11
"Wait." I say, before this Lucario starts to talk. "What should I call you?"
Markus is fine. Your father called me that.
"You worked for my father?" I say, raising an eyebrow.
He was indeed my master. And just like how you referred to me as an item a few seconds ago, he treated me as such.
"HEY!" I yell. "Don't ever think that. We will… have a mutual trust between each other. Don't call me master. Call me friend. Never mind actually, just call me by my name-"
Raizu?
"Yes… what do you know about me?"
I know you are in grave danger.
That was the last thing I needed to be reminded about. I take a seat on a tree stump and look at the Lucario. "Uh… are you a-"
Markus chuckles. You can't tell by my name? You know even in telepathy, our voices sound different.
"Okay, stop doing that, it's freaking me out. I can't finish a sentence without you doing it for me." I say, making myself look uncomfortable on purpose. "So, you are a he… making sure. So, what is the story with all these… attempts… on my life? Does my dad have anything to do with it?"
You could say that. His people are under orders, but taking them too far.
"What about officer Jenny from Viridian? Did she receive orders from him or his people?" I ask, turning serious.
Markus actually thinks for a second. I am unsure of what she has to do with this.
I sigh. "Great, I'm back where I started."
Your father's man was close to him. The one who gave you me. He sent him in hope of finding you quickly.
"Why would he get attacked though? He looked like a regular hobo."
A red haired boy attacked him. I defended him, but because we were being attacked by an arcanine, I was returned to the pokéball and forced to do nothing as one who served under a fair and just master died for me.
My father, fair and just? News to me. "All right, this boy attempted to take my life on the way to vermilion city, in diglett cave. He must have higher connections than I thought."
Well, that is all I have to say. Return me to the ball will you? I'm tired, and I need to reflect on the day's happenings.
"You're telling me." I say, and return him to the pokéball. I head back to camp and don't tell them what happened. They don't question me, and I just go to sleep, thinking about why my father is back. Does he want to see me or what?… I think, but I just forget it and focus on sleeping.
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We all get up the next morning, and it is again an uneventful day. I let my pokémon all out to eat (And introduce everyone to Markus, who doesn't talk for some reason) and we ask ninetails if we are on the right track. She just says that she can't do anything more, except remind me of my impending doom. After the charming breakfast, we leave promptly, hoping to get to Lavender as soon as possible.
A few hours after leaving the campsite, we come to a rest house. The familiar tan bricks and square windows remind me of viridian forest and its rest house. We head on through, though I let my eevee out with me to walk with us. She needed the exercise.
The rest house led to what was accurately called "The Docks," as all they were, were indeed docks. The wooden platforms suspended above the water (which I heard wasn't very deep in the first place) seem to go on for infinity.
I turn to Sakura and ask, "Why does Kanto have a huge amount of these platforms?…"
She plainly answered: "Kanto lives largely off of fishing, and this is a quick way to Fuchsia city. No one wants to traverse mountains or go through underground tunnels when there is the nice, wide ocean to look at."
I nod, and we continue our way. Serena gives me a few concerning glances as we walk, but I try to ignore them. I don't want to push her away, but I will not talk about these things…
We get to Lavender town in a few hours, and I find the place too much like home. Except for a pokémon center and a pokémart, it is pretty much pallet. Ignoring the tower of course. It is small, almost abandoned looking town. A few people are walking the streets, and the houses are small, tan, and mostly brick (a few have plastic outing).
We head to the nearby hotel, needing a place that has a REAL bed and real, fresh food. The girls check out their own room, and I just get my own for myself. They decide to stay the rest of the day to relax, and I tell them I'm going to head around town to see what I can do.
As I walk about, I ask a few people about this "cursed one" that was mentioned to me by Jenny. Could it be he was the one in my dream? The man in traditional clothes wielding a sword? I think, not really pointing my head in any directions. People don't say much, but I come to a fair man with an orange T-shirt and blue jeans who has much to say about this "Cursed One."
"Oh, him. Ah, a good guy. Really, he's kinda put-off-ish, but he's kind at heart. Don't let the big sword fool you either, he can use it, but he hardly ever does to living things, even if he hunts. You can find him at the top of pokémon tower, and he pops up down here occasionally."
I thank him and head to pokémon tower, not wanting to bring my friends up with me, even though I may need their help more than I think.