Not sure what to make of this new chapter of mine...
Any reviews about it are appreciated.
Vines & Briars
Chapter 7: Elisa's Legacy
"Are you sure, Rick? No one? You don't know anyone by that name?" Rio insisted, asking again.
Rick's response was mild irritation. It wasn't like asking the question again and again was going to change his answer.
"I don't know anyone named Elisa, alright? Why are you asking me this out of the blue anyways?"
Rio grimaced and then turned away.
"…Mm, it's nothing important." He finally responded and started to walk away.
"Like hell it is." Rick growled and stomped after Rio. He then lashed out a vine, wrapped it around Rio's shoulder and yanked him so they were face-to-face again, much to Rio's shock.
"You get me alone just to ask a question like that, one I don't know why the heck you're asking in the first place. Then you tell me it's nothing important!? I'm not about to swallow that lie!" Rick said, quite angrily, "If you're going to lie to me, at least make it convincing. Now, why the heck are you asking me about this 'Elisa' out of the blue?"
Rio had recovered from his shock by the time Rick had finished talking, and his expression now held a bitter sadness. It took another moment, but finally Rio spoke again.
"Just a friend of mine… they mentioned someone named Rick once… thought that might've been you…" Rio answered quietly, "My mistake. Sorry…" He then pulled at Rick's vine, unwrapping it from his shoulder, turned back around, and started away again.
Rick watched, feeling an odd sense of tension still pulsing through his head and body. It took him a moment, but he started after Rio again.
"Who were they anyways? Aren't they still here? You could introduce me right?" Rick said as he caught up and started keeping pace with Rio, whose walking speed seemed to be steadily increasing.
Silence was the only answer Rick received and he found himself struggling to keep up with Rio without tripping on his own short legs.
"Rio! C'mon! Answer me!" Rick demanded.
Rio's walk just proceeded to accelerate until he was all but running.
"RIO!" he yelled and lashed out with a vine again, this time aiming at the Riolu's legs. However, Rio jumped over the attempt to trip him and came to a stop, his arms tense now.
The dog then rounded on Rick, who stumbled to a halt himself as he was face-to-face with Rio again.
"They're gone now, alright!? She been gone for a year and I'm not seeing her again! Ever! NOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW HER, THEN FORGET ABOUT IT!" Rio shouted, he then turned around again and took off at a full sprint, leaving the former human standing there.
Rick was suitably shocked by how very upset Rio had clearly been… and he was now confused.
Did he… expect me to know her? I mean, sure she mentioned someone named "Rick"… but that wouldn't necessarily mean me. And she's been gone that long? What was I supposed to do about it if I did know her?
Rick tried to dig through his own memory… searching again for someone by that name… but… he couldn't remember. There was his own name… Rio, Shiftry, that voice that had spoken to him, Quil… everything that had happened to him since he first woke up as he presently was. But no matter how he tried… a blank wall of some sort seemed to block all else. He just couldn't remember.
After so long of trying, Rick finally gave up and decided to head onwards towards Silver Village… he could try to sort things out with Rio later.
-0-
Rick passed through Silver Village on his way to the guild, and he encountered the crocodile from the guild on his way.
The blue-colored reptile stopped when Rick approached and Rick was forced to stop when he found his way blocked by the large guildmember.
"What is it with you grass-types around here? Striding around like you own the place?" the crocodile growled, "Then as if the town wasn't enough, you come showing up at the guild now."
Rick looked up, making eye contact with his fellow guildmember.
What did I do now? I was just heading back to the guild… and he's getting on my case for something I KNOW I don't do.
The intimidating water-type lowered his head a little to glare down at Rick.
"Well, I've got a message for the lot of you, and I'll start with you: I, Croc, ain't gonna just sit back and let you walk all over me because of some lame type-advantage. This is an island and that makes it ideal for me and other water-types, not you pussy grass-types. Am I clear?"
Rick kept his face straight, though he was feeling very annoyed now. As intimidating as Croc was, he was being a bully and large bullies were nothing new to Rick.
"I've never seen anything that way, and I never will, thank you very much. I am simply-"
"I don't care if you're simply 'living life your way'." Croc interjected, adding in a mocking tone now, "My ideal town is one without YOU. I suggest you turn around and head out of town, shrub."
There was a chill emanating from Croc's mouth and Rick got the uneasy feeling that if he attempted to argue back, Croc was going to attack him. It didn't matter what Rick was going to say.
"Croc! Back off!"
The tension eased up off of Rick as Rio spoke up behind Croc, who turned to face the Riolu.
"He's with my team, so if you go biting him, you answer to me." Rio said, quite tersely.
Croc snorted and looked between the two of them, before huffing out a breath.
"Lucky shrub…"
He then walked off, his mood simmering.
Rick watched him go, his heart slowing down from the quickened pace it had taken in the confrontation. When Croc was gone, he turned to Rio.
"Is he always like that with grass-types?" Rick asked, a little incredulous.
Rio shook his head.
"No… I told you before that the quarreling around the village has also been extending to the guild as well… Croc's usually much friendlier than that. But…"
Rio shrugged, his action finishing his own sentence.
Whatever's making the villagers argue is making Croc more belligerent.
Rick sighed a bit… then looked up at Riolu.
"Hey… thanks for standing up for me by the way… and sorry about earlier."
Rio shook his head lightly.
"It's alright… It's been some time since I've seen Elisa… and when you mentioned your name for the first time… I remembered how much she had talked about a 'Rick' she knew… but it doesn't matter. You don't know her so I guess it's just coincidence."
Some part in the back of Rick's mind seemed to be trying to tell him it wasn't… but the other concerns on his mind muted it out.
"Let's head up to the guild, shall we?" Rick offered, "You said Torchic would be waiting for us there."
Rio agreed and they headed up to the guild.
-0-
Torchic was still in a very cheery mood when Rio and Rick rejoined Quil in the guild, and she was pleased to see them again.
"Thank you again for getting me out of that dank cave." She then produced an amount of what Rick could only assume was the local currency and Rio accepted it from her.
She then turned to Rick and held up a pink berry that was roughly heart-shaped, presenting it to him.
"And I know this isn't much, but I'd like you to have this too." She said sweetly to Rick.
He felt a little flustered by the little bird specifically giving the small berry to him, but he accepted it nonetheless with a somewhat timid smile.
Her rewards of gratitude presented, Torchic looked over her team of rescuers one more time, then stopped on Rick again, looking curious.
"By the way… if you don't mind me asking, what are you? I've never seen a pokemon like you around here." She asked.
Rick breathed in deep, staying patient despite the question wearing on him. He was about to answer his usual answer when someone else spoke up:
"I can answer that. He is what is known as a Snivy."
Rick blinked and looked, to see that the Guildmaster herself approaching behind them and all three turned to face her. Torchic was as surprised as Rick to see Roserade personally answering the question.
"Oh? Wow."
Roserade stopped before them, giving Torchic a polite smile.
"Yes, he's come a long ways to arrive here." Roserade continued, "It's good to see you're safe and well now thanks to Team Aura. You should be on your way now, I have a word or two to share with them."
Torchic beamed and nodded, heading on her way.
Rick looked at Roserade, honestly stunned yet again. It was at least the fourth time today.
"Ros- Guildmaster… how do you know that?" Rick said, correcting himself before he used her name. He felt it would've been impolite for him to refer to her by her name, given his position.
Roserade's smile remained, though there was a touch of smugness in it now.
"I was an explorer once myself you know. I've explored beyond this little island, well beyond." She said, "So naturally, I've met species of pokemon that are native to faraway lands. That's how I also know you're not from anywhere on or near this island."
Rio and Quil didn't look quite as surprised as Rick, but their respect for her was clearly growing a little with the sharing of this knowledge about her. She looked the team over once, then spoke again.
"Rio, Quil, I want your reports on your mission just now, in my chambers before dinner tonight, understood?" both team members nodded in acknowledgement to the order, Roserade then looked at Rick, "After I've gotten their reports… I wish to speak with you personally."
Rick swallowed, feeling like he was joining the guild all over again: Nervous.
What does she want to talk about?
Roserade then turned and headed away. The fact that she hadn't even asked Rick if he understood made it clear it was an order he wasn't to ignore under any circumstances.
-0-
Rick simply placed himself outside of Roserade's chambers during the loose time he had, contemplating the information he'd learned concerning himself.
I'm a Snivy, huh? It's interesting to know that, and handy too. Too many have been asking me what I am… and now I can finally give them an answer.
After perhaps an hour, Rio and Quil came trudging up, Rio's arms holding a small stack of papers.
"Whew… that was too much work with too little time…" Rio groaned quietly. Both of them looked more exhausted than they had after getting through the cave. They pushed into Roserade's chamber and Rick heard the papers get dropped off, Roserade politely thanking the duo for the delivery.
As Rio and Quil left, Rick stood up and peered into the chamber.
"Wait there for now until I call you." Roserade said quietly, only glancing up at Rick momentarily as she started to read through the report she had just received.
Obeying, Rick stayed put, waiting a few minutes before finally, Roserade called him in.
"I've gathered from Rio and Quil's report, as well as my own observations, that you've lost your memory, correct?"
Rick blinked, trying to keep himself from being too surprised by this.
"The circumstances surrounding you are much like someone else I know. Someone who also worked with Rio." Roserade said her tone solemn.
Rick spoke up without thinking, some deeper instinct speaking for him.
"It's Elisa isn't it?"
Roserade was unsurprised by Rick's assumption and she nodded.
"Rio has already told you something about her. When she came to my guild a year ago, Rio told me she had lost her memory. She had an unusual name like your own. And I knew, like with you, that she wasn't from this island."
Roserade turned to face to Rick, her expression stern now and Rick tensed up a bit, uneasy now.
"I may be mistaken, but I suspect you are connected with her in some way."
Rick shook his head slowly, trying to keep his nerves under control all the while.
"I don't know her. Ask me what you will… I don't know anything about this 'Elisa' aside from what Rio's told me."
Roserade's expression then took one a certain sadness… the look struck Rick as out-of-place on her features.
"…I understand if you don't. But… if you do know anything… would you please be willing to share it with Rio?" Roserade asked. Her tone was almost pleading, something that threw Rick off-guard as he hadn't expected to hear such a tone come from Roserade.
"I've kept Rio in my guild for a long time as a favor to his father, Kale. He was a long-time friend of mine." Roserade said, her eyes closed now, "He's gone now, and I've done what I can to help Rio move on."
She reopened her eyes, looking up at Rick.
"When Elisa joined this guild a year ago… Rio's performance around the guild improved dramatically… as did his overall mood." She said, "Ever since she left though… Rio's attitude toward exploring has gradually receded back to what it once was… after losing Kale."
Rick remained silent, listening. The Guildmaster's tone was downcast by now.
…Is she… does she blame herself for what's happening with Rio?
"Rick… if you know anything about Elisa… about her whereabouts… or if she is well… please… share it with Rio. Reassure him. Can I count on you to do that?" Roserade said. It was a heartfelt request. She wasn't ordering Rick to do this… she was imploring him.
I… I really don't know anything about this Elisa… and I feel like I'm under a lot of pressure to do this… but…
Rick finally sighed and nodded slowly.
"Again… I don't know anything… but since I can't remember much anyways… if I learn, or remember anything… I'll be sure to talk with Rio about it." He said quietly.
Roserade nodded deeply, gratitude ingrained in the gesture.
"Thank you. You may go now. That's all I wanted to talk to you about."
Rick then turned, and feeling lost above all else now, he headed out.
That's actually a take on Roserade I've never thought of, so this chapter surprised me.