I don't own Pokemon!
Chapter 17: Little Girl, All Alone
Monday, February 24th
"Aargh, how is this ever going to work?!" Ruby snorted, bending her neck to the ground to take another bite of flowers. The Contest was in two days, we'd been practicing our routine all day, we still didn't have a for sure symbol to create with Flame Wheel, and we also still couldn't find a way for Ruby to stay up in the air for long enough to even create a symbol. On a less important scale, I also didn't have anything to wear for the Contest, but that problem could be solved with a quick call to Simone and a trip to the local Simone's Closet.
"We seriously need to figure something out." I huffed, sitting down on a cold metal bench. I went over what I wanted to do, and possible ways we could do it at least a million times in my head, but my mind always went blank at that second part.
"I think we might be able to help you with that." I jumped up, turning to the right to see Riley and Trevion. I would have been happy to see them, if it weren't for the fact that what Trevion had said interested me so much.
"How?! Please, please tell me now, how?!" It all fell out of my mouth so fast, I barely had time to register what I had said myself.
"Slow your roll girl, what's the magic word?" I fought the urge to scream at him.
"Pleasepleasepleasepleeeaaase!"
"A'right, Riley, give it to her!" Riley, who I hadn't noticed had a hand behind her back, brought it forward, a small white box with a green ribbon tied around it in her hand.
"You guys got me something?"
"Yep, every coordinator needs friends who help them out, and this is our help from us to you."
"Thank you so much!" I said, snatching the box from Riley's hand.
"Of course, don't think that this means we're going easy on you," I giggled a little, tugging the ribbon off of the box. Inside was a perfectly rounded gray stone, the size of my palm. I picked it up, tossing it up into the air and easily catching it again.
"It's so light!"
"Well duh, it's a float stone!"
"A float stone?"
"Yep, and they're only found in the Unova region."
"Wow, so why'd you guys give it to me?"
"Remember when I watched you and Ruby practice your routine, and you guys had a lot of trouble staying up in the air?"
"Yeah."
"Well, the float stone isn't just unique because of it's strangely light weight, if your Pokemon holds the float stone, it'll halve that Pokemon's weight."
"Hey, that might be able to save our routine!"
"That's why we gots it for ya!" Trevion threw his arms up in a funny manner, to which I laughed.
"Thank you guys so much, I don't know what to say!"
"Just say that you'll put up a good fight in the Contest Wednesday!"
"Well duh!" We all laughed and talked for a few minutes, but quickly ran out of things to talk to. None of us really wanted to give anything away about our plans for the Contest, and I wanted to get back to our training to see how our new float stone would work. So, after a brief awkward moment, my two new wonderful friends left, and we continued to train.
"Alright, so first things first Ruby, we need to figure out a way for you to hold that float stone." I dug through my bag, looking for anything useful, and ended up managing to tie the stone around Ruby with an Escape Rope. "That should be alright for now," I began. "I'll bet that whoever we see at Simone's Closet will come up with a clever way to keep it on you during the Contest."
"Okay Ruby, so first use Agility then you know what to do with Stomp!" We'd been working a lot on our whole routine, so when Ruby jumped up, about to use Stomp and propel herself into the air, she did a few well choreographed flips, many more thanks to the extra air she got with the float stone. When she crashed down Ruby used a powerful Stomp attack, propelling herself high into the air.
"Now use Fast Flame!" Fast Flame was the name I'd come up with for the super fast combination of Agility and Flame Wheel Ruby used while up in the air. Since she had no pattern to create up there, the fire type just randomly flew around up in the air. "It's working!" I shouted when I realized that Ruby, with the help of the float stone, could now easily stay up in the air for an extended period of time. Eventually she used Fast Flame to hurl herself at the ground, doing her flips along the way, then landed with a crack onto the frozen ground, creating a small dent.
"Yes!" I ran to the Ponyta, throwing my arms around her neck in an embrace. "You did great Ruby! Now all we have to do is figure out some sort of shape for you to make in the air! Now, let's get back to the Pokemon Center. I'm starving!"
We got back a little early, but we ate anyways, a dinner of Poke Food and tacos for me. Upstairs in our room, all of the Pokemon were inside their capsules, while I played music and searched the internet for possible shapes that Ruby could create while using Fast Flame. I sighed after some time, not getting anywhere. I decided to get my mind off of that for a while, hoping that it would give my imagination some time to recover. To do so, I called Simone.
Simone was more than happy to hear from me, and even happier to hear that I was competing in the Floaroma Town Contest. Before I even had the chance to ask, Simone wanted to know if I would like to rent another dress from the Simone's Closet in Floaroma. Well, maybe borrow would be a better word. Simone always insisted that the wonderful daughter of the great coordinator Johanna Diamond not pay to borrow a dress. Simone also told me that one of her employees here would help me get ready for the Contest if I was at the shop at six in the morning the day of the Contests. We made an appointment for me to go by the shop and pick out a dress tomorrow at one.
After that was all figured out, I fell backwards and onto the provided bed, sighing. I turned over onto my side, studying the lines on my hand, the pale color, my slender fingers. Focusing my hearing senses, I simultaneously listened to the quiet music still playing. The song was by one of my favorite bands, Dead By April. The song, As A Butterfly. Even though I loved the song, I didn't know most of the lyrics. It was difficult to understand. But the few words I could decipher, I loved the sound and beauty of them.
Now, I didn't know what to do. I wasn't tired and it was too early to go to bed. I didn't want to think about that stupid symbol I was supposed to be finding. I had nothing to do. So, I left the Pokemon Center to do the one thing pretty much everyone does when they have nothing to do. I took a walk.
Route 205 was quiet, especially this time of day. The sun was setting, giving the snow and the flowers that poked out a golden glow. This part of Route 205 had no trainers, so again not much to do, but I had heard about a fairly large wind powered power plant that provided nearly all the electricity for Floaroma Town, so I decided to check that out instead. Just as I saw the first wind turbine, I also saw a small girl, sitting on the ground next to a small river. She looked as if she were crying.
"Hey," The little girl jumped and looked up at me with these adorable and all teared up brown Bambi eyes when I put a hand on her shoulder. "What's a little cutie like you doing out here all alone?"
"Waaah!" I was shocked when she began sobbing and latched her arms around my waste. I didn't want to frighten the poor thing anymore than she already was, so I put a hand on her shoulder, and used the other to pat her back.
"Shush, shush, no need to cry, it'll always be alright," I sang to her, a little song my mom used to sing to me whenever I cried as a child. "You'll always have a happy ending, and if not your momma's gonna hit someone with a rock," She couldn't help but giggle at that last part, just like me. Now that she was cheered up a little, I knelt down and lifted the child's chin so she would look me in the eye.
"Now, will you tell me your name?"
"Janie."
"That's a beautiful name! My name is Hikari."
"You're name's pretty too!"
"Thank you, so why are you out here by yourself?" She immediately embraced me again, mumbling something inaudible into my soft maroon coat. "You're gonna have to do better than that kiddo." When Janie picked her head back up, the big red bow in her short, dark brown hair wobbled, and I fixed it gently for her. Her Bambi eyes threatened to spill tears once more.
"The-they won't let me see papa!" She cried, grabbing onto my coat for the third time. I gently pried her away, wanting to hear more of this.
"Who won't let you see your papa?"
"The sp-spacemen!" I gave her a quizzical look, and Janie quickly continued. "We-we live at the Valley Windworks down the road, and these mean spacemen came and made my papa do stuff for them, but then they kicked me out today, and I wanna see my papa!" She started sobbing again, and this time when she dug her face into shoulder, I let her do it.
"Don't worry Janie, we'll go see your papa together."
"Bu-but how will you get past the spacemen?" I grinned knowingly at the small girl.
"I've got lots of friends that will help us!" It took just twenty minutes to get to the Valley Windworks. It was a modern looking factory placed at the entrance of a large canyon and next to the now larger river from earlier. It was also surrounded by large fields, surprisingly not filled with flowers but instead large and powerful looking wind turbines. The actual wind here was strong, whipping my long hair around. I was nearly positive that the wind here could be much stronger though.
As we approached the entrance to the Valley Windworks, I saw a strange looking man guarding the entrance with a sour look on his face. If it weren't for my special psychic abnormalities, I would have gone up to the man without a care in the world. But, if it hadn't been for Janie, I would've run as far as I could with my tail between my legs. It was one of them. Those Team Galactic jerks. The grunts alone didn't scare me, it was that man. I tried not to think of him, his name, or his face. Cyrus. It didn't work. I never wanted to see this man ever again, I wished I'd never sort of met him that day at Lake Verity. That man was capable of a terrifying evil that I never wanted to see.
I took a gulp, silently praying to dear Arceus that he wasn't here. Then I took well faked, bold steps towards the grunt.
"Sorry kids, Valley Windworks is closed for a while. Come back never." It irritated me how egoistic this guy was, simply brushing us off.
"Move you freak," One of the many mocking voices in my head chimed, You're one to talk. I ignored it like I did so well these days. "Janie here wants to see her dad." The small girl crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out, hiding just slightly behind my leg. The grunt hesitated, then leaned forward glaring daggers.
"Don't you dare come into the Valley Windworks." I smirked. That hesitation said it all. I leaned forward as well, still smirking.
"I don't think there's much you can do about it." He looked taken aback for a moment, then stuttered a reply, failing at trying to keep his cool.
"I-I got ordered to keep everyone out of the power plant if they're not part of Team Galactic, and I'm thinking you don't care too much if I lose my job." I shrugged, a sly smile still painted across my face and growing. "Fine, then battle me for it!"
"Sounds good to me. Janie, back up!" The small brunette nodded and ran backwards while I walked, not taking my eyes off of the grunt. If he bolted and got inside, we might never be able to get in after him.
"Ruby, I choose you!"
"Glameow, do Team Galactic proud!" I'd been about to call out an attack, but someone else beat me to it.
"Feear!" Both Ruby and I ducked as an ultra powerful Aerial Ace whizzed past our heads and nearly hit the grunt's Glameow. The normal type's fur frizzed out and out of pure fright and shock Glameow jumped and using it's claws latched onto it's trainer's leg.
"Eeek!" The grunt shrieked, then probably out of both fear and pain, ran inside the power plant. I gasped when I heard the ker-chunk of a lock.
It was then that I looked up and saw the Fearow, the same one that had nearly destroyed that flower shop. It landed right in front of the door to the Valley Windworks, screeching angrily and using Drill Peck to try and get in, but to no avail. The large flying type made a noise that sounded like a sigh and looked to the ground.
"Free!" Janie squealed with joy, running out to meet the Pokemon.
"Janie, no-" My warnings were cut short when she hugged Fearow, and he affectionately nuzzled against her.
"Hikari, this is Free!"
"Free?" I asked from a distance, still not quite sure what to think of the Fearow.
"Uh huh! He's my dad's Pokemon! It's so good to see you again Free!" She squeaked, shoving her face into Free's feathers.
"Well, what's he doing out here?"
"The mean spacemen made Free go away when they came, and I didn't see him for a long time! He was probably scared..." Janie pouted, petting the Free's head, a gesture he gratefully accepted.
"Okay..." Free seemed nice enough now, but I couldn't come up with an explanation as to why he'd attack the flower shop like that. I pushed aside the thought for now, that wasn't my priority. Not knowing what to do know, I took out my Pokedex, quickly getting the entry for Fearow. Then, I walked up to the Valley Windworks door. I knew knocking and trying to force the door open wouldn't work, but I tried anyways. Nothing happened. I sighed. I didn't know what to tell the expectant little girl behind me.
"I'm sorry Janie, but I think you're going to have to wait a day or two to get to see your papa again."
"I-it's okay. I got Free back, and I know you're going to help me Hikari!" I smiled sadly, admiring the small girl's bravery.
"Right. You and Free can stay with me until we get to your papa, kay?"
"Okay." As we began to walk away with Free flying above us, Janie clumsily grabbed at my hand. I gently took it in my larger one, and squeezed it reassuringly.
Back at the Pokemon Center, I'd put Janie to bed in my room, and Free refused to leave the room without her, so there was that strange picture of a Fearow sleeping at the foot of a little girl's bed. Oddly enough, it looked kind of cute. Anyways, after Janie was safely asleep, I left the Pokemon Center into the pitch black night to find the police station. I couldn't get into that power plant without help, and this was technically kidnapping anyways.
Walking inside, I couldn't believe my ocean blue eyes. I didn't even need to see the insignia on the front of her outfit to know that she was part of Team Galactic. Her strange space oriented outfit gave it away. The redhead finished talking to Officer Jenny just in time to turn around and see me shocked in the doorway. I wanted to slap that smirk right off of that moron's face.
"Hello, how can I help you?" Officer Jenny asked.
"What did she tell you." I demanded. The blunette wearing too much red lipstick looked irritated but was about to answer anyways when the redhead spoke up, voice dripping with arrogance.
"That we're just doing some harmless research at the Valley Windworks for the next couple weeks, and not to worry if the powers funny out here in Floaroma. Oh, and I also brought in a signed approval letter from Mr. Baugher, the man who runs the Valley Windworks." My cheeks grew red with anger. How dare they lie like this, and to the cops for Arceus' sake! And poor Janie...
"Anything else ma'am?" Officer Jenny was obviously not happy about my rude behavior, and I politely said no, quickly taking my leave.
When I got back to the Pokemon Center, I entered my room as quietly as possible. Janie and Free were still sleeping soundly, and I didn't want to wake them. I took a second pillow and two blankets out of the supply closet in the room, creating a makeshift bed on the floor. I fell asleep thinking about what Janie's life would be like if she never saw her father again. How optimistic can I get.
I watched on in third person as Janie ran endlessly, searching for her lost father. I wanted to help her, to reach out and tell her that it'd be alright, and wipe away those tears that wouldn't stop. But every time I tried, my throat burned and so much guilt and pain washed through me that I couldn't move.
Finally, I decided that it didn't matter how much it hurt, only Janie mattered, and somehow I mustered up the strength to yell out to her. But it wasn't Janie's name that came out of my mouth. And it wasn't Janie who turned around. It was me. All me.
Hikari, little girl Hikari, tears streaming down her face, running from home, but searching for a place to call her own, where she'd fit in and everyone would love her for who she was, not what was forced onto her. This curse that pained and ripped away every part of her life.
She never found it.
I woke up sweating and panting. This dream hadn't been like the others, it scared me, but not in the way a night terror did. What if I never found that place? What if I was all alone, and no one ever understood me? Then again, hate is so much easier than understanding.
Tuesday, February 25th