CHAPTER 36
He was outside the back door of a Team Rocket base. A pair of Rockets had just thrown him to the ground, causing his knee to get scraped. He looked up at the duo while trying to cover his knee.
"Pathetic," said the first Rocket. "There's no room in this organization for a bleeding heart like yours."
"I'm trying!" said Rylan! "Really, I am!"
"Trying to be one of us?" asked the second Rocket. "Or trying to stay close to your precious big brother?"
"I just-" Rylan started.
"No excuses," said the first Rocket. "I've already requested the admin to relocate Zorian to the Kanto division. Having you two being so close to each other is keeping us from getting anything done."
"But the Kanto division is across the sea! I might never see him again!" Rylan said.
"Welcome to Team Rocket, where happiness comes to those who actually get their work done," said the second Rocket cheekily. The two of them turned and closed the door, leaving Rylan on the ground.
Rylan uncovered his knee and sighed. "Maybe they're right. Maybe I am just…incompetent. I probably deserve this pain."
Minutes later, Rylan felt a pat on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Zorian, who sat down beside him and looked at his hurt knee.
"It's a good thing I didn't show up sooner. Good for those two jerks, anyway. Nobody messes with my bro and gets away with it," Zorian said, pulling a handkerchief out of his back pocket. He smiled and started to wrap Rylan's knee.
"Why are you smiling?" Rylan asked. "You're being sent away. We're never gonna see each other again."
"You really believe that nonsense?" Zorian asked. "Let them send me to Kanto. I'll come back for you."
"But how?" Rylan asked. "And even so, why bother? I'm nothing but a burden."
"I'm gonna come back here, no matter how many admins I'd have to face," said Zorian. "And you are no burden. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"Yeah, sure," Rylan scoffed. "I almost got you fired."
"Like I said, bro," Zorian chuckled, "the Rockets beat you up first and then they fire you. To be honest, though, that would be a blessing at this point, and I'd happily take that. The work they're making me do is despicable. I should never have joined this corrupt organization."
"Can you tell me why you did?" Rylan asked.
Zorian sighed. "Well, you've been living with Mom, and I with Dad. Dad never told anyone, but he was a member of Team Rocket himself. I never believed he was capable of being so cruel to Pokémon, despite the fact that he cared about his family. He signed me up for Team Rocket, telling me that he needed the help."
"He signed you up?" Rylan asked. "Against your will? Why didn't you quit?"
"I was scared…" Zorian said. "I stayed with Team Rocket because I was afraid of what they would do to me if I quit… What Dad would do to me… But let me tell you something. Being a part of this group has shown me just how cold mankind can be when they give in to greed and selfish desire. I despised myself for what I did. I didn't care that I was being paid to do it. I knew it was wrong and I did it anyway because I was spineless."
"Zorian…" Rylan said.
"No more," Zorian said. "I'm not scared of this place anymore. In fact, I'm gonna let you in on something." He leaned in close and spoke quietly into his brother's ear.
"I know a way we can escape Team Rocket for good," he said. "Let's just say I've poked my nose in where it didn't belong on several occasions, and I know about a plan the higher-ups are hatching to capture more Pokémon. I can get us out and stop their plan at the same time. I'll save the surprise for when I come back for you."
"But you'd be going up against the entire organization," Rylan said. "Returning to Unova at all would be the least of your worries."
"Trust me," said Zorian, "I can make it back to you, and I will. In fact, I promise you here and now that I won't fail."
A small smile formed on Rylan's face. "You've always been good about keeping your promises," he said.
After Zorian had finished tending to Rylan's knee, he embraced his brother tightly. "You and I are family, and nothing is going to tear us apart. Don't forget that."
The memory fading from his mind, Rylan's focus returned to the icy liquid that was threatening to freeze him over as it continued to rise. The images of his friends were drawing closer still, and each negative sentence they threw at Rylan turned into more tears down Rylan's cheeks.
But as he finished remembering that night when Zorian tended to his knee, he started to feel a warmth in his heart. In turn the water surrounding him started to feel much less cold.
"What's the matter, little brother?" asked the transparent figure of Zorian. "You look so miserable. Don't think for one second that you have my pity. You haven't earned it. You've never loved me, so why should you deserve my compassion?"
"Shut up," snapped Rylan.
"Excuse me?" asked Zorian.
"I said SHUT UP!" Rylan barked, getting to his feet. The water began to recede. Shaking all over, Rylan marched toward the figure of his brother.
"You are right about one thing," he said. "I don't care about you at all. You are not my real brother. You're just a shadow of guilt trying to damage my mind and my heart. Zorian loves me, and I love him."
Rylan turned to the figure of Buizel. "Yes, I have wronged Buizel in the past, but I am genuinely sorry for what I did to him. I'll do whatever it takes to show him that I'm sorry. I'll take whatever he is willing to dish out. He's my teammate and I care about him."
Next he turned to the figure of Vulpix. "Vulpix has been a kind and caring friend to me since I met her, and there's no way she'd begrudge anyone," he said. "Nobody can come between her friendship with Buizel, and I don't intend to try. There's nothing wrong with making new friends."
Finally he turned to look at the remaining three. "I may not be the best person in the world, but I'm trying to be the best me. I may not have noticed Nidoran cared so much for me, but I'm honored she does, and I'm equally honored to have a potential friend in Wingull. As for Gallade, he is my superior, and I'll always be loyal to him and the guild he stands for. What happened that day was not my fault. I'm still fighting to stop Slowking. I'm still fighting to keep the Pokémon world safe."
Rylan clenched his fists and glared at the six figures surrounding him. "Say whatever you want about me. You're not my real friends, and nobody has power over my heart."
The water receded to the level at which it originally rested and it reverted back to its original temperature. The figures slowly started to fade back into it as well. Zorian's figure faded the slowest. Before it was completely out of sight, it smiled at Rylan. "Your brother would be proud of you," it said.
A small twinkle of light a few feet away caught Rylan's eye. The light slowly grew larger, appearing as though it was opening up a rift in space. A black vortex appeared within the light, expanding until it was the size of a small door.
Rylan sniffled and wiped the last of the tears from his face. "I guess that's the way in," he said as he watched the passageway reveal itself. He stepped forward and pressed his paw into the hole. It completely vanished from sight. Mustering his courage, he fell forward into the vortex, which immediately closed behind him.