golden aura around him, "The point is that if anything bad were to happen to Brock, that Ash wouldn't be able to deal with it, and his future would drastically change...for the worse."
"Okay, so in the end, the world always turns to Ash."
"Basically, yes."
"Naturally."
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Teaser
- So there is life in the afterlife! Uh, kinda. What the heck inspired me to write in Cell, Xena, and Rose? Moot point, I know.
- In the next chapter Cirrus learns what her fate will be. Will she take on a new journey? Or is this...::gasp::...The End?
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