Disclaimer: Welcome to the wonderful world that is Pokémon. Of course everything related to Pokémon is owned and licensed by Nintendo, and I'm sure the author of this story will do his best to treat Nintendo and Pokémon with as much respect as possible. Now, the characters in this story are all original except for professor Oak, Ash, Gary, Misty, Brock, several Jenny's and Joy's and some other weirdo's that wander around in the game and/or series and of course, the Pokémon.
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Chapter 9 – A Forest (The Cure)
I
Everything was nice and calm and my arm healed nicely. I had raised my prices drastically and no one complained. It had been a couple of weeks since that thing at Lake Rage and I was ready to get going again. Problem is, in my line of work, you can't go out and catch pokémon. You have to wait until someone tells you to. So I waited. And waited some more. Then I had a break, but afterwards I waited some more.
"Uhm, is this going somewhere?" Gary asked.
"And then I came here, happy now?" Tony sighed, "shut the fuck up and let me tell the story."
"Gee, sorry."
"I haven't had any trouble with you yet, so don't start, okay?"
Anyway, finally some young woman came into my office, asking me for an Oddish.
"An Oddish you say?"
I looked her up and down and had to admit, I liked what I saw. She looked about nineteen, but since kids these days grow up fast, it was best not to get any funny thoughts.
"What's so funny about…" Brock started.
"Oh, sure, you would go right ahead," Tony cut him off, "but some people don't hump everything that moves…" he seemed to think about what he said and added, "bad choice of words…"
She was a blonde with light blue eyes, her hair tied in a ponytail. Her clothes seemed fashionable and stylish, so that ruled her out to be a stoner. You wouldn't believe how many stoners I had in the beginning, asking if I could get a Gloom, Vileplum or an Oddish if all others failed. I even thought about putting up a sign I didn't catch grass pokémon, but the flow of stoners subsided, and this was the first request for an Oddish in a long time.
"So, why exactly an Oddish?" I asked her.
"Do you really need to know a reason?"
Ooh, testy. Maybe reconsider the whole stoner thing.
"It's company policy not to get involved with illegal activities, so knowing a reason would be satisfactory."
"I assure you, it's nothing illegal. I'm willing to pay you extra to obtain one."
Now, my normal price for common pokémon was 25 000, 100 000 for a hard to find pokémon, and at least 250 for a rare pokémon. And these are all minimum prices. Certain factors such as distance, cooperation of locals, new music releases, could raise the price. Did I need the extra money? Well, you always do.
"Fine, 35 000 it is. 25 000 for the pokémon, 5 000 expenses, and 5 000 not to ask any questions. No refunds."
"Deal."
I
She had given me 10 000 in advance (guess she really wanted me not to ask any questions), and I had gone on my way to Ilex Forest, home of Oddishes and other … vegetables? Well, whatever. Since it was not even a twenty minute walk from my office, I had decided not to take my bike. After all, what good was a motorcycle in a forest, I thought. It turned out I was right. No good at all. Why I bring this up? I got to waste your time somehow, don't I?
"What kinda…" Gary started.
"You wanna hear the story or not?" Tony raised an eyebrow.
When he saw the boy winded down, he grinned widely.
Anyway, since finding an Oddish there isn't too hard, I decided to play my i-pod for a while, and I happened to find something appropriate.
Come closer and see
See into the trees
What was that? I took off my headset and looked around, trying to hear that sound again, and maybe identify it. I don't know what it was. I only know I heard something. There it was again. Some sort of whimpering. No, it sounded like whimpering, but it wasn't. It was just what it sounded like, it's hard to describe. A high pitched tone that… I shook my head to try to focus again. I looked around and saw I was in a part I didn't recognise immediately. No matter I had my compass so I would easily find my way back, but… there it was again… then I saw it… It seemed like a tiny Oddish, but more… I don't know, confident? I don't know how to describe it, but it seemed different… more powerful in a way. I reached slowly for my belt to grab a pokéball, wondering if I would give it to my client or keep this one for my own, when it saw me. It… simply vanished… One minute he was there and the next he was gone. I scouted the area in hopes of finding it, but nothing was to be seen, or even heard.
Find the girl
If you can
When a bundle of Oddishes came out (I don't really know the exact term, but bundle seems appropriate) I simply snatch one and got the hell out of that forest. I didn't like it and I was glad I was finally out of that damn forest.
I
I let my client know I got what she wanted and set up an appointment. She arrived right on time.
"Here you go," I said as I released the Oddish from it's ball.
She looked at it and shook her head.
"No, it's not him, it'll never work," she sighed.
"What do you mean?" I asked, "I know I said I wouldn't ask any questions, but if you're saying I didn't do my job right…"
"No, it's not that," she shook her head, "it's all my fault. My father is Philip Clearance, the famous pokémon trainer. And his Oddish is his most valuable and prized pokémon. He's gone for a seminar in Kanto and left me in charge of his pokémon…"
"And his Oddish got away…" I said as I figured it out.
"That's right, and he comes back tomorrow. I thought that simply replacing it would work, but now that I see this one, I know it won't work. He'll know right away."
"How does that Oddish look like?" I asked, having a slight hunch.
"Like any other Oddish I thought, but he looks different… I don't know how to describe it…"
"I think I have an idea how it looks like," I nodded, "and I might have seen it."
"Really? Where?"
Her face radiated with hope at my news.
"I've seen it in Ilex Forest. Well, I think I have, I heard a strange sound and then I saw it, but it vanished right before my eyes."
"That's him," she nodded, "he has that power. Could you please find it? I'll pay you whatever you want."
"We'll talk about money later," I said, "first we need that pokémon, and I have a feeling it won't be that easy.
I
Come closer and see
See into the dark
And so I was back in that dark forest, without my i-pod this time, but I still couldn't get that song out of my head. Like it wasn't hard enough to focus on a shifting pokémon already. Wait, there it is… was… ah, there! No, that's an ordinary Oddish. Come on!
Just follow your eyes
Just follow your eyes
Aargh, where is that little… wait. What was tha… that sound! He's there! He's calling me! I can feel it! I have to get deeper into the forest. It's the only way.
I hear her voice
Calling my name
The sound is deep
In the dark
He's close, I can feel it. He's right… Damnit! For each step I took, the voice sounded farther away, so I started to run, dodging branches, jumping shrubs and logs, in search of the origin of that sound.
I hear her voice
And start to run
Into the trees
Into the trees
I didn't care about my client anymore. I didn't care about my payment anymore. I didn't care about her father, Philip Clearance, the famous pokémon trainer anymore. I didn't care about the forest anymore. I only care about that Oddish.
Into the trees
Where is it? I must find it. I just want to see it. Hear it clearly. I don't even want to capture it, I just want to be in it's presence. Where is it? I've been running for I don't know how long for I don't know what distance, but I'm drawing closer I feel it… I feel…
Suddenly I stop
But I know it's too late
I'm lost in a forest
All alone
The girl was never there
It's always the same
I'm running towards nothing
Again and again and again and again
I… what? This can't be… I… well, I wasn't lost, but… Azalea? That can't be… I can't have run… I glance at my watch and see it's seven hours later than when I entered the forest from Goldenrod. I've ran all night through the forest. I was stunned and sat down. Well, fell down actually. It was then I realised how tired I was. It was unbelievable. I had chased this invisible pokémon all night and came up with nothing. I was sorry to disappoint my client but I was beat. There was no way I could… I couldn't even finish that thought because that was the time I fell asleep.
I
I woke up several hours later because some kids were poking me with sticks. I shooed them away and made my way back to Goldenrod, a hike of 3 hours that I didn't like to make. I'm not a hiking person. I know I just spend 7 hours running through Ilex Forest, but those were different circumstances. I had no idea what to say against my client and I felt sorry for her. I did. I didn't feel anything about that Oddish no more. His spell had worn off. When I came home I called her and said I hadn't found it. It remained still at the other side of the horn.
"That's okay," came her reply finally, "you've tried. It's my fault, so I must take responsibility."
I hung up the phone with a hint of guilt in me. Which was ridiculous since I had no real part in the turn of events that had took place, but I still felt some guilt.
I
I decided to turn in for the day and get some decent sleep this time. I was wakened several hours later by the phone.
"Mr. Hunter?" I didn't immediately recognise the voice.
"Yes?" I asked.
"It's a miracle, he's back."
"Who's back?"
"The oddish! My father came home and he was waiting in the living room, like he never left!"
"That's good," I told her, "I'm glad everything turned out good for you."
"Thank you, Mr. Hunter, thank you for everything."
I hung up the phone and turned again. Just as I was drifting away, I heard a high pitched wail and the smell of a forest at night. I sat up straight and turned on the light. Nothing was seen nor heard. I turned the light off and turned again. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep that night…
"Was that supposed to be, a horror story?" Gary laughed.
"Think what you will, kid," Tony sounded serious, "but I've never felt comfortable again in Ilex Forest."
I
AN: Normally I don't like fics based on lyrics (mostly because I don't always know the songs or I can't really recall how they go), but when I had my first idea for this chapter, I thought it would work out perfectly. And I think the song really adds another dimension of suspense and creepiness to the story. I don't think I'm going to do something like this again, but it was a nice experiment.
Oh yeah: additional disclaimer: A Forest, lyrics by The Cure