The New Kids on the Block: Chapter Twelve
Random- "Lost"
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Somewhere
Silver Millennium
June 2, 2028
My head was throbbing like I had just woke up from a hangover. It was like someone had placed a live jackhammer on full power into my head and didn't want to turn it off. Instinctively I began to rub my temples, trying to ease the pain a bit; sadly, it didn't work so I just began to get used to the pain: it would be there for a while.
My eyes fluttered open in one instant. It was as if I had woken up from a bad dream. Everything was hazy, indistinct. I didn't know where I was and frankly, it kind of scared me.
But there was something comforting about where I was. I could tell by the pink wallpaper with random flora printed on it, that it was some sort of bedroom; a girl's most likely. It hurt to move my neck so I scanned the room with my eyes. I was laying on a bed, that was certain. It was really soft and malleable, so I inferred that it'd been around for a long time. To the right of this old bed, whose wood I had noticed was carved, what the carvings were I couldn't say, there was a small nightstand of the same cherry oak. A lone clock, a golden one with two bells on the top and a large face, was on top of it. I could see a window too. The sun hurt my eyes. And to my left there was—
A shiny metal object with a menacing curved blade. The sun glinted off the surface. My stomach began to flip and my heart began to quicken. Was I a prisoner somewhere?
A lightly tanned hand tightly clutched the staff-like instrument. I swallowed as I began to assess the being who was holding this, from bottom-to-top. I fearfully lifted my eyes.
The person, a woman, I could tell by the shape, was extremely tall for a woman. She wore some green camouflage pants and an olive sweater. The room was a bit nippy now that I think about it. Unruly red hair fell across her shoulders in a messy ponytail. And her face, it was a bit angular, yet strong-boned. She had wide lips that were tinged with red, but not with lipstick. Her eyes were intense like a sage green, they were blazing. Suddenly, a sense of familiarity surged through me.
I knew this person.
"Look what the cat dragged in—oh, and she woke up too," she grumbled.
I frowned, or at least I think I did.
It was Amazon Girl. What was she doing here?
The only thing I could get out was: "where am I?" How ridiculous that was! I could've said something witty, but I suppose that it wasn't meant to be. I was at a disadvantage and if there was some chance that she was the reason why I was in someplace comfortable, then I didn't want to ruin it. After all, I did say that I don't hold grudges—but Collin really irks me.
"You're at my grandmother's house in Thornton," she said, her tone a bit annoyed. I guess that she didn't feel like answering many questions. And, after all, I was at her mercy. "We found you and your two girlfriends unconscious at the foot of Death Hill in the forest. You're lucky that you're alive."
I didn't say anything. I knew that I was forgetting something. Something was missing... "Wait! Where's my brother and Blake and Brian? Where's my pokémon?"
She shrugged her shoulders complacently, "I didn't see any guys anywhere near you all," she looked me in the eye. "Or any pokémon."
Oh no! They were lost! I immediately began to sweat rather profusely. I didn't know Brian, but I was concerned. And I loved Blake and Quinn, I hoped they would be okay. Raja, my heart sank, what if he can't take this on his own? We needed to find him. We needed to find all of them. Now.
"We've got to find them!" I said, beginning to prop myself up against the pillows my head had been resting on.
"You can't do anything in the condition that you're in," she said matter-of-factly; her tone was so condescending.
"What condition," I barked as I settled upon my shoulders. "I'll have you know that I am—ah shit!" I howled as pain flowed through my blood, I collapsed back onto the bed. My wrist was...
"It's broken," the girl replied, as if she were reading my mind. "I should've told you that before hand."
I winced at the pain; "then why didn't you?"
"I forgot," she explained, in a semi-nice tone. She scrunched up her face, "that's beside the point. You're not in the position to do any searching, your ankle is twisted too—"
"As if things could get any worse," I muttered. First, I fall down some hill. Second, I don't know where I am. Third, I awake to find that damn weapon in my face. Fourth, I have to deal with Amazon Girl. And now, I'm injured.
Which reminded me—"could you get that thing out of my face, I'm not going to attack you."
She looked at the metal rod and placed it beside her, a grin displayed on her face. "You must mean my glaive."
"Yeah," I replied, "your glade, whatever it's called."
"My glaive," she corrected. "My grandmother gave it to me a long time ago."
Like I really wanted to hear about the history of that glaive. I had better things to think about and right now...I was starving and I needed my best friends, my brother, and my pokémon.
"Where are Charlize and Serenity?"
"They're in the den with my grandmother. I'll have them send up some soup for you." She turned on her heel and strolled over to the door and stopped, she didn't even turn her head. "You'd better put on something warm. And based on what clothes I found in your bag, you didn't have anything sufficient for the cold weather. There's some clothes in the bottom drawer over there. You can put them on yourself. There's a washing basin filled with water on the top drawer of the nightstand." She shut the door.
I groaned from the pain as I rolled over once. It took a lot out of me. My muscles ached. I'm not sure if it was from the fall or the intensity of my workout from the other day. I rolled over twice more until I was at the edge of the bed.
I propped myself up, using my left hand to clutch the thick blankets for support. Judging that my right ankle was sprained, I couldn't feel it, I pushed myself up using the left side of my body. I staggered and fell unto the dresser, causing one ceramic pot to break in two, a red line appeared on the interior of my left hand. Small beads splashed onto the table. "Shit." Then, using my right elbow as a fulcrum, careful to avoid the wrist, I fumbled with the drawer and pulled out a long garment that three layers thick.
"What the hell?"
I flung myself onto the bed and tried to divest myself of my clothing as soon as possible. The jeans were the hardest of all. They were so tight. That teaches me for bringing them on a pokémon journey. With a beige sponge, I washed myself as best I could manage before attempting to put on these random clothes.
Let's see, I thought, as I separated the layers from one another. There was an forest green dress with long sleeves and a square neck. It reminded me of the gown I wore on my birthday. What the hell was one of those doing here? The second layer was a thick petticoat that strung up with the silk chemise that had a built-in girdle. A pair of grandma underwear rolled out of the chemise and I sighed. Oh, God.
This would prove to be quite a task.
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"Can we just take a little break?" Brian asked as we walked along a dirt path in the forest.
My hands were bleeding but I didn't care. A scar was on my left cheek, blood dripped down to the ground, unusually hard for a country that was supposedly trapped in a perpetual spring. I had better things to worry about. It wasn't the first, or the last time I would get a cut or scar.
"No," I roared, my steps becoming more heavy. Shocks from the force I'd put onto the ground went through my body. "That is out of the question. My baby sister and my pokémon are missing. We have to find them!"
"But we've been jogging for over an hour," he complained. He was getting winded.
"You two have been jogging. I have been walking," I corrected him as I jumped over the gnarled root of a large tree. A Rattata scurried out of my way.
"Don't take your anger out on us. We're looking for the same people as you are, Quinn," Blake said through clenched teeth.
"You think I didn't know that? We have to find them as soon as possible," I said. A whit crystal fluttered onto my cheek, quickly melting. A droplet of water ran off my face. It looked like a tear. I think I saw Blake's eyebrow raise.
"Quinn?" he began.
"Don't even think about it! That was a snowflake. And it's going to get worse," I informed him. "Which is why we have to hurry and find her." I thought to myself: "what if she gets hypothermia?"
I was really sounding like a worried mother. I knew that I was; but at that particular moment, I really didn't give a damn. She is my sister. Purin is my best friend. They were one of the few things that I actually cared about in this world. It's obvious.
"Well," Brian said, "we'd better just find our way out of this forest then. Our chances of finding anything here are really low. We have to find a Pokémon Center."
"What for?" I snapped. "We have no pokémon to bring there."
"You're think irrationally, Quinn. I do have pokémon and they can help us."
I folded my arms across my broad chest and stared at him. I didn't have time for games right now, but, if there was some remote chance that they could help, then I was willing to take it.
Brian began rummaging into his backpack. He was down there for a long time. Too long. "Hurry up," I prodded.
He tensed up and yelled, "I'm trying to find them!" He dug deeper. My foot began to tap along the ground. The snowflakes began to come down a little less gently. I sighed.
"Before I die of a heart attack, Brian."
He jumped to his feet and looked me in the eyes, almost as if he were declaring a challenge. "Would you just shut the hell up? You rushing won't make me go any faster, all right?" He looked down to the ground. "Besides," he muttered, "they're not here."
"What isn't here?" Blake asked, his tone a bit pleading. I had to admit, I was a bit worried too.
"My pokémon—they're not in my backpack."
It felt like I had just heard that there was going to be an apocalypse in the mere future. I felt horrible, as if all hopes were lost; as if there was no point in living.
But I had to check myself. That was a weak feeling. Something I shouldn't have. I'd only spent the last year in the Army. I wasn't supposed to be on-edge like this. I was suppose to stay cool under fire—as cool as ice. But a part of me wanted to express myself freely. Yet...I just couldn't.
"Oh God," Blake groaned. Then he perked up. "Brian was right! We have to find a Pokémon Center. It's the only way. Oh wait, I can try this!" He pulled off his pack and yanked out the pokétalky.
I had forgotten all about those.
"Give me that!" I ordered as I snatched it out of his hand. I furiously pressed the keys to her number. 926-8907, that was it. The picture was hazy, gray streaks rolled across the screen.
"All circuits are busy at the moment. Please hang up and try to call again."
I threw the device to the ground. Unfortunately, it didn't break.
Damn pokétalky. Damn snow. Damn me for being such a power fiend.
I shuddered as an icy wind chilled me down to the bone. The delicate snowflakes prickled my cheeks, causing me to go numb. Damn me for wearing a tank top and some jean shorts.
I let out a harsh cough.
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"I want my Blakey—wah!" Pip sobbed as he pounded his tiny fists upon the ground. Rivulets of salty tears streamed out of his eyes like he was a living water fountain.
My heart sank to the ground. I sidled next to him and placed my trunk onto his head in affection. "Everything's going to be all right, Pip. Don't cry. Blake wouldn't want you to do that now would he?"
My soothing words had worked.
Pip looked me in the eye with his own, watery eyes that were as black as obsidian. He tilted his head to the side, his chin quivering. A lone tear tumbled down his yellow cheek. "I want Blake. Me want Blake! Wah!"
Or at least I thought that it did.
We were all clustered together in some random thicket. It was enclose by a bushy thicket with wild primroses powdered with white snow. We were safe here, the thorns protected us. Yet I still wanted to cry.
Why couldn't I? Oh yeah, I almost forgot: I had to be a role model for Pip right now. I know that I am young, but he is younger. So I have to show a bit more restraint. He was only a baby. He deserved to cry.
It was a reality, that after these few weeks I had really become attached to Celeste. My first human friend. I had noticed this for a long time. And I have to say, I think that I became closer to her after the Gym Match. And now, to be separated from her was a bitter reality. Something that I had to face, the only thing I had to face, without her. And it was hard—really hard.
"There, there Pip. See," Selene said with a false grin, "I'm not crying, you shouldn't either."
"So?"
It was no use.
"Can somebody please make that thing shut up. It's giving me a headache!" Purin screamed as she clutched her head with her tiny pink arms.
I frowned.
"Now you are giving me a headache," Dracara growled, her wings hung loosely at her side. She wasn't cut out for this weather. She was just a bug pokémon. None of us were cut out for it except for Selene, with her fuzzy brown coat.
Why did I have to be a Phanphy with a thin gray skin? Well, I did have a protective layer of fat, but there is only so much that that can do. Purin must've been experiencing the same pain I was. My skin was on fire. Maybe that was what was making her irritable.
"It's all your fault, Purin!" Pip squealed as he rubbed his eyes. Uh-oh. That couldn't have been good.
"What did you say?" she asked accusingly.
Pip took in a deep breath and with squinted eyes, said: "I said that this is all—"
"Oh shut up! I hear you the first time. It is not my fault!" she snapped as she pouted on the ground, her frame shaking violently. She tried to cross her arms over her chest but it just wasn't working out.
"It is your fault," Selene cried. "If you wouldn't have been so melodramatic, none of this would be happening!"
Purin marched up to her and pulled back her fist, no Charm attack would work this time. That is why I had to intervene, or else...there would be a fight, and both of them would be hurt.
"Stop it! We can't blame anyone! The only thing that matters now is that we all are alive, and I hope to Mew that our friends are too. Now stop it," I cried.
They paused for a brief second before continuing what they had began.
I trumpeted a loud bellow and I charged, like the elephant I was. I jumped in between them and curled into a ball, using my Rapid Spin attack. It caused Purin and Selene to fly off into different directions. "Now stop it unless you want some more!"
They clamped their mouths shut.
My breathing became more labored. My stomach heaved violently. My body was shaking. I was feeling rather faint. I couldn't handle this anymore.
Dracara fluttered over to my side and said, "Raja, are you all right?"
I couldn't speak, I coughed, my legs began to buckle. Everything was growing fuzzy.
"Raja!"
That was the last thing I heard before I went unconscious.
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I gripped the old, wooden railing as hard as I could as I hobbled down the wooden stairs of this old house. It reminded me of Ashbrooke Park, my home; a place that I started to miss when I was upstairs in that pink bedroom.
I had tried to make myself look as presentable as possible, in spite of my condition. It took me a good hour to put on that damned frock and it took me thirty-seven minutes to wash up and fix my hair. You should try working with one hand sometime, your weak hand at that. I'd managed to just comb it until all of the dirt and knots came out.
I was relieved once I made it down the stairs. I used the wall to lean up against as I staggered to where I could hear voices. There was warmth radiating out of this one, dimly-lit room. Along the walls of the hallway I was in, there were pictures of men and women that vaguely resembled Amazon Girl. She'd forgotten to send me something to eat.
Upon reaching the opening that was the door, I fell through, having lost my balance. I landed on my right side: my ankle and my wrist throbbed as I writhed on the floor. I choked back a yelp.
"Celeste!" Charlize cried as she rushed over to help me up. I could hear the swishing of her skirts. She seemed seemingly unaffected. She ushered me to a nearby chaise lounge and laid me down upon it. A pillow elevated my right angle. I turned my head to the side to look at my company.
"What a beauty she is, Blair. Look at those blue eyes and that blue hair! I swear that she would be married already if she lived in my day," an old woman piped cheerfully as she scurried over to my side.
She looked like some type of faerie, or elf. Her hair was as white as snow and her green eyes were as lively as if she were a terrible toddler. She wore a white, cotton hat over her hair, a few strands framed her tiny face. Her face was relatively smooth, unlike the women on Celeste. She wore a black gown, edged with frilly lace, and a shiny pair of spectacles hung loosely on her face.
"Grandma," Blair whined.
"What?" she barked. "You didn't tell me that you had such pretty friends."
"One, you never asked me and, two, they're not my friends. They're just people I've seen," Blair corrected her.
"Hush child, I am you elder," her grandma ordered with a scowl. Then, a wide grin spread across her face. "Such a pretty thing," she murmured. "'Tis a pity that you have to be injured and away from your pokémon and your brother."
"But—"
"Miss de Belleville told me all about it child, don't waste your breath. You're very tired and you have a hint of a cold. I thought I asked Blair to bring up some more wood for your fireplace."
"What fireplace?" I didn't see a fireplace.
"Blair, do you mean to tell me that you didn't obey my wishes. This poor, poor girl has been shivering in the cold and it is all your fault. How could you be so cruel?" she chided.
Blair shrugged her reply.
"Why are we all wearing these old dresses, Mrs.—uh, what is your name?" I asked.
"Mrs. Iceblink, thank you. I am her father's mother," she told me, proudly sighing. Her pointy ears twitched in content. "What do you mean "these old dresses?" I'll have you know that they have only been out of fashion for these twenty years past."
Oh my.
"And they do wonders to a jeune fille's figure. I do know many languages of the world, you know: French, English, Ancient Celestian and Celestiette."
"Charlize, Serenity," I called for them, they shared a loveseat, each looking pretty cool in their new outfits, "you two don't seem to be hurt."
"That's because we aren't," Charlize replied matter-of-factly.
"Huh?"
"She's right," Serenity added with a nod of her head.
"You broke our fall," Charlize told me.
"That makes sense," I said as I looked at my wrist and my ankle.
"You must be famished, Miss Briarcliffe; I will go and fix you a spot of tea and some chicken soup this instant," she said cheerfully. Jumping up in a hurry, despite her age, hurrying to the door, where she stopped and held her back.
"Grandma! I thought that I told you not to move so fast," Blair chided as she hurried to her side. Blair was at least fifteen inches taller than her. Her grandmother was absolutely tiny.
"Nonsense," she said sternly. "I am fine, and I don't need you to take care of my every whim. I'm better off on my own." She skulked away, leaving Blair with a frown upon her face.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
I didn't say anything.
"You know," she began, in a calmer tone, "you're going to be here for a very long time."
Silence.
"Your brother and your pokémon are going to have to find you, and that's it. End of question. Do you understand?"
"Yes," I said. "You don't have to be angry at me. What was in the past was in the past."
She looked me into the eye. "You're right, but that doesn't mean that we're friends all of a sudden. You're just a person staying with us for a while. That's it. Don't expect to get any special treatment."
And she walked out of the room.
"What's her problem?" Serenity asked Charlize.
"She still has an attitude problem from—(she explained the whole ordeal)—"
"Oh, I see. Still, she could be a bit more kind."
Soon enough, I began to doze off. The warmth of the hearth had put soothing vapors into my body, or something. I shut my eyes and I dreamed. I'd better get used to her and this house.
But I could not get used to being without Blake and Raja. And I could not get used to being without Quinn. Not again...
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There! The situations of our heroes and heroines have been revealed. How saddening it all is. Do you think that it is so? Oh well, they will be reunited soon, hopefully. I don't think that the world will be safe with a rampaging Quinn. Poor Raja... Thanks Keleri for letting me use Blair again. More of all the new characters in the next chapter. Please read and review, tell me what you think. Your humble author— The Duke of Briarcliffe.