I could not believe this happened.
Nearly a week passed since the explosion at police station. I stayed in the Pokemon Center longer to pull my thoughts together and finally realize what the hell is going on.
All news were constantly talking about that incident, rising the count of dead every hour. The prison block was completely wiped out, no survivors there. A lot of wounded people in other parts of building and even on street – the blast and fire destroyed nearly the whole quarter, the fire squads barely stopped the spreading after five hours.
It was a frigging crazy day for all of us…
I was lost for some days. Literally paralyzed, I was lying in my bed in PC room, unable to do anything… Like being in coma myself. I didn`t sleep, I didn`t eat, I didn`t breathe. I got used to horrors of brutal world, but still something even worse exists to shock me even more.
My comrades visited me a couple of times to talk, but in this state I wasn`t able to speak. Misty knew that sometimes this happens to me and explained it to the rest, thankfully helping me to avoid unnecessary questions and psychiatric hospital. So they were coming and telling me the news like I was in real coma.
The most often visitor was suddenly Leaf – and instead of talking she came to stay silent. This strange girl was walking around me, looking at my eyes, sometimes touching my forehead like checking the temperature. After that she were sitting on the chair and… meditating. Or just sleeping, I don`t know. That was extremely strange, as everything is with this girl.
Bill visited me a couple of times to report about results of his field tests during the assault and to brag about his successful inventions. The technology of pokeball jamming he stole from Safari Zone with a bit of my help appeared to be extremely effective… but energy-consuming. Portable devices he provided to the squads ended too quickly, but he still has the ideas of improving. Well, Bill is always like this.
Misty visited me regularly to check the pulse and tell something interesting. She has decided to use this time to tell me what I have missed for these seven years. And that actually sounded more like confession than a chronicle – I learned a couple of things about her that she possibly wouldn`t tell me straightly. To revive me she even tried to show me her new and cool lingerie. Maybe she thought I don`t hear and don`t see her… but I do.
But all this came to end when finally Sabrina decided to visit me. Right from the first second she looked really disturbed by her appearance here, but she felt she must come here.
"They said, you`re in coma now…" She addressed me quietly. "I think I need to talk to you a bit."
She sat on the chair and got a comfortable position.
"Hm… I… I just had no chance of thanking you for saving me." The leader slowly pronounced like each word was extremely hard for her to say. She took her glance away and closed her eyes. "I could never imagine someone can cause so strange feelings in me…"
My face remained rock solid even after her unusual words.
"You know, during the whole my shitty life I could never find anyone who I can actually trust… I was surrounded by cowards and traitors… I beat my way to the place of gym leader with strength and cunningness just to show these idiots that psychics are people too!"
Wow, this sounds like she had some really tough life before… Some problems with her being a psychic… This can explain her bitchy behavior. But why the heck is she telling me this?
"I never liked anyone. My parents hated me for my abilities… everyone hated me for my abilities. And so I hated everyone in return… until I have found other psychics that saw my strength as a symbol of power!"
Come on, woman, stop this, you`re embarrassing me! I do not actually need your biography, I just want a Badge and to get laid for my check-list…
"Of all non-psychic people suddenly you appeared to be the one, that… I`m not disgusted with. Not anymore."
I have no idea where this is going to. And I particularly don`t like it. It want this strange woman to leave me alone for now. Why can`t I just stare at blank point and enjoy my coma for some days in silence? Is this so much to ask?
"I never liked regular people. But as a gym leader I was responsible for the safety of Saffron City, and I did my best to perform this duty. To use my gift for the right purpose. And I have failed deadly…"
She went silent for some time. Sabrina was too proud to realize that I actually kicked her to move forward and finally free Saffron City. Of course, I did that just for my own purposes, not because of any good motivations, but still…
"…but then you came. You pissed me off. You have angered me. And, in the end, this is how you helped me to accomplish my job." Sabrina finally admitted and got up. For some reason she approached my bed and carefully sat on it, staring at me. "I have no idea whether you hear me or not… Well… I hope not. Thank you for that."
"Well, finally!" I jumped from my place to the very ceiling, causing Sabrina almost fell from the bed. Ignoring her, I rushed to the kitchen to find something to eat. "Damn, I am hungry! Hope Bill didn`t empty my fridge yesterday…"
"You… you!" The woman angry yelled behind me.
"Yesh… Me!" I replied her with my mouth full. "Whatsh you want?"
"Oh god…" She god up and approached me. "Were you awake all this time?"
I had to quickly chew and swallow everything I had to answer her.
"This depends…" I looked down at a very delicious cucumber and sighed. "I wasn`t awake. But I could hear everything you guys tell, see everything you guys do."
After that I bit another piece of cucumber and headed to bathroom.
"Oh no, stop, you!" Sabrina rushed after me, but I accelerated and jumped into the shower, closing the door behind me. "What`s all this for?!"
"I can`t hear you through the water!" I shouted in reply.
"You haven`t even turned it on yet."
"Oh, yeah…" This time I actually turned on the stream and began showering. Finally I can wash away all the mental dirt I had to suffer…
But the tall figure behind the door wasn`t going to walk away that easily.
"I want to know what the heck was that!" She insisted on talking to me, even in a shower. No rest for me, again.
"And I don`t want to tell you. You will not be interested." I replied shortly.
"Oh, I will! You can`t just save my life and go into conscious coma for a week and tell me nothing!" Sabrina began to anger a little.
Heh, she thinks I owe her a talk… Maybe, she is right, but I don`t want to talk right now about this. Or any when…
"Why would I need to tell you anything?" I calmly replied her. "It doesn`t matter at all. I don`t matter at all. But your city does. You have work to do. Order to restore, gym to repair… My challenge to accept."
For some time she was silent, thinking it through.
"Why the heck you are so calm?" Her voice slowly began to feel a bit hysterical. "We have been in an epicenter of terrorism act, and you act like nothing happened!"
Oh, I almost got rid of these thoughts, and she pushes on them again.
"Listen, woman!" I rushed to the door, opened it and stared angrily at her. "Give this man to live though this shock! Yes, I was shocked, I didn`t expect this shit to happen!"
I made a couple of steps towards her, making her retreat in a shock of her own.
"You wish to know? I had a psychic shift, okay?"
The unusual look on Sabrina`s face confused me. She was scared like a little girl seeing an adult naked man.
Oh crap… She did was seeing...
I hurried to return back into the shower and finish the procedure. The gym leader didn`t interrupt me anymore and was patiently waiting on the coach.
"I`m sorry for that…" I apologized sitting into the armchair.
"I`m… sorry… too…" She timidly turned away, not looking at me even dressed.
"Look… I just want you to understand. The events at police station were terrifying. Prisoners died, workers died, confiscated pokemon died… Susan died. Until now I didn`t even imagine that Giovanni is capable of something… THIS disgusting."
"We`re still clearing the place…"
"But I want to clear the whole Kanto from him! I had the chance to find him! I had Susan… And I have her no more. I have nothing more left. And I had the chance of preventing all this!"
We stayed silent for some more time, until my stomach demanded to be filled – I didn`t finish this procedure the last time.
"Anyway, however bad it is, you must remember that the future is even worse." I said with cheerful tone while standing from the armchair. "You can`t grief all your life. To move forward, you need… to move forward. To distract yourself from this. A gym battle could be good, don`t you think?"
"Well, we haven`t opened yet." Sabrina informed me. "But it is almost untouched. We can restore power, erase graffiti from the walls, and it will be ready."
"Great, can you arrange that, for example… tomorrow?"
She looked down, thinking. But the thought came pretty quickly.
"I think, you`re right. We have to return to regular life someday. I will prepare the gym." The woman got up and nodded.
"Great, and… Cheer up! Look at me." I grabbed her shoulders and gently shook. "This is one of my specialties. One moment I escape death from a knife in my back… And in a second after that I make a smile and tell stupid jokes until someone pokes me with a knife again."
Such metaphor made Sabrina think again. She silently headed away from me, and I let her go without a sound.
Coma again… Damn, this crap can be quite troublesome. This time Misty explained everyone that I`m not dead and, thanks to her, everything passed easily, but it could be worse. It have been worse.
Well, at least, now I`m back into action. Tomorrow I have a gym battle and I`m sure to get that badge earlier than Douchebag – finally, something good. Now I need to check my guys and make sure they remember me after this weird week…
I got fully dressed and headed down. The nurse was glad to see me again and asked a couple of uncomfortable questions that I dodged carefully.
"So, guys… The vacation is over!" I said while throwing my capsules into the air, when we reached the nearest park. A perfect place to have some practice.
All my pokemon were glad so see me in one way or another – Dumpling even rushed to hug me. But I was mostly worried about the last monster I released – the one that occupied Magikarp`s greatball. This creature carefully moved back, feeling himself uneasy among the others, being almost twice taller than my highest one – the Charizard. Strange behavior for a large Ekans-like monstrosity with sharp teeth and nearly three meters in height, even more in length.
"So, it`s actually you." I approached him and carefully touched his face.
I remembered the day he evolved. I remembered him bursting through the concrete wall and glass to save me from certain doom. Not all scars healed on his face, and I am not sure they will ever do.
"Welcome to the team, friend." I gently said him. "You did not fail my faith in you."
The creature growled in return.
I checked his greatball with a PokeDex to finally find out what pokemon he is.
Gyarados, the atrocious pokemon. When Magikarp evolves into Gyarados, its brain cells undergo a structural transformation. It is said that this transformation is to blame for this Pokémon's wildly violent nature. Once Gyarados goes on a rampage, its ferociously violent blood doesn't calm until it has burned everything down.
The atrocious pokemon… This one doesn`t look really atrocious or extremely violent. Well, he looks threatening enough, that`s fine for me, but if PokeDex is correct, then I have to be really careful about this pokemon. Maybe this is what Douchebag meant when he said that I cannot handle such monster? I thought that was sarcasm.
"Anyway, I`m proud of you. You have earned your name… Lei Sheng."
Gyarados raised above me and roared loudly. I saw something… kind in his large menacing face. A really loyal friend hides behind the large teeth and brutal look. A loyal friend that is capable of burning down the cities. With such power in my hands, I can crush Team Rocket forever! A little bit of training – and this monster will be my wrath.
"Let`s have a work out, gang. You`ve been waiting for it, I know…"
For the week of slacking I have squeezed EVERYTHING from these boys. Fighting each other, fighting rocks, fighting other random trainers passing by – we have returned our shape. We will really need this for the tomorrow`s match, and I expect a lot from my Lei Sheng. The TM Case stated that he learned the move Bite during the evolution, and also he tried to perform something like Dragon Rage. He has just evolved and already proves his strength! I`m so proud of him… Is this the feeling parents actually feel towards their children? When something to be proud of exists at all?
But not everyone was as inspired as I am. Moment still suffers from blood hunger, and I still didn`t thought of something adequate for this. Harry is very angry at me for this huge delay in searches, and I barely kept him on place. But all the rest were very active and tried their best. Of course, Lei Sheng was working very hard with his new moves, and even attracted attention of Dumpling. Looking at the successful newbie, my veteran Charizard did his best to overdo Gyarados. Looks like some small rivalry was born in my team, a pretty useful one.
In the end, we all worked hard, tired much and headed back to PokeCenter for rest.
Well, here it is – the Saffron City gym. I already know what type it is, who is the leader and even what pokemon she has. What could possibly go wrong?
"This is frigging unfair!" The loud male voice reached me. I noticed a guy standing before the entrance to gym and angrily shouting. "I came here first!"
That`s what can go wrong.
"Hey there, Douchebag!" I greeted him, causing this little bastard to turn around. "Glad to see you. No more inappropriate suits, yeah?"
"Shut up! Why the hell gym is opened but doesn`t accept me? You know that creepy brunette, tell me!"
I couldn`t resist smiling widely.
"Because she opened it only for me!" I gladly informed him. "And I will be the first challenger to defeat her in more than seven months!"
"Screw you! You can`t be ahead of me, loser!"
"Ha! But I will…" I passed near him and headed to the doors, but then I stopped. "You know what? I think I`m getting kind today. I will give you a choice… To enter this gym with me and cheer for me during my gym battle… before yours… or wait until it is opened for all the regular mortals."
Douchebag stared at me, ready to tear me apart from his anger, but he knew that I`m his ticked inside the gym, and he can`t do anything about it. I won this time.
"Lead on, your loser majesty…" He invited me inside with a sarcastic jest.
"Okay, I will not execute you… today." I played along a bit and finally reached the doors. "He`s with me, guys." I addressed two brutal psychic guards on their duty not to let Douchebag in. They know me already and know about my deal with Sabrina. My small douchebagy addition didn`t bother them.
With a single wave of hands I opened both doors…
"Wow. This place looks… Smaller from the inside." Douchebag surprisingly commented.
He was right – behind the doors just one small room was hidden. It was pretty colorful, bright and… without doors. But there was a man standing right in the middle of it, gladly greeting us upon the entrance.
"Mister Vengeance, leader Sabrina is waiting for you in her gym!" He addressed me. "Is this a viewer?"
"Actually, he is a challenger too." I replied. "We pass the gym together, but he gladly agreed to let me first challenge leader Sabrina."
"Well then…" The man was confused for a bit. "I guess, you may pass …"
I nodded and looked around. This strange room looked also really empty. Besides the lone man there was also… a teleport!
"Wow, you have these too!" I joyfully approached it. "Is this a trick of your gym?"
"Exactly, young man!" The guy behind us answered. "Make a step in it – and your gym challenge will begin!"
It`s just a flashing mechanical thing on the floor, but for some reason I was worried a bit. Each time I enter the gym, this feeling appears… But also the feeling of great heat burns in my soul. The reason why I keep beating gym leaders, each time harder and harder.
"Afraid?" Douchebag asked me giggling. "Well, I will go first. And I will reach your brunette first too." And he made a step into the teleport, disappearing in the bright flash.
"Ha… We`ll see about that." I quietly said and stepped too.
We appeared in the corner of another room, the same of size, but it looked a bit brighter. In the middle of room a guy was standing with his eyes closed, waving his hand in front of him and causing the three pokeballs to hover. Other three corners of room had their own teleports too.
"Heh, I think, now I know what`s the main feature of this gym." I said to Douchebag. "It`s just another labyrinth, but with teleports and whole bunch of rooms."
"You never know where the next teleport will lead…" My horrible companion replied thoughtfully.
"…and how many rooms you need to pass until you get to the goal." I finished his sentence. He silently nodded in agreement.
So, all we need to do – is to pass from one room to another, beat anyone standing in our way, teleport to the next and JUST hope this will make us closer to the target. This looks crazy enough to be a gym, as the rest of them are. But earlier I had some tricks to make the challenge easier… or just possible. I don`t know what I would do without a pen in Koga`s gym… What could I do there?
I know what I can do!
And with that in mind, I grabbed a chocolate bar from my pocket, unwrapped it and began to chew on.
"Not the best timing…" Douchebag hinted me quietly.
"Well, I don`t care." I replied and dropped the wrap on the floor.
"You`re such a Swinub…" My companion commented this with some disgust. "So, what do we do now?"
"How about challenging that guy Cameron?" I pointed at the psychic in the middle. During the preparations I trained him in person, so this battle should be not really delaying. "I take this one, you take the next."
"Nope, I`m not waiting for you." He shook his head and rushed to the other teleport, quickly disappearing in the flash of light.
This made the trainer open his eyes and notice me.
"So, Vengeance, you came to battle us?" Cameron asked me with determination.
"Yeah, yeah… I battled all of you earlier, remember?" I said light-mindedly. "So I came for your mistress."
"Ha… But you have never battled Sabrina herself, haven`t you?"
"No, I haven`t… But I`m going to! That`s why I`m here." I replied back with even more determination.
"Then you will definitely need a warm-up." Cameron said, lowering his hand. Two of three pokeballs flew behind him and fixed themselves on the belt. The last one landed right in his palm. "She may be young, but very good at battles, despite she doesn`t like it."
"You`re right. Let`s train some more." I agreed and threw my first pokeball on the field. "Let`s go, Dumpling!"
The evil grin on my opponent`s face made me think.
"Yeah… let`s do this… Slowpoke, I choose you!" Cameron released his pokemon on the field.
Damn, I completely forgot that his pokemon is half-water type… Not a really good match for my Charizard, but we can do it. It`s just a Slowpoke…
"Slowpoke, use Water pulse!" The first command sounded.
"Be focused, Dumpling! Hit him with Wing Attack!" I ignored that attack and rushed to strike immediately.
My pokemon spread his wings and jumped high, then glided to the opponent until his wing hit Slowpoke in the face. The dopey pokemon was thrown back, but the emotionless face remained for even more time, until he finally realized he was hit. And then he shot a quite strong stream of water into my Dumpling, and that shot was really accurate. This pokemon may be slow as crap, but you definitely should not mess with him.
And also this pokemon is hardy as crap – he can withstand a lot of punches and survive. It`s like a little pink Snorlax – but slow by reaction, not by movement.
"Let`s try this again. Wing Attack!" I said with determination.
"And we will try again too. Water Pulse!" The opponent followed my lead.
Another round passed with each opponent just hurting each other – badly but not fatally. Well, maybe the time has come to finish this.
"Okay, Dumpling, let`s try that thing out… Spinner Wing maneuver!"
My Charizard gladly growled and rushed to his confused opponent.
"Oh, something new? Stop him with Confusion!" The psychic trainer wasn`t too surprised about my tricks – almost everyone in Sabrina`s army knew about me. But everyone is also too self-confident to surrender.
Anyway, we were first and only to strike. On a high speed my pokemon reached the poor Slowpoke and threw him up with his left wing. The right one glowed with bright silver light and immediately struck the opponent, sending him into flight until the collision with wall.
The dopey pokemon fell on ground and… suddenly stood on his fours. His blank eyes looked like he still didn`t get what happened. How could he survive such a powerful attack?
Oh, he didn`t… He just didn`t realize it. After some seconds he quietly exhaled and fainted. Slowpokes are slow even in this.
"You`re getting better and better…" Cameron said while returning his pokemon back. "Want for another one?"
"Let`s go!" I replied with determination. "I have another pocket monster to walk."
I returned my Dumpling back and grabbed the greatball this time. The last one.
"Lei Sheng, I choose you!" I shouted as loud as I can to make the entrance of my awesome monstrosity of Gyarados as cooler as possible. The massive blue menace rose above us, even touching the ceiling, and roared angrily at the opponent.
"Wow… You should be careful with this one." The shocked psychic advised me. "You know what these creatures are capable of…"
"I know. That`s why he is here." I proudly looked at Gyarados. He closed his mouth, noticing my glance on him, and quietly growled I return.
"Well then, I will give you my best pokemon. Slowbro, let`s go!" The opponent shouted, sending his next pokemon on the field. This one looked like another slowpoke, but with black shell chewing his tail. Yeah, wicked nature…
But this time were are in even more profitable position. I know what moves this Slowbro has, and I know that he has nothing super effective against us. But we do have something against him.
"Lei Sheng, are you ready to chew some Slowbros?" I asked my partner fervently. He answered my cunning offer with scary Gyarados` grin. "Then let`s start with Bite!"
"We are not afraid of Bites!" My opponent yelled self-confidently. "Slowbro, use Psychic!"
Oh, this guy isn`t going to go easy on us – he is throwing one of the strongest psychic-type moves at us. Awesome, I expected no less.
But my Lei Sheng proved himself to be really fast, when it comes to battles. His long and agile body helps him move on the ground low and speedy, reach his foes and snap their necks with his huge jaw! Well, not that brutal, actually, but still very effective and hurtful for the Slowbro. This evolved form of Slowpoke doesn`t have such slow reaction as his predecessor – at least, he screeched immediately after the hit. The hermit crab pokemon restored his balance and focused on my Gyarados. The mystic purple glow appeared around him and the huge psychic explosion threw him back at the wall. The collision was not that bad, the main damage was from the explosion itself. But one Psychic is not enough to take my Lei Sheng out!
"Let`s try and Bite him again!" I loudly gave the command.
"Use Headbutt!" The opponent ordered.
Another successful attack from us… and the same from the opponent, smashing my Gyarados with his head. But our attacks were super effective, and that means the victory is near.
"Let`s end this. Dragon Rage!" I yelled so loudly that possibly the whole gym could hear me.
"Oh no, you don`t! Slowbro, Psychic it!" Cameron angrily shouted. But he knew it`s over.
My Lei Sheng charged the powerful energy blast in his mouth and brought it upon the enemy Slowbro. Poor pokemon was literally crushed into the floor and fainted immediately, while the blast power dissolved across the whole gym. The real rage of dragon!
Seeing his first real victory, my pokemon stared at me, expecting some praise. He was glad to fight by my side.
"You are great, Lei Sheng." I smiled and touched his skin. The blue monster growled in return.
"I knew this is coming…" My opponent quietly said and returned his fallen warrior back. "But are you ready for Sabrina herself?"
Suddenly Gyarados stared at him with his angry eyes that shined evilly. Cameron retreated a bit back, affected by this.
"Hey, didn`t you just… use Leer on him?" I asked my Lei Sheng with a bit scolding tone. I expected him to learn more new moves soon, but that was really sudden.
The pokemon looked away from the psychic and guiltily turned to me.
"It`s fine. Just… keep yourself in hands. Or flippers, whatever." I smiled again.
The psychic trainer shook his head after the affection of Leer and smiled too.
"You ARE ready…"