Chapter 12

Joleen and I hesitated as we waited within the remnants of the Accumula Town Pokémon Center. Neither one of us spoke a word to each other as we waited. Rex had yet to come back from scouting the way ahead for Team Plasma.

Now that I knew Mary and Theo's house had a secret passage way into the abandoned place of healing, it was easier to recognise some of the broken down machines I had been rushed passed the previous night. There wasn't a single bulky shape that didn't have its mechanical innards spilt across the floor, or simply missing. It was still too dark for me to tell the difference between any colours and too much time had corroded away any kind of symbols.

I placed my hand across my chest and breathed a sigh of relief when my fingers came into contact with the marble-sized Master Ball settled just below my heart. Raikou was still safe.

I blinked rapidly. When had I started to think the Pokémon was safe within the ball I'd captured it with? The thought was enough to jolt me out of any other musings I might have been having.

I was beginning to think of the ball being less of a prison and more of a safe haven. What was wrong with me? Surely that wasn't right. Unless everything we'd been taught in school while I'd been growing up was completely wrong. From what I'd seen with Team Plasma so far, that seemed to be the case.

If it was indeed the case that the rulers of Unova had crafted that giant story and made it part of the social norm, then what else was also a falsehood? Was there anything about me that was true, or had my entire life been a lie from the start?

I staggered slightly at the thought and bumped a piece of machinery causing it to scrape against the floor. The action pulled Joleen out of her own musings and she glance at me in concern.

"What's up?" she asked while placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Nothing," I replied quickly while I shook my head to rid myself of such thoughts.

I refused to admit I'd just had a glimpse into a very dark pit of despair. I mentally scolded myself for jumping to the worst conclusion possible. I should find out more about Unova before I make rash thoughts. That's what I should do.

"Just thinking about Raikou," I replied to her concerned stare, using a half-truth in place of my lie.

"Understandable," replied the girl with a smile. "It seems like you are getting quite attached to it."

"Yeah," I muttered my agreement. Admitting to it out loud made it seem much more real.

"You never forget the first Pokémon you raise," commented the girl with a wide smile. "It's why Infernape and I are so close. He was my first."

"You can say that again," agreed Rex as he joined us amongst the wreckage. I jumped as I hadn't heard him come back until he spoke beside me. "I remember my first partner all those years ago. Back before everythin' went wrong an' I lost everythin' I cherished."

Joleen and I glanced at each other before she pressed the question.

"What was your first Pokémon?"

Rex hesitated and his face seemed to take on even more shadows than it already had. His eyes had glazed slightly in hurt before he shook it off.

"Tha's a conversation for another time," grunted the man with his eyebrows creased together and his gray eyes narrowed. "My friends were … taken from me years ago. I'd rather not talk about it."

He headed towards the predawn glow from the world outside the abandoned Pokémon Center and gestured for us to follow and remain quiet. Joleen shot me a withered look, but we both remained silent as we followed the man into the barren forest beside Accumula Town and away from Team Plasma.