Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 40: Change
So, here it is, and I have to say that the later half of this chapter will bring up life after death, but not religion, so that's just a warning for a story that's only K+. So R & R
Location: Sunnyshore City 6 years ago
Everyday, I stood at the edge of the beach, waiting for the return of my brother. Sometimes I was alone, and sometimes I would have the company of Roselia, Liligant, or Dustin. No matter the case, the thought of my brother always secluded me mentally. Returning home to challenge Sunnyshore City's Gym Leader in Volkner, Zero's journey was entering it's final stretch of chapters. And though I never showed it emotionally, I was excited to reunite with my brother and finally meet his pokemon in person.
Since Zero's departure, I've seen him grow from experience. The change was subtle, but every time we'd talk, he seemed more and more mature, although he was only 11 years old. It's been nearly a year since Zero left. Not only has Zero changed, but I've changed as well. I am now 7 years old, and my new attitude has stopped the pain as a bully victim. I do not cry. I do not smile. I am indifferent. I am...stronger...
"And here he comes..." My mother, Flora, said from behind me.
Flora rarely was outside during the day, well this was one of those 'rare' occasions, where she awaited the return of her son.
"Lili!" Liligant grabbed my arm and turned me around to face the inner city.
"Brother?" I took a step forward, gazing at the orange sky that provided the sight of an orange dragon flying in our direction. This wasn't 'an orange dragon', this was 'the orange dragon that Zero himself raised from a baby Charmander. "Where is he?" There was no sign of Zero.
"He'll be here, just you wait." My father Rosen as he exited the beach side villa.
"How long?"
"Mot at all," My mother replied.
Liligant pointed to a Zero walking toward the villa. She then ran up to Zero to welcome him back, as did Roselia. The orange dragon landed right in front of me. We've never met in person, but Zero has introduced us to each other on more than one occasion.
I did not know what to expect. The orange dragon towered over me, prompting me to take half a step back. This Charizard was bigger that his mother, the Charizard that belonged to Rosen. I then stepped back up and stared at the orange dragon intently...
"Well," Zero put a hand on my shoulder, "This is Chrarizard. He's my best friend." My gaze stayed fixed on the orange dragon. Liligant, Roselia, and Rosen all approached Zero, while Flora was calmly observing from just beside the water.
"Charizard..." I said to myself.
"Moddy as always." Zero chuckled.
"So, how long will you be here?" Father asked.
"Well, I plan on challenging Volkner tomorrow." Zero replied. "So I guess two days is the deal."
"Do you mind if we all come and watch your gym battle tomorrow?" Rosen asked.
"Zero grinned. "I'll show you guys how much I've grown!"
Change... a greatest common denominator between all that exists. I guess growing up is a form of change, a change where our younger selves grow older, becoming what we'll eventually label 'the past', while our older selves are still as young as the present day we live in, always wondering what future lies in store for us.
Change...
Location: National Park Pokemon Center
Seth's POV
"There, all better now," Nurse Joy handed me one pokeball, while escorting Chikorita and Mawile to the lobby. "We hope to see you again."
"I appreciate it..." I replied with much gratitude, the emotion that has recently found it's way inside my heart. I grabbed the pokeball containing my newly evolved Gabite, and stared at it intently. "Perhaps it will all begin here: the building upon new found power..."
I put Gabite's pokeball away, and was greeted with big smiles from both Chikorita and Mawile. The two looked at each other, and then returned their gazes upon me.
"What is it?" I asked calmly.
"You're changing, Seth." Chapel approached the three of us. "Remember, I have your heart. So I know everything you see and feel." Now Chapel was smiling as her head slightly tilted to her right. "Gratitude...you know, I think it would be best for Mawile to stay outside of her pokeball for the time being. Your gratitude towards her could have a lasting effect, and shape your personality for the better."
I looked at Mawile, and she looked at me with a haughty smile. Facing Chapel once more, I nodded in agreement. Mawile jumped in much unnecessary joy.
"So what now?" I asked Chapel.
"We wait until this evening to meet up with Wes and all the others. Rose will most likely have surfaced from your heart by then, and with us all here, we may finally get some answers as to what Neo Snagem really wants to do." Chapel replied. "What role will Celebi play in the mystery of Missingno? Who is our common enemy? Or how does Wes plan on bringing back a lost Rui? All these answers will come together, I know it."
Sunset...
With the sky turning red, and Chapel and I outside the Pokemon Center, we were just about to ready for Rose, Wes, Lance, Whitney, and the woman Lance called 'Naoko'. Chikorita and Mawile were joined by Chime, who was let out of his pokeball for the time being.
We were all led by Chapel to a lake where she cailmed to a been approached by Wes earlier today.
"We all meet here," Chapel said.
Surrounded by trees, it was as if our current setting was already as dark as midnight, with patches of sunlight barely beaming through the clearings.
"Will Wes just give us all the answers?" I asked as I turned to a Chapel who was staring at her own, barely visible reflection in the lake. "This IS Wes we're talking about."
"It all depends on the knowledge he has as to how to defeat Commander 01!" A distant voice sounded.
Rather than locating the incoming voice-
"Chico?" Chikorita cried.
I fixed my gaze on Chikorita and Mawile, who were approached by a Quilava.
"Hm?"
"Quil." Quilava sounded as it greeted Chikorita.
Chikorita simply turned her head away, as if she didn't want anything to do with Quilava. But Chikorita has only done that on routine with one specific Quilava, a Quilava who's uncalled for trainer was a distant rival of mine.
"It's been a long time, Seth..." Noah stopped right next to Chikorita, which prompted her, Mawile, and Chime to gather around Chapel and I.
"What do you want?" Chapel asked.
Chapel has never actually interacted with Noah, but with her in possession of my heart, she knows exactly what history Noah has had with me.
"We all have common goals in more ways than one." The maroon haired Noah replied, hands in his dark grey jacket pockets. "I too wish to see Wes for many answers. Answers as to where Commander 07 might be."
"But why?" Chapel asked.
"Like you two, my reason for becoming a Pokemon Trainer revolves around conflict with those I hold dear to me." Noah started to explain. "My mother, Commander 07, formerly known as Sakura, was always her own enemy."
Noah then pulled out a Pokedollar from his jacket pocket, holding it out as the day's light began to fade.
"Obsessed is the word." Noah continued. "An obsession with what we call 'gambling' eventually caused the initial downfall of Sakura, and we were eventually out of money to keep up with our essentials in food, clothing, and shelter... After hitting rock bottom, it seemed as though the foreseeable future would be filled with difficult times..."
5 years ago...
Location: Goldenrod City
Noah's POV
However long we've had no place to stay was no longer relevant. At nine years old, I was able to accompany my Mother Sakura to 'women and children only' shelters every night. But tonight...the shelters were all full, and with neither of us being pokemon trainers, not even the Pokemon Center was and option for us to stay the night. So we wandered the Murkrow filled dark alleys and Ghastly infested dark streets in the suburbs of Goldenrod. Cold, with feelings of fear toward the barking of Houndour and Houndoom in the distance, it was just the two of us doing the only thing we could do: Sticking together.
Sakura sighed... "I can't think of anywhere else to go..."
"Hmm..." I said to myself as I started thinking. "There was a house that was recently abandoned on the outskirts of Goldenrod (Chapter 4). It's not too far from Ilex Forest, and we could stay there for the night."
"Well..." Mother was hesitant.
"I DID say 'recently' abandoned."
A slight nod from Sakura prompted me to take lead toward the abandoned house as she followed.
It was...a quiet venture at best. Of course, Kricketot were singing, Abra were roaming about with the use of Teleport, and when the abandoned house was in sight, I spotted something very uncommon, an anomaly to better describe it.
'It' was a figure, a little girl wearing what appeared to be a balck maiden dress, floating into the abandoned house.
A human with unnatural powers? This caused me to slow my pace and take caution.
"Noah?" Both my mother and I just realized that I had fallen behind.
"We shouldn't enter the house yet...not JUST yet..." I replied as I approached as nearby patch of grass.
"Um, okay," In agreement, Sakura followed my action.
We both stared at the star filled night sky. A light breeze caused the grass around us to rustle, and the sound was actually wuite pleasing. And over the next few moments, the rustling gradually grew louder and louder, abruptly stopped, and then returned to it's initial volume. Could all of that noise really have come from a simple light breeze? The answer to my question (no) then grabbed my attention, approaching the right side of my neck and sniffing me.
"Huh?!" I was startled. And my startling ended up startling my mother and the answer to my question itself. My mother and I looked at my answer, which was actually a random Poochyena. "A Poochyena?"
"Pooch pooch!" Poochyena then walked onto my lap. It stared at me, but then a new question was brought up.
"What is it doing?" I asked as I started petting Poochyena.
"I guess Poochyena's just friendly." Sakura replied.
"But why ME?" I asked. "I haven't even said two words to it."
For real, why would a pokemon suddenly want to become friends with a random person like me?
"I guess some people and pokemon are just naturally friendly." My mother replied with a warm smile.
For a moment, we both fell silent as I continued to pet Poochyena, I stared off into the distance, facing away from the abandoned house. A group of random Purrloin and Liepard looked to be conversing with one another, and paid no mind to Sakura and I. Turning my attention back to Poochyena, I picked it up and held it eye level with my face as a warm smile came from the both of us.
Sakura layed back on the grass for a brief moment, staring at the stars above before asking me a question that was both important and irrelevant to me at the same time.
"Noah, have you ever thought about becoming a Pokemon Trainer?" My mother asked.
My smile was immediately replaced with a frown upon the hearing of my mother's question. I put Poochyena down on my side, and as it snuggled up against my right leg, I looked down and eked out a hopeless smile.
"To tell the truth, I never really liked pokemon at all." Well, I acatually DO like pokemon, I just didn't know how to correctly express my state of mind. "I'm sorry, that just came out wrong. I just hate how pokemon are often treated like pets, babies, or objects of sorts. How about monsters? I'm sure Houndoom and Hydreigon are often antagonized. If I refuse to interact with pokemon, then there's no way I could treat them as 'lower life forms'."
"So the reason why you don't like pokemon, is because you DO like pokemon. Too much, should I venture to guess?" Sakura questioned.
I nodded.
But my mind couldn't help but drift toward the thought of Poochyena. I guess all pokemon are just different. But would I be able to actually watch as pokemon accept their fate as simple objects in battle? 'How many pokemon does a trainer have left at the end of a battle?', I ask myself hypothetically. Maybe I just misunderstand pokemon...
"Hmph," I thought to myself, speaking in the shoes of all who have ever existed (In real life too). "Only you can understand yourself."
"What was that?" Mother asked.
"Huh?" I questioned. "Oh, I was just thinking out loud."
Yes, only you can understand yourself, and only you can be yourself. One in 6 billion and counting...the 'one' is me: Noah. I may not live the distant fantasies of fame and fortune all dream about, but I must continue the path of life that lies in front of me...I don't know where that path will lead me. Will my future forever remain uncertain?
Turning back to ward the abandoned house, I spotted the little girl floating away with a pale blue Duskull like figure, toward Ilex Forest.
"She's gone now..." I slowly rose to my feet, along with a Poochyena who was no longer resting against my right leg. "Mom, we can go into the abandoned house now.
Followed by my mother, she, Poochyena, and I started toward the abandoned house.
Location: Abandoned House
With Poochyena not far behind, we enterred the house. Roses were scattered throughout the floor to welcome us.
"Roses..." I reached down and picked one from the floor, examining it thoroughly. "Hmm."
"It seems as though it was recently picked," Sakura said from behind me. "If you notice, the rose as a whole is still very much alive."
"Could it have been that little girl from earlier?" I asked myself.
I took my gaze off the rose as my eyes then began to wander through the dark, empty space. Who WAS that girl?
The spiritual remains of a sin that has since been forgotten... A distant, quiet voice echoed.
I gasped and turned toward my mother. "Did you say something?"
"Huh?" Sakura questioned confused.
My body may be gone, but my presence here on Earth will remain...and shall do so, until my liberators join me to burn in Hell... The distant voice echoed.
Mother, Poochyena, and I were all bewildered. All of a sudden, it felt as if an otherworldly presence was keeping us company, whether we knew it or not.
In my life, I have done no wrong...but even after death, my spirit refuses to slip into eternal slumber. My wish for the deaths of two others guarantees me to later slip down into eternal fire. But fear not, for my thirst for vengeance will be oh so satisfying once my goal is attained.
Pieces of light started gathering in front of us.
The little girl that was just here...I believe Rose was her name? She now shares a common goal with the little girl I once held dear to me when I was still alive. Hopefully, the two will cross paths and finally put an end to the boy named Wes.
Once every piece of light merged together, the spirit of a woman with shoulder length dirty blonde hair formed. The female spirit then opened her brown eyes and stared straight into my brown eyes. After gazing at Sakura and Poochyena, her eyes were fixed on me once more.
"Are you..." This woman was a ghost... "Are you already dead?"
Rather tan a reply, the woman simply floated down a hallway in which the floor wasn't heavily littered with roses like the entryway.
The three of us felt nothing but fear, but why? If this woman really wanted to hurt us, she would've done it by now.
Hesitant, I alone slowly followed the ghost, who had already entered a room further down the hallway.
Slowly creeping my head into the room, I had witnessed a very disturbing sight. Was I too young to see this kind of thing? I wanted to scream, but I just couldn't with the sight paralyzing me with fear.
Blood stains throughout the white carpet, an unattended broken window, and the ghost woman looking into my eyes that failed to return her gaze this time. But that wasn't what paralyzed me in my own fear. What paralyzed me, was what the ghost soon turned her gaze upon: what was revealed to be the remains of her own body; blood stained clothes, especially around the chest area, worn by the dirty rotten, decomposed skeleton that was once this woman's body...
End Flashback...
Getting emotional at just the thought of those memories was pointless...
I turned to the dirty blonde haired girl accompanying Seth.
"This spirit told me all about you..." I said to the girl named Chapel. "Is this woman familiar to you?"
Chapel looked down to the ground, moments passing before her reply. "Yes...that dead woman...she was my mother..."
To Be Continued...
I know, I know. ANOTHER flashback chapter... But it's been quite some time since Noah last appeared, and I believe it is finally time to explain his backstory, as I've done with plenty of other major characters. Anyways, the rest of Noah's story will be explained next chapter. And after that, we'll finally meet up with Wes and try to get him to tell us about this story's main antagonist. And after that, we'll have the Bug Catching Contest since it's also been quite some time since Seth last caught a pokemon (Though I'm debating on whether he'll catch a bug type because I don't want the pokemon he captures to be an obvious guess). I do plan of giving him and Yumi more than six pokemon, but no more than ten each. So anyways, I hope you enjoy, and I hope you look forward to the next few chapters I have planned out. Please review.