Not All Arrogance (A Gary Oak Love Story) Part 14~Violet Lights in Pokémon Tower
Amy stared out into the fog as the ferry approached Lavender Town's small port. Isis was resting on her shoulder. She was fairly certain Gary was panicking and looking for her, she had sort of left for the deck without telling anyone, but she saw no reason to tell him where she was just yet. She knew he was looking for her because Duplica was with her too, as she had been recruited for the search party. She and Ditto also looked into the gloomy fog.
"It's sort of creepy isn't it? And what Machala said about it having the greatest Pokémon graveyard in the world?" Duplica said softly. Amy nodded.
"Totally, I've had shivers going up my spine since this fog rolled in. They said we'd be arriving soon but I haven't seen a lighthouse," Amy observed while squinting into the clouds. Then she noticed a soft purple hue amid the grey. As the boat moved forward the purple grew more vivid.
"Do you think that's the lighthouse?" Duplica asked.
Amy frowned. "I don't know; a purple light in a lighthouse?" As they drew closer a shadow appeared beneath the light, implying an actual building. Closer still and Duplica let out a shriek and hid behind Amy, understandably because the building looked like mix between a prison and a graveyard gate, not to mention the windows and doorway looked like a glaring face. The light came from the eyes and the mist made some light reflect back onto the structure, resulting in an extremely terrifying visual. Amy did feel a bit creeped out by it, but not to the degree Duplica was. In fact, she sort of the liked the creepy peace that had settled over them. It was all so quiet...
"Amy, there you are! Woah that is one creepy lighthouse," Gary's voice came up from behind them and Amy jumped. The creepy peace was broken and now Gary was telling some sort of cliché ghost story meant to scare them but although Duplica, Ditto and Isis were getting steadily more freaked to Gary's delight, Amy had recovered from her initial shock and went back to staring at the Tower completely ignoring him. Not that he really noticed. When Gary had finished with yelling boo, causing Duplica and the Pokémon to shriek and Amy to jump again, Drew and Machala finally made their appearance on deck.
"So, I see you've seen Pokémon Tower, though it's hard to miss with Violet working the lights!" Machala said smiling.
"Violet? Is that your cousin or...?" Amy asked finally turning from the hypnotic shore as it came slowly into view.
"It's her cousin. She's actually taken over the Tower fairly recently, the graveyard is behind it. Trainers all over come to pay their respects to their dead Pokémon," Drew said looking out past Amy to the shoreline as well.
"Wait, Pokemon DIE?!" Duplica was shocked beyond all belief at this revelation. Who knew?
"Vi's been trying to get a Pokémon League sanctioned gym there for ages too, but no dice as of yet for some reason. She's a ghost Pokémon trainer and she's really good," Machala said with a shrug as the boat docked. "Hey, you guys wouldn't want to do some sightseeing here before you head out would you? Vi, Drew and I could be your guides..."
Gary looked about to protest, so Amy quickly said that would be great and that she loved seeing the sites. Duplica looked less enthusiastic about staying in the creepy town longer then absolutely necessary. Isis decided to retreat into her Pokeball too.
"Why the purple light anyway?" Gary asked Machala as they headed for the plank off the boat.
She simply smiled and replied with "You'll see."
*****
About 15 minutes later the gang was ringing the door bell at the base of Pokémon Tower. It sounded like a gong and echoed all around the deserted front courtyard. They hadn't seen a living soul around them since the boat but then, the mist blotted most things out. The door opened and a rather short girl poked her face out of the dark on the other side. She saw Amy, Duplica and Gary first and looked confused. Then she saw Drew and Machala and grinned, running forward to hug her cousin.
"Mickey! You're here!" the girl Amy could only assume was Violet, an accurate name considering her violet hair and purple/black attire.
"Mickey?" Duplica said smiling cheekily.
Drew smirked. "It's just her nickname. Right Mickey?"
Machala sent him a micro-glare "A nickname used only by Vi. So don't even start Drewbi," Drew blushed madly and looked away. Machala whispered to Amy that Drewbi was what his mum calls him. Amy giggled.
"So, who're these guys?" Violet asked Machala, looking pointedly at Amy, Duplica and Gary.
"Well I'm Amy, and these are Gary and Duplica," Amy explained gesturing to her friends.
"Ditto!" Ditto exclaimed happily.
"EEK!" Duplica screamed out of nowhere and ducked behind Amy and Gary, holding her Ditto in front of her face. A Gastly had suddenly materialized in front of Violet. Drew, Gary and Amy merely stared at it as Machala squealed and hugged the now semi-solid Pokémon.
"Dark Smoke! It's so great to see you!" Machala said letting the ghost Pokémon go. It laughed and retreated to Violet who gave him a hug as well.
"Yup, he's been looking forward to seeing you for weeks!" Violet giggled.
Ditto hopped out of Duplica's still goose bump covered arms and looked closely at Dark Smoke. Then it glowed and Transformed. Soon there were two Gastly floating around. Duplica wasn't sure how she felt about that but Ditto seemed to enjoy the feeling of being so light. He and Dark Smoke, who was thrilled as well at having a new playmate, started flying in spirals up and down the huge tower.
"And Drew, great seeing you too of course," Violet smiled. Drew smiled easily back.
Violet looked closely at Gary a second and then squealed in delight, much to his surprise. "I knew it! You're Gary Oak aren't you?"
Gary smirked and struck a truly annoyingly stuck-up pose. "Why yes, I am."
Violet squealed again. "That is so cool! I know all about you, cause I know all about Prof. Oak from my dad, they worked together on ghost Pokémon research for the Pokedex. He came here, and he showed me all these pictures of his grandson Gary, you're even cuter in person!" Violet winked and Gary blushed, though not unhappily. Amy felt a twinge of anger and shot a micro glare at Violet who just happened to turn enough to see. Amy immediately looked away but Violet didn't.
"Oh I'm sorry, are his girlfriend?" Violet asked smiling apologetically. Amy drew breath to issue her common response when Gary piped up.
"No, we're just friends. Right Amy? So, are we getting a tour or not?" Gary said with a smile. Violet smiled happily and grabbed Gary's hand. Amy felt like someone had grabbed her stomach and started squeezing.
"Right, let's go!" Violet said pulling Gary inside. Drew and Machala glanced at each other, then a slight glance at Amy, and they followed. Duplica turned to Amy and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down Amy, you know he loves you, he's probably just trying to make you jealous."
"I'm not jealous!" Amy snapped and stormed inside. Duplica blinked.
"I didn't say you were; I said that's what Gary was trying to... oh forget it," she sighed. "Come on Ditto!" she called before heading after the others. Ditto stopped in midair and Dark Smoke smacked into him. It looked dazed a minute and then the two Pokémon hurried inside after their trainers.
*****
Violet showed them up the stairs and around the tower. It was elegant, but dark. Everywhere were Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Misdeveus and other ghost types. They continuously popped up, freaking out Duplica to no end, but Amy hardly noticed because all her attention seemed unwittingly drawn to the fact that Violet hardly let go of Gary's hand for a second since this 'tour' began. At last however they reached the top of the tower, behind the eyelike windows. This close up, they could see each eye window had a purple glowing orb full of green eyes. They were shooting purple light out onto the sea.
"What are they?" Duplica asked holding Ditto. She had grabbed it out of the air early on so she'd have something to hide behind as the ghost materialized without warning.
"They're Spiritombs. Really rare around here, you hardly see them outside the Sinnoh region. Heck, you hardly see them IN the Sinnoh region," Drew replied, his arm loosely around Machala's waist.
"Yup, they were my dad's before he passed the lighthouse onto me. I've never actually been far outside Lavender Town. I've always wanted to travel but I'm needed here. Spiritomb are ghost Pokémon too and they've both learned Flash. So, here they are running the lighthouse," Violet said smiling and, as Amy found herself increasingly angered by, still held Gary's hand.
"They look really cool, are all the ghost Pokémon here yours?" Gary asked.
Violet shook her head. "Nope, only the Spiritombs and Dark Smoke. The rest are wild. What, you want to try to catch one?" To Amy's secret glee, Gary ripped his hand from Violet's and ran down the stairs. After all, Violet's was a rather silly question.
*****
An hour later Gary finally found a ghost Pokémon willing to stay visible and battle. It was a Haunter. Before this there was a rather humorous montage of Gary running at vanishing lights and having pies fly at his face form nowhere. Silly ghost types. Duplica seemed to relax when she started to realise that these were just Pokemon, not actual ghosts and therefore she didn't need to be afraid. This wasn't the graveyard or anything.
"Okay!" Gary said gripping his Pokeball tightly and wiping pie filling from his cheek. He threw the ball and released his new Pokémon, Roger the Spoink.
Haunter laughed as the black and white Spoink hopped in front of it, grunting excitedly at its first battle. "Okay, let's start with Confusion!" Gary called. The pig Pokémon sent waves of reddish light towards Haunter who flew back slightly to avoid them. It then sent a jet of black light at Roger who bounced up to dodge it.
"That's Nightshade, Gary be careful!" Violet squealed joyously from the sidelines. Amy clenched her fists and broke into a strained grin. Duplica was standing next to her and edged slightly away from her psychotic expression. Machala and Drew noticed as well and were unsure what to make of it.
"Um, are you okay Amy?" Drew whispered reaching over to her slightly.
"It's just Violet being Violet, don't let her work you up..." Machala whispered.
"Work me up? Why would she work me up? She's not doing anything of the kind," Amy said her grin growing wider as her nails dug deeper into the palm of her hands.
Duplica stepped in at this point. "Amy, we're leaving later today or tomorrow and odds are he'll never see Violet again. She's going after him and he's just soaking up attention. We'll be leaving soon. There's nothing to worry about."
"Ditto," Ditto agreed.
"I'm not worried about anything," Amy said but she couldn't hide the instant relaxing of her fists and grin into a natural smile. She forgot they were leaving Violet here. There was no trouble.
"Psybeam, Roger!" Gary called loudly as his Pokémon let lose a multicoloured beam of light at the ghost Pokémon before it. It screeched in pain and floated towards the floor. Gary threw a Pokeball. It shook, then stilled. Gary was ecstatic. "Did you see that? I caught it! I caught that Haunter! I'm naming it Casper. Let's see Ashy boy catch a ghost Pokémon, he wouldn't come close!" Gary victory danced and for once Amy refrained from cringing in shame. She even continued her easy smile.
Until Violet grabbed his hands and started dancing with him, Dark Smoke floating happily with her. Now she was angry again. Machala seemed to sense this and clapped her hands loudly
"ALRIGHT everybody, who wants to see the graveyard?" she called. Duplica looked horrified anew so she revised her question. "On second thought, who wants to see the town? We could visit the Pokémon Orphanage; I remember how much they love visitors there!"
Violet stopped dancing and smiled at Machala "Great idea Mickey! Let's go!" she grabbed Gary's hand again and raced away, Dark Smoke bobbing happily behind her all the way.
"Great. Let's go," Amy said, her psychotic grin back as she marched after them.
Duplica turned to Machala. "Can't you do something about Violet?"
Machala smiled wanly. "If I catch her alone I'll try to talk to her, but I can't guarantee she'll listen."
*****
The gang headed out of the Tower and headed down the streets of the small town. The mist had mostly lifted but there was still a hazy feel in the air. Few people were on the streets as they came to a rundown sort of building. The paint was faded and peeling but Amy could make out that it said Mr. Fuji's Pokémon Center.
"It's a Pokémon Center?" Gary asked. Violet had released his hand when they got outside and Amy had discreetly slid up between him and Violet and was secretly quite pleased with herself for it.
Drew decided to field this question. "It used to be a Pokémon Center because the Town was so small but a few years ago a Nurse Joy started an actual Pokémon Center here, so this became a home for orphaned and abandoned Pokémon."
"Oh, that's great! Wait hang on, the abandoned Pokémon isn't great but the idea of a place for those Pokémon to go is!" Duplica said smiling.
"We picked up on that," Amy said, turning toward her. She had cooled down since she had placed herself between Gary and Violet, deciding to submit to the obvious fact that she was jealous, even if she would never admit it to anyone else.
Violet went up to the door and knocked loudly "Hey Mr. Fuji! Mr. Fuji! It's me Violet! Mickey and Drew are here too, and guess what? So's Gary Oak!" she squealed and Amy noticed Gary smirk. She felt another flare of anger but it died down for some reason when the door opened and Gary went up to be introduced to the old man who opened it. She saw him touch Violet's shoulder.
'No way, he doesn't actually like her does he?' Amy thought to herself, suddenly feeling her stomach plummet.
*****
Inside, Amy temporarily forgot her distress. There were Pokémon all over the place! Most of them were babies and soon Amy and Duplica were cooing over a baby Cubone, which was apparently the newest arrival.
"How'd this little guy get orphaned?" Amy asked picking it up and cuddling it.
Mr. Fuji sighed. "It's a sad story. He came to us from a girl who said she found a Marowak and her child, this Cubone, fighting off Team Rocket. Marowak tried to save her child but she was hit just a little too hard by the Rocket it cracked her skull. The girl said she used her Pokémon to fight off Team Rocket but she couldn't care for another Pokémon, especially one so young. She brought Cubone here."
Gary was currently being used as a climbing tree by a couple of baby twin Aipoms and was unable to comment. Machala decided to take this opportunity to speak with her cousin and dragged Vi away as Amy digested this information.
"So Team Rocket killed this Cubone's mother? That's horrible," Amy whispered. Duplica nodded in agreement.
Mr. Fuji nodded as well. "And what's worse, his mother's ghost is still not at rest. I've seen it in the graveyard the past few nights. I tried to show it that its baby was okay but she didn't seem to think living here was good enough for her child."
Drew raised an eyebrow. "So her ghost is in the graveyard? Haven't you asked Violet to help put it to rest?"
Mr. Fuji nodded. "I have, but she told me to wait for you two to come help."
Drew sighed. "I wonder when she planned on telling us about this."
Gary had shaken the Aipoms and had come over to listen to the conversation. Violet and Machala had returned as well, Violet looked haughty and Machala looking exasperated.
"You can put ghosts to rest?" Gary asked Violet looking... impressed?
Violet blushed and nodded, seeming to forget her haughtiness. "Yes, well it's hard with fewer people for the séance. Hey, you should stay the night and help us contact the spirit of Marowak!" Violet suggested happily. Duplica looked sick but Gary was quick to agree. Amy found herself spiralling into depression and couldn't find the heart to argue. When they all went into the kitchen to make plans Drew and Machala stayed back a minute.
"I thought you were going to get her to lay off Gary?" Drew asked Machala in a whisper.
Machala groaned. "I tried but she said that Gary had said himself that he and Amy were just friends and that Amy doesn't own him. You know how stubborn she is."
Drew frowned. "Amy looks like she's given up. I find that somehow disheartening."
"Me too. I liked it better when she was angry," Machala said, shoulders slumped.
*****
That night they sat in a circle holding hands in the graveyard over the grave of the Marowak. Ditto had transformed back into Gastly and he and Dark Smoke flew around the circle, as did Casper. Amy at first had retired to sit between Duplica and Machala, but somehow Machala had worked it so she wound up next to Gary holding his hand with Violet on his other side. Ash couldn't bring herself to look at him, and Duplica, who was still at Amy's other side, suspected that Gary had noticed her lack of eye contact. Mr. Fuji held Drew and Duplica's hands. Cubone had been brought as well and sat in Amy's lap, undaunted by any emotions running through the circle and seeming aglow with anticipation, as though he knew what he was about to see again.
Violet was to speak to the spirit as apparently she was a medium. "Marowak, hear us now. We gather here at your deathbed to ask you what keeps you here on Earth. You know your baby is safe, yet you do not rest. What can we do to ease your journey into the beyond?"
'She's laying it on thick,' Duplica though to herself. She wondered if Amy was thinking that too or if she had totally lost her ability to think such thoughts. She looked pretty upset with the whole situation. Duplica was unsure whether making her hold Gary's hand when Violet was on his other side was such a great idea after all. Duplica was driven fiercely from these thoughts as a shimmering white vapour appeared in the center of the circle and she let out a short scream. She did not like ghosts. She did not. How had they talked her into this?
"MAROOO!!!" The ghost of Marowak materialized. It stood and turned, gazing at all in the circle. Her eyes settled on her baby who cried out and reached toward her but she drew back, telling it not to approach. Cubone stopped and Amy felt wet drops on her knees. It was Cubone's tears. She felt tears in her own, not only for Cubone but for herself. She felt horrible for crying for herself in this situation which of course only brought more tears. She knew she was spiralling. She had to get out of this. She felt a sharp chill shoot through her leg and looked up to see Marowak touching her knee lightly. It looks deeply into her eyes and she suddenly saw what Marowak had seen just before death. She saw the dark figures approaching. She heard their laughter and jeers. They wanted Cubone's skull to sell. Cubone cowered. Then the fatal crack on the head. Blackness. Then the scene changed and she was floating. She saw her son, alive. Safe, but without a mother.
'Take care of my son, and I shall rest in peace,' Marowak's words echoed in Amy's mind.
"I will. But, what is his name? Do Pokémon name themselves? I don't know, I just usually have names for each of my Pokémon, to make them special..." Amy whispered breathlessly. Cubone looked up at her confused.
Marowak looked at her carefully. 'Pokémon have names in ways that humans cannot understand. If you wish to call my son something, I trust you will make a good choice,' the words echoed again and the spirit flashed before flying up into the sky. Everyone was staring at Amy. They had all heard Marowak's words. Violet looked a bit put out and she bit her lip.
"I thought she'd choose someone, but I thought I'd be... well anyway," she shook her head. "Congrats." Everyone dropped their hands and Amy's arms wrapped around Cubone, hugging it to her.
"So, um, what're you gonna name it?" Gary asked. Amy looked up into Gary's eyes for the first time since that afternoon and smiled.
"I'm going to name him... Gabriel. I'm not sure why, but it feels right," Cubone had fallen asleep now. She gathered him up and stood.
Violet stood too. "This is so unfair!" she giggled. "You guys get to keep traveling and I'm stuck here! Oh Mickeeeey...."
Machala looked weary "What is iiiit?"
"You're coming for a while right? Can't you just watch the tower so I can go with them?" Violet begged. Machala stared at her.
"No!" she snapped.
"No," Gary said firmly. Violet stared at him. Amy stared as well, still holding the sleeping Gabriel.
"B-but why not?" Violet asked shakily.
"Well for one thing that's a really unfair thing to put on your cousin. For another thing, I'm just not interested in you."
"Why not?" Violet demanded looking really pissed off all of a sudden. Gary paused, trying to find words to explain this. He glanced at Amy whose heart sped up a little. Amy took a breath. She was going to step up here. She wondered if she was going to regret this.
"You want to know why he's not interested?" she said stepping up beside Gary who looked absolutely shocked at her outburst.
"Um..." Violet said biting her lip hard.
"Because," Amy said softly as Duplica felt a shiver run down her spine. "I'm his," her voice cracked, "I'm his girlfriend."
Duplica screamed and clapped excitedly. Machala and Drew grinned and the ghost Pokémon flying above them danced happily in the air. Amy felt a blush creep into her cheeks. She stole a tiny glance at Gary. He looked stunned and then he grinned widely.
"I knew you were jealous."
Amy frowned furiously, still blushing. "Shut up. Okay I was. Are you happy?"
"Yes."
"Shut up," Amy looked away. Violet stared.
"But you said..." Violet said sounding heartbroken. Gary looked embarrassed.
"I uh, look I'm sorry. You're nice but I've liked Amy a whole lot longer. I can't just leave her for you," he wrapped his arm around Amy's waist and pulled her to him. Amy blushed harder and pulled back a little. Gary frowned.
"I thought you'd finally broken down?"
Amy shook her head. "Only sort of. Look I-I'm not really ready for doing anything fast. I'm just... not okay? Don't go grabbing and pulling me like that, I just, I'm not ready! Can't you wait?"
Gary groaned, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples. "I guess I waited this long..." he sighed a relaxed. "I can take it slow."
Duplica grinned. Amy still had control of the situation and it was time to get some sleep. Tomorrow they were moving on again.