Trapped in the Darkness – Chapter 18
A Pokemon Fanfiction
Oh my Arceus, you guys, I love you. As promised, here is the next chapter. Also, I have received the first complaint about the swearing, so I will tone that down a bit. I apologize about that, but that's a very profound part of my vocabulary and I don't know how much I've been using them until someone tells me. Thank you for telling me Anon!
Anyway, please enjoy this next chapter!
Pearl: The author owns nothing!
~000~
Red helped Green limp through the hallway, Green's steps becoming slower and more sluggish with each step he took. Red frowned, glancing at his friend out of the corner of his eye.
"You alright?" he asked quietly, pausing for a moment to readjust his hold. Green nodded his head slowly, smiling tiredly.
"Yep. I'm just fine. I'm a little tired after not sleeping for about two days and having a fake spear plunge through my chest," he said, laughing. He shook his head a bit to try and clear his mind, trying to ignore Red stiffening beside him.
"Two days?" the raven nearly growled, more a statement than a question. Green nodded absentmindedly, his attention on the ground. Red's frown deepened when he didn't receive a response. He sighed under his breath, continuing to walk in front of him.
There was silence in between the two in the hallway besides for the soft hum of the trainers' excited and eager conversations well ahead of them. The two Kanto-born boys ignored the other noises till all they heard was the sound of their steady breathing and the sound of their footsteps. Green was used to this, just him and Red up at the tip of Mt. Silver, sitting around a fire as his Eevee and Red's Pikachu wrestled on the floor. Usually the silence was a comfort up there, a sign that there wasn't anything wrong and things were normal between them.
Unlike now, where the silence was stifling and ready to send Green spiraling into hyperventilation if he didn't get any fresh air. He cleared his throat awkwardly, but Red didn't react to it at all. He kept his head held high and his crimson eyes on the passage ahead of them. Green chewed his lip as he thought of something to say.
"Red-"
"I thought I told you that we are fully capable of taking care of ourselves," Red interrupted, his soft voice hard. His grip tightened when they turned a corner.
Green raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Red," he complained. "I-"
"I'm not finished, moron," he said. He glanced over at his friend to make sure he didn't speak, his eyes unreadable. Green shivered inwardly, and Red looked back ahead. "You used to be so self-centered when we were kids, so how come you suddenly feel the urge to do everything for everyone else?" His jaw was set hard. "I mean, I know Oak chewed you out after I... well, you know."
Green was at a loss for words. Red seemed agitated, even though he looked completely calm. His tight grip in Green's side was telling a different story, however, and it was becoming quite uncomfortable. He didn't dare bring the subject up to his rival.
"That doesn't mean you automatically throw yourself in harms way for m-" Red stopped dead in the middle of his sentence and took a deep breath. The rest of the sentence was muttered. ". . . for anyone you meet in a jail cell." Red's locks were falling into his eyes, despite his hat on his head, but he didn't bother brushing them away. The thought that maybe he kept them there to prevent Green for looking at them and seeing what was there ran through the Viridian leader's head.
"Red. . ."
"We care about you Green, and we don't want you flinging yourself into danger for our sake. We can take care of ourselves."
Green sighed, looking off to the side. " 'm sorry," he murmured, trying to stay awake, but Red's voice, although angry, was soothing to listen to and it was really hard to stay alert when he spoke when Green was sleepy and. . . .
Red stopped talking when he felt Green's hold slacken, and he looked over to see his friend's head dangle gently, him mouth lolling open. The Kanto Champion grit his teeth, struggling against the weight of his friend by himself. He had to set him down before he dropped him. After that, he tried to adjust his hold on Green, attempting to sling his friend on his back to carry him to rest of the way. It was a little bit of a strain on Red, but it worked.
He tried to catch up with the others in front of him, who were walking slower, and managed to do so without too much trouble.
"What happened to him?" Gold asked, genuinely surprised to see that the usual bundle of energy was passed out on Red's shoulder. Red didn't answer, and instead tried to ignore Green's soft breathing blowing across the crook of his neck. Also, was Green getting heavier or was it just him?
N came to Red's aid immediately. "I'll carry him if that's okay with you," he said. "He seems a bit of a burden to you." He smiled sincerely and Red's gaze went up to him to look over him. Since N looked more suited to carry Green than Red was (he attributed this to the fact that N was his Green and his age), Red nodded slowly.
"Please," he said breathlessly. He and N quickly did the exchange, Green muttering a few unintelligible things being the only problem. Red suddenly felt spiteful at the fact N didn't look handicapped as he trudged forward with Green on his back. He couldn't help but notice Black looked a little spiteful too.
"Ugh! How long is this corridor?" White complained, throwing her hands up. "We've been walking for almost twenty minutes!"
"This better not be another one of those mind tricks," Crystal said quietly, but more tiredly than anything. "I feel like I'm loosing my mind when they do that."
"By 'they', do you mean Petrel? He's back with Cynthia," Pearl said easily, a faint bruise forming on his forehead. He scoffed, grinning as he waved his hand dismissively. "She'll take care of him in a heartbeat. You've got nothing to worry about."
Platinum nodded, her hand still clamped around Pearl's opposite hand. She smiled softly. "She's a tough opponent," she agreed.
Red kept close to N as possible without it seeming creepy as the others continued their conversation. He couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by the length of the hallway as well. This was a pretty long hallway, and the sounds of Pokemon battles were getting softer and softer behind them. Where exactly were they going?
"Maybe," Sapphire said, jumping around, "We're going to some creepy underground lair that they built so they could perform experiments on us and other members of the organizations to turn us into mutants!" She wiggled her fingers in Platinum's face comically, but she seemed absolutely serious about her proposal.
Many of the trainers groaned, but Gold and Pearl seemed to believe her.
"What, really?" Gold asked, awestruck. He made a face and tried to cover himself. "They're not gonna touch my body and get away with it!" Silver and Crystal groaned beside him, Crystal muttering something under her breath.
"You can't be serious," Ruby said, exasperated. Sapphire turned around, her hands on her hips.
"Of course I am," she said, pouting angrily. "Why do you think they kidnapped us?"
There was a chorus of sighs. They had all forgotten that Sapphire had been asleep when Proton had explained everything to them, so of course she wouldn't have known anything.
Ruby tried reasoning with her, and Silver smacked Gold on the back of the head. "They're not going to do anything like that to us!" he hissed. "Proton was directly in front of you when he told you what they were going do to us!"
Gold narrowed his eyes. "That's just what they want you to think."
Silver pinched the bridge of his nose. "How in the world are you the Johto Champion?" he asked irritably.
Gold grinned wickedly, punching Silver in the arm. "Because I'm better than you!" he said tauntingly. Silver growled in his direction, and Gold laughed.
"Wow," Pearl said, his pumpkin eyes directed at the ceiling. "I really didn't think they were actually gonna do that." Platinum and Diamond both smiled weakly.
"I really don't think that's what's going to happen."
Red sighed under his breath, but couldn't help but smile. He honestly felt comfortable around these people, and that didn't happen often. He didn't make many honest friends, Green and Leaf being two of a rough handful. Red didn't like showing his true self to others, and he kept to his comfortable shell whenever he could. Something about these trainers, however, was warm and inviting. Warmer than his shell.
Red sighed and looked back up at Green, who was still sound asleep on N's shoulder. It seems the noise wasn't bothering him at all as he dreamed. Red shook his head.
"Idiot," he muttered.
N heard him and pursed his lips. "Are you talking about Green?" he asked. Red, who didn't expect anyone to hear him, jerked his head up, startled. N smiled nervously, looking back ahead.
"Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to be nosy." He frowned as the group turned another corner and White screamed in frustration when there wasn't an exit. He sighed before continuing. His smile reappeared. "I was just wondering."
Red nodded absentmindedly, readjusting his hat out of habit. He jammed his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground. N made a humming sound of understanding.
"So you don't like talking that much," he said. His smile turned triumphant. "That's what I've learned about you." He laughed lightly. "That's pretty much all, though."
Red rose an eyebrow, his crimson eyes darting over to N questioningly.
"You seem kind, though. You're like Black," he said quietly. "Trainers like you two? They are the ones that have the most character. They make the best Champions." N's eyes were focused on the ground, watching where he stepped. "The ideals and truths they believe in are pure and non-ambitious." He looked up at the ceiling, emerald green swiveling up. "I guess that's why Dad ended up loosing in the end. He may have blamed me, but I didn't do anything." He was still smiling.
Red was beginning to wonder how this person could be so optimistic when this period of his life sounded so terrible. He decided to not ask questions.
N looked over at him again, grinning. "All the people here? They all seem like that! I knew there were more people like Black and White, but I never knew that I'd ever get to meet them. I'm really glad I got to meet all of you! "
Red blinked before smiling himself. "I'm glad I got to meet you too," he said softly.
N's eyes widened before his smile grew larger. "I knew I'd be able to get you talk!" he said triumphantly. "I knew Green wasn't the only one to get a nice noise out of you!"
Red blinked. "Nice noise?"
N realized what he had said before he laughed, embarrassed. "You only ever yelled at anybody else other than Green," he said. He frowned then, looking at the ground. "But then again, you only ever talked to Mars or Proton, so I guess that counts for something." He shrugged gently, making sure not to rouse Green from his nap.
Red smiled. "Sorry."
N looked taken aback at the apology. "No, don't apologize! It's actually awesome, trust me." He grinned and readjusted his hold on Green. "Now, how long have you known this guy?"
Red rolled his eyes. "All my life."
N laughed at the reaction.
"What, is it time to learn Red's whole life story, N?" Black interrupted, sighing. "Just because we don't have anything better to do doesn't mean you have to get people to tell you everything about them." He didn't seem annoyed at Red, so the older boy slowly dropped the wall that leaped in between the two Champions at Black's appearance. Black turned his mocha brown eyes on Red. "He always tries to do this. If he likes someone, he wants to know everything."
N pouted. "Come on, Black. That's a lie."
Black scoffed, and Red detected playfulness hidden in his tone. "I wish."
Red rolled his eyes, his eyes darting back up to Green again. He was still sound asleep, and N and Black's rising voices didn't affect him. Red smiled to himself.
"Ugh, my head hurts," Pearl complained. Diamond sighed.
"Maybe you shouldn't have headbutted him," he said pointedly. "We could have easily just ran through after throwing Sapphire the keys to unlock the door."
Pearl pouted. "Yeah, but it wouldn't have been as cool."
Sapphire joined the conversation suddenly. "Did'ja see the way I caught those keys? I was like a freaking ninja!" She threw her fists in the air. "I bet those Magma and Aqua Grunts won't know what hit them!"
"If we get out of this stupid tunnel!" White shouted, kicking the wall with her sneaker.
There was a thunk and everyone grew deathly silent. Nobody moved and expected something to happen. When the echoing of whirring machinery filled the cell everyone glared at her.
"What did you do?" Black hissed at her. She went pale, smiling weakly.
"I don't know," she whispered.
There was a rumbling sound and the floor started shaking, a couple shrieks from the group accompanying many falling to the ground.
N was one of these, and Green's eyes flew open when his back hit the ground. He jumped to his feet, looking around rapidly.
"What the hell is happening?" he asked over the rumbling.
"White kicked the wall!" Black yelled, falling as the rumbling grew louder and the shaking got harder. White squeaked out an apology before the hallway rotated 180 degrees, white light shining through as natural light came through windows of the large room that laid before them. The rumbling subsided and the group gathered their wits.
"Pika Pi!"
Red's head snapped up at the sound, smiling as he took in the sight.
They had found their Pokemon.
~000~
I want more bonding. So here you go. Friendship bonding.
I really apologize if this chapter was not up to standards.
Reviews are lovely!