Chapter 6
Travelling on our alternate route, I once wished that Cooper would act like his usual self. Right before slapping myself in the forehead, hard enough to elicit an insufferably loud 'slap'. Cooper glanced back at me sharply, his lips twitching at the red mark on my forehead, almost as if he wanted to smile but was unable. I scowled back at him, which managed to finally draw a faint smile from him. A shadow of what he normally was.
After our morning of strategizing, I had returned Artemis and finally bit the bullet, releasing Felicity. Needless to say she was not happy, however even losing a battle and being confined to her pokeball for over a fortnight hadn't been enough to dampen the effect that Viridian permeated. Instead of hissing and yowling like I expected she merely raised all her hackles and prowled around nervously.
I stood over her and spoke with the loudest voice I dared, "We're about to travel through a dangerous place, and if either of us wish to survive, then we'll need to put whatever problems we have with one another on hold, understand?"
She mewled in a loud complaint, but swiftly hushed herself, as if remembering where she was. It seemed an internal war was being fought inside her mind, until eventually she sat at my feet. She was still tense enough to snap an Arbok, but the message was received.
"Good, I'm going to be keeping you out during the day with Cooper and I, then Artemis out at night. You will need to be as silent and deadly as possible, and just inform me if you notice anything else out there with us." She gave me the feline equivalent of a violent eye roll.
Cooper who by now had been watching the exchange put a hand on my shoulder (for a second only, before I shrugged it off), "She agrees, now let's go, I'd like to make the path before it's dark."
And so we headed off as such, Cooper leading up the front ghosted by his Ekans, which he'd decided was his stealthiest pokemon, followed very closely by myself with Felicity taking up the rear. Fortunately his Ekans was trained well enough to ignore Felicity when she'd made a swipe at it for getting too close. It seems Felicity had not forgotten Cooper, and had permanently blacklisted any of his pokemon, the snooty little shit that she was.
Aware of every twig snapping underfoot, I was on high alert for any buzzing I might hear, one time going to far as to dive into the undergrowth, only for Felicity to fix me with a scornful look. Cooper hadn't so much as smirked either. I kept an eye on Felicity from then on, not reacting to anything unless she gave me indication to do so.
Sometime later that day Cooper's Ekans showed its head and hissed something to Cooper, who nodded and held up a hand for me to stop. He didn't have to say it for me to know what had happened. We'd reached the beeline.
"It's better we stop here until tomorrow morning. We don't want to be anywhere near the dark zone when it's night."
I nodded, "So how long will it take us to go around this first dark zone?"
Cooper groaned as he sat down on a log, "about 2 days."
I could feel my face paling, but refusing to give Cooper any indication of just how much shit I had just evacuated from my bowels (metaphorically of course), I nodded again and sat down across from him.
We spent a sleepless night in that small clearing, unwilling to light a fire; we'd simply retired to our sleeping bags. Cooper examining his map (or pretending to, considering there was no way he could see anything in the dark), and me trying to distract myself from the metallic smell emanating from my sleeping bag.
For the first time on my journey I wasn't woken up by a night time torch show from Artemis. And that had nothing to do with the fact that I had buried it along with my ruined stuff (she'd just dug it back up after I was finished).
The next morning Cooper and I got up at the same time by silent agreement. We switched out our pokemon, packed up our stuff and continued on. Not a single word was said.
So far the light in the forest had been dim but still not so dim as to be an encumbrance for us, as the trees were sparse enough to let enough light through. The consistently darkening light was the first indication that we were now skirting the edge of the dark zone.
Everything seemed to hush when I realised this, but in all honesty there hadn't been any sound other than the occasional twig snapping for a long time. I also realised that the often scarce pokemon calls had died away to nothing at all. Instead of speeding up like I'd have liked, our pace slowed way down, as we placed more care in our steps, afraid to break the pervading silence.
It was about now that I came to my moment of weakness about Cooper and subsequently slapped myself in the forehead for such a thought. Cooper's smile did lift my spirits a little bit, but by the time we stopped for the day, they had long since sunk down into my boots again.
The silence was finally broken by the night which instead of following the example of the day, decided to torture us with nothing but sounds. A cacophony of pokemon screeches and calls, bugs chirruping and Noctowl hooting (I hadn't even realised they were found in Kanto).
For the second time in Viridian forest I listened to the sound of creatures being attacked and torn apart. Screaming was the song of Death.
Eventually the night time show came to an end with the first rays of dawn, and having not slept a wink, Cooper and I set off once again through the forest. By the end of the second day I was more than drained, I was starved, exhausted, terrified and sore. So it was with the deepest grin of my life that I listened to Cooper announce (softly, mind you) that we had cleared the first dark zone. I sank to my knees and curled up right there, despite it still being light out, and didn't realise I had fallen asleep until I woke up a warm campfire and a sleeping bag on top of me. I pretended not to notice that the sleeping bag lacked the metallic stink of my own, and ignored the soft feeling of Cooper's pack below my head.
"You lit a campfire."
Cooper looked up from the meat of vague origin that we was in the process of cooking, "It was really cold without my sleeping bag, like, you have no idea. And we're far enough away from danger to risk it." I hadn't realised it before but Cooper looked drained, he had massive bags under his eyes, which had shrunk down to beady little shadows of their usual size and his skin looked pale and sickly.
Knowing that he was probably feeling bad enough I decided to break it to him in the most tactful was possible, "You look worse than shit."
A little bit of life returned to him with his smile. He took the meat of the spit and handed it to me at the request of my grumbling stomach and waited for me to sink my teeth into it ravenously, before speaking, "I haven't been sleeping at all. And it's just this place, it puts me on edge."
"It would put a Medicham on edge, Coop."
"That it would," he laughed, before adding, "Nat"
"Do you want me to hit you?" I responded.
A wry grin spread across his face, "Well…" he began, but I wasn't falling for his bait this time, fixing him a pointed stare before ignoring him in favour of my meal.
This as it turns out was not the best way to deal with Cooper's advances, as should have been obvious, considering how much of an attention seeker he really was; He started making kissy sounds and attempted to pull me into an embrace.
Thus began a chain of escalating threats, leading ultimately to me holding his backpack over the fire with one hand whilst simultaneously attempting to hold Coop's face away from my own with my other, all the while trying to kick Artemis off my leg, who for some sick reason had attempted to aid Cooper in this situation. The little bastard had officially made it back onto my list.
A cold wet sensation on my palm alerted me to the fact that Cooper had substituted my face with my palm and proceeded to make sick, sick love to it.
Fucker.
About to put in motion my revenge plan (which consisted of me dropping his pack then kicking him in the balls), I was stunned to inaction, as was Cooper, at hissing warning cry of an Ekans. Cooper's Ekans.
A flash of light and piercing screech, jolted me into action (Cooper was already kicking dirt onto the fire by now), I grabbed the belongings that had been strewn all over the campsite and stuffed them into my own pack, deafening my ears to the sounds of battle, that I could not yet see.
A crash resonated from my right, followed by a second flash of light, and perhaps more terrifying, the screams of a dying Ekans. Vaguely I noticed a third flash of light, and registered somewhere in my brain that it was the light of a pokemon being released, but by this point I was still half blinded and in shock. A shockwave sent me tumbling onto my back, and in my rush to get to my feet I slipped over something wet and slick; the top half of an Ekans was wrapped around my right leg, its forked tongue lolling out. Guts hanging out of its open midsection.
What kind of thing could slice an Ekans right in half?!
A rough blow to my back sent me flying onto my face, just moments before two gaping mandibles closed on the space I had been standing. They were longer than my arm each, the colour of old steel and riddled with lumpy spikes along their length; The trademark Pincers of a Pinsir.
A frustrated cry was cut short by a screech of pain as a blue fist grabbed it by a horn, then tossed it away, as if playing catch.
Cooper's Machoke moved to stand between me and the monster, as it unsteadily got to its feet, however the poor fighting type had no chance to defend against the barrage of green leaves that slammed into it from its left flank. Pinsir seizing on an opening lunged at it, horns open wide, ready to slice through flesh, and perhaps would have spelled the end for the brave fighter, had it not suddenly been launched backwards again by a psychic shockwave. A familiar psychic shockwave.
Artemis, my aggressive little purple bastard, had jumped in front of the Machoke and blasted the bug pokemon with a Confusion; perhaps most surprisingly of all, she had managed to focus it into a targeted attack, which she unleashed in full power on the now writhing bug. Free to turn its attention onto the unseen aggressor, Machoke picked up a nearby log and held it aloft like a centurion warrior, charging towards the origins of the grass attack. A squeal of pain was all I heard from the battle, informing me that Machoke had found his target.
I was finally in the process of getting to my feet for a third time when a wall of heat slammed into me from the side, and I realised a third battle was going on to my right. It dawned on me then that I hadn't seen Cooper since the Pinsir had shown up, and figured he was off dealing with more pokemon, though I hadn't known he had any fire pokemon on him. Pushing it to the back of my mind, I turned my full attention on Artemis, who despite putting up a valiant effort was beginning to show signs of weakening, to the point where the enemy Pinsir was able to get to its feet and leap forward with a devastating attack. I think it was only quick thinking on my part to hurl the only thing I had access to, which saved Artemis's life. Artemis skipped back to my side, while the Pinsir dealt with the mangled top half of an Ekans carcass wrapped around its face, giving me just enough time to locate my other pokemon.
If this angry son of a bitch wanted to play with claws then I could accommodate.
Briefly, I wondered about the wisdom of releasing Felicity and Artemis at the same time, but I figured the current situation would overrule any previous grudges they had. Hoped would probably be a more apt description, actually.
Felicity didn't even have time for an angry mewl, before she was leaping backwards for her life, avoiding the onslaught of an even angrier (and considerably bloodier) Pinsir.
At last realising that it was the duty of the trainer to command their pokemon, I shouted, "Put some distance between you both, use growl to throw it off".
Felicity turned around and used bite.
I swore vehemently.
Pinsir backhanded the little cat and lunged onto it. Jaws (or pincers, or whatever the massive fucking growths on its head are) about to snap shut, it froze unable to move. It was visibly straining against its unseen bonds, but fortunately Artemis had perfected her Disable attack when hunting. Even still, she was exhausted, and this Pinsir was a freak of nature, no doubt set upon this earth by Beelzebub himself, and slowly, inexorably, the jaws began to shut. Felicity was out cold, and I'll be damned if I lost her to some fugly ass looking bug, I didn't even notice that I was moving until I had my arms around the pokemon's waist and was spear tackling it to the ground.
A searing flash of pain racing across my chest, was the only punishment I received as I skipped backwards, scooping up Felicity as I went. She opened her eyes and hissed angrily at me, jumping out of my arms.
Of course my snooty little cat would sleep like a log when she's about to get sliced in half but I try to hold her for a second and BAM! Awake.
"Fine then, let's finish this demonic fucker, Artemis hold him tight as you can with your Disable", Artemis complied, causing the Pinsir to screech in rage, but remain firmly immobilized, "Now Felicity if you'd like to listen to me this time (Hiss) cut him to ribbons." Needing no further encouragement Felicity lunged like a tiger. Slashing and biting like a true predator, until I called her off the bleeding and broken bug carcass. Surprisingly she listened.
Perhaps more surprisingly the Pinsir opened its eyes weakly, letting out a cry of rage.
No doubt most surprisingly of all I threw a pokeball at it and watched the light ding red.
I didn't even have time to congratulate myself (or more likely, berate myself), when Cooper's Machoke burst out of the brush nearby and motioned for me to run. It didn't have to tell me twice, that thing was a beast, whatever had it running was the last thing I wanted to meet, and so stopping to grab my newly acquired Pinsir, I hightailed it out of there; Artemis jumping up into my arms and Felicity running alongside, pointedly ignoring me.
Machoke led the way, though I'm not sure if he even knew where he was going. He was in a bad way, various cuts were bleeding all along his body, and he was noticeably favouring his right side. We ran in single file for the longest time, until he dissolved into red matter, making me trip and drop Artemis; she chattered unhappily all the way down, no doubt along the lines of, "Fuck youuuuu…" I like to think she took after me.
"We need to keep moving." A voice sounded from next to me, once again causing me to trip, this time landing on top of my itinerant bug pokemon. She was not impressed.
"Where the fuck have you been?!" I demanded at an emerging Cooper. Bloodier than his Machoke, and not all of it his (as some of it was bright greeny-yellow) he was also favouring his right side.
He simply took off running, murmuring, "Later", over his shoulder, giving me no choice but to follow.
And so my pokemon and I took off again, trailing Cooper for who knows how long, until he felt we were safe no doubt. I can't count how many times I had almost lost him after stumbling or looking over my shoulder, only Artemis using her radar system had led me back to him. And I'd had to sprint to catch up; Cooper hadn't slowed down for me.
The night had long since turned to day (Something I was rather proud of myself for noticing in the dim light) by the time my legs gave out and I fell face first into the mud… or at least what I hoped was mud. An angry chirrup from Artemis directed toward Cooper convinced him to stop, and walk over to me, puffing and heaving, "I suppose we can stop here", was all he said before falling to the ground next to me, dazed.
I rolled onto my back and we spent the next hour or so lying together like that, hidden for the most part by the undergrowth, puffing and heaving against one another. At one point I rolled to my side and vomited, and may or may not have felt a hand rubbing my back, but I told myself it was just my imagination.
A brief flash of light shined in my eyes, as he released Homer, his Psyduck, who had apparently not seen any battle; Looking fresh if a bit dazed, though I suppose that's how most Psyduck look anyway. "Keep watch Homer, if anything comes, use hypnosis and guide it away," Cooper muttered breathlessly, before we reverted back to exhausted silence.
Eventually he had recovered enough to sniff loudly, "You stink," he informed me.
I stared ahead, "I had somewhat of an unfortunate necessity I had to take care of."
"You pissed yourself," He deadpanned.
Face flaming, I didn't miss a beat, "Circumstances arose, leaving me unable to fulfil proper bladder etiquette. Consequently, I improvised."
"You pissed yourself," He repeated, this time a ghost of a smile was detectable within his voice.
I poked him in the ribs, eliciting a satisfying pained gasp from him, "Keep mentioning it and I'll do so again."
"That's okay, I'm, like, an expert in the art of emergency weeing. I once did it on the wall of a gym, five minutes before my match. Besides", he added, poking me back, "It makes for great moisturiser."
I grimaced. One of these days I'd be able to beat Cooper at his stupid 'let's-make-the-other-one-the-most-uncomfortable' game. That day was not today.
Changing the subject I turned to look at him, "So where were you while I was dealing with the angry Pinsir? I don't mean to boast or anything but I squashed that fucker into pulp."
"Oh I wasn't doing much, just sitting back, enjoying the sights", he paused, "Oh that's right! I was also dealing with the swarm of Scyther by myself while Bruno was fighting off the horde of Victreebel that wanted to eat you up. You do remember Bruno right? He's the one that saved your life from the Pinsir that you were 'squashing into pulp'."
I stared at his face, "Was it really a swarm of Victreebel?"
"No less than fifty."
Nodding I poked him in the ribs again, "You're so full of shit."
He wheezed out laughter, "So you managed to finish off the Pinsir I take it? I mean, like, obviously, otherwise you'd be mushed up chow by now, but I suppose you could have just legged it and run off. You say you killed it though?"
I stared at my feet. "Not quite."
"Not quite?"
"Not quite." I repeated.
Cooper was silent, motioning for me to continue.
"I may or may not have… thrown a certain item. The likes of which have sometimes been used to hold and transport pokemon around… to be summoned in times of physical confrontations."
"Oh…" was all he said.
"Yeah… What do you think of the nickname Beelzebub? I figure the bastard is a demonic piece of work and the horns are just too damn tempting to resist some hellish based nickname."
"Call it whatever you like." He replied, colder than I thought possible for Cooper.
That was it. What else could be said? I had captured the Pinsir who gobbled up his Ekans. I definitely could have just killed it and been done with the ordeal, but that Pinsir had put up a hell of a fight, and I was a pokemon trainer, damnit! It was my job to capture strong pokemon. Cooper knew this, and so did I. I think that's why he didn't tell me to release it, or demand that I let him kill it. He respected my right to capture it as a trainer, but I could tell how much he disliked it. I suppose I was being cold, but at the time I was too tired to give a shit. I'd just captured an extremely powerful pokemon, and escaped death. The price seemed fair.
If only I'd known how much I would come to regret that decision.
And that's the story of how I caught Beelzebub, my Pinsir.