Lesson 14: I'm not one of those who can easily hide
In Cheren's humble opinion the people who said that it's all about the journey and not the destination, where those who failed to reach their goal and wanted to give said failing a nice twist.
Yeah he liked the chance to travel, seeing all kinds of stuff and meeting new people would be okay, but what mattered the most was beating every trainer and gym leader that came along the way. His main goal was to become Unova's champion, the nice things that happened in between him being a regular trainer and the Elite Four's leader were just a bonus.
There he had said it.
Nothing wrong with a little ambition, or to use Ashe's words 'A shitload of it'. However at the moment Cheren wasn't doing quite well on the whole 'travelling aspect'.
'Honestly, if they moved any slower we'd be going backwards by now.' He thought glancing over his shoulder at the two females walking behind him, chattering nonstop, completely oblivious of his rapidly growing irritation.
'What sane person stops every five steps to admire graffiti and calls vandalism art for god's sake!'
Ashe White of course, why bother asking?
'And how is it even possible to get two stones in your shoe at the same time while walking on the side walk?'
You might want to ask Bianca Ferilli she had managed just that.
Little did Cheren know that reaching Nacrene City by nightfall would turn out to be such a hassle, the small request his brown haired friend was about to make would put everything in motion.
"Cheren?" I said to my friend's straight back, his shoulders rigid with irritation.
"Whatever it is the answer is no." He replied, unconsciously using the childish tactics he used when talking to his little sister Miki.
"I have to pee. Something like that doesn't really take no for an answer if you know what I mean." I snorted already checking my surroundings for a public restroom.
"Do you know how dirty a public toilet is?" he asked catching my drift, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
I exchanged a glance with Bianca and rolled my eyes, "Ask Cress and his tea. I do wash my hands you know, it's not like I'm going to plunge my hand in -
"YES YES I get it!" he cut me short shaking his head, "the things that come out of your mouth sometimes."
"Oh you know you love me." I stated raising a brow before pushing the door open.
I wasn't going to tell him that I'd be holding my breath the whole time.
"And don't you use those hand dryers after washing your hands!"
Cheren could be such a mom.
"I saw it first Cheren Kuro!" Bianca's loud voice drifted through the cracked door.
My reflection in the mirror frowned and I refrained myself from rolling my eyes. Exiting the public toilet I found my two friends practically nose to nose with each other. Bianca, gesturing wildly pointed at something located across the street and I leaned to the side so I could see around her. A green monkey practically identical to Cilan's Pansage sat on the curb happily playing with something that looked like an acorn.
"We saw it simultaneously, that's something very different!" retorted Cheren dismissing her argument with an impatient wave of his hand. Both where so engaged in their bickering they didn't even notice my presence or one elemental monkey disappearing from the scene.
"If I were to knock your heads together this instant it would give some interesting results." I said enjoying my choice of words.
Cheren turned at the distraction, frowned in my direction and took a step back to create a distance between him and a beet-red Bianca.
"Ashe!" she spluttered and I fought down the giggle that threatened to escape. "The things that – "
"Yes yes, the things that come out of my mouth sometimes. That Pokémon the two of you were eying left by the way." I said casually smoothing some nonexistent wrinkles out of my shirt.
"What! I was going to catch it!" she exclaimed glaring at Cheren who snorted at the word 'catch'.
Claiming that I would like to catch it too crossed my mind, but the fact the two of them practically fought over the Pokémon like two Herdier over a bone stopped me from doing so, even teasing had its limits. On some, extremely rare occasions that is.
"Lucky for you guys I saw where it went" I chimed walking straight ahead trusting they would follow me. Just like the first time Bianca's face took on a rather peeved expression the moment she saw the Striaton Gym.
Shoulders hunched she drew to a halt, "It was Cilan's?" she muttered ignoring the green crossing signal. "You wish." Cheren huffed pushing her back, deciding not to notice the way his brunette friend only seemed to walk on the white crosswalk lines.
"Ashe, do you even know where we're going?" Bianca urged causing me to pause.
I could almost hear Cheren flipping out on me before I revealed. "I have a theory."
Deciding not to take it as a direct insult to my intelligence when Cheren's mouth dropped we made our way to the Dreamyard which was located on the city's west side.
"You came up with all of this because of an acorn?" Voice laced with sarcasm Cheren rummaged through his neatly ordered pack producing his trusty laptop.
"I think it's pretty good thinking. Acorns mean trees and well what do you know – trees!" Bianca interrupted craning her neck to peek over his shoulder, her eyes widening when his fingers darted over the keyboard, typing away at break neck speed.
Occupying his other shoulder I squinted my eyes at the screen, "I blame you and forced BBC Sherlock Holmes marathons. You made me think all logical and stuff. "
Green eyes glanced through blonde bangs, "You never complained!"
Puffing my cheeks I rested my chin on Cheren's shoulder, "It's impossible not to love Sherlock Holmes. Arrogant genius." I sighed, grinning when a blonde head nodded vigorously.
Snapping his laptop shut Cheren shrugged his shoulders shooing us of like two clingy Pidove, "Before one of you starts to drool on my laptop I think we should be careful with this place."
Understatement of the century. The wrecked old building had 'HAUNTED' written all over it, "Definitely not my first pick for an afternoon stroll if that's what you're trying to say." I thought out loud, glaring at the building as if I could fix the giant hole in the roof just by staring. If someone were to add some grazing Deerling, looking all picturesque… maybe a rainbow…Yeah…That would work.
"Oh don't worry!" practically shouting Bianca marched towards the abandoned factory, "I bet it used to be a mall!" she chimed still talking to herself about how nice it would be if she were to catch the Pansage.
"For the love of – Don't you watch the news? It's an abandoned research facility! The ruins of one that is." Cheren explained, making his way towards Bianca who had already crossed a large section of the meadow separating us from the Dreamyard. Dragging my feet I followed, praying for the Pansage to reappear somewhere along the path that would lead us back to Striaton City.
'Stupid Ashe with your stupid ideas.' I thought fiddling with the single Pokéball attached to my belt. After appearing in a flash of bright light Marron took his time to stretch and view his surroundings before flicking a glance on my face.
"We're going to that building over there." I whispered pointing ahead. Twitching his tail the lizard remained impassive, his obvious trust that there was more to come made me laugh, "Okay it's going to be all freaky there and I don't do well with freaky." I admitted a blush rising on my cheeks when he snickered.
Gotta confess I'm a real masochist when it comes to ghosts and all that supernatural crap. It's like a vicious cycle, I'm too proud to admit that Cheren's Japanese horror movies scare the living crap out of me, so I watch them with a pillow plastered to my face. The next thing I know being terrified of my own shadow is considered sane.
"Why couldn't it be clowns or something less ridiculous…" I grumbled before realizing clowns freaked me out too. 'No way I'm telling Marron that.'
Silence stretched for a few moments and I quickened my pace to catch up on my friends, and their conversation, I didn't take long before Cheren's metallic voice became audible again.
"About thirty years ago scientists used it in search of a cleaner energy source, Sinnoh already had those wind turbines so the research on Musharna's Dream Mist was considered Unova's counter-action." He said with that sudden enthusiasm only science managed to evoke in my sullen friend.
"And you scold me about not watching the news! It occurred thirty years ago!" Bianca bellowed adding a dramatic 'Ancient!' when I backed her up with a "Not very recent isn't it?"
Ignoring our lack in interest when it came to science Cheren continued his little history lesson, gathering all the patience he could muster. "Anyway what I was trying to say before the two of you interrupted me like that." He said gratifying us with a cold glare, "The experiment went horribly wrong, it was a big failure and the whole city had to be evacuated to prevent contamination."
Bianca's puzzled face mirrored mine and urged me onwards, "Cheren, take a look around." I said, spreading my arms in a wide gesture, "This site has a rather remote location, and don't tell me experiments meant to aid the environment give you… I dunno a radioactive glow?"
"Don't be a fool." He replied dismissively, "The place is open to tourists, the inner buildings are off limits though. But more importantly we're not allowed to meddle with the local Munna. Dream Mist can have some serious side effects on humans."
Bianca frowned, "Aren't Munna those super cute pink Pokémon?"
A rather disgusted expression appeared on Cheren's face at the words 'super' followed by 'cute' and I secretly felt a lot better about entering the Dreamyard.
I wouldn't be needing those rainbows after all. Marron allowing me to read the smugness on his face climbed my shoulder, poking me in the side with a vine whip before climbing on top of my head.
Scaredy-cat
"Don't come crying when the ceiling comes crashing down on you cause you'll be getting a big I told you so from me." Cheren muttered burying his face in his hands when Bianca tripped flattening a crumbling wall and I burst out laughing alerting what had to be every Munna in the Dream Yard of our arrival.
"Did you hear that?" I asked peering behind a pile of rubble scanning the area.
Bianca stopped to glance in the same direction, "You think it was Pansage?" she whispered glancing over her shoulder, trying to act sneaky.
She didn't have to worry though, Cheren had wandered off in the opposite direction and found himself studying something that looked like a rocky niche.
I gave the entrance to one of the factories a long hard stare before releasing a soft sigh. "Must've been my imagination." I mumbled turning around to face Bianca only to find myself completely alone.
"Bianca?" I asked whirling around expecting to see her green beret, "Bianca the last time you tried to pull a sneak attack on me like this I hit you a black eye… You refused to even talk to me for weeks… just saying…."
Nothing except the tall grass riffled in the wind. Feeling it's touch against my legs had felt good a few minutes ago, now it made my scalp tingle.
It gave me that feeling you get when you're being watched. "Guys this isn't even close to funny!" I tried, mentally cursing the Dreamyard for its lack of visitors.
"You still there buddy?" I asked staring up at the pink rim of my cap. Marron gave my ponytail a reassuring tug before jumping down.
"I'm going to kill those two." I growled retracing my steps, making a point of avoiding the entrance to the factory.
A flash of purple and cream caught my eye, and darted through the natural maze the ivy covered factory walls seemed to create.
"Purrloin?" I asked taking a step in his direction, relieve washing over me like a wave.
Climbing the plants as if it were nothing Marron pulled himself up onto a wall, scanning the area. His green scales clashed with the autumn colored leaves and for a split second I wondered if his colorings changed with the season. An impatient 'Tsk' was the only warning I received before he bolted of, shouting directions over his shoulder.
"Not so fast!" I called, fighting my way through the scrubby undergrowth scraping my knees in the progress.
Personally the whole situation reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, Purrloin made a fitting Cheshire Cat, and all there was left to add was a white rabbit-like Pokémon and a rabbit hole.
After several minutes the lizard froze. I stumbled to a halt, leaning heavily against the wall, one hand clutching my side. "N- Now what?" I asked him quietly, taking of my cap to brush my sweat dampened bangs from my eyes. Nodding forward with an indistinct hiss Marron eased himself onto my shoulder. I followed his gaze, and felt a sudden flare of anger at the sight in front of me.
The owner of distinctive ruffled, green hair paced up and down pausing ever so often in front of a sleek feline. "Are they arguing?" I whispered barely managing to duck out of sight when a twig snapped under my feet with an audible crack.
Careful. He's sharp. Marron hissed barely keeping himself from getting caught by hiding in the ivy.
Holding my breath, and wondering if I was about to do something very stupid I crept closer trying to be as silent in my movement as possible.
"…-Refuse to do such a thing." A curt voice said immediately followed by a hiss.
"I don't care if she's good to you, Purrloin do you even realize what you are asking from me?"
Another hiss and a sigh, "Than be angry, see if I care."
Frowning I moved even closer until N and Purrloin reappeared in my line of sight. The feline's tail slashed through the air in a familiar way, his anger and impatience apparent. N who stood with his back facing me dug his hands deep into his pockets. 'He cares, that's obvious.' I thought deciding N's behavior had to be stubbornness.
Purrloin's ears swiveled and he barely managed to keep himself from cursing. 'What is she doing here! Silly girl!' He thought eying his frustrated friend who stood towering over him, one eyebrow raised in question.
'Thank god N didn't realize' – Crack!
Two pairs of cat-slit green eyes widened simultaneously. Emerald green met its human counterpart.
The feline breaking eye contact said enough, N's wide grin meant incoming disaster.
A Pansage with startling aqua colored eyes climbed N's shoulder and snickered at Purrloin, extracting a soft growl from the cat.
Guess what I spied with my little eye. Zero said enjoying Purrloin's discomfort more than anything.
"Is it something blue eyed?" N replied softly, lowering his voice.
Blunt nails dug into his shoulder, How ever did you guess? Played a nice trick on her and those humans she travels with. I can fight the lizard this time?
"No." He replied firmly. "I know something better. All we have to do is lure her out. And we have just the thing for that." Resting his eyes on a tense feline he raised his voice just enough for a certain someone to hear. The words he was about to speak where the truth, the actions following it were lies and nothing more… however she would be ignorant of that little detail.
"If you refuse to follow me of your own accord, I'll just have to capture you." Carefully articulating every word N couldn't help but smile when that simple sentence had an immediate effect.
'It's almost like magic.' He thought.
In one… the sound of hurried footsteps
Two… A loud crack, did she just curse?
Three… BAM!
N's eyes widened at the sudden impact.
Shit.
He barely registered Zero's loud screech before he found himself toppling over onto the grass, hitting the back of his head in the progress.
The scent of flowers flooded his nose, soothing his already forming head ache.
Double shit.
Something soft tickled his face and neck, scrunching his nose he sneezed and a strand of chocolate colored hair moved to tickle his ear.
Triple shit.
His brain in the midst of processing the fact that a human, no, scratch that last one, a human girl was lying on top of him came to an abrupt halt when she stirred groggily, unconsciously pressing her body even closer to his.
Barely suppressing a groan N craned his neck in search of Zero, distracting himself from his racing heart.
Don't think she's soft, don't think she's soft, don't think she's soft.
Ah. She smells nice.
Quadruple shit…
...Does that even exist?
Must be a concussion… definitely a concussion.