Wow so... last chapter actually embarrassed me a lot LMFAO I don't… want to read through it again.
It was terrible. I'm not 100% sure why I wrote it because it isn't actually in my story plan? So now I've just catapulted myself into doing two chapters I wasn't supposed to write... so I'm sorry if this turns out to be terrible.
#lackofselfconfidence
The only good thing I've got from this chapter is that I made it a new cover. \m/
The morning sun blocked my senses as we emerged out of the subway into a frost-bitten Goldenrod; crisp wind scratched at my cheeks and nipped at my graze. Cadence seemed to read my thoughts as we both shivered in the cold, looking hopeless as the wind blew around our hair. Still, the cold weather wasn't enough to mask the suspicious glares returning from the gorming crowds – I was used to it from my first run-in with Team Rocket, but I wasn't sure Cadence was really appreciating the global disproval. Aha, I beat her at something. We started shuffling towards the National park, the exposed skin on our thighs turning as red as the logo on our shirts, and finally reached our destination.
"C-Cay, are you sure this is a g-good idea?" I asked her, my teeth chattering as the cold atmosphere gripped my mouth.
"Y-Yeah, I m-mean, it's better than staying in HQ all d-day" she replied, pulling her hat over her ears in an attempt to keep her ears warm.
"T-they might not even l-let us particip-pate" I tried to point out to her as we stood outside the gate.
"E-even if they d-don't, we can still s-sit and talk" She replied, before hastily walking inside the gate. I followed her, and as soon as I entered the warmth embraced my shivering frame.
"We could just stay in here?" I replied, recovering from my cold-induced stutter. Cadence acted as if she was on a mission and ignored me, before storming off towards the park-keeper.
"Hey! I'd like to join the bug-catching contest – and so would she" she asked, ignoring the keeper's complete look of horror as he stared down at her uniform.
"Don't look so shocked – we're off duty" she carried on. I nudged her in an attempt to show her that the keeper was not buying it. She ignored me again.
"Well, I, uh, have to take your Pokémon off you…" the keeper finally replied, albeit with a shaky voice. Cadence instantly responded and gave him two balls.
"And you, too" he nodded in my direction.
"I only have the one" I replied, picking up my now-healed Rattata and spinning it around my finger. The keeper looked hesitant, but carried on reeling off rules and restrictions to us.
"You're only allowed to use 20 competition balls… and you have a time limit" he nervously instructed us, before literally pushing us into the freezing park.
"Wow, what was up with that guy?" I asked, brushing my arm where he had pushed me.
"I'unno, he's probably nerved up because of our uniforms" Cadence replied, walking off as she gave me my answer. I watched her walk to the other side of the park until I realised I was by myself. Running – I tried to catch up with her… until I realised I was smack bang in the middle of tall grass. Confidently, I held my Rattata as I tiptoed through the grass – bug Pokémon were weak – I had nothing to be scared about.
"SCCCCCCYYYYYYYYYYY" a harsh shriek rung behind me, catching me off guard. I turned around almost immediately and notice I was completely towered over by a Scyther. I fell over and landed flat on the floor, groaning as the floor failed to cushion me from pain. Uh-oh, I guess bug Pokémon aren't weak…
"Go Rattata!" I shouted for the first time – watching in hope as the clearing became illuminated with white. The Rattata stood its ground against the Scyther… which hopelessly over-powered the gutsy rat.
"R-Rattata, use Hyper Fang!" I ordered it off the top of my head – and luckily, the Rattata actually knew Hyper Fang. It charged up towards the Scyther, which deflected the bite with it's huge scythes. Huge scythes. Watching in desperation as the Rattata kept trying to get an attack in, my mind trailed elsewhere as the clatter of a battle unfolded before me. Kabutops. The scythes were reminiscent of my first, obscure Pokémon.
"Dewgong – use Aurora Beam!"
"Avoid it with Aqua Jet, Kabuto!"
The colliding attacks shook the ice-crusted gym to the core. Kabuto sprang out from under the ice and crashed itself against the gleaming, white Dewgong. It bounced off it as if nothing had happened, and flung back against another wall. The Dewgong started sliding towards the quivering fossil, and I couldn't help but cry out.
"Kabuto! Watch out!"
The fossil managed to scuttle out of the way as the giant seal attempted to body-slam it.
"Good! Now use Mega Drain!"
Kabuto flung itself back onto the seal and instantly started draining it of fluids. Instantly restored, it slid off the seal and carried on looking it right in the eye.
"Dewgong! Use Icy Wind!" the seal let out a gasp of cold air, that started making Kabuto quiver even more. None the less, it still stood strong.
"Counter it with Rock Tomb!" I shouted, expecting this to be the final move. Rocks suddenly shot up out of the ground and buried the seal – no movement. The skier withdrew the Pokémon in defeat, making me turn around with joy towards my tiny-but-dangerous Pokémon. Until I noticed it was gleaming white. In astonishment, I watched as it's anatomy shifted from a helmet-sized fish into… into… holy hell.
My Kabuto had turned into a rather big Pokémon reminiscent of a shell fish – except it had two gleaming scythes protruding from it's arms.
"What the hell is it?!" I asked out loud, looking in confusion at what my Kabuto was now. The skier looked equally as confused, before clicking.
"It's a Kabutops!"
"Kabuto…ps?" I repeated, walking up to my new team member.
"Kabu!" It replied, slipping it's way over to me. The skier started walking back but I held my ground.
"Well, you're not going to be able to fit on my shoulder anymore, are you?" I tried to smile at it, but I was still unnerved by it's scythes.
"Tops!" it replied again, this time nudging me with its scythe. Looking down with narrowed eyes, I started nudging it back.
"So… you ready for the rest of this gym?"
"Lizzy! Liz! Lizzy!" I was shook back into the real world by Cadence. Looking up, I noticed the Scyther had gone, but my Rattata was once again unconscious.
"…Piece of shit" I muttered to it while I returned it to its ball.
"The contest is almost over and you're passed out on the floor?" She sighed at me in desperation.
"I wasn't passed out, I was just… remembering" I replied, getting myself up off the grassy floor.
"Remembering what?" she asked. She really can be inquisitive when she wants.
"The past" I concisely nipped the flower in the bud.
"The past. What did you catch?" She asked me again.
"Nothing" I replied again, sighing as I did so.
"You really are a pitiful excuse for a trainer, you know?" she laughed at me. If only she knew.
"Well, what did you catch?" I spat at her in retaliation.
"A Pinsir" she smugly said to herself. God damn it. "Theres still some time left – and by the looks of it, you have a lot of balls left…"
"I think I'll pass – I mean, my Rattata is de…" I trailed off as I noticed a familiar face. Eliot.
"Cay… my brother is over there" I whispered, hiding behind her as I did so.
"Why don't we go and talk to him?" her voice heightened itself up as she asked.
"Because my mother is also there and I don't want to be seen with her" I replied, gritting my teeth as I did so.
"Why not?" She asked again.
"She'd be, uh, disgraced by me being in Team Rocket" I made up. That wasn't the real reason. I didn't feel secure – I felt as if Proton was around the corner, glaring at every single move I made. If he were to hurt my family in order to hurt me, it would be the absolute death of me – as much as I didn't really appreciate my family – they were still my family.
"I thought you said she wanted you to join" she replied almost automatically.
"I'd rather not speak about this right now" I replied, before hiding behind the fountain. "I'm going back to HQ".
"Liz – wait!" Cadence followed me. "I've got a Pinsir!".
"Yes, I know – you don't have to broadcast it".
"I want it to be judged!".
"I don't need to be there".
"Whatever, you're right".
Her reverse-psychology worked and I ended up in the icy fountain, trying to hide from my family as the judging started. …Admittedly, it probably wasn't a good idea of mine to hide directly in front of the judging – directly in front of my family. Nor to be in water that was below freezing.
"In third place is… Megan, who caught a whopping Caterpie! It's score was 259" the commenter's voice rung out from behind the fountain wall.
"In second place is… Eliot, who caught a writhing Beedrill! It's score was 301" the commentator announced again, perking up my anger. If he could have caught another Beedrill this easily, why did I have to get tangled up with Team Rocket? I would still have my team and be well on my way to Blackthorn City right now…
"Well done Eliot!" My Mother's voice rung out. My anger was replaced with jealousy as I heard the appraisal I never received.
"And in first place, with a score of 305… is C-Cadence, with a Pinsir" the commentator's excited voice audibly died down, as if he was admitting murder.
The commentator broke up the crowd, and Cadence's head popped over the edge of the fountain. In her hand was a glistening Sun Stone.
"You look a little wet" she teased me, reaching out from the edge to help me up.
"D-Do I?" I grinned at her, before pulling her in.
"Argh! Lizzy, w-what did you achieve from that?!" she snapped at me, the cold gripping her.
"I gave you hyperthermia t-too" I laughed, before climbing out of the stone fountain, water dripping from my uniform. Probably wasn't one of my best ideas. Cadence crawled out of the fountain, also dripping, and glared at me.
"You i-idiot!"
Around an hour later, we trembled back into the HQ. Still damp from my frolic in the fountain, I was attempting to dry off my hair. Already, my brown roots were showing through the pink hair. Result. Cadence had taken her wig off, and was letting her blonde hair dry naturally. I was still envious of her hair.
"Remind me never to take you bug-catching again" she snapped at me, shaking her hair around.
"I'm on it" I was still smirking, although mentally, I felt drained. Proton could come up to me and start impaling me with a knife and I wouldn't care less...
"Hey, Lizzy"
Flinching, I turned around and noticed that Proton was in fact standing behind me. I take that back.
"Executive Proton, sir" Cadence instantly stood upright in his presence.
"You don't need to do that, uh, Cay?" he replied, trying to remember her name, blanking out me.
"Okay, sir" she replied, slouching down again.
"No I meant, the sir thing" he replied. Why was he being nice?
"But, sir, you're always making people say it" she replied again, on top of the ball. She really should try and get him away before he starts hurting her.
"Well, what can I say – I'm a nice guy" he replied again, this time looking at me. My heart sank – was he imitating Petrel? Or was it Petrel imitating him? I wasn't too sure what was what anymore.
"I'm just… going to the dorms" I blurted out, ignoring both of them. 'Proton' then grabbed my arm.
"You're not going anywhere – are you Lizzy?" He glared at me with eyes full of malice. Yep. Gonna go with Proton. I instantly reached up to my graze with my other hand and shielded it from further harm.
"Yes – I am going to the dorm" I shuddered out by mistake. Shit! You should have just agreed with him Elizabeth! His vice-like grip tightened itself around my arm.
"I'll ask you aga-"
"Liz, are we going to the dorms or what?" Cadence replied, smirking. Proton let go of my arm and turned to face his challenger. I started slicing my hand across my neck and desperately mouthed 'cut it out' to her before he trilled abuse towards her. Or, so I thought.
"You know – Cay, I like blondes"
Oh for god's sake!
Cadence instantly lit up as if she'd been offered all the money in the world. I carried on my hand action, but this time with more vigour. I was in half a mind to push Proton away, grab Cadence, and run off towards the dorm. But fear was starting to paralyse me again as it sunk in that the one man that posed all of the threats in the world was standing right opposite me. Crap. This can only get worse.
"You see – I think most of the girls around here with these horribly boring pink hair-cuts are so plain" he chimed towards her, hinting towards me. My cheeks flushed red with humiliation as he continued to block me out – making me feel as if I was a ghost. Cadence continued to not respond – but this time, she seemed endeared towards him.
"Uh – Cay? I'm going to the d-dorm" I finally managed to cough out as I really didn't want my ego to be broken down. She ignored me.
"Did you just hear something?" Proton replied for her, turning around to face me. His eyes were seemingly bright with enjoyment – he was obviously emotionally torturing me.
My chest tightened up and my mouth spread out into a twisted frown – I turned away as I felt tears well up in my eyes. Quietly, I managed to find a small, shadowed alcove and hid down into the shadows, letting beads of water roll down my face. I wanted to be left alone – until a voice rung through my wall of sorrow.
"You understand, now".
Looking up, I noticed the girl who Proton had slapped around during my first day as a Rocket was standing up at me, her eyes were dull with shadows, her skin was pale and she seemed shaky. My eyes looked her up and down – she was covered in dust, and her face looked gaunt and hollowed. I couldn't help but shake as I looked at the intimidating girl. Was she the shadow of Proton's abuse?
"K-Kris, right?" I sniffled, staring up at the shadow of the girl, trying to ignore the fact that she looked dead.
"Please call me Kristina" Kris's dampened voice echoed out through the corridor.
"I just wanted to thank you" she carried on monotonously sighing, as if all of her energy had been sapped from her. What did she want me to thank her for?
"I wanted to thank you, because Proton has forgotten about me" she smiled. My chest contorted with horror – was this going to happen to me? I couldn't find the words to reply to the dull silhouette, so I just blinked in shock.
"I used to try so hard to impress him – to stop him from hating me and from hurting me…" she emphasised the negative terms, striking a chord in my emotions. Empathy.
"…But now, he doesn't even notice me as I walk past his office, nor if I mention his name as I walk past him in the corridor" she smiled, as if she had been unlocked from a chained room.
"But… didn't y-you like, kind of fancy him?" I managed to reply, asking the completely wrong question.
"I may have. I was mainly in love with the idea that I could live a normal life without feeling as if my life was endangered. All I felt that I needed was him, and Team Rocket, but deep down I just wanted to get out" .
I blinked in acceptance – I understood her completely.
"He doesn't notice you anymore – you can get out of Team Rocket now, right?"
"Oh, Elizabeth. I got out a long time ago." She smiled at me. W-What did that mean?! Kristina turned around, and walked off. My eyes widened in horror, and I instantly stood up to follow her. Pelting out of the alcove, my heart sunk.
The corridor was completely empty.
Wow so… I might as well have a freaking medal for how dark this story is turning out. I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with the Kristina thing. It could either go really bad for Proton, or it could just be an hallucination – I'd rather go with the hallucination because wow poor Proton (I can't believe I just said that) ((I knew this story was dark from the abuse but … I really don't want to stray into death to be honest))
I would have written more, but alas I have ran out of time! (god bless British time zones).
Next chapter miiiiiight have a small delay because I'm starting my last ever term of high school (woo!) tomorrow – which happens to have 12 exams I need to be revising for in it. I'm not going to set myself a deadline because I'll be stressed out by it so… yeah. See you in a week or two. 8D