Authors note: Sorry to anyone who's been waiting for updates. Even though I had spring break, my ISP was giving me hell. I couldn't log onto the internet at ALL, and the library has issues with me, I can't log on there.
I'll update when I can, but for a while... the updates will be whenever I have a chance. I'm up to about chapter 30, but... I still need to tweek a few things.
Actually, I just wanted to torment ya. :)
Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW! Otherwise, I think no one's reading this thing, so I DON'T update unless I have nothing better to do. And I usually can find SOMETHING to do. Or you could E-mail me a request to update, I don't mind that. It's just that I don't know if anyone cares.
(Shrugs) just call me wierd. Everyone else I know does.
Chapter Thirteen: Dratini Attack – and a 'Gifted One'?
In the early morning, Mathrara's ball lit up, and then the fox appeared in a burst of light. He glared at the ball, then settled down near the other two.
Chris awoke to Kani nuzzling him gently. He moaned, and tried to fall back asleep. (Oh no you don't.)
Mathrara used his heat to make Chris jump up.
"Hey! Lemme sleep!"
Kani nudged him. (Quiet. We're camped at a lake, and a Dratini's outside.)
Chris arched an eyebrow. (As in the dragon-type, hard to find Dratini? )
(Safari Zone has quite a few, as do some lakes like this – middle of nowhere.)
(I stand corrected. You going to talk to it? )
(No. Why don't you try? And it's a male.)
Chris shrugged, and crawled out.
The Dratini was wandering about, apparently interested in everything. Chris had to grin at that.
It noticed him, and apparently panicked. It threw whirlwinds at Chris, and Chris had to dive out of the way. "Hey! Cut it out! I'm not doing anything!"
(You're not going to capture me! )
"Who said anything like that? Kani, get out here!"
Kani stepped out, giving the Dratini a dirty look. (He's really not going to do anything.)
(Brainwashed fool! ) It flung a whirlwind at Kani, but she put up a light screen, making it bounce off.
"Crud. Kani?"
(Dratini are nasty, sometimes. I guess I should have talked to it.)
"Too late now. Do we fight back?"
(Guess so. Mathrara, take him. I can't.)
Mathrara began to stop the twisters with his Heat Wave, and attacked the Dratini. Enraged, it shot a burst of energy at him. He stiffened, but shook it off quickly.
(Thunder…wave. Paralyzes… target.)
Chris shook his head – he honestly didn't care too much. "Talk later. Knock sense into it now."
Mathrara fired a will-o-wisp attack, followed by a massive Heat Wave attack. The Dratini seemed to be tiring, and it's twisters were getting much smaller. Not to mention that it was burned all over. Mathrara charged forward in a quick attack, and the Dratini hardly seemed able to move.
(You'll never… catch me…)
It tried to smash Mathrara with it's body, but fell over, exhausted. Chris walked over to the hardly moving form, and shook his head. "I don't know what it is with wild pokemon these days. Not everyone is out to catch you."
(Trainer… scum…)
"So what? I'm not a trainer by choice."
(You… understand me? )
"Don't bother to talk. Just direct your thoughts at me. I'll understand those too, I think." Chris turned his attentions to Mathrara. "You ok?"
(More or less. I'm going to need one heck of a nap to get over this. First the rockets, then this thing. I never got a chance to fully recover.)
"Take that nap. We'll stay here today. Obviously – you're too tired. Go get Kani out of the tent before you crash, ok?"
(Sure…)
Mathrara slowly trudged over to the tent. Chris heard him bark something, then the sound of a body collapsing on the ground. Kani came out, looking wary.
Chris was already turning his attention back to the Dratini. "You happy now? Mathrara's exhausted, you're beat up, and we can't leave today."
(I'll never… let you… attack my family…)
Kani snorted, sounding human. (Dragons. More stubborn than a Tauros, and nearly as thick.)
(Another… brainwashed…fool? )
That comment apparently stung. Kani's 'voice' was cold. (Listen, idiot, I'm no brainwashed toy. I'm with him by choice, and Chris respects that. I'm like a sister to him, and he'd never ask me to do anything he wouldn't do, if our positions were reversed.)
(This makes… no sense.) As the Dratini said that, it's skin glowed, and it lost it's burn marks.
(Chris, that's shed skin. He's healed of the burn's effects.)
(But… I've always heard that humans were out to capture us.)
Chris sighed. "Don't believe it. I went to a pokemon preserve almost every day, and I was never tempted to capture the pokemon there, never tempted to fight them with Kani."
(I never fought until we had to fight for our lives.)
(Where…)
"Celadon city. An impassible hillside, haven from the city. If Kani told me the truth, there were dragon types there."
(You… speak the truth. Some of my friends… lived there. Until the explosion…)
"That's the Rockets' fault."
(Why should I believe that you aren't one? )
(Because. LOOK AT HIM, you DOLT! Do you sense anything evil about him? You dragons are supposed to be nearly as good as I am at judging people! )
(He… is kind enough. But that doesn't mean he is a new recruit, and he's brainwashed the two of you…) The Dratini's voice was wavering, as if he wasn't sure anymore about his beliefs.
Chris sighed. "Look. This is going nowhere. Just go home, and sleep for a while. You'll heal up quick enough."
The Dratini tried to slither into the water, but was having a hard time. Chris finally got tired of watching, and picked him up, slowly lowering him into the water.
He looked confusedly at Chris as he turned, and walked away. It was so against what he'd been taught about humans, he was close to apologizing for what he'd done. Resolving to have an elder question the human, he swam home. He moved easier in the water than on land.
Chris glanced into the tent. Mathrara was out like a light. "Kani… can he get out whenever he's better?"
(Yea. I rigged them so we can get out whenever we want out.) Chris looked at Kani, then shrugged. He dug out Mathrara's ball, then returned him.
(He'll probably be pissed, you know. That I couldn't fight)
"Why couldn't you?"
(I'm protecting you. If I faint, you fall into a coma.)
"Oh. That. Sorry, I forgot."
"Son! What has happened to you?"
"I… I went to the surface. I found something weird, so I went to investigate. It was a trainer's camp."
"He beat you up? I'll lesson him!"
"MOTHER, STOP."
"Son… why?"
"He never attacked me until I attacked him. In fact, I don't know if he's even truly what we call a trainer."
"What?"
"He understands us, mother. He could have easily captured me if he wanted to, but he instead tried to understand why I attacked. And he carried me to the water, when I couldn't crawl to it. I'd like to have an elder question him."
"Would he be a threat to an elder?"
"Not likely. All he has is an Espeon, and a Vulpix. His Vulpix is exhausted from something – I hardly touched him, and he was ready to collapse, and his Espeon doesn't look much better. They couldn't be much of a threat."
The Dratini's mother (a Dragonair), nodded to her son, and swam off. Her son fell asleep quickly, recovering from his wounds. Dragons healed quickly, even for pokemon.
Chris was scavenging for some berries, when he felt a nudge from behind him. A Dragonair was floating at eye level behind him. He jumped, and set himself to dodge an attack.
(Be at ease. I was sent here to question you, human.)
Chris backed up a pace, then sat down. "Fine. Just don't attack, I'm defenseless. The Dratini made Mathrara even more exhausted, and I know that Kani's nearly as tired."
(Kani? )
"The Espeon who's with me. She'll leave you alone, unless you attack Mathrara or me."
(Like I said, I'm here to question you. First off, how can you understand us? )
"Telepathy. To me, it sounds like human speech, just in my head. Kani did it to me, she can't really explain it any better than that."
(Ah. So you possess psychic power? )
"More or less. Supposedly, I'm getting stronger with my skills."
(Why are you here? )
"I was on the run. Two Rockets ambushed me, and Mathrara was knocked out. Kani managed to defeat them, but we teleported away. We were both so exhausted, I just set up camp at where we came out."
(These Rockets that you mention… do they belong to Team Rocket? )
"I'd suspect so. Since I'm wanted by them, and all."
(I have a feeling I have heard of you, from an acquaintance. Your appearance seems familiar.)
"Possibly. I used to hang out at a pokemon reserve, near Celadon. Guarded by the Illuses."
(That haven is no more.)
"I'm aware. I saw it happen. That's why they're after me."
(So you are the one the Dragons there mentioned. The one that had an Eevee, but just seemed to go to the reserve to escape the city. They described you in great detail.)
"That was me. Kani said they judged me harmless. Just as well, I never had an interest in battling, or becoming a trainer."
(Yet you are one now.)
"That's a disguise, even if I have the stuff. Ask Kani if you doubt me. I'm trying to become stronger, so I can fight back against the Rockets. It's either that, or die at their hands."
(So the disguise has become the reality…)
"More or less, yes. My methods are different, but I suppose my goal is close enough… what should I call you?"
(Just call me Elder. The Dratini that you defeated, but didn't capture… he mentioned something about how you didn't attempt to capture him at all, but merely understand. Why? )
"I wanted to understand this fear of humans most pokemon had. I noticed that, even in the reserve, the pokemon would shy from me. Even when it was clear that I wouldn't respond, just run when they chased me."
(Do you capture pokemon against their wills? )
"Never."
(Why not? Your fellow humans seem to have no problem with this.)
"Because, I can hear what they say. What's more, I wouldn't like it if someone forced me to cooperate with them, fighting. I'd hate it, fighting on a slaver's demands."
(That, young human, is why we fear humans.)
"I hope that eventually, this fear will be no longer needed."
(That… that is our hope, too. You are different. I am tempted to call you a 'gifted one'.)
"What's a gifted one?"
(A gifted one has an empathy for all pokemon. They have such a deep respect for their pokemon that they never order their pokemon to do nothing they would not do themselves, were the situation reversed. In return, their pokemon will do anything to aid them. A mystic link binds the pokemon and gifted one… one that is hard to describe.)
"Sounds like a gifted one is a trainer. So why all the fear?"
(There have not been many gifted ones.)
Chris sighed, and finally met the Dragonair's eyes. (Your dreams… I hope for everyone's sake, that many gifted ones come. So that they can change the system – change it so that respect and love, not power, are the goals of a trainer. Prestige… I understand. Who wouldn't like to have accord? But the means that some take to that goal… it is unforgivable. I have seen brutal trainers. Now, with my own pokemon, I hope that I can become strong enough that I can make them see how wrong they are. But first… I have to stop Team Rocket. They are the worst batch.)
The Dragonair flinched in the air. (You… you show no fear for yourself. You desire only to make right... I… I am honored to have met you… gifted one.)
Chris lowered his eyes, a few stray tears falling. He didn't hear the last few words, and didn't really care. "Elder… could you permit us to stay for a while, to recover? Mathrara is in no shape to travel, and Kani is hardly better."
(You may stay for some time. In fact, would you speak to our people? I have felt for some time that they must not fear all humans. With you as an example for what humankind can become…)
Chris nodded. As the Dragonair floated away, Chris gently blinked the tears away. He'd never, honestly, known he felt that way, until just them. He'd thought he just cared about ending the Rockets so he could be left in peace… but it seemed that he'd been lying to himself. Apparently, dragons WERE the mythical pokemon – they'd certainly brought out something that normally wouldn't have ever crossed his mind.
He'd never known he cared so much. He was so used to pretending that he didn't care, that he apparently walled off his own feelings…
The elder floated onward, thinking deeply. The boy could not have been lying in a telepathic communication. He honestly felt that way. His goal was noble… but could he achieve it?
"Elder? What have you seen?"
The aged Dragonair turned, to see the other elders gathered. "It appears that the boy is a gifted one. He understands our language, and even though he seems to be a 'better than usual' trainer, he honestly cares about us."
There was a shocked silence at that declaration. "Are you sure?"
"He spoke to me… mind-to-mind. Without any hesitation on his part about the fact that I might be able to read his mind. What's more, I felt a great deal of respect towards life. His very soul was shown to me, somehow."
"Did you force him to that?"
"Honestly, no. His empathy did it on its own. It has been functioning all the time, just at a level that was below his consciousness. Now… I suspect that he could meet face to face with Ho-oh, Lugia, and every other legend, and would be content with merely speaking to them."
"There has not been a gifted one in these parts for a long while. Usually, they come besides some pokemon of a unique ability. Do you know if he has one?"
"I believe so. He mentioned his 'Kani' – his Espeon… gave him the ability to understand us, through psychic manipulation."
"That's never been heard of! That… wait. Rayquaza?"
(ELDER, DO YOU JUDGE HIM AS A 'GIFTED ONE'? )
"In my humble opinion, yes lord. I have studied his soul when he was in an open moment, and I have no doubt."
(THIS… POSES AN INTERSTING DEVELOPMENT. ZAPDOS HAS ALREADY APPROCHED ME ABOUT HIS 'KANI', AND HER UNIQUE ABILITIES…)
"My lord, might I suggest that we assign someone to watch him?"
(THAT… IS AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION. CHECK AMONG YOUR PEOPLE FOR A VOLUNTEER. HAVE WHOEVER VOLUNTEERS REPORT TO ME ON OCCASION. THIS BOY… HE MAY SERVE A FUNCTION THAT FEW COULD PERFORM. WE MIGHT NOT WISH TO LOOSE HIM…)
"Lord?" Rayquaza did not respond. The elders looked from one to another, in something akin to shock. Rayquaza had been known to have very few interests beyond his people – that he showed an interest in the boy was something akin to shock for them.
"With your permission Elders, I would like to volunteer."
"You… Anekiro? You wish to leave…" It was the same Dratini that had attacked Chris. He had recovered quickly, and there was a new light to him. "Yes, elders. I heard our lord's directions. For a long time, I have felt a wanderlust sprout within me. Though my parents might miss me, I believe that I should go."
"You are aware that he might well place you within a pokeball for a great deal of time."
"I doubt it. His Espeon honestly respected him so much, I believe she would lay down her life to protect her friend. That kind of bond is not formed when one of the two is shut within a container for long periods of time. Shando had been with me, and stayed when I asked him to spy. When I woke up, he told me that when he spied on him, he only reluctantly returned his Vulpix to his ball. And only after his Espeon re-assured him that he could leave the confines once he was healed. Besides, I heard you call him a gifted one. I have always wanted to travel… with a gifted one, I suspect my journey will be something I will enjoy a great deal."
"If you are sure…"
"I am, Elder. Excuse me… but I wish to go make amends."
Kani was watching the water warily. She knew the Dratini had come from there, and she didn't want another attack.
The same Dratini came out of the water, at a slow pace. Kani growled, and set herself into a battle position.
Chris heard Kani growl, and left his cleaning (mostly cleaning up his pack), to find out what was happening.
"Wha…"
(Relax. I'm not here to fight, anymore. I'm here to make amends for my action.)
Chris blinked. It looked like the same Dratini. "Aren't you…"
(The one that attacked, yes. And I apologize for that. I had always been taught that humans… were out to capture us, to make us battle cruelly.)
Chris nodded. "Your Elder… he spoke to me about that. Called me a 'gifted one'..."
The Dratini blinked. (More or less, you are. You're out to better the world, and you've been gifted with an ability that could lead you to great power. Instead, you use it to further your goal to change the world.)
"Spoke to him, did you? But I thought you were hurt…" Chris stopped himself – he sounded like a movie character, with that first line.
(I was. We heal fast.)
(Chris, do you believe him? )
"His Elder… the Dragonair… said I was alright. You tell me, does an Elder sound like a respected title?"
(Elder? Yes. But…)
Chris sighed. "Kani.…"
(I'm sorry about your Vulpix. I… was out of place.)
Chris nodded. "Apology accepted. Now what's your real reason for coming here?"
The Dratini blinked. (Actually… it was to ask if I might travel with you.)
(After all that ranting about humans, you want to be captured by one? ) Kani sounded annoyed.
(Not… not every human is the same. Even I knew that, before. Now…)
Chris shrugged. "You're not saying something. I know you're not."
(Yes, I'm not.)
Chris sighed, "would this have to do with what your Elder called me?"
(More or less, yes. It's complicated. If you allow me to accompany you… I might get permission to explain.)
Chris shrugged. "Kani, it's up to you. Mathrara wouldn't mind – he's always looking for someone new to annoy. I'm not opposed… but I don't want to strain you, so if you can't trust him…"
The Espeon walked over to the Dratini, then began to circle around him. (Chris… a few moments? I want to know why.)
Chris nodded, and went back to his cleaning.
"Your choice… was it commanded by your lord? Rayquaza?"
"Can your trainer 'hear' us?"
"Not really. I've blocked him off, so he can't hear us. Now are you going to tell me, or not?"
"Rayquaza did command that a volunteer travel with him. He wanted reports about your trainer's actions. And call me Anekiro."
"Anekiro, why?"
"He's unique. He understands our language."
Kani shook her head. "Actually, that's not it, really. He's psychic…"
"It doesn't matter. Not all psychics understand pokemon either. Actually, few psychics know that they could understand all pokemon, so they don't develop the skills needed. It's not a skill that's widely known to exist. The fact that he understand everyone does makes him special. That… and something alarmed my Elders. I don't know what."
Kani tilted her head, questioningly "How do you know it was him?"
"Rayquaza. He mentioned that your trainer might be useful… to 'us'. I have no clue as to who 'us' is."
Kani nodded, understanding more about WHY it was this particular Dratini. "So… you'll be traveling with us willingly, just reporting to your lord about what he's doing?"
"More or less, that's the gist of it."
"You don't know why he's out here, do you?"
"He's just a trainer, isn't he?"
Kani snorted. "No." Kani outlined Chris's tale to Anekiro, in a short summery. She included the fact about the death threat on Chris, since she knew that Chris certainly would mention it.
"Oh. That… makes it interesting. In fact, I'd think I would like to travel with him even more."
"Stoop to becoming another 'brainwashed fool', is it?" She hated being called something like that. She was her own self.
Anekiro sounded apologetic. "I said that? Sorry. But… I've always wanted to be famed, not just another dragon. Joining him… that might give me a taste of accord."
"Ah. A glory hound." Kani laughed. "Well, more or less, I'm not opposed to you coming with. You know you're going to have to walk like the rest of us…"
"I can't walk. I can't hover like a Dragonair, either."
"Well, slither, then. Chris might be nice enough to carry you for a while, but you're quite long."
"How long of a walk?"
She shuddered. "Oh… no puns, please. Anyway… miles. Even though he's injured, Chris can walk for a long time. I know Mathrara has a hard time keeping up with us."
"I… I'll just have to get stronger."
Kani nodded, and called out to Chris with a psychic burst.
Chris came back, with a spare ball in his hand. "Well?"
(I don't object.)
"So much for that suspicion. Sometime, you're gonna have to tell me what changed your mind…"
(His name's Anekiro.)
"Ok." Chris grinned for a moment, then set the pokeball next to the Dratini. "Final choice. You touch it, you go in. Even then, you can break out. Do you honestly want to 'stoop to become a human's pokemon'? And I hope Kani told you you're risking your life, doing this."
Anekiro just nudged the ball in response. He burst into red light, and the ball closed on him. It rocked for a little bit, like Anekiro was restraining himself not to fight, then it stopped.
Chris picked it up, and opened it. Anekiro came out, looking a bit dazed. "You ok?"
(That… is a bizarre place, a pokeball.)
Chris shrugged. "Well, since you can enter or leave it whenever you want, it's up to you. So how are you going to travel?"
(I'll try to keep up. If it's not too much trouble, could you carry me if I get exhausted? )
Chris eyed the dragon warily. "How much do you weigh? You're about six feet long."
Kani chuckled. (Chris, just check the 'dex. I'm not telling you everything.)
Chris grinned guiltily, then dug it out. He pressed a few keys, then looked up. "Never mind. About seven pounds?"
(Your system of measurement I don't know. I know I'm about average weight for my kind.)
"Ok. Seven it is. I guess I could carry you. But I'm not doing that all the time."
Anekiro nodded understanding. Chris gave him a grin, then looked towards the lake. A Dragonair was floating over it, apparently weeping. "Anekiro, we're leaving later. A few days, I guess. There are some good berry trees here, and I could use some re-stocking. So you can either stay here at camp, or with your folks. Just be ready to go when we're ready, ok?"
Anekiro gave a mental affirmative (not with words, but Chris understood well enough), and slithered over to the hovering Dragonair. They embraced, and the Dragonair gave Chris a tearful look. Chris sighed, and managed to meet her eyes. (I will never force him to do something he won't do. You have my word on it.)
(Take care of my son.)
"I will, on my life."
The two slipped into the lake.
