Ch.67: Jonathan Geno, Man of Adventure! The Long Trek Towards the Immensus Library!
Many journeys are made on different paths. With each new exploration comes a new trail to take down that long road to discovery. Some are born with the thrill of adventure in their blood. Others are not and prefer the domestic life of their homes. Then there are those who…honestly don't know what to make of the spirit of adventure.
Jonathan Geno was one of those people.
The Scrafty may have rushed into things when he first decided on this long trek, but there was no turning back once he left the village. While his nightmares regarding the Shadow King have dwindled, something about the haunting phantom's intrusion rocked the very core of his being. It was best to find this sacred library and the secrets on these elusive creatures.
Jonathan wasn't particularly cut out for the life of adventure, though he made surprisingly good progress within the first week of his journey and onward. He was careful not to stray off the path and made sure to keep himself hidden from any roaming bandits that might try and mug him. He has heard plenty of horrible stories about muggings just from adventurers stopping at Quartz Plain. You'd have to be a trained fighter, or at the very least well-armed and safe, on the road.
He had no basic training in combat and just had Focus Blast and a few other standard Pokémon moves at his disposal. Maybe centuries ago, he would be better prepared, but the days of standard Pokémon battle have altered with the integration of magic. Hardly anyone was seen wielding an arsenal of Pokémon moves these days.
All he really had for protection, though, was his flintlock pistol and a set of ammunition. He was pretty handy with a gun, so it served to ease his worries.
Weeks of travel have grown tiresome, though. Without a traveling companion, long trips grew monotonous quickly. He may now understand one of the many reasons for Wes' terrible luck with treasure hunting almost a year ago. Who could possibly think of hunting when they were bored out of their mind?
Thankfully, the professor had his way with getting around such dilemmas. While he never encouraged it, he took to hitchhiking with passing wagons off towards his intended path. Many brushed him off, but he found a few generous souls willing to take him towards a town or city closer to his destination.
Today was one of those days. After passing by a Vibrava transporting goods by two Rapidash, he was offered a ride to the next town. The Scrafty currently was in the Fire Zone. He has been to the Fire Zone before, a distant memory he couldn't quite accurately recall. Either way, he recognized the landscape and the dried earth.
Jonathan sat in the back of the wagon, leaning against some supply crates with his eyes shut. He had difficulty sleeping in the back of a wagon constantly bumping over gravel, but he grew use to it.
"Hey, Johnny?" Jonathan opened one eye, then held his hand out as the Vibrava threw him a canteen of water, who wore a blue vest and cap. "Best to stay hydrated out here. The heat of the Fire Zone will have you begging for mercy if you're not prepared."
The Scrafty smiled gratefully. "Much appreciated, Thomas." He guzzled the cold, refreshing water, then breathed an easy sigh. "Oh, that hits the spot." He capped the canteen and set it to his side.
"We'll be reaching Sear State Town in about an hour. Once I deliver my wares, I'll be turning back around and heading home. That'll be as far as I take you."
Jonathan nodded. "Your kindness is more than appreciated."
"You must be quite exhausted from your trek," one of the Rapidash said as he and his partner focused on the road. They both wore overalls. The one of the left wore a straw hat (which wasn't burning up because the species can choose whether the flames can burn or not) while the right one had a silver necklace with a cross wheel charm. The one with the straw hat then said, "You don't look like the adventurous type."
Jonathan chuckled sheepishly. "I'm not. I've never traveled a day in my life."
"Quite risky, if you ask me," the Rapidash with the necklace said. "How haven't you died of heat stroke yet?"
Thomas sighed. "Carlos, Harriet, mind your manners."
Jonathan, however, just laughed it off. "It's fine, don't worry. A friend of mine would probably think I'm being an idiot for journeying on my own." He glanced up. "…actually, that's probably exactly what he's thinking."
The Vibrava narrowed one eye at him. "Well, I suppose I have to agree with my associates on one manner. You never spoke of where you were heading off to. Family? Friends? Just some big journey?" Thomas smirked. "Don't tell me you're actually an amateur treasure hunter just now starting out."
Jonathan chuckled. "I suppose that makes the most sense, though not completely accurate. It's not really something I wish to discuss. It's a private matter that only concerns me."
The Vibrava shrugged. "I can respect a man and his secrets."
"I can't," Harriet cut in, earning a sharp jab from Carlos' hoof. "Ow!" She glared at the male fire horse as he innocently whistled.
Jonathan sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Though, I'd greatly appreciate of few tips for lasting out on my own. I only brought enough money to sustain me for a few months of food."
Thomas shrugged. "With your resume for adventure, I might as well just lend you some extra money for your troubles. Trust me, you need to be strong and prepared for the road. Bandits and pirates are a terrible thing to come by."
Jonathan crossed his arms and pressed his head against the crates. "I never considered how I would get through that ordeal."
"You'll figure something out. Just keep your nose in the right direction and don't do anything stupid. General common sense out here."
The Scrafty narrowed his eyes, then nodded. "Right. I'll keep that in mind, thanks-WHOA!" The wagon went over a pothole and sent Jonathan bouncing off his rear and onto his head.
"Whoa there!" Thomas exclaimed, buzzing his wings and keeping himself on the bench. "Phew…you okay back there?"
Jonathan picked himself up and groaned. He felt a splitting headache come over him. "I have a Psyduck's migraine, but I'll live…"
"Hold out a bit longer. We'll be there soon."
The Scrafty lay himself on the floor and sighed, deciding to catch some shut eye. He flinched as mental images flickered in his mind, almost like an old film projector. He shook them off and focused on slumber.
After being dropped off at Sear State Town, Jonathan bid Thomas and the two Rapidash farewell before strolling among the town folk. He didn't want to risk staying in a motel or anything overnight, so he planned on getting supplies and heading off on his way.
He stopped through a bar first to grab himself some lunch. He felt a bit out of place. While some of the folks look normal, there was mostly burly looking Pokémon with weaponry on hand and even some with battle scars that unnerved him. One thing he remembered hearing from Wes is that bars typically attracted the roughest and toughest of Mysto, like bounty hunters or bandits trying to blend it. It was sort of like an unspoken tradition to gather information in bars.
He did his best not to stick out and just scooted on over to the bar stools. He kept his head low until the bartender, an Alolan Grimer, came up to him. "What will it be, pal?" the muck creature grumbled lightly.
Jonathan cleared his throat and ordered softly, "A toasted Sitrus berry sandwich. Actually, make that…ten." He smiled sheepishly.
The green muck rolled his eyes and wrote it down. "I'll get right on that." He slid off to attend to another customer.
Jonathan breathed a sigh of relief, then set his bag down. He reached in and pulled out the book about the Immensus Library. He flipped open to a page he had bookmarked and scanned it.
One of the many issues he never got around was what Hal said about the library's security features. Regardless of what the multiple retellings of the myth say, it was clear that he either needed permission from a god or a god on the mortal plane to read the restricted material. Clearly both those options were a little impossible. The gods typically stayed up in the above plane and he had no way of sending a message out to them.
Okay, technically not true, but it was beyond his resources. He would need to hire a priest to contact one of the gods to give him permission. Problem is, requests like that are a one in a trillion chance of being taken seriously and direct requests sent by priests were more so acknowledged than performed. They'd probably deny the first request on the spot just for how dangerous having all that infinite knowledge at his disposal was.
This was probably why being a priest was one of the hardest occupations in Mysto. With that kind of magical talent to be connected to the heavens on an astral level came with a lot of responsibility. Mysto didn't get a lot of greedy or malicious priests for a reason.
Jonathan sighed and rubbed his temples. "That's one bridge I'll cross eventually, but not today…"
He felt two bodies sit in the seats on both sides of him. He looked at them curiously, then immediately darted his eyes down. An Escavalier and a Talonflame. Both were dressed in a way that suggested they were adventurers, though something told him that wasn't the case. Namely because of the knife strapped on a sash around the Talonflame.
A bloody knife hilt.
He gulped and tried not to draw attention to himself. His shaking did not help his desperation. The Talonflame smirked and reached over to nudge her associate. "Check it out, Jeb…the old guy here doesn't seem to like us. He looks frightened."
Jeb the Escavalier sneered at the Scrafty, leaning close to his face. "You got a problem with us sitting here, geezer?"
Jonathan's teeth chattered behind his tightly closed lips. He held his hands up and composed his chattering to show a nervous grin. "N-No, of course not! A-Also, I'm not really that old, so…" He ceased talking as the armored bug pressed his lance against his throw.
"You giving me lip, old timer?"
"No," Jonathan squeaked as beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.
"Hands off him, Jeb." The Escavalier retracted his lance, allowing Jonathan to breathe a sigh of relief. He glanced behind him and saw a Drapion scuttling over. Decked out in adventurer style clothing as well, followed by gold rings on his pincers and jewelry around his neck. The large scorpion loomed over the Scrafty with cold eyes. "I hope my associates here didn't give you too much of a start…"
Jonathan backed himself away until his back was against the counter. "No, sir! Nothing wrong over here! Hahahaha…" He was so glad they couldn't hear the internal screaming going on inside him.
The Drapion glared at the Talonflame. "Did you get our supplies, Lucy?"
The bird smirked. "Not yet." She waved the Alolan Grimer over, who was almost done making Jonathan's sandwiches. "We're going to need three casings of water and a barrel of alcohol! Get to it, buster!"
The Alolan Grimer grimaced at the rough trio and complied. "O-Of course…j-just as soon as I get through with this gentlemen's ord-EEP!" Jeb shot his lance close to his neck.
"We don't like to be kept waiting," the armored bug warned.
The Drapion pulled his arm back. "We have the time." He glared at Jonathan, then lowered himself down, flashing an unsettling grin. "The name's Raff. Raff the Mad Man." Jonathan jumped as he slammed a pile of bits on the counter. "Consider that my apologies for my friend's behavior. I suggest keeping off the roads. You never know what kind of terrors you might come across."
Jonathan grinned, expressing timidity on the outside and terror on the inside. "I-I wouldn't dream of it…haha…"
Raff nodded. "Good." He rose up and pointed at the Alolan Grimer. "Our ride is out front. Don't keep us waiting for too long. Lucy, Jeb," he called out as he scuttled out the door.
Jonathan stayed rigid as the other two thugs got up, one shooting death glares and the other grinning playfully. The Talonflame brushed her wingtips against the back of his neck, nearly making him jump out of his seat. She snickered before falling her associates out. Once he heard the bar doors close, he collapsed face first onto the counter.
What did I even do to deserve this?
What did we even do to deserve this?
Arid scowled as he stood on the bowsprit of the Wasteland as they soared through the sky of the Earth Zone. They passed by villages that were prime for pillaging, but their sights lay in another destination, much to their dismay. They were the scum of the skies. The terrors of the land. The monsters of the desert. They took no orders from no one.
Now they were doing the chores for the bigger threat.
Not a moments peace could be made on the airship, either. They were under constant watch by Nightmare's shadow minion. It constantly seeped through the floorboards and spied on them with glowering eyes and villainous cackles. Rest wasn't an option. Someone had to be manning the wheel at all times, despite that job being mainly done by Jones. The Barbaracle can only stay awake for so long before crashing. If they so much as slacked off, that shadow had more than enough reason to 'motivate' them.
They only would who tried to keep the mood jolly was their silent pirate, Lyra, as she played on the top deck railing with her concertina. She danced along the railing with her upbeat grip and cheerful demeanor. It did its job to raise their spirits, though only by a little.
Jeffery, however, was being a paranoid mess with the ordeal. "Ms. Lyra! Stop playing that infernal music!" he screeched. "We can't upset that maniac shadow lurking about!" He gulped, hearing a quiet hiss below the floorboards. "Even if we try and take it all at once, what are the chances that head shadow won't just come back and send more? Or worse, watch over us instead?!"
Lyra paid him no mind and flapped her claws up and down in a mocking manner. The Chatot nearly raised his voice to her once more, but Indigo broke up the fight. "Will you cut it out, both of you? As long as we keep on course and do our job, we'll be fine. We already got those two rubies he wanted. We just get the magnetic ore and the other stuff and we'll be golden."
"How can you be so rational at a time like this?!" Jeffery screamed. "There is a murderous phantom on deck!"
"And a shadow, too!" Cheshire, who was swabbing the deck, spoke up with a cheeky grin.
Jeffery glared at the ghost witch. "Oh…shut up."
Pain Train floated around the ship and stopped near Jones. "We're nearing the deposit site. That should be where we'll find the magnetic ore."
"Aye," Jones responded, staying on course.
The Klefki floated onto the main deck and narrowed his eyes. "This better be worth it. I trust the captain's judgment, but I can't take another second with that freaky black smudge."
Indigo closed her eyes. "Grin and bear it. That's how I dealt with my problems."
Arid kept a close ear on the chatter from his crewmates. It has been like this ever since the deal was made. The shadow, the deal itself, made everyone uncomfortable. There just wasn't that same spark of freedom they had. He closed his eyes and growled.
"You seemed stressed, lower lifeform." Arid opened his eyes and looked down, then glared at the wicked, smiling shadow merged into the bowsprit, gleaming back with its soulless red eyes. "Do you know we shadows seek a host body to increase our power? There could be some benefit to letting me take over."
Arid sneered. "Let's get this through that foggy head of yours. First, none of you freaks are taking over my body. Second, I can crush you into paste if I wanted to."
"But you won't because you fear what we are capable of." The shadow snickered evilly. "You crew is getting the right idea. Our rise to power will come soon. You reject our power, but we know it tempts you. The Heralds of Darkness could use a replacement after our assassin denounced his alliance. Why do you act hesitant? Isn't absolute power what you want?"
Arid glared at him for a moment, then continued facing ahead. "…just contact your boss and tell him we'll have two of the required materials ready for delivery."
The shadow snickered. "No answer? Oh well." His shadowy form slipped into the cracks of the wood and vanished from sight.
Arid clenched his teeth tightly. "…damn phantom."
Nearby, having watched the exchange, Ambrosine narrowed her eyes seriously at him as she hung her arms over the edge. She placed a hand over her heart and stared down into the clouds with a contemplative expression. Guess there are some things even a pirate won't do willing.
After getting his sandwiches, Jonathan was once again on the road to the Snow Zone. He had one out and chewed on it while hold the map in his other hand. With any luck, another delivery wagon or just a normal wagon will fly by and be courteous enough to give him a lift. So far, he got lucky, but he wondered how long that luck will last.
He got the path memorized and stuffed the map back in his pack, then focused on eating the last of his sandwich. He looked around at the dry and scorched earth. Dead trees standing tall and ash coated over the chalky ground. The odd weather and climates of the zones always fascinated him, especially with how they were divided up and formed in unnatural ways.
So, this is what adventurer types get to experience every day. He sighed with a nervous grin. I really hope I don't get a repeat with what happened at the bar.
Remembering that experience, he unintentionally felt his neck just to see if he didn't actually draw blood. He felt the end of that lance arm barely graze the skin. The tingling of the Talonflame's feathers brought more uncomfortable irritation over him. It felt like his body was tingling all over, as if the air was holding a knife up to him.
He clenched his fists and took some deep breaths. "Ease yourself, Geno. You're fine…you're fine…" He grunted and held the back of his head. That bump from earlier still stung. Occasionally lightheadedness seemed to come and go with it, too. Mental…colors and shapes kept dancing inside his mind. More distinguished with his eyes closed, but still hard to make out.
"I better not have knocked anything important loose…" He shook his head and focused on the path. "Just keep your eyes ahead of you and…ugh, don't pass out from headaches…" He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. It was going to be a long day.
Long…Long day of walking. Did he say he gotten used to the walking? Maybe that was the heat talking nonsense. Either way, the Scrafty was worn out after a long day. The night sky cooled the hot land and made walking much more bearable. He often contemplated walking in the middle of the night. Probably would be safer during the day to sleep.
Of course, all types of bandits existed. Some go out at night, some in the middle of the day. What he learned from advice on the road and tidbits he heard from Wes before, find a suitable area that is well hidden, especially in areas that have a track record for bandit activity. If they don't see you, they have no reason to stop and raid.
Jonathan found a suitable cave in the side of a large hill. Dark on the inside and plenty of debris to hide behind should any bandits enter. Though, another thing he learned and picked up, he wasn't exactly always safe. His advantage? Magically sensitive Pokémon couldn't detect him. His disadvantage? He didn't have a magical aura that could dissuade bandits from going near him. So much to understand and gamble. He wondered how Wes could do this without feeling threatened.
His advantage for tonight was an ash storm. Black flakes of char lightly flew through the air, but will soon pick up later in the night. The bartender warned him about the storm, so he used it to his advantage. Unless you were desperate, no one would foolishly walk through a storm of char.
Jonathan kept light with supplies. He pulled out a sleeping bag and pillow and got himself comfortable. He kept his gun by his side in case of emergency. A necessary precaution.
After surveying his surroundings, he lay his head on the pillow. He grunted and rubbed the sore spot on his head. Now it felt like his brain was bruised. Annoying headaches. He yawned, then nestled into his sleeping bag.
The professor spent quite a bit of time with the younger of the two Ravenfield brothers. Jonathan had only been a professor in Quartz Plain for a few years, but Wes shaped himself up to be his most troubling…yet intriguing student. Many of his fellow colleagues would tell him about the copious amounts of overdue books and papers he had failed to turn in. Wes Ravenfield didn't have the best grades and his attitude towards education showed it.
But the professor never gave up on him.
Wes was forced to stay after class to make up for some late papers. A day set for treasure hunting was put on hold. He groaned and slammed his head into the table. "This bites…"
Jonathan sat at his desk, legs kicked up, and leaned back into his chair with a book in his hand. He had a wry grin to his face. "You could just drop out if it's that tedious to you."
Wes sighed. "Mom put a lot in just to get me to college. I can't disappoint her."
"I don't think ditching your classes is the right way to handle it," his professor joked. "The fact you haven't flunked your classes yet surprises me."
"Flint and Ella are VERY critical about my flakiness." He grabbed his pencil and scribbled down more on his paper. "You're seriously not going to can me? Even though this is two weeks late?"
Jonathan closed his book and stood up. "As a professor, I shouldn't be giving special exceptions to any one of my students unless I give it to all. I have every right not to take that paper in." He set his book down. "Consider this more of a learning curve for you."
Wes pulled his head up. "Huh?"
"You've gone on and on about how you want to be a famous treasure hunter. You certainly have the practical skills for it, but it's not an easy job. Treasure hunting comes with competition. Rival hunters, pirates, and bandits are examples." He walked up the rows of seats. "Treasure hunting is your golden passion, yes?"
Wes nodded. "Something I take very seriously."
Jonathan patted his back. "You're young still. You want to keep the best years of your life ahead of you. You want to turn something you love into a serious job." Jonathan chuckled and sat down. "I can't fault you for doing what you love. You could turn this into your life without needing a college education. You're the kind of Pokémon who just wants to stay you." He placed his hand over his chest. "I get that. Most of my childhood feels like a haze. Even some of my young adult life. Time seems to slip away from you."
Wes raised his brow. "Is there a point to this?"
"I encourage you to do what you love." He poked him in the chest. "However, as your professor, I do need to emphasize the importance of an education. Who knows? You might want to become something other than a treasure hunter."
The Umbreon smirked defiantly. "Oh HECK no! I'm going to be the greatest treasure hunter of all time! That's a fact! I can do this! I know I can!"
Jonathan sighed, then chuckled as he leaned back into his chair. "Don't jinx yourself. Might come back to bite you." He tapped on the Umbreon's paper. "I at least want you to get your late assignments done. Consider trying to come to class on time. Or, at the very least, get your work done while you're gone."
Wes groaned, but gave a compliant, tired smile. "Fiiiine…I will, Professor Geno." Jonathan laughed as the Umbreon returned to working on his paper.
Night turned to day seemingly too fast these days. Maybe the professor was getting better sleep after all. Didn't help his headache, though. It dulled, but he could still feel the throbbing sharpness in the back of his head. It wasn't even the bruise that was bothering him. That healed up fairly quickly. Between the Shadow King's threat and this headache, the professor could officially say he was losing his mind.
A light ash storm blew outside, so he took the time to cook up some breakfast until it passed. Pancakes cooking over a fire on a flat stone he found, with the added touch of Oran berry seeds sprinkled into the batter.
He let the circles of batter cook over the hot stone as he took a gander out the cave. Seeing this raging storm made him wonder how Team Ravenfield was faring on their journey. It's been a while since he last spoke with them. He wondered how many keys they've obtained. How far they were on their quest. What struggles they have encountered.
He wasn't the adventuring type. He was still learning the ropes and getting the hang of things. A part of him did, however, want to accompany the Eeveelutions on their quest, but his performance against the shadows and lack of training convinced him not to. He felt he could have offered some useful advice and assistance. Over four years has he resided in Quartz Plain Village and he took a liking to those three just for their reputation among the villagers.
Maybe if he was a bit more outgoing in his admittedly dull youth, perhaps he could've taken on an adventurous journey of his own. It was a thought.
Seeing the underside of the pancakes were done, he flipped them over and let the other sides cook. He stood up and stretched his arms and legs, getting the blood flowing. He looked at some of the stalagmites firmly, then chuckled to himself.
"No…that'd be stupid." He turned his back to them for a moment, trying to resist the childish temptation. Though, curiosity often led to exciting wonders. He looked back at them, then laughed. "Oh…what the heck." Letting a rare playful side of him take over, he walked up to the stalagmite and held his fists up. His stance was a bit awkward, but he wasn't being serious.
He bounced on his toes a bit, then took some quick jabs at the rock with his right fist. He chuckled a bit to himself and shrugged, then threw a couple more against the stalagmite with a bit more 'oomph.' Even for a Scrafty, his experience in combat is pretty low. Maybe he should consider basic training if this becomes a running routine for him.
"Hey…look at me, I'm a warrior," he muttered to himself, throwing some more straight jabs into the stalagmite. "Haha…yeah. And some kicks." He raised his leg clumsily and struck the side of the rock spire. "Ha! Yeah! That'll show you!" It definitely was stupid, but at least he wasn't thinking about that headache anymore.
He let his arms hang loose, shaking off some rubble and dust clinging to his knuckles, as he continuously bounced before the stalagmite. "Yeah…you want some more of that? Here's my special!" He pulled his fist back. "Prepare for a swift defeat!"
He threw his fist, but not in the way he expected. His arm vibrated, almost appearing distorted, and remained motionless. However, an invisible strike landed against the stalagmite and left the shape of his fist imprinted into it. The punch moved so fast that it couldn't be visibly registered in movement.
Jonathan blinked, full on astonishment in his eyes. "Wha…?" He looked at his fist just to confirm if he did do that. The dust on his knuckles told him he did. "Did I see that right?"
He pressed his fist into the impression. A perfect match to his own. But that couldn't be right. He was certain he didn't strike that fast, much less that hard to leave an impression of his fist. He has never demonstrated that level of finesse and precision in his life. He never went to any training schools, fight clubs, or even been in a fight.
He grunted and felt the headache act up again. "Ugh…" Those blurry mental colors came up again, still as vague as before. He shook his head until they went away. "Explanation, explanation…" He rubbed his knuckles and tapped his foot, trying to think of an explanation.
"Okay…perhaps my eyes are playing tricks on me. With the headache, I've been seeing things that aren't there. Yeah, yeah…I must have just struck the rock a bit faster and harder than normal and my eyes just…edited out the punch. Yeah…that's what happened, I'm sure…" He looked at his fist in thought. "…guess I don't know my own strength."
Nothing more than a self-made illusion casted from his weary brain. He would need to eat and regain his strength if he wanted to get through the rest of the day.
He took one whiff of the air curiously. "Hmm, smells like…oh Arceus, my pancakes!" He rushed back to his makeshift griddle before his breakfast went up in smoke.
It was a tough night for the Desert Beasts. Unable to take the night off, the crew had to run in shifts if they wanted to appease the evil shadow. One half of the crew would stay up and dig through the rock while the other slept throughout the night. There was complaint to be heard, but death wasn't a viable option either.
The ship was parked on the mountain, with the shadow and Arid observing their progress. They have dug a massive hole into the side of the mountain where the ore should be.
Arid glared at the shadow. "How much of this stuff needs to be mined?"
The shadow smirked. "Lots. Lots and lots of ore."
Arid glared, then pulled out a small sack from his pockets. He dumped two jewels out and into his hand. Red like the sky during the setting sun. The soleil jewels, said to absorb sunlight and magnify their refractive properties. Only Arceus knew what they planned on using them for. Shadows looking for a jewel that captures sunlight must be worth the trouble.
Getting it was pretty easy, though. A jeweler had them in stock, so they just walked in and…'bargained' for them. They traded the jewels for a fresh supply of cannonballs. Sadly, for some 'unknown' reason, the store had to close down due to unexpected damage.
Arid dropped the jewels back into their sack and pocketed them before shouting, "How much closer are you all?!"
Julius panted tiredly as he struck the earth with his pickax. "Just a wee bit further, Captain!" He leaned against the rock and sighed. "Yar…assumin' I survive that long…"
Ambrosine, who looked visibly tired from the dark circles under her eyes, walked up to him. "Allow me…to lend my assistance." She held her hands up and channeled her healing magic through him to give a quick energy boost.
Julius shook his head and raised his pincer and cannon hand up. "YAR! I feel like a new man!" He retrieved his pickax and struck the earth with more vigor.
Ambrosine stepped back and yawned. Tyrone glanced at her worriedly as he took another swing at the ground. "You've been up all night. You should rest."
The Steenee rubbed her eyes. "We're getting closer and you all need the energy…I can…*yawn*…keep going for a little while longer."
Tyrone gritted his teeth. "You're wearing yourself out."
"Just dig…I'll be fine…" She stumbled back a bit, but kept her balance.
The shadow glared down at her threateningly. "The female plant looks close to dropping." He showed off his claws and loomed over the side. "If she doesn't get back to work soon-"
He stopped as he felt sand daggers surrounding him. He shot a glare at Arid, who had one finger of his gauntlet raised with his arms crossed. "Threaten to kill my crew again and you'll be shred to pieces." The shadow glared deeper, but resumed watching over them with the claws retracted. Arid dropped the sand and continued as well.
Ray dug through the rock with his claws and feet when his paw scratched up some ground and revealed a black, shiny color. He grinned. "Jackpot! Hey losers, I think I found it!"
They looked over and smiled, seeing the ore for themselves. Pain Train flew near it, then immediately got back as his keys gravitated towards the spot. "Yeah, that's the ore, alright."
Tyrone shouted up, "Captain! We found the ore!"
Arid nodded. "Then start digging it up! Now!" The crew struck around the spot and started working on collecting the pieces.
"Ah…good. Seems I arrived just in time." Arid closed his eyes into a scowl as a flood of darkness seeped out of the floorboards and rose up into the umbra phantom known as Nightmare. He crossed his arms and smirked as he saw the crew digging. "Excellent. You're doing a fine job. Aeternus will be pleased with this."
"You didn't specify an amount," he grumbled.
"Neither did he, but his cackling told me he wants a lot. Get as much as you can dig up." Nightmare glared around the ship, sensing some of the weak auras. "Your crew seems awfully weary."
"Your minion doesn't take kindly to slacking off," Arid growled. "They can't work properly with him make all his death threats."
The shadow hissed and bared his claws at the Darmanitan. "A scummy pirate such as yourself is unfit to be questioning my authority! We are but the lowly pawns of the Shadow King! Failure to accomplish his deeds means certain death-!"
Nightmare pushed the shadow back. "Now, now, let's not get hostile with each other. Perhaps my orders to keep you pirates under control was taken a bit too seriously. We often forget you creatures suffer from mortal afflictions. Drowsiness, hunger, sickness…such mortal annoyances." Nightmare smirked. "But fret not. Once you've retrieved the required items, you'll have my trust. Once our magnificent king is brought back, I'll make sure you get the treatment you and your crew deserve."
Arid raised his brow with some mistrust still present in him. "That some fancy way of saying you'll kill us?"
"I may be a spawn of evil, but I'm not uncivilized." Nightmare bent down and smirked evilly. "To transcend light and embrace darkness means for one to become a force. Why would anyone want to be bound to the limitations of mortality? The four heralds all abandoned their lives, either by choice…or by desperation."
Arid just glared at him silently, prompting the boss shadow to move back. "You'll see our side of things fairly soon. And you will get everything you want." His eyes glowed in a faint, yet sinister light. "Don't…forget who your allies are, captain. The wrong move could be your very last."
The Darmanitan held back an irritated growl. He looked back down and watched his crew dig up the ore and drop it into one of many supply crates. He had to remember to keep his cool in check. Whether he hated it or not, these shadows a tight hold on them. Working for them meant the promise of power, though with a cost. Betrayal meant instant death.
Keep your crew close…and your enemies closer.
Jonathan continued his journey down the dry land of the Fire Zone. His pancakes, while were a little burnt, satisfied his hunger. He took out his canteen and sparingly sipped on some water, then breathed a sigh of relief.
"I cannot wait to get out of this dreadful zone…" It was either he looped around Mysto until he reached the Snow Zone or cut through the Swamp Zone. The Swamp Zone existed in the center of the region, thus being surrounded in the different zones. However, he chose to go around the region because the Swamp Zone was just as unforgiving, if not worse. Being a hodge-podge of weird and deadly plants and flora, surviving out there was for the more experienced.
He wiped his hand across his brow and sighed. The sun beat down on him unremittingly. He was definitely looking forward to the cool and refreshing atmosphere of the Aqua Zone.
"There doesn't seem to be anyone out in the open…" he mumbled to himself. Oh, what he would give for another generous ride to shorten his travel.
He peered ahead, eyes squinted to ward off the sun, and noticed a still shape in the distance. The shape looked very much like a wagon, and he was certain he saw a Mudsdale among a group of people. He couldn't make out who they were, but that didn't matter. If he was lucky, he could score another ride.
He broke into a sprint, relieved to find some possible help. Thank the heavens! I don't think I could've gotten this far without help! He drew nearer to the group…
…then paled in horror at what he saw.
He stopped and dove behind a dead tree, then peeked around the corner. What he saw as a collective group wasn't as united as he thought. A Gardevoir and an Eelektross, both fancily dressed, with a Kirlia and an Eelektrik by the Gardevoir's side, cowering. They were being held up by a party of three, with the Eelektross and Mudsdale trying to fend them off.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on my wife and children!" he growled as he lunged at them. The larger of the three backhanded him to the ground effortlessly. The kids and Gardevoir screamed out in concern.
The Mudsdale huffed angrily. "You'll pay for that!" He charged with galloping stomps, but the other two met his charge and collided with strong hits that sent the heavy horse off his feet. He crashed against their wagon, groaning in pain.
"Ugh, you rich types act like you're invincible just because you hide behind your money," one of the bandits said. Jonathan narrowed his eyes. It was a very familiar female voice. "Allow us to liberate that money from your possession."
The Gardevoir moved her kids behind her and held her fists up. "I won't allow you uncivilized monsters to-!" Jonathan flinched as the Embrace Pokémon went down with a swift slap to the face, too.
"Enough," a gruff and tough voice ordered, also sounding familiar to the Scrafty. "Either you hand over your valuables peacefully, or we're leaving with them and blood on our hands."
Jonathan peeked a little closer to get the bandits in view, then his eyes widened in shock. Of all the Pokémon to come across, it was the same trio of bandits he met the other day. The Escavalier, Talonflame, and Drapion. Jeb had lanced shaped gauntlets over his arms, with spikes running around and down them, appearing like two drills. Lucy had knives strapped to the tips of her wings, elegantly waving them around with fluid, threatening motions.
Their leader, Raff the Mad Man, carried no weapon, yet the clicking of his claws told the professor he didn't need a weapon to kill. He stared at his targets with the eyes of a predator, waiting for his next kill. Something told Jonathan that that family wasn't getting out of this safely, whether they complied or not.
The Eelektross pushed himself up and growled. "You sick…bastard…" Raff grabbed him by the collar and lifted him to eye level. Jonathan could see the cold gaze in the bandit's eyes.
"Time's ticking, my friend." Raff nodded to Lucy, who nodded back in understanding. "If you don't hand over the valuables…well…"
The eel, and Jonathan quietly, gasped as the Talonflame scooped up the Kirlia and held him by the arms with her talons. The Kirlia tried to scream, but was petrified with fear as the fire bird held the bladed wings to his neck.
Eelektross' eyes widened fearfully. "You wouldn't…"
Raff grinned sinisterly. "You want to know why they call me the 'Mad Man' out here?" He snipped his claws at his face. "Don't want an answer? Start coughing up the possessions."
Jonathan felt his body shaking as he took a few cautious steps back behind the cover of the tree. There was no way he was risking his neck to fight those three, but he couldn't let an innocent family get murdered while he watched. How could anyone stand being on the road if situations like this were still likely?!
He slowly reached to his side and gripped his pistol. Maybe if I can get a clear shot on them before they notice me, I can incapacitate them. He pulled the flintlock out and nervously aimed it at Lucy. Steady your nerves…I can't shoot the kid by accident.
He wrapped his finger around the trigger and steadied his aim, lining up for a clear shot right through the shoulder blades. He gently pulled back on the trigger and-
SNAP!
Alarms went off in Jonathan's head. A quick look at his feet showed he accidentally stepped on a branch. He barely made it back behind the tree just as heads turned in his direction. He held his breath and pressed his arms against his sides rigidly, back pressed into the tree. There was complete silence. No crying, no talking, no movement to be heard.
Maybe I got off lucky.
He didn't.
Jonathan gasped as a metal lance drilled through the base of the tree. The Scrafty barely avoided the attack, feeling the tip of the weapon graze his back. He rolled across the ground and fumbled onto his back. His eyes widened, then he rolled away from Jeb as he violently stabbed the ground with his lance arms.
He stumbled onto his feet and held his gun up to the armored bug. "Stay back! I know how to use this thing!"
Raff glared, then dropped the Eelektross before slowly walking up to the cowering professor. "Well, well, well…our old friend dropped in for a visit." He smirked. "And he seems to be taking up shooting practice."
Lucy snickered and looked around jokingly, wing over her eyes. "Don't see any targets! Just trees and rocks! It's almost like he planned to shoot- gasp! -us!" She smirked villainously. "Oh…silly, silly man."
Jonathan felt that unnerving feeling from yesterday return. He gingerly stepped back and held his hands and the gun up. "What?! No, no! I wasn't going to shoot you! I-I-I-I just happened to have my gun…in my hand…while I was hiding…from you…" He grinned in terror.
Raff walked around the Scrafty and shook his claw in mock disappointment. "Now…I thought I made myself really clear the other day, mister. Don't you know there are some very dangerous people this far out?" He glared mischievously. "You never know what kind of people you'll come across. Some will take what they want…by any means necessary."
Jonathan clenched his teeth and stepped away from him. He held his gun up to him, shaking in place. "Trust me…nothing would make me happier than staying out of your way…" He clenched the gun tightly, trying his best to look intimidating. "But I…refuse to let you bully these people into giving you their valuables. If I run and let you kill them…then I'm nothing but a coward…"
Jeb sneered. "The cowardly and meek lives to the tell the tale. The brave and bold die young." He raised his lances to the professor. "Take a hint…or retire to your new resting place."
The Scrafty stood firm, digging his heel into the dirt. He really should be running. He couldn't face these guys. He was a college history professor, for Arceus' sake! So why wasn't he running? What was compelling him to stay and fight when he knew the odds were stacked against him?! Why wasn't he running?!
His mouth ran faster than his thoughts, replying with, "After I escort you to Hell."
Raff narrowed his eyes. "Huh…bold tongue for a wimp, I'll give you that. It'll be a great quote for your tombstone." He clicked his claws. "Lucy, Jeb…send him packing."
The Escavalier and Talonflame lunged with their weapons out. Jonathan barely got out of the way and rolled along the ground, then got to his knees. Adrenaline pumping, he fired off two shots at the armored bug. Jeb spun around and deflected the shots with his metal covered lance.
Jonathan rushed to his feet and ran. Lucy took to the skies and laughed as she swung her wings and threw down red magical energy shaped like knives. Jonathan took some shots at them before dodging out of the way. He quickly scrambled along the ground as Lucy scattered an unending wave of knives for the history professor.
Shit, shit, SHIT! Jonathan pulled himself to his feet and sprinted as the knives kept coming. He fired over his shoulder, not exactly aiming his shots and more so leaning on luck again.
Lucy laughed. "Check it out, boss! We got him running with his tail between his legs!"
Raff crossed his arms and huffed. "Don't play with your prey for too long."
Jonathan jumped out of the way from another set of knives and glared at the fire bird. "Okay, this is getting me nowhere!" He shook his gun and heard that there will still some ammunition pellets inside. I'm not sure why I'm doing this, but it's going to seriously hurt!
He stopped and aimed his gun. Lucy threw more knives at him in her laughter, though was caught off guard as the professor ran through them. He dodged as many as he could, but inevitably got grazed by most and one jabbed into his shoulder. He bit back the pain, then aimed his gun amidst the confusion. He took his shot and struck the bird in the left shoulder blade.
"AGH!" Lucy cried out. Her wing went limp, loosing air, before diving and crashing into the ground.
Jonathan panted, then grit his teeth before pulling out the knife in one quick motion. He growled and gripped his shoulder tightly. "ARGH! That was…that was…" He wanted to say 'excruciating,' but it honestly didn't feel as bad as he imagined. Must be the adrenaline dulling the pain. Still hurt, though.
Jonathan caught something in his peripherals, then dodged a lance thrust from Jeb. The armored bug growled, then threw a flurry of thrust attacks at the professor. Jonathan blocked one aimed for his chest and grunted as the metal tip broke the skin. The force sent him flying back.
"Hah…a worthless nobody like you should just go and die," Jeb growled. "Stop being a hero. You'll get yourself killed." He glared coldly. "Well…you still will, either way."
Jonathan got up and dashed away after pulling out gauze from his bag. He wrapped them tightly around his arm and shoulder to suppress the bleeding. He glared over his shoulder as the Escavalier pursued after him. Once he got the bandages tied, he poured out the pellets in his gun into his hand, then switched them out for a different casing. He poured those pellets into the flintlock, then closed it up.
"What are you up to, old man?!" Jeb growled as he lunged and thrusted his lance.
Jonathan spun around and shouted, "See for yourself!" He fired two shots of light that exploded in the Escavalier's eyes.
His eyes shrank, then he reeled back in pain. "AGH! MY EYES!" He pressed the sides of his lances against his burning sight organs.
Jonathan stumbled over his feet, but kept standing. With his enemy incapacitated, he fired a few more shots at him. Jeb was sent flying back from the exploding light bullets, seared from the intensity of the light.
Jonathan stumbled back and gripped his arm. "Oh man…oh man, oh man…"
Raff glared. "Impressive for a nobody, but you'll find that your troubles are far from over."
The Scrafty whipped his head around, then dodged a close shave from Lucy, who looked rightfully pissed off after taking a shot to the shoulder. She could still move both wings, though the left one was noticeably weaker. "I think I want to rip your throat out after that!" she threatened before lunging with her talons out.
Jonathan sidestepped and bashed the hilt of his gun into the back of her head. She stumbled, but a flicker of red showed her protective magic aura sponged the blow. She swung her bladed wings and cut the Scrafty in the cheek, then kicked him in the chest. Jonathan gasped, landing on his back, then rolled out of another bladed assault. He fired a few shots, but she deflected them before they exploded.
He fired the gun desperately to get off a clean shot, but eventually ran out of ammo. Lucy took her chance and lunged, grabbing him by the neck in her talons and slamming him to the ground. He took a blow to the back of the head, reigniting the migraines at full force.
"AGH!" Jonathan screamed, clutching his head.
Lucy mistook this as her doing, which made her grin. "Wow! If that's enough to make you screamed, you're going to hate this!" She threw her wings up and revealed several energy knives from her feathers.
Jonathan scratched at the ground, feeling up some ash, then swatted it upward and into the bird's eyes. Lucy recoiled in surprise and held her eyes, screeching and whining with pain. Jonathan stood up and took this opportunity to slug her across the cheek, knocking her onto her back.
He huffed and adjusted his coat. "My apologies…"
"You're one hell of a survivor, old man!" Jonathan gasped as dodged a surprise strike from Jeb. He dug his lance into the ground and spun around to face the professor. His clothes were a bit singed, but his eyes looked glazed over and reddened, with tears running down his face. "But you're at the end of your rope!" He crossed his lances, then lunged again. The wind swirled around them, effectively creating wind drills.
Jonathan tripped over his feet and fell back just as the wind drills came to his face. Jeb flew right over the fallen Scrafty, giving him enough time to run away. Jeb did a u-turn and resumed his chase.
The Scrafty dug through his bag as he ran. What can I use to stop him?! He glared ahead at the family, then noticed some bottles laying out in their scattered luggage.
Alcohol.
Jonathan threw his bag back on and bolted it to the fallen wagon. The family gasped as he slid to a stop and swiped one of the bottles. "Sorry! I need to borrow this!" He pulled off the cap, tore off some of his shirt, and jammed it through the hole. He popped in two fire pellets for his gun into the bottle, too.
"What are you up to?!" Jeb growled.
Jonathan ran away from the wagon to keep the bandit's attention on only him. He snagged a lighter from one of his bag's pockets and lit a flame on the torn cloth. "You looked thirsty!" The alcohol soaked rag lit up almost instantly. He spun on his heel and chucked the bottle at him. "Have a drink!"
The bottle smashed against his face. The flames spread across the armored bug instantly. He cried out in agony and crashed head first into the ground. Jonathan staggered back, then held his knees to finally take a breather.
"Con…Consider that…repayment for yesterday…" he finished off with one last, weary quip. He groaned and leaned forward in exhaustion. "Oh gracious…I could use a nap…"
"A dirt nap will suit you." Jonathan felt a hard smack strike his left cheek and throw him off his feet. He tumbled across the ground, then took a punch to the stomach that made him gasp for air. His eyes shook as Raff stood over him, pressing his fist down against his stomach. "You'll be so relaxed, it'll feel like eternity…literally."
Jonathan grabbed the scorpion's wrist and tried to push him off, but he was far too strong. "You…can't…grr…"
Raff glared lightly, then pulled off the professor. He thought he was being showed mercy, but he actually just wanted to grab him by the waist and chuck him in the air. Jonathan screamed as he came falling back down, but got caught on the end of his coat. Raff swung him around, then bashed him into the ground. Cuts opened in the Scrafty's forehead, but he desperately hung on to consciousness.
"You don't have magic. You don't know how to fight. You don't know how to survive." Raff sneered and threw Jonathan into the side of a tree. He cried out, slamming hard into his back, then fell onto his rear. Raff walked over menacingly. "You did well improvising your way through my two cohorts, but this is the big leagues. If you were the least bit competent, you would've run away a long time ago."
Jonathan struggled to get up, then was lifted by the neck and brought to eye level. He stared into his cold, malicious eyes. "We have to run from bounty hunters out for profit…police out to get us…all kinds of people doing their jobs. But what are you doing? You're no cop. You're no bounty hunter." He pushed him against the tree and snipped his claws in his face. "You're some nobody trying to be a hero."
Raff chuckled playfully. "You could have just walked away. Turn the other way and pretend you saw nothing. You would've carried on your merry way and not be clinging to life." He glared. "And still…you get up." He clutched on Jonathan's throat tightly. The Scrafty grabbed the claws and tried to pry them apart. "What happened to that meek nobody from the bar yesterday? Why are you suddenly acting like a hero?"
"To be honest…I'm not sure…why I'm doing this…either!" he admitted, using all his strength to try and gain freedom. He glared at the Drapion. "I don't know why I'm doing this…when I'm scared out of my damn mind…but I'm not letting you harm these people for your sick, twisted delusions!"
Raff narrowed his eyes slowly, then scoffed. "You're powerless to do anything." He chucked the Scrafty over his shoulder.
Jonathan, once again, landed on his head and irritated his migraines. However, something felt different. Jonathan rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky with wide eyes. He didn't feel different mentally, other than the agitating migraines growing worse, but his body felt…odd.
It tingled. It was a hard feeling to describe, but it felt like his cells were tingling with an odd impatience and fortitude. It's like every inch of him was vibrating with anticipation to move.
He pushed himself up slowly, then rubbed his shoulder, then his head. They hurt, but…not as much. He stood up and flexed his fingers. The tingling feeling was still there, but it didn't feel like it as affecting his normal movements. Not only that, but his migraines started to finally ease up.
Okay…now I know something's definitely wrong with me.
His eyes widened as a shadow casted over him. He looked up at the menacing Drapion, who clicked his claws threateningly. He showed off his toothy grin and laughed through his teeth. "You need to be tough to survive out here. Wimps like you are easy prey…for the predators like me." He clicked his claws again.
Jonathan tensed himself up and held up his fists. He glared back with nervous, yet unwavering composure. "I'm. Not. Running."
Raff showed off a tepid grin. "Oh…you silly fool." He pulled his claws back. "What good is a hero-" His eyes sharpened, then he thrusted the claws straight for the Scrafty's head. "-when they'll just die in the end?!"
Jonathan's eyes widened, feeling the world slow to a crawl as flashes of…memories? Mental images? …something flew through his mind. They moved too fast for him to process, but one line stood out from the confusion.
"As long as there are heroes to protect this land, I'll play my part to protect everyone! I won't let anyone die!"
Jonathan took in a sharp breath, then crouched down with speedy movement. How speedy, exactly? His crest waved like it blended with the air, as did the rest of his body. He ducked down so fast that a faint mirage of his present persisted after him. The Scrafty's mind was racing so fast, he couldn't process just what the hell he was doing. He wasn't sure if he wasn't moving his body voluntarily or not.
He dug into the ground and dashed past the Drapion with one measly step. The speed he went around the Drapion dug up a trail of his path behind him. He moved within a fraction of a second and was still processing so much within that small timeframe.
Raff struck down on Jonathan, but blinked in confusion as he only hit the air. He blinked a couple more times, then looked over his shoulder to see the Scrafty standing with his own confused expression. Raff narrowed his eyes, then turned himself around. "I thought you didn't have magic…"
Jonathan didn't even step back this time. He was too stunned to care. "I…don't have any."
Raff glared. "That speed…I'm not sure what you did, but I won't let it happen again!" He lunged for the professor, this time with both claws.
Jonathan's body tingled in anticipation. It felt like he was on autopilot, yet had full control of his movements. Without thinking, he easily dodged the claws. Raff swung wildly while Jonathan observed his movements and just let his body dodge when needed to.
Some sort of muscle memory. Jonathan surprised himself again when he jumped over one of Raff's punches and flipped over him. The Scrafty blinked, then grinned. "I can question this later!" He spun and slammed his knee into the back of his neck.
Raff spat out and nearly toppled forward. He rubbed his neck, then shot a deadly glare at the professor. "You've been holding out on me…you're not as weak as you seem."
Jonathan bounced on his toes and held out his fists. "Still as surprised as you."
Raff growled and threw his claws at him again. Jonathan sidestepped with the same speedy movements, wrapping around the Drapion until he was directly behind him. Raff was caught off guard by the burst of speed, then took multiple kicks to the back of the head. Jonathan crouched down and sprinted into the Drapion's legs, delivering a hard sweep kick that knocked them out from under him.
Raff crashed onto his face, then glared up at the Scrafty. "Lucy! Jeb! Kill him!"
Jonathan saw the two coming in from behind. He spun on his heel and pivoted around them. They spun around to intercept, but took fast, practically invisible punches to the stomachs. They tried to compose themselves, but Jonathan was relentless, delivering dozens of punches in single strikes. His body distorted with vibrations, making it hard to tell where he was striking from. He went in and out of their sight in quick bursts, like they were facing delayed afterimages.
The Scrafty spun on his hand and slammed his leg into Jeb, who slammed into Lucy, and sent them both flying into the base of a tree. Jonathan stood up, then grunted as he reached for his shoulder. The dulled pain still stung. He wasn't sure where this fighting talent suddenly came from, but it wasn't improving his injuries with the stress.
The Talonflame and Escavalier pulled themselves up and growled, then ran around the Scrafty to get him from both sides. Knives out and lance readied, they thrusted their weapons at his sides. Jonathan quickly assessed their movements, then let his apparent muscle memory handle the rest.
He deflected their attacks so they'd slide past him, then gripped down on both wing and lance. With swift and fluid movement, he flung them in opposite directions. Lucy spread her wings out to create air resistance, but took a surprise blow to the chest from a previously invisible Jonathan, who had caught up to her faster than she was thrown.
Raff stared at the battle with eyes of disbelief. "He's using a particular martial art. Instinctual combat skill. Fighting talent unlike anyone I've faced. Speed and precision…with the movements of a ghost…practically becoming one with the air…"
Jeb caught himself on his lances to stop himself. Jonathan dashed over to him in a burst of speed and swiped his leg across the lances, then stood on his hands to deliver two straight kicks into his face. Jeb coughed out blood before flying into a tree, finally knocked out of commission.
Jonathan stood up and gripped his shoulder again. Blood was seeping through the bandage. He grunted and stepped away from the fallen Escavalier, then dodged a surprise strike from Raff.
The Drapion growled. "Where did you learn that martial art?!"
"That's what I've been doing?!" Jonathan dodged repeated strikes from the Drapion reflexively. "I don't know! I've never learned any martial arts in my life!"
"Liar!" Raff swung his claws and slashed where the Scrafty had previously stood, having dodged in a flash. "I've seen that style of fighting before! It's not something you just pick up out of nowhere!"
Jonathan glared. "I've had enough of this!" He dodged Raff's final punch, then leaped at his face. He pulled his fists back and shouted, "I'm done with your crap!" He threw his fists, sending forth an invisible wave of punches into the Drapion's face.
The strikes hit their mark with brutal precision. They dealt critical damage to the Drapion that practically wiped away his will to continue. All in the span of a second or two. Jonathan landed on his hands and feet and glared as the Drapion stumbled around dizzily.
"Tenuem…Style…" was the last thing he uttered before falling over and landing on his face, unconscious.
Jonathan didn't drop his guard. He looked around carefully to make sure all three were out. From the looks of it, they won't be getting up for a while. He sighed and finally allowed himself to relaxed…until his injuries started flaring up again.
"AGH! DAMMIT! Still hurts!" He gripped his shoulder and fell onto his rear, gritting his teeth against the pain.
The family came out of hiding from their damaged wagon. The Eelektross floated over and came to the professor's aid. "Sir…we cannot thank you enough for your help. We truly appreciate it."
"It's…nothing, really." Jonathan stood up and leaned against the large eel tiredly. "Truth be told…I don't know what came over me. Any other day, I would've ran away…"
"Well, we can't express our gratitude for your help." The eel sighed in relief. "I'm simply not cut out for fighting…"
That's what I thought, too. Jonathan reached around his head and noticed his migraines were officially gone. He narrowed his eyes. What on earth happened to me? When did I learn…Tenuem Style, he called it? When did my body have such a complex muscle memory?
All questions he wanted answered, but his injuries were still an issue. The eel brought him over to their wagon. "Allow us to return the favor. Is there anything we could do to repay you? Money's no object."
The professor shook his head. "I've got plenty of money on me. Though, if I do need a ride. I'm on my way to the Snow Zone."
The Gardevoir curtsied to him politely. "We were on our way back to our home in the Aqua Zone. It's rather close to the borders of the Storm Zone. Allow us to take you that far for your troubles."
Jonathan grinned. "Really? Thank you so much."
"It's our pleasure. Now then, we should probably treat those injuries before they become infected." Jonathan had no objection as he was sat down against a tree.
The Eelektross crossed his arms and looked over the wagon. "I'll have to repair the wagon before we can get moving. Tucker, I may need your help."
The Mudsdale nodded his head. "Yes, sir." The two got to work repairing the wagon.
As the Gardevoir treated Jonathan's wounds, the Scrafty found himself talking to their children, who were starry eyed looking at him. "You were so brave, mister!" the Kirlia exclaimed. "Was it scary?!"
Jonathan grinned uneasily. "That was the first I've ever really participated in…and won."
"So cool!" the Eelektrik shouted. "You're like a hero!"
Jonathan shook his head. "No, no…I'm not a hero." He held his head. "I still don't understand how I did half of that. It was all new to…ugh…" He held his head as images flickered in his mind.
They became a bit clearer, but not fully fleshed out. But…he felt like he saw himself in the center of the images. Words were said.
"You actually went out of your way to save those people from danger? I don't think I've met anyone that absurdly reckless just to save some people. Not denouncing your actions, but it's sill a rare sight to come by."
"I do what I can. That's how I was raised. I want to be remembered as someone great. Someone everyone can be inspired by. I want my heroic deeds to transcend history. I want to make a difference and help others."
Jonathan groaned and pressed his head against the tree. The Gardevoir narrowed her eyes. "Are you okay?"
Jonathan grinned weakly. "I'm fine…just tired…" He closed his eyes and sighed.
Something weird was going on with him. The first time he remembered feeling a similar sensation was when he brought up the Immenus Library to Hal. He had some rush of déjà vu that didn't cross his mind as weird. But now, he was having full blown images of events he never took place in.
He lived a rather normal life. Nothing exciting or special. The only exciting parts of his life were now and when he went to Quartz Plain Village to teach. Did that hit to the head the other day trigger this? If so, what did it do? What were these images? And why was he remembering a fighting style he never learned?
As if my journey couldn't get anymore stressful.