I realize that I haven't actually formally introduced myself here in this fanfiction, nor have I given any reason for writing it or anything. So I recently finished playing through Pokémon Colusseum—yes, a bit late I realize—after my friend lent the games to me to help me complete my Johto Pokémon in Pokémon Leaf Green/Emerald. I'm currently playing through XD: Gales of Darkness, and I personally like Colosseum better because of my fascination with Wes, just why he's so cool, and just how he came to work for Team Snagem and what got him to switch sides. So here it is, a fanfiction of it. I guess this is a bit of a "crossover" between my other fanfiction since it's like what happened before Essence and all of that. Since I'm writing both pretty much simultaneously now, you might find that what I intended on keeping "secret" in Essence you know already because you've read this one. Oh well, surprises spoiled. If you don't want spoilers, you should go read Essence first and then completely ignore this one—especially once it gets more developed, because you'll be seeing star characters from Essence and just how they came to be in the New Order anyways!
For those curious, yes, there will eventually be some XD: Gales of Darkness elements in the form of Michael and the new Orre locations and whatnot. But for now, the plot hasn't GOTTEN THERE, so yeah. No spoilers!
Chapter Two: Rui
"You stay quiet in there," hissed a voice. "Stay quite hot chick and you get to keep your virginity. How's that, hon?"
Rui wanted to scream but it wasn't like she had a choice of staying quiet or not. A piece of duct tape had been plastered firmly on top of her lips, so everything she tried to say came as muffled moans and unintelligible grunts. It was hot, unbearably hot, in this sack. She was covered in dust and her hair was definitely another story. She longed to let it down and shake all the dust from it, but she could hardly move. She was almost suffocating because those villains had tied up the sack so tight.
Oh, why me…
"Where are we headed, Folly?"
Rui strained her ears. She wanted to hear where they were headed. She hoped it was someplace she knew.
"Phenac City, Trudley. I thought you knew the way there, that's where you said we were going. Master Evice is there and so is boss Miror B. So that's where we're headed, to turn in that hot chick to Evice. And Miror B.," came an annoyed reply.
"Got it, Folly! I'm driving."
"You said you were just a few minutes ago. Now turn the stupid ignition key and let's get going!"
Rui felt herself roll as the sack rolled around in the back of the truck and for a moment she feared that she'd roll off. Then she heard a voice (was it Folly?) yell, "Hey! I need to put up the back of the truck so that the hot chick won't fall out!"
There was a ker-chunk and then Folly called again, "Okay, I'm ready to go!"
Rui sighed. This was hopeless.
Why me?
Willie's description of Phenac City hadn't been too far off in Wes's opinion. He hadn't even entered the city gates yet and already he was liking it. He could feel the cool air from all those fountains and rivers in the main square and it felt very, very nice.
He parked his motorbike and motioned for Espeon and Umbreon to come along. "Let's find a hotel room for us, eh? But first, let's see what's going on with that truck." he said, smiling. He always felt happy with his two best friends coming along.
Espeon meowed with happiness and with Umbreon trotted happily along beside Wes.
"Umbri?" asked Umbreon testily as they approached the gates ("Who are those people?").
Wes looked up and saw two men dressed in black, struggling with a sack. Folly and Trudley, as usual. So that's what that truck had been for. To haul a sack with…what was inside it anyway? Wes braced himself against the wall to eavesdrop. He had followed the shady truck here and now he had found Folly and Trudley attempting to wrestle with whatever was inside that big old bag.
"Shhh, be quiet!" hissed Trudley angrily. "Shut up, shut up!"
"Stop squirming around, you!" Folly growled, very much peeved.
Wes could hear faint grunts and cries coming from the sack. "There's a person in there," he gasped. "Sunny, Stellaluna, we have to save whoever they've kidnapped!"
Espeon and Umbreon rushed forward, Wes following.
"Hey you two!" Wes called. "Drop the sack. Drop it now."
Folly looked up and dropped the sack onto the ground. From inside the sack came a small yelp of surprise and pain. Wes prayed that Folly had dropped the foot side of the sack.
"You look familiar," Folly said. He walked up to him, Trudley following. "Aren't you…aren't you that…Wes! What are you doing here? Come to help us haul this bitch to Miror B.?"
"Now who ever said anything about a bitch?" asked Wes sweetly. He motioned for Espeon and Umbreon to come forward. "Drop that sack, leave it here, and get out of Phenac City before I make you."
Folly smiled and whipped out two Poke balls. "Make me, Wes."
"Challenge accepted," Wes replied. "Sunny and Stellaluna, you know what to do."
Espeon and Umbreon leapt forward, meowing and barking a challenge. Espeon was to the left and Umbreon was to the right. Folly stepped a little ways outside the city gate for more battle room and flung his Poke balls through the air. "Go! Whismur 1 and Whismur 2!"
Wes heard Espeon chuckle at the nicknaming.
The two Whismur landed, both quaking with fear at Folly as he loomed over them and issued threatening commands. "Use Pound, the both of you. If you miss…if you faint…if you lose at all…then you'll be punished most grievously by me and my boss! Do you understand, you two?"
The Whismur whimpered in fear and faced Espeon and Umbreon. Wes felt almost sorry for them but knew what he had to do. "Sunny, get Whismur 1 before he moves! Stellaluna, bit down on Whismur 2. And hard! Use your all, you two, I know you can do it! Attack…now!" Wes snapped his arm down and Espeon and Umbreon lunged towards their targets.
The two Whismur waddled forward and threw out their ears in preparation for a smacking, but the first Whismur was caught off guard by Espeon's hypnotizing stare. Umbreon dodged an ear thrust from the second Whismur and then caught her from behind, closing his jaws around her and biting down over and over again, shaking her from side to side.
"Okay, Stellaluna, enough, enough!" called Wes. "Don't hurt Whismur 1 any more than you need to, that's wrong. You can back off now, her fight is over."
Folly cursed in anger. "You son of a bitch!"
"If I really am," mused Wes, rather amused by Folly, "then it's passed down to me, eh?" He pointed at Espeon. "Okay, Sunny, hit him with a Return! Finish him off before he moves!"
Espeon backed off slowly, never breaking eye contact.
"Come on, Whismur 1. Break out of it or I'll break you later!" Folly hissed. The Whismur failed to respond.
Espeon then suddenly pounced, but before Whismur could respond, she batted at him roughly with her paw. Wes felt some energy leave him as Espeon called upon their trainer-Pokémon bond (that was how the Return attack worked after all) and then smiled triumphantly as Whismur fell.
Folly summoned them both back to their Poke balls, his face a mask of anger. "You, Wes, you're tough."
"Yeah, I am," Wes replied. "Good job, Sunny and Stellaluna. You two are as strong as ever!"
Folly and Trudley ran off towards the square. "Take the sack! We're getting out of here!" Trudley called over his shoulder.
"And I told them to leave," muttered Wes. "Oh well. Sunny and Stellaluna, help me with this knot."
A little boy with a rag thrown over his shoulder was holding his Castform in his arms. "I wonder what's inside that sack?" he asked.
The lady standing next to him knelt down and inspected the knot. "My, my, this is one complex knot. Young man, you wouldn't care to help out at all, would you? You saved whoever's in here, after all."
"I'll be only too happy to help," said Wes. He got down onto his knees next to the lady and looked at the knot. Strange. It wasn't a Team Snagem knot. It was a different kind, and one that he wasn't very familiar with. He sighed and motioned for Umbreon to come over. "Use your Bite and chew through the rope," he said.
"Umbri bri!" Umbreon barked ("Sure thing, Wes!"). He bent his head down and began to chomp away at the ropes. After a minute or two, Wes brushed away the frayed ends and then pulled open the neck of the sack. After pulling the sack down some, he found that inside was a young girl. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be asleep but in pain. Immediate concern rushed through Wes's head and with the lady, he managed to get the girl completely out of the sack and then moved her to near the fountain, where it was cooler.
Wes splashed some cold water onto her head and she immediately jerked awake. "Oh!" she cried. She shook her head vigorously. With all the dust gone, Wes saw that her hair was a fiery red with hints of orange in it. He was reminded vaguely of fire. Her hair was pulled up into two pigtails. She had on a dusty long jean jacket with furry cuffed sleeves and underneath was a relatively loose purple shirt. She had on a white skirt that ended about halfway down her thigh and knee high pink boots with black socks underneath them. She had on a curious necklace too. It was a black choker with a white crescent moon as a pendant. Or was it a banana?
Her eyes were bright blue and she smiled upon seeing him. "Who are you?" she asked brightly, pushing herself up into a sitting position. "When I got set down onto the ground, I kinda drifted off. I was tired, you know, and the sudden coolness…gee, it sure does feel nice here, doesn't it?"
"I'm Wes," said Wes, smiling back. It was impossible to look at her and not smile. "You got kidnapped by two Team Snagem peons. Just how did a little girl like you rub Team Snagem the wrong way?"
The girl sniffed in a rather adamant manner. "I'm not little, Wes, I'm fifteen! And I don't know why. All I know is that I saw a Makuhita and then the shady trainers knocked me unconscious. Team Snagem, eh? I think I've heard of them before…although…" She scratched her head. "I…can't remember…anyways, I'm Rui. Nice to meet you, and thank you for saving me!"
"Does anywhere hurt?" asked Wes worriedly. He couldn't help but blurt out the question—that look on her face from earlier had to mean something.
"Oh…" Rui winced as she tried to stand up. Wes pushed her back down and she sighed. "They didn't treat me very nicely."
"What did they do to you?" Wes felt a surge of anger towards Folly and Trudley—the two bastards!
"I'm sore all over and…" Rui tried to lift up an arm but she gasped with pain and shook her head. "I think my arm's been broken. They threw me onto hard concrete and it hurt. I probably have a nasty bruise on my forehead too…my whole head is pounding…" She passed out and collapsed onto the stony sidewalk. Wes quickly used his hand as a buffer between her and the hard ground.
The lady looked around and then said, "I'm going to go get a nurse from the Pokémon Center, sir. Don't you worry, I'll be right back!"
"I have some aspirin at my house," said the little boy. "Want me to bring some?"
"I wouldn't know if she has allergies or not," said Wes honestly. "So I don't think you should, but thanks for the offer."
The lady returned three minutes later with a nurse behind her pushing along a stretcher. She looked Rui over for a few seconds and then said, "Okay, sir, help me get her into the stretcher. I'm taking her to the Pokémon Center. We don't exactly have the best of facilities, you'd have to go all the way up to Agate Village or the Desert Hospital in order to get more comprehensive treatment, but she's not in mortal danger so we can fix her up."
Wes helped the nurse pick up Rui and then he laid her gently into the stretcher. He followed the nurse back while the lady left with a quick, "Thank you so much, ma'am! Good day!" Espeon and Umbreon also followed along.
"Espi…" murmured Espeon ("She looks so familiar, Wes.").
"Breon!" agreed Umbreon ("I know I've seen her before!").
Downstairs below where the Pokémon facilities were, there were a few rooms dedicated to people. The nurse placed a wet, cool cloth on Rui's forehead and then took off her jean jacket to reveal the sleeveless purple shirt. In fact, it now looked like more of a tank top. Wes could clearly see the broken bones. In fact, one particularly jagged end had pushed itself up through the skin, and around it the skin was raw, bleeding, and parts of it were even black and dead. It was disgusting.
"Oh, dear," whispered the nurse. She took out a walkie-talkie and then said into it in a loud voice, "Urgent downstairs in Room 1, compound fracture and site infection, need some anesthesia and antibacterial wash."
She used some pure water to wash out the side and mopped up the excess dust. "Wes, can you please turn on the fan?" she asked as she did so. "If it gets too humid in here the bacteria in the infection site might multiply and the infection itself could get far worse."
"Yes, ma'am." Wes walked over to the other side of the expansive room and played with the light switches until he'd found the one that turned on the fan. Meanwhile, a man in a white lab coat came in, handed a few jars, bottles, a gas mask-like object connected to a tube to the nurse and then left just as quickly.
The nurse placed the mask over Rui's nose and mouth and then pressed a button on a particularly large bottle. "That's the anesthesia, she explained quickly. "I'm going to wheel her in to the operating room to take out some bone fragments and clean out the infection. She also needs a skin graft. Please wait here, okay?"
Wes nodded.
She exited, almost running, and the door closed behind her.
Espeon leapt onto Wes's lap as he sat down on the sofa and purred ("You looked so concerned about her, Wessy!").
"I'd be concerned about anyone not part of Team Snagem that was hurt like that. Oh, I need to go give Folly and Trudley a little lesson…need to kick their asses so hard that they don't come raining back down until tomorrow. Until hell freezes over! Damn!" He punched the wall—hard—and then winced. His hand stung now and was turning red.
Umbreon chuckled ("Ah, classic Wes, always doing that!").
Espeon sighed ("But really, Wes, you appeared to be so worried about her. Just the look on your face made me worry about you too!").
"Who wouldn't be? She almost looked like she was dead!" Wes protested. He sighed, leaning back. "I'm tired…mind if I take a short nap? Sunny, Stellaluna, wake me up when she comes back, okay?"
Umbreon snickered ("And why?").
"Courtesy," Wes grunted, laying on the couch and promptly falling asleep.
"Courtesy," mimicked Espeon in her own curious Pokémon language to her brother. "We have to wake him up for courtesy. Some excuse, eh, Stellaluna?"
"Right," replied Umbreon cheerfully. He lowered his voice so he wouldn't wake up Wes with all his barks. "You remember though, don't you? You remember that girl, don't you?"
Espeon nodded. "I do. When he was…fourteen…"
"Don't, Sunny." Umbreon grimaced. "Don't even mention it here. But that's the girl. That's the one!"
"Sun and moon," Espeon murmured. "Sun and moon."
"Hey there, sonny boy. How are you?" asked Gonzap as a thirteen-year-old Wes walked into his office, putting on the Snag Machine and yawning.
"I'm good, master," said Wes happily. "Although the stupid damn peons keep on swarming around like bees. It's almost annoying."
"They have their duties to do." Gonzap seemed to be very amused with Wes's complaints.
"Yeah, right, damn duties," mocked Wes. "They have the duty of chit-chattering and seeing who can drink the most beer without passing out. That's a duty, ain't it, master?"
"Sonny boy, they're built for a life of leisure. I give it to them," said Gonzap.
"Well what if we're all found out and attacked? Then they'll all be fucked," retorted Wes. "Come on, you know that I'm speaking truth here."
"I know you are, sonny boy. You impress me with your wit. Anyways, today I have a little mission for you. In Agate Village there is a small outdoor temple in the forest built to revere a legendary Pokémon named Celebi."
Wes looked up, eyes glittering excitedly. "A mission! Great! I've been so bored the past few days. All I've been doing is just training Sunny and Stellaluna against those stupid peons, but none of them pose any challenge."
"Yes, Celebi. She is rumored to be able to purify Pokémon who have had their hearts closed and who have been engulfed in darkness. This is very detrimental to the experiments that we have been attempting in this hideout here in the basement laboratories, so I'd like you to go to Agate Village and destroy the temple. Burn it, bomb it, kill the people around it, whatever you need to do. Just ensure that purification will be rendered impossible." Gonzap wringed his hands together. "You up for the challenge, sonny boy? You'll be going alone with that big ol' motorbike of yours that I imported from Hoenn for you. Your pals can accompany you, of course."
"When do I leave?" asked Wes eagerly. "And yes, I'm more than ready. Challenge accepted."
"You leave now, sonny boy. I've packed some supplies for you already. Agate Village is an hour's drive from here. Go out east. It'll get grassy and nice and pretty out there too and you'll see waterfalls."
"Got it, master. I'll be back in no time and Agate Village's pretty little temple will be nothing but a damn pile of ash."
"You go, sonny boy."
Wes mounted his motorbike, smiling. "Come on, Sunny and Stellaluna, we have a mission to accomplish."
They arrived at Agate Village an hour later. It was 12:30 PM sharp. Wes took some sandwiches that Gonzap had prepared for him and downed them in just a few bites. Then he took a few Poke snacks and gave them to Espeon and Umbreon. He parked the motorbike right in front of the bridge crossing a river that led into Agate Village and asked an old man standing near the shopping mart in the most polite voice possible, "Excuse me sir, would you happen to know where the temple for Celebi is?"
"Oh, the Relic Stone! Yes, it's right near the Poke center. You'll see the hill sloping downwards in front of it and it'll take you down to the waterfront. Cross a small little bridge, go through the forest, and you'll end up at the Relic Stone. It's a pretty place. You come here to pay your respects?"
"Er, yeah, yes sir," replied Wes shakily. He smiled and bowed his head and left as the old man waved his hand in farewell. That had been easy. He bounded down the hill and ran through the short stretch of forest, Espeon and Umbreon right at his heels. But as he withdrew a bomb and prepared to blow up the relic…
"Celebi…it's me! Do you remember me? I've come here to pay my respects as usual. I do it every day with I'm with my grandparents you know. It's really pretty and peaceful here. You must like it, this forest."
It was a little girl with bright red hair that fell a little ways below her shoulders. She had on a green tank top and jean shorts with knee length green boots. She was kneeling on the ground near a small tower of rocks that appeared to emanate a pale, pearly, and holy light…
Wes was astounded. The pure power that he could feel…it was immense. So immense. Gonzap was choosing to fool around with a deity who could easily destroy all of Orre in an instant! It almost soothed him, the strange, ancient music that seemed to come from…a flute?
Yes! That girl was playing a flute.
It was almost magical to him, the pure notes that drifted one by one through the air, then died away…
Life was precious.
The music ended and the girl got up and turned around…and shrieked with fright. "Who are you?" she cried. "I've never seen you before!"
Yet something in her eyes betrayed that last sentence. They gleamed with realization, with remembering…yes, she had seen him before.
But where?
"I'm going to destroy that Relic Stone," Wes said coldly. "Move."
"No! No! You're not going to destroy this place. This place is filled with holy light and power! Can't you feel it? No one would be stupid enough to even try to ruin a place like this. Celebi will punish you if you do!" the girl cried. She couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve. Her arguments sounded so petty and so frail.
Wes withdrew a bomb from his bag. "If I press the button on this bomb's remote, this whole place goes ka-blooey, little girl. Move, now."
"Over my dead body you'll wreck this place!" the girl screamed at the top of her lungs. "You don't understand. Stupid Snagem folks like you will never understand! I've been there before, I know I have, and I know! You'll never know what it means to be good, to be alive. You've just wasted your entire worthless life chasing other people around, blowing up their homes, and stealing their beloved Pokémon! How's that for a guilt trip, eh? Go away, and leave this place alone!"
Wes lunged forward and shoved her against the stone tower. "Move or I'll throw you out of this place!" he yelled back. He was going to give this girl no mercy. Either she moved or he'd move her.
"Kill me first!" the girl screamed again.
Wes was panting now, his eyes narrowed with rage. He easily hefted her up—she was so thin and light—and then threw her down near the entrance of the forest. She cried out with pain and then curled up into a ball. Wes placed his foot on her side. "Move," he growled.
"N-no…" the girl whimpered. "Never…" Then she screamed with anguish and agony and Wes kicked at her rib cage. He smiled with satisfaction as she began to cry, but then gasped with surprise when he heard two loud CRACKs.
Oh, no.
"You'd have to…kill me…" the girl whispered, looking up at him. "But…I know you…" Then her eyes glazed over and closed.
"No!" cried Wes, kneeling down next to her. He had never meant to outright kill her. He couldn't bring himself to just plain out kill someone. No…no… "Please, come back," Wes pleaded. No response. He put his hand near her mouth. A breath. And he sighed with relief. She was still breathing.
She'd live.
Wes looked back and a feeling of remorse twisted his heart. He no longer had any desire to carry out Gonzap's mission for him. He no longer had any desire to work under him at all. But then, that was his only way of life. He'd die if he had to face the unrelenting deserts of Orre.
He had no choice. He'd go back and call it a mission failure because of…because of…a strange magic that permeated the place. That was it. That was a good excuse. After all, Celebi was magical. He had nearly killed the little girl…and…no, he wasn't one for killing. He couldn't bring himself to do it. No matter what, he promised himself that he would never, ever take another person's life…on purpose. He would never, ever go out of his way just to take some innocent life.
"Espi!"
"Umbri!"
Wes was jolted awake to the pawing and cries of his pals Espeon and Umbreon. Espeon purred with delight ("Rui's back!"). Wes looked up to see that Rui was indeed entering the door with a team of nurses behind her. She looked rather shaken but appeared overall a lot cleaner and a lot happier. She had a very noticeable cast on her arm, but she didn't appear to care one bit.
"Wes!" she said. "You look like you just woke up."
"That I did," replied Wes, amused. "How are you? Anything hurt?"
"No, not a bit! They really fixed me up! Wes…can I ask you a favor?"
"What is it?" asked Wes, almost sure that he'd be able to accept it. So long as it wasn't like "Please kiss me" or "Please give me 1 million Poke"…
Wes immediately cleared out his mind and looked at Rui, expecting an answer.
"Can you get me to Agate Village? My grandparents live there," said Rui. "I left from Middle Crescent Village, which is where I live with my parents, and I made it as far as Pyrite Town…but then, well, you know what happened."
"Why are you on your own?" asked Wes curiously.
"Normally my parents rent me a helicopter and get someone to fly me over when they have their all-too-common business trips, but this time they were in a hurry and barely had time to tell me before leaving. They'll be back in a month or so, Wes. I'm pretty sure it was urgent."
"Well, I can't take you there right away. I've got some things to deal with, especially with Folly and Trudley…and I must ask you a few questions too. Team Snagem doesn't normally kidnap innocent girls…"
"Can we get a hotel room?" blurted out Rui.
Wes decided to dismiss all the implications that came with that statement and assumed Rui was asking a genuinely innocent question. She was, after all, so very naïve. "Is there a hotel in Phenac City? I suppose I can take you to Agate Village after just taking a break here for a day or two. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
"As long as you can get me there," said Rui, giggling. "Yay, thanks!" She jumped up and clapped her hands, and then turned around to the nurses. "Thank you for fixing my arm, nurses! Have a good day!"
The nurses all bowed their heads, and Rui grabbed Wes's arm and dashed off. Espeon and Umbreon followed, snickering to each other.
"The hotel is over there," Rui said happily, pointing to a large, grand-looking tower with a huge arch over the entrance—revolving doors. The arch had red letters painted on it that said PHENAC ROYAL HOTEL.
"Espi?" Espeon wondered ("Are the rooms really as exquisite as the sign says?").
Wes didn't bother looking at what the arch said though. Currently he was laughing as Rui ran round and round in circles, laughing with delight. "Rui, you know you're meant to stop once you're inside…?" he choked out between laughs.
"Oh, but this is so much FUN!" Rui cried.
Wes caught a glance of the receptionist inside and saw that she, too, had a small smile on her face. Rui could make anyone smile. "Come on, now, Rui. Either you move or we'll have to camp out here for the night," he joked.
Rui sighed. "Okay, okay, big boss. You tell us where we're headed." She stopped and, slightly wobbly, walked up to Wes. "Boy, I'm dizzy…"
"Breon!" Umbreon chirped, delighted ("Well you've been running round and round!").
"Aw, they're so cute!" cried Rui, scooping the two of them up into her arms. "Espeon and Umbreon, right? Back in Middle Crescent Village I studied extensively on Pokémon behavior and psychology. I absolutely love Pokémon. They're like my friends! Back there we raised a ton of Miltank too. I don't think you normally find Miltank in either Hoenn or Orre, but the middle of the mountains isn't too hot or too cold, and we also get some of Hoenn's rain, meaning that the Miltank love it up there. It's almost like a farm sometimes, only we don't grow crops. It doesn't rain quite enough…oh, I miss home. But I do look forward to seeing my grandparents. They can never stop with hugging and kissing me. My parents don't do that, they're always busy working. Sometimes they forget to prepare meals, so I've taught myself how to cook…but only barely."
Some parents, Wes thought. But of course, he didn't say that. "Don't worry, I'll get you to Agate Village safe and sound after I resolve the issue with those two thugs who kidnapped you."
"Oh, you shouldn't worry about them…" murmured Rui.
"I need to know what they did and why…and I'd like to have a word to their boss about lady manners." Wes didn't want to give away that he used to be one of Team Snagem's top (and only) Snaggers and that now he was turning the tables and trying to bring them down. He feared that it'd cause Rui to want to leave and make her way to Agate Village alone, which meant she'd risk being kidnapped again. Wes couldn't see just why Folly or Trudley would ever pull a trick so low, so he was intent on getting her to Agate Village safe and sound. He wasn't sure why…in fact, yes, why was he doing this? He couldn't answer that question.
But she looked familiar. And the look in her eyes…seemed to tell him…that…yes, he had a debt to repay.
What debt?
He didn't know, but he felt almost compelled to help her in any way he could. Something told him that she hadn't had the sunniest of childhoods.
Was it her eyes? Those sad, sad eyes…
"Espi," whispered Espeon quietly from Rui's arms ("Blue eyes, Wisteria…").
"Aww, she's purring. Does she like me?" asked Rui, petting her head. She then gave Umbreon a kiss on the ear.
"Espeon's name is Sunny and Umbreon's name is Stellaluna," said Wes quickly, having forgotten to introduce his two best pals. "And yes…they do seem to very much like you. Most of the time they're rather peeved when random strangers just pluck them up off the ground. But they appear to be enjoying it."
"Those are adorable names! Are they sister and brother?" asked Rui, giggling again.
Her giggles sounded like delicate wind chimes and Wes's ears loved the sound of it. "Yes, they are. I found them as siblings somewhere…can't remember how, but they were hurt so I took them to my house…and they've stuck by my side ever since. We're almost the best of friends, you know."
"Umbri!" corrected Umbreon ("We ARE best friends!").
"What'd Stellaluna say?" asked Rui eagerly.
"He said that we are best friends." Wes chuckled. "Well then, Stelly, I suppose we are."
Umbreon purred.
They walked into the expansive lobby. There was a towering water fountain in the middle and as they walked across the room, they crossed a small bridge. Underneath was an artificial river with many of the most beautiful Goldeen that Wes had ever seen swimming gracefully through the water like dancers.
"Welcome to the Phenac Royal Hotel!" called a receptionist, who was sitting behind a desk. "Would you two like a room today? We have several Pokémon-friendly rooms available. Name your need and we'll meet it and more!"
Wes walked up to the desk and opened his wallet. "Rui, how long do you need to stay for?"
"Oh, maybe just one night. We can deal with Folly and Trudley today and head out tomorrow. How about it?" suggested Rui.
"Not a bad idea." Wes turned to the receptionist again and said, "We'd like a room with two beds, two Pokémon beds, and a full bathroom please."
"No kitchen?"
"No, thank you."
"You could stay for one more night and have free breakfast," said the receptionist.
"She's persistent," whispered Rui. "But really, I have to be on my way."
"I'm escorting this young lady to Agate Village. So we really can't afford to dawdle, ma'am. Sorry, but just one night please."
"Okay, that'll be 300 Poke."
Pokémon supplies are more expensive than hotel rooms, Wes thought to himself, amused. Just went to show how important Pokémon were to their trainers in both Orre and Hoenn…and probably everywhere else.
Wes handed her a few 100 Poke bills and the receptionist smiled. "Okay, processing your order…done!" She handed him a room key. "Room 214 is on the second floor, go all the way to the right and you'll find it. May I suggest going to the Phenac Colosseum after you've settled down? Challenges and competitions await tough trainers such as you, sir. Good day!"
"Thank you," said Wes.
"A Colosseum, eh?" murmured Rui. "That sounds interesting! You should challenge it and train up your Sunny and Stellaluna. Who knows what'll be in our way as we get to Agate Village? It's best to be prepared."
"I might," said Wes. He pressed the up button that would summon the elevator. With a ding the elevator doors opened ("Espi?" cried Espeon ("What, no wait time?").) and Wes, Rui, Espeon, and Umbreon stepped inside.
"Elevators," breathed Rui. "I've never been in one. Wow! This is fascinating. It's like a box! How does it move?"
"There's lots of cables and things. It's like a pulley system," explained Wes. "Don't worry, it's safe. But I wouldn't recommend you try to jump in it or anything. I don't think that's the safest thing to do."
Rui laughed. "The walls are so smooth! I can see myself in them!"
While she made faces at the elevator wall, Umbreon chuckled ("Wes, just look at her. She's so carefree!").
Rui, doesn't he look familiar? Rui couldn't help but think about it, and she was so sure that she'd seen him elsewhere…something about him just made her think that she was supposed to know him. Know him from somewhere. But she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember much, at least. What she did know was very irrelevant to the topic of Wes and this "Team Snagem" he kept on talking about.
She knew what Team Snagem was. They were treacherous villains who went about stealing beloved Pokémon from innocent trainers and using them for their own evil purposes. She didn't know just what they did with them except use them to steal even more Pokémon, but then, where did all those Pokémon go? She knew that many years ago, wild Pokémon had existed sparsely in Orre, but Team Snagem had wiped them all out by capturing them and then forcing them to carry out their own nefarious missions. Just the thought of Team Snagem disgusted Rui.
But Wes…Wes and Team Snagem…the two names…had a certain ring to them. They sounded so familiar to here, put together. Wes and Team Snagem. They seemed to go together in her brain like bread and butter. But how? Someone as honorable and kind as Wes…how could he have ever associated himself with Team Snagem? Wes had rescued her, for Rayquaza's sake! If he had been a Team Snagem guy, he would have left her. Or given her back to those two thugs who had gotten her in the first place.
That name still sounded familiar to her, like a forgotten dream, like a song of the past…
"Rui, we're here. Let's go."
It was Wes.
Great Rayquaza, even the voice sounded so familiar. She followed him out and they walked to the right and found that their room was an end room. There was something about Wes's stride, his gaze as he turned back to look at her every now and then…his eyes.
It was 4:00 PM. Already? Had it taken that long for her arm to be fixed, for her headache to be resolved? She sighed. She was such a burden.
"Rui, look at you. You're a sight for sore eyes. Why am I even looking at you? How am I not blind yet? You're a damn piece of shit, Rui, never forget that. Now go and shine my boots, and then you'd better fix me a damn good dinner!"
Rui looked down at the floor. Always, she could remember a voice. A voice, calling her nothing, calling her unforgivable (and for what?), calling her unlovable, calling her worthless…
The voice sounded so familiar in her head.
Who was it, that had tormented her childhood?
BONK!
"Owww…" Rui moaned, rubbing her forehead. "And there was a bruise there too…" Tears of pain sprang to her eyes. It really did hurt. "I should look where I'm going…"
Wes's cool hand touched her forehead gently, and Rui was startled by his touch. She gasped slightly and immediately Wes retracted his hand, eyes wide. "Did that hurt?" he asked worriedly.
Rui look into those warm yellow eyes, bright with concern. She could detect his aura. His aura…was pure. So pure. And yet…a part of it…had been tainted. A part of it seemed as black as night and clashed viciously against the purity of the other half. What kind of internal conflict raged within Wes's soul?
"No, it didn't hurt," she whispered.
Wes reached up hesitantly again, and for reasons Rui couldn't even know, she leaned forward, as if eager to be touched. Wes's hand froze for a second, but then he smiled and pressed his hand against her forehead again. "You'll live," he said gently. With his other hand, he unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Here, let's go in."
Rui stepped inside, Wes's hand never leaving her forehead. She felt comforted, somehow. She felt protected. Here she knew she was safe. She was safe with Wes…she was so safe…
He's my gallant prince who rescued me from the clutches of Team Snagem! Rui thought, delighted. She giggled under her breath and felt her face burn as she blushed. She quickly ducked her head to hide the redness.
"Happy little girl, aren't you?" asked Wes, chuckling. He took off the strange contraption from his shoulders.
Rui's curiosity got the better of her. "Wes, what's that?" she asked.
"Oh…that…" Wes didn't sound very happy about having to answer. "I stole it from Team Snagem a while ago."
"How?"
"How could I not? They were using it to steal away precious Pokémon from innocent trainers. This is a Snag Machine, Rui. This is the source of their evil, and as far as I know, it's their only one."
"Are you going to use it?" asked Rui nervously.
"No, not unless I run into one of those…experiments…that Team Snagem has been messing with."
"I think I know what you're talking about," Rui blurted out. She couldn't help it. Wes needed to know. That Makuhita. That black aura. The way that the Makuhita had mercilessly broken every single one of his own trainer's bones and then rammed him off the cliff of Pyrite Town to who-knows-where…to die.
"You know? This wouldn't happen to relate to the kidnapping, would it?" asked Wes, genuinely astonished.
Rui sat on the bed, hands fidgeting nervously in her lap. "It would. Wes, I need to tell you something. I didn't know if I should…or could…tell you or not, but don't tell anyone, okay?"
"I won't, Rui." Wes sat down on the bed opposite hers and Espeon and Umbreon curled up in Rui's lap, giving Wes mischievous glances, as if challenging him to be jealous of whom they were cuddling with.
Rui smiled weakly and placed her sweaty palms upon each of their heads. "I know I can trust you, Wes." She could see the surprise in his eyes. She could see his aura, the soul that doubted itself…hated itself…she knew. Wes thought of himself as unredeemable. Somehow, she knew that his story about that Snag Machine had been a lie. She felt as if she knew the truth, the truth about how he had arrived here in Phenac City. She had always been good at reading people due to her ability to detect the emotions and heart of both Pokémon and people…and she knew. Deep inside, beneath the strong, independent façade, Wes was about as insecure as she was.