Chapter 14 – A High Price
The woman stormed into the hallway, fire lighting her eyes. Idiocy was reserved for those who did not see the vision she did. Who could not understand all that was wrong with the world and yet did nothing. She was, in her mind, a part of the solution. In the new world, all that was corrupt and wrong would be rectified.
Including stupidity on the highest levels.
The particular grunts were simply lucky she didn't simply kill them outright. Sorely tempted as she was, she needed all the man power she could get. One never knew when they might finally find that missing piece of the puzzle which would allow her to figure out of all of these dots connected. And because of that chance, she would not waste resources. But this act bordered on insanity. Lay low and remain unnoticed he had said. Those were his orders. Find what needed to be found and report back. But do not attract undue attention onto yourself. She needed to get her anger under control. She needed to be more like her boss.
"What in the fucking world were you two complete fucking inept waste of spaces thinking?" she hissed furiously when she was led to the two grunts standing outside her office. Both men cowered away, giving the woman both sadistic pleasure and disgust in equal amounts. People with no confidence, while sometimes useful were the bane of her existence.
"We… we…"
"Quit fucking stuttering and answer me!"
"We heard rumours miss…" The glare she leveled at the second man silenced him in an instant.
"It's commander" she said in a quiet tone that promised murder.
"Commander, we heard rumours about this guy. We thought it would be better to investigate them here" the first man explained almost in a whisper.
"What kind of rumours?"
"Well see, while he sells bikes and outdoor stuff, he also apparently knows some old legend stuffs…"
"So you just decided to kidnap one of the most well known and liked business owners in the city and bring him here?" Both men were ghostly white and couldn't barely manage a nod. "If he yields me nothing, I will flay you both alive, am I understood?" The two grunts nodded.
Steam condensed on the mirror fogging it up, forcing Jill to wipe it once more and see her reflection. In the main room, most of her Pokemon were lounging around, eating or pretending to sleep while their trainer freshened up. Jill had sleep in longer than she intended due to her complete exhaustion from the past couple of days. However, the creature comforts of the Pokemon centre were quite simply put, delightful. Showering and having clean hair was a luxury she missed greatly while on the road. Hell even being able to shave her legs and wash her face properly was something, that while living at home had seemed regular routines, while travelling she wouldn't get to for great lengths of time.
Stepping out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around her figure, she set about finding a clean set of clothes. Her Pokemon barely registered her. The news was playing in the background which was Jill's attempt to stay current with the world around her. Journeying was something that so many did almost as a right of passage, but that didn't mean that things with the rest of the world simply stopped.
"The notable business man was last seen tending to his bike shop. If anyone has any word of Mr. Randy's whereabouts, the police line can be found on our page…" Jill shook her head. Crime seemed to be spreading around. Perhaps the events in Goldenrod had bolstered the confidence of other groups to start an aggressive expansion Jill mused. Not something that was good but a thought none the less. Team Rocket had done something unthinkable and now others were almost rushing in to fill the void. Like that Team Galactic or whatever they were called back at the Valley Windworks.
"Jill that woman was saying something about Galactic when you were in the room there" Caladan said as the young woman found an outfit for the day.
"You mean the corporation?"
"I don't know, but it sounded like something here. Some building?" Jill turned and looked at her starter, still only covered by a towel.
"Well the Galactic Corporation does have a bunch of offices around Sinnoh. But I wasn't aware of one here in Eterna…"
"Wait is that the same as the people we fought off a while ago?" Chase asked.
"No Galactic corporation is a business. I don't know that the people we fought are connected to them" Jill responded stepping back into the bathroom to change. Her mind began racing though. What if they were connected? After Goldenrod and the revelation that Senator Archer was in fact the mastermind behind the Rocket siege, was it so far fetched to believe that a large corporation here in Sinnoh was instead a front?
Jupiter walked into the office and appraised the man tied to the chair there. Probably in his late fifties, he was balding and had a small gut. Average looks, but the nicest demeanor for a businessman in this town. And apparently he knew something about the legends this city was famous for. He looked up at the cold woman standing in front of him.
"Are you the one behind my kidnapping? I can pay…" Jupiter's backhanded slap rocked the mans head to the side and shut him up immediately.
"I have questions, and I suggest you answer them. Then perhaps you can get back to your pathetic excuse for a woman" Jupiter said with contempt. The man nodded, unsure how unstable this woman was. "It's said you know something about the legends in this city."
"The deities yes."
"What do you mean deities?" Jupiter asked.
"Two Pokemon of immense power, from the beginning of our world. That is what the legends speak of here." Her rage and lust for violence was suddenly gone, evaporated at those words. Here finally was the understanding she had been searching for in this city. She began recording.
"The statue and plaque seem to only indicate one entity two powers."
"The founders had it wrong. There are two. They were named in ancient terms for rulers of time and space" the man said. Jupiter frowned.
"Time and space were created separate?" The man nodded, his interest in this subject overruling his natural fear and flight urges.
"Time flows as a river, or so it is said, the strings of which are plucked at and managed by Dialga. Space is not quite as clear to the ancients, however, they state it too had a ruler in Palkia. Together the two of them give rise to what we understand today."
"So neither can give rise to something new, without touching upon the other?" Jupiter asked. She was digging deep but this was what her boss needed to know. If he was going to play with these ancient powers, they had all best be ready for what could come through.
"I don't know. I have only a limited understanding of local lore, and it took me years simply to find out that information. It was not one, but two and if they are put against one another, we may all suffer. By all accounts that kind of power cannot possibly be mastered."
"So do they exist then?" Jupiter wondered aloud.
"I'm not sure. The ancients could have been putting a face to something they truly did not understand, something to give substance and honour. Its hard to say." With all this new information, Jupiter began pacing around. She would have to leave soon and speak to her boss in person.
Jill walked up to the rather unassuming building. There was of course the name of the corporation across its face and the top held what Jill assumed to be some type of communications thing. All she really knew about the company was that they did something with telecommunications and energy. Walking inside, it looked like any other office building. These people were hustling around with much more urgency though, as if something big had happened. But perhaps that was simply daily life?
Staircases were just ahead, and with no security that Jill could see, she headed towards them. People simply wandered around her weaving this way and that. She was simply one more person in a massive system of cogs. Activity died down drastically as she made her way up the levels. What did distract the young woman however was the ancient artifacts that were being studied. She was constantly stopping to see what they were. Plaques and sayings were everywhere, describing things she had never thought of before. There were various descriptions of ancient beings of immense power, people who were controlling the very elements themselves. All of this ancient drawings or sayings seemed to have something in common however. A search for something. That or the war with whatever it was that the ancients had to war with.
Pokemon were prevalent throughout as well. Most were depictions of humans and Pokemon working together, or what Jill assumed was together. But there were also wars, human's vs Pokemon, humans and Pokemon working together against other humans and Pokemon. None of what she was seeing was making much sense. However, what Jill could piece together is that this building for Galactic wasn't just for telecommunications. No they seemed to be searching for something else all together. It was a few more minutes before Jill came to the top floor and it was here that she found something completely out of place. Two men were guarding the door to what the young trainer assumed was an office.
"Hey! What are you doing up here?" The one accosted her. Jill fumbled long enough for the guards to know she wasn't one of them.
"No unauthorized personnel are allowed up here. Who are you?" The other man on the left demanded.
"I'm looking for…" Jill hesitated not knowing which name she should use.
"You're in the wrong place little girl. But I doubt the boss will mind us roughing you up a bit…" the first man sneered reaching for a Poke ball. Jill frowned. If they thought they could get away with threatening her, then these two were seriously mistaken. The two grunts sent out their Pokemon, to which Jill responded in kind.
Crashing noises were coming from outside the door. Jupiter looked around at the thumps frowning. Something was wrong. No one was supposed to be up here, but the man in the chair there wasn't exactly an unknown. Had someone come to investigate? Had those goons outside simply attacked rather than reasoned?
"Shit…" Jupiter said under her breath. The man was also looking at the door something hopeful in his eyes. She didn't want to open the door, but this could be very serious. And besides, hadn't her boss left her completely in charge of this division?
"Don't think we're through yet" Jupiter said menacingly, causing the older man to shrink back down slightly. The Galactic commander walked over to the office door and pressed the panel to open it. What she saw surprised her. Both guards were knocked unconscious as were their Pokemon. Standing just in the hallway was a younger woman looking cross and serious. Her two Pokemon were also in fighting stances.
"And who do you think you are?" Jupiter demanded. The girl looked up at her, recognition flickering across the young woman's face.
"You're another one of those Team Galactic people aren't you?" she asked. Jupiter frowned at the fact that this upstart believed she could ask questions.
"I don't believe you work here, so why I don't call the police and arrest you for trespassing! Now who are you?" The young woman was still frowning. From behind the commander came a voice.
"Help!" The rest of what the man was going to say was cut off in a coughing fit as Jupiter's beloved Skuntank sprayed its noxious fumes.
"What are you doing to him?" the young trainer demanded.
"None of your concern but I can see you aren't going to let this go. I'll have to teach you a lesson Jupiter said with an evil grin. It looked like she would be able to unleash her anger after all.
Jill was shocked and angered. These people had kidnapped someone and were torturing him by all appearances. That was definitely not something she was going to simply stand by and let happen. Both Chase and Star were out, and she intended to let them loose.
"Star get him out of here! Chase preoccupy that Skuntank!" Star let loose her call and winged forward. She was fast closing the distance in an instant. However, what shocked both Chase and Jill was how quick their opponent was. The Stuntank was blindingly fast in reaction to the attack, though it certainly did not look the part. Claws of darkness lashed out tearing into Stars left wing. The avian cried out in pain at the same moment as Jill.
"STAR!" Chase yelled out. The first time he had ever used her name. She crashed into the floor and wall with a loud crack. Chase was already sprinting forward sparks flying off his body. He slammed into the bigger Pokemon with enough force to not only wind, but nearly break ribs. Sparks jumping off the electric type had another effect as well; they ignited the poisonous fumes in the room. Wind was audibly sucked into the room and with a whooshing sound, fire erupted out.
Jill recovered quick enough. She was winded from the impact with the wall, but worry for both of her Pokemon were overcoming her sense of pain. At least to her own body. Her mind was still reeling as though she too had felt the impact of the Skuntank's night slash attack on Star. Rushing into the office, she vaguely noted small sparks jumping from exposed wire, or maybe they were still from Chase. He was standing in front of Star's prone form, fur on end teeth bared out. His normally amber eyes were red shot, and it took him a second to recognize his trainer as a non-threat.
"Where is she?" Chase demanded. He was so angry Jill could barely make him out. She knelt down and took her other friend into her arms, tears streaming down her reddened face.
"She's gone Chase…" Jill sobbed. Somehow she knew the commander was already making her way out of town. There was no way this was going to covered up. The young woman looked up at some groaning. She had completely forgot about the other man in the room who was knocked sideways along with the now broken chair.
"My dear are you alright?" he asked haltingly. It was easily seen that he was not really better off than Jill, but something about the image of the young trainer kneeling on the floor with a bloodied Pokemon had the business man thinking of something more than himself. "Here let me see the poor thing" he said. Jill was silently crying and didn't want to let go, but she did. She didn't know what else to do for her friend. Chase looked on lost, his battle lust gone, but still not noticing the blackened patches of fur along his body.
"She's still breathing, but we need to get her to a centre now" the man said. He stood up shakily, Jill with him and they rushed out.
Please Arceus, please let her still live.
Jillian's Pokemon:
Caladan (Grotle) - level 18, ability: Overgrow, nature: Bashful
Chase (Luxio) - level 18, ability: Intimidate, nature: Impish
Star (Staravia) - level 18, ability: Keen Eye, nature: Lax
Epona (Ponyta) - level 20, ability: Run Away, nature: Naughty
Egg
Next chapter up. This one took me a while and I decided to change up the format a bit from the game. I just wanted to keep things interesting and I hope you don't mind the abbreviated run in with Team Galactic. I find that totally explaining their plan this soon to our protagonist just takes something away. The main focus should still be on the adventure right?
Anyways, let me know what you think!