Eru878: Well, that sounds nice, getting more reviews. Problem is, I suck at summaries.
Chapter Thirty-Two: A glimmer of the future
The trip was mostly quiet. Chris and Sanja were proficient with telepathy (Chris's was far better, but Sanja had some talent), so they talked mind to mind. They worked together fairly well.
A Bayleef ran up to Chris, and then nudged him. Chris looked at it in surprise. "Do I know you from somewhere, lady?"
(I… yes. You saved my life.)
Sanja looked over at Chris. She'd never been able to understand pokemon, and whatever the heck Chris did to understand them… she couldn't. She had no idea how he did that. "What's…"
Chris didn't look away from her, and said softly to Sanja "she's… a Bayleef I met earlier. She'd been abused by another trainer. He was about to kill her with a Houndoom when I interfered." He paused for a moment, then said to Kani (Could you translate for her?)
Kani nodded. (Sure. You talk to her. I'll deal with Sanja.)
Chris gave her a smile, and turned back to the Bayleef. "Well, how can I help you?"
She looked down. (I'm… afraid. My trainer has been chasing me for awhile now. I… don't want to die. He'll kill me.)
Chris nodded grimly. "I was afraid of that… but he'd kill you even if you didn't flee."
The Bayleef nodded. Chris asked softly "dear… what's your real name? It's not Bayleef, I know that much."
(I… don't have one. They said I never deserved one.) A tear leaked from the pokemon's eyes, as she continued (when I was captured… they sold me. When… I made my way back… they said I'd betrayed everyone by being captured… so I deserved no name…)
Chris swore softly. "Betrayed who? Them? It's not your fault you got caught, they should have helped you. They betrayed you." The Bayleef looked up in shock at Chris when he said that. Chris's face remained serious, and he nodded slowly. "Believe that. You've done nothing wrong… nothing to warrant the wrath of the gods, from what you've told me."
She looked down again, then up at Chris. (I… could I…) She trailed off, thinking it over. Chris waited patiently, for her to make up her mind. "Take your time. I'm in no rush."
She nodded, and said slowly (can… I travel… with you?)
Chris nodded softly. "Captured within a pokeball, or on your own?"
Her eyes widened. (You'd… let me travel with you even without me being tied to a pokeball?)
Mathrara sneezed, then chuckled. (So far, the only time I've been in my pokeball is when I've pissed him off, or when I was hurt. The rest of the time, we've walked. But… I'm none to fond of the idea that some trainer could toss a pokeball at me, and catch me. He's a gifted one… at least he's trustworthy. Even before he officially became one, I thought he might be one. That… at least, my parents had told me about that particular fact.)
The Bayleef looked at Chris, her eyes widening. He gave her a small smile, and removed his left arm guard, revealing the tattoos. "Believe him. I'm what he says."
She looked at him in awe. (You're… a human legend… and yet... so kind?)
Chris looked down. "I'm no legend. I'm a human being. I have my flaws. I have a temper, I have emotions that can overflow. But… I'm safe. There's no way I'd harm someone who's already suffered." Chris's eyes burned softly for a moment, as he continued "though I'm not promising that your former trainer is safe. If he comes after me, the least I'll do is embarrass him… though I'm not allowed to kill him."
(Don't… he's dangerous…)
Chris shook his head. "People are dangerous. I'm dangerous. You're dangerous. Everyone can kill. It takes someone strong to save… to heal."
Sanja said softly "Chris… you've never acted like this before."
Chris smiled, not looking away from the Bayleef. "Well, that's because I had to act like that… because I wanted my pokemon to be left in peace. If they thought I was a softy, I'd get attacked all the time, and so would they. That place is brutal. Sabrina's going to have to reform it."
"She said that to me earlier – that she's just waiting for an excuse, then she'll clean house. I think what you did is enough of a reason."
Chris's smile became a bit brighter. He'd never looked away from the Bayleef. "Well, could I work on a name for you while you think?"
She nodded, not paying attention. Chris looked away to the others. "Any ideas?"
(Teskara. A lady of the forest… who suffered grave wounds at man's hands. She gave her life to defend her kind, despite the fact that they exiled her.)
Chris's eyes widened. He'd read that story before. "Kani… jeez. That is kinda creepy, you know."
Kani nodded. (But useful. It's not as disturbing anymore. We'll find Ho-oh, Lugia, or someone eventually, who'll know.) She looked up at the sky, and smiled. Chris looked up as well. A pink bubble was floating in the sky. Kani looked over at him, and her smile became a bit sad. (Mew. She's been keeping an eye on us.)
Chris's eyes widened. "Wow…"
Sanja looked up, but she couldn't see anything. "What's up there?"
Chris didn't respond. Apparently, it was only something he and his pokemon could see – and the Bayleef. Every one of them was looking skyward. It was strange…
The bubble shined brightly for a moment, then flew off into the sky. Chris lowered his eyes, and turned back to the Bayleef. "Is Teskara ok with you?"
The Bayleef looked up at him, then to Kani. (I'd… be honored to take such a name. But… I have not earned it.) She shook her head, and looked down.
Chris and Kani exchanged a look, but Sanja said softly "You have. If this trainer of yours is as bad as I think… you deserve it. You've taken more suffering than you deserve."
Chris nodded, as did the others. Chris gave her (Sanja) a small look, and Sanja tilted her head towards Kani. The Bayleef looked from one to the next, then looked down. (I… I'm honored. I take the name Teskara to be my name forevermore. May the forest grant me strength, so that I can do the name justice.)
Chris nodded softly, then shook his head slowly. "You don't need strength. You already have it." He touched his heart, then reached with his left hand, and touched the closest point to her heart. "Your heart is good, and strong. That's strength enough to defeat any darkness."
Teskara looked down. (I'll… promise me you'll treat me like Mathrara says he has been treated?)
Chris laughed. "You want to be treated like Mathrara? Alright, fine. But I thought you'd ask for more respect than that."
She looked at him in shock. Chris explained carefully "he's a prankster. So we treat him like he treats us. We'll treat you the same… with the same respect you grant us."
Her eyes widened, and she rubbed her neck against Chris.
Kani resisted her urge to hiss. Teskara was frightened, and alone. She didn't mean anything by that.
Kani concentrated, and a ball floated out of Chris's pack. It was decorated with shades of green, and the image of a leaf stone. It was one of the pokeballs that weren't talked about much – a Grass Ball. Grass types did well within them.
She'd found it in Celadon, years ago with Chris. She'd smuggled it into Chris's bag before they'd left.
There was a ball for every type – but she'd yet to encounter the psychic ball that she desired. It was a sign of respect for any psychic type that was captured to be placed within one of those. Type balls were expensive.
She'd stolen the Grass Ball from the department store. They mostly carried them because of the gym (Celadon's gym was grass types). They'd thought that Chris had it, and never bothered to check her. He'd been clean, so they let him out.
She'd tried Saffron's pokemart, but they didn't have it either.
"Here. This is a Grass Ball."
Teskara's eyes widened. "How did you get one of those?"
Kani smiled mischievously. "Eevee aren't always for show. We're cute… but I used that when I stole it. I thought it might be useful."
Teskara's eyes went even wider. Kani smiled again, as the grass type carefully approached it, then finally nudged it.
It didn't even flicker. But once the 'capture' process was complete, Chris reached down, and opened it.
Chris smiled, as the Bayleef came out. She looked better even now. Her leaves weren't wilted as much. "Well, tell us when you get tired. We'll be taking it easy for a few days… I don't want to wear you out."
Teskara nodded, and followed him, talking to Anekiro respectfully.
Sanja nearly shook her head. He had so many faces, she couldn't tell which one was the Chris that she knew. Yet… in every face he had… he also had a light to him. It was like there was a light shining only on him… one that was a symbol of purity.
Teskara hesitantly said (Could we… stop? I'm getting rather tired…)
Chris turned around, and nodded clearly. He looked around, and began to set up camp. Since it wouldn't be raining today (Kani'd told him that), he didn't dig out his tent.
After dinner, everyone set down to sleep. Teskara and Anekiro were nearby each other, still occasionally talking. Sanja's Lunatone, Charmeleon, Haunter, Nuzleaf, Lapras (the water pokemon had enough power to levitate itself, so it was fine out of water), and Scizor were off in a group, mostly keeping to themselves. Mathrara was chatting with the Charmeleon, though.
Kani was curled up with Chris, as usual.
Sanja didn't know what was with that Espeon. She was so close to him… it was like she refused to let him out of her sight. Granted, Chris had told her about him falling into his coma… but still…
It was weird.
Chris saw a pair of teenagers. They looked like lovers, from the way they leaned on each other. One had blue hair, the other purple.
A dark figure came from nowhere, and the teenaged girl fell. A light came out, and Chris saw Suicune come out from it's ball.
'Suicune, captured? It didn't look like it was unwilling, considering it just escaped…' Chris thought to himself.
The Suicune grabbed the guy, and ran off with him. The girl lay dead, blood pooling out from her corpse. Two figures with a red R on their chests grabbed the corpse, disgust on their faces.
Chris suddenly felt an intense burst of… evil from the scene… and then light. Bodies of people with a red R on their chest floated in Chris's eyes for a moment, then faded. The last image he saw was a massive thing… Kani's knowledge didn't cover it. It looked sort of like the fallen Kyogre (who was sleeping currently, thank the gods)… but it wasn't. Not with those many eyes, and grey shape.
He heard one word, and nothing more.
Chris woke to a cold sweat. He looked around in panic. Nothing. "Holy shit, now there's going to be trouble."
He wasn't kidding. Kani was shuddering beside him, somehow she woke up when he did. (No… Suicune was tied to that girl… if she gets killed…)
Chris shuddered, as what Kani was thinking filled his mind. Darkness and death… was a nice way to put it.
A weapon that knew not enemy from friend… a weapon that would cut down anyone who sought to stop the two of them…
That was what Chris thought would happen. The two would cut down anyone to get revenge.
And leave behind corpses. Pokemon are quite capable of killing humans, it's just that they usually don't.
Author's note: Though the guy just described won't pop up very much, he's got a role. His story isn't going to be covered unless he interacts with Chris, which will happen a few times.
And just for you to know, his name is Luin.
Note: I also corrected the spelling for Lapras. I hadn't double-checked this thing like I usually do.
