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Page 12
Rock a bye Baby
“I’m hungry.”
“Shut up.”
“And thirsty.”
“Shutup.”
“Did I mention tired?”
“One more word, Marc and you’ll be whining out of the other side of your face!” Sumalee warded in a low voice. It was the most agitated I’d ever seen the usually bubbly, happy-go-lucky girl. I glanced over my shoulder at the Pokemon Trainer that had joined us in the Ilex forest a few days before.
He was tall, very tall, so tall he towered over me more then most people even though he was only a year older then my fourteen. Spiky brown hair and shrewd hazel eyes that always seemed to be planning something in advance. Already a cagey person by heart, he kept my toes on edge. But luckily he kept his eyes on Sumalee, which she was none to happy about I could tell you. He was in the latest brand name clothes, a tight leather jacket, black T-shirt and jeans. His peppy little Pichu perched on his shoulder, giggling happily and when something took his fancy, he jolted Marc with a burst of electricity. I was quickly concluding that this was why his hair was always on end.
Now Marc leaned on Cal who seemed relieved by the male company and they weaved behind arms, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, and singing like couple of drunks. Somehow the whole scene seemed vaguely familiar.
No one can deny, hic, it, we can start a riot in Sunday school! We'll have you believing, truth can, hic, be deceiving! Do unto uvers is our golden rule! Team Rocken Rockets!…..
But then again there was always the family Christmas parties and my uncles….
“Don’t you love it when they play hard to get?” I heard Marc snicker. I rolled my eyes and quickened my pace to catch up the Suma. Her muscles were so tense they looked ready to pop.
“Pathetic isn’t it?” I said rolling my eyes. I shook my leg trying to get Maverick to let go of my shoe. The Totodile was flung a little into the air and landed with a To! of surprise. The little guy seemed the most carefree of the lot of us. I briefly wondered where Fury had gotten to but then saw her leading the way with her head held high. Defeating that bird had given her a new, brighter, outlook.
“We ditch him as soon as possible,” she muttered, grinding her teeth. As if on cue, Cal woof whistled a passing female trainer. She sniffed and ignored the both of them. The two broke out into raucous laughter, slapping each other across the backs. With a crack of thunder both lay on the ground twitching and Pichu sitting on top giggling.
How did we get hooked up with these dropkicks again, I thought with exasperation.
“Even better, both. Look, we haven’t got any supplies left and its almost dark. I don’t think I, uh, we can go without another meal. The Pokemon are fine, I’ve got a few cans of Chow left. Fury’s good at catching Rattata if worse comes to worse but I’m not eating one of those vermin unless I’m on my last legs. How much time till we reach Goldenrod?”
Suma flipped her Pokegear and jabbed at the buttons visciously. Remembering her Brown Belt, I mentally made a note not to piss her off. After a few minutes she said with a dejected sigh. “Four days, three at the least if we walk fast. Why can’t your Pidgeot carry us.”
I’d though of that solution when I had first met her but had met obstacles. ” She doesn’t know the Fly HM, with out it she can’t navigate and even I did teach it to her, we would have had to have visited Goldenrod city beforehand.”
“What about Chilun? You could ride him there, grab as much as you could carry there then run back?”
“Heh heh,” I laughed embarrassed scratching my head and looking at the dirt. “Can’t do that either. I sorta, maybe, kinda, possibly pissed him off. I made a stupid joke horse joke.”
“Again? Let me guess, never look a gift horse in the mouth? Or was it the whole Mr Ed thing all over again. You really have to stop that, he’s going to bite you.”
“Too late. Anyhow, maybe we can bum some food off some other trainers,” I suggested. The boys broke into some loud rock song or other earning a dirty look from a group of girls breaking camp early. “Or not.”
“That’s it!” I jumped, startled at Suma’s out burst. She spun on her heel, face as red as a tomato.
THWACK!
“OOOOOWWW!”
THWOOOSHH!
“UMPH!”
“Get back here you cowards!”
“What did we say?! What did we say?!”
I groaned, three human companions and not a person to have a decent conversation with for miles around. How ironic was that? I mean, when I had decided to travel with someone I did not expect them to be a Little Miss Sunshine, a water trainer who couldn’t swim and some arrogant giant who thought he was the worlds greatest comedian and gods gift to women. “I have to get some good judgement, “ I ventured to myself.
“Hey!” I looked up to where Fury stood on the crest of a hill. “There a house with a light inside.”
“Onya Fury!” I yelled back. “Maybe if I hurry I can lose them and score a soft bed.”
“So, please?” Suma asked, pleading our case before a waspish old couple on their front door. A very nice front door might I add. I nice house all together. Hmmmm, sheets…..
‘Of course,” the old woman smiled kindly. “But on two conditions. One, you help around the daycare tomorrow-“
“Daycare?” I raised my eyebrows warily
“-and two,” she peeked around the side of the house. Cal and Marc hooted loudly over some poor joke Marc had made. “They sleep on the veranda.”
“Deal!” Suma and I chorused.
Half an hour later, I was showered and refreshed and sitting before a sumptuous feast of roast chick, baked potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, it seem to for on forever. Everytime we finished a plate, Martha brought another from the kitchen, whistling merrily. Of course, we weren’t cowed in the slightest, after 3 days without a respectable meal, we were shovelling it down with ravenous animalistic noises.
“So,” Cal said through some half chewed chicken. “Wha do you do awound here?”
“We breed Pokemon,” Ashia, the old couples granddaughter beamed, clearing away an empty plate. The 13 year old girl with bright blue eyes and a brilliant blue bob cut hair. “Trainers give us two of their Pokemon and sometimes they lay an egg. We then hatch that egg and raise the baby. Trainers sometimes drop in, like you, and buy one to raise as their own.”
“Where are they?” Fury demanded suspiciously from her place in the corner. She was cranky because Louis, the old man, said that a dinner table was no place for a Pokemon so she had to eat in the corner. I didn’t blame her. She sat between Maverick and Pichu with some mashed potato in her ear caused by the curious little rodent.
“Well the eggs are in an incubator in a shed down yonder and all the little ones are tucked away fast asleep in there own little barn,” Louis drawled.
“I have an egg, can you tell me what it is?”
“Well you go bring it on out and we’ll take a look see,” Martha cooed, setting down some Shepard pie. Reluctantly I got up, knowing that when I got back there would be none of that pie left. I wandered up the hall to the room Sumalee and I would be sleeping in. I unzipped the bottom pocket and fished out the blue and pink speckled egg. Miraculously it was still in one piece since I had received it and was clean and warm. I mean, I certainly wasn’t on an average journey and it had made it through forest fires and Team Rocket without a crack!
With lethargic sigh, I hurried back to the table and much of my disappointment, the pie was gone and Cal, Suma and Marc all sat with please smiles on their faces. Greedy little pigs!
“Well…” I pursued holding it out to Louis.
“Well, its perfectly rounds, so it can’t be a rock types.”
“And?”
“But it has a rough texture so it can’t be a water or a poison type.”
“And?”
“And it certainly can’t be any bird types because it’s too big, unless it’s a legendary egg but it can’t be one of them.”
“Why not?” I whined disappointed.
“Because! It would have to be much bigger then this!”
“So what is it?” I asked, annoyed. This was getting ridiculous.
“I don’t rightly know!”
Suppressing the urge to slap my forehead, I rolled my eyes behind the wrinkled little coots back. No point in arguing.
“Here!” Ashia offered. “I’ll take it to the incubator outside!” Without waiting for an answer, she took the egg from her grandfather and whisked out the door. I sat down and enjoyed the rest of my meal. As soon as I sat down, Martha swooped down and dropped a succulent piece of chicken onto my plate and a good dollop of gravy. I didn’t even eat this well at home!
Feeling slightly melancholy, I put down the drumstick and watched the others. Those stupid cellphones were always blinking on and off, needing to be inside a certain range. So the only certain way we could talk was through the PokeCentre. There was almost no point to them at all. I hadn’t spoken to my family in weeks and I was sure that Scott had taken everything of value from my room and pawned it.
I was also dying to talk to Faulkner. We kept in touch, exclaiming over the best way to train a bird, Talon’s training was racing through with leaps and bounds, and he’d left a gift at the Azalea PokeCentre, the MudSlap TM I had yet to use. He talked enthusiastically as we pondered of the mysteries of the Wings of Council and traded information we picked up. I knew he wouldn’t believe me when I told him of my Echotrance encounter.
When the meal was over, Ashia and her Grandparents cleaned up the dishes much to our, well, Sumalee’s and my pleas. We were guests, they only said.
Sumalee and Ashia talked vigorously through the entire meal about this, that, and whatnot and had already become firm friends.
“Okay dearies!” Martha quipped with a firm hand on both the boys’ shoulders. Both shifted uneasily as if remembering being scolded when they were younger. “Time for bed and you’ll be waking up early so we can get most the chores done before the little ones wake up. They’re quite a handful at breakfast time and then you have to entertain them. You will be worn through before the sun reaches the zenith!”
I inwardly groaned. I despised anyone under the age of twelve so how was I going to cope with 50 little Pokemon dancing round my feet? I mean Pichu had already demonstrated that he couldn’t control his attacks. I was going to be high fried before breakfast. With a defeated sigh, I called Fury to my side and Ashia showed us down the hall to our rooms.
“I hope this is ok,” she said almost apologetically, opening the door. On the other side were two neatly made beds and soft pillows calling my name. With a goofy smile, I thanked her and took one of the beds, Suma the other. With relish, I bounced on it a little. Ooh an actual mattress and actual crisp clean sheets. I was dreaming before I actually fell asleep!
Sleeping beneath the covers and Fury tucked beneath my arm, I gave a contented sight.
“Night Suma,” I yawned. This was going to be the best nights sleep since beginning this gawddamned Journey!
“Awwwllllright! Chickadees! Time to rise and shine!”
“Huh huh! What! Ahhh!” I fell to the ground in a knot of sheets utterly bewildered, trying to figure out where I was. To make matters worse, I landed on Fury and her collar flames ignited with a violent orange flare and set my hair alight. I screeched and danced around the room, patting them out while Maverick doused me with a good torrent of water. I sighed with relief and glared at Fury and she inturn picked herself up and glared back. I brushed a dripping strand of hair out of my face and looked up at Martha. She still had her usual serene statement, not at all bothered by the racket.
“Come on sweetpeas! Early bird gets the worm!”
“But second mouse gets the cheese, jeeze Suma, she sounds like you!” I muttered under my breath fishing through my bag to get my brush and yanking it through my knotty hair. The grey of dawn pressed through the window, refusing any warmth whatsoever as I hopped from foot to foot on the cold floor. I was in no mood for tolerance as I changed from my sopping clothes into my Trainer Uniform.
With a last flick of the brush setting my fringe in place, I tossed it into my bag and followed Sum down the hall. Fury grumbled as much as I did as we sat down at the breakfast table. I glanced around at its occupants. Cal’s shaggy hair was in total disarray, worse then usual, as he stared blankly at his plate and cutlery in front of him. Marc sat in a similar state of mind but watched the door to the parlour hungrily watching the swinging doors like a Pidgeot eyeing a Furret burrow. Suma was as sunny as usual, chirping about how fresh the air was and how alive she felt. At that moment, I would have happily killed her.
I meanwhile slumped or my elbows, rubbing my temples. I glanced at my reflection in my plate. Eyes bleary, dry lips and a taste like dirt in my mouth. Despite its arduous brushing, my hair still looked like a mop did up with a rubber band. With a groan of distaste, I pushed the plate away and settled on today’s tasks Martha was yet to assign. I hated kids, what was I doing here again?
Suddenly the doors swung open and Martha and Ashia waltzed through smiling sweetly a tower of pancakes in each hand dripping of syrup and slathered in butter. Its thick sugary scent wafted on an early morning breeze to tease my nostrils so much that I actually drooled.
Bingo!
No sooner had Ashia set down the plate, I was woofing it down with guttural gulps and making sure my appreciation of the meal was known. I worked myself into a steady rhythm, cut chew swallow, cut chew swallow and then dash it down with some MooMoo Milk. This easily surpassed the best meal I had ever consumed.
Through my loud eating, I vaguely saw the old couple and Ashia sit down to join us. Louis watched us, trying to conceal his amazement, Martha smiled broadly and Ashia staring with open curiosity as she tried to keep track of the blur of movement that was Cal’s fork from his plate to his mouth.
Finishing in record time I’m sure, I mopped up the syrup and sighed contented, patting my stomach. Then, one after another, Suma, Cal and Marc did the same.
Five minutes later, the sun was still trying to drag itself over the horizon but I was at least feeling even a little better facing the day. Fury sat at my side, shamelessly licking her paws for the left over savoury mince Martha had served her and Mave. From the state of her fur, Mave had enjoyed it thoroughly.
Speaking of Martha, she stood before us distributing duties. The big-busted woman reminded me of Hagor the Horrible’s wife from the Sunday comics.
“OK chickadee’s!” she warbled. “We have got a big day ahead of us! This place has to be spick and span. Tomorrow we have official trainers coming to visit us and they might choose a little Pokemon to talk home with them.”
Sumalee looked ready to mention that we were Official Trainers but stomped on her food and gave her a pointed glance, letting her know I had no wish to be fussed over like a porcelain doll, as this woman would obviously do.
“Now you boys are going to help Louis patch up the fence. You look like you have good strong backs. You wander down to the back shed and get the hammer, planks and nails. After that you’re going to paint it.”
The boys groaned and trundled up the path.
“Now Sumalee, you’re going to help Ashia with doing up the barns refreshing the hay and such. Also wash and primp the baby Pokemon. Ashia knows where the ribbons are. If you have anytime after that, you two will keep the tykes entertained without getting them dirty. Now my itty bitty Topaz,” the woman crooned, blatantly ignoring my frown at the reference and pinched my cheek. Behind me, Marc and Cal had returned with their tools and were snickering behind their hands. They probably had a good idea of how much pain they were going to be in later so were keeping it to a minimum.
“You will be helping me in the garden. We have pruning and weeding and watering to do. And I’m sure you’re small enough to get under the hedge. I can’t tell you how many toys the Pokemon have lost under there and I can’t get them for all those thorns!”
Suppressing a groan, I nodded, rubbing my mouth. I felt like a Pikachu with bright red cheeks. “But first you’ll help me prepare their meals!”
I couldn’t even answer when Sumalee subtly pushed me aside and held her palm towards Martha. “You don’t want to do that, Martha, not if you want you baby Pokemon to survive until tomorrow. Topaz can’t cook. At all. She burnt our last packet of two minute noodles and butchered the sausages.”
My mouth sagged open, I thought the liked my cooking! Behind me the boys nodded vigorously.
“Yeah!” Marc joked. “Her active ingredients were a little, uh, too active! I’m sure I saw mine move!”
“You ate it before!” I said, shooting each a venomous glare and clenching my fist.
“Because we were rationing everything and I was hungry!” Marc folded his arms and took a challenging step forward.
“Your always hungry! You ate more then me and Fury put together!” I shot back, taking my own step forward.
“Explains why your such a skinny little midget!” he sniggered, poking my forehead. We now stood an inch apart, me glaring up at him, him smirking down at me. We stood frozen for a tense period and as embarrassing as it is to admit, my neck was getting sore from looking up,
“Well you got a booger up your nose!” I spun on my heel leaving Marc with an statement caught between amused and confused.
Ha! I thought with furious glee. Try to think of a comeback for that! “Now where are those Pokemon pellets!”
Martha eyed me nervously. “Uh, I think Sumalee will help me with the food preparation, you can help Ashia with the Pokemon, hmmm?”
Shrugging, I muttered “fine” and followed the young girl to the barns with Marc snickering at my back.
Once inside, we retrieved the implements and set to work with pitchfork in tow. Replacing the dirty, foul smelling stuff with clean, fresh but nether the less itchy hay. Let me tell you, its hard work, not the hard, lifting part, but the part where you have to make sure there isn’t baby Pokemon beneath your fork just before you jab it in. I swear there was Magby with either a death wish or an attitude problem. He’d just sit down on the hay right when I was about to spear it, smirking at me. It looked outright evil on what should have been an adorable face. Ashia scolded me for yelling at him. The little brat burst out crying but as soon as she turned around, his molten tears dried up. He spat a handful of glowing embers at my bare legs and ran with a “Bebebe,” of laughter to join his Smoochum and Tyrogue companions.
“Go on! Get!” I yelled after them, waving the pitchfork. Returning with a smile of satisfaction, Ashia only rolled her eyes and went back to work.
Just when I was ready to throw down the tool and storm away. Ashia said we were done. I grinned with relief and sat the fork against the wall. It was stifling hot, the air was muggy and full of dust particles, I wasn’t going to stay in there a moment longer then I had too and I was anxious to see how Fury was doing. She and my Pokemon had volunteered to watch the Baby Pokemon while we were cleaning.
“Wait,” Ashia said with a pleased smile. “I have something you might be interested in.”
My curious nature got the better of me and I followed her out the back door. “What?” I said scratching my head and gazing around the empty paddock.
“Hang on.” She put her fingers to her lips and a piercing whistle drilled through my eardrums making me curse. Bloody hell it was that loud. Suddenly the thud of hooves came to my ears and two horses Pokemon came into view. The pair looked like your usual Ponyta and Rapidash with their flames down low so that they couldn’t be seen except for the golden hue to their coat, a sunny yellow.
“Hmm,” I murmured in appreciation of their rare pelts. “They’re beautiful, how did you get their coats that co-“
A bolt of lightning whipped up from the Rapidash’s mane and another and another. When I looked closer I saw that their gorgeous manes were composed entirely of static electricity. Tiny static bolts ran up and down from its head to down its back. Its tail and fetlocks were also had tiny leaping joules of electricity flowing through them. “Jeeze! How’d you do that! The electric Rapidash thingy?”
“It’s not a Rapidash,” she smiled smugly. “It’s a Jolta and Joltsan. Joltsan’s the adult. We bred them hear by some sort of accident. We had left Teala’ out in the paddock during heat and a few days later we found out she was pregnant and her filly was Jilla, the female out there. We bred her with an Articolt and she gave birth to Dilkira, the colt beside her. We don’t know if there’s a third evolution like Zefire and Articorn but their recognised species by Professor Oak. He still comes to study them here when he does his radio talk show and is writing up their Pokedex information. He’s pretty excited. He thinks that if you can breed traits from one to the next there will be so many new Pokemon!” She finished with a broad smile.
“I’m impressed,” I told the younger girl. “Can I have a closer look?”
She nodded and whistled again, me clapping my hands over my ears not in time. The mare came within reach and I stroked her velvety nose, just how Chilun liked it. He was at Professor Oak’s at the moment in the PC. She nicked softly but kept her foal hidden behind her.
“Cool,” I murmured.
“Should leave them be now,” Ashia coaxed. I nodded and skipped the fence, Ashia following.
As I turned the corner I burst out into a fit of giggles. Fury lay dejected beneath the shady branches of a wattle, the latest litter of Growlithes tugging at her ears and fur mercilessly. Her eyes lit up as she saw me, leaping to her feet. But as she did, a puppy snagged her by the nose with his nippy little teeth. Fury yowled, the puppy growled and I howled, needing to lean against the fence for support as the mad sobs of laughter wracked my body. Oooooooh, how I wish I had a picture of it!
“Do you always laugh at your Pokemon,” Ashia asked, trying not to grin to emphasise her point.
“Oh yeah, always. One time I was tied upside down from a tree and she just grinned at me, the little smartarse. She didn’t get help or nothing so for fifteen minutes I hung by my shoelaces and had to listen to her crack the stupidest joke you ever heard,” I explained between breaths.”
Finally Fury gave a toss of her head and the pup flew into the air, lading and rolling to a stop. It shook itself and then got to its haunches still growling. I caught a few purple hairs between its teeth and it set me off again.
“Oh yeah, laugh it up, though I don’t know why,” she sulked, gingerly rubbing her nose. “As I recall, the same thing happened when you and Chilun were arguing yesterday morning.”
“Maybe, but he only nipped my fingers and its hard to argue when only one can understand the other.”
“I don’t think nip would describe the way you screamed and cursed.”
“Fine, fine.” I waved it away, blushing as Ashia watched amused. “Okay, report.”
“Report? What? Am I in the army now? Yes sir! It was all quiet for the first half hour. Apollo started a game of Hide and go Seek of which the Pichu twins one all four rounds. But then Apollo was bored and started tag, remaining it until he gave up chasing his tail and tagged Izzy the Igglybuff. At that time, Target who was on sentry duty, spotted a Fearow some way off and sounded the alarm.”
“So that’s what it was!” Ashia burst in worried. “That Fearow is always looking for an easy meal!”
“Yep, Aria and Artemis herded the kids beneath the trees. I’ve never heard Aria so forceful before, like you when you’re in a battle “Tackle this, dodge that!” Anyhow, she had it under control and Talorn was on her way to give the Fearow a good tongue-lashing. A fight ensued in which she womped his arse good.”
I looked around. All the Pokemon were calm, relaxed, and seemed not in the least bit stressed. “Nice one, anything else?”
“Yeah, the Magby and his little henchmen are planning something, I’m sure of it. A lot of gesturing and peeking to make sure no ones listening and such. They were pointing some, mostly in the direction of the incubator room and the barn you were shovelling out, so I’m guessing you.”
“Oh no, not Sizzle!” groaned Ashia. “He’s the resident trouble maker. His mother was the most docile Magmar you’d ever meet but the trainer insisted on taking her early, too early for the egg to hatch, so he was left here and we raised him. I guess he only feels neglected.”
“Bah!” I spat, another certain red head in mind. “Get it out of him now or he’ll be a delinquent and no one will want him.”
Ashia nodded thoughtful. “Well, its bath time. Topaz and I will grab the tub and soap. Can you watch them a little longer Fury?”
Fury grumbled but slunk back to here spot under the wattle like a child to his room without dinner.
Still chuckling to myself, I followed Ashia. She led me up the path to a cluttered garden shed and navigated through its mess easily, picking up bits and pieces.”
“Aha!” she exclaimed, pointing out a huge wooden tub, one I would have imagined the Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub riding in across the sea. “Help me with this wouldja?” So I dumped the ribbons and shampoo’s inside and with a supreme effort, we dragged it out of storage and up the road.
“What’s that?” Ashia put down her side as she shielded her eyes against the sun. Doing likewise, I squinting I could see a cloud of dust shot with glowing reds, flashing yellows and plumes of smoke. “Oh no!” Before I could blink, Ashia had bolted down the hill and was out of sight, leaving me in a tail of dust.
A little baffled, I shrugged it off. Her problem, not mine. I abandoned the bath and walked lazily after her, mentally making a list of things to do once we got to GoldenRod.
“Supplies first, definitely supplies. A stop at the Pokemart, a big place like that should have some Translators, or even better, something for me like that necklace Moon had. Apollo needs flea powder and maybe I can find some one to give him a wash, or at least some toothpaste. Potions, Full heals, Antidotes. Pokeballs, need Pokeballs!”
“Have to call home, Scott has to have passed licence by now, third time lucky right? Course I’m right! Have to pick something up for him. You promised, Topaz, maybe something from here. All about level 5, maybe one of the Growlithes or a Phanphy, inny minny minny moe in the end. You still got plenty of money from the Rockets and you can earn so some from battling once we get to GoldenRod. Send it by Pidgeot and it’ll get there fine.”
“Gotta call Professor Elm, he’ll have Adam’s and Ashlee’s number. Hook up and give them that goddamned egg! It gets heavier every day. Bet their miles ahead! Not my fault of course! I mean, come on, you’re a legend! Saved Violet Gym, raging bushfires, biggest bloody thunderstorm since Winds of Water I’ll bet and- Hang on!”
I stopped my rambling and looked down at the billowing dust. Reds, yellow and blues ragged through it as well as the blurs of movement.
“DAMNIT!” I yelled and dashed towards it. The closer I came the more I saw it was no ordinary dust storm but a full-blown war. The baby Pokemon slashed and bit one another, zapping lightning bolts, firing Embers and gusty winds. All through it were my friends and Pokemon zipping between them and trying to calm the angry mob.
Darting between the miniature battles I scoured for Fury. I saw her growling and spitting at an Elekid and Teddiursa. The two stared at the ground before slinking out of the fray. When I saw she was free, I made the mistake of trying to grab her by the scruff of the neck. As soon as I laid a finger on her, her collar burst into flames.
“Owww ow ow!” I yelped shaking my hand and blowing on it.
“Oh its you,” Fury said.
“Yeah me, what happened?”
“I was right! That goddamned Magby was planning something! Sizzle and his mates started a fight and before you know it every kid in the playground was hissing and spitting like Persians over a fish!”
“Ok, you go back to what you were doing, I’m gonna find the little firebug!” Fury nodded and was gone in a second flat. Again I wondered why I was here I searched the balls of fluff and found that of the few Magby’s that were there, none were Sizzle. After fruitless searching, I remembered Fury’s report, the barn and the incubator.
“Damnit!” I twisted around and tripped across the battlefield trying to avoid being fried and yet vigilant for sizzle and his little mates. A cold blast of air from a tiny Swinub left a frosty trail in its wake, a Geodude rammed head on into an Eevee sending it rolling across the grass. Artemis here, Ashia there. Ducking dodging, dancing every attack that came my way, I made it out in one piece, minus a shredded sock.
Stopping to catch my breath, I surveyed the area around the incubation shed. Around it was a few fields with adult Pokemon, a pond and a couple of Scribblebark trees. Hang on! Watching closer I saw a small blonde head bobbing up and down. She turned and froze.
I raced forward at her and she screamed in fear. From inside the shed, Tyrogue and Magby poked out their head, wondering why she raised the alarm. In that time I had crossed the distance, snatched the brat up and dangled her in the air.
“Alright you little snot! I don’t like kids and if you don’t let me in on what your up to, I’ll make that painfully obvious!”
Smoochum whined and begged, struggling frantically to escape my grip around her waist.
“Come on!” I roared.
“Rogue!”
“Ahhhh!” Hot pain flooded up my leg. Looking down, I saw the Tyrogue shaking his fist at me.
“Rogue, rogue. Tyrogue!”
“Or you’ll what?” I sneered, guessing what he said. The Tyrogue glared at me and in a blur of movement he planted a devastating kick above my kneecap. I howled in anger and pain, relinquishing my hold on Smoochum to clutch my throbbing knee. The Smoochum bounced to her feet and pulled Tyrogue after her.
Muttering thoughts of revenge, I spat a string of curse words orientating on those little pipsqueaks and limped towards them, painfully slowly. The trio made what I was sure were rude and insolent gesture and poked their tongues. Only Smoochum didn’t, watching me fearfully.
Suddenly Sizzle saw none of their taunts had any effect he reached behind him and held something above his tiny head. Rage burned inside of me as recognition of the thing he brandished aloft. Elm’s egg, Ashlee’s egg, Man, I was dead.
Paying no head to the battles around me, I charged like rampaging Tauros for those brats. Their eyes bulged in their heads. Tyrogue wanted to stand and fight, Smoochum wanted to run and hid and the Magby bolted for the tree’s yelping, still clutching the egg half-hazardly.
“Damnit!” I yelled, putting on a burst of speed I didn’t know I had. The other two screamed and even Tyrogue chased after Sizzle, who had all but disappeared from view. The three rejoined him but kept running while I sweated and panted after them. Who’d have thought that something with such short legs could run so fast?
Trees! Trees! Tree! Why the hell were their so many damned forests. I mean I’m all for environmental conservation but bloody hell! I’m never donating to the Preservation of Ilex Forest Fund again! It’s doing just fine on its own. In and out and around the trees I weaved, tripping over the tangle roots and just barely missing clothes lining myself every two minutes. It was a miracle that I wasn’t dead yet but split second reflexes came into plat.
A tree straight in front! Left!
Another! Dodge right!
Low branch! Duck and to the left again!
Up ahead I saw Smoochum staggering along out of breath and by the betrayed statement she wore, her friends had abandoned her to my fiendish clutches and fiendish clutches they were indeed! With the pissed off mood I was in, I’d make sure her punishment was painful, very painful!
Smoochum chanced a glance behind her and saw I was catching up at a rapid pace. Squealed! I must have looked like a Rhydon out of control because even though she was stuffed she still refused to be caught. Her little legs pumped sloppily trying to keep away, all for naught.
“Come back! I promise I won’t hurt!” Now I added silently to myself. “GOTCHA! She squealed even louder, practically rupturing my eardrums but I wasn’t letting go. She bawled and bawled and bawled, the shriek showing no sign of ceasing anytime soon.
“Hey! Hey! Hey! Shhh! Calm down, I’m going to hurt you!” I frantically rocked her ands shushed her and she started to quiet. After an eternity, she was relaxed enough to at least understand me. “Shhh, see? I’m Ok, your Ok, the only one not Ok is the egg. Your mates aren’t that good that they won’t drop it and when they do, it’ll shatter into a million pieces, and the baby Pokemon inside with it. A baby Pokemon just like you. The best way you can help it is by helping me, what do ya say?”
Smoochum goggled at me, her lip quivering and with some sort of resolve nodded feebly.
“Good, which way did they go?” I asked carefully. Nice was not one of my usual sides and being this sweet was sick. I guess ends justify the means. Smoochum pointed vaguely into the trees. I groaned inwardly, this was eating up too much time. With tried patience, I took a deep breath and focused on not blowing up.
“Do you know where they’re heading?” Nod, nod. “If I carry you will you direct me?” Nod, nod. “Good.” I picked her up and sat her on my shoulders. “Now hold on, one smooch for left, two for right and Smoochum for stop K? Lets go!”
I dashed into the trees again, racing in a blur of thought. One wrong move and I’d be skittled nine ways from Sunday. I reacted with barely a second to spare as Smoochum yelped a direction. Her grip on my neck was strangulating but there was no time to stop.
Meanwhile in the back of my brain, I was wondering how I was going to get back. My sense of direction was about as good as my sense of fashion. I mean, your talking to the girl who got lost in the hospital standing beneath the big red sign that pointed towards the lobby.
Suddenly the trees dropped away and I could clearly see Sizzle and Tyrogue stooping over the egg.
“Stop where you ahhhhh!” My voice trailed off as I tripped over dead wood with clumsy feet. Smoochum toppled off my back as my forward momentum carried me on the tips of my toes, trying to right my self. I heard the other too Pokemon babbling and below my below my fringe I saw them waving wildly and gesturing to stop. I tried to say I couldn’t but before I know it, I barrelled into both with an “uhh” as Tyrouge’s head ridges stabbed my ribs.
We rolled as a heap for less then a minute before I felt the earth disappear beneath me, and gravity pull me down. In a day of quick thinking and reflexes, I flung my arm out and groped for anything in reach. My fingers brushed the edge but missed and dragged along the rocky wall before snatching an outcrop. I whimpered as I felt blood trickle down my fingers. When I felt brave enough to open my eyes, I looked around, trying keep my arms from giving at the same time.
Straight in front of me I found the grainy surface of the rock face. It was warm and its radiated heat, making eyes water. I blinked them away, looking left and right. The walls stretched in both directions in a zigzagging path with no obvious end. No help there. I though with gritted teeth. Then with a grim state of mind, I braced myself and looked up. I only stole a glance before the glare of the sun hit my eye but not without seeing the top, it seemed to be miles away, with Smoochum silhouetted against the light.
It was then I remembered Tyrogue and Sizzle. I swallowed hard and called up to her, keeping my gaze locked on the rocks in front of me. “Smoochum! Are Sizzle and Tyrogue up there with you?”
But a scared “Maaagbee!” and a pained “Rogue,” answered for her, not from above but below. Startled, I sought furiously for a foothold. Once found, I was able to look downwards and saw both relatively sage on a good-sized ledge about a meter and half behind me to my right. Though it was large enough, I prayed it would hold my weight.
“Stay there!” I ordered, though I could already see them exploring the edge, poking around. “I’m coming down!” Sounded more like a threat.
Little by little, I worked my way towards them. It was slow going as stable holds were few and far between. They constantly crumbled under me and sending little thoughts of death scurrying through my head. To make matters worse, Smoochum had started to cry again and she made more racket then an Arcanine in a full moon.
When I was positive it was right beneath me, I convinced the two to make room for me and dropped the last bit to land lightly. I flopped down and rested, stretching my arms to relieve them of tension and examining my shredded fingers. I chewed my lip as they were red raw. I hid the fact from the Pokemon. If they saw me lose it, they’d lose it and we’d all be screwed.
“Smoochum? Is the egg up there?”
“Smooch?” She sniffed. After a moment I heard some scuffling and she reappeared with the egg.
“Good, go back to the house and get help. Now.” She took the hint and hurried off, leaving me with the misfits.
“Now that I’m here, lets check you over. Tyrogue, you first.” I held out my arms but he shook his head and raised his fist as warning. “What? That meant to scare me? Please, you obviously don’t know who your talking to!” I smirk at my accomplishments, but then thought otherwise. If I was so smart, what was I doing down here?
With growing impatience, I took his wrist and dragged him closer to me. Tyrogue’s fist suddenly snapped out and pain exploded in front of my eyes. My head rocked back and smacked against the wall.
I sat staring stunned at Tyrogue. “Rogue!” he snarled at me and tossed a sideways glance at Sizzle. Sizzle nodded approvingly and waved his hand as if to say continue.
Tyrogue jabbed with his other hand, aiming for my jawline. I brought my own arm up just in time to deflect the blow, then swung my arm in a crescent and grabbed his arm. I was so angry that without even thinking I yanked him into the air and over the edge of the ridge.
“Alright brat! If that’s the way you want to play, fine! But don’t dish out what you can’t take. Its your fault we’re here and your fault I could have my Pokemon License revoked! It’s your fault that egg above us could be scrambled and its your fault we could die of heat exhaustion but know this, don’t hit me again or I will hit back!”
With that I dropped him back onto the ledge and slumped against the rockface. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the throbbing pain of my ripped fingertips and long red grazes. Hell, until help arrived, we weren’t going anywhere.
* * * * *
Tatter tatter tatter tatter! Crit! Crit!
I pealed one eye open looking for what had shaken me from my light doze. My gaze drifted to Sizzle and Tyrogue. They lay sleeping beneath a small bramble bush that had somehow rooted itself to the ledge and flourished. Tyrogue snored and Magby kicked his legs in his sleep. I thought about how tempting it would be to shove both off the edge and call it an accident. I sighed. I still would have lost my license on the grounds of neglect. I groaned but even as I did the sound came again.
Tatter tatter tatter tatter tatter! Crit! Crit! Critt!!
This time I saw what it was. A loose clump fell from the top and bounced down the drop to shatter on another ledge further down.
“Fury! Suma! Cal that you?” Then with no effort to conceal my annoyance but still not willing to give up, I added. “Marc?”
When no answer was forth coming, I shielded my eyes and looked up. Since the sun had past its zenith, I was able to see at least and outline. Beside me, the other two stirred to see what was happening. “Anyone!” The only thing up there was the vague silhouette of the egg.
“Damn!” I muttered but even as I saw it, the egg shuddered and sent another shower of dust and dirt cascading down. It rocked back and forth and I realised what would happen. I glanced from the egg to the gorges floor quite a way down.
“Death by splatter,” I looked down.
“Death by Elm,” I looked up.
“Splatter.” Down
“Elm.” Up.
With irritation, I shook my head. “Spatter it is.”
I stared up again and judged a ledge directly beneath the egg. There was one, a little off and above me but with the state my hands were in, I didn’t know if I could make it in time before it toppled over. It was already precariously wobbling and I inwardly cursed Smoochum for her stupidity.
“Ok Tweedledee and Tweedledum,” I told them, ignoring their squawks. “You’re staying here. I have to risk my neck because of you stupid prank. Next time you do something this dumb, remember me at the bottom with my skull in splinters.”
Without further hesitation I dusted my hands on my shorts and found my first hold, and my second, and my third. I climbed as quickly as I dared, keeping on eye on my target shelf, little more then a ridge itself, and the other on the egg which was steadily rocking itself to its doom, every now and again raining dust into my eyes, The first time was almost my last as I instantly clutched my eyes to wipe it away. And one of my footholds fragmented beneath me and all I relied on were my strained arms and throbbing fingers.
I chanced a look up to see where I was and took note that I was almost there. I could probably reach it with a good jump.
Tatter tatter tatter tatter! Crit Crit!! Tatter tatter tatter tatter! Crit! Crit! Shttt crit!
I spoke too soon as the misleading calm of the bush vanished in the wake of an avalanche of rocks. I only managed a glimpsed upwards before a huge clod struck my head and broke apart with a fluttering of dust. It didn’t hurt but all I could do was screw my eyes shut, hold my breath and cling to the wall. More exploded around me as the egg jitterbugged madly making the dry earth fall away beneath it. I struggled to keep my footing, and the thick fear in my throat from overwhelming me. The dust clung inside my mouth like a fur coat as I tried to calm my rebelling lungs. All thoughts fled before one other. Death is inevitable!
Below me I heard the chanting of the Pokemon. Tyrogue and Sizzle’s hands bounced in time to their chanting and I got the distinct feeling that what they were saying certainly wasn’t encouragement. Out of sheer spite, logic returned and I knew there was little time left before the egg fell.
I reached to my right and tested another hold before putting my weight on it and then searched for one my foot. Impatiently, I put it down, seemingly stable. The ledge was near!
CHHCHCHCHTTTTT!
Without even thinking, I knew what happened. The eff had fallen and with little regard of whether I’d make it, I threw myself at the ledge an awkward sideways motion, hampered even more as my foothold gave way and with it my momentum. I grasped blindly for anything as gravity tugged at my body. Each second stretched out for an eternity as I groped with eyes screwed shut through midair.
With a sudden jolt, my elbows smashed into their target, jarring it and sending a reverberating shockwave that set my teeth on edge coursing through my bones. Such agony almost made me give in and relinquish my hold on my hard earned prize. My eyes rolled and breath caught in my throat but vaguely aware of wasted time, I pushed up on my elbows and swung my dangling legs up. I collapsed gasping on the heated stone. It was barely wide enough to support my waist and its length was only sufficient to support little more then my torso.
Again I was caught unaware as a weight crashed into the small of my back and left me choking on the air I had frantically been inhaling. My whole body howled, shrieking at my abuse. I just lay on the brink of consciousness, trying to regroup.
“Damnit!” I swore through angry tears. Why couldn’t I have a normal journey and just collect badges and battle the average Team Rocket about as intelligent as Ricky and Renee?
I reached back and grabbed the rock, ready to hurl it over the edge at the baby Pokemon who were still chanting. Luckily I felt its almost smooth texture and realized it for what it was. Elms Egg!!! I nearly fainted with relief.
WAS I GOOD OR WHAT!!!!!
I congratulated myself. I carefully manipulated it so that it was safely between the wall and myself. Still stuffed, I lay a while longer before finally getting into a sitting position and examining it. Long fine cracks ran across its geometric pattern as well as I fairly large one, it jiggered path around its circumference. Too tired and achy, I didn’t do anything except grunting in annoyance. Pressing my back as close to the wall as could but my legs dangled over the earth.
I sighed and repressed the urge to lean over and jeer at Sizzle maybe spit on him. He had stopped his singsong but I caught his disgruntled statement as he peered up at me. It was enough.
I shook the sand out of my hair and tried to judge how long it had been since Smoochum had gone for help. It had been just after midday and now it was three, but I sincerely doubted my PokeGear was working after all the stress that had been put too it. I waited some more and rested my eyes.
“Topaz?”
“Fury! Is anyone else with you? I called back, wiping away the dust and sweat caked in my eyebrows.
“Of course you idiot, I know I’m gonna be able to pull your fat arse up this gorge by myself.” She joked good-naturedly so I decided not to pound her for that fat remark.
“Where are the others?”
“They’re still coming. It took a while to get through Kellie, that fricken Smoochum, and all her babbling, and even longer to lead us here. Louis has some rope and Martha has food and water. How’s Sizzle and Tinda going?”
”Ooooooh, their juuuuuusstt fine,” I replied sarcastically and was answered by the short sharp, Larva larva! That was Fury’s laughter. “I hate you.”
“I can live with that,” she chortled.
“Mag! Mag! Mag!”
“Ty! Ty! Ty!”
“What,” Fury asked her fellow Pokemon, though from her relaxed position and mocking smile, she really didn’t care what they said.
“Magby, magby! By, by! Mag!”
“At the rate Louis is limping along and the fact Marc is in no hurry to rescue Topaz, another 15 minutes,” she returned languidly.
“How dare he!” I growled.
“Hey, not my fault you piss off the wrong people,” she retorted cheekily. “I’m not the one who calls him Marcalark or sing continuously. There are only so many times one can take the PokeRap.”
Knowing she was right, I didn’t bother with a come back. She was becoming too much like me for her own good. After filling Fury in on what really happened and what happened after Kellie left, Fury watched me with certain awe, or it could have been scepticism, the Pokemon did little to back up my story.
“Chickidee? You down there?”
Rolling my eyes and trying not to say ‘duh’ I yelled back, “Yeah! Sizzle and Tinda are on a ledge below me and I have the egg!”
“Ahhhh! Topaz are you down there?” Louis’s balding head poked over the edge and grinned down at me.
“Are you deaf old man?” I muttered impatiently. “Yes, and since when was there the Grampa Canyon in your backyard!”
“Since the earthquake of 2040!” he cackled back. “Didn’t you see the fence?”
“You mean that dead wood I tripped over? I cried angrily. “That was a fence? What would’ve happened if I weren’t here and those baby Pokemon plunged to their bloody death!”
“Well I was gonna have the boys fix that up today.” He chuckled embarrassed. I heard Cal and Marc groan in the background.
“But don’t worry, Ashia and Sumalee are here with Joltsan. They have a rope attached and they’re going to lower the rope OK?”
“Sumalee’s head popped beside Louis’s. She didn’t seem in the least bit worried. She flashed me an encouraging grin and let the rope down carefully. It was thin and mouldy and didn’t seem the least bit safe, but I was in no position to complain. It swung back and forth as I eyed it with more then a little doubt. With my back against the wall, I stood up, stuffing the egg under my shirt so I wouldn’t drop it. I reached dangerously over the edge but snatched the flimsy rope.
“Ok, I’m ready,” I said with a firm grip.
“Hang on!” Ashia called and her Joltsan neighed too. The rope jerked up almost ripping my arms from my socket and continued more smoothly. Below was an outrage squawk followed by a hiss. I glanced down and Sizzle and Tinda’s danced and shook their fist. The rope was too short to reach them and their tiny legs were useless for jumping. Throwing caution to the wind, I wrapped my arm with the rope. When I was sure I was secure, I dropped my free hand and made the universal face, stuck my tongue out and pulled down my bottom eyelid and closed the other eye.
“Nana, na, nana!” I crowed as I was hauled up. My upward climb came to a halt and Marc and Cal grabbed under my arms, pulled my up and dumped me unceremonially onto the ground.
“Jeese, what happened to your fingers,” Cal asked disgusted as he took one hand and examined my torn fingertips. “Did you get hungry and decide your fingernails weren’t enough?”
”No-oh!” I drawled, giving him an irritated look as I tugged out of his hands. “For your information, I was busy saving Tweedledee and Tweedledum down there, as well as this.” I took the egg from beneath my shirt and held it out. “See!”
“What? Why were you so stupid to bring it out here?” Sumalee frowned at me.
“I di-“
“How could you be so irresponsible?”
“I wa-“
“Do you have any idea what Professor Elm would have done to you?”
“It wasn’t- Oh I give up!” I sighed exasperated, rubbing my temples yet again. I moved to sit beneath a tree and watched as the sky beginning to darken, as evening grew closer. I hadn’t even sat down for a minute when Sumalee cleared her throat.
“What?” I said suspiciously.
“Well, the rope doesn’t reach the Pokemon and you’re the smallest here,” Sumalee smiled sheepishly and played with her fingers.
“Ashia’s small as I am!” I cried.
“Not really, Topaz!” Fury laughed, still lying down. I shot her a black look letting her know she was going to be in big trouble when I was all fixed up but she just laughed. “Lava lava!”
“Can’t I rest?” I whined. “We can leave them there till morning, they’ll be fine. Well as long as they don’t sleep walk.” I added with a dodgy smile. It didn’t sound like a bad idea.
“Martha’s eyes flew open and she scrambled to the edge, her bulk making it extremely dangerous. “Don’t worry darl’s, Topaz is coming to get you. Everything’s going to be alright,” she turned around and gave me a scalding glance. “Won’t she?”
I shrunk back against the trunk and squeaked, “yes!” and sprung to my feet. The woman’s intimidating gaze never left my back as I snatched the mouldy rope and descended it like a parasailer, muttering into my chest about the unfairness of it all. After all, how was it my fault! I mean I saved them! Sorta, maybe, mighta, kinda……
I past my ledge and swung further down. My hands were getting rope burn as well as reopening my cuts. Blood trickled over my nails and made my grip even slipperier. With my heart in my throat, I dropped lower and tried to ignore my dizziness.
“OK, brats, shove over. This is your fault so I have preference,” I said rudely, stepping onto the relatively large ledge for a rest. I wiped the perspiration of my head with my forearm and gaped down, I shuddered.
Rolling my shoulders, I grabbed the rope again. “All aboard,” I grinned as Tinda’s bony ridges and Sizzles claws, none too gently dug into my thigh. After a word of warning, they loosened their grip a little and gave a bebe that they we’re ready I yanked the rope and it started slowly upwards again.
The voices at the top buzzed with uncertainty. I frowned. My arms felt like they had been in a tenderiser and were going to give out. I wasn’t just holding onto my weight but two stowaways as well.
“What’s happening?” I called.
“Umm, Topaz?” Sumalee’s face looked down on me now, her damned hair reflecting the sun. “Do you think you could pull yourself up?”
“Pull myself up,” I said slowly, as if I was unsure if it was a joke or not. Her anxious statement gave its answer. “Pull myself up? On these scrawny arms? My fat arse and two dead weights? Pull myself up?”
Suddenly a yell chilled me through and the bright red flashes of Pokemon being released only confirmed my worries. The scuffling of shoes and angry cries of Louis and Martha set my teeth on edge as I became aware of a low drone. I listened carefully to the noise and my guts twisted inside as I could place a name to it.
Beedrill.
As if on cue, a black cloud blotted out the already receding light. The many pinstriped bugs writhed like the churned up ocean before a cyclone. They spiralled downwards, wave after wave of kamikaze fighters, attacking without though of the consequences, their two stings thrust forward. Their maddening pitched thrum made very hair on my arm vibrate with them.
I was panic stricken! I couldn’t go up and I sure as hell wasn’t going down! My limbs locked in fear, but maybe that was a good thing. I stared upwards, eyes as wide as a satellite dish, barely aware of the pitiful whines of Sizzle and Tinda as his nails gouged my legs in a childish effort to bring me back to reality.
The knot in my throat loosened a millimetre but that was all that was needed to squirm loose. It rushed through like a reservoir through a broken damn pushing past clenched teeth. The shriek of terror soared far over the buzz of the swarm. My heart jerked in my chest, straining at the vessels that held them in place. The shriek trailed off but another surged forwards.
The rope swung like a pendulum as the winds of a thousand vibrating wings flushed gales of air whipped us in a flurry through the gorge.
“Shut up!” My scream died in my throat, bewildered. I threw back my head and Fury’s silhouette stared back. I could just make out her frightened features. “Shhh!” she hissed in a quieter tone. I realized what she was doing as she spewed forth a layer of smokescreen, veiling the gorge. I swallowed hard, forcing my self to calm and focusing on the situation at hand.
The Beedrill were yet to see us and if those above could keep the Beedrill distracted whether they wanted to or not, we had at least a little time.
“You two all right?” I grimaced, aware of how much my body ached.
“Be!”
“Ty!”
”Good, I don’t know what to do,” I confessed wretchedly. I carefully rearrange my grip as the Beedrill wings buffeted us and tore my voice away with it.
Fwoot! Fwoot! Fwoot! Fwoot! Fwoot!
Five Beedrill penetrated the smokescreen like knives through butter. I could hear the air whistling through the blur of wings and being distorted over the hum. With a crucial decision, I thrust my feet forward and shoved off the rock wall to skim along side it. My shoulder was battered unmercifully. As the skin was grated off I only felt relief as the Beedrill shot past, missing by inches.
We swung back the other way, the screams of the Tyrogue, Magby and helpless human girl blended into one of pure fear. My throat clenched as below I saw them preparing to strike again, their stings outstretch with a sinister gleam.
“Beedrill” the leader spoke to its comrades and they fell into formation. Why were they attacking! My mind implored with a hysterical tinge. “Darillllll!”
The lead bug slew forward, the others straight after with a buzz of anger. I bounced off the wall again, three slamming into where I had just been and dropped through the air to land with a crunch below. I fended off the furious jabs of their deadly stings with my free hand. I deflected one vicious stab after another, keeping a sweaty hand on a mouldy rope, swinging and spinning to keep my body between them and the baby Pokemon. I wheezed for air and finally bawled. “FURY!!!”
As my attention lagged, the needle sharp forearm scrapped my ribs. I grunted expelling the little air I had in my lungs and my hand flexed involuntarily and slipped, gliding down the rope with a severe case of rope burn.
I moaned as my vision swam. I was seeing double, triple, and quadruple as I tried to keep grip on reality. No longer able to defend myself, the Beedrill seized their opportunity and though still competing with the erratic movements of the ropes, they struck their target fair enough. Many only grazed but one managed to stab my fleshy upper arm.
“FURY!!” I cried again hoarsely, vainly pushing off the wall to keep momentum flowing. I barely had to wait to see Fury. Her infuriated howls were swallowed up in the sweltering flames that roared around engulfing the remaining bugs. Their agonising shrills bombarded my ears till they swooped away on charred gossamer wings.
Hanging by one arm on a lazily swinging rope with a Tyrogue and Magby wrapped around my legs would have been comical, except I hadn’t the energy to laugh. My eyes watered and rolled into my head. My limbs slackened and I fought convolutions that threatened to take my body.
I suddenly felt gravities insistent tug and was scared, as it was none of my doing. Overwrought, I rolled my head onto the back of
my neck. “Gawd no,” I moaned softly. Along each of the four blurry ropes rad a line of famished flames, gnawing hungrily. Another
braid snapped and we jerked again.
“Fury!” I croaked. Fury growled above me and the flames extinguished in the wake of her tamed flame, but not in time.
The urgency of the situation pushed me to move. I loosened my grip and slid down the rope, my hands being rubbed red raw. I
halted. The rope was breaking too quickly and the ledge was still to far below to chance out lives. Closing my eyes, too dizzy to
keep them open, I dropped my top hand and placed it lower, shifting my weight slowly with it. I waited for any snapping cords but
nothing happened. With something just short of relief, I repeated the process again and paused. Still safe. Hand under hand I kept
going, struggling to keep my churning stomach down.
Then, as I groped for one of the right ropes between the four that had warped my vision, a thundering screech followed by the
Phaenix diving overhead. The Rebirth Flame attack engulfed the rest of the Beedrill swarm with a flap it wings. It vanished in an
explosion of red and gold fireworks.
The air tossed the rope around like children playing tug of war. My free hand fumbled for the rope and shifted weight with little heed
to the severing rope.
RRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPP!
The rope jerked and dropped lower, hanging on by one last braid.
“Jump!” I shrieked hysterically. One weight dropped from my legs but the other clung stubbornly
“Bebebebe!”
“Look, I don’t care if I die, as long as you live but if you don’t jump now we both die and it will be completely useless, now JUMP!”
The weight hesitated a little longer but finally let go. My ebbing hearing heard a faint thud beyond the ringing and their cries of relief.
Swallowing hard to keep the bile down, I looked up. The thread failed, but even before I felt the world spiral away, my consciousness
gave way to the black abyss.
“Bebe!”
“Tyrogue!”
I was barely awake before a wt mucus coughing fit seized my longs and shook them. Not just shake, twisted it violently so my
whole body convulsed, my limp limbs were flung about. I was nothing but a rag doll in the hands of a giant girl. My lungs begged for
air as my coughs wracked my body.
I somehow managed to roll onto my stomach and the attack subsided, but not before I vomited over the side, long gurgling
wretches. In my mess, I could make out lumps of Maroon, sickly blood clots. I was in bad shape and knew it. I lolled back against
the wall, gasping for air, taking it in long and deeply. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t slow my racing breaths. I moaned. My gut
was in an impossible knot, squeezing tighter and tighter. The cramps clutched my chest with the screaming stabs of a rusty
dagger. Its sultry kiss made my lungs writhe even more.
My blood pumped around my body a thousand miles an hour and my heart laboured to keep up with demand. The pressure made
every artillery, vein and capillary want to burst, regardless of every thing else.
Groggily I opened my eyes, but they were worse then useless. My vision didn’t just swim it drowned. A blur of brown that constantly
undulated made my stomach feel worse.
“Help! “ I breathed softly, trying to focus on the reddish shadow I hoped was Sizzle. I heard his and Tinda’s faint yells. They rolled
inside my head like storm waters crashing onto the wave breaks of a harbour. My head throbbed and I whimpered as I leaned over
and emptied my stomach again. Even when I had nothing left except globulus blood spitting past my teeth, it constricted in dry
heaves. My head swooned and I was delirious with fever, but I could still make out the voices of distress above though it barely
registered.
At the time I thought they were carnival clowns.
Long thin green coils wrapped around my arms, legs and torso, supporting me evenly as they hauled me up.
The ropes set me down gently and withdrew only to have myself crowded around and bombarded with meaningless sentences and
garbled words. A purplish blotch ran up and down beside me mumbling and a black and red splotched wiped my flushed brow with a
wet towel. Words escaped my lips I didn’t mean and I saw things that weren’t there. Tiny brightly coloured dots chased each other
across the sky and back again.
The plod of hooves and whiny of a horse were almost missed and a vaguely recognisable voice comforted me, but still annoyed me
with its cheerful demeanour.
“Oh my!” it whispered. “She’s almost past help. Step back, give her air.”
”Chan, Chanseeyyy!” The pink marshmallow ushered the other into the trees while the first muttered to itself and rattled through her
bag. It pulled out something that penetrated the fog and made my heart beat even faster. A long silvery syringe gleamed in a sinister
way. I squeaked and tried to get away but it forced me down, rolled me over and stabbed the syringe into a, um, fleshy part.
I gasped loudly and fell back into darkness.
* * * * *
I awoke slowly and the first thing I realised was that I was thirsty, not that I was in a soft bed or that I was in Ashia’s house
surrounded by floral arrangements but that I was really, really, really wanted a glass of water.
“Water?” I croaked. Cal, who had been leaning his chair against the wall, toppled off squawking in surprise at the tiny voice from the
mountains of cushions.
“Wait right there!” he said quickly and dashed out of the room and heard him crashing down the stairs.
I’d have yelled out something to the effect that I wasn’t exactly going anywhere, but he was already gone. That boy just amazed me
sometimes. I relaxed onto my pillow and wondered how I got here or even the last thing I remembered. I lifted my hand to brush
away a fallen lock of hair but saw it was tightly wrapped in bandages, as was my other and my shoulder had a gauze pad strapped
over it. As I turned my hand slowly back and forth I furrowed my brow and tried to recall what had happened.
Flashes of phantom pain and visions of Beedrill returned swiftly and I tunnelled through the blankets and pushed them away with
and effort. Through another shredded shirt, the various puncture wounds ringed by wicked colours ranging from deep purple to
yellowish greens. I poked a small one curiously and cringed.
I cursed under my breath, vividly reliving their wings buzzing around me, stabbing with lethal venom. I shuddered and tried kicking
my legs, testing them. They seemed fine, a little sore and stinging from the long grazes and maybe a little sunburned.
I threw a sideways look as the door squeaked open and a Nurse Joy and her Chansey gave a disapproving gaze at my hand poised
above my sores.
“Stop prodding them or you’ll make them worse. What’s needed is broth and bed rest. You’re certainly far from healthy and I’m
pleasantly surprised you’re awake so soon, though I’m sure you won’t see it that way wen your next injection is due in,” Joy
checked her pocket watch, “Three hours.”
“Injection?” I rasped. That reminded me. “Where’s my water?”
”Sumalee’s coming up with it, your Quilava too.” Joys voice lost its deploring tone and took to one of admiration. “She didn’t seem
worried at all. She had complete faith that you’d be fine, and it seem she’s right. I did a check over all your Pokemon and their
strong and healthy, though weary. You should take them to the PokeCenter next chance you get. Oh, and give your Houndour a
flea bath, though I guess you already know that.”
“Joy check me over, temperature, breathing, reflexes. The only thing wrong was high blood pressure, mild dehydration and a low
white cell count, meaning it’d be hard for me to fight infections for a good time after. She fluffed my pillow and left, but only after
lecturing me I needed at least a week in bed when she saw me ready to protest. She finally left, calling Chansey after her,
promising to be back in time for my next, uh, injection.
As soon as those two were out, the rest of the household piled in, and two more familiar faces. Suma offered me a glass of water
and when I skulled it down, she poured another from an extravagant crystal pitcher. After two more, Ashia helped me sit up right.
The room was silent, waiting fro me to say the first words.
“What happened?” A chorus of voices answered, but Suma got the best of them with that foghorn voice.
“When you ran after Sizzle, Tinda and Kellie we managed to get the kids calmed but we couldn’t find you. We figured you got
hungry and went in for a bite.” She paused as she saw my incredulous statement and shrugged sheepishly. “Hey, that’s what we
thought! So we went inside and when you weren’t there, we figured why wast the trip. We had another, delicious, meal,” she added
for the benefit of Martha who beamed. “We waited for you when you didn’t turn up when Kellie burst in. Took us yonks to figure out
what she was saying and even longer to follow her to where you were. By the time we got there, you were lounging on that outcrop.”
“Lounging?” I asked slowly. “Is that what you call it. I was thinking more along the lines of, oh I don’t know, passed out from
exhaustion and heat stroke.”
When I finished my little outburst, they were all staring at the floor, except Marc, he was having a fan-bloody-tastic time. “So what
was with the Beefrill?” I asked, knowing full well what had happened.
“I got bored,” Marc admitted grinning. “So I started chucking rocks at the trees on the other side. Musta got their nest. I say you got
what you deserved.”
”Got what I deserved? Why you, you enjoy seeing me like this don’t you?”
”Oh yeh! Means you talk a lot less.”
I tried to think of a comeback but I knew he had me and I wisely stayed silent.
Fury suddenly leapt into my lap and flashed me her irresistible grin. “I for one am glad your back. There’s no one here who shares
my sense of humour but Ashlee.”
“Hey yeah, how’d you guys and Joy get her? And why did you send a Pokemon doctor to help?” I finished with an irritated tone.
“Eh,” Ash shrugged. “We were coming down the road to check out the baby Pokemon. We called the other day and said we’d drop
by. Anyway, we were coming down the road when we saw Ashia flying up the road to Golden Rod a million miles an hour on that
electric horse”
“Joltsan,” Ashia provided.
“Yeah that. Adam managed to wave em down and she barely stopped for a minute to explain you were on a rope with Beedrill before
she was off again.”
I threw Ashia a gracious glance. “It had to be done,” she said simply though was clearly flattered.
“Me and Ash got her as fast as we could. We got to the house and no one was there. We wandered round until we recognised your
Sentret and your Pidgeot showed us the way, just in time to see Fury wipe the Beedrill and Ashia on Joltsan with Joy riding behind.
She released her Bayleef and I got Ivysaur and yanked you up. Joy made them put you on Pidgeot and she took you back to the
house. Meanwhile, its two days later, and the egg has hatched if you want to know.”
“Uhuh!” Ashlee said smugly. “A Togepi that only likes me!”
“Nice,” I said dryly. Damn egg.
Suddenly Martha shoved her way through the crowed to stand beside the bed smiling sweetly. “Little Topaz! You were so brave
rescuing Tinda and Sizzle. The three of them have been beside themselves with worry for you, you know! Is their anything you need,
anything at all.
“Well,” I drawled. “I really need to go to the toilet.”
* * * * *
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