NSO: Chapter 37
I don't own Pokemon.
The blaring wails of a siren, and the squeal of spinning tyres screeching against hard tarmac, filling the air with the acrid smell of burning rubber. Forcibly awoken from her fretful sleep, she blinked multiple times, squinting as intense flashes of red and blue hurt her still-adjusting eyes. Even though she tried to curl up tighter, trying to shut herself off from her surroundings, she couldn't help but notice everything as the intrusive sights and sounds seemed to force themselves into her perceptive mind. It was as if reality was playing a cruel joke on her, mocking her pitiful attempts to block it out.
The cries of protest, sighs of disappointment, the buzz of discreet discussions brimming with rumors and speculations. She heard them all as students were herded onto buses facing the front gates of Palosand Beach Resort. As she boarded, a Vibrava had turned back to look at her, giving a small forlorn wave goodbye before Mrs. Sal's large blue claws pushed her along, ushering her onto the bus.
Gayle. She must be feeling as bad as she was right now. After all, he was her brother.
The feel of unidentifiable material against the palm of her paw. The disk he had given to her was still warm, a stark contrast to her skin, which had been chilled by the freezing temperatures of the ocean depths. She hugged the small disc close to her chest and relished in the heat as it spread throughout her shivering body.
The rumble of the engine as the ignition of the buses were started. They left the resort in a single line, the low vibrations of the sound fading slowly into the distance. Pokemon in blue uniforms rushed past her in the direction of the beach, wielding yellow and black striped tape. They spoke into walkie-talkies clipped onto their uniforms, which sparked with static-filled replies. None of it mattered to her.
Only when a thick layer of towels was draped over her shoulders did she begin to move, uncurling to accept the thick fabric gratefully. Grabbing the edges, she pulled the towels closer to the body, feeling the cloth absorb the cold, excess seawater off her skin while warming her body back up. For the first in what seemed like a very long time, she felt the stiffness in her tense muscles lessen slightly.
The next thing she knew, she was scooped up by a pair of strong paws lifting her into the air, carrying her to a white van. The red and blue lights attached to the vehicle were flashing at a slower rate than the police cars that it was parked close to. She couldn't see the Pokemon who held her in her arms, but it had to be a Fire-type. Heat radiated from its body, and she felt herself subconsciously press closer against its chest. All that built-up stress and muscle tension drained out of her, like someone finally releasing an overwound clockwork toy.
The ambulance's double doors had been thrown wide open in preparation for her arrival. The unnaturally white fluorescent lights stung her eyes, and the shift from the comforting warmth and hold of the Pokemon's arms onto the cold surface of a turquoise air mattress was an unpleasant one. However, she was too tired to care anymore. The heat, the rhythmic footsteps from before had lulled her into a relaxed state, ready for a trip back into dreamland. Body limp with exhaustion, her heavy eyelids slammed shut once her body hit the mattress, the darkness of slumber washing over her vision.
-Time Skip-
Cleo sat up with a jolt, rubbing her closed eyes in annoyance at the rude awakening. She always hated those dreams that made her feel like she was falling. Well, at least it was just a dream. She could feel the smooth air mattress beneath her back, and the stretcher it was attached to was still grounded on solid… floor…?
She was still on the stretcher, but was now struggling to stay on it, giving the metal structure a tight bear hug as it rattled furiously, plummeting down into a dark abyss. Her surroundings were pitch black, no matter which direction she looked. She couldn't even see how far she was from splattering on the ground, if this 'place' even had one. All she knew was that she was falling, falling fast with no sign of stopping. Even though a natural response would be to panic and scream, no feeling of fear or anxiety was overwhelming her mind, and the instinct to scream was nonexistent. Instead, Cleo felt a weird sort of calm, like falling to uncertain death was a daily routine that she had gotten used to. She knew that she had full control over herself, but felt like a spectator of her own dream. It was like she was playing a video game, having the innate sense to be able to notice anything happening around her. Cleo didn't mind any of this, in fact, it was a pleasant change considering what she had experienced before. It allowed her to save her breath shrieking when the stretcher and mattress broke apart under her, the smaller, lighter pieces whipping past her to disappear into the darkness above. She was left free-falling alone, with nothing left to do besides observe her surroundings, which were beginning to change.
Blue rings, not unlike the ones that Zenith had on his forehead and limbs were starting to appear amongst the darkness as Cleo fell. As more and more rings showed up, casting their light-blue glow to illuminate portions of the 'abyss', everything slowly became a bit clearer to Cleo. How the rings curved, surrounding her from all sides except the top and bottom. She wasn't just falling into random darkness or an expanse of void. This 'abyss' was a cylindrical shaft.
But where does this lead? For a dream, I thought I would be able to control this somehow.
The rings were appearing rapidly, spreading across the black walls of the shaft like wildfire, bathing the inside of the hollow cylinder in bright blue light, enabling Cleo to see above and below her. While the top was still pitch black, the sight at the bottom baffled her. There was a blue water lily, but instead of growing in water like its species usually did, it was planted in a large flower pot filled with black soil. But instead of wilting outside of its natural habitat, it seemed to be flourishing in the pot, the lily's stem standing up straight to show off its beautiful flower. Cleo was still quite a long distance from reaching the 'end' of this tube, even at her rate of descent. The flower looked minuscule from her position, and the Vaporeon questioned how she was able to see every tiny detail on the odd sight in whatever mind's eye she had, but chalked it up to dream logic. She could see the waxy cuticle on the plant's leaves and thorny undersides, see the soil clearly enough to recognise it as pure clay, even down to the tiny hairs on the weak stem of the lily. Cleo was thinking of counting those just to pass the time till she landed or woke up, but a more pressing problem presented itself.
A white tendril, tipped with pink and blue extended itself from the middle of a blue ring, snaking towards Cleo, trying to grab the Vaporeon during her descent. Cleo gripped her head as painful memories returned at the sight of those colours, running through her mind screaming about red flags. She knew that she would have to try the best she could to avoid getting caught. Twisting her body, Cleo managed to maneuver herself around it, feeling the tendril snatch at the air just inches away from her.
However, Cleo had no time to heave any sighs of relief. More white tendrils started to extend themselves from the black walls, all emerging from the centre of blue rings lining the entirety of the shaft. Be it above or below, the tendrils were all around her, every single one of them reaching towards one plummeting Pokemon.
Twisting, turning, punching, kicking and even biting, Cleo dodged and attacked the tendrils as she fell, determined to make sure that none would even touch her. But the further the Vaporeon fell, the harder it became to escape the grasps. Like the rings, the tendrils continued to appear in endless streams, moving at blistering speeds as they streaked towards their target. Cleo's reflexes were pushed to their limits, and she realised that by now, it wasn't if they would get her, but when they would get her.
As much as she tried to prevent it, the inevitable finally happened. A speedy tendril managed to catch Cleo by surprise, wrapping around her paw in a vice-like grip. A sharp gasp of pain was elicited from the Vaporeon as her fall was stopped dead in its tracks immediately, the excess momentum from the sudden stop jolted the front paw her whole body was hanging from. A loud pop, and Cleo's cry rose in pitch as her shoulder was forcefully wrenched out of its socket.
Now groggy, stunned from the sudden stop and in pain, Cleo was too dazed to fight off the rest off the flurry of tendrils, wrapping themselves around her limbs and body so tightly that she felt like she was wearing a latex suit made out of writhing flesh, constricting every part of the Vaporeon except for her face.
The tendrils just kept on coming, a seemingly endless stream of paper-thin yet strong feelers wrapping around one another when there was no more bare skin left to cling to. Cleo's eyes darted around, trying to find any way to escape, but the top remained as pitch black as ever, and the view below was even worse. From the corner of her eye, she could barely see the flower anymore. It was quickly being obscured, hidden under a layer of frothing white as more tendrils spawned from the rings, thrashing furiously to grab onto her.
Arceus, I hope this isn't one of my lewder dreams… Cleo chuckled to herself. She was starting to slip back into consciousness, out of her dreamscape. Her mind was still free of any form of fear, and hazy with pain, spouting unfiltered nonsense until another sharp sting of pain from her shoulder pulled her back, away from the waking world.
Why… are… they… doing… this…? For a dream, the severe pain in her shoulder certainly felt real, and the constant pressure of the tendrils pressing down on her only made it feel worse. In the absence of panic and anxiety, pain and anger were there to replace them. This was her dream. If her mind had decided to place her in this sort of scenario, she at least wanted an answer from herself. Struggling against her bonds was a futile attempt, not to mention a painful one, with a dislocation shoulder and the fact that there were too many tendrils holding her fast, their numbers and grips continuing to increase under every passing second.
"Why are they doing what?" A muffled, unrecognisable voice started to speak out of nowhere. Even though it was soft, barely a whisper, it reverberated throughout the entire shaft, making the voice sound like it was coming from everywhere at once. "Why are they holding onto you, why they covered every inch of you except for your face, why, why… why."
"Both. And let go of me while you explain, will you?" Cleo spat. Something about this voice invoked hatred and a sense of suspicion in the Vaporeon, the same one as when she first encountered the tendrils. "I have plenty more questions for you to answer too," Devoid of any fearful emotions, all the pain she had just fuelled the raging furnace of anger in Cleo towards the mystery speaker. She didn't know why, but its tone irked her immensely.
"Settle down, my sweet, dear, Cleo," The voice was still muffled, but started to grow louder in volume. "Being angry won't help you at all. The more you struggle, the tighter they grip. So why not just stay still and hear your answer."
"Firstly, they grabbed you so you can't reach the end. Obviously. Secondly…" The voice became sharply defined and distinct, and a chill ran down Cleo's spine as she identified the feminine, sickly sweet tone.
"They didn't mask your face, specifically your mouth, so I can hear you do this."
Recognition. Contempt. Confusion. These flashed through Cleo's mind in the span of a few nanoseconds, too slow for her body to react to those feelings, but fast enough for Cleo to realise.
This was definitely a nightmare, and it was going to be a long time before she would wake.
If she would wake.
An agonised scream filled the shaft as the tendrils wrapped around her limbs started to tighten their grips simultaneously. Resounding snaps echoes throughout the darkness as Cleo's bones gave in to the crushing pressure, shattering into pieces. The tendrils released their grip on her afterwards, retreating back into the middle of the blue rings, leaving the Vaporeon's limp limbs dangling lifelessly by her sides. Cleo knew that she shouldn't scream, that would only please Sylvie even more, but the pain from multiple bones breaking at once was too much for her to bear. As the tsunami of pain crashed down upon her, overwhelming her senses, another scream could be heard.
Gasping for breath, Cleo tried to draw in another mouthful of air, but fell short as her lungs ran out of space to expand. The tightening of her chest grew more apparent as Cleo felt the remaining tendrils wrapped around her torso began to tighten like all the others before them, constricting Cleo's chest until the point where taking a breath for the Vaporeon was extremely difficult, a painful process accompanying a simple task. Her survival instinct screamed at her to pry the tendrils away, but her broken paws flapped uselessly at her sides, as much use as two pieces of limp spaghetti.
"Look at yourself, Cleo," The disembodied voice was much closer to Cleo now, its mocking tone made the Vaporeon feel like the very wall itself was taunting her.
"Look at what I've done to you. I've broken every bone in your arms and legs, and soon I'm going to crush this pathetic body of yours. Just give up, Cleo. I've overpowered you in every way imaginable, both in dream and reality. Even if you do survive this, you'll be in no shape to reach the end, to get your so-called 'happy ending'. The tendrils clenched harder around Cleo, causing another sharp outtake of air from a pained Cleo. It was a struggle to breathe, and Cleo could feel her oxygen supply quickly running out. Normally being able to breathe underwater, the Vaporeon never really saw any importance or need to hold her breath- until now.
"I took Zenith from you," The sweet voice took on a bitter undertone. The tendrils continued to tighten around her. "And I'll continue to do so until the day he stands by my side, even if it means crushing anyone opposes me. Speaking of crushing…" Cleo could feel her chest on the verge of caving in. Her ribs were starting to crack under the immense pressure pressing onto her from all sides. Squeezing her eyes shut, Cleo prepared to hear the final cracks that would sound out her inescapable doom.
If I die here, do I die for real? Maybe I'll get to see Zenith agai-
"Cleo?" Another deeper voice cut through Sylvie's endless laughter, so loud and booming that the entire shaft seemed to shake. The tendrils slackened their grip immediately, slithering back into darkness above. Cleo could feel herself being lifted upwards, her hold on the dream world weakening. As the light started to fill the entire cylinder, enveloping everything in its blinding white glow. As Cleo took one last look beneath her, at the lily, the Vaporeon could hear a faint whisper in her ear.
"You got lucky this time." The annoyance and hatred was unmistakable. "I should have finished you off sooner. But mark my words, the next time we meet, it'll definitely be your last."
"Cleo-aH!" The doctor shining a light into her eye leapt back in surprise as his once-unconscious patient he was checking on suddenly sat up, taking giant gulps of air.
"Oh, Cleo. You're awake." Readjusting his spectacles, the Mr Mime peered over them to examine the Vaporeon while looking through his scribbled notes. "You've been out for quite some time. Try to relax. How are you feeling?"
A few more deep breaths and Cleo was feeling calmer and more composed. Her heart and breath rate had dropped back down to their usual levels, the lingering fear from the nightmare starting to fade away.
"I feel… better, I guess. I'm calmer. But why check up on me now?"
"I did give you a once-over when you were first checked into this hospital. Don't worry, you didn't sustain any major injuries. It's just that you were screaming in your sleep, and both your heart and breath rates started to decrease irregularly. Your mom and I were worried, so I came in to check in on you again."
"I was… dying? My mom? She's here?"
"Yes to both. She said that she was going to wait here until you woke up. Would you like me to call her in?"
"Please."
As the Mr. Mime left the room, Cleo surveyed her current state and surroundings. She lay on a hospital bed, donning the usual patient's attire, a green shirt, the garment so large it could double as a dress for the Vaporeon. Sensors were stuck to her skin and clipped onto her paws, the wires extruding from them leading into a tableside machine beside her, which monitored her vitals with constant beeps.
Reading from the screen of the vitals monitor, she seemed to be functioning normally like any other Pokemon, but she sure didn't feel okay. Her entire body still felt constricted, as if she were still feeling the aftermath of the nightmare. There was even a dull throbbing in the shoulder that she had 'dislocated'. Every muscle in her body was aching again, so she decided to do a few stretches first, wincing slightly at the pain.
"Mom!" Cleo was brought into a tight embrace with the large Fire-type, nuzzling happily into her mother's yellow chest floof. Everything about her seemed to put Cleo's heart and mind at ease: The familiar smell of family, the warmth of the Flareon's body an Arceus-send from the air-conditioned hospital, and the presence of a trusted Pokemon that Cleo had always looked up to, someone that had been missing since the incident. One that would always be by her side in her time of need…
"Mom! Y-y-you're here! But I thought- your business trip- how?"
"I took the earliest flight back when Mrs. Sal called to inform me that you were admitted here."
"But… your job!"
"Family's more important than my job, my dear raindrop."
… no matter the circumstances.
"Enough about me. What about you? How do you feel?"
Cleo reluctantly broke away from the hug to allow her mom to push her back onto the hospital bed.
"Fine, I guess. Just as the doctor said, no major or severe injuries. I wonder how long I'll need to stay here for, though…" The Vaporeon's mind wandered back to her blue bedroom, her bed with thick, comfy blankets. The thin hospital blankets barely provided any insulation against the almost-freezing temperatures in the building. She wished she could go home soon. She did pick up on the doctor mentioning a few tests to her mom, but certainly, those wouldn't take that long, would they?
-Time Skip-
"You're good to go!" The Mr Mime, whose name Cleo had learned to be Doctor Seeniz, announced with a smile, ushering Cleo out of the medical room.
"Really? Isn't there another test I have to take?" Cleo's deadpan voice was laced with sarcasm but was silenced by a warning glare from her mother.
"Don't mind my daughter, doctor. Sure, those tests may have been a bit… excessive, but at least we're done for the day, right?"
"A bit?" Cleo hissed at her mother through gritted teeth and a forced smile. "The only thing weirder than his name are all the tests he put me through!"
"Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."
"I lost count after test 43. He made me run on a treadmill to see 'my maximum running speed'. And we weren't even halfway done!"
"Look, you can complain on the way back." Turning to Doctor Seeniz, Janice put on a big bright smile. "So, I'm guessing I can receive my daughter's test results soon?"
"I'm sorry, but no. All Pokemon must go through these physical check-ups, so they are kept incredibly confidential to prevent any leakages of medical records. Looking at your own records, I noticed that you haven't completed your check-ups yet. Would you like to do so now?"
"No. Are there any forms I have to fill out so my daughter can be discharged?"
"Yes. That. if you could follow me, please," The Mr Mime started to walk down the corridor, but stopped in place when two blue uniform-clad Pokemon approached the Flareon he was leading. They showed their badges to a confused Janice before speaking.
'We're part of the town police force investigating the incident that occurred at Palosand Beach Resort. Are you Janice Fletcher, mother of Cleo Torrent?"
"Yeah. She's right there," Mother pointed to daughter, who waved awkwardly at the two policemon, both returning the gesture.
"We would like a moment to speak with her, since she was directly involved in the incident. We would like to hear her recount of the events."
"... okay then. Cleo, stay there. I'll be back soon. And for the both of you, if you aren't who you say you are, and something bad happens to my daughter, you will know the true power of a mom's wrath."
The policemon chuckled nervously. "A-are you threatening an officer of the law, Ms Fletcher?"
"No. Only the weak make threats. I make promises. By the way, I prefer to be addressed as Ms. Torrent. Okay then, Doctor Seeniz, lead the way please." Cleo stared on in amazement and admiration as her mom's serious voice with an angry undertone instantly switched into a cheery, bubbly tone, the Flareon following the Mr. Mime around a corner and out of sight.
The questioning was simple. The two Policemon were a Braviary and a Growlithe. The Braviary asked the questions, while the Growlithe jotted down Cleo's responses in a small notebook. The questions were about the fight, the events leading up to it, who was involved, et cetera. Cleo answered all those questions honestly. She wanted to do Zenith justice, and he wouldn't want her to leave out anything. Once or twice she shed a tear, overwhelmed by the memories, and the two Pokemon sitting in front of her looked away as she wiped her eyes, giving her ample space and time until she was ready to continue.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Cleo." The Growlithe closed his notebook, tucking it away in his breast pocket. You've been very helpful, and most of what you've said lines up with the other witnesses' statements."
"Can I just ask one question?"
The two Pokemon glanced at each other briefly, with the Braviary tilting his head slightly in a small nod.
"Sure."
"Did… did you manage to identify the bodies? Find them, at least?"
The Braviary shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry Cleo. That beachside resort leads out into the ocean. We did do a sweep of the sea a few kilometres from the shore, but no bodies were found. It's more likely that the current carried them away, or the bodies may have been picked clea…" The Flying-type's voice trailed off as he saw the tiniest traces of tears appear in Cleo's eyes again, kicking himself internally for his accidental blunder,
"Uh… once again, thanks again for all the help you've been." Waving goodbye, the two policemon left, leaving Cleo sitting alone, waiting for her mother to return.
The drive back home was a strangely quiet one. Mother and daughter sat in the car, Janice behind the wheel and Cleo in the back, staring out of the window dejectedly. The atmosphere was tense as several minutes passed by without either Pokemon uttering a word, trying their best to avoid meeting the other's gaze. Even the car stereo was turned off, the only sound being the drumming of the rain on the roof of the car, and the rhythmic swishes of the windscreen wipers.
Cleo stared out of the car window, the pane of glass reflecting her melancholic expression. She focused on nothing in particular but noticed everything in the scenery speeding past her. The sound of raindrops as it beat down on the car and the road. Pidgey, Swellow and other birds took to the trees for shelter from the growing storm, taking refuge in holes of trunks, or huddling on branches, pressing their sunken feathers and bodies against each other for warmth, flinching as the wind-blown leaves blew past their faces. The furtive glances of her mom in the rear-view mirror, sneaking glances at her daughter, trying to sense her mood to know when it was alright to talk. As Cleo took in all the sights and sounds around her but registered none of them, her mind was in a whirl, thoughts tumbling around like clothes in a washing machine. Retelling her side of the story to those policemon had made the memories fresh in her mind once more, floating to the top of her mind no matter how hard she tried to push it down.
She could remember everything with crystal-clear clarity. The fights, the struggles, that sugary sweet, mocking tone and expression. Those memories were easy to squash down, but that warm smile on Zenith's face during their last moments together… she knew she could never just simply tuck that away in a corner, and it would definitely hurt if she tried. She could remember his eyes turning lifeless and dull as his Psychic-created body faded into the depths below, with Cleo unable to follow. It was as if she was reliving that moment, just staring down, a numbing sensation overwhelming her while she watched the blue apparition slowly disappear in one final embrace. It felt like a part of her had disappeared along with the Umbreon, leaving a void in herself that would not be closing up any time soon.
One of her tears make its way down her cheek. Unbeknownst to her, the raindrops streaming down the window outside were starting to change their linear path of flow, moving in the shape of a broken heart.
"Cleo?" They were nearing home now. Cleo recognised the few landmarks that dotted the neighbourhood as the car drove past them. It wouldn't be long before she reached home, probably in about a few more minutes or so. The rain was still pouring down relentlessly, refusing to lighten up.
"Yeah, mom?" if it had been any other Pokemon, Cleo wouldn't have replied. She had been through a couple of very long days, and longed to curl up on her bed, isolated in her room to dwell on her thoughts and feelings. She would find the time to talk to her mom about all this, but now didn't seem like the right time. But there was a hint of concern that could be picked up clearly in her mom's tone, and Cleo didn't feel right to just ignore someone who cared so deeply about her.
"So, what did those policemon want to talk to you about?"
"Uh…" Cleo blinked furiously, before responding in a calm, slightly shaky voice. "Just… just asking for my account on the… incident."
"Would you like to talk about it?" Janice still had no idea what the incident was, or what had happened that had landed Cleo in the hospital, or into her current state. There was still nothing about it on the news yet, and there was still no official details from the school to explain the early end of their student's staycations. Cleo also noted the uncertainty of her mom's question, revealing how little she knew about the entire ordeal.
"..."
"Okay then. Well, we're here. Just wait until we park in the garage and we can-"
"Actually, can I get off here?"
"But it's still rainin-"
"Please."
"... We'll talk later."
The car doors opened with a click as the Vaporeon stepped out of the vehicle, about to slam them shut if not for her mom rolling down her window, beckoning Cleo to her with a solemn expression on her face.
"Listen, Cleo. I may not know much about the incident, and this might be hard for you to hear, but I don't want you to be seeing Zenith anymore, not until this entire issue is cleared up. I just feel that he's too dangerous for you to be around. You've never been involved in any fights until you met him, and I know I'm trying my best to accept him, but now he's got you into the hospital! I just want-Cleo? Cleo!"
Cleo wasn't sure if those were tears or raindrops running down her face. She didn't even know what emotions her body was shaking with. Fury? Grief? Sadness? It didn't matter. With her mind in a jumbled mess, struggling to untie the knots of her twisted thoughts, nothing seemed to matter to her anymore. All she wanted now was to be alone, to sort out her feelings, to just… think.
"Cleo! Did you hear me?" Her mom's voice sounded distant, almost drowned out by the heavy downpour beating down on the ground.
"Yeah, mom. Don't worry." Cleo trudged towards the house. She swore she could see Zenith on the doorstep of the Torrent Residence, waiting patiently to be invited inside, the same start to his daily routine during the holidays. She stepped closer, and the wind whipped against her face, forcing her to duck her head, shielding her eyes against the stinging rain. Looking back up, her frills drooped even further as she was left standing alone on the lawn, facing an empty porch.
"I won't be seeing him ever again."