Author's Note:
Oof… An entire month of absence? Yeah… So sorry, guys 'n' gals…
I did go back and put a few tiny changes on most of the chapters, though! These changes are so tiny, in fact, that you probably won't even notice 'em!
A shout-out to Cubler for the Follow and Favorite for this story, as well as the account Favorite!
And apologies for the content of your Review, TeamPiperM. I don't really have a particularly good reason to justify making Ethan a mute. I just haven't done interactions with a mute in a story of mine before, and since it would feel a bit awkward to either leave him out altogether or have him start talking when I have always been playing as him in Generations Two and Four, I figured, "Why not?"
And in the most recent news of all, this story has been added to a Community here on the site! Pokémon's Best of the Best, it's called, and judging by the title, I would say that they have some relatively high standards! You honor me, and thanks much for this!
Disclaimer:
Pokémon and any other referential materials found in this story do not belong to me. They belong to their respective owners and subsidiaries, and I claim no ownership of them.
Of Children, Men, and Monsters
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Rival
Marza was struck with the distinctive sense of dejà vú, and not just because she was in Cherrygrove City again. No, it instead stemmed mostly from her sore feet and the ever-energetic Larvitar near her feet, who didn't look particularly winded despite the constant walking. Spotting the now-familiar building as she entered town, Marza decided to rest for a brief spell at the Pokémon Center. She and Nurse Joy exchanged some brief greetings before the younger human plopped herself down on a couch.
"Not here to stay the night, just to rest up for some minutes," Marza declared.
"You plan on getting to New Bark Town before it gets dark, then? Not to sound mocking, but you may want to make this stay short!"
"I am aware of that, yes."
A few minutes of quaint silence passed before Nurse Joy, noticing the scrapes and bruises on Oscura, asked, "Oh! Your Larvitar – Oscura, was it? – looks a bit injured. Want me to heal her up?"
"That depends. How long would it take?" Marza asked, despite Oscura's indignation at being called out in such a manner.
"Two, three minutes, tops, considering how small those injuries appear to be. Despite being a nurse using the stuff for a few years by this point, I still can't help but feel amazed at how far our healing technology has come!"
This piqued come curiosity in Marza. "Healing wounds in such a small amount of time, even if they're superficial? Would you happen to know how, precisely, it works?"
The nurse put a finger to her chin in thought before answering, "… Haven't actually thought about that, at least to any significant degree. I do know that it involves some fancy light, though! Want to come take a look?"
"I don't see why not, sore feet aside…"
She rose with a small grunt, taking Oscura from her lap (which was a tad difficult considering how fast she was gaining weight) and walking over to the counter. The pink-haired woman guided the Larvitar onto a glass-like panel. A flip of the switch later, and an actual glass pane slid over her. A button press later, soothing green waves of light began to flow from the edges. Before her eyes, Oscura's wounds began to vanish, fading out slowly before disappearing altogether.
Marza was thoroughly amazed internally, and struggled to keep it from showing externally, as well.
'How does this even…!?'
But before she could even consider the abstract, overly complicated possibilities, Oscura hopped out and was (with some difficulty) placed on the bright red counter by Nurse Joy.
"All done! Told you it wouldn't take long! Quite impressive, no?"
After a couple of seconds of re-organizing her thoughts, the other girl succinctly responded, "Yes. Yes, indeed."
After a dozen or so more minutes of testing her feet, Marza bid farewell to the nurse for the second time, pacing out of the building, refreshed Larvitar in tow.
All was well for the first five minutes spent outside after her rest. Why only the first five minutes? Well…
She ended up roughly crashing into someone at the exit of town, sending her butt straight to the ground. A quick glance up revealed that it was not, in fact, Lyra who perpetrated this act, but, rather, a familiar red-haired boy.
'Methinks this is that same suspicious boy watching Elm's lab from yesterday…'
Cue music – Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal Version soundtrack – Rival's Theme
"Watch where you're going, idiot!" he shouted at her as he got back up, clearly not caring in the slightest for manners.
"Excuse you, you visually impaired ignoramus," Marza bit back, patience at an end because of the constant shoving.
"What was that you just said…?" he inquired, eyes narrowed.
"Just what I said: you are blind and stupid. I was walking slowly and in a relatively straight line on top of that, and yet you still somehow manage to bump into me? Not to mention how rude you evidently are. Didn't your mother ever teach you what manners are? You're supposed to say "sorry" whenever something like this happens. Or – again – are you just that stupid…?"
The boy's glare intensified at this remark, as if it had struck a rather sensitive nerve.
"… Guess I'll just have to show you how pathetic you are for even trying to stand up to me, then!"
He hastily took out a Poké Ball from a pocket and threw it at the ground in front of him, the sphere promptly popping open and revealing to Marza a familiar Pokémon.
'So that's what he was planning back there… Should've pointed him out to someone when I had the chance…!'
The Totodile looked to be extremely nervous, glancing around frantically before his eyes met Oscura's. The Big Jaw Pokémon shifted left to right in place, probably wanting to flee from his apparent captor to Marza, yet feeling pressured to do otherwise.
The lass took out her Pokédex, wanting to get some information on the Water-type in case a fight ended up happening.
'You can never be too careful…!'
"Pokédex Number One Hundred Fifty-Eight: Totodile, the Big Jaw Pokémon. Typing: Water. Ability: Torrent. Its powerful, well-developed jaws are capable of crushing anything. Even its Trainer must be careful."
'… Are those bruises on Totodile!?' she pondered as she spotted said injuries, putting the Pokédex away, angered at the thought of a potentially abusive Trainer.
"Well, what're you waiting for, you stupid thing!? Attack her already!"
With the pressure was magnified by this command, it felt it had no choice, slowly pacing up to Marza. Said lass calmly stood her ground, thinking, 'Even if Totodile does go through with his command, I doubt he would injure me to any serious degree.'
Before Marza's theory could be put to the test, however, Oscura stepped forth, barring the other Pokémon's path and giving him the fiercest flare she could manage. This succeeded in its intended goal of stopping any attack from the Totodile before it could begin, and Marza remarked, "Totodile appears quite hesitant. Probably because you stole him, in fact. And since hesitating in battle tends to cripple a person's capabilities, how's about you–"
"Shove it!" the young man cut off, continuing his rude streak. He then dictated, "Totodile! You will either attack them right now, or sincerely regret it later!"
Cue music – Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal Version soundtrack – Battle! (Rival)
This finally propelled the Pokémon into action, who ran forth and, with his somewhat sharp claws, scratched Oscura across the torso. Given her tough physical exterior, she was hardly phased, aside from the miniscule marks the attack left behind. Totodile slowly backed off, eyes slowly widening as the realization he that he probably couldn't do much dawned on him just then.
Oscura briefly turned to her partner who promptly (and reluctantly) commanded as she tentatively put down the Pokémon egg, "I don't think either of us want to do this, but... Try not to hurt Totodile too much."
The Larvitar nodded in ascent, roughly shoving Totodile away before re-closing the distance, charging in horn-first. The Larvitar's opponent was just barely fast enough to dodge the blow, and Totodile again tried using Scratch, this time with a bit more force.
This actually did some damage, if the small grunt of pain that left Oscura was any indication. This didn't deter Oscura from approaching again, however, picking up and tossing her foe when she got within grabbing distance. Totodile landed roughly and without grace, but was still barely fast enough to avoid a follow-up attack, that being a would-be body slam that would probably have hurt quite a bit considering the apparent weight of the Rock Skin Pokémon.
Now flat on the ground and thusly rather vulnerable, the Water-type Pokémon hastily clambered onto Marza's partner's back and began clawing away, much to said human's dismay.
"Oscura! Try rolling over!"
She did just that, forcing Totodile to get off lest he be crushed. Oscura hastily stood back up, resuming her offensive with a Bite.
Totodile promptly screeched in pain, desperately latching onto Oscura with his stubby fingers, trying and failing to pry her off his side. Oscura just wouldn't relent on her hold, gnawing and eventually even beating her opposition in the side.
It was only after twenty-ish seconds of this punishment when Totodile involuntarily finally broke free when Oscura put her feet down and roughly tossed her foe to the ground, as if this were a wrestling match, with the Larvitar being a heavy weight and Totodile being significantly lighter. The Pokémon cringed at his wounds, clutching tightly at his wounded side with the hand on his opposite side as he struggled to even stand.
Marza attempted to intervene on the Water-type Pokémon's behalf: "I think we've seen enough–"
The red-haired boy cut her off again: "Shut your trap! Totodile! Get up, or else!"
It continued to struggle to rise, failing to do so three consecutive times.
"Enough of this…"
Marza began pacing over to the Totodile.
"And what do you think you're doing!?" he exclaimed, starting to walk over, himself.
Marza tenderly picked up the primarily blue Pokémon, said alligator-esque being shocked by her kindness.
She next spoke, "This Totodile clearly doesn't want to fight. You can't just order a living, sentient being to mindlessly obey you like it's your slave!"
The boy growled, reaching for the Totodile, but Marza stepped away, telling him, "I am taking Totodile back to Professor Elm. You don't deserve hi–!"
She was cut off yet again, not by the others words, but by his fist crashing against her stomach area. She promptly collapsed to the ground, the wind knocked straight out of her, wheezing in pain. Totodile was unintentionally let out of her grip as a result, quite literally leaving him open to grabs. The boy did just as would be predicted, roughly grabbing the poor thing and leaving. Not before some spite-filled parting words, however:
"You know what? I've barely even known you for five minutes, but I already hate you. Just like all those other idiots who preach love and tolerance and all that crap! You're no different from those pathetic fools! In this world, strength alone is all that matters! And I intend on being the strongest in the world."
He stormed off with a scoff, Totodile – who appeared to be on the verge of tears from all the stuff happening to him – unwillingly in tow. Oscura would have pursued them and brought the despicable boy some justice, but was halted with Marza's weakened voice.
"You won't… need to do that…" Marza panted out.
"You would obviously beat that boy yourself, yes… but it wouldn't be as satisfying as beating him in a straight fight a second time and showing him who's really the strongest, now would it…?"
Oscura didn't appear satisfied by this, yet was still gratified by the fact that Marza, too, was quite angry.
At least, the cold frown on her face said as much.
Slowly recovering, Marza stood back up, and continued:
"Not a lot we can do about it by this point, anyways. He's already gotten away. With this, however, we can get a bit of leverage over him the next time we see him!"
She opened her hand, revealing a little card with a picture of the boy on it.
The name in large emboldened text read "Silver".
Oscura's eyes widened, recognizing it as a piece of personal identification.
"I swiped it off of him when he punched me. He may be strong, at least on a physical level, but he's apparently lacking in brains for not covering his pocket when doing something like this!"
She briefly chuckled, as did Oscura. After an additional moment to regain her bearings, she announced their next plan of action:
"Now, we'd better check up on Elm. Who knows what he did to him and his laboratory!"
The pair of females then ran for New Bark Town, driven by both purpose and worry…
