25
Leah woke at five- forty- two and was surprised to see that she was facing Kohan in his bed. Wow. When did I get in the bed? Oh yeah, I got cold and frightened. I'm mostly surprised of the fact that he let me without asking any questions. She slowly slid out of the bed and picked up her backpack. She pulled out a pair of long navy blue shorts and a gray long sleeved shirt with a dragon on the chest and snakes winding up the arms. 'Workout clothes.' Leah also pulled out a new pair of underwear. 'Skull and crossbones.' She made her way into the bathroom.
"Kohan, you are much more handsome and sexy than your cousin. I want you. I want you now!"
"Mmm. Ohhh. Ohhhhhh. Huh? Oh, it was a dream. Damn. Hey, where is she? Oh. The bathroom." Kohan rolled over to the side of the bed that Leah was on. Then he looked down at her backpack. A few feet in front of the bathroom door was a pair of black thong underwear. "Ooo. She dropped 'em." He got out of the bed and picked them up. "Hey, Leah, I think you dropped something. She's in the shower. Wonder if the door's locked." He tried the doorknob. "It's not. Hmmm." He opened the door and dropped them on the pile of clothes on the countertop. "She'll never know." Kohan told himself as he closed the door behind him.
26
"Where's Kian? I was wondering if she would train me." Leah asked Carcey an hour later.
"Actually, you'd do better off fighting me. I'm a fire trainer."
"Well, what I really wanted to know was if she had any spare water Pokémon that I could borrow?"
"Oh yeah. Follow me." Carcey led Leah through the other half of the hallway to a door at the end. She opened it and they were greeted with hundreds of Pokéballs on hundreds of shelves. There were twenty, maybe thirty different sections marking the type of Pokémon inside the balls. "What do you want?"
"A basic I guess."
"Okay, then. You want a, Squirtle." Carcey walked over to their right and stepped onto one of those ladders that libraries have, and pushed it over a few feet. She lifted one of the Pokéballs that were above her head, and then put it back down. "You want something stronger." She reached even higher and brought down a Lure Ball. "Here. It's about to evolve."
"Thanks." Leah said as she took it from her. "Should I get to know it, so that it will fight for me?"
"Good idea."
"Squirtle!" Leah called to the giant turtle type Pokémon.
"Squirt?"
"Hi. I'm Leah. Is it okay if I use you in a battle against Blaine today?"
"Irtle."
"It is? Great. Thanks." She shook its hand.
27
Carcey led Leah to Blaine's gym under the volcano. She wished Leah good luck, and went back to the clubhouse. Leah was left to find her way into the gym alone. As she wondered through the grounds, she received a very weird feeling, as if someone was watching her. Just as she was about to turn around, a loud booming voice met her ears. "What is the purpose of your wanderings on the grounds of the Volcano Master's gym?"
"Um. I came to battle Blaine. If it's no trouble to him, or you?"
"Well, as a matter of fact, I was getting bored of the loneliness that comes from a lack of battles." This new voice came from behind her, which had also startled her. When she turned around again, she was staring straight into the chest of Blaine, the Volcano Master himself.
"Oh! Hello there sir. I didn't know that you were in the area. If I had known, I would have looked for you better." Cried Leah in surprise.
"Well, no need to look any farther. I'm right here in front of you. So did I hear correctly; you wish a battle with me?"
"Oh, yes sir. If it's not to much trouble for you, sir."
"This is your first official gym battle, isn't it?"
"Actually, sir, it is. I haven't even fought another person yet."
"Well then, it would be a great achievement to beat me. Are you sure that you and your Pokémon can survive a match against a supremely skilled gym master as I, Blaine, The Volcano Master."
"Yes it would, sir. I hope that my luck as a person and my good chi will guide me to a sufficient victory."
"Then, shall we proceed to the gym where our battle will take place."
"Yes sir." As she said this, Blaine turned around and proceeded into the double doors that led them into the main building. "Sir, if I may ask, this looks like a hotel."
"It is. The entrance into the gym is next to the hot spring out side. If you like, you may take a bath?"
"No thank you. My companion isn't with me at the moment."
"Your companion? Oh. Is it a boy, if I may ask?"
"Yeah, it is. He's so sweet and cute. And I just would like to spend time with him in that kind of environment, that's all."
"Sounds like you have a serious crush on this young man."
"Yeah. He's great."
"Well, now that you wish to pass up a nice, invigorating bath, shall we head to battle?" As he asked this, he put his hand on the spout that sprayed out hot water into the bath.
Leah nodded. "Okay then. Lets go." Blaine pushed down on the spout in reaction to her answer. As it settled in this position, the large rock wall behind the spa split and opened reviling a flight of stairs. "I don't usually take this route myself, but sense you asked me directly, and didn't get to find it yourself, I thought it a nice gesture. Don't you? I always find it a very fitting entrance to the gym."
"Uh, yeah. I guess it is." When the wall settled, Blaine began to walk down the stairs.
"It's going to get quite hot. We're going straight into the volcano." He did not see her shocked expression, but he continued anyway. "It's actually a chamber right above the lava, but don't worry, we won't die from the heat or lava. I don't like to lose battles that way."
"But how do you keep the heat in a steady temperature that is suitable for humans, but that doesn't disrupt the extraordinary heat of the volcano?"
"That's my little secret. They don't call me the Volcano Master for nothing." At these last words, they reached another set of doors. "Now, we don't want to touch these doors. They will burn your hands right off. The one thing that I couldn't keep cool. Oh well. I have a remote control for it. Basically, it's like a garage door." He laughed and looked around to Leah with a smile on his face, expecting her to smile too. Just to be polite, Leah smiled. Seeing her approval, Blaine reached into his breast pocket, and pulled out a small box with one button on it. Turning back to the doors, he pressed this button. The doors opened away from them, toward the gym. Inside was a giant battle arena. It did not take up the whole room, however; there was a six-foot space between the arena and the walls of the room. The floor was supported buy enormous iron chains that were bolted into the wall fifty feet above them.
28
"Magmar has been defeated. Leah Coyta is the winner. She will be awarded one Volcano Badge." The referee shouted. Blaine walked over to Leah.
"Your must be a primly skilled trainer to have raised a Squirtle to be strong enough to have the ability to last two rounds. And against my two strongest Pokémon, Ninetales and Magmar. But to have it evolve is also a great honor. Congratulations Leah. You've bested me." He took a very low bow.
"Thank you. However, this Squirtle was a gift. I have never trained him."
"That shows all the more that you are a skilled trainer. Even some who have been with the Pokémon its whole life have trouble controlling it. You and Wartortle fought as if you were one. It trusts you. You are an exceptional trainer. Be off, and continue your life's journey, and good luck."
"Thank you again, Blaine sir. I will. I will not fail you."
"Be the champion of the Pokémon League."
29
"Leah! Your back so soon! Did you lose?" Carcey asked as soon as Leah walked in the main doors.
"No. She annihilated Blaine." Kohan said from behind Carcey. He had just left his room.
"Correct." Leah pointed to the Volcano Badge that was pinned to her belt. "It was easy with Wartortle."
"So, one of my Squirtles evolved, did they?" Kian asked as she came out of the kitchen.
"Yes. I was praised about me ability to handle a Pokémon that wasn't mine."
"Well, then you'll be keeping it?"
"I will?"
"You agree then? Fine. You may keep him." Kian extended her arm as if to hand the Pokéball to her.
"Thank you, Kian."
"We'll be staying here again tonight, Kian. All right?" Kohan asked.
"Course."
30
"Kohan, did you notice anything weird last night?" Leah asked Kohan when they got back to his room. Leah had started to roll up her sleeping bag. She didn't use it last night, and she probably wouldn't tonight.
"Like what?" Kohan asked watching her. "Like you sleeping with me?"
"Uh. I got cold, and I didn't know where I was." Leah managed to say as she sat next to him on the bed.
"It's okay. I got cold here too the first few nights. At least we were still wearing clothes." Kohan added slyly. He put his left arm around her shoulders. "I don't mind if you have to sleep with me." Kohan said more seriously.
"Oh. 'Kay." Leah looked at the opposite wall.
"So, Leah. You had friends before you met me, right?"
"Yeah, but they weren't very good ones. They got me grounded."
"Really? Why?"
"They suggested that I try a joint." He held her closer.
"Ohhh, yeah. Those friends. How'd you meet them?"
"My mom kept me from leaving, so I retaliated." She looked at him again.
"Oh. Makes sense. Did you try the joint, by the way?"
"It had just been lit when my friend's dad opened the door. He called everyone's parents, but mine were the ones that freaked the most. Six months. They drove me to school and were there to pick me up when the bell rang. Couldn't even go to one of my old friends birthday parties 'cause my mom was afraid that my new friend had gotten to him too. It fucked. Thankfully, I was busy with Bandit's little toy the whole time."
"Before you were caught, you didn't do anything else, right?" He looked at her lips.
"Like I said earlier, or did I?"
"Huh?" He blankly stared into her eyes.
"Uhh, I never had a boyfriend, so no, I've never done anything. In fact if we had, earlier, it would have been my first kiss." She looked down at the part of her feet that she could see.
"Huh. Well, I wouldn't have minded, but it's not the right time yet. Besides, you want it to be romantic, right? You don't want it to happen in some run down old barn in the middle of old Cinnabar, do you?" He lifted her chin so that she looked into his eyes. He stared into hers for half of a minute. As Leah smiled, "I should hope not!" Kohan added sarcastically. "Let Bandit out." He said, his smile disappearing again.
"Why?"
"Please."
"Okay. Bandit, come on out."
"Row! Yes? Where's the battle? Where's the battle?" Bandit asked as he bent his front legs in a bow, as a martial artist would stand when facing an opponent.
"Nowhere. I just want you to hear something." Kohan answered as he glanced at Bandit. "I've decided to ask Leah out." He looked back at Leah. "Will you? Will you have me Leah?"
"Uh, ohh, um, but. Yes. I will." She whispered.
"Thank you, Leah." He kissed her forehead, then drew her close, and held her.
"Oh. That's lovely. Two humans experimenting with the rest of their lives."
"Bandit! That's not funny!" Leah laughed.
"He's right though." Kohan added. They slept in Kohan's bed again that night. Leah, with her head on his chest, lulled to sleep by the steady beat of Kohan's heart, and her hand on his stomach, and Kohan on his back with his arm around Leah and his hand on her waist. Kohan didn't fall asleep as quickly as Leah did, however; he lay awake thinking of the dream he had on the boat, with a sly serpent on the lower part of his stomach.
31
"Thank you, Kian, for letting us stay here, and for Wartortle." Leah called back to the girl in front of the crowd of boys and girls that were standing with their backs to the clubhouse.
"No prob'. Nice seeing you again, Kohan. We'll miss you."
"By 'Han Solo'! I love you! Come back soon!" A miserable Ar. Ce. yelled back.
"Man, I ain't 'Han Solo'!" Kohan screamed. "But you're so 'Anakin'!" Kohan
added to continue the joke.
"You guys like STAR WARS?" Leah laughed as they reached the East Cinnabar port.
"Yeah? And?"
"You're cute. Get a boat." I hope he gets a small boat. Small boats mean less room to stand.
"'Kay. I got another fishing boat. It's smaller than the other one." Kohan added with a smile.
32
"You plan on catching any Pokémon?"
"Yeah, maybe. Ohhhhh." Leah threw out her arms and lay down from a sitting position.
"What?"
"It's been interesting so far, hasn't it?"
"I 'spose. Let Bandit out, will ya."
"Sure." Leah lifted her arm to her neck and took Bandit's Pokéball from her collar. She then pressed the button in the front, and enlarged the Pokéball. "Bandit." She tossed it up in the air. The Pokéball opened and Bandit was expelled. The Pokéball fell harmlessly back down to Leah.
"What?" Bandit stretched, and squeaked.
"Haha. Just thought you might want a breath of fresh air, that's all." Kohan answered.
"Oh. Uhhhh, hhuuu. There, happy?"
"I, uh, yeah." Kohan rolled his eyes. "Leah, why don't you...? Leah? Ohh, she fell asleep. How childish."
"Pick her up and take her to the cabin." Bandit suggested.
"'Kay. Up ya go, Leah." Kohan gently lifted Leah off the deck of the boat, by her shoulder blades and thighs. He then cradled her head in the crook of his elbow, and carefully walked into the cabin. "Bandit." Kohan whispered. "Take the covers back."
"'Kay." Bandit jumped on the bed and lifted the covers from the bed. Kohan laid her in the space between the bed and the blankets, and Bandit put the blankets on top of her. All of a sudden… "I feel kinda tired too. I'm just gonna lay down next to her."
"All right. Night guys." Huh. I wonder why they got tired so suddenly. "Oh well. They need their rest." Kohan finished as he closed the door. When he sat down in the control chair, he decided to read. "Now where is my 'Stephen King' book?" Kohan asked himself as he dug through his backpack. "Here it is. 'The Eyes of the Dragon'. Great book." And he leaned back in the chair to read.
33
Two hours later…
"Where the hell did this headache come from?" Kohan asked. "God damn it! This motherfucker hurts. What is causing it? Oh well, what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger, as my wise and all knowing father used to say. Eh. How far are we from the island?" Kohan got up from the chair, laid his book, page open, on the control panel, and looked out of the window. "About another hour. Guess I should wake Leah." Kohan turned around and walked into the cabins. "It's really stuffy in here. Think I better open a window." When Kohan opened the window a strong breeze blew in along with an increase in Kohan's headache. "Oh, fuck!" Kohan shouted. "That hurts!" As he said this, he got an urge to look out of the window again. When he looked up, he saw the island and a giant radio tower sticking up out from the horizon. "What the hell? There isn't supposed to be a radio tower on Seafoam Island." He ran over to Leah. "Leah. Wake up, Leah."
"Umm. Naaa."
"Leah! Wake Up! Damn! It must be the radio tower somehow." He looked over at the window. "That's probably why I have a headache too. Didn't have one the last time that I was here." Kohan got to his feet, walked back through the cabin door, and out onto the deck. He put his arm over his eyes to shade them from the sun. They were closer now, and he began to scan the shore for people. "Not a soul. Shouldda known. Wait a sec, this headache is concentrated in the area of the brain that controls sleep. Huh, normal people aren't able to distinguish that part of the brain so easily. It's the middle! Normal people would mistake it for a migraine, but I, the great Kohan, can tell. Being psychic does have its advantages. What I don't understand though, is why I didn't fall asleep too? I know! I can ask Newton!" Kohan walked back to his backpack, opened a secret pocket on the back of it and took out one of his Pokéballs, and opened it. A Slowking appeared.
"And good sir, what can I d-, what is that dreadful feeling in my head?" Newton asked.
"That's exactly what I would like to know. Can you identify it?"
"Well, it is centered in the main part of the brain for controlling needs. Sleep?"
"That's what I thought. When we got to the mid point between Cinnabar and Seafoam, Leah fell asleep. Couple minutes later Bandit was asleep too. Think it has anything to do with the tower? Pokémon maybe?"
"Well, now that you mention that, the waves do seem to be coming from there, and they also feel as the sleep waves from psychic type Pokémon. Particularly Drowzee or Hypno. I seem to remember you owning a Hypno, could he help."
"Why, she sure could."
"My greatest apologies to the lady." With that, Kohan went back to his backpack, and released Hypno.
"Hypno, can you tell us where these strange psychic waves are coming from?"
"HYPno." She pointed to the radio tower.
"Just what we thought. Can you tell us what is making them?"
"Hyp no hyp, hyp no, no hypno."
"She says that the waves are made by a high level Hypno, and are located under the radio tower." Slowking translated.
"Can you tell why? Why there is a Hypno putting everyone to sleep?"
"Maybe we should get on the island first, and then ask questions like that there."
"Good idea Newton. Lets get on the island. Gods damnit! Do we have any pain meds!"
"I believe we have some high strength pain killers left from when you broke your wrist."
"Oh yeah. Thank the Gods. Where! Where!" Kohan went running back to his backpack and started to dig around in the front pockets. "Haha! Ahhh! My head!" Kohan grasped his head in his hand and fell on his ass. "Damn! That hurts!" He took his hand off of his head, and opened the bottle. Before he threw a couple into his mouth, he checked the label. "Two. Joy." And popped two pills into his mouth, swallowed, and went to the galley for some water. "Nothin' like good ol' tap water. Glass of crap's what it is." He swallowed the whole glass in one gulp. "Now, back to that fuckin' tower. Newton! How far are we from Seafoam!"
"Sir Kohan, we are minutes away from the docks. Maybe you should start to steer toward it."
"'Kay." Kohan went back into the cabin, and checked the steering wheel, it was turning on it's own. "Doesn't look like I have to Newton. Whoever rigged that tower has a controlling device for the steering. Now, if only I could wake Leah up. We could fight the idiots who did this, and stop them. "Newton, is there a way to block a normal person's mind from those waves?"
"Maybe, if I transfer my powers to her through hypnosis." Newton walked into the cabin and stood in the doorway. "She would be psychic for a few hours though Kohan." Newton looked directly at Kohan's face, and winked.
"Shut up, Newton!"
"What's the matter, master Kohan, do we not like the fact that our loved one can do the same as we?"
"Newton, stay out of my mind!"
"Sorry sir. I'll stay out of your private thoughts." He turned around, fastened his hands together behind his back, and… "Maybe you should learn not to think so loudly, or keep it locked up better." With a more serious tone. "She will be able to read your mind, when she has my powers. If you don't want her to know something like that yet, I think you'd better be able to control those thoughts."
"Thank you Newton. Can you wake her up, we're almost there?"
"Yes, I can try. Hypno, would you please put me under?" Hypno walked past Newton, and stood behind him. Newton turned back around, and sat down.
"Hyp." Hypno raised her arms, and flicked her hands and fingers in a series of intricate designs. Along with powerful psychic control, Hypno sends Newton into a temporary state of hypnosis. As Newton goes under, he sends his psychic abilities to Leah through a slightly visible tendril of power. As the hypnosis takes Newton, Leah awakens from her induced slumber.
"What the…? Ow! My head hurts."
"Leah!" Kohan ran into the bunks, and to her side. "Here, take one of these." He handed her one of his pain pills. "It will take care of the pain quickly. I'm glad you're awake." She put the pill in her mouth, and picked up the glass of water that was next to the bed. When she had swallowed it, she asked…
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you glad that I'm awake?"
"Oh. You fell asleep because there is a radio tower on Seafoam Island that is transmitting hypnotic waves. We are being directed to the island with the use of some device. We, that is, Newton and I, believe that it's for Pokémon. Maybe to steal them." This thought had just occurred to him. "I know what you're going to ask, 'how did I stay awake?' Well, I, and some high level Pokémon, are immune to some of the waves that are emitted from other types of Pokémon. I had Hypno transfer Newton's power to you so that you could be immune too. I woke you up so that we could fight any people that happen to be there, and try to stop them from stealing the Pokémon. I couldn't defeat them on my own." Kohan added in a quiet and seemingly innocent tone.
"Awwww. That's soo cute. Of course I'll help. Anyone who could dare steal Pokémon should be stopped. But, none of my Pokémon are psychic, they won't stay awake."
"Huh. I didn't think about that. Well, maybe I can enlist the help of someone else too." With those words, Kohan reached under his jacket to his belt, and brought back three of his Pokéballs. "Come out guys." Kohan threw the balls into the air, and released an Alakazam, a Gengar, and a Xatu. "These are a few of my strongest Pokémon. Let's get off this boat and kick some stealin' ass."
"Ok!" Leah yelled. "Wait! Shouldn't we return our Pokémon first?"
"Oh, yeah."
