Pokemon: Blood Curse!

Chapter 25: A mischievous team.

"Whaaaa! I'm so hungry!" Jessie whined loudly in the morning air, as she stretched and groaned. "Sleeping in a sleeping bag is not fun! My whole body aches..." As she slouched and pouted, she watched James halt and sit against the base of a tree nearby.

"You're telling me? I've got a rash in unmentionable places! The sleeping bags are way too hot!" He whined all the same and leaned his head against the tree, with comical tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Who's faults that?! Next time, open the front of your sleeping bag!" A bonk from the pinky atop his head, made James wince and grumble. It was her turn to sit down. Next to him and in the grass, she and James both watched some citizens walk by with an occasional glance in their direction.

"It's such a shame. That Matsuo guy was really nice too, he gave us food and drink. We would've been bunking under that big tree if that Legendary Pokemon hadn't shown up." Meowth, who plopped and leaned against James's side, groaned from their long trek. "That twerp's Pikachu has nothing on what we've seen lately." The feline recalled that day when Marceline threatened his life. Wanting to exchange Mel's for his, had unsettled him for sure.

However, when silence occurred, everyone jumped from their spot and in unison they yelled, "Legendary Pokemon!" Comical stars twinkled in their eyes when they faced each other and balled their fists.

"I'll get theneeet!~" James sang as he ran by.

"I'll get theballooon!~" Jessie did the same as she jogged along the violet-haired man with pure glee pulling on her red lips.

"Wait! Are you guys insane?! It won't be that simple to capture a Legendary Pokemon!" With his hand stretched toward them, Meowth announced and made the duo halt hysterically. When they looked at him confusedly, he continued. "That was Mewtwo! And in case you've forgotten- that Legendary Pokemon's hangin' around that strange lady who threatened my life!" His fur stood up at the memory of her intimidating eyes and the electricity that sparked around her body. "Not to mention she's not normal." There he remembered how she made the clouds part when she screamed under the rain. And the punch to the female Blaziken that sent a stream of intense white, frightened him to this day.

"Well, we have to do something! Maybe we could take her to the boss and have her examined? Surely she's just a Pokemon in disguise right?! I mean- we ran into a few Pokemon who took up a human form before." James stepped closer with his hands on his hips and mulled over their past encounters.

"True. But we've never ran into a Pokemon that can do what she did. Wait... Do you think..." Jessie trailed and mulled over a theory that began to light up her eyes with surprise.

"No way, Jessie. If you're thinking what I'm thinking, then there's no way she can be a new Pokemon! If she was then she wouldn't have been able to do the things she's done! Flying, electricity, her eyes changing, and that bright white beam that singed that Blaziken? She isn't normal at all. She can't be a..." It finally dawned on him when he froze and stared wide-eyed at his partner.

Soon, Jessie, and Meowth shared the same expressions as him. Speechless at the potential discovery they made. "It all makes sense now! That has to be why she's living in the forest away from people!" The feline was taken aback, it all made too much sense for it to be false.

"Let's head back to her! Surely she won't deny us hospitality!" Cheered Jessie when she lifted a fist above her. "Come on, guys. Think about it!" Grinning from cheek to cheek, mischief glinted in her blue eyes at the plots that were being thrown together in her mind. "If we can get close enough to that woman then we could get our answers, right? Spying on her would be out of the question since that Legendary Pokemon would know where we are. So...~" With a finger directed to the two, she trailed and gestured for James to fill in the blanks.

"So- we get close to her as you said, ask her questions when she trusts us enough, and we'll be able to know for sure if she really is a Pokemon or not! I love it!" The violet-haired man cheered and clapped at the pinky's thoughts.

"I do too! And hopefully, we'll get some free food and drinks too! I'm starving!" It was Meowth's turn to explode with excitement, for he and the others were so hungry that they couldn't think of anything else they might want at this moment.

Yes, they thought it'd be a great plan. A plan to get close to Marceline and receive their answers. However, what will come along the way wouldn't be something they will expect and it would certainly be difficult to take in.

As they ran in the direction of Marceline's Treehouse, a peculiar silhouette in the shadows crouched and watched the three run for it. The smirk on their lips soon opened to speak when they lifted a communicator. "Master Cyrus. I have some interesting information you might want to hear." Their deep voice indicated it was a male.

"Do tell." Replied another deep voice, yet they didn't seem as interested since there was a lack of care in his tone. His words caused the shaded silhouette's smirk to broaden.

Hazel eyes groggily opened and a yawn escaped as Marce stretched. When she saw the cup from last night, she immediately jolted awake and heavily flushed at the memory. How she passed out from feeling the subtle warmth, soothing smell, and from sipping away slowly at the drink made her feel more awkward.

A gasp sounded when she sat up in bed and placed her palms on her cheeks.He was in my room last night!This time her entire body burned from embarrassment, so she quickly hid herself under the blanket after plopping it over her head.

However, when her phone's alarm sounded off, she peeked over at her desk and watched her screen flare a bright blue. Without hesitation, she got out of bed and checked the time on her device. 5:30 in the morning, a heavy sigh left her lips when she recalled those times of having to go out early to check on the Pokemon and pay them with snacks, for keeping her electricity on.

Mel always carried off a large bag of snacks to them in my place...Frowning at the memory, she turned the alarm off and collected her phone. After she dressed herself for the day and made her way downstairs, she saw Meigu snoring away on her couch. Torch's back was against the bottom of the couch while Prince did his best even in his sleep to appear dignified, despite nearly putting his feet in Torch's face.

Hornet was fast asleep in the beams of the ceiling, buzzing silently.I need to gather the snacks and make breakfast. They've done so much for me... I want to show them my appreciation.A sweet smile graced her lips as adoration replaced the tired look in her eyes.

With that, she got to work. Collecting the snacks in a large plastic store bag, she made her way outside as quietly as possible to not wake the Matsu-squad on the couch. A cute giggle escaped before the door closed and soon used her power to fly over the platform.

Further down the tree base and around the back, there sat a few generators with cords attached and reaching into holes in the floor of her home. Marce softly landed in the grass, wetting her shoes in morning drew when she trudged through.

She placed the bag next to the generators. Out came a ton of Poke' snacks consisting of Poke' Puffs, Berries, Poffin's, combs of Honey, and Poke' blocks. After that, she pulled down a hatch above her head by a thin rope and took out a small trough.

The trough was big enough for all of the snacks, so she didn't hesitate to pour the contents into it. Almost to the brim, it filled up, and it wasn't long until a few Pichus perked their ears over the bushes and sniffed.

"Come on guys. I doubled your snacks since I forgot to give them to you last time. Consider it my apology.~" A sad smile donned her mouth when she watched two more Pichus leap over the bushes ahead of the first two.

A couple of the Pichus hugged her legs while the other two ran past and began to chow down. "Thanks for keeping my generators going. Without you, I wouldn't be able to live here.~" Her hand gently pat one of the hugging Pichus on the head, as she crouched.

It's okay! We saw what happened! We are so sorry you went through that... Are you doing okay?A tiny, feminine voice came from her left, where she saw innocent Pichu eyes peek at her and kept those small hands around her leg.

"I'm... Managing." Awkwardly, her gaze averted until a sigh left her. "You guys aren't... Afraid of me?" Worried now, her eyes shifted down to them and nearly flinched when she saw their innocent eyes brimming with tiny droplets.

How could we be afraid of someone who loves us equally and protects our homes? The Guardian might be gone... But you were always looking out for us. You're so nice to us...The Pichu on the left whined and the one on the right nodded vigorously.

"Y- You guys..." It was her turn to get teary-eyed. Bits of droplets brimmed her eyes when she gave them an appreciative smile. Her voice had nearly fallen into a whisper, that was until rustles in the bushes nearby caught their attention.

Everyone's heads perked in its direction, anticipation rising the longer they watched the bushes move and heard sticks snap.

All of a sudden, out came the Rocket trio she met before in a burst and in unison, screamed happily, "Scary lady!" Marceline comically scooted her backside against the base of her Treehouse and stood taken aback by their abruptness. The little Pichus ran off to hide somewhere until they were gone.

"Pleeease! Please, please,pleeeeasefeed us! You're a nice lady, right?!" Their voices were in a synchronized chorus as they hysterically inched fast toward her on their knees, and clasped their hands in a praying gesture.

"Uh- Uuuhh..." Nervously, awkwardly, Marce did her best to squeeze past them, scrapping her back against the bark all the while. She wanted to get away from them as much as possible, in hopes of keeping her secret. Little did she know that they had already bore witness to her Pokemon power.

"We won't be any trouble!" Meowth pleaded and remained on his knees, despite the slight shiver of fear over her that he displayed.

"Promise!" Jessie and James spoke simultaneously, practically climbing on her to get her to answer. Desperation was evident on their faces and actions as they went silent and waited, however, a band of grumbles from their stomachs broke it.

Sighing and groaning, she looked away. "Apologize..." Her hands were stuffed into her pockets until a shivering cold glare was given to them. For once, something still and dangerous floated around her and it had silenced the trio.

They gawked, unable to process words or so much as move. They were probably feeling the seriousness of the situation as they remained frozen in place, on their knees. There was an air to her that they couldn't ignore. Something otherworldly, beyond understanding, and it quickly killed their little act.

"We're sorry... We were just trying to do our job. Our boss will have our necks if we don't bring back a powerful Pokemon!" Worry filled Meowth's eyes when he answered for all three of them and lowered his head In defeat.

"Then... Stop working for him. Why not just quit?! You have your own two legs and two hands, you have your own willpower! Stop being such big babies and quit..." Marce spat and sighed, before walking away from them.

"No! You don't understand!" Jessie perked, growled at the brunette, and ran to catch up to her. "We can't just quit!" Her gloved hand gripped Marce harshly and turned her around, baring her pearly whites in anger.

"And why not?" A brow lifted confusedly until she blinked and looked the pinky up and down.

"There's nothing else we can do!" The moment Jessie said that she gasped at her own words and froze. She was never the type to outright tell a stranger that. She looked at her hand that was still on Marce's shoulder and awkwardly removed it, her astonished gaze faltering slightly.

"Yeah, there's tons of things you can do out there... But kidnapping Pokemon isn't the best one." Quietly, Marce answered and trudged onward with her hands still in her pockets.

"Then what would you suggest?!" This time it was James who angrily yelled at her, but she didn't pay him much attention since she continued onward. When they were met with silence, they all nervously followed behind her and watched her approach the rope to her platform.

"Stay here..." With that, the brunette used her power and flew to her platform. Had she looked down, she would've seen their awestruck expressions.

Some time passed after she went in to grab some food. When she came back using her power to levitate all of the plates, she landed next to them and saw how taken aback they were. "E- Eat up." As much as Marce hates it, she knows she can't be hateful to people all the time.No sense in hating them so much. They seem almost lost... As if they don't know what to do with themselves.A slow crawl of sympathy made its way into her now hazel eyes after they returned to normal. The plates had been sat in the grass for them to sit and eat, which they did.

"Thank you for the food!" In unison, they cheered with a sparkly pink background and began to chow down.

"Yeah... Sure. So..." Awkward once more, she scratched at her cheek and averted her gaze. "Something I'd suggest?" Casually and quietly she mumbled, unaware that she caught their attention mid-chew. "Well. There's a lot of people and Pokemon who need help..." Marce began with a hum and leaned her back against the base of her Treehouse in front of them. "You guys could get paid pretty well as a Wandering Health Center for both man and mon, if you have the skills to wrap wounds, disinfect, and clean up severe damages." Shrugging, nervous beads of sweat trickled her skin when she moved her eyes back to them.

"I'm afraid to say – but I've already tried something similar to that!" Jessie fumed and grumbled until it quickly died when she looked down in thought. Pain filled her eyes at a distant memory that resurfaced.

"We want something that will give us a sense of adventure and some money!" James chirped and slurped down some ramen noodles.

"Yeah... A Wandering Health Center could do the trick then. People have Pokemon battles everywhere, you just have to know where to look. Healing Pokemon at Pokemon Centers is free, but as a Wandering Center – getting resources might be difficult to obtain. They would pay you for your skills, your time, and the gas you spend to wander from and to." With hand gestures, Marce explained and noticed how they stopped chewing to stare at her as if she had two heads.

"So- what you're saying is... We could make some money, see all kinds of Pokemon, battles, and the sights just by being a Wandering Health Center?" Meowth chirped with a bit of sparkling interest in his eyes.

"I mean... It hadWanderingin the title. That's sort of self-explanatory." Shrugging, Marce sighed and slid down the bark of the base, to sit across from them. "Honestly... I wish I could do something like that too. But..." She clenched her chest the more she thought about Mel, Kuro, and the Treehouse. "I have something I need to do before that." Strength returned to her face when she looked back at them, her voice full of determination.Yes. To be able to wander across the globe and experience new things... It doesn't sound half-bad at all. But... What if 'they' find me? The people who hired those scientists? Was it the Government who hired them? Is there even a Government?A momentary pause ensued before she continued.I've always been told that but I haven't heard anything related to Government people my entire life... I'm beginning to wonder if that part of my life was a lie...Pondering, sorrow barely made itself known when she looked down.

"Alright!" Abruptly, Jessie stood with the ramen bowl in her hand and chopsticks in the other. Her stern but confident expression caught Marce by surprise and the other two who were still in the middle of eating. "Then how about you join us?! Not as Team Rocket of course. Become a Wandering Health Center with us when you're done doing whatever it is you want to do!" Oddly enough the pinky felt a connection, it reflected in her blues as she stared into hazel ones.

"It... Sounds nice, sure. But I'd prefer to get to know you three first." A faint, nervous chuckle left the brunette's lips when she waved a hand as if to ward off any unnecessary impulses from her. "I... Like your... Hair by the way. It's pretty," A small smile formed after moving her gaze to her knees and away from the pinky. Had she looked up to see Jessie's expression, she would've become incredibly confused.

Jessie was astonished and moved by her words. Tiny comical tears brimmed her eyes when she did her best to hold them back. "Thank you! It takes me forever to get it to look like this every morning!" Funnily, she began to fluff her stiff hair after the chopsticks were put on the bowl and struck a pose.

"W- Wow, that's some dedication." Marce struggled to hold back an amused giggle at the pinky's outburst and sudden change in mood. "Well, I hope you enjoy it. I'm going back inside my house, but if you do anything stupid... I'll hear about it." The amused look on her face soon dropped when she recalled what they had done before and how she had a new Guardian of her Treehouse – Sui.

"Roger that!" Meowth chirped with a salute but flinched when Marce chuckled faintly and petted his head, avoiding the coin. There was a faint blush of embarrassment when he received it, pink tints dusted his otherwise furry cheeks.

"I don't know how you're able to speak Human but it's cool. Kuro was able to do the same thing. Anyway- take care guys," Waving her hand, she lifted into the air and left them there.

"Thank you!" In unison, the trio chimed happily and completely forgot their manners once she left. They pigged out on the Ramen and the other food, and drinks, except Meowth.

The said Pokemon looked relieved. A smile had tugged on his kitty mouth when he watched her leave, all the fear he did have, had diminished completely and was replaced with a strange sense of comfort. "I like her now. She's not that scary.~" From there, he continued to eat, not without a happy flick of his tail and a close of his eyes.

~~?~~

"Master. From what I've gathered, she seems to possess some kind of power. What I've overheard and witnessed so far has become reality. With your permission, I will capture her and bring her back to base." A male voice broke through the silence in the forest as the stranger watched the Rocket trio and a strange woman who he saw fly to the Treehouse's platform.

"Very well. Do not hesitate for a moment." From the com, he heard Cyrus answer with a cold monotone.

"Understood." With that, the male watched the platform closely and his blue eyes glinted with calculation when he remained crouched. His skills showed when he rolled across the clearing past Team Rocket and hid around the Treehouse's base, to wait for his golden opportunity.

"This is so good, I could cry!" Meowth cried hysterically, and from what the male could eavesdrop on, the other two followed suit.

"I know! Her food's amazing! The Ramen is a classic, but the rest of this is so tasty!" Jessie cooed with her mouth full.

Aren't these the Team Rocket morons?His thoughts were full of confusion when he pondered. He had to wait for them to leave before he'd try to climb the Treehouse.

However, he wasn't expecting an Ice Beam to miss his blue hair by mere inches. He immediately jumped away from the Treehouse and looked up in surprise to see an angry Froslass.

"What was that?!" James nearby shouted, taken aback by the sudden strike from out of nowhere, but that wasn't enough to deter the blue-haired male's attention.

Great... My plan's ruined! This Froslass... Why is she attacking me?Staring at the Pokemon with stern, calculative eyes, he noticed how ready she was to strike again when she opened her mouth.

"Looks like it's a Pokemon Battle you want. Then so be it." Mumbled the man, as he took out a Pokeball and prepared himself for a fight.