Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 93: Merry Christmas…In May…
Seth's POV
Chapel…So she wants to save a world that's nothing but cold and ruthless to us…because 'it's the right thing to do'. But why? I really didn't care to know the answer. All I knew was that I refused to let her change me. She herself has changed though. Our 'bittersweet' reunion showed me that Chapel was very bold. She seems to have adopted a bossy side…
Chikorita and I made our way back into the Pokemon Center, with Yumi and the gang frim Olivine City waving hello. It seemed so much more alive now than before I went to train outside, though Nurse Joy and Audino were still gloomy.
I sighed as began to compare my life experiences to Mahogany Town's loss of Pryce. I…I DO know how it feels to lose somebody precious. I lost everything before, but unlike Chapel, I don't allow my sentiments to dictate my goals…Or do I?
"Aw!"
"Wha?" Stealing my attention away from my thoughts, and causing me to pick my eyes up off the ground, was the loud cry of a very excited pokemon waving at me from across the room.
I've been carrying her empty Pokeball for so long now…
"Maw! Maw Mawile!" Rather than contain her excitement, Mawile elected to run to me, jumping up and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Mawile!" A few of the 'background characters' from around the Pokemon Center's lobby stared at us as I didn't want to return Mawile's hug.
What is it with everyone and hugs?
"You behaved while you were away, right?" I asked. Mawile wasn't going to let go, so I held her with one arm as we looked closely into each other's eyes.
"Mawile." Mawile nodded.
I put Mawile back on the ground, where she and Chikorita were happy to see each other again. "Mawile!" Mawile greeted.
"Chicori!" Chikorita was delighted.
Mawile and Chikorita both began to follow me on my way to my room as I was ready to call it a day, even though it was barely noon.
…
Rose's POV
Standing deep in the Pokemon Center's hallway, I froze as I heard the excited cry of Mawile. She was talking to what sounded to me like Chikorita.
He is here…He is her…
"You…you struck me…" I remember touching the red of my own face when Brother struck me that day. I took off, swiftly floating away with a glint of a tear in my eye. I disappeared into the dark mist, and that was the last time Brother and I saw each other.
I felt so alone…
Since then, I have opened myself to the world, and have made many new friends as a result. I hold the doll, who once belonged to Amy, in my arms right now. But still…
Was there really a part of myself wishing that Brother would not make it out of Ecruteak City alive? No…I just cannot bare to face him right now.
"Chi?" As her trainer made his way into the hallway, the face of Chikorita lit up as she looked at me. Mawile watched as the Leaf Pokemon walked toward Banette with a hint of excitement.
I took half a step back, which confused a Chikorita who did not seem to mind.
"What's wrong?" Banette asked me.
"I…" I looked at Brother, who paused as he gazed at me with that indifferent expression of his. He said not one word to me. I knew he was not doing it on purpose. It was just in his character, and he could not help it.
He stopped in front of me. To me, this was a staring contest between a brother and sister who were not on the same page.
As he abruptly took his eyes off me and went into his room while accompanied by Chikorita and Mawile, I looked to the Banette I was holding and proceeded to answer her question.
"He is my older brother," I started, "I am not sure of what I want from him. An apology? Well, he always means what few words come out of his mouth, but an apology may not be enough…"
Banette and I made our way into the lobby. While more 'colorful' than before, the lobby still maintained a calm and quiet atmosphere. I guess I just fail to see the effect that the death of Pryce has on people.
Seeing a Yumi who was too occupied to notice me brightened my mood a little. She and I were not seeing eye to eye the last time we saw each other, but we rarely are. It is kind of a 'sister' thing; Yumi says something out of her own excitement, I make a backhanded remark just to poke fun at her, then she proceeds to mouth off at me as I giggle to myself. We both usually have smiles on our faces at the end of the day though.
One more detail: The last time I saw Yumi was also the FIRST time I saw her Bloomingvale. It will be good to have her back once we hit the road again.
"Huh?" Banette said confused. I looked down to see Banette staring at Chapel, who was standing outside the Pokemon Center.
"Let us go see what Chapel is up to," I said to Banette as we started outside the Pokemon Center.
Location: Outside Mahogany Town Pokemon Center
"So you saw him?" Chapel asked me. Her arms were crossed, and a smile was not on her face. Chapel was upset.
I sighed as I looked at the snowy ground. I could not find the words to describe to Chapel how I felt toward Brother, "He…"
"Did that guy really hurt Rose?" Banette asked Chapel, "I've never seen him before. He didn't say anything to us either."
"I can only take Rose's words for what happened. Ever since Missingno and I became one, I no longer share Seth's visions or memories. But he…" Chapel paused, "He refuses to change his ways. I'm not going to just stand by and let Seth carelessly destroy innocent lives just to achieve his own goal. I have to get stronger, as strong as Seth, and it all starts here." Chapel looked as if a lightbulb just appeared over her head, giving her an idea. "Rose, come with me!"
"Woah!" All of a sudden, Chapel grabbed my hand as she started walking, Banette following us, "What is the meaning of this?"
"We're going to get stronger by capturing a Pokemon today! We'll show Seth!" Chapel declared boldly, and determined smile now on her face.
"Do I not have a choice in the matter?" I asked while being pulled.
"Aw, just come on!"
"Haha!" Wow, who knew Chapel had a bossy side? She had both me and Banette chuckling.
Bold, bossy, and I see that she has some brashness in her too. But why the drastic change in personality? Perhaps it was Missingno. I mean, I will honestly admit that before, Chapel WAS on the dull side in terms of character. Could she end up becoming as upbeat as Yumi? I doubt it. Yumi may be energetic, but she is not reckless…
POV: There is no POV at this time…
Past the Mahogany Town Gym, where Pryce's successor was just arriving, to AND from the town's easter and western borders, try as they could, the girls had no luck in finding any new pokemon.
Chapel really needs to stop being so bold and rash whenever she has a plan. But as bleak as her quest seemed, she, Rose, and Banette were not going to give up so easily. She just HAD to catch up to Seth in terms of power. It was the only shot she had at changing Seth's mindset, and to show him the way of the hero/heroine.
Rose and Banette sighed as they were both tired of walking. Obviously, they weren't going to start floating. People might see them, whether they be outside or just looking through their house windows.
"Can't we just go back to the Pokemon Center?" Banette whined while drooping, "This is hopeless."
"Just a little bit longer." Chapel answered.
"You said that quite a ways back. Honestly, you are about as hard headed as Brother, Chapel." Rose said.
"So sue me," Chapel said, "We're not stopping until a new Pokemon is captured.
Despite Chapel's bossy attitude, and Rose's tired frown, the little girl WAS in fact enjoying herself. Opening herself up, Rose has been able to experience a world outside of Team Neo Snagem for the very first time. Her eyes would glisten as they looked around, taking in all the features in the winter wonderland surrounding her. While not as paranoid as before the night in Autumn Town, Rose is just as sassy as ever, and she still has her emotional side, which is very fragile.
Back into town, and passing the same cemetery they came to this morning, it was a walk that just kept getting longer and longer, and little did our group know, they DID in fact catch the eyes of a couple of Pokemon…They just didn't know it.
"My my, what might we have here? He he!" cried the giggling jester that was a female bug flying over the heads of Chapel and Rose.
"What might we have here, ye ask? He he!" Echoed the female firefly's male counterpart. "Here we have, Commander 26!"
"Commander 26, ye say?" Asked the female firefly, "How long has it been since we've seen her?"
"Since we've seen her?" The male firefly parroted, "How long ye ask? Perhaps one year long."
"Aye. Why don't we shadow this brigade?" Asked the female firefly.
How exactly DID these two know Rose, you ask? Well, that answer is still to come. As for these two jesters though: Their names are Volbeat and Illumise. They speak with a very distinct, eastern Kalosian accent, although humans fail to understand their language in the first place. The two are childhood friends, yet lovers at the same time. The jesters- or 'jokesters', if I may-often parrot each other's words as if they're rehearsing for something, like something they call 'Comedia dell' arte', and art of theatre in which the fireflies are specifically called the 'Innamorati'. These masked Innamorati are about as immature as ill-behaved children, and will often find trouble with the help of their own mischievousness, as we will see when they shadow Chapel and 26.
…..
With the two masked Innamorati remaining in the background, Rose, Banette and Chapel eventually made it to the northern outskirts of the town. The curious eyes of the upbeat Chapel was staring at what lied just beyond trees and winter hills: a very large, beautiful, frozen lake.
"Lake of Rage."
"Wow!" Chapel looked at Seth's sister, who's eyes lit up as she saw the frozen lake. Her eyes were the same vivid blue color as the deep ice. "It is, beautiful!"
"You're so happy, all of a sudden!" Banette said to the little girl.
"I absolutely adore this scenery!" It wasn't JUST the lake Rose was staring at.
Spheal, Sealeo, and Buneary were playing on the frozen water, while Snover, Vanillite, Cubchoo, Flaffy, and a Lopunny wandered under the surrounding, snowy trees. And to think, this was the location for Yumi's next Pokemon Contest…
"Then let's check it out!" Chapel began to run toward the lake with such haste, she didn't even give a second thought, unlike Rose.
"W-wait!" Rose called out to Chapel, reaching as if trying to grab her, even though Chapel was some distance away, "We have no idea what else is out there-"
"-AHAHAAA!" Now Banette was rushing toward Lake of Rage. Banette's mouth was unzipped, and her childlike screaming combined with Chapel's hastiness was beginning to make Rose feel like the 'odd card out', "AHAHAHAAA! Snow, snow, snow! Haha!"
With a smile on her face, Rose sighed, "Kids." Ironic that the groups youngest member was saying this to herself as she started to ascend off the ground. Rose began to calmly float after her friends.
Still, right behind the group, were the purple and red Innamorati, Volbeat and Illumise.
"It appears their search has led us here!" The red masked Volbeat announced.
"That so, it appears!" The blue masked Illumise echoed.
"Should we let Lady Beatrice know that 26 is here yet?" Volbeat asked.
"No, not yet. He he." Illumise answered. "Let us just wait here. It's been too long since we last played with 26."
"Aye, I'm sure she's love to see us again." Volbeat added.
"Um, she hated us." Illumise clarified.
"Good times. Gooood times…" Illumise rolled her eyes as Volbeat was seemingly oblivious to what she just said. This isn't the first time Volbeat's gotten lost in his own fantasy land. His eyes were half closed as he was staring at the little girl, for crying out loud.
"Aw!"
"Huh?" Volbeat said confused.
The attention of both Volbeat and Illumise shifted to who was accompanying 26. It was Chapel, as she seems to have spotted something.
The eyes of Chapel were fixed on something magnificent at the center of the frozen lake.
"Is that?" Banette asked as she walked onto the frozen lake water.
What were they looking at?
…Thin lines were being made on the surface of the frozen lake. Small, powdered ice slightly blew in the direction of Banette and Chapel. Any guesses yet?
…Figure skating…Figure skating was happening at the center of the lake. The small feet of the little blue pokemon moved with such elegance.
"Adorable." said a Rose who floated next to Chapel.
"Lup. Lup lup." The eyes of the little Piplup were closed, and a smile was on its face as it went on without a care in the world. But what a talented ice skater. The perfectly timed spins and twirls showed off some very impressive agility.
"Just the Pokemon I need…" Chapel said to herself.
"You are sure?" Rose asked.
"Of course!" And just like that, the bold Chapel began running on the frozen water, but not without concern from Rose.
"Chapel! Running on the ice is dangerous!" Chapel didn't even make it through Rose's sentence before tripping. Thankfully, the ice was solid enough to take her fall and then some.
"Ow." Chapel rubbed her back in pain.
"Then allow us!" Now it was Rose and Banette's turn as they both rushed toward the Piplup, both floating over the ice at high speed.
Eventually, Piplup stopped its figure skating for just long enough to become aware of the sounds around it. It heard the sound of a couple of figures flying in its direction.
"Plup?" What exactly was the talented penguin to do now? Easy. Piplup WAS a figure skater, after all. "Plup!"
"Aw…" Chapel gazed at the penguin adoringly as it jumped just ever so slightly off the gground, and with an abundance of elegance, it swiftly twirled its way in between the oncoming pursuits of Rose and Banette. And while in the air, the eyes of the Piplup opened, allowing the powdered ice being blown in the breeze to compliment those eyes like shining stars in the night sky.
The eyes of Banette went wide as her pursuit was avoided so effortlessly.
"Perhaps we have underestimated the intelligence of the Piplup," Rose said as she gently landed the ice, where her reflection was very clear.
"Piplup." Rose stared at the Piplup giving her a very amused smile. It was probably safe to say that Piplup was well aware of humans trying to catch it, so it started skating on the ice even faster than before, and away from its pursuers.
"Come on, hurry!" Chapel called to Rose and Banette in a haste as she ran on the ice, very careful of not slipping as she passed the five year old.
Rose and Banette were just about half a second behind Chapel and the Piplup that seemed to be heading into town, but that half a second was all the time needed for THIS to happen…
"-A fance meeting ye hear!"
The eyes of Rose widened as she abruptly stopped right in front of a descending, masked firefly. Banette also halted.
"Should ye disagree, I'll beg to differ." Rose obviously couldn't understand what the masked Illumise said as she was now descending, stopping when she stood close enough to the ground. She and Volbeat stood side by side, and they both caused Rose to lose sight of Chapel, though Rose had yet to realize this.
As the light of day faded, the crescent shaped moon indirectly provided 'complimentary lighting' for the Innamorati to make their entrances in the snowy evening. The lights of the fireflies were glowing in the dark.
Banette looked confused, while Rose finally spoke, "You are, with Beatrice?" she asked.
"So you DO remember us!" Behind the mask, the blue eyes of Illumise narrowed as she smirked and chuckled. "He he. What's wrong? You look startled. Haha, it is a pleasure to see you again, 26."
To Be Continued…
Author's Note:
I know I just posted yesterday. It's just that there's some pokemon I've wanted to introduce for a while now. If you've played Final Fantasy, then you'll see that Volbeat and Illumise are obviously a tribute to a certain, annoying duo. Which is weird too, because I think I might actually be the first person to write Volbeat and Illumise as characters that are NOT cute and innocent, something that even the Pokemon anime is guilty of on more than one occasion.
...
...Did you know that Piplup is JUST THE FOURTH water type to even appear in this entire fic? Dustin has Croconaw, Pheobe has Frogadier, and Zero has a Lapras, but looking back, there has been a very strange lack of water types, especially weird considering water is the most common Pokemon type(I think). Though I AM sort of treating Piplup more like an ice type here, given the setting.
Seth's Pokemon Team
Chikorita(Female)-Overgrow
Murkrow(Male)- Super Luck
Mawile(Female)-Intimidate
Shadow Seviper(Female)-Shed Skin
Chandelure(Male)-Flame Body
Shadow Klefki(Male)-Prankster
Chapel's Pokemon Team
Chime(Male)-Levitate
Ursaring(Male)-Guts
Skarmory(Male)-Keen Eye
Eevee(Female)(Shiny)-Anticipation