Disclaimer:

Amazing But True: Did you know that, in 2005, a gene that might be the main 'master switch' that causes cancer was discovered? What's more… they named it 'pokemon', standing for POK Erythroid Myeloid ONtogenic factor. Cool, huh?

Nintendo of America, however, not wanting the bad press associated with a franchise sharing the same name as a cancer-causing cell, understandably threatened the lab with lawsuit, and the team changed the name to the more boring Zbtb7 gene that we know today.

And since we just so happen to be on the topic of lawsuits: I don't own Pokémon; neither the franchise nor the cancer-proliferating gene, so there's no need to sue me! Also a fun fact!

All right, fine. I'll think up a name for the next chapter.

Chapter 14: Crushing Silence

Medici

There was no way, no way whatsoever that we could just leave immediately after winning the badge. Having strutted our stuff to its most-impressive potential, the people of Woodale stopped seeing us as random passers by and more as the unique bunch of oddball Pokémon we really were. My first solo concert after leaving the Metalgross? A resounding success, thanks for asking. Even made enough profit to buy Shelly a big old tub of apple cider… sort of a 'thank-you' for both winning us our first badge and for giving me advice.

Of course there were a few downsides to his advice… one that he was right and two, because he was right… there was really nothing I could do. I instantly resolved to forget it and move on… but to no avail.

That kind of sucked. It hadn't really ever happened before, and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it. The Charm from that Gardevoir was just so positively… natural. Even when she completely owned Inigo… only a small bit of it was acting. For the most part, she really just added the Attract move to what she was actually doing. It's the sort of epic-level kawaii (cute, for all you non-anime watchers) that you only ever see on TV or in books… something so adorable isn't actually supposed to exist. Then again, Pokémon aren't supposed to be able to hurt people either.

… Yeah. Even I thought that comparison was pretty dark. What was I talking about again?

Oh yeah! Trying to drown my… not exactly sorrows, but… discomfort? Trying to drown my discomfort about the situation. It was lucky that I'd stumbled across actual emotions in Woodale, as there were quite a few ways of trying to get rid of them. I sparred at a local boxing ring (holding back, naturally), looked through a few War museums with Shelly, learned how to hand craft Pokéballs from Akorns… it was fun. Though admittedly, I sort of zoned out once the instructor started talking about crafting the extra-dimensional space that allowed the Pokémon to live despite being in such a tiny ball. BOOORING.

When this failed me as well, I did what any self-respected guy dealing with heartache would do… called up an old girlfriend. Of course, being a Meditite… the only thing I really had that resembled this was Vanna.

"I have to admit, this is the first time a Pokémon's bought me dinner," she remarked, absentmindedly paging through the menu at Luvdisc Corner. "And the horrible part is, out of force of habit, I feel like flirting with you."

"That's not force of habit, love, I'm just gorgeous," I laughed, quickly tabulating how many orders of steak I could order with my concert-earnings. "And you know something? If we weren't completely different species, I'd be all for the flirting. I get the feeling my style would actually work with you."

"I am a sucker for musicians," she admitted. "And I should have known that this was actually about Gardevoir."

"Actually trying to avoid talking about that, thank you," I interrupted quickly, placing my drink order with our waiter. "So let's move on, shall we? How's Bertrand doing? I assume you went to see him again today."

"He's… fine…" Vanna said, frowning. "I mean, the doctor says he'll pull through but… well, he'll be even more bed-ridden than he was before." She looked down. "And to make things worse, he just refuses to see me. He can barely recognize which hand is his right or his left anymore, yet… he still knows that he doesn't want anything to do with me." You gotta understand, I never would have talked about this if I'd known she'd start tearing up.

"But yeah, that Gardevoir… I just don't understand her," I said, loudly changing the topic of conversation. "I mean it's not just that she avoids me. I've never heard her speak, physically or psychically. Do you know what's up with that?"

Vanna smiled, appreciating the effort. "It's just how she is. She doesn't hate you or anything like that, she's just… delicate." She managed a chuckle. "I hate to say it, but poor Inigo never stood a chance."

"And boy does he complain about it," I groaned. "No matter how many all-you-can-eat buffets or maple syrup festivals I drag him to, the only thing he talks about is how easily she got in his head. I keep trying to catch him by saying that, in a way, she's still in his head and he hasn't progressed at all, but…" I raised my hands in the air with a shrug. "Nadda. I'm considering Hypnosis therapy, I really am."

"If you're looking for work, I think Gardevoir could use some of that too…" Vanna mused, looking out the window. "She can't help but feel guilty every time someone falls for her, even during battle. No matter how much I try and get her to relish the idea of having men tripping over themselves around her…oh!" she blushed. "That sounds horrible."

"Nah," I waved off. "Its your right to wield your femininity as a weapon to the point of causing blunt-force trauma. And besides, if you weren't as much of a flirt as you were, you couldn't properly balance Gardevoir's shyness." I smiled, holding up a finger to add to the illusion that I knew what I was talking about. "And if my chats with Professor Redwood have taught me anything, it's that Pokémon and trainers work best together when they're near opposites. I mean, look at me and Axel. Or Amber and Toto."

"From what I've seen from the two of them, Amber and Toto seem pretty similar actually…"'

"Yeah… and they don't work together well at all. Amber's ideal partner is, as should be obvious, Qwill, who balances out her cynicism and occasional spats of violence with oodles upon noodles of hyperactive joyousness."

"Yeah! You're right!" She said excitedly, almost knocking into Frankie, our poor, poor waiter. "The idea is brilliant, really. You've got to wonder why Professor Redwood isn't the lead researcher in the field of Pokémon right now."

"It's because he's clearly crazy," I replied. "Pokémon with as much emotional complexity as human beings? Preposterous!" I laughed, looking eagerly upon the mountain of steak that the waiter had brought me. "Let me tell you, for a species that can't even read each other's minds, you're pretty damn conceited."

"Are we?" She chuckled. "I was under the impression you were special, Medici. Are you saying all Meditites are like you?"

"Touché, love," I said, raising a glass of cider. "A toast. To our last day together." She frowned, but clinked glasses with me nonetheless.

"So… you guys are leaving then, huh?"

"Well we do still have seven badges to go, Vanna," I explained. "If we spent a full two weeks in every city we went to, we'd never make it in time for the League Championships."

"Isn't that a good thing? Seeing as…" she paused, and I looked at her, confused. "No, I suppose you're right. If you stay too long, it'll look like you're not trying…"

"Um… right, sure," I agreed, not quite understanding what had come over her. "Yeah, I agree completely."

Her frown didn't retreat into a smile, and I considered saying something incredibly flirtatious that would probably lift her spirits again. I didn't, though, because at the moment, an elegant green hand passed through my field of vision, laying a note on the table.

"Oh? What is it Gardevoir?" Vanna said, taking the note and reading it quickly. "What? But I already told them…" she sighed, collecting her things. "I'm sorry Medici, I have to go. I really did need something like this after everything that's happened, though, so… thank you."

I smiled, watching her go. Gardevoir turned to leave as well, but a thought struck me, and I quickly cried out: "Hey! Gardevoir! Hold up a minute, all right?"

She turned beet red and stood still, almost as if I'd forcibly stopped her. Vanna, still not completely gone, reprimanded me. "Medici, don't… you said you wouldn't…"

"I'm not going to, this is something different," I reassured her. Her eyes and mine locked for a minute, and she nodded, trusting me, before heading out.

"So…" I began, floating to a place where I could look at Gardevoir head on. "First off, I want to say, right away, that I understand that what happens in Gym battles is… just Gym battles. And you don't have to feel bad about anything that may have happened as a result of them, ok?"

Silence. I think I saw her nod weakly, but other than that… nothing. I sighed, continuing. "That being said… my teammate, Inigo… he's taking it pretty hard. Not because he's still smitten with you or anything," I quickly assured her, seeing her turn even redder, "but because… he honestly thinks there's something wrong with him because you were able to get in his head. Could you… I don't know... talk to him?"

She shook her head quickly, trying to push past me in a rare show of force. I held her back though… I wasn't quite done.

"If you don't mind me asking… why not?" I tried not to sound too accusatory. "I mean, if you just don't care enough to apologize, that's one thing, but…"

This caused her to shake her head even more, and I saw a hand dart beneath her… um, dress? I guess?... returning with a pen and a pad of paper. She leaned on a nearby table, hastily scribbling, and handed me a note.

I do care. I just shouldn't speak.

… Huh. Now that's something you don't see every day. "And, you shouldn't speak because...?"

It hurts.

"Oh… oh!" I laughed. "The reason you haven't been speaking… it's just been a sore throat this whole time?"

She started scribbling something else, crossing things out and rewording phrases. Eventually, after a few sheets of paper, she handed me another note.

More complicated.

"I… see…" I, of course, didn't actually see, since she wasn't making any sense. "Um… do you mind just telling me psychically? I have to admit, I'm pretty confused right now."

I'm sorry. That would hurt too.

"No need to apologize…" I said, suddenly feeling in the wrong for forcing this conversation in the first place. "But… hm…" I paused, thinking. "I mean, if talking's not an option… do you think you could write him a note?"

I doubt that would help.

"No yeah, you're probably right…" I said, scratching the back of my head. There had to be something I could do, though. Something to show Inigo that anyone, no matter how strong, can be taken down by a move so seemingly benign…

Inspiration, thy name is Medici! I surprise myself by how awesome I am sometimes.

"Personal question, and I know it's going to sound weird at first, but how many status-effecting moves do you know?"

Inigo

Emotions have no place in battle. Emotions have no place in battle. Emotions have no place in battle.

And yet, I was stricken useless. Forced into submission by nothing but a pair of wide eyes and a few sways of the hips. What is wrong with me? Have I spent so much time focusing on my physical prowess that I have forgotten to, as Medici so bluntly put it, steel my mind?

I cannot help but feel that this, combined with the event at Cliffkiln, only further reveals the gap in strength between the lazy Meditite and myself. Axel expects me to be able to hold him back, should he ever be provoked into becoming what he was again, but no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try…

I must clear this doubt from my mind, somehow. But how can I, if my mind if so weak? I cannot even block the thoughts out with the steady counting of my jogging pace anymore. Might as well stop here… I am feeling a little tired anyway.

I sat down on a large rock, overlooking a field near the outskirts of Woodale. In the distance, the borders of Oakridge forest, which we had to travel through in order to get to Severna, shone a uniformly bright orange. I attempted to sharpen my focus by picking out the individual leaves' rustling but… to no avail. My mind cannot rest.

That, and a loud noise from my right quickly broke my concentration. I looked quickly, expecting the worst, but was relieved to see that it was… oh. It was Medici, making a fool of himself again, following Vanna's Gardevoir and uttering overly poetic and exaggerated proclamations of affection.

"Isn't that sad?" said Shelligan, hopping on the rock next to me with Qwill in tow. "I even told him, straight up, that that approach wasn't going to work and… wow." He sighed, rubbing his blue forehead. "At least I tried. It's all a performer can do, after all." He tapped me on the back lightly. "How about you? Feeling any better?"

I did not answer… which, in a way, was my answer. The kind Squirtle tapped me on the back again, and Qwill uttered something incomprehensible that was supposed to be encouraging.

"Come on, baby! I know you secretly want some of this!" Medici yelled pleadingly, coming dangerously close to grabbing the Gardevoir. "What do I have to do, huh? Just say the word and I'll…"

He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly overcome by some invisible force. He moved his mouth, but no words came out, attempted to move forward, but instead fell down, his limbs completely frozen. His psychic presence, often strong enough to feel (to those who are trained to be more sensitive, anyway), ebbed down to the weakest I had ever seen it.

"What the…" Shelligan spat out, clearly shocked. "What the hell just happened?"

"Ooh! Ooh! I know I know I know I know I know I know I know…"

"Qwill?" I asked patiently. "Would you be willing to tell us what is going on?"

"Yup yup yup!" He bounced up and down, clearly eager to share his knowledge. "The move Imprison is a non-damaging psychic type move that prevents an opponent from using any move also known by the user and during battles its often just used to prevent Pokémon from using offensive or defensive moves but! It is actually derived from a technique used by ancient wild Pokémon that could use the move to disable any faculty that was shared between the user and the target meaning that since Gardevoir's powerful enough to use it to its full extent which of course she is because she's got an aura on par or even surpassing Medici, she can use it to disable absolutely everything that she and him have in common! So because she walk, now Medici can't walk and because she can talk even though she doesn't do it very often or like ever that means that Medici can't talk and if she wanted to be really really mean which doesn't seem like her at all because she seems like a really nice person and I sort of want to be her friend even though she's boring because she doesn't talk but anyway if she wanted to mean she could actually make it so that Medici can't breathe because she can breathe! But she just settled with making Medici unable to use psychic powers because she can totally do that to and that's got to feel suffocating enough to Medici, don't you think, since it's the thing about him that he loves the most and uses all the time and likes to brag about? I think so, but I think a lot of things, and…"

Having learned what I needed to thanks to Qwill's encyclopedic knowledge of everything battle-related, I tuned the rambling Cyndaquil out, instead choosing to listen to the individual rattling of the leaves in Oakridge. Call me terrible, but seeing that Medici is just as susceptible to mental attack is, for some reason, soothing. My focus is restored.

Medici Again

Yes, I planned that. But still… ow….

Author's Note:

Don't worry; the party will be travelling on soon enough. But you can't expect to go from winning the gym battle to walking along in the forest in one fell swoop, can you?

All right, maybe you can. But I'm more of a fan of easing in and out of arcs, tying up a few loose ends and such. It can't all be Pokémon battles and grim depictions of a Death-rattle world, or else those things lose their impact, you know? As the immortal Yahtzee once said: 'You quickly get tired of ice cream cake if it's the only thing you eat; that's why Half-Life starts off with a half-hour of scientists complaining about the coffee before any aliens show up."

If my quickly-muttered-run-on-sentence-ese is still up to snuff (which it should be, seeing as I have to deal with Qwill on a daily basis), I believe that's considerably close to the actual quote. I suppose I could find an actual transcript to make sure it's 100% correct but, you know. Lazy.

Viva la feminism?