Chapter 29: Heralding the Heracross!
"How long have we been on this bus?" Julia groaned as she laid her head against the soft blue seat she sat on. She, Caiseal, and Perrine were on a particularly large bus heading for Cadmium Town. It had just been recently established, and trainers their age had been using them to get from Olivine to Cadmium since it took ten days to get from Olivine to Ecruteak on foot, and the bus helped to prevent kids from potentially dying at the hands of things such as starvation or exposure.
Perrine pulled out her PokeGear to check the time. "We left at exactly 9:00 AM, so...about three and a half hours."
All Julia did was look out the window. There was nothing but grass and trees racing right by. Not a single building in sight. Caiseal was out like a light, sleeping with his head against the chair and his bag resting on his lap. Some drool trickled out from his mouth, clinging to his chin. Julia kicked her legs up, but it didn't do anything to get rid of that limp feeling. Then again, after sitting in a bus for three and a half straight hours without moving was bound to make someone's legs feel limp. Hikaru and Lucretia sat on their own chair, right next to Caiseal, sleeping soundly as the bus's motor hummed a vibration-like lullaby.
The kids left Olivine City since they needed to get back on their journey. They wanted to win all the badges and participate in the Pokemon League, after all. It must be confessed that it pained Julia to leave Olivine City, as it had so much there that she liked, Jasmine being the number one person she didn't want to leave behind. But the woman did have her own life to live, and Julia didn't want to burden her friends or Jasmine, so she left, with intent to come back and visit after their journey was over. Even Julia had to admit that being in the same place all the time would be boring, especially if nothing happened.
However, at this point, Julia was bored out of her skull. She read some books and listened to her PokeGear radio all throughout the drive, but she had finished her books and the programs on the radio were changing. Now, there was nothing to do. It didn't necessarily help that all of the other seats were occupied, and she could hear people chattering and palavering all over. Nothing she did could tune them out. They weren't so loud that their voices would rip her eardrums or that she's have to put her hands over her ears, which was always a plus in her mind, but she wished they'd get to Cadmium Town already.
"Oh my gosh!" Perrine suddenly exclaimed as she looked through her PokeGear. The orange haired girl was suddenly kicking her legs up and down.
"What's up?" Julia asked, eyeing the sleeping Caiseal. She found herself surprised that Caiseal didn't wake up.
"The Jammin' Ninja is gonna get an animated TV series coming out next year!" Perrine cried, clutching her PokeGear like it was her lifeline. "I can't believe it!" She squealed like a fan girl, shaking her arms up and down. "It's finally happening!"
"Cool," Julia piped in. "I've never read the books. Are they good?"
Perrine fixated her gaze onto her friend. Immediately, Julia felt a chill run down and up her spine, like Perrine considered it a crime to not know of that series. But she knew Perrine was just exaggerating her emotions just to be funny. "They're great! I've collected every single book from the time they first came out! There's eight total, and they're all super duper good!" Perrine palavered on, her voice brimming with cheer and joy.
"What's it about?"
"Ohhhh! I can't resist!" Perrine began, clasping her hands together like she was losing herself in dreamland. "It's about a ninja named Redmond who, despite coming from a family of ninjas and going to the elite Four Leaves Academy, is a lousy ninja. He can't throw shuriken, camouflage himself, perform ninja techniques or anything. He's expelled from school after four months, and one day he finds a red guitar in a forest. Without anything to do, he just plays it and sings one of his favorite songs, not realizing that he has a wonderful singing voice. He finds a crowd of people and animals around him praising his singing and guitar skills. That's when he realizes he can try making his living through music. He becomes known as The Jammin' Ninja, whose purpose in life is to make people happy with the power of song. While journeying to a far off kingdom, one song he wrote catches the ears of the friendly Princess Misora of Tanvalun, and they become friends. But Princess Misora is being pursued by a ninja vigilante group called the Muromachi Five, who feel that Tanvalun's rule over the land is corrupt and they want to overthrow her family so they can make the world a better place. The Jammin' Ninja recognizes the flaws in their ideals and wants to help, so he decides to join Princess Misora and her family in the rebellion against the Muromachi Five and their master, Shogun Yasuhiro, who is actually a very nice man but feels Tanvalun could use a lot of improving."
Julia listened to Perrine palaver on and on about The Jammin' Ninja. Immediately, she was reminded of the time she told Caiseal about her favorite book and acted exactly the same way. She could relate. "Maybe I should read the books sometime."
"Ohhhh!" Perrine clasped her hands together once more. "After the journey's over, maybe you can come over to my house and we can read them together! You can tell me all about it if you want!" She suggested. "Plus, I'm pretty sure Cadmium Town has a library, and if they're not checked out, you can probably read them there! Or I can lend you my copies!"
"Cadmium Town is up ahead!" The bus driver called out, pointing to some buildings up ahead.
"I'll take you up on your offer," Julia answered. She hadn't read any new books in a while. Perhaps reading something new would be nice.
"Whahuh?" Finally, Caiseal found himself awake, with bleary eyes as he stared up at the ceiling like he was in a drunken stupor. The drool from his mouth had long since dried, but he barely noticed. "Are we there yet? What's all the racket?"
"Sorry!" Perrine bowed apologetically. "My fault! But we'll be at Cadmium soon," She pulled out a tissue and handed it to Caiseal, who stretched his arms out into the air. "Here. You kinda drooled a bit."
Instead of making a snarky remark like he usually did, Caiseal silently took the tissue and wiped his mouth. "Thanks. I do that a lot," He replied. Julia smiled. For once, Caiseal didn't scream in his sleep. Perhaps he didn't have nightmares this time around. The nightmares still continued, and waking up to his screaming had become a common occurrence whenever they would sleep together. But Julia figured it wasn't his fault. She didn't ask about them, as even now, he still refused to talk about them.
Finally, the bus pulled to a stop. She and the others finally got off, happy to finally be back on solid ground. A wave of people followed, with some almost being swallowed in the crowd. Unsurprising, considering a lot of these people had spent three and a half straight hours on the bus. Of course they'd be impatient to get the heck out of there. The kids could easily relate to them. Julia stood on her tiptoes, stretching her legs out. Finally, she could put them to use again. Sitting for three and a half hours could really drain the energy out of someone.
Since the kids only spent a night in Cadmium Town once before, only they were heading to Olivine City that time instead of leaving, they didn't get the chance to really see what it was like. Now, they had time to just walk around for a bit. All of the houses were made of red brick, and the town had a rustic air about it, like it wanted to cling to the past rather than adhere to today's modern technology and expectations. But Julia still noticed the occasional person walking with an I-pod, kids listening to the radio on their PokeGear, TVs on display in stores, etc.
"How come there's no Pokemon Center here?" Julia asked out loud. "Doesn't every town have one?" No matter where they looked, they saw no sign of a Pokemon Center anywhere. There were no buildings with red roofs on them, nor did any of them have the words Pokemon Center around.
"I don't see one," Caiseal said, crossing his arms. "Maybe they haven't built one?"
"Well, I'm sure there's gotta be an inn or a lodge somewhere. Maybe a B&B if we're lucky," Perrine told them reassuringly. "Besides, we already got our Pokemon healed back in Olivine, so they're fine for now."
As much as Julia wanted to believe her friend, she still found herself uncomfortable with the idea of there being no Pokemon Center nearby. If her Pokemon got hurt, who could she turn to for help? She made sure to stock up on plenty of potions, berries, and other assorted healing items, but she was sure those could only do so much, and they weren't exactly limitless.
"I hope so," Julia mused.
"I see a park over there," Caiseal pointed to an area full of lush green grass. There was a stone fountain standing in the middle that was overflowing with water. Some benches were scattered around as well. "I'll bet the Pokemon are gonna want to run around and play."
Julia immediately perked up. "Now that I agree with!" She wasted no time releasing her Pokemon from their pokeballs. Caiseal and Perrine did the same, watching as their animal friends frolicked around the park to play and stretch their limbs.
Once the pokemon were out, they wasted no time in basking in their freedom. Ravenclaw, Tokiko, and Fukuro were already circling the sky, flapping their wings, happy to stretch them out after keeping them folded for so long. Apollo rolled around in the grass, allowing the blades to scratch his fur and get rid of all those itchy spots. Rina and Rino immediately huddled underneath the fountain, nuzzling each other lovingly. Flippy simply laid down on the grass, letting the sunlight reflect off of her slimy skin. Florian ran around the park, with Mushi, Fuwari, and Luminita riding on his back, and Kitsune simply stretched her limbs out before sitting down. Stacey was playing pretend ballroom dancing with Viole, who allowed the big stag beetle to drag him around without protest.
Caiseal looked down, noticing that Mallow was still by his side, not anywhere near the other pokemon. "You don't want to play with them?" Caiseal asked. The bonekeeper pokemon shook his skull covered head.
"Maro marowak," He answered in a cool, collected voice.
"He says he wants to hang out with you first," Julia translated. Touched by his starter pokemon's devotion, Caiseal kneeled down and stroke his friend's brown fur with one had. Truly, he considered himself lucky to have a friend like him.
"That's nice," Caiseal said. "How about we do some running around over there?" He pointed to a small trail nearby. "We won't go too far, okay?"
Mallow seemed to like the idea, nodding in response. "Marowak!"
Immediately, Caiseal readied himself for running. "Race ya!"
"Maro!" Being the strong pokemon that he was, Mallow accepted the challenge.
All of a sudden, Apollo came running toward them before they could sprint away. "Quila quila!" ("Hey! I want to run, too!") Apollo begged.
The two didn't hesitate in letting the volcano pokemon join them. "Sure! The more the merrier!" Caiseal reasoned with a smile. Before long, the trio had already sprinted down the trail, kicking up dirt as their feet touched the soil beneath them.
"They sure are energetic," Julia noted as Lucretia nuzzled against her leg.
Perrine pushed some hair out of her face. "Of course. We have been stuck in a mega bus for almost four hours straight," She reasoned. "They can let off some steam."
"Yeah," Agreeing with the sentiment, Julia decided to join in on her pokemons' play. She found herself running after Hikaru, Lucretia, and Luminita. Even though her lungs burned from all the running, feeling them expand on her rib bones, she didn't stop. Her tired leg muscles needed to be woken up after all that time sitting on the bus. She was sure the pokemon felt the same way. The sunlight warming her skin and the gentle breeze that the air pushed in her direction did feel nice, and it eased a lot of the tension in their bodies.
However, sitting alone on a rock was Saoirse. Well, she was right next to Rina and Rino, so she wasn't alone, but she didn't make any effort to play with anyone. She seemed content to just sit on that rock and allow the sunshine to warm her soft pink fur. Julia smiled at the sight. If Saoirse was content where she was now, then that was fine.
All of a sudden, Lucretia ran past Saoirse, not noticing a small pothole in the grass. One of her paws got caught on it, and she let out a "Vee!" As she lost her balance. Quickly, Saoirse leaped off the rock and held her arms out, catching Lucretia within seconds. Hikaru, Fuwari, and Julia stopped. With a smile, Saoirse gently put Lucretia down.
"Snub snubbull?" ("You okay?")
Being the sweet albeit bashful eevee that she was, Lucretia turned toward her savior and flashed a sweet smile. "Eevee veeeee!" ("I am, thanks to you!")
"Good one, Saoirse," Julia complimented. The bulldog pokemon's face turned red as she (Saoirse) stroke one of her ears. The girl then kneeled down to Lucretia's level. "You're not hurt, are you, Lulu?"
The eevee shook her head. "Vuuuii." ("Nope.")
"Popo popo!" ("Wanna play hide and seek this time?") Fuwari suggested, waving her little stubby green arms up and down.
Before anyone could answer, Caiseal came storming out from the trail, with Apollo by his side. He ran toward the girls before stopping to catch his breath. "Girls! You...you…" He was so exhausted that he could barely put two words together. All that running made his lungs burn and his legs felt heavy. "You need to see this, now!"
"See what?" Perrine asked, cradling Fuwari in her arms.
"Come here!"
"Quila!" ("We'll show you!") Apollo gestured for everyone to follow them. Caiseal had already sprinted ahead.
The kids and their pokemon managed to reach a part of the trail where thick bushes and thickets covered most of the grassy area. Caiseal and Mallow looked over one, looking as though they were sneaking around spying on something. One the kids caught up, they got a look at what Caiseal wanted to show them. Perrine's eyes widened and her mouth fell agape as soon as she laid eyes on it.
"No way!" Perrine kept her voice to a low whisper. "For real?"
Standing before a big tree was a large, navy blue beetle pokemon with a large, pronged horn protruding from its head and where its nose would be if it had one. Above its small, round eyes were two thin antennae with small orbs at the ends. Both of its forearms had small spikes, and it looked as though it were kissing the tree. But upon closer inspection, a splotch of sticky yellow tree sap was in the middle of the tree, and the pokemon was using its mouth to suck on it.
"Wow. That's a Heracross, right?" Julia asked, pulling her PokeDex out.
"Heck yeah!" Caiseal replied, his voice adopting a cheerful sound to it.
"Heracross, the single horn pokemon," The PokeDex explained. "Though gentle and docile, Heracross possesses great strength and power. Their favorite food is the fresh sap of leafy trees. This powerful Pokémon thrusts its prized horn under its enemies' bellies then lifts and throws them. If disturbed while sipping tree sap or any liquidized food it's consuming, it chases off the intruder with its horn. Heracross has sharp claws on its feet. These are planted firmly into the ground or the bark of a tree, giving the Pokémon a secure and solid footing to forcefully fling away foes with its proud horn. They gather in forests seeking the sweet sap of trees. It is completely clad in a steel-hard shell." A male sign appeared in the corner, indicating its gender.
Caiseal pulled a PokeBall out. "I am SO catching it!" He turned to face Apollo. "Hey, Apollo. Do you want to have a go at it?"
To be asked to help Caiseal with something was always a dream come true for Apollo. The fire badger's eyes glimmered with excitement as he trilled, "Quila!" Nodding his head vigorously.
"Now use Quick Attack!" Caiseal commanded.
Apollo darted out of the bushes, allowing a white light to consume his body. As he sprinted faster than he normally would, he charged right at the blue beetle, ramming himself so hard that the Heracross was sent rolling on the grass. It didn't go too far, though. The Heracross barely had time to comprehend just what was going on. But when it got back on its feet and saw Apollo in front of him, the Heracross positioned itself into a battle stance.
"Heracrossssss!" ("If you wanted to battle me, all you had to do was ask!") The Heracross hissed, its round eyes squinting. Before long, one of Heracross's hands glowed in an orange light, and the blue beetle charged at Apollo, slamming its glowing hand into Apollo's hide.
"That's Brick Break!" Julia exclaimed.
"Use Flame Wheel!"
On cue, Apollo curled his body into a ball as flames consumed him. The fiery sphere charged right at Heracross. However, since the blue beetle had wings, he used them to ascend into the air, dodging every attack Apollo could throw at it. But Apollo did find a rock pointing upward. He could use that as a ramp and knock Heracross down. Once again, Apollo attempted another Flame Wheel. This time, using the rocky ramp, he flew right in the air, finally managing to hit the Heracross. But it wasn't enough to knock it out.
"Heraaaa!" ("Yeowch! That hurt!") Heracross trilled as he stood back on his feet. All of a sudden, it's long horn glowed in a harsh green light. Once the flames on Apollo's hide dissipated, Heracross found an opening and charged right at the flaming badger. Apollo attempted to run, but Heracross caught up as it dug its horn underneath Apollo and threw him into the air.
"Apollo!" Caiseal cried. The flaming badger fell in a nearby shrub. Since Apollo's fur was reasonably thick, the leaves and twigs didn't make any cuts or bruises. Caiseal ran over to his friend. "You okay, buddy?"
"Quilava!" Apollo wiped some twigs off of his head and flashed a confident smile, reassuring his trainer that he was alright.
"That was a strong Megahorn attack. Do you want to try again?"
Apollo was already in another battle stance, and that was the best answer Caiseal could want. Heracross could sense Apollo's determination and readied itself for battle once more. "Heracrosssss…" ("I like opponents who don't give up!") Heracross warbled.
"Use SmokeScreen!" Caiseal exclaimed.
As ordered, Apollo spat out a noisome cloud of thick black smoke that almost covered the entire area. Since Heracross had wings, it was easy for it to fly out from the smoke cloud. All of a sudden, a flash of fire could be seen through the smoke cloud. Said flash emerged from the smoke, slamming Heracross right on its torso as the smoke gradually dissipated.
"Was that Flame Wheel?" Perrine asked.
"Apollo wasn't curled up in a ball," Julia pointed out.
She was right. Apollo didn't curl into a ball as he attacked. Caiseal pulled out his PokeDex to check Apollo's attacks. One of them was one he didn't recognize. Flame Charge. Then he remembered: The more a pokemon uses Flame Charge, the greater its speed becomes.
Increased speed. That could be Apollo's trump card.
"Awesome, Apollo!" Caiseal complimented. "You learned a new move!"
"Quila!"
"Use it again!"
"Watch out!" Julia cried.
Heracross had ascended into the air, it's translucent wings glowing in a harsh white light, before descending with such speed that it managed to slam right into Apollo once more. Apollo was sent rolling on the grass for just a moment before he found his footing and stopped. "Don't give up, Apollo! Use Flame Charge again!" Caiseal told him.
Apollo had no intention of giving up. Once more, his body was consumed by flames as he charged at Heracross again. This time, he was the one sending Heracross rolling on the grass. When the blue beetle stopped in front of some shrubs, it attempted to stand back on its feet. A sharp pain shot through its torso, and Heracross's flat face contorted as it gripped its torso with one of its arms.
"Alright! You're mine!" Caiseal pulled out a PokeBall before throwing it right at the blue beetle. The PokeBall tapped Heracross on its torso before opening up. Heracross turned into red light as it was absorbed by the circular capsule. The PokeBall fell to the grass and wobbled back and forth. Left, right, left, right...pop!
A white light shot out from the ball, materializing into Heracross. The PokeBall was unable to keep it trapped inside. "Awwww, man!" Caiseal facepalmed. Even after all that, Heracross wasn't weak enough. "Better try this again, buddy."
"Quila!"
"Heraaaaaa!" ("You won't beat me that easily!") Heracross warbled as it flew right back into Apollo with another Megahorn attack. This time, Heracross managed to successfully pin the fire badger to the grass.
"Force it off with Ember!"
Without hesitation, Apollo shot tiny flames at Heracross's face. Once the flames made contact, Heracross let out a yelp as it tried to control the flames by hitting them with its claws. Apollo crawled out from underneath the blue beetle, happy to be free. But the fire badger couldn't help but wonder if maybe he had overdone it a little. Heracross was clearly in pain from the embers.
"PokeBall, go!" Once more, Caiseal threw another PokeBall at Heracross. Unfortunately, like before, Heracross managed to break back out. The blue beetle shook its body left and right to shake off the trapped feeling.
"Wow. That Heracross is tough," Julia mused out loud. "All that and it still won't stay in the ball? Jeez."
Perrine crossed her arms. "I hear they are pretty hard to catch, and they're strong, too."
Considering how Heracross broke out of Caiseal's PokeBall twice, that proved just how strong it was. Heracross are known to be strong pokemon in general despite their docile demeanors. Once Apollo got back in a battle stance, the flames on his back danced on his hide, and Heracross readied himself by holding his long horn upward, like a knight unsheathing its sword before heading into battle.
"Heracrosssssssss!" ("Why do you serve a human?") Heracross asked Apollo, noticing the choker around the badger's neck. "They're weak creatures! I don't want anything to do with them!"
Weak creatures. Apollo didn't like the sound of that. Caiseal was a lot of things. Impatient? Yes. Temperamental? Nobody could deny that, not even Mallow. Quick to judge? At first, but Apollo saw he was taking steps to work past that, and for the most part, Caiseal had become more understanding since he met Julia and Perrine. But weak? Caiseal was not weak. He heard the stories of how Caiseal survived on the streets, rejection from his family, and other trials. He saw Caiseal grow into a stronger person.
In Apollo's mind, there was no such thing as truly strong or truly weak.
"Caiseal is not weak," Apollo told the blue beetle in a dead serious tone of voice. "He's my friend, and the reason I managed to become strong. Let me...no, let us show you!" The flames on his neck and rear blazed, just like the courage in his heart.
"Hera!" ("We'll see about that!") Heracross hissed as he readied his arm for another Brick Break attack.
"We're gonna win this, Apollo! Use Flame Charge again!" Caiseal cried valiantly, like a warrior in battle.
The desire to win this Heracross over blazed in both of them. They could feel as though their breathing was perfectly in sync. Apollo let out a roar as bright flames covered his entire body. Soon, both Apollo and Heracross charged right at each other. Heracross barely managed to land a hit this time, as Apollo managed to outrun it. The flaming badger rammed himself into Heracross's torso. This time, the blue beetle was thrown against a tree. To be more specific, the same one he was sucking tree sap out of.
"Hera…" ("Well...it looks like I lost…") Heracross mumbled to himself as Caiseal picked up the previous PokeBall from before. "Maybe...I was wrong about humans…"
"PokeBall, go, and catch it this time!" Throwing the red and white capsule with all his strength, the PokeBall bounced off of Heracross's horn, turning him into red light before sucking him inside. The PokeBall fell to the grass, wiggling back and forth with a red light blinking. The kids and all the other pokemon gathered around, crossing their fingers-at least, those who had fingers. Left, right, left, right…
Finally, the red light stopped blinking, and the PokeBall stopped moving.
Anticipation morphed right into joy that was unable to be contained. "YAHOO!" Caiseal leaped into the air with a great cheer. Apollo followed his lead and jumped up and down. "Yeah! We caught a Heracross! Ohhhh yeah!"
"Quilavaaaaaaa!" Pokemon and trainer were perfectly in sync.
"Wow. That was intense," Julia mused out loud, scooping Lucretia in her arms.
"It sure was. But hey, he made a new friend!" Perrine added.
"Eevee!"
"Pikachuuuu!" Both Lucretia and Hikaru couldn't help but put in their own two cents about the situation.
Caiseal kneeled over to pick up the PokeBall containing Heracross. All of his Pokemon gathered around him. Mallow, Apollo, Ravenclaw, Flippy, Stacey, and Viole. "Looks like we made a new friend, guys."
"Gloom gloooom?" ("What if he doesn't like us?") Viole asked, holding his stubby hands to his drooly mouth.
"Murkrow kroooow!" ("If he doesn't like us, then he doesn't. We can't force it.") Ravenclaw told him reassuringly, stroking his back with her wing. "If he wants to be friends, it's gotta be his decision," The little blackbird reasoned. As much as she liked the idea of having a new friend, even Ravenclaw knew that just because Caiseal caught a new Pokemon, doesn't mean they'll automatically become friends with him. She heard him say that humans were weak creatures, that he wanted nothing to do with them.
"Come on out, Heracross!" Caiseal let the blue beetle out of the PokeBall. The white light materialized into Heracross. The blue beetle looked up at Caiseal, then down at Apollo. "Hey there! Sorry we ambushed you like that," Caiseal apologized.
Heracross raised an eyebrow. That was new. A trainer apologizing for sending one of their pokemon to attack a wild one? He had seen humans just catch or hurt pokemon without a word. Still, he kept a guarded stance. "You're an awesome battler, you know that?"
An awesome battler. Heracross liked the sound of that. "Heracross!" ("I can't deny that!") The blue beetle crossed his arms as he puffed his torso out.
"Would you...like to come with us?" Caiseal asked, holding his hand out. "If you don't want to, that's fine."
Heracross was lost in his thoughts, ruminating, watching Caiseal with a scrutinizing but curious expression. The human didn't look much like others he had seen, and he didn't sense any evil or malice in this boy. The other pokemon that surrounded him didn't look afraid or frightened of him. In fact, they all seemed to respect him, especially Apollo. Perhaps...there were some good humans out there. Maybe he could use this chance to get stronger.
"Heracrossssss," ("I don't see why not. Very well. You are worthy of receiving my strength.") Heracross took Caiseal's hand and shook it firmly.
"Awesome!" Caiseal exclaimed. "I hope we can be great friends. Hey! Can I give you a name?"
"Hera?" Heracross tilted his head to one side.
"It'll make you feel more...individual, y'know? Like your own self, that way you won't get confused with another Heracross. Know what I mean?" Caiseal explained.
A name...Heracross did always want to stand out. Perhaps a new name would help him with that. Heracross nodded in agreement. "How about Heracles?"
"Heracles?" Julia asked. "Never heard that one before."
"Doesn't that sound like Hercules?" Perrine asked.
"Yeah, but I found the name Heracles in a book once," Caiseal explained. "It sounded cool," He turned to Heracross. "What do you think?"
Heracles...something about it really piqued the blue beetle's curiosity. It sounded strong and distinguished. It didn't sound like a name just anyone could have. Yes, it described this Heracross perfectly. This would be the name he would adopt. "Hera!" Heracross nodded, liking the name.
"Alrighty, then! Welcome to the team, Heracles!"
"Hera!"
Later on, the kids checked in at a small inn since there was no Pokemon Center. Since there were no transportation machines for PokeBalls either, Heracles stayed with Caiseal, at which he had seven pokemon now instead of six, the legal number. But Perrine figured that since Luminita's PokeBall went to her house the moment they were near a Pokemon Center, she assumed Heracles' PokeBall would do the same should they make it back to Ecruteak City. They had to get through Ecruteak City in order to get to Mahogany Town. The kids all had their own rooms, which, for the girls, Julia especially, was refreshing.
Julia especially liked having her own room for once. It wasn't that she hated being in the same room as Perrine. Far from it. But having her own private room, where she could spend all her time with her pokemon, all by herself, was something she truly cherished. It helped that she didn't have to change her clothes in front of Perrine despite having always hid from her when she did so in her presence. When night began to fall, Julia let Lucretia sit on her lap, taking the time to brush her tail. Rina and Rino also sat on the bed, watching, waiting for their turn.
"We'll be in Ecruteak first thing tomorrow," Julia reassured her friends.
"Eeveee…" Lucretia squeaked, basking in the touch of the brush combing through her thick, fluffy tail.
"That was where we first met, Lucretia. Do you remember that?"
"Vui!"
Hikaru, Tokiko, and Saoirse sat on the floor, enjoying chatting amongst themselves like the happy girls they were. Julia watched them with a smile. Then she remembered first meeting Lucretia. Her friend dragging her out of the bushes by her ear. Lucretia, injured and battered, probably because Amara attempted to capture them, and rather harshly, at that. Her friend suddenly darting away, leaving Lucretia with them.
"Lucretia? I'm sorry we couldn't find your friend," Julia apologized in a low whisper.
Since eevee's ears are long, Lucretia could hear her perfectly. "Eevee vuiiii." ("It's okay. I'm sure he's out there somewhere.")
Even so, the little fluffy pokemon still thought about her friend and the times they shared. Chasing each other around in a meadow full of flowers and fresh grass. Hiding under Bill's porch when they were being chased by a houndour. Hunting for berries and sharing them amongst themselves whenever they got hungry. Hiding under big trees and leaves when the rain would fall. Watching humans from a distance, wondering and thinking things about them. Lucretia was never lonely, as Julia and her Pokemon friends were great company. Still, she hoped her friend was alright.
"I think your friend left you with me...because he wanted you to be safe," Julia said.
Lucretia's ears pointed upward. "Vui?"
"The last thing he said to me was…please, take good care of her for me," Although it was so long ago, the memory of that sad little eevee begging a stranger to protect his friend was strong in her mind. How could she say no to such a request?
"Eevee vui." ("I know. I heard him say it.")
Rina put one of her arms around Rino's neck. "Nido nyuu nyuuuu!" ("We always protect each other!") Rina announced, her smile showing off her large tooth.
The purplish pink poison pin smiled, agreeing with his lover's viewpoint. "Nido nido nyuuuu!" ("Yep! That's what friends and lovers do!")
"Pika! Choki! Snubbull!" Even Hikaru, Tokiko, and Saoirse added their own two cents to their conversation.
"Okay! All done!" Julia pulled the brush back, allowing Lucretia to join everyone on the floor. "Your turn, Rino!" Rino happily obliged, sitting on Julia's lap and closing his eyes, allowing his trainer to brush his hide.
Hikaru, Tokiko, and Saoirse welcomed Lucretia into their circle without hesitation. She was their friend, after all. Before they went into conversation, Lucretia noticed the Soothe Bell by Hikaru's foot. The brown fluffy pokemon sat next to it, gently tapping it with her paw. It made a soft, soothing sound, a sound that could make any person or pokemon happy.
"Pikapi?" ("You like it?") Hikaru asked Lucretia.
"Eevee," ("Yes, I do.") Lucretia replied.
Saoirse pointed to the Soothe Belle before asking Tokiko, "Didn't that used to be yours?"
"Yeah. But I don't need it anymore," Tokiko answered with her usual mellow demeanor.
"Me either," Hikaru added. "If you want, you can have it, Lulu."
Lucretia have the Soothe Bell? The eevee's ears twitched, like she heard something rustling in the grass. Why would Tokiko just give her Soothe Bell to one of the other pokemon. She had heard from Saoirse that it was a gift from someone. Lucretia wondered if she really deserved to have something so precious to her.
"I don't mind, Lulu," Tokiko reassured her as she ate a small cookie. "You can have it. I like it, but it might benefit you, like it did me and Hikaru."
Hikaru's ears twiched. "Does that mean...you gave this to me knowing I would evolve soon?"
Everyone except the Nidoran and Julia turned to face Tokiko. The happiness pokemon's smile didn't falter, not even for a millisecond. She simply looked at Hikaru and said, "I wanted to share a piece of my happiness with you. I want to do it with all my friends. We Togetic can feel the happiness within someone, and it makes us strong," She explained in a sweet yet matter-of-fact manner, like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Your happiness and love can make you strong, too. I just want to help out."
The Pokemon found themselves lost in thought. Lucretia found herself ruminating deeply as she scooped the Soothe Bell in her hand. She had always dreamed of evolving, but didn't want to use any stones to evolve. She wanted to evolve, just like her friend wanted to. But no matter how hard she tried, she never could. Even so, she was still happy, being with her new friends and traveling all over the place. In fact, she had nothing but love and respect for everyone, both Julia and the Pokemon. In a way, she couldn't picture herself being anywhere else or with anyone else.
"Thank you. I'll take good care of it," Lucretia mused.
Saoirse gulped down a small bottle of water. Once she finished, she screwed the cap back on and put it in the trash. "Does anyone want to play hide and seek?" Saoirse asked.
"Oh! Me! Me!" Rina leaped off the bed.
"We can all play!" Julia announced as she stopped brushing Rino's hide. "Since you suggested it first, Saoirse, you can find us first!"
Saoirse flashed a thumb's up. She covered her eyes with her hands and began counting to ten.
The moment Harriet burst through her apartment door, she made a beeline for the bathroom. Her stomach was ready to explode at any moment. She yanked the toilet seat open, doubled right over, and let out a harsh, lurching sound as remnants of her breakfast and lunch spilled right inside. Her throat burned from the stomach acid that came spilling forth. In fact, she felt as though she were being suffocated. Trapped in a disgusting cage full of garbage, unable to escape no matter how hard she tried to break free.
Even after she finished, she still felt awful. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. In fact, she didn't feel as though she were human. She was tired. Tired of everything. Tired of being part of this ghastly organization called Team Rocket. Tired of them stealing, hurting, using, abusing, and even killing pokemon for their own gain. Tired of being trapped with these people who wanted to make her do all these horrible things. Having to steal a young child's pokemon and give it to Petrel hours before only added to her terrible nausea. None of this was what she wanted.
"Harriet?" Not even Margeaux's voice was enough to pull her heart out of the pit of her stomach. As soon as Margeaux entered the bathroom, her nostrils were assailed by the noisome stench of vomit. "Euugh!" Her hands flew to her face, forming a barrier around her nose and mouth in an attempt to hold off the smell. "Geez. This mission really did a number on you, didn't it?"
To Harriet, that was the understatement of the millennium. How could Margeaux or anyone else live with themselves and do this every single day? She didn't know, and she didn't dare ask. Margeaux could see the pain on her face and stepped back.
"Do you...want some water?" Margeaux asked in a low voice peppered with concern. "My dad used to say that vomiting a lot makes you dehydrated."
"Yes, please," Harriet croaked, her voice hoarse and dry from the stomach acid burning her throat. She pressed the lever on the toilet, allowing it to swallow all of her vomit. The stench was still there, but she took the time to spray some air freshener.
Harriet dragged herself to her room, lying down on her bed. Cookie came right out of his PokeBall, and already he could feel the uneasiness oozing from his trainer. "Kuukiiiii?"
"Sorry, Cookie," Harriet apologized, holding her hand over her face. "I'm tired."
"Kuukii kuukii."
"I'm pretty sure your Krabby can see that," Margeaux piped in, holding a small glass of water. She walked in to place it on the nightstand next to her bed. Seeing that Harriet didn't want to be disturbed, Margeaux left the room. Harriet was in no mood to say thanks, but did appreciate the gesture regardless.
She wasn't sure if she could continue on like this. All she wanted was a job. To be able to send money to her family and help get them out of debt. If she had known what she was getting into beforehand, she would never have joined Team Rocket. But now, escape seemed utterly impossible. All she could do now was sit up and gulp down the water. Immediately, her throat cooled down. Margeaux was right: too much vomiting would result in dehydration, and getting through the day without food or water would make a bad day even worse.
Once she felt somewhat better, she went out the back door, finding herself in the backyard. It was good she lived on the first floor. Usually, those who lived on the first floor were able to own the backyards that came with the apartments they bought. Harriet's backyard wasn't much to write home about. It was just a patch of grass trapped in a square by a wooden fence with a gate that led to the street behind them. But Harriet could easily see her neighbor's backyard since it wasn't fenced in. Often times, she would see children running about, playing ball or chasing each other around.
Coincidentally, a child was playing next door right now. A little boy of about eight with deep, chocolate brown hair cut into a bowl cut. The boy's light brown eyes fixated on the rocks he arranged in a perfect line. His black and white sneakers were already dirty from dredging them into the soil. Harriet smiled as she watched him play. Soon, the boy whipped his head up, catching sight of Harriet. With a smile, he picked his hand up and waved at the green haired woman.
"Hi, Harriet!" The boy greeted her warmly.
"Hi, Danny," Harriet replied with her own wave. "How are you?"
"I'm great! Can I come into the yard, please?"
Harriet smiled. "Sure. Go ahead."
Without hesitation, Danny reached over the gate and undid the lock. The fence was low so an eight year old boy could easily undo the lock. But Harriet didn't mind if it was Danny coming into her yard to play. He was her next door neighbor, after all. He was always a nice little boy, always coming by to say hi or play with Cookie. Speaking of Cookie, the krab pokemon trotted onto the backyard, greeting the boy by waving his pincers.
"Kuukiiii!" Cookie chirruped.
"Hey, Cookie! How's it goin'?" Danny crouched down to stroke Cookie's thorns.
That was when Harriet saw it. A reddish purple bruise the size of an egg just above Danny's left eye. It took her breath away, and not in a good way. Harriet's hand flew to her mouth, preventing her from screaming or gasping out loud. But it did nothing to dull the shock that swept over her. Just how did that happen? Did Danny hit his head on something? Or did someone punch him? She wanted to ask, but didn't dare. She didn't want to pry into something that wasn't her business. Even so, that bruise looked fairly recent, and the ugliness of it still kept lingering in her mind.
"You're so nice, Cookie!"
"Kuukii!" Cookie chirruped, enjoying Danny's company.
"So…how's school going?" Harriet asked, kneeling down to his level.
"It was great!" Danny announced. However, his smile immediately faded as he continued to stroke Cookie's horns. "But...Dad won't let me go to school anymore."
Immediately, alarm bells began ringing in her head. "Why not?" She asked, tilting her head to one side. As much as she wanted to do something, she steeled herself from jumping to conclusions. "Is he taking you to another school?"
Danny shook his head. "No. He says school is for wimps and goody-two-shoes, and pulled me out," He answered. "But I liked school," He whimpered, sadly this time. "I liked hanging out with all my friends."
The alarm bells began clanging this time. She was sure that preventing a child from going to school, especially at such an age, was against the law unless it was for dire health reasons or if they were being homeschooled. But to pull him out without any good reason? Harriet found herself blurting out, without thinking, "He shouldn't have done that. Kids have to go to school. It's the law."
"That's what I heard Mrs. Johansson say to him," Danny replied. "But he got really mad and called her a lot of mean names."
"Did your father say why he pulled you out?" She asked again. As much as she wanted to keep herself from prying, the alarm bells clanging in her head were forcing her concern to come right out. She couldn't keep the lid on. But at this point, she didn't want to. At first, Danny didn't respond. "You can tell me. I won't get mad," She told him in a soft, motherly voice, hoping to make him feel safe.
"My dad...he says he wants me to join Team Rocket," Danny finally answered.
To say Harriet was horrified would be an understatement. She was so surprised, she lost her balance and fell on the grass. But the pain didn't bother her one bit, not compared to what Danny just told her. She found herself unable to quite believe it at first. Danny's father wants him to join Team Rocket? Who in their right mind would recruit children into Team Rocket? What they do to Pokemon was bad enough already.
Then she remembered something Ariana said when she and Margeaux moved in. "This whole neighborhood is full of Team Rocket members. Giovanni and Hunter J are very particular about making sure no one is secretly spying or going behind TR's back. Everything you say or do will be observed closely. You should be grateful that Giovanni put in a lot of effort to help you all blend into society at the moment. We cannot let people who are not associated with us know that we are amongst them. We cause enough of an uproar as it is."
It hit her right then and there. The entire street was occupied by Team Rocket members masquerading as normal civilians, she and her next door neighbor, Danny's father to be more specific, being among them. Harriet was at a loss for words. Did Ariana know Harriet had reservations about Team Rocket's machinations? Did she put Harriet here deliberately? She wished she knew the answer. But she could feel her stomach tying itself into a very tight knot.
"Are you okay, Harriet?" Danny asked, gazing at her with a worried expression.
"I...I'm sorry, Danny. I'm not feeling very well," Harriet apologized, brushing some of her green hair back. "Anyway, does your father, um...really...want you to join?" Even saying Team Rocket's name made Harriet nauseous.
"Yeah, he does," Danny replied, his voice adopting a strangely bitter twinge to it. "He told me so yesterday," He suddenly stood up abruptly and cried, "But I don't wanna join Team Rocket! They're bad guys! My friends said so, and I hear about what they do on the news!"
Harriet could definitely agree with him. She had seen most of their crimes in person and, regretfully, even participated in some. She didn't dare tell Danny that she was part of TR. If she told him, she was afraid he would lose someone he could trust. She didn't want to break the trust between them, not after she worked so hard to build some kind of relationship with him, one that felt somewhat normal.
"Yes. They are bad people."
"I told him I didn't want to join," Danny continued on. "But he got really mad and…" He left the sentence drift away.
The green haired woman noted the bruise on his head. "...Does it hurt?"
Danny nodded grimly. "Dad whacked me and said I have to join no matter what," The pain in his voice was unmistakable. Hearing it made Harriet shiver with terror. "That it's why I was born."
Why he was born? The nausea came rushing right back, almost slamming Harriet at full force like a freight train. Good thing she didn't throw up again. She clutched her chest, feeling it tighten, like she was losing air. Not just the nausea, memories of gossip she heard among some TR members flashed through her mind.
"Hey! Is it true that the commanders force TR members to marry and have kids?"
"I don't know for sure, but Roderick told me that Emma had to marry Percy last week. He heard that Petrel told her that because she's a woman and a member of Team Rocket, it's her duty to produce new generations of TR so the organization can thrive. I heard he also said something like, 'Your duty will be to please him and Team Rocket as a whole. Bear him many future Team Rocket members. Sublimate your own desires. Become the willing piss-pot and spittoon of your husband and remain loyal to the organization, and we will be proud of you.'"
"What?! Petrel actually said that?!"
"I'm not surprised he would. He is very old-fashioned, and acts like he's living in a hundred years ago. I also heard that every time he comes back from a mission, he asks for one of the female members to go into his bed chamber with him."
"Like...a comfort woman? Like back in the wars?"
"Yep."
"Ewwww! How awful! I hope that doesn't happen to me, you, or anyone else we know!"
Was this what Danny's father expected out of this boy? To become a future member of Team Rocket? All she could think was...how could anyone in their right mind even encourage such an awful practice? Or any of this? Were children actually being produced solely to keep the Team Rocket line going? Harriet felt sick to her stomach all over again. All of this was just too overwhelming for her to bear.
"He shouldn't be doing that to you…" Harriet finally sputtered. Her fists trembled as she looked him in the eye. "I'm glad you told me all this," Unable to control her shaking hands, she planted them firmly on his shoulders. "I...I don't know if there's much I can do, but...what Richard is doing to you is wrong. I'll tell someone about it and they can help you and get you out."
"Really? You will?" Danny asked, looking hopeful.
"Of course."
"Danny!" A deep, booming voice sent shivers down both of their spines. Both woman and child turned toward Danny's backyard to see a tall, burly man staring at them from the open gate. He was dressed in a black suit over a white dress shirt, and his black hair was showing subtle signs of greying.
"H-Hi Dad," Danny sheepishly returned back to his backyard, not even taking the time to say goodbye to Cookie.
"Don't be bothering the neighbors, boy!" The man exclaimed in a gruff voice.
"He wasn't bothering me, Richard," Harriet explained. "He's a joy to have around."
Richard shot an angry glare at the green haired woman. "I wasn't talking to you!" He grabbed Danny by the hand. "Come on! Your mother needs you!" With that, Richard dragged the unwilling Danny back into the house.
Once he was out of sight, a blaze of courage burst forth in Harriet's chest. Danny didn't deserve to live a life among Team Rocket. He deserved to be a normal kid. A good kid, not one who was forced into a life of crime. She could only wonder what Richard planned to do with him. This was not the time to sit around and do nothing. Not anymore. Harriet put Cookie back in his pokeball and grabbed a large hat from her closet. A particularly nice, yellow sun hat with some plastic pink and white flowers glued to it.
She hoped nobody would take much notice of a pretty woman simply walking through the neighborhood. As far as she knew, the police station was just a ten minute walk from her apartment. She could deal with that. Yes, a plan was hatching in her mind: go to the police, report Richard for pulling Danny out of school, and, in the event that the police suspect more, tell them everything, even her own unwilling participation in some thefts. Being in Team Rocket was proving to be too suffocating. Somehow, the thought of being in jail seemed heavenly compared to being amongst TR.
Before she could even turn the knob, Margeaux poked her head into the living room. "Harriet? Where's the dishwashing detergent?"
"It's under the sink, Margeaux," She replied.
"Are you going somewhere?" Margeaux asked again. "I thought I'd make some meatloaf for dinner tonight."
"I…I have some errands to run. I forgot to buy some things," Harriet replied sheepishly, hoping Margeaux wouldn't catch on to her lies. "I'll be back in an hour!"
"Okay!" Thankfully, Margeaux bought it and returned to the kitchen.
Harriet steeled herself from going into hysterics as she left the apartment, locking it tight. Act natural. Don't do anything that will draw attention. Just go to the police station and report Richard barring Danny from going to school, and maybe other things as well. One foot in front of the other. Do it. Harriet wasn't sure if she had any dignity or even humanity left. But one thing was for sure: no child like Danny should ever have to be raised among Team Rocket and subjected to their horrors.
She wasn't going to run away anymore.
Happy Autism Awareness Month! Yeah, I know people hate Autism Speaks and their practices, but I try not to give them the time of day. Besides, the only reason I wear blue during April 2nd is mostly because blue happens to be one of my favorite colors. That, and a lot of my wardrobe just happens to be blue.
And yes, Team Rocket does some baaaaaad things here. Let's be honest, even in the games and the anime they were pretty bland and underdeveloped as an organization. They don't really do much except proclaim how evil they are, take over buildings, and try to take some rare PokeBall. I never found them very intimidating or even threatening. Pokemon as a whole can be interpreted in so many ways, and it's a shame that Team Rocket kinda got the shaft in terms of potential that never got used. I kind of want to make them genuinely threatening, which is why I'm making their goals darker and explore what they do with their other members when they're not on secret illegal missions. Because, really, would Team Rocket REALLY be the type of organization to just let someone quit without consequence or even a genuine threat? If cults have the audacity to resort to murdering their own members if they so much as question their beliefs, or forcing them into sexual situations against their will, then I don't see why Team Rocket doesn't.
Also, the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney anime is airing right now. Awesomeness.
Random Fact: I thought about making this chapter about Julia and Saoirse participating in a royal ball for fun, but I realized it'd be kinda pointless and not add to the story.
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Sweet Kiss, Volt Tackle
Lucretia (Eevee, Female, Bashful Nature)
Ability: Anticipation
Attacks: Quick Attack, Helping Hand, Bite, and Shadow Ball
Tokiko (Togetic, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Serene Grace
Attacks: Extrasensory, Headbutt, Dazzling Gleam, Magical Leaf
Saoirse (Snubbull, Female, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Intimidate
Attacks: Ice Fang, Bite, Fire Fang, and Scary Face
Rina (Nidoran, Female, Bold Nature)
Ability: Poison Point
Attacks: Double Kick, Poison Sting, Scratch, and Bite
Rino (Nidoran, Male, Modest Nature)
Ability: Poison Point
Attacks: Double Kick, Poison Sting, Peck, and Horn Attack
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Tackle, Fairy Wind, Bullet Seed, and Acrobat
Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: Scratch, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain
Luminita (Chinchou, Female, Naive Nature)
Ability: Water Absorb
Attacks: Supersonic, Water Gun, BubbleBeam, and Electro Ball
Fukuro (Noctowl, Male, Sassy Nature)
Ability: Tinted Lens
Attacks: Psybeam, Peck, Hypnosis, and Dream Eater
Caiseal's Party:
Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash
Apollo (Quilava, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Flame Charge, Quick Attack, and Smokescreen
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Gun, Mud Bomb, Earthquake, and Slam
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Night Shade, Dark Pulse, and Haze
Viole (Gloom, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Acid, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent
Stacey (Pinsir, Female, Serious Nature)
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Attacks: X-Scissor, Swords Dance, Seismic Toss, and Double Hit
Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure