Fear, Itself
Chapter 2
By Arina Ketchum
By the time Arina woke up again, breakfast was long over, and she was in a warm, comfortable lower bunk of a bunk bed, her pack leaning against it. Angel was asleep in the bunk across from her, snoring heavily. She stretched and yawned and crawled out of the bunk. It looked like the guys were already awake. She quietly slipped her sneakers on and went downstairs to the main room of the Center itself, which seemed to be quite steady with business for Joy and Chansey.
"Rin!" Not that she now responded to the new nickname, or that she even liked it, but what turned her head was the voice – Rob's. He and Jon were sitting in the corner at the far end of the room, eating lunch, Rob waving to her.
"Welcome to the lunch rush." Jon said to Arina after she made her way over. "We've been up for a couple of hours now, training out in the backyard. We thought we'd take a tour of the town once you two were up."
"Sounds fun," Arina agreed, as she pushed some blue hair away from her face. "Who wants to be the one to wake the green-eyed monster back in our room?"
"Um," Jon looked at his watch, "let's give her another half-hour. If she's not up by then, we'll wake her, with force if necessary."
But Angel stumbled downstairs fifteen minutes later, much to Jon and Rob's disappointment. There weren't going to be any forceful awakenings today. Arina mused on what they might do to her if she didn't wake up on their schedule!
Angel and Arina got lunch together, Angel still sleepy. "I don't do so well on all night walking marathons, apparently," she yawned and waved her hand at Arina before the younger girl could protest. "I know, I know, Team Rocket."
"I think we should stay here tonight," Jon announced when the girls sat down again, "and head for Saffron tomorrow."
"I'm so glad we have a Mother Hen with us, Arina, otherwise, God knows where we'd end up." Angel said in a loud, irritated voice. Arina looked at her in shock.
"I'm just suggesting-" Jon started.
"Your suggestions have dictated this entire trip since we left the restaurant yesterday! You suddenly became leader when we didn't ask for one!" Angel shouted.
"You certainly seem to need one – who's the one that got us lost yesterday?" Jon shouted back.
Angel fumed, and her cheeks turned bright pink. The rest of the Pokemon Center was now quiet and staring at their table.
"Jon's right though, Angel. It's too late to start out-" Angel whipped around and cut Arina off with a death glare that clearly told her to butt out.
"It's common sense. We're looking at least at another day of walking and I don't want to spend tonight outside if I don't have to." Jon said, as the rest of the room resumed their activities.
"I don't either, Angel." Arina agreed.
"Me, either." Rob said as well.
Angel looked at Arina and Rob with daggers in her eyes. "You're siding with HIM?"
"I'm not siding with anyone, Angel," Arina protested, "but it's almost two o'clock now, and it'll be long after sunset before we reach Saffron. After last night, I want a bed, and not a sleeping bag. We can train here today and leave tomorrow."
"What's the hurry anyway, Angel? We should be taking our time. You were the one yesterday telling us we shouldn't run into town and run out again," Rob said.
Angel was quiet momentarily, then, "Fine, do what you want. But I will not be ordered around the rest of this trip."
"Fine, Ms. Navigator." Jon said irritably as he took something from his pocket. "Here's your compass. We fled so quickly I forgot to give it back to you."
Angel snatched it out of his outstretched hands, her expression softening. "Thanks. I can't replace this; it was my grandfather's. He taught me how to use it, before he…anyway." Angel shook her herself. "What did you guys want to do today?"
Jon opened his mouth, but closed it again. "Someone else tell her. If I say anything, it'll just look like I'm dictating again."
"Well, we're in Lavender Town, right? There's the Pokemon Tower-"
"Out of the question," Angel stopped Arina.
"Why?"
"We have no business going stomping through a Pokemon graveyard for the sake of curiosity."
"Who's dictating this trip now?" Rob asked with an air of annoyance.
"I think someone's afraid of ghosts." Jon teased.
Angel stamped her foot. "You've heard the stories – people have seen ghosts there, and they aren't Ghastly, Gengar, or any normal Ghost Pokemon."
"People can have overactive imaginations. We'll be fine, ghosts don't come out until dark, anyway," Arina stated. "You don't have to come, Angel. You can stay here and take a walk around town or go get the supplies we need."
"Yeah, the ghosts don't usually bother anyone outside the tower," Jon said off-handedly.
"Cut it out, Jon. She's freaked out, enough." Arina snapped.
"Yeesh, alright, Rin, calm down." Jon put his hands up to deflect her. "Why aren't you scared?"
"I can't be scared of something I don't believe in."
"You don't believe in ghosts?" Rob asked.
"Nope," Arina looked at Angel, who was as pale as milk. "All right, let's talk more about this on the way there, before Angel becomes her namesake."
*
"You think Angel will be all right?" Rob asked as they made their way to the Tower.
"She'll be fine once she gets into supply shopping. It'll take her mind off ghosts." Jon said.
"Hmph," Arina muttered. "No such thing, besides Ghost Pokemon. Bet they wouldn't scare me if we found them."
"Good! You lead the way, oh brave one." Jon fell back with Rob as they arrived at the Tower.
A shrine maiden stood at the entrance. "Have you come to pay your respects?"
"Yes, we have." Jon stated firmly.
"And you're Pokemon trainers?" she asked, noting the Pokeballs on their belts.
Arina nodded.
"Very well. You may enter under the condition that the souls that dwell here are not disturbed in any manner. You will be forced to leave, otherwise."
"Understood." Jon said, and nudged Arina with the palm of his hand. "Let's go, oh Fearless One."
Arina's legs felt like lead as she tried to step forward into the building. The doors closed behind them, and they were bathed in the glow of lanterns as their only guide.
"Why don't we start from the top and work our way down?" Jon suggested. Rob and Arina just nodded mutely. Jon gave them a grin and a chuckle. They rode up a quiet elevator to the fifth floor.
"It's usually the ones who aren't expecting to see ghosts, see them first, Rin." Jon whispered to her as the doors opened.
"Wonderful," Arina muttered, but walked out anyway. The mood was the same as the first floor; lanterns just barely lit the room filled with headstones. There was a shrine maiden praying in the corner, but no other visitors on this floor besides them.
"Why are we here again?" Rob asked quietly.
"We're here to pay our respects as Pokemon trainers." Jon answered.
"Too bad I'm broke, let's go." Rob started heading for the elevator.
Jon grabbed him by the shoulder. "We'll be out of here soon."
"Quit tugging on my hair, you guys." Arina reached back to her ponytail.
"We're not."
"Then who -" Arina twirled around, only to face inky darkness. "Guys?" There was no answer.
"Ok, what's going on?" She turned to face "front" again, when she heard voices.
She was back at home in the upstairs hallway. Her parents' voices were floating softly out of the guest bedroom. The door was slightly ajar, so she quietly pushed it, and peeked in.
"Mom?"
Misty Ketchum was sitting in a rocking chair, holding a blanketed bundle, Ash kneeling next to her. They both looked up at her voice, and immediately, the look of happiness faded to displeasure across their faces.
"So you're finally home," Misty sneered.
"Yeah, I guess." Arina shrugged uncertainly. "What's wrong?"
Ash stood up. "What's 'wrong', young lady, is that we told you that you were to come home with nothing less than the #1 spot at the League Games. Instead you came in at 70th!"
Arina's heart was sinking into her stomach. "I did?"
"Stop being coy!" Misty spat. "You knew we'd need the money, especially after the baby was born!"
"Arina, we've decided its time for you to leave. We've got a real champion to train now." Ash shut the door in Arina's face.
"No! You can't do this! I couldn't help it! Dad!" Arina beat on the door with tears running down her face. "Mom, please!"
"Release this girl from this spell!"
Arina's eyes came into focus, and she realized she was staring at the shrine maiden that had been praying in the corner. Her legs gave way, and Jon and Rob caught her as she fell. "Easy, Rin, easy."
"Thank goodness you're all right." The shrine maiden breathed a sigh of relief. "I haven't seen a deep possession like that in some time."
Arina eyes rolled back into head and she passed out.
"Oh dear!" the median gasped. "Quickly, take her to the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy will help her!"
*
Jon raced into the Center with Arina in his arms, Rob close behind, both looking pale.
"Nurse Joy! We have an emergency!"
Angel happened to be coming in then with the supplies she'd bought for the four of them. "You guys are back alrea- OHMIGOD! What happened?!" she cried, dropping her bags. "Arina!"
Jon shushed her as he lay Arina down on a gurney Chansey had raced over with. "Nurse Joy and Chansey will take care of her."
"What happened?" Joy asked.
"We were in Pokemon Tower-"
Joy glared at them. "That's ALL I need to know," She raced away with Chansey and Arina into another room.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Angel yelled in fear, scaring everyone in earshot. "Why is Arina sick?!"
"I think I need to go lie down." Rob muttered.
"I agree." Jon said, "Come on, Ang, let's go to our room and I'll tell you what happened."
*
"She was speaking a different language?!" Angel cried.
"Would you keep your voice down, for the last time?" Jon ground out.
"But she – I don't think she knows any other languages." Angel said, "Then again, I don't know her that well."
Jon and she were sitting at the table in their room, Rob lying on his bunk. Jon leaned in closer to her. "See, here's the thing, and don't you dare scream – she was completely possessed. She turned to us and started mumbling that mumbo jumbo and her eyes were just…blank. That's when the psychic jumped in and stopped it and freed her."
Angel banged the table. "I knew it! I told you, you had no business in there!"
"Oh God, shut up, please." Rob snapped.
"It's been a long day, Angel. We really don't need a lecture." Jon added.
"Did you get the supplies we'll need?" Rob asked.
"Yeah, everything on the list."
"Good. Let's see how Arina's doing tomorrow and we'll decide what to do from there."
*
Arina stayed in the hospital wing for the night. She'd come to shortly after arriving at the Center, but exhaustion overwhelmed her. She slept fitfully throughout the night, always awakening with the thoughts of her parents abandoning her.
It didn't really happen, did it, she continued to ask herself. It had felt real enough. The sound of the door slamming in her face was still ringing in her ears, and her father's face, twisted in so much anger...tears slipped from her eyes before she realized it, and then they wouldn't stop. She cried into her pillow until sleep claimed her once again for the rest of the night.
*
When morning came, Chansey gently woke Arina, and then helped her to the bathroom. Arina still felt shaky on her feet, but nowhere near how she felt yesterday. With Joy's blessing, Jon, Angel, and Rob stopped by a little bit later.
"Hey! We brought breakfast!" Jon said cheerfully, "pancakes, as promised." He set them in front of her and she looked down at them blankly.
'Uh, why don't we let you eat and we'll get your Pokemon outside and exercised." Rob said. Arina nodded and they left again with a "Feel better."
Joy checked on Arina later, and gave her a clean bill of health, only ordering her to take it easy for today at least. She dressed, and wandered out to the lounge where the picture window offered a great view of the backyard. Her group and her Pokemon were out there, and they looked so happy, the Pokemon included, the complete opposite of how she felt.
"Oh yes, she's sitting over by the window." Nurse Joy said at the front desk. Arina looked over to see the psychic from yesterday, now dressed in street clothes, coming toward her. At once, terror and dread filled her, but she felt she couldn't move, either.
"I asked Nurse Joy if she'd received a human patient yesterday, and she pointed you right out," the psychic said first, as she sat down across from her. "My name is Ellen."
Arina opened her mouth and found no words would come.
"Oh yes. Vocal release." Ellen said, waving her hand in front of her. "I'm sorry, but most people come out of a possession screaming, and it's very hard to stop them. Your friends got you out of there so quickly, I didn't have time to lift the spell. Now, you were saying?"
"My name is Arina Ketchum."
Ellen smiled, "Very good. It appears your mind was relatively unscathed from the experience." She paused, "however, as it is clear from the look on your face, emotionally, you are not."
Arina didn't have anything to say, so Ellen continued.
"Miss Ketchum, what you experienced yesterday was neither reality, the future in any shape, nor was it any kind of prophecy to dictate your life."
"No?" Arina asked quietly, releasing the relieved sigh she'd been holding back.
"No, however real it may have seemed. In training, I myself was possessed a number of times, by both Pokemon and human spirits alike."
"Was that scary?"
"Terrifying, especially what I saw under possession. Your deepest fears, your nightmares, and your weaknesses are preyed upon. Your friends appeared to have been possessed as well, or at least touched by the spirit, but you got the full brunt of it, for whatever reason."
Arina looked down at her lap. "So, I'm that weak?"
"Ms. Ketchum – Arina, look at me." Ellen leaned across to the young girl. "You are no weaker or stronger than any ten-year-old in this situation. Why you were put into a full possession and your friends were not does not reflect poorly on you in any way. I have seen even the most skilled psychic fall under…" she paused and shook her head. "Anyway, what I'm getting at is-"
"I shouldn't worry about it too much."
Ellen smiled and nodded, "Yes, exactly."
"I'll try."
"Good." Ellen was still smiling. "If you need further assistance, here's my phone number." She handed Arina a business card. "The Tower is closed for now."
Arina looked surprised. "Why?"
"Surprising as it may seem, the possession of a child is a very rare occurrence, even for this town, and a very real threat. It means that this spirit is going to go to great lengths to do what it wants."
"Can't it just leave the Tower and possess anyone in town then?"
"It could, but we put up seals all over the tower before locking it up, and we're pretty sure it's still in there. We'll be performing a peace ritual in a few days, and hopefully, that will solve the problem."
Before Arina could ask what a "peace ritual" was, Jon came up to them. "Hey Rin, lunchtime, hungry?"
"I think so." Arina smiled a little. "Jon, this is Ellen, she helped us in the tower yesterday."
"Nice to meet you. Thank you for helping us yesterday. I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Perfectly all right. We're finished here anyway." Ellen smiled at him. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah, not every day I'm in a situation like that. Rob seems to be doing ok, too. Little quiet, but he's not that talkative to begin with."
"I'm glad to hear you're doing better," Ellen smiled. "Well, I must be going. Please have a pleasant journey," she said as she stood.
"Thank you." Jon and Arina said together.
"So food, yes?" Jon turned to me.
"One track mind, yes," but Arina stood anyway. "Where's our group? Rattata will need a good brushing today."
End Chapter 2