Kanto Chapter 6 - Lavender Town
It was the dead of night when Amber made it into Lavender Town, a light fog had settled in the intimate gothic looking town giving off an incredibly ominous feeling. The adrenalin of the days adventure had started to wear off and the teenager was shattered.
Making her way to the Pokémon centre, Amber couldn't spot that red roof soon enough. She tried the doors – locked! She banged on the doors a couple of times; each knock with increased urgency but no one was coming.
Oh no, now what am I gonna do? Despair and a little fear creeping into her mind. Where can I go? Where can I sleep? I don't know anyone in this town. What if there's murderers walking around? I've heard Lavender Town is home to ghost pokémon … this place could be haunted by other things too … maybe a headless horseman looking to decapitate some unsuspecting traveller, a warewolf out of its mind with crazed bloodlust, a vampire that will turn me into demon of the night …
"Everything ok miss?"
Amber squealed and jumped out of her skin from the sudden voice behind her. She turned to see a very puzzled looking little old man behind her. Feeling very foolish of her outburst, Amber put her hand behind her head and sheepishly acknowledged the man. "Oh hi, yes sorry everything is fine … well actually no, it kind of isn't…"
"Do you have injured pokémon that requires urgent attention?"
"Oh! Uh no, nothing like that. They might need a little rest and some food but really I'm just a little lost. It's night and I was counting on staying here at the Pokémon Centre. Now I don't know what to do …"
"Oh well I know a place you and your pokémon can stay tonight. The Volunteer Pokémon House it's just over the road, I'm sure we can find room there for you and get your Pokémon fed and rested. Follow me."
Amber nodded and followed behind the little old man to the house. His movement so silent and fluid as he moved through the fog, he almost seemed to float. Well he seems nice enough and I don't really see any other options … but maybe I'll keep a cross or a stake and hammer nearby, just in case.
The house was small but inviting, it had a very warm presence, a stark contrast to the dark eerie streets of Lavender Town. It was a homely building, with a few different Pokémon residing inside making use of make shifts beds.
"Make yourself at home, I'm afraid I cannot offer you a proper bed, as you can see, we are a little short on space." The old man said, passing over some pillows from a nearby closet. Amber accepted them and bowed slightly "Oh that's fine, I have my sleeping bag. Thank you."
"Well I'll make us some tea, please rest up your pokémon."
Amber had released her Pokémon, Pichu was happily chowing down on some pokéfood, whilst magnemite was bobbing around a generator. Amber smiled at them and was presented with a hot tea which she gratefully accepted.
"So" she said making conversation between slurps "is this your house?"
"Used to be. Now it belongs to all the pokémon who need it."
"Pokémon that need it?"
The man motioned to the pokémon around them. "Pokémon that have been injured, or sick or abandoned. They stay here until they feel ready to leave, making space for the next pokémon who needs our help, and of course the odd person too" He winked at the girl.
Amber grinned and had another big gulp of tea, finishing off the cup. "So, what made you give your home to pokémon?"
The old man sighed and looked down before bringing his gaze back up "It wasn't always like this; I was once a renowned scientist believe it or not. In my youth I made questionable decisions, worked for the wrong people. I ended up being responsible for a monstrosity that effected pokémon and people alike. That will always be a burden I bare. I'm not proud of all my choices back then. But I got out when I could, turned my life around. I moved out here and dedicated my life to helping pokémon. If I could go back and do my time again would I do anything different? There's an ethical question that can never be answered. We cannot change the past, only the present." The old man looked Amber in the eyes. "I try to do all that I can for the pokémon, but I feel it is never enough to undo the evil that has been caused by Team Rocket."
"Team Rocket?" Where have I heard that name before "I think … I think I've heard that name before…" Amber placed her hand under her chin and tried to remember. It definitely struck a chord.
"They were a cruel, cold and impassionate organisation that used pokémon and people alike for no more than financial gain and world power. They were led by a ruthless man Giovanni, who used his social status and underground connections to rule the dark underbelly of Kanto. No one could touch him, no one that is until a highly skilled pokémon trainer stepped in. He stormed their hidden base and shut them down, going head to head with Giovanni and coming out on top. I do not know what Team Rocket were planning on doing, or who the trainer was for sure and why he got involved. I expect I may never know. But whatever it was Team Rocket were doing, there would have been no good coming from it. Of that I am certain. That young man saved us all, he is a true hero."
"Wow, and you never knew who he was … What happened to Giovanni?" Amber enquired, her mind swirling.
"No one knows. After he had been defeated in battle and Team Rocket thwarted, Giovanni had pretty much lost everything. The Rocket organisation was disbanded, the Viridian Gym abandoned, and he simply disappeared. There have been whispers and rumours over the years about Team Rocket still operating in the shadows, but maybe they are simply ghosts."
Amber felt a chill "when … when was all this?"
"Oh, it was many moons ago, I suspect you was not even born child or maybe very young. Anyway, enough of this old man's ramblings, you must be tired. Please set yourself up where you can, the Pokémon centre will be open in the morning. Goodnight Miss."
"Goodnight Sir."
The old man smiled and nodded. He turned away. Amber rolled out her mattress, "and thank you for letting me … stay?" Too late he had already gone.
Amber lay down, Pichu and Magnemite came over and snuggled up beside her. She was glad of the company. She felt a little unease. Her mind was still hounded by thoughts. Team Rocket … I know I've heard that name before. But where? Not from Dad I don't think. Not from Mom either … is that why Uncle Gary looks after the Viridian Gym? And who could that trainer be? The questions raced around until she finally drifted off to sleep.
Amber woke to sunbeams hitting her face. It was morning, time to go.
A morning fog still surrounded the floor of the town, scattering the light of the morning sun rays. Amber was walking down the road towards the pokémart, deep in thought.
The old man was nowhere to be seen this morning, so she hadn't been able to thank him for his hospitality. She had fed, watered and cleaned up the pokémon in the house to return some of the kindness, but it would have been nice to say bye properly.
Rounding the corner, she was suddenly hit in a deep thick fog. A feeling of fire hit the back of her throat and she started to cough, her eyes stinging, tears forming. This isn't fog, this is smog!
Two silhouettes appeared.
"Prepare for Trouble."
"Make it Double."
What the hell is this? Amber tried to cover for nose and mouth.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all peoples within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
The smog cleared revealing two people dressed the same in black and white. A young man with dark hair and striking green eyes and a young woman with bold blonde hair. Big red R's on their uniforms.
"Thea." The woman smiled and struck a pose.
"Shane." The man followed suit.
"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light."
Team Rocket? Amber was stunned.
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" They both pointed to the dumbstruck girl.
That uniform with the big red R, I know! It's the same uniform of those two who attacked the gym for the Zap Plate! "Team Rocket! I've heard of you! You guys do horrible things to pokémon and you attacked the Vermillion Gym! Well I don't know what you need the Zap Plate for, but I don't have it and even if I did, I'd never let you have it!" Amber stood her ground.
Thea laughed, "Silly girl, we are not here for the Zap Plate."
"You're not?"
"No." Shane pointed at Amber; his brilliant green eyes bore into hers. "We're here for you. Amber Ketchum."
Amber froze "… What?! You know my name? Wha…what could you possibly want with me?"
"You'll find out when we bring you in. Now come quietly and we will have no reason to hurt you; but be warned resist us and we will be forced to use force." Thea advanced on the girl.
"I don't know what's going on, but I do know, whatever it is that involves Team Rocket, I'll have no co-operation in!" Amber narrowed her eyes and readied her pokéball.
Shane sighed. "Don't say we didn't give you a fair warning. Koffing I choose you"
"Zubat go" Thea followed.
"Go Pichu!" Amber released her Pokémon.
"Koffing Smog attack!"
"Zubat use Screech."
"Pichu Thunder Shock! Aim for Zubat."
Before the little mouse could attack, he was impacted by the screech and hit hard by the smog.
Pichu let off his Thunder Shock, the light ricocheting off the smog clouds as the Zubat was hit, it was hurt but not by enough. Pichu definitely came off worse. Oh no Pichu can't take another hit like that.
"Koffing now tackle attack!"
An idea came to Amber. "Pichu flash!"
Pichu made as much bright light as he could. The light bounced off the residual smog and fog surrounding them making the light more potent. Shane and Thea shielded their eyes, Koffing was halted in it's tracks. Amber recalled Pichu and ran towards the first building she saw. A stroke of luck the door wasn't locked! Shoving it open she made her way inside to escape the villains.
As the light faded and her vision restored, Thea noticed the door to the large gothic mansion closing. Thea turned and pointed to her recovering team mate. "She went in there! Hurry!" The two Rocket Agents ran to catch up with their target.
Amber was catching her breath inside; the smog had filled her lungs and made it hard to breathe. She heard the duo approaching.
"Thea are you sure you saw her come in here?" Shane said a hint of whining to his voice.
"As sure as I can be, I saw the door closing. It had to be her."
"Ok, but if you're wrong about this…"
Panicking Amber ran towards the first hiding place she could see – behind the staircase. Just as she slammed against the wall, she heard the door open.
"Ugh this place is grim!" Shane exclaimed.
"I know right? This décor, it's like something from the 1800's and not in a cool retro chic way." Turning her eyes away from the dank room, Thea turned to her partner. "Ok let's split up she must be close."
One Rocket went one way and the other another.
Shane started to take in his surroundings. The mansion looked like it had been abandoned years ago. Dust cloths lay over furniture, cobwebs and dusty antiques littered the area. It was dimly lit due to the blackened windows, blocking out the sunlight and very creaky. Creepy he thought.
Amber was sat down, her back flush against the staircase trying to control her breathing so she wouldn't be found. Concentrating so much on being quiet she didn't quite notice something moving in close next to her.
Shane carried on his thoughts, a certain red head infiltrating them. He thought of Amber in this creepy house, freaking out over the random creaky noises and ill placed shadows. Lavender Town was supposed to be the home of ghosts and this house fit the bill for spirits to reside in.
I wonder if she's creeping out in here?
He pictured her running into his embrace, her warm brown eyes teary with fear. "Oh! I'm so scared in here, please I can't be in here anymore! I'll go with you, just please, oh please, just hold me." Shane held the girl tight, hugging her into his chest, their eyes meeting, faces inching closer… A dumb grin, glazed eyes and soft blush appeared on the agents face as his daydream went on.
Thea meanwhile had her focus solely on the mission, keeping her eyes peeled for any kind of movement; and then bang she heard a noise. Ha! There! "Ready or not brat here I come!" she ran towards the staircase.
Amber's eyes went wide and tried to not gasp. She hadn't made the noise but that woman was coming straight towards her! She held her breath and closed her eyes tight shut as she tried to think of a way out of this. Think Amber think!
Thea ran straight past Amber's hiding place, towards the source of the noise, not noticing the red haired teen at all. Amber, hearing the fading steps, opened one eye and saw Thea running past. She let out her long-held breath and noticed something in her peripheral vision.
Turning her head slowly she was greeted by a large tongue and bouncing eyeballs.
"Waaaaa!" Amber shrieked and jumped right up out of her hiding place and into a pair of unsuspecting arms.
Stunned green eyes met equally stunned brown eyes. Shane and Amber stared at each other for a few seconds before it registered. Her arms were around his neck, and he was holding her bridal style.
Shanes face went beetroot red.
"WAAARRRGGHHHH!" Amber screamed and jumped back out of his grip. Without thinking she ran up the stairs. Shane so stunned by the turn of events he didn't react to his target getting away.
Thea running over to the commotion, belted her partner around the head. "You had her! What happened?"
"Uh … I … she got away?"
"Ugh! Come on, she ran upstairs. We can corner her, there is no escape!" Thea headed in the direction of Amber. Shane swore under his breath and followed.
Amber ran into a bedroom and shut the door. What am I going to do now? I'm trapped in here. A purple Pokémon manifested itself in front of her. "Gengar!"
Amber gasped. A Gengar! Soon two more Pokémon appeared, a Haunter and a Gastly. At first, she felt a pang of fear but soon relaxed in the presence of the Pokémon. "Please there are some bad people after me and I'm trapped in here. Can you help me?"
The Pokémon thought about it, then all laughed. Gengar and Gastly disappeared and Haunter remained "Hau Hau Haunter!"
Thea and Shane were checking the rooms. "She's got to be in one of these. Can you believe she ran up here? It's like a dumb cliché horror movie..." Thea opened a door and was greeted to a pair of sinister white eyes and a toothy grin.
Slamming the door immediately, Thea's face paled. She reopened again slowly to be greeted with the same white eyes and a big pink tongue licked right up her face. Thea fell over ridged. She was paralysed. Amber seeing the girl on the floor through the crack, slammed the door open to make a run for it, only to have her wrist caught by the other Rocket Member.
"Oh no! You're not getting past me again!" Shane gripped her tight, and pulled her into him. He held her fast by her forearms, there faces inches apart. Shane gulped as there eyes met again. As he stared into the pools of chocolate brown, he couldn't help flashing back to his earlier daydream. Faces inching closer.
But soon his mind went blank and he let go of the red head as he face planted to floor. A result of Gengar bouncing off the back of his head, effectively disarming the boy. Amber watched him fall on his face, knocked out from the impact. She took the chance, running up the second flight of stairs.
"Gengar Gengar!" Gengar giggled to himself and disappeared.
Amber lost count how many flights of stairs she ran up, she kept going and going until she reached a dead end. Oh no! Why the hell did I keep running up?! I'm like a cliché in a horror movie! Ok no choice now. I can't run, so I must fight! Amber turned to face the staircase and released Pichu and Magnemite, ready.
"Pichu!" Pichu stood at his trainers' side, paws up ready to battle.
"Magggg" Magnemite bobbed around its trainer, feeling fear.
Shane and Thea having gotten over their temporary injuries were in hot pursuit of Amber, now climbing that last staircase, ready to complete their mission.
Ok this is it! Get ready ...
The two villains made it to the top. "Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!" Thea smirked at Amber and readied her pokéball.
"You may as well just come quietly, there's no escape" Shane followed suit and also took out his pokéball.
"You have no business in here!" a voice came from the shadows and a figure emerged; it was the old man from the Pokémon House! He made his way over, standing between the duo and Amber. "Team Rocket! You are not welcome here! Leave now or you will regret ever setting foot in Pokémon Tower!"
"Ha! You and what army old man?" Thea jeered releasing her Zubat.
"It's you who'll regret getting in our way!" Shanes eyes narrowed "This has nothing to do with you so get lost or we'll make you!" He released Koffing.
Amber gasped "No, please this isn't your fight. Let me handle them!" She pleaded with the old man; he had been so kind to her she didn't want him to get hurt because of her. The kind old man turned to the girl and smiled. "Against Team Rocket? It is always my fight."
At these comments three apparitions appeared and solidified, Gastly, Haunter and Gengar respectively.
Just as Team Rocket were about to command their Pokémon, Gastly unleashed a powerful hypnosis attack. Both Zubat and Koffing fell to the ground in a deep sleep. "What? No! Zubat wake up!" Thea screeched at her Pokémon. "Koffin! Get up!" Shane called out. But it was no use both pokémon were both out for the count. The ghost Pokémon turned their attention to the two trainers, glaring menacingly at them. The Rockets felt a chill of fear.
The old man smiled. "Team Rocket, I think it's time you blasted off."
The ghost pokémon each released a shadow ball, the attacks combined into one giant ball and hurtled towards Team Rocket, the duo turned and clung to each other in fear, knowing full well what was coming. With no where to escape the attack hit them head on and sent them all flying down the stairs.
"WAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Offfmph!"
"Yeah! Alright! That was great!" Amber cheered and celebrated with each ghost pokémon.
"Pi Pi Pichu!" Pichu also cheered whilst Magnemite sighed in relief.
"And thank you Mister ..." Amber turned to thank the old man for yet again coming to her rescue only to find an empty room. Where did he go?
As she glanced around the room, her eyes happened across a small shrine in the corner, illuminated by a single flickering candle. Making her way over to it; it was a picture of the old man. Hey that's him! Underneath was some writing; Amber traced her finger over the engraving and read aloud. "Mr Fuji" Mr Fuji … "A kindly man who looked after abandoned and orphaned Pokémon. Was adored and respected in Lavender Town." Was?
Amber made her way down the stairs, Pichu and Magnemite in tow. Tiptoeing over a knocked-out Team Rocket, they carried on down the flights of stairs and left the giant mansion.
Recalling her pokémon, she looked around. No sign of the old man. I really need to thank Mr Fuji before I leave, I'll go back to the Pokémon House I'm sure he'll be there." Amber made her way through the quiet streets; the morning fog had lifted; it really was quite a pretty town in the daylight. Seeing the familiar homely little house Amber ran towards it, to be greeted at the door by a lady with long auburn hair.
"Oh hello there, can I help you?" she smiled at the energetic teenager.
"Hi! I came to thank Mr Fuji, is he here?" Amber beamed
The lady's face was a mixture of confusion and sadness "Mr Fuji? Why dear he passed away 10 years ago"
Amber just stood motionless. She started to think back to all their encounters, how he appeared from nowhere and vanished just as quickly. How he seemed to float in the fog ...
"You can go to pay your respects; he has a memorial at the top of the Pokémon Tower just down the way." The lady pointed to the tall gothic mansion in the distance.
Amber just nodded, she thanked the lady and walked away. Giving the building one last look, she smiled and nodded. "Thank you. Mr Fuji. For everything. May you rest in peace someday. And I promise I won't let Team Rocket succeed."
Author Notes: Sooo looks like our protagonist has some questions that are going to need answers, mainly who are Team Rocket and what do they want with her?
I wanted to write a bigger part and actually make a character out of Reina, Mr Fuji's assistant but I just couldn't make it flow how I wanted.
Thank you to the reviewer who mentioned Amber should get a Chinchou as her starter - I did originally flirt with the idea (a very cool idea, Chinchou is one of my favourite Pokémon) but it had to be a Pichu. Don't worry I do have a plan for it ;-)