Inferno, Chapter 14
Well, here we go again. This chapter should be pretty exciting, perhaps scary. But you'll have to read to find out why. On another note, if you have a story you want to see on the spotlight, please PM me and give a brief explanation of your story. I'll look it over and decide whether or not I deem it appropriate. Who knows, you might find yourself another follower! Anyway, let's get started here. Story Spotlight; Cyanide- A Prison Story, by Cyanide the Sneasel. Ratings; 1st) United States 2nd) Australia 3rd) Canada 4th) United Kingdom 5th) Barbados.
A False Sense of Security
It was now three days since Blaze, Lora, and Loki's arrival to Unova. They had taken a brief reprieve for the time being in Castelia City, whose structure interested Blaze. He thought that the whole of Castelia resembled a giant hand on the map, though that was only due to the individual ports.
They weren't going to tackle Skyarrow Bridge, as it was too long to make in the little time of the day they had left. So they decided to grab a room at the Pokemon Center, and after their names had been registered, Blaze and Lora went to get something to eat. Meanwhile, Loki went to the telecommunicators to contact his friend again. He dialed the number, and after three rings, he answered.
"Privet?" he asked, his accent heavier. Upon seeing Loki, he grinned widely and said
"Aah, podruga Loki! It has been a while since we last conversed, no? Tell me, how fare your travels?" Loki grinned and replied
"We've been in Unova for three days now. We're taking a room in Castelia right now." Nicholai's eyes widened and he said angrily
"I ty ne skazal mne?!" Loki sweatdropped and said
"Dude, I don't speak Russian. Please make some sense." Nicholai pinched the bridge of his nose and said
"Etot mal'chik budet moya smert'. I asked, why did you not tell me?" Loki shook his head exasperatedly and said
"Geez, take it easy. What was the other thing you said?" Nicholai scowled and replied
"That you will be the death of me. Now answer my question." Loki chuckled and told him
"Sorry, but I wanted to get out of Mistralton quick, and both Driftveil and Nimbassa are packed to the point that people could overhear and spread the word quickly." Nicholai frowned and asked
"And this matter does not give you concern where you are now?" Loki shook his head and said
"No, because there are so many people here, that if something does slip, the chances are it will become very distorted along the way, which helps in a way." Nicholai chuckled and said
"Ah yes, much like children's game of telephone, no? I find it amusing to see where a simple phrase can go because something was misheard. At the end, the phrase is severely distorted. Yes, very amusing indeed." Loki shook his head and said
"You sure are weird." Nicholai grunted and responded
"Vy posmotreli v zerkalo v posledneye vremya?" Loki frowned and asked
"What was that?" Nicholai shook his head and replied
"Nothing of consequence. So tell me, when should I expect your arrival?" Loki hesitated, then let what he was sure was an insult pass before saying
"As long as nothing goes wrong, we should get there within a week."
"Good! I shall have preparations made for your arrival!" Loki waved the offer off and said
"Oh, there's no need to go to that trouble-"
"It is no trouble, as I often do not get visitors, much less house guests" Nicholai interrupted. Loki paused, then shrugged and said
"Alright, whatever. It's your house to wreck." Nicholai chuckled, then said
"Very well, then. I shall see you and your companions within the week." Loki nodded and signed off, sighing in relief. He had come far in this act of help, but there was still more ground to cover, and not all the dangers had been crossed yet. If Blaze wanted full protection, he needed to become a registered citizen of the region. Of course, given his background, that might prove difficult. Loki stood and walked over to the cafeteria, spotting Blaze and Lora fairly quickly.
That made him worry, as Blaze's bright red clothing was a dead give-away. However, he would not be persuaded to change. As he said
"I have Blaziken blood in me, and so long as that holds true, I might as well look the part!" Hardly convincing, but he was adamant about it. Loki approached the two refugees and asked
"So, how are you enjoying Unova so far?" Blaze turned to him with bright eyes and said
"I'm loving it! This place is so accepting, way more upbeat than Kanto ever was!" Loki grinned and said
"Well, Kanto is more of a tradition region; Unova is a bit more new-age." Blaze nodded and replied
"And that works for me. So, what's next on the agenda?" Loki responded
"We'll crash here for tonight, then cross Skyarrow Bridge tomorrow. That will take the better part of the day, so we'll have to make camp in Pinwheel Forest." Lora frowned and asked
"Pinwheel Forest?" Loki nodded and replied
"Yeah, it's this region's biggest forest. In fact, it's so big that, before the trail was paved, people would get lost for days on end, even though they kept moving, but in much of a pinwheel fashion. Hence the name." Lora seemed worried, and rightly so, until Loki allayed her fears.
"But like I said, there's a paved trail. The only way you'll get lost is if you go off of it and wind your way through the forest for a while. Even then the trail isn't unduly difficult to find again." Lora nodded, looking more relieved now. Blaze then asked
"How long will it take us to get to… where was it again?" Loki smiled and told him
"Striaton City. And it should take us about another five days to walk there, assuming nothing goes wrong. Anyway, let's turn in for the night and get an early start tomorrow." They both nodded and rose from the table. They went to their room and took their respective sleeping areas, Lora the bed, Blaze the couch and Loki the floor. Neither of them minded this arrangement, so they soon fell asleep.
The next morning they bolted down a quick breakfast and left early, before most everyone in the normally bustling city was even awake. Guided by light posts, they walked along the ports of Castelia, eventually reaching the small tunnel that led directly to Skyarrow Bridge. When they exited the opposite side, the sun was beginning to peek up from the horizon, and Blaze looked over the bridge. Finally he said
"We have to walk across that monster?!" Loki grinned and nodded, replying
"Yep, the longest bridge in the world, and we have the dubious pleasure of walking across it to reach our destination. Just keep in mind that it will only take a day."
"Only a day?! You're out of your mind!" Loki chuckled and said
"Well, we're not going to make it in a day if we keep arguing. Let's bicker along the way, shall we?" Lora rolled her eyes and said
"Oh, both of you knock it off already. Let's just cross and get it over with." With that, the group took their first steps on the world's currently longest bridge, and Blaze felt uneasy about the whole thing, not least because they were over a massive expanse of ocean and he didn't know how to swim. However, Lora reminded him
"You still have the crystal, remember?" Blaze frowned and pulled it out, saying
"Yeah, but between the mass teleport to Vermillion and recharging you, I don't think it will take us very far." Lora lay a hand on the crystal, then said
"No, it won't. But the bridge is secure, that much I know. Once we stop to make camp, I'll begin to revitalize it." Loki frowned and asked
"Is that a good idea?" Lora turned to him and replied
"I don't see why not. Blaze can always recall me to have me healed, and if we encounter any danger, it is better to have a more substantial amount than to have nothing. Unless you see a flaw in that reasoning, I will forge ahead with that plan." Loki frowned, as he didn't deny the validity of her argument, but still didn't like the idea. He shrugged, knowing it would be pointless to argue, and said
"Fine, it's your energy. It doesn't really matter to me. Just don't overexert yourself, okay?" Lora nodded and promised. For the rest of the day they walked across the bridge, and after Blaze got over his initial fear, he started to appreciate the magnificent and clear view they could enjoy. Along the way, they met a few other travelers, some trainers who had one or more of their pokemon out, some just regular people, and even some people strangely dressed to resemble a pokemon of sorts. One particular young adult, dressed as a Gallade, stopped and said
"Damn dude, nice outfit! You almost had me fooled for a real Blaziken! Where'd you get that done?" Blaze grumbled and replied
"A couple of bugs kidnapped me and spun these out." The man was confused until Loki rushed to explain.
"It was two Leavanny. They were appalled to see the state his original attire was in, so they redid it for him." The man nodded approvingly and said
"Cool. Maybe I'll find a couple of Leavanny and see what I can get. Anyway, it was nice talkin' to you!" He waved them farewell as he walked off, and the group returned it. Then they continued forward, Blaze gleaming with joy.
"Wow, I really love this region!" Lora and Loki chuckled, but Lora was glad to see Blaze finally happy, and expressing it without hesitation. She decided to have a little fun with him.
"Say, Blaze?" He looked at her, his hands currently clasped behind his head while he took exaggerated steps.
"Hmm?" Lora smiled and asked teasingly
"What's say after we settle things down we find you a lovely female Blaziken?" Blaze blushed and said
"Whoa, where did that come from?" Lora laughed and continued
"Oh, I just wondered. You are getting at that age, you know." Blaze's blush deepened and he said
"That's a bit left field, especially for you, Lora, What are you planning?" Growing a bit more serious, Lora told him
"Well, everyone has their partners. I thought it would only be fair if you had one yourself." Blaze frowned and retorted
"Well what about you? You've gone to those mating meetings or whatever, but you never settled down."
"I was busy protecting you. I had no time to settle down. But maybe after we do in Striaton, I just might consider it." Blaze regarded her with shock and said
"Really?" Lora simply nodded, and Blaze looked forward, now considering the possibility, then shaking his head clear of the thought, thinking out loud
"No female in their right mind would want to take me for a mate. I'm just… an abomination." Lora frowned and said
"Don't think like that. You are who you are, and there's nothing wrong with that. You aren't an abomination, and you're certainly no worse than any other human or pokemon. At least take it into consideration. You've suffered much, and a mate would probably do you some good." She let those words hang in the air, and while they made Blaze somewhat uncomfortable, he also entertained the idea while they walked.
XXXXXXXXXX
Just before the sun began to sink below the horizon, the end of the bridge came within sight. Blaze grinned and shouted out
"Race ya!" Before taking off. Loki chuckled and shouted after him
"Oh no you don't!" and ran right after him. Lora sighed and remarked to herself
"Boys" and continued along at her own leisurely pace. When at last she reached them, the stars were peering down at the trio, and Blaze said sarcastically
"It's about time you made it, slowpoke!" Lora rolled her eyes and replied
"Gardevoir aren't meant to run. Besides, it would only have served to tire me further, and then I wouldn't have been able to begin restoring the energy inside the crystal." Blaze rolled his eyes and accepted her rebuttal.
"Fine, whatever. Let's just get moving. I want to get there as soon as possible. I'd travel through the night, but I don't know where I'm going." Loki and Lora both laughed, and they soon made camp, ate dinner, and promptly went to bed.
The next morning was met with a bright sun, clear skies, and fresh air. Blaze exited the tent, inhaling deeply and expressing once again his affection for the region. In the spirit of things, he started the fire and searched through his supplies for some food, but there was nothing there. Out of newfound respect, he didn't want to go rifling through Loki's belongings, so he waited.
In time Lora and Loki woke up, and once breakfast was made, they ate merrily and went over their planned route for the day. Hopefully they could reach Nacrene City by the end of the day, but only action would get them there.
So they packed up their camp and began their journey through the forest. The path wasn't as long as Skyarrow Bridge, not by a long shot, but it was still fairly far. Fortunately, though, it was also straight.
Halfway through, however, around noon, Lora turned her head curiously into the forest, having felt something odd. Blaze noticed and asked
"What's up Lora?" She briefly shook her head and told him
"I thought I felt something strange in there… I'm going to have a look." And she walked right in. Blaze looked at Loki and said
"I'll get her. We'll be right back." Loki nodded, hesitantly though, and Blaze walked in after Lora. He soon found her in a clearing, where she was looking right and left, searching for something, but evidently unable to find it. Blaze walked up to her and asked
"What's going on?" Lora hesitated before replying
"I felt a spike of emotion just a moment ago, but now it's completely gone." Blaze shrugged and said
"Maybe it was a flying type, and it just flew away." Lora looked around again, and she said slowly
"I'm not so sure about that…"
SNAP!
The sound caused both Lora and Blaze to whirl around, years of experience kicking in. Unfortunately, it would not help here.
A large net encased them both and wrapped around them. The net was mesh and appeared to be made out of a multicolored material, but neither Blaze nor Lora could identify it. Soon, a medium-sized man walked forward, and when he stepped into the light, he was revealed as a Team Rocket scientist. Blaze's heart dropped and he said in his mind
"No… not now… not when we've come so far!" He began to struggle to throw the net off of them, but that only made it constrict them more. When he gave up, Lora attempted to remove the net with her psychic powers. However, the net glowed brightly in response, and when it faded, Lora was panting for breath, obviously worn out. The scientist chuckled and stared at them.
He was of medium stature, with brown hair and gray eyes, which were mostly concealed by glasses that were easily an inch thick, owing to the man's horrible depth perception. Even with them, however, he still was fairly blind. He wore a white overcoat that covered his entire body.
He shifted his glasses and told them
"Forget it. That net absorbs whatever energy you put out, and then some. I have to say, I have quite an interesting pair here. Gardevoir and Blaziken are not native to this region, but I'm sure Team Rocket will be pleased with new test subjects nonetheless." Blaze's heart dropped and he thought
"Test subjects? They catch random pokemon to test on? That's just horrible!" He was about to say something, but Lora quickly hushed him in his mind.
"No! Don't speak!"
"Why not?"
"He doesn't know who you are. If you don't tip him off, we won't be shipped first-class back to Kanto. We'll still have a chance to escape, Blaze." The argument forestalled Blaze's nearly outspoken fury about the atrocities of Team Rocket. The scientist took a remote out of his pocket and pressed a button. The net fully wrapped around Blaze and Lora, and he summoned two Machoke to throw them into a large cage. The net was removed, the door was closed, and the Machoke carried the cage through the forest, deeper than anyone dared travel.
At last they came to a large vehicle, which looked like it was used for mass transport, of what Blaze had a hunch. When the back doors were opened, his worst fears were confirmed. Inside cages of their own were a variety of pokemon, all clamoring for their freedom and trying to break open their cages. They were obviously designed in some way that prevented them from using their own attacks, so the most they could use was brunt force, which wasn't really enough.
Blaze saw all sorts as he and Lora were placed in the last empty slot in the back of the truck. Shortly after the doors were closed, the truck began to move. Blaze turned to Lora and asked
"Are you alright?" Lora nodded and replied
"Yes, but I'm very tired. That energy draining net was more potent than I could imagine." Blaze frowned and asked
"So what are the chances you can teleport us out of here?" Lora hung her head and said tiredly
"Too slim. I don't have the energy to teleport us any further than the outside of this cage, but it wouldn't allow that. And the crystal is too depleted to get us any considerable distance." Blaze hesitated, then said
"Then I guess it would be way too much to ask to get all these pokemon out of here." Lora turned incredulous eyes on him and shouted in his mind
"Are you crazy?! I can't get US out of here, much less all of them!" Blaze riled up and demanded
"So you would tell me to forsake them and allow them to be subjected to the horrors we know Team Rocket commits?" Lora had no answer. Blaze looked around with pity at all the pokemon. Some were sulking, many were trying to escape, but all of them were crying out in despair. The only exception Blaze saw was a Lucario in the corner with a purple scarf that had black trimming. He, unlike the other pokemon, was asleep, leaning as comfortably as possible against the side of his cage. Blaze was confused, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he nestled up against Lora, allowing her some comfort while she recuperated enough to form a decent plan. Before Blaze closed his eyes, the last thing he though was
"May Arceus have pity on us."
Alright, that was exciting, wasn't it? This was actually a request from one of my readers. It's not finished yet, so don't send those hate reviews just yet. But please do send your reviews soon.