Inferno, Chapter 10
Alright, I think you've been waiting for this eagerly. Allow me to set that eagerness aside for now with this new chapter.
A Plan In The Making
Lora and Blaze woke up at the same time, both yawning widely. Blaze stretched his left arm, but his right arm, the broken one, was still a bit sore for his liking. So he left that alone. They exited the tent and grabbed some breakfast, courtesy of Loki. Blaze was loathe to accept help from anyone but Lora, but she insisted that he give Loki a chance.
Soon after breakfast, Loki told Lora to keep studying English while he went to make his call. After he had left, Blaze turned to Lora and said
"Let's go, while we have the chance." Lora stared at him agape, and she said
"Are you crazy?! We finally find someone who's willing to help us escape the clutches of Team Rocket, and you want to ditch him and stay in a region that will surely condemn you?!"
Blaze was getting irritated, a fact not lost on Lora, and he was fueled with the stress of bottling his emotions.
"I still don't trust that guy! What if he's setting us up for a trap? What then, huh?!" Lora threw her hands into the air in frustration and said
"I don't believe this! We find one human who's good, one who has done nothing to harm you in any way whatsoever, and you're practically spitting in his face!" Blaze scowled and stated
"All humans are greedy scumbags." Lora pointed accusingly at Blaze and said
"You're part human! What of you? Are you as greedy as the rest of them, then?" Blaze jumped up and glowered at her, making her quail momentarily, and he said
"If the desire for freedom and safety is being greedy, then yes, I am the greediest being that could be found on this planet." He stalked away then, and jumped as hard as he could to reach the point of a mountain. He climbed to the other side and began to seek solitude. Lora's eyes dropped to the ground in shame and sadness, and she asked herself
"Why did he have to be the one to suffer all of this?"
At the Pokemon Center…
Loki walked in and was greeted by the nurse once again, asking if she could help. Loki put on a convincing smile, nothing drastic, and said
"I just need to use the videophone." The nurse nodded, then picked up a magazine and began reading. Loki discreetly rolled his eyes, then walked over to the videophones. He plugged in the number and hit "call". After a couple of rings, Nicholai picked up. He grinned when he saw Loki and said
"Good day, idiotom. I assume you have a better plan in mind now, no?" Loki frowned and said
"I may not be able to understand Russian, but that's not hard to translate. I can do without the insults, thank you." Nicholai grunted and asked
"So, you have asked their opinions?" Loki nodded, and Nicholai asked
"And what did they say?" Loki responded
"They want to take an aircraft. The Gardevoir reasoned that speed was the route to take, but the hybrid insisted on employing stealth." Nicholai frowned and asked
"This hybrid, what does he look like, then?" Loki frowned and said
"Well, from a distance, he's pretty easy to mistake for a somewhat undersized Blaziken. Up close though, his human traits are pretty obvious." Nicholai thought for a moment, then asked
"Would it be possible to store him inside a pokeball? We could perform a wireless transfer and avoid the whole stealth issue. Team Rocket will be none the wiser." Loki frowned and said
"Well, I have my doubts, but I suppose it could be possible. I'll ask when I get back, but I assume he wouldn't go for it." Nicholai nodded and responded
"This is understandable. Chances are he has too much human blood within him for the pokeball to be successful anyway. We shall plan for the aircraft scenario, but we should keep an open mind about the pokeball, unless of course it will not work." Loki nodded and told him
"I'll ask upon my return. In the meantime, what should we do to disguise him so he doesn't attract unwarranted attention?" Nicholai paused, then said
"Without being able to see the individual features that make this hybrid up, I cannot fathom what needs to be done to disguise him. You must send me a picture, then we may discuss further details." Loki shook his head and said
"Oh boy, he really won't like that." Nicholai grinned and said
"Tell him it is for his own well-being. Perhaps that will convince him." Loki shrugged, then asked
"Are you busy at all today?" Nicholai shook his head and replied
"No, today I have off." Loki then nodded and said
"Alright, I'll get the picture as fast as I can and be back soon. Hopefully without third degree burns." Nicholai grinned and said before he signed off
"Best of luck to you, tovarishch." Then the screen went black. Loki sighed as he got up, telling the nurse, who was still reading her magazine
"I'll be right back." She nodded absently and Loki left the building. Loki sped-walked back to the camp, only to find that Blaze had left. He looked toward Lora and asked worriedly
"Where did Blaze go?" Lora looked up at him forlornly and stated
"We had an argument, so he left to cool down for a while." Loki slapped his knee and said
"Damn it! Can you call him back? We kind of need him right now." Lora raised an eyebrow and asked
"Why?" Loki took a deep breath and said
"My friend and I are trying to figure out the best ways to get you both to Unova that fastest, stealthiest way possible, but being able to do both isn't quite easy. I need to speak with him and get some answers, as well as a photo." Lora's eyes widened and she said
"Oh no, a photo is a bad idea! He absolutely hates them!" Loki sighed and muttered
"I figured as much." Raising his voice, he said
"Well, if I don't give my buddy a way to determine what we need to hide and how, then we can't go through with this. We thought of one other method that would prove faster and stealthier than a plane, but only if it works."
"And that would be?"
"Pokemon transfer. Essentially, I put him in a pokeball and send him wirelessly to my friend. In less than five minutes, he's in Unova. But the only way that will work is if; One, he consents to remain in a pokeball. Two, he can be put IN the pokeball in the first place." Lora placed her head in her hands and she moaned
"It's good he wasn't here when you suggested that; nothing more than ashes would have been left of you." Loki grumbled, then said
"Okay, I didn't really believe that idea was going to work anyway. But the photo is unavoidable. I need to help my friend help us. Does that make sense?" Lora nodded and Loki said
"Okay then, call your friend back and I'll explain the situation to him."
Lora hesitated for a moment, then looked over to a mountain on their right and sat like that for about a minute. Then she turned back to Loki and told him
"He's on his way, but expect him to be in a foul mood."
"Wonderful…" mumbled Loki.
Five minutes later, Blaze returned in a state of high displeasure, and the sight of Loki did nothing to mitigate it.
"Hello, how are you?" Loki ventured out. Blaze responded brusquely
"Lousy. Now get to the point." Loki winced and moved straight into business mode.
"Alright. My friend and I have come up with two options that will get you to Unova. Both of them will get you there, but each one will require you to do something you might not like." Blaze growled and said
"Figures. Well, if it gets me away from Team Rocket, then I guess I'm game. What do I need to do?" Loki prepared himself to deliver news he was sure would get him killed.
"Okay, now please don't kill me, but my friend thought of one method which I didn't consider before. It would be the fastest and safest route to Unova, but it will only work based on one thing." Blaze narrowed his eyes suspiciously and asked
"And what would that be?" Loki gulped nervously and began to explain.
"Okay, it's called Wireless Transfer. How it works is, I take you inside a pokeball-" Blaze rushed up to him, gripped his shoulder, and whispered in his ear
"Finish that sentence, and I'll crush your balls." Loki immediately shut up, quite happy to have his manhood fully intact. Blaze released him and said
"Not a chance in hell. Besides, those damn things don't work on me." Loki took a relieved sigh and shakily said
"Okay, then that leaves only one other option."
"And what could that be?"
"We take the plane as planned. But I need to send a photo of you to my friend so he can best advise how to disguise you so as not to raise suspicion. Besides, he'll need it to create a fake passport for you." Lora cocked her head and asked
"What's a passport?" Loki sighed and explained
"A passport is a legal document of sorts that states that a person can travel out of their region and into another, with the full understanding that they will succumb to the entering region's rules and regulations." Lora nodded in understanding, but Loki had a feeling she was faking it. Then he directed his attention back to Blaze and said
"So, what'll it be? If you really want out of here, it's going to require some sacrifice on your part." Blaze was looking around, making up his mind. Finally he growled
"Fine. But let me warn you right now-" Blaze stepped up to him again and threatened
"If I see that picture anywhere else but a passport, whatever the hell that is, Hell's fire will be the element to cool you down when I'm done with you." Loki shivered and said
"Duly noted. Now then, let's get this over with and the show on the road." Blaze walked a certain distance and simply stood there. Loki aimed the camera at him and asked
"Can you put your arms down, please?" Blaze growled but complied, uncrossing his arms. Loki took the photo and said
"Thanks. I'll be back in a while, and I promise I'll have a way to get you guys safely to Unova."
He immediately walked in the direction of the Pokemon Center, and Blaze stood there for a moment. Then he addressed Lora, saying
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." Lora looked at him with concern and said
"You know, you shouldn't bottle up your emotions like that. It can be dangerous for your health." Blaze took a deep, calming breath, then said
"I'm dealing with it the best way I know how. I promise I'll get over it soon. Don't worry about me." Before Lora could respond, he walked off again. Lora watched him with apprehension, not sure where this new road would lead him.
Meanwhile, Loki walked back into the Pokemon Center, the nurse still reading her magazine. She looked up, and upon seeing him she said tiredly
"Welcome to the Cinnabar blah blah, blah blah blah. You know what you want." Loki smirked, then headed over to the videophones and put in Nicholai's number again. After the first ring, he picked up, and Nicholai asked
"You do not have third degree burns. I assume this means you did not get the photo." He was grinning now. Loki grunted and said
"I got the picture, but I nearly lost my balls thanks to your Wireless Transfer suggestion. He did not take kindly to it. You better make sure this picture only winds up on a passport." Nicholai nodded and said
"Worry not, comrade. I shall take care of it. Now, where is the picture?" Loki nodded and told him
"Give me a minute." He took a cord and hooked it up to the machine, then chose the photo he had taken of Blaze. He sent that over, and in a moment, Nicholai printed out the picture. He scrutinized it for a moment, then he sighed and shook his head, saying
"I pity this hybrid. He must have suffered much at the hands of those criminals. At any rate, most of this will be easy to cover. The claws can be placed in pockets, but wrap them up for precaution. As for how to hide the horns… I am afraid to say I don't have many ideas regarding how to cover them. The receptionist will demand to see his face."
Loki waited with baited breath while Nicholai began pondering. Then he snapped his fingers and said
"Aha! A genius I am! Tie string around his head, behind base of horns, then claim it to be a trinket of some sort." Loki sighed in relief; at least it was something.
"When can you have that passport ready?" Nicholai nodded and said
"I shall send it to you tomorrow. Do not bother me until then. Do svidaniya." Loki nodded and signed off, then waved off the nurse, who did the same without looking up from her magazine. Loki rolled his eyes and walked out.
Okay, that about wraps that up! What do you think? Let me know soon!