Ben arrived at the edge of the forest where we were waiting for him. We had already briefed our Pokemons and I know Lexy was eager to get back at the people who had tried to take him when he was a child. I was too, eager to fight the people who had hurt my starter. Ben frowned after we recounted our story to him.
'You know, when I receive a text from my baby sister, I expected it to be something like I'm going to challenge the Rustboro gym!' He had a disapproving look on his face.
'I'm going to challenge the Rustboro gym!' I told him.
He acknowledged my joke with an exasperated sigh. 'We really should be leaving these things to the professionals y'know.'
'They are going to be too late!' I exclaimed. 'Come on, where is your sense of adventure? I'm doing this with or without you.'
I heard him mutter something like 'I left it behind when my little sister runs off on some misguided mission.'. Out loud, he said. 'Yes, I know I can't stop you. So I'm going along to try and stop you from getting yourself killed. Lead the way, vigilante.'
Turns out, the warehouse that I saw was a little bit deeper into the forest than I originally thought. Luckily, Neo was on my side now, and he easily slash through the foliage, though I sorely wished I hadn't left my cap behind. We came to the edge of the large clearing, which was mostly occupied by a shody warehouse. A small outhouse stood at the entrance, lights on and shadows, if not the raucous laughter, clearly indicate that there were many people inside. There were a few planes and helicopters at the side. I presumed that's how they were going to transport the Pokemons. We crept pass the outhouse and slipped through the crack in the doors of the gigantic warehouse.
Inside the warehouse was eerily quiet, which was a huge contrast as there were hundreds of Pokemon in the warehouse. The stench was the first to hit me and I tried very hard to not retch. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Finnick and Anna doing the same. As my eyes adjusted to the dim lights, the reason became apparent. The Pokemons were kept in filthy conditions, many Pokemons were stuffed into a dirty cage, separated by species. Even the rows of tank that held the Water Pokemons were murky.
There were tons of rare Pokemon, either found in Hoenn or illegally smuggled in from other regions. Off the top of my head, and what I could recognize, there were Chimechos, Relicanths, a lone Milotic, Riolu, the endangered Kangaskhan, Charizards and in the darkest corner, an extremely large Salamence. The Pokemon all had a desolate look in their eyes, many had tails and ears turned down, a sense of despair in the air. I crouched down by a cage which held a family of Growlithe and an Arcanine lying on its side.
'Mummy!' Lexy cried out, dashing to that Salamence I spotted earlier.
Putting two and two together, I realized that this must be the Salamence they captured in Meteor Falls the night of the explosion. Laughter and voices came closer to us and Ben grabbed us.
'Hide,' He hissed.
Together, we ducked behind a few brown sacks and prayed we look like turnips or carrots or whatever was in the sack. I thought it was onions; it smelt like onion.
'Lexy!' I whisper shouted.
Unfortunately, Lexy was glued to the cage. He grabbed the cage and I winced as it made a rattling sound that echoed in the warehouse. This woke the Salamence inside, who stirred and opened her huge eyes. She seemed unsure of the large Bagon in front of her cage, calling her mummy. Of course, the last time she saw Lexy, Lexy was about as tall as my knee. Recognition seemed to light in her eyes. Outside, the voices drew ever nearer.
'Lexy!' I placed more urgency into my whisper.
Not wanting to chance what would happen to Lexy if the poachers came, I returned him. And just in time too, as the doors opened. The Salameence, who was given a glimpse of her child only to be taken away, roared in anger.
'Wow, eager today are we?' The voice said. It did not sound like Scarface and Stickman.
'Let's just get it over with. The meeting's about to start. Boss doesn't like tardiness,' Came the other person. Definitely not Scarface and Stickman, these people spoke with sophistication.
My blood boiled with anger as they made their rounds through the carnivores, throwing slabs of meat into their cages, taunting and mocking them. Some of the meat outright land on the Pokemon with a slap. By a stroke of luck, they didn't patrol the section where we were hiding at, which was incidentally the 'plant' section, judging by a Tropius lying next to us.
'Ok, that's should be all,' The first voice gave a mad cackle. 'That's all you all are going to get in a long while. Enjoy it while it last.'
With that, they left the warehouse, and all that could be heard in the warehouse is the sound of Pokemon tearing and chewing at the meat.
'This is crazy.' Anna fumed, while Finnick looked like he was in shock.
'This is inhumane,' Ben agreed. 'We've got to get them out.'
'But how? There are so many cages. And they all have locks.' I looked around wildly, searching for anything that can help.
'Leave it to me,' Ben smiled, releasing a blue metallic Pokemon. 'Cannon can unlock all the cage with his psychic powers.'
'What?' I turned to Estelle. 'Can you do that?'
She shook her head, staring at the Metagross with what seemed like concealed awe.
We were not ready for the pandemonium that broke out once Cannon used his psychic powers. The locks popped out of the cages. Once the first Pokemon realized that it was unlocked, all the Pokemon looked as if the life had been returned to them. They were all pushing and scrambling out of their cages.
'What about the Water Pokemons?' I shouted over the din.
'We'll just have to hope the League comes in time,' Ben called back. 'Come on we have to leave. The poachers would have heard the din by now. CARA LOOK OUT!'
The last sentence was said as he pushed me. It was enough to avoid being swish kebabbed by Salamence's large claws, but the end of the claws still caught my shirt and I went tumbling on the disgusting floor.
'The Bagon! Lexy! Give her Lexy!' Ben shouted.
Lexy? I thought in a daze. Oh right. I released Lexy, who look delighted that his mother was out of the cage.
'Mummy!' Lexy shouted happily.
The Salamence roared, opening her mouth. I could see the glowing embers forming in her throat and knew I was seconds from being Crispy Cara. Before she could unleash her attack, either Hyperbeam or Flamethrower, Lexy, Arceus bless him, intervened.
'Mummy no! Trainer is good! She is good to me!' Lexy cried, throwing himself in front of me.
'Grrr…?' Salamence growled.
'She gives me chocolate!' Lexy insisted, seemingly convinced that chocolates are good.
Salamence's eyes crossed. Oh no, perhaps she doesn't like chocolate. Or she thinks I'm going to make Lexy diabetic.
'Grr.. Sa.. Salamence'
'No, mummy, I am good. I miss you. Trainer is good. Trainer and I will make those bad humans pay! Right, Trainer?' Lexy turned to for confirmation, to which I can only nod.
The Salamence eyed me for a moment. Then turned back to Lexy, whom she conversed with for a while. After what seems like eternity, but was only a few seconds, Salamence looked at me and growled, before turning and flying out of the warehouse with another roar.
'She said you better take care of her boy, or she will eat you.' Estelle told me.
'Comforting,' I muttered, before noticing the Arcanine from earlier. All of the Growlithe pups from that cage had left save for one.
'Cara come on!' Ben shouted.
I stood and hurried over to the Growlithe. Upon coming closer, I realized that the Arcanine was motionless on the ground. It was completely still, not even the rise and fall of its chest could be seen.
'I think the big canine is dead, Master,' Estelle came up beside me.
The Growlithe looked up as we approached, and gave a short bark of warning. It stood in front of the Arcanine, hackles raised.
'Growlithe, the Arcanine is gone,' I said, as gently as I could. 'You can still live, come with us.'
'Careful, Master. I don't think the pup likes humans.' Estelle cautioned.
'Cara! Leave the pup, we have to go.' Ben urged. 'Finnick and Anna have already gone.'
'Wait!' I told him, then turn to Growlithe, who was now baring its fangs at me. 'We will protect you, please, come with us.'
Snarling, Neo pushed past me and spoke to the Growlithe as Estelle watched on with interest. After a lot of grunting, growling, whining, hissing and waving of scythes at me, the Growlithe came to me and barked.
'Growl, growlithe.'
'He said he will travel with us.'
'Great! Let's go, thanks, Neo.' I said.
The Growthlithe stayed where it was, feet planting firmly on the ground. Neo, standing behind it, crossed his scythe with a look that said, well? I suddenly understood what Finnick meant, all those days ago in the forest, when I asked him how he communicated with his Pokemon. I offered Growlithe a Pokeball, which it accepted with a tap of his paw. A flash of light and a ding later, Growlithe was captured. I stored his Pokemon in my bag and hurried to the entrance of the warehouse, Ben muttering behind me about how stupid little sisters are. I wondered what Neo, who hated me so much at first, said to convince Growlithe to join me. I looked over at Neo, who only had a cool look on his face, and decided I'll ask him later.
Outside the warehouse, there was complete mayhem. Ben and I were only held up for a couple of minutes, but the poachers had already got out of the outhouse and were toting firearm. Gunshots were fired at random and the fields were painted with blood and gore, while fur and feathers dust the air. Ben and I were very quickly separated in the chaos. I sincerely hoped Finnick and Anna got out before the gunfire started. As I returned my Pokemon, I realized that not all of the people fighting were poachers. They were not HSF either, as HSF personnel had uniforms, the league crest on their shoulders. They mostly wore black outfits equipped with various weapons and most of them were wearing some sort of weird looking sunglasses. A girl wearing a motorcycle crash helmet hit a poacher with her elbow before he could shoot a Togetic out of the sky. The poacher went down instantly. Then I realized the girl was holding a… sword?
'Cara?' She seemed stunned for a moment. Then she strode over to me, an air of anger surrounding her.
'Ronnie?' I called out in disbelief.
At that moment, she kind of looked like an avenging angel, if angels dressed in a white shirt tucked into blue jeans with an olive green bomber jacket and motorcycle helmets. Ok, I'll admit, I may have a tiniest bit of crush on her. Beating up bad guys with a sword? Hot.
'What are you doing here?!'
'Gym battle?' I asked dryly.
'No, I mean HERE here,' She said, exasperated. Was no one ever going to laugh at my jokes?
'Saving Pokemons,' I told her. 'What are you doing here?'
'Saving Pokemons.' She said, considering me for a moment. I didn't think she was lying. 'You can't be here.'
'Well, I am,'
'No, I meant you can't be here. The HSF is coming. They WILL arrest you if they catch you here.' She seemed agitated.
She paused for a moment, listening, I realized, to a earpiece in a ear, the kind that people use in the cool spy movies. Was she some covert spy?
'They are coming now, lets go.' Her hand closed around my wrist, dragging me into the forest.
'Wait,' I resisted, holding her wrist. 'Ben's here. We've got to find him. And Finnick and Anna too.'
'Your brother is here too?!' She demanded, with a weird look in her eyes and a frown that creased her brows.
Ronnie tapped her earpiece and rapped out instructions. Woah, if she is giving instruction means she's the boss, right?
'My friends will get them. Let's go, now,' This time, when she yanked my wrist, I followed, wincing slightly.
'You're hurt,' She turned and look at me. 'Why didn't you say so?'
'Huh, I am?' I looked down, only to see that my shirt was ripped and blood had stained it. It didn't look too serious though. 'Must be Salamence.'
'How did you not know that? Come on,' Ronnie's face softened slightly; and she pulled me, gentler this time, into the forest.
After a distance away from the clearing, Ronnie let out a Pokemon I didn't recognize. It had dark blue fur that blended into the dark night, two glossy tails and a tuft of white fur around its neck. The Pokemon teleported us to a doctor in Rustboro. I told Ronnie I was fine, but she insisted.
'God knows what kind of bacteria was in that place,' She said.
So, I laid on the cool examination bed as the doctor cleaned my wound. Ronnie told the doctor that it was a training accident, that a Bagon had accidentally scratched me. Either the doctor didn't want to ask too many questions, or he was a quack. The wound doesn't look like a Bagon's clawmark (trust me I've seen both up close) and it was certainly not a scratch. Also my shirt was smoking and Ronnie had a sword. I choose to believe it was the former because he was now stitching up my wound. I tried to catch Ronnie's eyes and maybe telepathically shoot her some questions but for some reason she was avoiding my gaze.
After the doctor, she insisted on walking me back to the Pokemon Center. She had already thrown away my shirt, insisting that it was dirty. I shivered in the cool night breeze.
'Here,' Ronnie gave me her jacket.
I gratefully accepted it.
'Now you look very chic.' She commented with a half smile, her eyes travelling down my body, then back up at me again.
I stared down at myself – black sports bra and black pants with her green bomber jacket. 'With a very sexy bandage.'
'That's your fault,' She retorted with an amused smile that contrasted the bite in her words.
We spent the rest of the walk in silence. I had many questions churning in my head which I didn't know how to ask. And Ronnie didn't seem to be forthcoming in that regard. It was only when we entered the Pokemon Center that I turned to her.
'Ronnie…' I bit my lips.
She turned to me slowly, as if dreading this moment.
'What's going on?' I asked at last.
'Well, a certain someone,' She shot a look at me that meant I was said someone. 'Couldn't keep herself out of trouble.'
I gave her a look. 'You know what I mean.'
Resigning herself to fate, Ronnie sighed.
'Not here.' She glanced around.
The Pokemon Center was mostly quiet. The reception where Nurse Joy usually sat was empty. There were a few Pokemon trainers lounging by the rec room, and a few worn out trainers who were sitting at the sofa near the entrance, probably waiting for Nurse Joy, who had to be busy with the Pokemon raid that just happened. (I only learnt recently that Nurse Joy was just a general name they called all the nurses who worked in Pokemon Centers.)
Ronnie led me around the Pokemon Center, seemingly wandering aimlessly under she came to a stop down a dim hallway. She ducked into small, shorter space on the right and opened a door. After checking and satisfied with what she found, she closed the door and pulled me into the smaller hallway.
'So we can see who goes by,' Ronnie clarified.
Upon entering the hallway, I realized it was a very short one. If it could even be called a hallway. It was more like a small space in the hall. I quickly realized that, after I admitted I have a crush on Ronnie to myself, this wasn't a position I want to be in. The space was so small that the proximity between Ronnie and I made my heart race. The bomber jacket wrapped around me didn't help, smelling ridiculously like her, of coffee, vanilla and oh so good. I hope she couldn't hear the wild thudding of my heart and that the faint light hid the blush that is surely rising on my face.
'So, what's going on?' I asked quickly, trying to throw off my embarrassment.
'I am part of this group called the Neo Helios. The new sun. Signifying new beginnings. We fight the bad guys.' Ronnie began.
'You're in a group named after my Scyther?' I asked.
'Pretty sure the group came first,' One side of her mouth quirk up in a smile. 'Anyway, Damien, the police officer, notified us right after you told him about it.'
'Wait the blue hair guy? He's in this too?'
'Yes, are you going to let me continue my story?' She asked impatiently. I bit my bottom lip and nodded. 'So, after he notified the boss –' I opened my mouth and quickly shut it at Ronnie's glare. 'It took us some time, but we organized a raid party. Our plan was to take out the poachers in the outhouse first, before releasing the wild Pokemon. But lo and behold, when we reached, wild Pokemon were already shooting fire, balls of energy and gods knows what else. And the poachers had guns.' At this, she shot a look at me, a mixture of amusement and aggravation. 'Do you know how hard is it to get the smoke out of your hair and your face?'
'Sorry,' I bit my lips, trying to look contrite. Of course, she doesn't have a speck of soot on her, not even when she's wearing white shirt. While in contrast, I looked like I've been rolling in ashes, complete with blood and gore.
'It's ok, what's done is done.' Her hand reached up to my face, then quickly dropped it. 'We caught the poachers and most of the Pokemon made it.'
'Why didn't you guys wait for the League though?' I asked, and immediately regret because her face hardened at the question.
Ronnie shot a quick glance at the hallway.
'Because they don't care about the Pokemon,' She said bitterly.
I considered this for the moment. 'I want to join you, the Neo Helios I mean.'
'No,' Her response came so quickly, and so harshly, that I flinched.
'It's not that. It's dangerous work.' She said, her voice a touch gentler. Her fingers rest lightly on my bandage, which didn't help my heart rate.
'Besides, you only have one badge. Concentrate on your second gym battle, ok? Forgot everything that happened tonight,' Her hand rested on my shoulder, and I knew this conversation was over, though I still have many unanswered questions. 'Don't tell anyone about what I told you, ok? Not Mari, not whoever you're traveling with. And not Ben.'
'One more question,' I blurt out. At her raise of eyebrow, I asked. 'Where did you get that sword?'
She seemed to have forgotten that she was carrying around a sword. She held it up in the faint muted light. The blade of the sword was bloodred in colour, the edges sharpened to a point. The hilt was intricately carved in silver and black.
'A dear friend gave that to me once,' She smiled sombrely at the sword, her mind seemingly lost in memories.
I stared at her, unsure if I should say something to her. The moment passed though, and she looked at me, her green eyes unreadable. 'Come on, let's get you to your room.'
We entered the room to Anna sitting on the bed, staring at her Pokedex.
'Thank Arceus you're alive!' Anna said. 'You didn't answer your Pokedex. We were worried!'
'Wait you guys brought your Pokedex to that place?' Ronnie asked. 'Merde! Did you at least switch off your GPS?'
'Why?' Anna asked, her tone short. I was beginning to realize Anna doesn't like strangers much.
'Didn't Damien tell you –'
'Arceus, the League can track our GPS!' I facepalmed.
'It's ok, I'll get Damien to hack your GPS.' Ronnie said.
'Who is Damien?'
'Why does the League care?'
Anna and I asked at the same time.
'Damien's the police officer.' I told Anna.
'Oh THAT one,' Anna said, clearly still pissed that he didn't seem like he cared about the rescue operation.
'Anyway,' Ronnie seemed amused by Anna's reaction to Damien. 'A bunch of poachers got away. Not many, but some of the important ones. How do you think it'll look to the League if you had been there?'
'Oh, shit.' I said.
'Yep,' Ronnie took out a slim gadget and typed in it. 'It's ok, I've informed Damien.'
'Ok, I've got to go. Goodluck for your gym battles!' Ronnie smiled at Anna, then gave me a brief hug, where I thought my heart will burst out of my rib cage.
'Wait,' I said, reluctantly shrugging off her jacket.
I feel Anna's eyes following my every movement as I returned the jacket to Ronnie who was at the door way.
Ronnie took the jacket with her signature half smile, our fingers grazing. 'I'll see you soon.' She told me.
After the door closed, Anna burst out. 'So THAT'S why you are not interested in Finnick.'
She had a wide grin on her face that could only meant teasing was going to ensue.
'Shut up,' I threw a pillow at her.
