Called into Question

By ShinobiWolf

A big, big, humongous thank-you to everyone for being so patient. I lost the rough draft for this chapter, and it didn't help that I'm flaky, or that the notebook I keep the rough drafts in is one of those tiny ones. I typed this up again real quick today, and I am very pleased to finally get it up so I won't feel as guilty anymore.

Chapter 4: The Awakening

Kai came-to with a splitting headache. She couldn't command her aching legs to move, nor could she see clearly. She could, although, roughly make out two different voices. One of which she was overjoyed to hear, and the other could have been the harbinger of pain.

"I'm assuming all of the details are in this folder as usual?"

Lina… How long has it been?

"Your astute senses haven't faltered. It's good to see such perceptiveness in someone with your career. It's a shame your partner isn't here to see how much your skills have… improved."

"Thank-you, Mr. Giovanni. I believe I should be getting to work now."

Please don't leave… Lina…

"Now, what have we here?" Giovanni leaned in closer to examine Kai's cage. Contempt was all too apparent in his voice.

Get away from me… Or I swear, I'll claw your face clean off… Kai's defensive threats only left her mouth as a meager growl. Much to her disappointment, Giovanni only laughed.

"My, you've got spirit. 'Tis a shame you don't know what we do to mongrels like you, who think you have a say in how you live." He stated with fake concern. His mouth grew into a pleased smirk as he left, well out of Kai's line of sight.

Oh, I do. I assure you, I know what's in store for me. And I can promise you… once I'm free, you'll pay dearly for every one of your sins.

xxxxx

"Sir, there's a phone-call for you." Domino handed off a cordless phone into her boss's outstretched palm.

"Giovanni here. To whom do I owe the pleasure? … Professor Nashuta? … Yes, it certainly has been a long while! Am I correct in assuming that your call is related to our little project? … I'm pleased to hear that. It's good to know that my former colleague's notes have not gone to waste, after I have been putting so much funding into this project. … Yes, I will be expecting another call when there is more progress. … Good-day to you, too."

click

"He sent the details of "Project Jaganshi" via secured internet connection." Domino pulled up a leather swivel chair and took her place at the main computer console of the room. She swiftly ran her fingers over the computer keys as if she had done it every waking hour of her life. She speedily entered the series of passwords Professor Nashuta gave her. With every click of the mouse, Domino scrolled through scores of charts, statistics, and digital photos. Giovanni gave a pleased chuckle.

xxxxx

She strained to stay on her feet. Being mentally prepared for the horrors that were to come did not lessen her pain by very much, and neither did the burning numbness coursing over her skin. But her human will would not be as easily broken as that of a pokemon.

The vaporeon before her was staring her down; Kai returned its glare. She had been hit with more than her share of ice attacks. The shock collar around her neck only added to the pain each time she was hit.

She was attacked again- Kai barely escaped that time. The blue pokemon's eyes glowed brightly, telling Kai's sensitive awareness that another attack was coming.

The vaporeon was just standing there.

Kai could hear a faint sound, like the rushing of water. She cursed when water began to flood around their feet, and especially when it began to accumulate behind her opponent. The wave grew and grew until it reached tidal proportions, crashing down over Kai's head and suspending her in an endless supply of water. She held her breath as long as she could, but her lungs eventually gave out.

xxxxx

A faint humming noise awoke Kai from her unsettled slumber. Her fur was not yet dry, and the air was chilly. Wherever she was, it felt like a refrigerator. Her crate was amongst a stack of many, with plenty of company on a journey to a place unknown to them (Kai surmised she must have been in a dirigible). Not that they were talkative… Kai's traveling companions were all still exhausted from their "breaking in" and did not have wills as unbendable as hers. They were all either sleeping, cowering, or pacing.

The humming stopped, and a slight lurch followed. They were being moored… Soon a crowd of various Team Rocket members and men in flowing white coats poured into the cargo hold and began to move the imprisoned pokemon to somewhere else.

Kai knew that there was nothing she could do to escape at this time, so she just placidly laid on the floor of her cage, conserving her energy unlike some of her other more wild companions. She kept her head up in order to take in her surroundings.

The dirigible was moored inside a giant, garage-type structure. Although, for a garage, it was oddly clean. As they left the enormous room that housed the blimp, the surroundings began to make Kai nervous. The interior of whatever building they were in had a creepy, hospital-like feeling. No… Hospitals had an occasional uplifting picture or two hanging on the wall- this place gave off a strangling feeling of sterility. Snow white walls and smoky tile made the slightest sounds echo as though they were shouted into an empty cavern.

She glanced at her injured leg. It was covered in a crude bandage that was cutting off her circulation; she easily tore it off.

xxxxx

His mind was dulled and foggy. He was able to grasp only a few thoughts, but none of them were familiar. They could have been memories… but why couldn't he remember the rest?

One vision put him in an expansive field, dappled with millions of different kinds and colors of wild flowers. Before him was the breathtaking sight of a majestic mountain top, made of gorgeous blue rock and covered in a topping of snow.

He stopped to gaze at the flowers with his blue-green eyes.

A tingling feeling ran down his spine before his mind was taken to another, less peaceful location. Fire was everywhere; it singed his fur and made his eyes burn. The feeling of destruction and smell of burning chemicals heightened his adrenaline- he didn't want to be burned alive!

xxxxx

His lungs were racked with a fit of gurgling coughs as he spit up some type of chemical water. Standing on his four legs with the adeptness of a newborn, he was aware of his new surroundings. White-clad people were rushing around, desperately trying to put out blazing fires that were engulfing many machines. His knowledge of these people was scarce; the only thing he knew was that they would bring harm to him and other pokemon. This place would have to be destroyed…

He went on a rampage, racing through crowds of similar people and psychically setting fire to anything that he thought might have been important.

xxxxx

Kai nearly jumped out of her skin when blaring alarms started to go off around her. She looked out of her cage door with interest as every scientist in the room rushed out the door while shouting various obscenities. Kai thanked the Heavens for whoever caused that distraction.

Free to work without being caught, Kai reached her paw out of the cage and began to work at the latch as best as she could, without having opposable fingers. After what seemed like ages, she heard a satisfactory click and nudged the door open.

After releasing the other pokemon, she dashed down various corridors with nary a problem. Kai raced out the front entrance and was surprised to see that there were no guards keeping watch. She was momentarily worried about what could have possibly caused such a disaster, but she was too close to freedom to look back now. The fallen autumn leaves at the foot of the tall fence were no obstruction, but her shock collar caught on the bottom links. Kai wriggled this way and that, but she was hopelessly caught.

An overpowering presence ceased her struggling. Peering up from her vulnerable position, she was greeted with the sight of a pokemon she had never seen before; a large, dog-like being with pure white fur. His eyes, surrounded by black fur were a startling blue-green. He had whisker-like markings on his cheeks as well as a third, orchid-colored eye on his forehead, also circled with black.

But those two eyes- it appeared as though they could bore into your very soul.

Kai gasped and began to struggle against the fence again as the pokemon opened his powerful jaws and immediately went for her neck.

She felt a slight tug, and a spark pricked the side of her face. Her shock collar was still twisted in the fence, but it had been snapped in two and Kai was now free to pull herself from under the fence.

Are you all right?

He had spoken clear English to her. Well, technically it was ESP, but nonetheless, real English!

Well, are you? He urged on.

Yes, I'll be all right… Thank-you. Kai began to limp away.

I can heal your leg.

She looked at his stoic face, and sat down while he closed his two eyes and concentrated, making the third one glow. Her leg was healed in no time, but a jagged scar remained. She had never seen anything like him before… What's your name?

The dog pokemon paused, but did not turn around. He recalled one of the frantic scientists inside the building, and what he had been shouting to his inferiors.

Jaganshi, if you must know.