The Creeping Shadow, Chapter 77
The trip to Sandgem Town was a scenic one. I took down mental notes along the road, realizing I'd probably we walking all over these places again once I set out on my own. Our only stop on this little road trip was Jubilife City, the largest city in all of Sinnoh. The agenda was strictly limited to stopping for food, so I was given the opportunity to stretch my legs and explore. It'd be my first destination once I left Twinleaf Town, though I was surprised to learn it didn't have a Pokemon gym. Of course, for this journey that didn't matter too much to me. My new goal here was to see the threat of that dark cloud removed before I returned home.
As we left the city, a particular sign advertising openings in a condominium building caught my eye. It said that prices were at an all time low, in an effort to avoid going out of business. It gave me an idea.
"Professor, what do you think the price is on one of those condos? There was a sign saying they were cheap."
"Looking to move in, Star? It's effectively a house you'd be trying to buy, even if it is only for a temporary rent." Oak looked back at me from the front passenger seat. Birch was driving the car, since apparently Oak didn't like to drive.
"I was just curious," I replied, looking away from him.
"I can't say with any certainty, anyway. Why don't you ask next time you're in Jubilife?" Oak turned back towards the front of the car, leaving me to sort of sulk in the back seat with Elm.
"Yeah, guess I'll do that." I mumbled half-heartedly. I knew it wouldn't be cheap, but if I could find some kind of job to pay for it, I wouldn't have to be hiding out in Pokemon Centers while I waited for the dark cloud to appear. And with my Nurse ID, I was certain finding work- in a Pokemon Center, naturally- wouldn't be extremely difficult. Had to plan ahead, after all.
From Jubilife, it was a short hop south on Route 202 before we arrived at our destination. Sandgem reminded me of Pallet Town, in a way, especially with the beachfront right on the edge of town. Of course, you wouldn't find any kids swimming in it this time of year. We first pulled up in front of a larger building, where Professor Elm stepped out of the car.
"I'll go on and inform Rowan that we've arrived. See you at the inn." Elm took only his bag of papers, leaving his luggage in the car. From there, we drove a short ways down the road, to an equally large building where Birch finally turned off the car.
"We're finally here," said Professor Oak as we piled out of the car. The inn looked homely, like the kind you see in advertisements at the base of mountains. Inside the inn was about the same, with the rustic feel. I actually felt like I was on the frontier of some wilderness, and wild critters could storm the place at any minute.
"This place is so nice!" I said, before it occurred to me to keep Vulpix close by. It looked like the entire place was made of wood, so a single stray ember could set the entire place on fire.
"You'll have at least two days to soak it all in, Star. The League isn't going to pay for anymore than that." Professor Oak looked over to the front desk, where Birch was already signing us all in. It was still pretty bright out, with enough light to allow a little exploration of my own.
"Do these conferences usually take long?"
"It depends on everyone involved. I personally have quite a few subjects to discuss at length with the other professors. You don't have to sit in on everything we do, you know. I'm pretty sure you'd much rather get out there and start seeing new Pokemon."
"Well, I at least want to meet the new professors," I added, now carrying Vulpix in my arms. I was honestly becoming paranoid of staying here for the night. Vulpix had never accidentally set anything ablaze while we were on the road, but there was always a potential first time.
"Well, you'll have a good chance to do that tomorrow." At that moment, another guest in the inn emerged from one of the rooms, a woman wearing a similar white lab coat.
"If it isn't Samuel Oak," she said as she walked up to the professor. The two indulged in a hug, solidifying her professor position.
"It's good to see you again, Aurea. Glad you could make it."
"Not often I get to visit Sinnoh, you know. Even if I were to make every trip for these little get-togethers, the League tends to arrange them in Kanto most of the time."
"If I had a say in it, Aurea, I'd arrange to have us all out there in Unova, instead. The League is becoming rather stingy, of late."
"Rumor has it this Team Rocket has something to do with it all. I heard they were driven underground, though." These two seemed to be in their own little world.
"Speaking of which, I'd like you to meet someone," Professor said, walking over to me. I instantly straightened up, hoping to make a good impression on the lady professor.
"Let me guess, this is the famous Star?" She already knew my name?
"Yes, ma'am," I said.
"I've told Aurea here all about you, Star. You're quite the topic amongst us professors." At Oak's behest, I shook the professor's hand.
"Aurea Juniper. I specialize in the origins of Pokemon."
"I'm Star- I mean, well... you already knew my name..." Professor Juniper giggled at me.
"It's okay, sweetie. Don't have to be nervous around me. Professor Oak told me you were pivotal in the defeat of Team Rocket a few months ago."
"Well, I didn't do much," I said, feeling unworthy of the praise. "It was mostly Lance."
"Professor Juniper! Didn't think I'd see you until tomorrow!" Professor Birch joined in on the conversation, effectively steering it away from me.
"It's good to see you, too. How's your wife and son?" Juniper gave him a hug.
"Just great. Brandon wanted to come along, but unfortunately he couldn't make it this time. Least we brought a seasoned trainer this time, right Star?"
"No need to put the spotlight on her, anymore," intervened Professor Juniper. "I think she's had enough praise for one day, right?"
"Y-Yeah, I guess?" It felt a bit strange coming from all these highly respected professors.
"Well, let's head down to Rowan's lab for a little celebration of sorts! Star, here's your room key," Birch said as he tossed me the key. "Settle in, and we'll be back in a few hours."
"Okay, I'll see you later."
The professors all departed, leaving me alone in the lobby of the inn. I sighed, the anxiety of all finally dissipating. I've been put on the spot before, but for some reason it just felt like too much this time. I blamed that on Professor Juniper, which took me by surprise. Not in a bad way, just a pleasant one. Once I was in my room, I finally let Vulpix go as I crashed on my bed. I wasn't tired, per se, but a nice nap would do me well. Before long, I was passed out.
~o~
Dinner was rather uneventful, even with four professors sitting at the same table. The still mysterious Professor Rowan couldn't join us, but that didn't stop the others from going all out at the table. While I expected some kind of intellectual discussion during dinner, I didn't expect it to become a lecture on Pokemon science. Normally, these kinds of conversations would interest me, since I was an avid learner and all, but that evening I was just not interested in any of it.
Once I was done eating, I excused myself from the table, which raised no objections and only a couple farewells as the discussion continued. Back in my own room, I got to stare at the wall or Vulpix for a couple hours until sleep finally kicked in. For an inn with such a fun feel to it, it sure was a boring experience in my time as a trainer. And the next morning, I'd get to have all sorts of fun listening to the same topics with yet another professor thrown into the mix!
So the next morning, rude though it might've been, I told Professor Oak that I wouldn't be joining them during the conference.
"Really? Did our debate last night prove too much?" He asked, joking around.
"Actually, it did. I just want to get out there and start exploring, not sit and be cooped up again. I had plenty of that while I was at the Battle Frontier, on the three ships I took to get here, and now here? I miss exploring!"
"Well, don't let me stop you, Star. You're free to go whenever you want. I'll let the other professors know." That went surprisingly well. Then again, it's not like I was being held there against my will.
"Thanks, Professor. It was fun hanging out with you and the others this entire trip."
"Indeed. Be careful on your trip!"
~o~
So, free again on the road, I marched ever westward from Sandgem Town. It wouldn't strike me until much later that I was walking towards a dead end. But that didn't matter! I was on the road, and meeting strange and unusual new Pokemon!
"Starly, the Starling Pokemon. They flock in great numbers. Though small, they flap their wings with great power." The Pokedex spoke out.
"Well, it's definitely a Pokemon I've never seen before," I mentioned to myself. "But it certainly isn't very interesting to look at."
The small flock of Starly were happily resting on the ground, trying to dig up something to eat. I wanted to capture a Pokemon from this region, but I wasn't liking the idea of getting a plain bird critter. I wanted something stranger, rarer perhaps. And as if to answer my silent plea, a new kind of Pokemon showed up. This one caught the attention of the flock of Starly, which instantly took to the air to chase after it. There was only one kind of Pokemon that would have a bulls-eye painted right on it like that for birds. And I didn't want another bug type.
And though I was about to continue on my way, the flock flew over me, and I was even brushed aside by the bug Pokemon in question. That was the nudge I needed to save him from a rather terrible fate. There were no less than a dozen Starly chasing after the bug, so I'd need a bit of help. I released Vaporeon to help Vulpix out. As the flock turned towards my general direction again, I pointed them out to my critters.
"Vulpix, Ember!"
Using Vaporeon for a quick lift, Vulpix leapt into the air spinning around several times to rain down those tiny flames on the flock of Starly. My intention wasn't to harm them severely, though, so I quickled followed up with Vaporeon.
"Vaporeon, use Water Gun!"
Vaporeon released a wide spray of water all over the birds, undoing most of the damage the Ember attack inflicted. Still, the flock was sufficiently scared, and turned tail on us. Now only one thing remained: catching that elusive bug. I remained perfectly still, looking out over the tall grass to try and spot him.
"Vulpix, Quick Attack on my mark," I whispered. My eyes began to hurt a little as I forced them to stay open without blinking. That bug was staying perfectly still, but then a small ping gave him away. I wasn't sure how he could make such a sound, but I was sure it was him. The grass started shaking off to my left, so I pointed in that direction.
"Now!" I screamed, causing Vulpix to vanish into the grass. I quickly dug through my bag for a Pokeball, and prepared to throw it into the grass. The grass in that direction shook violently for a second, then I heard Vulpix bark in the distance. I ran into the grass, with Vaporeon following closely.
The bug was down, but not hurt. Vulpix had managed to trap it underneath herself, making it an easy catch. I leaned in close to the little red bug, who looked terrified. That expression brought back memories of my first days as a trainer. I put the Pokeball in my hand away, and took out my Pokedex instead.
"Vulpix, let him go," I said. Without thinking twice, she obeyed my order, and let the Pokemon scurry away. I managed to scan it just as it disappeared again into the grass.
"Kricketot, the Cricket Pokemon. It shakes its head back to front, causing its antennae to hit each other and sound like a xylophone."
"Well, at least we saved its life," I said, putting the Pokedex away. I put Vaporeon back in his Pokeball, and stretched out a bit before moving on. I admit, I was a bit sad not to have captured that Kricketot. However, I still stood by what I thought earlier. Another bug type just wasn't for me.
~o~
"Huh. Well, that's nice." Those were my words as I stood at the edge of a serene lake.
Route 201 ended at a lake, with a sign nearby that read 'Verity'. Had I known Route 201 led to a dead end, I'd have made for Jubilife City, instead. More importantly, I needed a map for this region to get around. Only made it worse that the Pokenav didn't seem to be working anymore in this region. Still, the view was nice.
"Guess we're going back to Sandgem Town," I told Vulpix. She didn't exactly care for the idea, and expressed her displeasure by plopping right down on the ground next to me.
"Please don't start. I don't like it anymore than you, but I don't want to camp out here for the night, either. We still have that room back in Sandgem Town." My arguments fell on deaf ears, sadly. Sighing, I figured I'd give her a chance to rest and cool off down by the water. As you'd expect, it wasn't going to be THAT simple of a time.
As I approached the water, I noticed a boat coming around the small island in the center of the lake. I squinted to make out who was in it, when I saw an all-too-familiar outfit. A Team Rocket outfit. Instinct took over, and I ran back to pick up Vulpix, ducking into some bushes by the road. If I was lucky, the grunts on the boat didn't see me. Peeking out through the bushes, I saw when they pulled up on the shore. Their outfits had undergone a revision or two, but it was still clearly Team Rocket.
"Contact Giovanni," ordered one of the grunts, "tell him we have Mesprit, and we're on our way to the rendezvous point."
"Yes sir!" Replied the grunt. As he dialed someone on a device that looked very similar to the Pokenav, the lead grunt took a black Pokeball out of his pocket. For a second, I thought it was another Master Ball, but it had an overall different design, along with what looked like a golden stamp.
"Sir, Giovanni says to report to the base of Mt Coronet as soon as possible. The other teams haven't reported in, yet." Came the voice of the grunt on the phone.
"Very well. We leave immediately."
The grunts abandoned their boat, jumping into a car that was parked a short ways off to the side of the lake. Stopping them here would've been a great way to slow down their plans, but the last thing I wanted was to be jumped by more members hiding out nearby. In all my dealings with Team Rocket, they rarely moved in groups of just three members.
The car drove past where I was hiding, heading back in the direction of Sandgem Town. Even if I had a bike to try and keep up, they'd be long gone by the time I arrived in town. I had no choice but to run as fast as I could back. The professors had to be warned about this, as did the Pokemon League here in Sinnoh. Whatever Giovanni was up to would no doubt be disastrous for not only Sinnoh, but the rest of the world.
~o~
I arrived back at Sandgem Town late that afternoon. Try as I might to keep up a fast pace the entire way back, I just had to slow down or stop altogether to catch my breath and recover. Even Vulpix was having trouble keeping up, and carrying her made me even more tired. Add to that the cold air freezing me from the inside out... I could only hope all that running wouldn't stick a nasty cold on me. I couldn't afford it now.
I stormed into Professor Rowan's lab, noticeably interrupting a lecture by the local scientist. My return brought a bit of shock from the others, but I had no time to indulge them in the details of my entry. Right away I got to explaining the situation. I had to ask Professor Oak several times to please remain silent while I finished explaining. Once I was done, the other professors began to whisper amongst themselves.
"Oak, I'm certain we can trust the word of this young lady?" Said Professor Rowan, with whom I still hadn't been properly introduced.
"Yes, certainly. Star has been involved numerous times with Team Rocket. Still, I can't believe they have operations underway here in Sinnoh."
"Can't we do something?" I pleaded, not wanting to waste any more time. "If we alert the police, can't they do something to stop them in Jubilife City?"
"I'll contact the police in both Jubilife and Oreburgh immediately," said Rowan, heading for one of the phones on his desk. "Oak, call the League. See if they can send anyone to Coronet to intercept them."
"Acutally, I'll leave that in someone else's hands. I have to contact Lance back in Kanto. Team Rocket activity might be on the rise back there, and we can't let them overwhelm us on two fronts. Star, your Pokenav, please."
"Um, it doesn't seem to be working here," I told Oak with a sad face.
"Blast! Birch, get on the phone with the Sinnoh League," commanded Oak. "It's far more important to stop them here as quickly as possible!"
The lab erupted into a small bit of chaos. The professors not on the phone instantly got to work cleaning up the presentation, leaving me to stand alone and useless around them. My job here was done, so I took Vulpix and made for the exit. Professor Oak noticed me leaving, and ran after me.
"Star, where are you going?"
"After Team Rocket! If I leave now, maybe I can catch up to them!"
"Far too dangerous, Star. If they truly managed to capture the Pokemon from Lake Verity, and use it against you in battle, you'd be defeated instantly. Those Pokemon are some of the strongest known to us, far more powerful than anything you've encountered before."
"I'm sorry, Professor," I said, still bent on leaving, "but I can't just sit here and do nothing! If Giovanni is behind all this, it'll be just like in the dream Cresselia showed me!"
Oak was about to say something, but stopped himself. He no doubt knew, with the mention of the dream, that anything he said wouldn't convince me otherwise. I had faced Giovanni before, not to mentioned survived encounters with Pokemon powerful enough to shatter continents and control time itself. I was going, by his approval or not.
"Take this," he said, digging into his pockets. Out came a small lump of cash, and once it was in my hands, I saw more money than I had ever seen before. "There should be enough there to buy yourself a bike in Jubilife City. That should help you keep up with them."
"Thank you, sir," I said, stuffing the money into my bag. "When you call Lance, tell him not to worry: I'm on the job!"
Oak nodded, and let me be on my way. It was growing late, and the smart thing to do would've been to stay in Sandgem Town until the next morning. But I couldn't waste any time. If I could double time it to Jubilife, I could be well on my way to Oreburgh City by next morning. As I moved into Route 202, I couldn't help but feel this was all leading up to a climax in my journey.