Disclaimer:
Max:
Sometime 'round eleven… waking up at last
Slap a pair of sweatpants on and run my way to class
Got to do my homework… half of it's all wrong
Got to find the piece of mind to trudge my way along
Got no medication… for my attention span
But I can write a story like the mother f***ing man.
(Catchy whistling interlude… oh yeah… that sounds good. Right? Now we've got a little guitar in there, some bongo… and…)
SKYLER!
Life is too short, so don't sit out and rot
Cause the weather's decent and the girls are hot
Never be dramatic, try to work out all that stress
Go up in your attic; find a gentleman's vest
Let me tell you something, take a tip from me
Take an afternoon and catch up on your BBC
Nothing's what I got, that be all I own
Not Nintendo, not a Jaguar, not even my own home
But I'm still kind of young, so that isn't a big concern
Chapters left to write, lessons left to learn
Nothing's what I got; don't start a riot
And later we'll go to Big Lots. NOT.
Max:
Nothing… is what I got.
I said remember that. Nothing… is what I got.
I said remember that. Nothing… is what I got.
I said remember that. Nothing… is what I got.
(What I got… what I got… what I got…)
So don't you cry if the chapter turns up late
It just takes time to make sure it turns out so great
Please don't get angry if it's not so hot
Cause my creative juices sometimes tend to clot
Hell if I know where I'm going with this
But then my ignorance has always led to great bliss
Leave a comment, leave a comment, I love you all.
Kind of.
I think the point of this was… we're back? We're most certainly back.
Chapter 29: Bargaining
Amber
Being the daughter of a Gym Leader is more of a pain then you might think.
It's not just that people's gut reaction is to challenge me to a Pokémon battle... as annoying as that is, I can deal with that. It's not even the fact that Dad has to be away from home longer than most fathers… that never really left a void, for reasons that I'll probably touch on soon enough.
The discouraging thing is the awkward way people treat you when they realize that you're someone… or someone's kid anyway. It's almost as if they're afraid to treat you like a normal human being, on the off chance your opinion of them will drastically alter the course of their life. So you get treated with forced politeness, and people awkwardly shuffle their feet for a minute, can't think of what to say, and excuse themselves, saying 'it was really nice to meet you.'
Have you ever told a friend of yours that "it was really nice to meet" them? Of course not. For all its niceties, it implies that you don't ever intend on seeing the person again. In my experience, that always turned out to be true when I was growing up.
Albeit one very important exception, of course: Axel. He said those exact words the first time we ever met (almost fourteen years ago, now…), and even as a four-year-old, I knew enough to never expect to see him again. Which is why it surprised me when he came over to my house the next day.
"I thought you said it was really nice to meet me?" I remember asking him, eyes opened wide in surprise and excitement.
"Yup!" He had nodded vigorously. "Which is why I decided to do it again!" He stuck out his hand, grinning wider than any boy I'd ever met. "It's really nice to meet you, Amber! Even if you do have cooties."
I don't like to think of how lonely I'd have been without him.
Interrupting my thoughts, the bartender slammed a whiskey sour in front of me, and I immediately glanced up to my father, who (from the looks of the empty shot glasses) had already slammed back four or five. This may seem excessive, but Dad's been known to drink entire bottles of whiskey and be under the legal limit for driving, so… at best, this is giving him a fourth of a buzz.
"Why're ye here?" he asked, in that gruff tone of his that wasn't quite anger, but close.
"You brought me in here to talk, remember?" I responded, acting oblivious.
He wasn't fooled. "Don't act like ye don't know what I'm talkin' about," he said, slamming back another whiskey for emphasis. "Why aren't ye back in Pembrook? Don't tell me Hank and your mother actually let you leave home in a time like this?"
"It took a bit of convincing, but they eventually saw things my way," I asserted. "I needed to know, Dad. I couldn't bear just sitting around, wondering if Axel was dead or not."
"Well he's not," Dad growled. "So ye've got no excuse anymore. Ye should head back to Pembrook, where it's safe." He shook the bottle in front of him, then nodded to himself and poured again. "Besides, knowin' your mother like I do, she only let ye leave because she knew ye'd be runnin' into me."
"Be that as it may… I'm not going back home, Dad." I said firmly. I tried to pipe up immediately, to try and explain my reasoning, but Dad… was never one for that sort of thing."
"I wasn't askin'," he boomed, immediately causing some of the other customers to faint from fright. "I am not lettin' my little girl wander 'round the world with that murdering bastard on the loose, you understand me?"
"Dad, I know it's dangerous," I said quickly. "But that's why I have to keep going! The moment I go back, I go right back to wondering whether he's dead or not. I can't live with that, Dad!"
"Axel can take care of himself," Dad grumbled. "The Lord looks after his idiots. Though is you keep talkin' like you know how dangerous it is, ye might qualify yourself!"
"I do know how dangerous it is, Dad…"
"Ye can't possibly!" he yelled, shaking the walls of the room. "Ye haven't seen him, Amber… ye haven't witnessed what kind of twisted, sick mind he…"
"But I have, Dad…" I said quietly. His eyes widened, looking at me with a mixture of wonder and fright I'd never seen on him before.
"Ye… ye have?" he whispered, unlike him.
I nodded strongly, fighting the urge to cry at the memories. "I was in Cliffkiln when Deathbreath attacked… and Death himself came for us while we were travelling through Oakridge Forest." I nodded again, trying to show my resolve. "Axel… Axel fought him off. Both times. Even if I can't survive on my own, I've get him and Vanna protecting me… so I'll be fine, Dad."
Father looked at me for a little, then impulsively poured and drank another shot of whiskey. Looking at the shot glass with a frown, he threw it across the bar, instead picking up the bottle and drinking straight from it. He gulped down a few mouthfuls, and then stopped to take a breath, looking me in the eye. "Well… you're my daughter after all. I can't expect you to listen to reason."
He put his arm around me, drawing me in close. "But ye are my daughter, understand? I can't just let ye back out into the world, knowin' what's out there."
I started to protest, but he but a hand up, signaling me to just listen. "So I'm gonna have Axel take the Trial tomorrow. If he wins, then I'll feel good about lettin' him protect ye. If he loses, ye go back to Pembrook, no ifs, ands, or buts. Do we have a deal?"
I smiled, hugging him. "That's more than fair, Dad." I whispered; taking my whiskey sour and slamming it back like a true Gold.
Medici
I'm not exactly open with my feelings, but I can't hold back any longer. I'm in love. There, happy?
This hotel is, by far, the greatest thing ever. Jacuzzis in the rooms, heated swimming pool, two gyms (to work out in, not to fight in), and five star room service, all while feeling like you're sleeping in some isolated cabin in the mountains. It's so damn posh I could cry.
The couch I'm sleeping on, in particular, is more comfortable than any other piece of furniture I've ever slept on. Of course, I've slept on wooden crates, bookshelves, and inside suitcases before, so that might not be saying much.
I don't like my Pokéball, ok? It might be plenty spacious but it's not… comfortable. I don't know why. Shelly says it might be rooted in my childhood. Inigo says I have a wanton desire to rebel against conformity that I should try and keep checked. Qwil says BUT YOUR POKÉBALL IS SO COMFY AND SPACIOUS AND WELL I'VE NEVER BEEN IN IT BECAUSE POKÉBALLS DON'T WORK THAT WAY, BUT IF I WAS THEN I WOULD….
I have the greatest team ever.
Is what I'd normally say, but now there's an additional member. Deathwing. Freaking Deathwing! I mean, I always joke about Axel not being able to hate anyone but I'm starting to think that it's true. And it's a bad thing, from the looks of it.
People died in that laboratory. Criminals, yes, but still. Does Axel honestly think he can take a heartless murderer and integrate it into our team like it's nothing? I mean, he's an idiot, but he's always at least shown some common sense.
I say that, but now I realize even that's not true. There's a reason I'm the brains of the operation, I suppose.
While the part of me that never falls asleep was actively thinking these thoughts, the rest of me was perfectly content, snoring away on a couch that put the Big Red Comfy one from TV to shame. Which is why, when Axel shook me awake after he got back from the gym, I was kind of ticked.
That didn't last long, though, because he looked at me with the eyes that said 'I am your trainer, don't forget that', and I calmed down pretty quickly. He jokingly told me to get dressed, and then beckoned me to follow him with a quick jerk of the head. He led me out of the hotel and into the city, the biting cold air melding deliciously with the scent of open pit barbeque and wood chips... from the open pit BBQ. Open. Pit. BBQ.
"We're going to stop for some open pit barbeque, right?" I asked Axel, mouth drooling.
Axel laughed. "Duh." We stopped by a local street vendor, picking up something called 'Midas Touch Ribs' and… oh… oh my God. The succulent tenderness, coated in a sweet, burning sauce that ends with the slightest, almost teasing touch of honey and pepper… Harrow Heights Hotel, I'm sorry… but I'm in love again. Perhaps we can have an open relationship?
After this, Axel led me to the Pokémon Center. I was about to tell him I was fine, and didn't need the rest, but he never asked… he handed the nurse a single Pokéball, nodding his thanks.
It was Deathwing's, of course.
"Are you CRAZY?" I whispered harshly. "If you let that thing get back to full strength, it'll kill us all!"
"It's not a 'thing' or an 'it', Medici," Axel said with a smile. "Though since we don't know its gender yet, I suppose 'it' is what we're left with, huh?"
"You are crazy," I moaned.
"Not entirely," he defended. "I made sure to bring you along, just in case things get out of control."
I tried to stay angry, regardless of how flattered I was. It didn't quite work.
The nurse eventually returned, looking a little flustered, but nevertheless carrying the Pokéball, bowing to Axel and saying 'we hope to see you again!' Axel saluted the nurse, and led me out of the center, then out of the city, explaining himself to the guard before leaving. When we were a fair distance away from Severna, he turned to me.
"Be on your guard, just in case," he ordered. "But don't do anything unless it's absolutely necessary either."
I nodded, readying my mind to let loose wave upon wave of energy. Axel took a deep breath, grabbed Deathwing's Pokéball off of his belt, and tossed it.
There was an eruption of light, and the enormous Thing burst forth, nearly knocking down trees simply by existing. It let out a loud screech, stomped forward on the ground, and stared, waiting for Axel to do something.
"So… now that you've had time to think about it…"Axel said, staring right back at the Beast without flinching. "What is your name?"
The enormous Skarmory paused for a moment, seething to itself. Then it said something I'd never expected, and I nearly fell over in shock.
Axel's head snapped towards me. "Medici? What did it say?"
"It said…" I thought about it again, just to make sure I hadn't mistranslated. But of course I hadn't. "It said… that it doesn't know. That it doesn't really have a name."
I thought Axel would force the thing back into its Pokéball. I didn't think he'd ever smile at it.
"That's exactly right!" He cheered. "You don't really have a name anymore, do you? That thing that was called Deathwing, it used to be in your body, but it's not entirely there anymore, is it? You can sort of see which parts of you were that, but you're finding that more and more of you is something different, right?"
The beast said nothing, but sort of nodded. I was amazed.
"Isn't that a great feeling?" Axel smiled. "You've got a blank slate again, you know? You can choose where to go and what to do from here, and it doesn't have to be the path you were on." His smile faded a little. "I mean, that doesn't mean the things you've done will go away… but you certainly won't be able to forgive yourself if you keep doing them, am I right?"
He held up his Pokéball. "Let's make a deal. You stay in your Pokéball for as long as you need, and think up what your name should be. Then when you're ready, you tell me what you should be called." He smiled again, being almost sickeningly nice to the thing. "Trust me. All right?"
The Skarmory stared for a minute, and I could tell it was thinking of skewering Axel right there. But it wasn't just thinking that… there was an active battle going on in its head… if it wasn't a Steel type, it probably would have been sweating. Eventually, after almost a minute, it collapsed into red light, returning to the ball.
"You are dangerously stupid," I said immediately.
"I have to be," Axel laughed. "Death's dangerously smart, and I can't be anything like him."
Well… thank goodness for that, I suppose.
Toto
It's all my fault, isn't it?
I wouldn't say that, the friendly voice said soothingly. If that human of yours that supposedly looks after you had paid more attention, you never would have been there in the first place.
But she did come looking for me, didn't she?
She came because it was part of Axel's plan. Remember how surprised she was to see you amongst the wreckage? It's likely she didn't even realize you were gone until that moment.
Right.
Right.
It wasn't me.
Certainly not. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, because of the negligence of human beings. It was also a human who decided to unleash Deathwing, even though he knew the risk.
But the fact that I was there let him do that! If I hadn't been there…
Which was a human's fault.
… right. If I hadn't been there, then maybe… maybe they could have lived.
But does that really matter? They're humans after all, and to top it off they were torturing Axel.
Axel's human…
Axel is Axel. You've said as much, and I'm beginning to agree. He's the exception that proves the rule, and other humans know it. Why do you think they constantly berate him; treat him like he isn't quite one of them?
Because he's not. He's better.
Exactly. He's what human beings could be, were they not incapable of reaching that point. He's one amongst millions, so there's no possible way they could evolve into him unless…
Unless?
Unless their numbers… dropped.
I gulped, turning over in bed as I mulled over the possibility. A world where more humans were like Axel… as much as I didn't like humans, this still struck me as better than a world with no humans whatsoever…
Or do I think that way because I'm not strong enough?
If it's strength you desire, I can give it to you. The friendly voice whispered. I waited, listening for either the angel or devil to appear on my other shoulder, but nothing came. Perhaps… this voice was both?
'What do I have to do?' I asked it.
Leave everything behind and follow me. Rest assured, I will make you as a fisher of men.
I looked over at Amber; the human who'd raised me, but had never quite… understood. Was the feeling welling up in my chest… hatred? I had to be sure before deciding.
'Soon.' I whispered tentatively.
I'll wait as long as you need it lulled before I faded into sleep.
Author's Note: Because I can?
It would appear that we're back. What's that about?
Well, spring break wasn't quite as conducive to working as I might have hoped. And then there were after-break exams, homework… bleh. I'm putting homework off right now because I feel bad about not updating. JUST SO THOU KNOWEST.
Continuing what I suppose is an author's note tradition now; it's time for alternate character names!
Amber
Amber has always been a straightforward, direct girl, but with a hint of opaqueness as well. Loyalty is a big thing for her: she won't let go of you unless you flat out tell her to get out of your life. So I experimented with a few names that sort of reflecting this, before Amber sort of dawned on me as… duh, perfect.
(Because amber is almost, but not quite see through, and it can trap things inside of it? Was that… was that clear?)
Diamond Gold
Diamond Loyola
Dia Gold/Loyola
Faith Archer
Clara/Clarabelle Faith
Norma Faith
Norma Gold
Faith Hart
… Yeah. I kind of suck at names. But Amber was a keeper, and then Marie Gold came almost immediately afterwards. Because… I sort of think that way. To be honest, though, I kind of still like Faith Archer. Has a decent ring to it.
Percy Garrison
Even him, huh? Yup. They're all names for rich, spoiled brats.
Richard Garrison
Richard Wellington
Wellington Richards
Percy Wellington
Harrison Afford (awful, I know)
Percy Harrison
Anton Wellington
Bradford Richards
… The list goes on. I have a lot of these sorts of names on the top of my head. I only listed the first couple.
Leave a review and let me know you care! There's plenty more coming!