Vines & Briars

Chapter 16: Reflection & Frustration

Rick found himself at the entrance to Denwood once more... quite contrary to Roserade's advice. Zoe didn't lead him inside this time though.

"Alright, so what am I supposed to do here to find Denzel?" Rick said, looking around for some sign of the floatzel.

"Denzel seems to like coming here... he's dropped off a number of Pokemon in Denwood. I remember watching him come in from time to time." Zoe explained, "So I was thinking you could wait for him to show up, most likely when he's coming to drop off someone and ambush him."

Rick mulled this information over. Denzel had indeed left Rio at Denwood, and from what Zoe had said, it was a fairly frequent destination for him. It seemed like a good idea.

Though how long am I going to be waiting for Denzel to show up?

This thought in-mind, Rick decided to go perform a little preparation for the wait and he headed back to Silver Village, collecting a few items from storage, especially food, then returned.

He then picked out a relatively short tree near the edge of the forest and used his vines to pull himself up. Zoe, who had waited for him near the entrance to Denwood had taken up a hiding spot near the base of a tree and used her natural illusory abilities to disguise herself and blend in with the surrounding area. When Rick arrived, she spoke up, letting him know she was still there, even if he couldn't see her through the illusion.

Once he was up the tree and had a clear view of the entrance and ground below, Rick laid down and made himself comfortable.

-0-

It was likely due to being in the sunlight for the greater part of the day, but Rick found he did not need to eat much, though he did get hungry after extensive time in shade or darkness, which was why he had packed food for his wait.

The day passed and Rick found the lack of activity rather relaxing and where someone else would've been bored and desirous to move around, Rick was content to stay where he was, his body being naturally adapted to simply staying put for long periods like this.

He entertained himself by watching various things in the air and on the ground below... leaves blowing on the wind... bird Pokemon flying in the air high overhead... the occasional exploration team entering or leaving Denwood.

I can't remember the last time I just relaxed like this and spent time just watching the world go by.

He did reflect that it was only natural he couldn't remember... he hadn't relaxed like this since he'd been turned into a snivy, and any clear, prior memory of his life was absent from his mind.

During the long, peaceful hours, he wiled away the time thinking. He was thinking over the new directions his life had taken over the last week or so. Thinking about Zoe and if she had been right about telling the full truth or if perhaps he should have done something more about the guildmaster's decision. His mind was also on the vulpix who Zoe had originally disguised herself as when she had made herself known to Rick.

"First... I wake up... a completely different creature than I feel I ever have been. From a human to... well, I guess a snake of sorts: a snivy. And all I can really be sure of, is that someone, somewhere wants me to do them some sort of favor." he murmured to himself as he set his thoughts straight.

It was understandably irritating, being asked to do something, without any indication and hardly a clue as to what that "favor" was.

"And then there's my arrival at this island."

Silver Village was a place that he had never expected to be. Of all the vague feelings and shadows of memory haunting his brain... he could not remember seeing any place remotely like the village, where all residents were Pokemon and they talked and did business, same as any human being. It was alien and strange, yet the empty space within his mind allowed this to almost feel natural and perfectly normal. A corner of his mind still rejected the village as bizarre and abnormal... perhaps what little memory of his human life that remained.

I'm not sure if I belong or not to be honest. I am a Pokemon now like all the rest... and yet, these memories and this... "mission" I've been sent here for set me apart and- I just don't feel like I belong despite being one of them.

Not even Rio and Quil's welcoming attitude had really done anything to change this view. They had seen to it that he was welcomed to the guild, however Rio's fixation on the past had made Rick feel more like he was still more connected to the world he originated from, more than the one he was presently in.

Am I just a connection to her for Rio?

Being used like that was not a pleasant thought for Rick. It was true that Rio likely did not mean any harm or offense to Rick. In fact, using him was likely unintentional. But Rick was no psychic-type, and so he could not be sure whether this was the case or not. Quil certainly did nothing to help the matter... he seemed to be clueless as how to help Rio move on.

And on the matter of Rio's obsession, was the focus of that obsession: Elisa.

Rick glanced down at the ground below him, eyeing the the zone where Zoe had disguised herself with an illusion and now laid in-wait with him. She was an unrelated third party to Rio, Quil, or Elisa. For Rick however, she was the one who had brought back some memory of the forgotten girl. The voice was undeniable and the dark red fur on the illusion-vulpix reminded Rick far too strongly to be mere coincidence. He remembered her, even if the details hung just out of reach.

"But... no matter how hard I try, I can't remember more about her." He muttered to himself, knitting his brow.

He had tried for several hours already and found no success whatsoever: he had tried fitting some semblance of this individual in that hole in his memory... to no avail. They couldn't have been a Pokemon in his human memory, but thinking on the dark red hair did not magically generate the rest of the individual either and it simply would not come.

In the end, Rick thoughts shifted back to the latest change-in-course his life was experiencing, and the one partially responsible for it.

I'm responsible for getting myself into this expulsion-mess in the first place. If I hadn't followed her all the way into Denwood, I wouldn't have had to have that little chat with Roserade.

However, Zoe also had given the truth, or at least a part of it where Rick had tried to cover it up. If she hadn't done that... Rick wouldn't have been booted from the guild.

"At least, that's assuming Roserade didn't see through my lie on her own regardless."

Rick ended this argument in his head though by pointing out to himself, that what was done, was done and there would be no undoing his past.

He gazed down at Zoe's area again, his thoughts wandering to her once more, though this time he was focused on the fox herself... not any individual she had impersonated.

I still feel like she reminds me of someone. It's been nagging at the back of my mind ever since I first actually talked to her.

It was a sense of familiarity that felt odd to Rick, mostly because he couldn't remember what it felt so similar to. He had, naturally, tried to remember, but like the rest of his memories they hung out of reach, bringing him only frustration when he tried to bring them to the fore.

There were other feelings he held towards Zoe. For starters, he felt more protective of her than he had ever felt towards Rio or Quil. They had simply approached him and may as well have dragged him to the guild. He had had no real choice in the matter. He didn't know where to go. Where he was. He didn't even know who or what he, himself really was and neither of them had really helped him find answers. Though that wasn't to say they hadn't tried to help or that Rick didn't consider them his friends. He had taken up the responsibility of tracking both of them down, and they had helped him find a place in this world. They were his friends... that was undeniable.

Zoe though... something about Rick had triggered around her. She hadn't provided answers intentionally, but her disguise as that vulpix had caused something in Rick to react and he had felt closer to regaining some significant portion of his memories looking at her illusion. Closer than he had ever felt before. And part of his protective feelings stemmed from the idea that perhaps she could produce more answers for him, intentionally or otherwise.

The other primary source of his protective attitude towards her stemmed from a definite level of affection. Rick felt hot in the face just thinking about this fact, and had he been challenged to admit them aloud to anyone else, Rick felt certain his embarrassment would silence him entirely.

I need to watch my thoughts and feelings. I can't go holding ridiculous feelings like that. I'm human afterall.

Rick was understandably puzzled when he attempted to focus on that conviction, and found the resolve rather weak. Didn't he belong to the human realm? He was a Pokemon now, but he had always felt he didn't belong, whether that was because he was so different, or because he was there for a specific purpose, it mattered little: he simply didn't belong.

I belong in the world where there are people... humanity.

But... that world felt alien to him. He couldn't remember it. He wasn't human now. He had nothing to do with that world anymore. It was possible he may never return to it. He had even had a place in this world, though now that was gone and Rick was back to being a misfit to the universe at-large.

Rick shut his eyes and shook his head, aggressively discarding his wandering thoughts. Once again, he felt a sense of frustration as he couldn't organize the chaos in his mind. There was simply too much missing and none of it was returning to him.

How am I supposed to accomplish anything in this condition? I'm only one individual, whether that's human or Pokemon. I can't solve someone else's problem. Not when I can't even solve my own issues.

Rick wrapped his vines around the tree branch he was lying on and attempted to settle in and get some sleep.

o0o

Rick awoke the next morning and almost fell out of the tree he was in. He had gotten accustomed to the safety and security of the guild, not to mention being on solid ground. If he hadn't taken the precaution of tethering himself to the branch, he would've dropped straight to the ground. As it was, he woke up and found himself upside-down the next second, which quickly dispelled any semblance of drowsiness from his mind.

"Ugh... well, that's one way to wake up." he groaned as he pulled himself back up onto the branch with some effort.

He looked around, looking for signs of Denzel having passed through. He didn't see any apparent signs though and furthermore he suspected that if Denzel had passed through, Zoe would be in-view and notifying him. Unless of course she had dozed off herself.

I'd like to go check... but what if Denzel comes along at just the wrong time? I want to get the element of surprise on him.

Rick's concern for Zoe, and a desire to be sure he wasn't the only one keeping watch, won out and Rick finally decided to lower himself down the side of the tree. He moved towards the trunk, secured his vines to the branch and started "walking" down the side of the tree. His vines could only stretch so far, so he was forced to release one vine's hold on the branch and latch onto another branch, moving from branch to branch as he went down.

When he neared the bottom, he looked towards where he remembered Zoe's hiding spot being and called to her. Her illusion dropped and Rick was a little startled to see how disheveled she appeared to be.

"Is- is everything alright, Rick?" Zoe asked sleepily and then couldn't stifle a yawn. His initial thought was that no, everything wasn't alright when she looked that haggard.

She must have been staying up all night to keep watch for me.

"Zoe, get some sleep. I just woke up and I'm fresh and good for watch." he said, trying to keep his tone even and kind. She yawned again, clearly a bit sleep-deprived.

"N-No... I'm- haaaaaaahhhhh... I'm alright." She said, sounding half-sleep.

Ugh. Really? She's only going to torture herself trying to stay awake.

He spent several minutes arguing with Zoe about getting some sleep and he finally managed to talk her down and Rick only started to pull himself back up into the tree when he saw Zoe curl up into a snug ball and at least appear to go to sleep.

Even if she is trying to stay awake, with how drowsy she clearly is, I'm sure she'll doze off despite herself. She's certainly stubborn though.

That last thought brought back more vague feelings of familiarity, like he had dealt with someone before who argued with him when he was attempting to persuade them for their own health.

He reached the low branch he was tethered to before long, feeling a great deal of exasperation as he settled in again and started to keep watch. He thought he had seen someone on the path leading to the forest, but he dismissed whoever it was, as they seemed to be heading away at an amble.

How long until Denzel shows his face? I'll simply have to be patient and wait for him. I know I'll see him sooner or later.

He got comfortable once more and proceeded to wait.

o0o

A floatzel came up to Denwood later in the morning. He was on all-fours, moving with impressive speed... especially considering he was carrying an unconscious machop on his back. Rick vaguely remembered the name of the Pokemon that was being carried into the woods, but he wasn't concerned with that. The moment the floatzel showed up, his attention was focused entirely on him.

Rick then jumped off the tree branch and fell to the ground, his small size helping him land without getting too injured.

"Hold it!" he yelled as soon as he had straightened up. The otter halted and looked momentarily surprised. A brief look at the floatzel made it clear to Rick that he had caught the individual he was looking for.

After he had gotten over his initial surprise at the ambush, Denzel grinned, recognizing Rick easily.

"Alright Denzel, it's time for a little payback." Rick started towards him, ready to fight.

However, much to Rick's surprise, rather than attacking, Denzel jerked his body towards Rick, launching the machop on his back, off of him and towards Rick. The former human was suitably surprised and reacted on reflex, trying to catch the machop, which resulted in Rick getting a little squashed under the fighting-type's weight. By the time Rick pulled himself out from under Denzel's latest victim, he saw his target was making a run for it, going around Denwood and starting up a path towards the mountain behind the forest.

"Hey! Get back here!" Rick yelled after him and scurried after him as quick as he could, entirely forgetting Zoe, who was as far as he knew, still sleeping back where he had left her.