Chapter 5
Everything was going just great so far. I was standing naked in the middle of the street with a Vulpix and no idea what I was supposed to do. "Man, this sucks," I groaned.
"Vulp! Vulpix!" Desire barked. "Vul vul pix!"
"Whatever you say," I rolled my eyes. "You know I can't understand you."
"Vuuuulpix…"she lowered her ears.
I frowned and put my hand on my head. "I am so not in the mood…" I sighed. "Come on, let's just go to the government building or wherever the heck we're going." I drug my feet along the dirty asphalt.
"Pix? Pix vul vul pix!" Desire queried. I took that as meaning "What? You don't know where it is!" or something along those lines.
"Well, I don't believe you have any idea either," I snapped. "If you come up with a better plan, do tell, because it would suuure beat this one."
Desire remained silent.
We plodded along that filthy road for what seemed like forever, never stopping to rest even once. My feet were hurting, Desire was whining, and everyone kept STARING at me like they were expecting me to give handouts or something. "I'm not a charity, you know!" I shouted at the passerby. Many tried to mug me and we ended up running away on several occasions. "SHUT UP!" I screeched as they gathered together in a screaming clump. I swear, it would be all too soon when I found that damn money.
I turned into an alley, panting for breath. "Finally," I sat down to rest. "Thought I'd never lose them."
"VULPIX! VUL VULPIX!" Desire hopped up and down excitedly.
"What now?" I groaned, turning my head. I was staring straight at a sign that read, "CIA headquarters. Keep out." Behind it was a long expanse of pavement crawling with guards, and even farther back was a tall brick building. Desire looked up at me expectantly.
"What're you looking at me for?" I whispered. "What am I supposed to do? There's no way in!"
"Vulpix…" she tiptoed around the fence, looking for somewhere that wasn't overrun with security. I stood up and followed. We passed two more doors, but both had a guard stationed in front of them. I frowned and kept walking until I spotted another door that looked rather familiar…
"We've just made a circle!" I moaned. "Now what?"
"Vulpix," Desire sat down, looking thoughtful. The doors were guarded, the windows were guarded, and even the parking lot was guarded! No matter how much I thought about it, there just didn't seem to be any way in.
"HMMMM…" My head jerked up to see an airplane. The guards were running towards it, screaming, some pulling out their guns. A few of them tried to enter the building; I suppose they were calling reinforcements. The majority stayed outside though, shooting at the plane. The bullets didn't seem to be doing much damage.
"Ah!" I brightened. This was my chance! "Hey!" I motioned to Desire. "Can you melt this fence?" I was afraid to climb over because it might be electric. "Vul!" she cried and released a burst of red flame. Sparks flew every which way, and I shivered, thinking of what would have happened had I touched it.
Desire closed her mouth, leaving a medium-sized hole in the middle of the deadly fence. She hopped through lightly, and stood off to the side to wait for me.
Shaking slightly, I put one foot through, careful not to touch the metal. I bent down and poked my head in. I stood there feeling awkward for a moment, because the next step I had to do blind. I took a deep breath and jerked my other foot through, waiting for the shock that never came. I collapsed on the ground, trying to collect myself, but I quickly got up with a nudge from Desire.
"Yeah, let's go," I barreled across the pavement towards the door. It was a lot farther away than it looked, and I worried that I would be seen. But you'd be amazed how blind shooting at an airplane can make people.
"Almost there…" I leaned forward, pouring on speed. I reached out my hand and slammed hard into the door. The impact threw me back a bit, but I quickly grabbed the door handle and yanked it open.
I was staring straight down a hallway. A long hallway, lined with about a million doors on each side. My eyes caught sight of a stairway at the end. Voices were floating down from the ceiling, so I assumed that must be where the guards had gone. Quietly, I half-ran down the corridor until I reached the steps.
I stopped right in front of what I had thought to be steps with a confused expression on my face. They weren't steps at all, but rather a VERY tall ladder. I stared up at it hopelessly, then put my foot on the first rung.
After just a few rungs, I began to tire. I gritted my teeth, wondering who the heck would put a ladder in a government building. I abandoned my self-pity quickly however; Desire was having a much harder time than I was due to her four legs.
I instantly sympathized with the small creature. "Here, hop on my back," I offered. Desire took a small leap and landed on my back. I swore I saw her smile, as if she knew something I didn't know. I looked at her suspiciously, then shrugged the thought off and continued climbing.
I grinned as the top rung came into view. I was getting much closer now, only about ten rungs to go. Nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…
"Ah!" I sighed as I reached the top. I leaned back and slid onto the floor, careful to be as quiet as possible. I pulled myself to my feet and tiptoed down the red-carpeted hall. Desire had no problem with noise, as she had paws.
I approached the wooden door and pressed my ear against it. I was just able to make out some conversation.
"Yes sir, the plane has escaped."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. It flew away…with the money."
I heard the sound of a chair scooting back really fast. "WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS!?"
"I…I…please, sir…!"
"THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!" he sounded like he was moving…toward the door!
I bolted down the hallway and jumped down the hole the ladder fit into. Just in time, too, because a second later I heard the sound of a door opening, and the man heading down the hall…
"Ow!" I cringed. There had been nothing to break my fall. Desire landed softly beside me, and immediately started off to the exit. She had already made it halfway there before she noticed I wasn't following. "Vul, vulpix!" she whispered, urging me to get up.
I staggered to my feet, wincing in pain. "Coming," I mouthed silently and scrambled for the door. It seemed so far away…so terribly far away…and the footsteps were getting closer, closer…
Once again, I slammed into the door, but this time I did not bounce back. I just kept running. Running away from the building, down the alley, and back into the crowded street. People gasped with shock and surprise as I weaved through them.
"HMMMMMMM" It was the airplane again. I sighed, wondering how I would ever get the money if it were flying. "Desire…any ideas?" I asked desperately.
"Vuul…" she looked down. I took that as a no.
"YEAH!" A great cheer erupted from the street, and I was promptly hit on the nose by Ben Franklin. Wait, not Ben Franklin, but a hundred dollar bill! I gasped and yanked it off. More of them were raining onto the street, in great clumps and sometimes just single. The townspeople cried out with joy.
I smiled nervously and looked up at the sky. "Well, Desire, at least I didn't have to do it."
She cocked her head. "Vul vulpix."
I narrowed my eyes. "Do not even start about morals. Just don't eeeeven start-" I was sucked into a portal.
"Whoa…" I shook my head, clearing it. I was back in the shack in the woods. The navy woman was still there, staring at me sternly. "I noticed you didn't solve the problem," she said crisply, "but someone else did."
"Hey, I tried," I replied lamely.
She glanced up. "I suppose it doesn't matter in the long run," she sighed, "Just…try to be quicker about it next time."
I fell back, startled. "NEXT time?!"
She smiled a strange smile. "Oh believe me…there will be a next time," she paused, "though that shall be saved for another day. Go home and get some rest."
I shrugged. There was no arguing with that.
