Forgotten History, Chapter 72
I stepped out of the shower, drying off my hair along the way. By this hour I expected Flannery to be out of my room, yet there she was still, sitting on my couch and watching the TV. Vulpix was sleeping on the bed, covered up snugly now that she was dry. Last thing I wanted was for her to get sick on me. I sat down next to Flannery, intent on telling her to find her own room for the night.
"Good evening," interrupted the broadcast on the TV, "and welcome to another edition of 'Eyes on Hoenn'. I'm here in the Battle Frontier, where just moments ago, this was the site of a fierce battle with stragglers from Team Aqua."
"Oh, look! Think we'll show up in the background?" I looked at the screen, seeing Gaby's face stare back at me.
"Doubt it, we left before she started recording. Listen, Flannery-"
"So that's why you wanted to leave in such a hurry. Lame, Star!"
"Flannery, I think it's time you went to your own room." I had to raise my voice slightly to be heard over the TV, but I finally got her attention. She was left shocked at my 'suggestion'.
"What? You mean I can't stay here tonight?" There was a couch for her to sleep on, so- NO! She had to go!
"Sorry, but uh... we could get in trouble for sharing a room! You know, instead of paying for two and all."
"The League would pay for mine, anyway. No harm, especially since they'd only have to pay for one if I stayed here." The expression on her face told me she didn't want to leave. Rather, she had no intention of leaving. I could've pressed the issue, but I think I had known Flannery long enough to not attempt it.
"Fine," I said with a sigh. "Let me call downstairs and ask for more blankets and pillows."
"You're the best, Star!" She wrapped her arms around my neck, forgetting the potentially traumatizing events from earlier that evening. After I placed the call, I sat down next to Flannery, catching the last parts of Gaby's report before the channel changed to a broadcast of a Pokemon battle. Within seconds I heard a knock at the door, which surprised me. When I answered, it turned out to be Roxanne.
"Hello, Star. I hope I'm not interrupting you."
"Nope, come in," I said, making room for her. Once she was inside, Roxanne noticed who else would be keeping us company. I swear the moment they locked eyes, I felt the room get just a little bit hotter.
"Flannery. What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Could ask you the same, Roxy," Flannery spat back. I was about to step in to try and diffuse the situation, but the gossip girl in me overruled that idea.
"No matter, I came to discuss something with Star, anyway." Being the mature one here, Roxanne turned her back to Flannery, addressing me. However, she wasn't able to say more than two words before Flannery threw a pillow across her head. The two of us looked over in Flannery's direction, where she ignored our stares and continued to watch the TV.
"Something wrong? Just watching TV here," she said, even adding in the cliched whistle to convince us. Roxanne took in a deep breath, but rather than let out some kind of insult or scream at the redhead, she turned around again to speak with me.
"Steven informed me of what happened earlier. I just wanted to check up on you and Vulpix, make sure everything was alright."
"Oh yeah, I'm fine, and Vulpix looks okay. She'd let me know if she were feeling bad."
"Thank goodness. I personally had a few words to say to Steven after he told me, and he said you had made similar remarks. I'm glad everything turned out well." Roxanne glanced back at Flannery, who was trying her best to fixate her gaze on the TV and not her 'sworn enemy'. "Would you like me to find you other accommodations for the night?"
"No thanks," I said, more for my own sake at the hands of Flannery later. "I'll be fine here."
"Very well. Flannery, please try not to bother her too much. She's had more of a trying day than you'd ever know."
"Yeah yeah, like you were there to see for yourself, ya thick-skulled-"
"Well, I'll excuse myself now," cut in Roxanne. She let herself out the door and into the hall, before turning around to whisper something at me.
"If you want another room, just call downstairs. I'll smooth it over with the staff."
"I'll be fine," I insisted. Roxanne smiled, though she still had an inclination that I was holding back my true feelings. She was right, of course. Once I was back inside the room, Flannery was staring right at me.
"What she say? 'Get that lazy girl out before she ruins your future as well'? I swear, the nerve of that smarty-pants."
"Actually, she just said if I wanted anything from downstairs, to just call." It was a half lie, but at least there was a half-truth in there.
"Oh... well, how thoughtful of her." Flannery slouched in the couch further. I went to sit down next to her, but chose not to bring it up again. Any answer I got from her would be biased, so if I really wanted to know the story between her and Roxanne, I'd have to hear it from Winona.
After the extra blankets and pillows arrived, I placed an order with the man at the door for something to eat. And later in the evening, once the food arrived and we both ate, Flannery turned in for the night. Not that I had a problem with this, as I was also dead tired. Still, it struck me as strange that she didn't say much for the rest of the night. Something was really eating at her, and I was too scared to bring it up.
The next morning, I had to finally clear this all up through Winona. I only hoped she'd be easy to find on this massive island.
~o~
To my surprise the next morning, Flannery was up and about long before I was, and preparing to leave. As I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, I asked her exactly where she was going so early in the morning.
"Don't you worry about it," she told me on the way out the door. "And you'd better get ready, your next match is at ten this morning. Just got the call for you."
Once Flannery was out the door, I looked over to the clock on the nightstand. It was barely eight, which made her unusual morning departure all the more baffling. Still, I wasn't about to start questioning it. I did want to distance myself from her for at least a little while, until I found Winona. Once I was out of bed, I heard a knock on the door. Flannery probably forgot something, I thought to myself, as I opened the door without checking who it was.
"Good morning, Star," said Winona of all people. "I hope I didn't wake you up."
"No, not at all," I said as I rubbed my right eye. "I was actually going to look for you just now."
"What a coincidence. Actually, where's Flannery? I spoke with her just a moment ago when she told me she had spent the night here in your room." So that's why she bailed out on me so early.
"Just missed her. Said she had something to do," I lied, covering for her.
"Strange that she didn't mention it on the phone. Oh well, what is it you wanted me for?" It was still a bit early to begin the interrogation, and on an empty stomach I had no guarantee anything would stick with me.
"Actually, if it's okay with you, mind if we talk over breakfast? I'm kinda hungry."
"No problem, I have some time to spare. When you place the order, get me the Breakfast Platter Combo, no eggs, of course."
I did just that, finding it a bit funny that Winona didn't eat eggs at all. After all, it's not like every egg humans ate would hatch into a new bird Pokemon, right? Anyway, once I had gotten dressed, and the food arrived, I sat down with her at the table to talk.
"You promised me," I started halfway through our meal, "to tell me what happened between you, Roxanne and Flannery."
"Oh, that's what's bothering you? No doubt you've seen them quarrel like a couple toddlers, huh?"
"Well, I think that was Flannery more than Roxanne," I said, recalling the strange pillow incident from last night. Winona giggled a bit.
"It's a long story. I'm older than both of them, you know, by a couple years. We all went to the school in Rustboro, since it is Hoenn's most revered institute. I didn't know them all that well, mostly from the Understudy Program the school tries every once in a while."
"Understudy?"
"The older students are grouped with two younger ones, to act as a sort of 'big brother or sister'. For the kids, they get to learn from a fellow classmate, and the older ones learn responsibility. Anyway, I was stuck with both of them."
~o~
"Flannery, don't do that!" I used to scream out at her, more times than I could count in a day. It was clear she came from a more rural part of Hoenn, always so full of energy and just flat out wild.
"Just don't teach her, Winny," is what little Roxanne would tell me every time. It would've been the easy way out, of course, but I had a responsibility to see Flannery understand the material I was supposed to be teaching.
"No! I'll listen, I promise!" Was Flannery's response every time Roxanne said that. I admit, it helped to calm her down, but keeping that level of calm was impossible.
Roxanne was born and raised in Rustboro, and her parents were strict. It showed in her mannerisms: little Roxy was always well dressed, groomed, and prepared for anything in class. I guess you could say Flannery was jealous, since I seemed to devote the better part of my attention at Roxanne, just because she listened better. Actually, I ended up getting in trouble a bit for doing this.
"You have to learn to explain these things to Flannery, Winona," my old instructor used to say. "Not all children can be as attentive as Roxanne, so you have to find a way to make them WANT to learn."
Now this is where I admit to having interfered more than I should have. When I finally caught on that Flannery would listen better every time I focused on Roxanne, I started doing it on purpose.
"Since Flannery doesn't want to listen, I'll just teach Roxy instead! She's such a good little girl!" I would taunt the little fiery girl. For a while, it seemed to work. Flannery was making something of an honest effort to do better. However, just to my right, Roxanne was also taking in everything. My efforts to improve Flannery's studies affected Roxanne in a different sense. She developed something of a superiority complex, you see.
"Why waste your time, Winny?" She'd tell me right in front of the struggling Flannery. "She'll never learn, she's dumber than a Psyduck!"
Fortunately, with time, Roxanne grew out of that mindset. She became the most successful student ever to graduate out of that school. Flannery, on the other hand...
"Are you sure?" I asked Flannery's teacher one day, a couple years later. Even after the Understudy Program was axed, I maintained close friendships with both of them. Where Roxanne excelled, Flannery lagged, and terribly.
"We'll have to expel her. Her grades just aren't up to even our lowest expectations."
"But she tries so hard! It's not like she's not trying! Please, you have to give her another chance!" I pled with the teacher.
"I'm sorry, Winona. You have no say here, and allowing this meeting was more a favor than anything. Flannery will be kicked out at the end of the week."
I didn't let this happen, of course. It wasn't intentional, but I didn't let it happen. After hearing that, I started pulling double duty by tutoring her for hours every night that last week. But by thursday...
"What do you mean you got in trouble with the teacher? What happened, Flannery?"
"I'm sorry, it wasn't my fault! It was all that stupid Roxy," she told me, holding back tears. Flannery was caught cheating off Roxanne's paper in class. I'd later find out from Roxanne herself, in a heartfelt confession, that she told on Flannery on purpose, rather than let it slide. It wasn't the first time this thing happened between the two, naturally.
"Don't worry, I'm not mad at you. Let's just concentrate for tonight, so you can do better on tomorrow's test!"
"What's the point?" She yelled at me, tears in her eyes. "I'll never be as smart as Roxy. I should just quit school now. I'm old enough to become a Pokemon trainer, maybe I should just do that!"
That's what ended up happening. In an effort to convince Flannery to focus just one more night for the test, I let it slip that if she failed again, she'd be kicked out of the school. That's what threw her over the edge. The next day, she didn't show up for school. When I paid a visit to the attendance office, I learned that she had been withdrawn from school entirely. The reason was not listed, but it was authorized by her father.
I knew she lived in Lavaridge Town, and that would most likely be the best place to track her down. However, my own studies got in the way, and after it all I got swept up in my own life and adventures. Before long, I was a gym leader, and it wouldn't be until a year later that I saw her again.
~o~
"You met her when she was made the leader of Lavaridge," I chipped in. Winona nodded.
"I congratulated her, of course. She made her own way after the events at the school, and became a gym leader. Sure, it was an inherited position, but it was still rightfully earned. But when she learned that Roxanne had also been made a leader before her..."
"Yeah, I can imagine."
"Roxanne seems to have grown out of that little rivalry, but not Flannery. I haven't been as sisterly to her as I used to be, but I don't want to risk jeopardizing our friendship, either. She can have a bit of a short fuse, and if I tried to be helpful, chances are she'd blow up in my face. 'I'm not a kid, anymore' or something." Winona sighed. I never would've imagined this kind of history interwoven amongst them.
"Maybe I could talk to her?"
"No!" Winona snapped at me. "If you start talking to her about all these things, she'll know I told you everything. I'm sorry, Star, but there are some things even you can't help out with."
"Sorry," I said softly.
"I'm sorry for raising my voice. Just, don't bring this up with her, okay? Let her sort it out on her own, it's all we can hope for. Now, I have to get going. Good luck on your match today."
I walked Winona out of the room, then looked at the clock. It was still a bit early for my match, but I figured getting there a bit early wouldn't hurt. Maybe this time I could get to know my opponent a bit better. After collecting Vulpix, I left my room.
~o~
My match today was on the 42nd floor, which had the same hallway as yesterday's fight. I was to fight in room two, and like I had hoped, my challenger was there. This time it was a boy, probably around 12 or maybe 13. He wore glasses like me, even dressed in a similar yellow motif. If I didn't know any better, I'd guess he was my male clone.
"Hello, I'm Star," I said with a big smile on my face and an outstretched hand.
"Michael," he replied, shaking my hand. "You fighting here?"
"Yeah, I'm your opponent! Don't hold back just cause I'm cute, okay?" I have him a wink, which caused him to flush a little before looking away.
"N-Not at all," he stuttered. I giggled at his response. Even in that sense he was like me. Had he been the one to hit on me, I probably would've turned red as a tomato. With the ice broken, what had to be done now was get him to talk.
"So, where you from?" Best place to open with.
"I'm from Twinleaf Town, in Sinnoh."
"Oh, that's nice! I've never been there, but maybe in the future I'll visit. I'm from Pallet Town, in Kanto."
"I've been there before, to speak with Professor Oak."
"Oh? So you know the professor? He's a friend of my mom's, and mine too. You visit Kanto for your Pokemon journey?"
"Yeah, I actually started there. I was on vacation with my folks, when something happened in Saffron City. I think the city was taken over by someone, Team Rocket I think they were called. We were stuck there for a week." Of all the coincidences in life.
"I remember that! I was in Saffron, too, at the time. Crazy and small world, huh?"
"I'll say. Well, right after that, I started my journey. I got my starter Pokemon in town, and went off from there. I wasn't interested in collecting badges at first, so I never finished the Kanto League. I started collecting here in Hoenn, after taking a ship to Olivine City, and finally Slateport." It couldn't be... could it?
"You mean that time the ship stopped at Dewford Island?" His eyes opened up.
"Don't tell me you were on that same voyage?"
"I won't say it," I replied with a smile.
"Tiny world, huh?"
"I'll say." We laughed together, amazed at how closely our histories matched up. If we started comparing journeys, no doubt we'd find even more in common. Just as I was about to ask what his favorite Pokemon was, the man guarding the door opened it up.
"It's time for your match. Have each of you selected your three Pokemon?" I nodded, as did Michael.
"Then step inside and proceed. Good luck to you both."
We went inside, almost fighting for the spot closest to the door. I took it, making Michael run over to the other side of the room. Because Vulpix was already out, I decided not risk trouble by sending her out to the field. Michael selected his first Pokemon, a familiar face in Dragonair. The bell went off above us, signaling the start of the battle.
"Dragonair, use Hyper Beam!" No way, a move that powerful this early?
"Vulpix, get out of the way and use Quick Attack!"
Dragonair flew into the air towards Vulpix, charging up the attack along the way. Vulpix stood her ground, waiting for Dragonair to unleash the attack before vanishing with her Quick Attack. Once Dragonair was almost directly overhead, he let out the beam attack, which Vulpix managed to avoid deftly. She reappeared directly above Dragonair, clucthing onto the Pokemon's back just behind the head.
"Vulpix, use Will-O-Wisp!"
I saw as her eyes flashed for a moment, then unleashed the full might of her attack on Dragonair. The Pokemon cried out in pain, a harsh burn now covering most of its back. It thrust about in the air, knocking Vulpix off.
"Dragonair, use Thunder Wave!"
"Vulpix, Quick Attack again!"
Despite the burns, Dragonair rained down the electric wave on Vulpix, paralyzing her just before she was able to leap back into the air to attack. Despite this, she hurled herself into the air, clawing at the burns on Dragonair before touching down again. It was clear she'd have trouble fighting from now on, so I quickly called her back.
"I officially withdraw my Dragonair," Michael said, retuning the Pokemon to its ball. "I won't be using her again."
"Then I can say the same for Vulpix." Right after saying that, I was regretting it. I didn't know if his next Pokemon would hold a significant advantage, and even paralyzed Vulpix was still healthy enough to keep battling. Still, it was too late now, and he was already selecting his next Pokemon. It was a blue critter with three big white balls surrounding its body. I quickly scanned it before deciding what to use.
"Jumpluff, the Cottonweed Pokemon. Even in the fiercest wind, it can control its fluff to make its way to any place in the world it wants."
Being a grass type and flying type, the best choice was either fire or ice. With Vulpix sitting this one out, I chose Vaporeon to tackle this challenge. Michael had an advantage over me, just like I had one over him. It would be a matter of who knocked out whom first.
"Jumpluff, Giga Drain!"
"Vaporeon, Aurora Beam!"
Jumpluff dove in on Vaporeon, those white cotton balls aimed directly at Vaporeon. He waited until Jumpluff was practically in front of him before unleashing his own attack. It was a direct and critical blow, landing Jumpluff right in front of Michael totally knocked out. He put his Pokemon away, giving me a small congratulatory clap.
"That battle was pretty much one hit KO material."
"Yeah, I guess. What else you got for me?" Giving me a smirk, Michael released his last Pokemon, a familiar face in Farfetch'd. Once I laid eyes on this Pokemon, it was as if something clicked in my mind. I looked over at the Pokemon as if I knew him. But it couldn't be...
"Farfetch'd?" I said, which confused the bird. Vulpix seemed to notice it too, and started barking at him. Michael was confused, but didn't raise an objection when Vulpix ran over to talk to the bird personally. They exchanged a few barks and quacks, and I began to think this was all a case of mistaken identity. Then it happened. Farfetch'd ran over to my side, opening his wing for me. Tucked away under it was a small piece of torn yellow fabric.
"Time-out!" Michael called in front of the camera, running over to me. I took the piece of fabric from Farfetch'd looking it over closely. Aside from smelling like him, there was something strangely familiar about it. I looked at Farfetch'd, and a slight tug at my dress reminded me.
"It can't be..." I said, reaching out to pet the small duck. "You were warped away as soon as I caught you. How did you get this?"
The small bird nodded, pointing its leek at my bag. It all started to make sense now!
"I put away the torn dress in my bag, but I didn't throw it away until after I got home... you took a piece one day, didn't you?" Again, the bird nodded, and this time pointed to Vulpix and Vaporeon. The two Pokemon in question confirmed it: this was my Farfetch'd, the one stolen from me by Team Rocket outside Azalea Town.
"Then, that means... of course! Dragonair and Jumpluff, they're evolved forms of Dratini and Hoppip!"
"What are you talking about?" Michael still wasn't following.
"You didn't catch these Pokemon, did you?" I said, desperate to hear him say no.
"N-No, I didn't. They were given to me by someone while I was in Kanto, something about them being stolen Pokemon without a trainer. It was during a raid on a Team Rocket warehouse. Because they wiped out the Pokeball ID numbers, there was no way to ever figure out who they belonged to. These three were grouped together, so I took them all. I knew they'd always looked for their old trainer, but the odds of ever running into him... or her..." Michael had finally pieced it all together.
"Farfetch'd, you do remember me?" The duck nodded, pointing at the scrap of fabric.
"Wow, to think something like this would happen," Michael said, scratching the back of his neck. "It's like fate or something."
"Farfetch'd, do the others remember me?" The duck sort of frowned, lowering his head. I guess after evolving, and bonding with Michael so much, they had to have forgotten. It showed that he was a good trainer, but Farfetch'd held on to my memory, even after all this. It wasn't right for me to separate the other two, or even Farfetch'd, from Michael.
"I'm sorry, boy, but you'll have to stay with Michael from now on."
"Star, if these really are your Pokemon-"
"No, I can't. Yes, they were stolen from me by Team Rocket, and yes, I'd love nothing more than to have them back at my side," I practically screamed, trying my best not to tear up at this moment, "but it wouldn't be fair to you. You've raised them all this time, it would be wrong of me to take them."
"If... if you say so." Michael had no idea how to respond to all this. I was certain he didn't want to lose these three, but no doubt there was some measure of guilt attached in raising three Pokemon stolen from me. It was touchy ground for us both.
"I'm sorry, I just never thought I'd ever run into them again. It's a miracle, if there ever was one. Let's finish this battle, and we can talk further later."
I backed into my position, while Vaporeon returned to the field and Michael to his side. It was stranger than ever now to be battling, but this couldn't be left alone. We had to finish what we started.
"Farfetch'd, use Fury Attack!"
Farfetch'd looked back at its trainer, then to me. Despite my nods, he refused to move. Vaporeon looked back at me before sitting down, also demonstrating his unwillingness to combat an old friend.
"Farfetch'd, you don't plan on battling, do you?" Michael asked the small bird. He clearly shook his head before returning to his side. Michael sighed, then let out a small chuckle.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
"To think, I lost because I chose Farfetch'd instead of my other Pokemon outside. Then again, I guess it's not so bad after all."
~o~
Because Michael had lost Jumpluff to Vaporeon, the match was ended with myself as the victor, due to the circumstances. Michael went ahead and explained everything, allowing me to fill in the blanks. We had to explain this all to the judges of the Battle Frontier, and they made the exception, despite their suggestion to Michael to host a rematch with new Pokemon.
"These are my Pokemon," he told them proudly. "I wouldn't battle well without them."
Afterwards, I joined him for lunch, where we discussed practically everything he ever did with those Pokemon. It made me happy to know they weren't locked away in that warehouse for long, and that Michael was such a kind, if pushy trainer. I met with each of my former critters individually, and even though neither Jumpluff or Dragonair remembered me, it did me some good to be able to wish them off. Farfetch'd was a bit more stubborn. He wanted to come back with me, but I remained firm on my decision.
"Sorry, but you'll have to stay with Michael. He needs you more than I do."
"Star, if it means that much to him, he can go with you. It'll be alright," Michael said. I just shook my head.
"No, it would be wrong. Farfetch'd, it's your job to look after Dragonair and Jumpluff for me. I'll be fine, I still have Vulpix with me. Do me this favor, okay?"
The small bird was clearly reluctant to go, but a small kiss from me was the last push he needed. He took his spot next to Michael, and rather than look sad, he puffed out his chest proudly. Holding his leek up high, the duck quacked loudly to announce his newfound resolve. Just as Michael was about to put him away, something occurred to me.
"Wait! I have something to give him." I took a fork from the table, and with it, tore off a piece of my dress. I handed the piece to Farfetch'd, placing it under his wing.
"So you never forget me." The duck nodded, and was placed back in his Pokeball. After we both finished lunch, we went our separate ways, with Michael looking to explore new regions in the Pokemon World. I waved farewell to him from my seat, tears in my eyes as I saw him vanish in the distance and into the crowd.
That was the last time I ever saw my old Pokemon.