Chapter Twenty-Five - Strange House
"Are you sure you'll be okay traveling on your own? I know the house needs to be looked after, but Rood would be okay running the place by himself for a few weeks. It really wouldn't be any trouble, and it could be fun having someone else to talk too. We'd keep each other company."
Oblivious to the scornful looks thrown at her from townsfolk passing by, Rosa immediately shook her head, though she tried her best not to let the motion look too frantic. She'd already been followed clear to Mistralton, and although she normally wouldn't have minded the company, she was not about to be trailed all the way to the Pokémon League. Not when she was so determined to become strong enough to take care of herself.
At least the town was quiet. Mistralton was a tiny, well maintained place populated mostly by rich folks looking for a mountainside escape. She could certainly understand the appeal- a dense layer of pine trees surrounded the town, effectively blocking out the outside world. From her place near the airport, Rosa could see the small collection of waterfalls descending from the mountainside, their silvery water breaking through the layers of ice trying to build around the edges at the bottom. Every now and again, the low-hanging branches of trees would rattle, signaling another wild Pokémon coming down from the mountain to drink. It was peaceful, this oasis in the mountains. She wouldn't have minded looking around more if she weren't so desperate to get the heck out of there.
"You know I love you Ella, but I've been fine on my own so far, and I seriously feel a million times better." Although lately she felt tired all the time, but Ella didn't need to know that. "I have my team with me too, so you don't need to worry-"
"Elliot and I could go with her." Sal interrupted, crossing his arms across his bare chest so the muscles around his shoulders bulged. The expression he wore was impassive, like he didn't care either way whether he came along or not, but Rosa knew better. He'd been exasperatingly protective all through her recovery ("She's tough as nails, this one, but she'll push herself right out of recovery if we let her!"), and he'd insisted that someone accompany her to Mistralton "just in case".
She'd protested of course - it wasn't like she needed babysitting - but Ella, Elliot and Sal had escorted her through Chargestone Cave to the town on the other side, all the while eying her like they expected her to suddenly drop dead.
It was ridiculous.
But now she owned the jet badge, and she was ready to get moving again. Rood's house had felt a lot like the cushier version of her prison cell, and with freedom so close at hand, she wasn't about to let it be snatched away by a bunch of well-intended worry warts.
Ella shot down Sal's suggestion before she could, though. "Absolutely not." The girl huffed, her normally gentle eyes flashing crossly. "Rosa needs a healer with her, not a pair of rough-and-tumble imbeciles who'd rather spit on her cuts than clean them."
"We would not-"
"Oh yes you would, don't even try denying it."
Rosa backed further towards the Mistralton cargo service, putting as much space between herself and her self-appointed guardians as possible. She loved and appreciated them, but they were not coming. "That's not necessary, Sal. It means a lot that you're all worried about me, but I am perfectly capable of boarding a flight to Lentimus town." And of finding out what Ghetsis was planning. And if he'd answer his stupid xtransceiver, of finding Hugh. She'd been near frantic trying to get a hold of him the past few weeks, but that was another issue she'd deal with later.
Ella's full lips pulled into an unhappy frown, but finally she relented and stepped forward to pull Rosa in for a hug. "Then promise me you'll be careful. You're a good friend to me, and I don't want to lose you." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "And if you need help kicking Ghetsis' butt, let me know. I want my brother back."
Her muted despair burned through Rosa like a brand, and her eyes tightened. For Ella, she wanted him back, too.
After a bear hug from Elliot, and a few more threats from Sal, Rosa snatched up her travel bag and descended the dirt pathway to board Skyla's plane.
It would be mid-afternoon before they arrived in Lentimas. The plane was small and compact, but comfortable. Rosa rested against her cushioned seat and listened to Skyla spout stories of previous gym battles, all the while thinking about what she would do when she arrived in the volcanic city.
She'd considered giving up on gyms completely and pursuing Plasma full time, back when she'd been bedridden. Badges didn't seem to matter much when the entire region was in peril. Worse than that was she didn't even know what Ghetsis was planning. Something big, she was sure, but what? Archer mentioned ruling the world, but was that really it? She wasn't sure that was even a thing.
Maybe her best option was ditching Plasma altogether and finding Arceus's guardian before they could. Apparently that's what Ghetsis was after. No legendary, no takeover, right? It wasn't a perfect plan, but if it was more effective than blindly chasing Plasma members across the region, then maybe it would be worth it.
Rosa sighed and leaned further back in her stiff chair. A lead would be nice, though. If she was being honest with herself, she knew she was bad at investigating, and she didn't even know where to start searching for the guardian Pokémon. Hugh always seemed to be the one catching Team Plasma, but she didn't have the faintest idea where he could be, either.
Her uncertainty towards him was somehow worse than not knowing Ghetsis's plans.
For the umpteenth time, Rosa checked her xtransceiver, not expecting a message or call but still disappointed when she didn't have one. Colress swore he was safe, so where was he? Surely he was worried about her, too. Yeah, Hugh was a pain in the neck and he liked to act indifferent, but they were family. His absence pulled at her, and the weight was unbearably heavy.
At least Curtis had answered his phone. It was weird being able to see his face instead of just hear his voice, but when she'd reached out to him a few days after waking up at Rood's, he hadn't even tried to hide his relief.
"Sorry. I didn't mean for you to worry about me."
"Why would I have worried? I know you can take care of yourself."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Okay, well . . . maybe I did a little. You're okay, though?"
"Of course."
Her flight felt like forever, though it only lasted a few hours. Skyla was soon grinning manically and shouting, "Here we go!" as she divebombed the plane, and Rosa's arms tightened their grip on her armrests as her stomach dropped down into her thighs. Skyla's laughter filled the cabin the entire way down, leaving Rosa with the growing sense that she was probably going to die.
Someday she was going to own the TM fly. And it was going to be fantastic.
Her head was whirling by the time they touched down, but she still managed a "thank you, Skyla" as she exited the plane. The red-head just threw her head back and laughed again, her eyes bright with what Rosa thought was unnecessary enthusiasm.
Walking out of the plane and into Lentimas town was like stepping from a winter snow globe into the real world. The first thing she noticed was that it was warm. Not slightly above freezing, or tolerable because the wind had died down, but warm. The glistening red-powered rock seemed to emanate heat from the inside, enveloping the town in a bubble untouched by winter's porcelain fingertips. Gaston followed closely behind her, his bushy tail swishing in the breeze as he tasted the air in wonder.
"I know." Rosa murmured, brushing the fox's ears with her fingers. "If I'd have thought about it more, I'd have skipped over those other cities completely. If I never see snow again, it'll be too soon."
It was tiny, even smaller than Floccesy had been. She noted the Pokémon center tucked near the red mountainside, and a few houses made from clay and stone, but that was all.
She sighed reluctantly. "We can't stay long, though. There's nothing to look at around here besides the Pokémon center, and I don't wanna waste any more time." Not now that another three weeks had passed, and every minute not hunting Plasma was a minute against her.
Still, she stopped off at the Pokémon center to pick up supplies and have her team examined. They'd been well cared for in Driftveil, but having them looked over by Nurse Joy never hurt. The checkup was quick anyway, and after Rosa stuffed her winter coat inside her bag, she trekked off into the desert.
The volcanic landscape wasn't as hot as the desert leading to Nimbasa. Overhead, the sun shined brilliantly, but its rays weren't harsh or unwelcome. They fell like gentle waves over the rocks and vegetation, sailing across the scenery like a golden sea. Rosa shed her jacket, hoping her pale skin would catch some of the color.
It shouldn't take long to get through Reversal Mountain, if I don't stop to train much. Undella Town is just on the other side - maybe Hugh ended up there?
She and Gaston walked silently for a long time, accompanied only by the rhythmic crunch of red rock under her worn sneakers. Her eyes followed the wild Pokémon scrambling in and out of the dry crabgrass, but Gaston glared warily at anything that dared step too close.
Mine. His eyes seemed to say. The girl is mine.
Powdered red dust clung to her skin and clothes, coating her body in a thin layer of dirt, and soon she resembled the lightly trodden path she followed. She didn't really mind – it wasn't snow, after all – but the dirt beneath her eyes was starting to make them itch. Rosa swiped at them with weary fingers, but it didn't do much to sooth the sting.
It was after hours of walking that she saw it.
"Gaston," She murmured, coming to a stop as she squinted at the smudge in the distance. "Do you see that? Up ahead."
Maybe the vastness of the desert was playing tricks on her, but as she fixed her gaze on the copper-colored stone mountains ahead, she swore she saw another shape. It was the same color as the surrounding rock, but more . . . square. Structured is what came to mind. Like the clay houses back in Lentimas town.
Curiosity rushed through her, and she stepped closer, stumbling when her foot caught on a rock. Maybe it was an abandoned house, or a historic site of some kind. Surely there was history there, what with it sitting at the base of a dormant volcano.
Her fox eyed it too, but his predatory gaze was sharp and suspicious. His fluffy ears flattened against his head as he inched closer towards her hip, and as his eyes darted back and forth between Rosa and the object, her own eyes rolled skyward.
Such drama. It wasn't like a strange house was going to eat her.
She smoothed the midnight fur on top of his head. "I think you're worrying too much. I'm a grown woman, not a porcelain doll. It's sweet that you're concerned, but it's a house, not a monster. Let's go check it out."
With that she brushed past him and marched towards the building, her eyes set on its wooden double doors and hand-carved windows.
The closer she got, the more obvious it became that the place was abandoned. Some of the windows were cracked or shattered, and when she tried the door, it swung open with a spine-chilling shriek. Gaston cringed and wedged himself between her and the opening, grumbling unhappily, but she just sighed and moved past him again.
Inside was far cooler than the volcanic desert. It took her eyes a second to adjust to the darkness, but she was startled by the sight that awaited her when they did.
The inside was huge. Dusty cedar-colored wood covered the first floor, trailing around the grand triple staircases that led to the second floor. There were a few pieces of old fashioned furniture scattered here and there; lamps and couches, dead potted plants and decorative rugs. All were dirty and coated in cobwebs. For whatever reason, the place made her shiver.
"Well," Rosa whispered, although there was no reason too, "Guess we can take a quick look around."
Except there was really no way to get into any of the rooms. She tried every door she could find, but most of them were either locked or had something blocking the door on the other side. Gaston volunteered to blast them open, but she felt weird vandalizing such an old house.
She chewed her lip as she crossed the first-floor foyer again, unsure why her heart felt so heavy with disappointment. It wasn't like she'd expected to find anything interesting there – it was just a side stop to stick it to Gaston – but she was still bummed.
But there was still one staircase she hadn't checked. It was on the left-hand side of the house, and it appeared to lead to a basement, which is why she'd avoided it. Now she crossed the grimy room and eyed the weathered door frame at the bottom doubtfully. Knowing her luck, it was locked. Or full of Plasma members waiting to ambush her.
You're getting paranoid.
Steeling her shoulders, Rosa carefully stepped down the staircase and tried the door. She was surprised when it swung open easily, but then she was rushing inside, eager to know what was down there.
It . . . was a library. A thick layer of dust and cobwebs lined the shelves, clinging loosely to every battered book, stand and chair in the space. Busted lamps hung from the once elegant ceiling, their braided wires still firmly embedded in the cracked ceiling. Rosa walked further into the room, startling when a jagged piece of glass cracked under her foot. She jumped away, into a shelf, which teetered under her weight.
Swearing colorfully, Rosa snatched at the bookcase, heaving the sturdy wood back towards her to keep it from toppling over. It was too heavy for her. Gaston dashed around to shove from the other side, and she heard a few books fall to the floor, but thankfully that was all. It settled back onto the floor, and she let out a relieved breath. Better not domino every bookshelf in the massive room.
She moved to the other side to pick the books up to replace them, unconsciously noting the titles. Joyful Dreams – the Legendary Moon. Category: Pitch Black. Psychic Partners and their rare Abilities. The Original One.
Rosa paused, fumbling with the books she'd already gathered. They scattered back to the floor, but she was too busy picking up The Original One to care. It was lightweight and hard-backed, but thin enough she suspected it was only a children's novel. A faded sketch of Arceus lined the cover. It must have been well-loved, before the house was deserted.
She quickly flipped it open and scanned the first page.
"Look up at the sky, and see the sun. Did you know it was made by the Original One?
He made the planets, the stars, the wind, the air. And when he made Earth, he wanted you there."
Rosa's eyebrows drew together as she scanned the worn sketches of Arceus. Pictures accompanied each passage, depicting the legendary forming each listed object. The illustrator had the intended audience in mind - the pictures showed Arceus smiling.
"He gave you hands with fingers and feet with toes, and a smile to wear beneath your nose.
With eyes that blink, and a mind to think, you were perfectly perfect – his creation was done!
He sent you down with parents dear, to live and laugh and cry and cheer.
With a guardian true to keep us all safe, He returned to Sinnoh to watch and wait.
For though you are perfect in every way, we all make decisions day to day,
That ruin peace, and bring pain and fear,
But the guardian watches, and will always be here."
She reread the story a couple times, heaving a troubled breath when she finally caught the word that had been bothering her.
Sinnoh. Arceus was rumored to have originated in the Sinnoh region. If anyone knew about him and his guardian, it would be the researchers living in that region. And although she couldn't travel there herself to do research, she knew someone who was already there.
The thought send her heart into a panicked frenzy. She'd sworn not to involve Curtis. Team Plasma was dangerous, and the last thing she wanted was to disrupt his life. He was in Sinnoh working, for goodness sake! He couldn't take time out of his busy schedule to go on an information hunt.
Curtis wouldn't tell her no, though. He practically oozed goodness.
"I can't involve him, Gaston. This isn't his problem. It shouldn't be his problem."
But the region was in danger. If Ghetsis got his hands on the legendary guardian before she did, it could be devastating. She didn't have to know his plans to know it would mean ruin for every Pokémon and person living in Unova. And Curtis's family did live in Nimbasa City.
She pulled up Curtis's contact information on her xtransceiver, heart pounding. Hugh was nowhere to be found, and this was too much to take on by herself. She needed help, and Curtis wasn't going to be in Sinnoh forever.
The phone rang once, twice, three times. Rosa was practically hyperventilating when at last the receiver clicked, and she heard a cheerful, "How are you, Rosa?"
"Curtis," She forced herself to say, though every word felt like a death sentence. "I know this is probably going to sound crazy, but I need your help."