|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:03 pm
Adel was always aware of the unique connection that humans and Pokemon shared. He watched with awe as Pokemon faithfully protected their masters and friends all the time. He'd sit in front of the television as a child and watch show after show where there was something that just seemed to...click when a human and a Pokemon looked at each other. But in all his 29 years of life, he never, ever expected for it to be this...strong. Here was this utterly terrifying legendary that would kill him and show as much remorse for the deed as someone who stepped on a blade of grass...and at the same time, this thing that was so vulnerable and shockingly human pleading with him to kill it.
He ran his finger along the length that reached from her back to her skull, felt the warmth from her blood pulsing through it against his skin. She wasn't just some creature...she was a living, breathing thing that had just as much a right to live as he did. He couldn't take that away from her. With the gentleness of a mother with a child, he rubbed her back while resting his head upon her own. In the silence that was the two of them leaning against each other in the midst of utter destruction and chaos, thinking of life while expecting death, he closed his eyes before he spoke.
"I...can't do that." She could feel his muscles tense as he spoke, his body already expecting retaliation from her. "It isn't my place. It isn't...anyone's place to take anyone else' life, and certainly not mine, here and now. Ever. I'm...I'm sorry."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:27 pm
As the fire blazed on, several branches began to fall. The fire has followed itself down the trunk of a tree and was now burning the grass below. The stench of burning vegetation heavily filled the air and Catherine panicked. Even with the soothing embrace between her and Adel, they would surely die if they stayed. "The forest is dying." Catherine said as she lightly retracted herself away from Adel. "I want to help but. I cannot use any attacks. I don't want to awaken my other side again. The fire has grown immensely. Do...Do you know of a way for the fire to be cleared? The forest eventually will be too destroyed if we just stay like this. Think...think of the poor Pokemon..." Collapsing on Adel again, Catherine cried. "This is all my fault...I'm sorry..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:54 pm
Adel knit his brow as he attempted to think of a way to save what parts of the forest weren't caught in the blaze. He found it was hard to think and harder still to stand upright; when Catherine pulled away, he went back to leaning against the weakened trunk of the tree to maintain his balance. There had to be something that could've been done. Maybe...he could call for help?
He reached into the pocket where his phone was, fingers groping for its familiar shape...and finding only fragments. It must've broken when he'd been thrown into the tree. There was no sense in taking what remained of the phone out - seeing it would only have upset Catherine, he was certain - or in crying over spilled milk. He'd have to think of another idea...and as he heard the crack of a limb crashing to the ground, he realized that he had to think quickly. If only his brain would work, if only the pain would subside for just a few moments...
In an attempt to clear his mind, he raised his eyes to the canopy. Many of the trees in the area, if not all of them, had caught ablaze, but he could still see the azure sky beyond the flames. "...could you...maybe...find someone to help? I mean, not someone. Some other Pokemon...a water Pokemon, maybe? Just to...calm it down. I'm sure rangers are on their way, by now." He lowered his head and winced when his knees hesitated beneath him. Just a little longer, he willed himself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:15 pm
Catherine trembled as the tip of her tail twitched profusely. She couldn't think straight as another branch fell. She was too scared to even do anything. Suddenly, a small ringing was heard. Twitching her ears, panic arose in Catherine again. The ringing grew louder as footsteps were also heard in the vicinity. Upon reflex and reflex alone, Catherine snatched up Adel into her grip and flew into the canopy of a distanced away tree. She hugged Adel to him as she did so, taking rest upon a high branch. "Be quiet." she said as her voice croaked with fear. "If they find out that I am here, I will be taken back. I don't want to go back. Not again." Suddenly, the footsteps of several Rocket grunts entered the area. Large machines were hitched upon their back which connected to a canon-like gun held within grip. Several of the grunts began to shoot the treetops with foam as a pair dressed differently also entered into the area.
"Have you tracked her yet Clarin?" questioned the roguish man as a sinister smile appeared on his face. The woman bit her lip as she turned about in place, a small contraption in hand. "No yet sir." she replied as her cherry lips spoke. "You said she was over here right? Well, I am not getting no signal. Are you sure you tracked the right location sir?" The large man hefted up one of his arms to touch his chin. Analyzing the area, he turned about before eying the slightly burned carcass of the Vulpix. "She's been here alright." the man said as he took the carcass within hand and dug through it with his other free hand. "This carcass has been striped bear of all organs besides the intestine. Heh, the ole girl's still got it huh? Been so long an' she still remembers. That mah girl!" Clarin bit her lip again as the grunts put out the fire. "Sir, I picked up something in that direction." she said as she turned towards him. "Do you think...?" The man just smiled crudely as he stared in the direction. "Trust me Clar'." he said as he laughed. "She's there. She's just be playin' a small game of Hide and Go Peek."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:41 pm
In a few days, Adel would be thankful to the Mewtwo for not leaving him behind. But in that moment, the sudden jerk of being picked up and rapidly moving upwards until they were safe in the canopy made his head swim. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to push out the woozy feeling that floated up from the pits of his stomach. God, I'm going to be sick. He clung to Catherine like a child once they were up in the tree, listening to her comment and the drowned out conversation beneath them without opening his eyes.
Rockets. It didn't surprise him in the slightest that they were the ones behind whatever happened to Catherine in the past. He frowned at their talk, how they referred to her like she was some kind of pet. Hadn't they heard her talk? Hadn't they seen her suffer and cry and laugh just the same as the next human? But neither had time for him to think about just how disgusting whoever had done this to her could have been. They...were tracking her? That means they had to have something to track. Without letting go, he shifted in her arms and opened his eyes to stare up into hers.
"Look at me," he whispered as lowly as he could, trying his best to maintain eye contact. The fact that he was no longer standing on his own helped, but it didn't stop the ache...just made it a bit more tolerable.
Listen. Can you hear this? Can you hear me thinking? The effort of trying to make her hear him made the throbbing ache slip into a stabbing pain, but he had to try. Nod, if you can.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:05 pm
Nodding her head, Catherine dare not speak again. They seemed to have found her, but they hoped it was nothing more than another Pokemon coming to see if the fire had toned down. A large flock of Pidgeys and Spearows returned to the tree tops and began to peck at the bark, looking for the remains of any Caterpie or Weedle larva that could have taken shelter inside the branches and died due to the horrible wake of the fire. As the Rockets took their stance, the man laughed and cracked his fingers one by one. "C'mon out you lil' vermin." the man called as he smiled like a Gengar ready to torture the living hell out of a little girl or defense Pokemon. Catherine gritted her teeth as she jerked. In truth, she was ready to go to him just because he called. He was his mentor when she was she first created. He was also the first one to show her how to kill. She had slaughtered many small Pokemon when she was younger, but she didn't want to anymore. Holding back to urge to fly down to him, Catherine clinged to Adel tightly. She wanted to speak, but kept her mouth shut as Clarin took a step towards the tree.
"They're somewhere around here, sir." the ebony haired woman said as she tapped an impatient high-heeled foot. Hitting the remote-like device against the trunk of a tree, she bit her lip again. "Sir, this piece of junk isn't doing us any good. You got another solution to this problem?" The man just laughed as he followed behind her. Placing both hands on a random tree, he shook violently and the branches began to rustle about. Catherine frowned as she walked the tree a couple paces away from her shake. "She'll fall down like a Pidgey nest if I shake like this." laughed the man as he turned to another tree and shook.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:23 am
Adel bit his lip. They'd find them soon enough, the way they were checking the trees. They could run, but they'd find her, eventually... He glanced up at the Pidgeys and Spearows busily pecking at the trunk, then looked back at Catherine. She was clinging to him like a frightened child holding a stuffed animal in her arms. He only was somewhat aware of himself as he clung back, holding tightly from a mix of a need to keep his wits about him and mild terror. It didn't strike him as odd - though it should have - that not only was he so close to something that had tried only moments before to kill him, but that he was invested in saving it. It just felt...right. His parents raised him to be frightened of Pokemon, but that didn't mean they raised him to be immoral.
I...think I have an idea. He hastily ran his hands along Catherine's arms and back. Where is your tracking device? Do you know?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:35 pm
Pointing to the back of her neck, Catherine pushed to show a small red light flashing under the surface of her skin. The device wasn't too deeply embedded into her neck, but it was hard to infer if it obstructed her wind pipe or not. Sighing, another tree shook and caused Catherine to chirp with fright. The man paused as he heard her cry and turned to Clarin. She in turn ran the remote device along the tree in which Adel and Catherine were under. She squinted as she look up, biting her cherry lip as she did so. "There is signal here boss." she spoke as she once again tapped her heeled foot. "But the remote is reading two embodiments up there. Do you think this thing is wrong?" Cracking his knuckles, the man just laughed. "Dun' listen to that thing." he laughed as he cracked his last finger. "All we need ta' do it shake a little, she'll come falling down." Grasping his hands around the tree, the man began to shake. Catherine covered her mouth as he did so. Motioning towards Adel, she turned. He could get it out somehow right?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:02 pm
Once upon a time, Adel prided himself in his ability to make quick decisions. Even his parents were pleased to see just how sharp their son was. But that was before the convenience of a normal life dashed away his daring childhood dreams. Now, he had to try to reclaim that part of him that seemed otherwise dead. With fumbling fingers, he reached for his dagger.
This is going to hurt. I'm sorry, he apologized, his brow knit in sympathy. He stroked her cheek briefly in a show of compassion with his free hand, then pushed the dagger beneath her delicate skin with the other. As carefully and quickly as he could, he made a quick incision, purposefully making it larger so that he would avoid her wind pipe, then pulled the device out in the same fluid motion.
I have to go. I'll be alright. Heal yourself. Stay here.
And with a quick twist of his already damaged body, in an action that he would later realize was both the bravest and most reckless thing he had ever done, he moved out of her grip and fell. His managed to avoid many of the larger limbs that were closer to the ground, but many of the smaller branches broke beneath the weight of his fall. He slammed into the ground at the Rocket's feet with a faint thud and a cry of pain, his bloodied fingers wrapped tightly around the device.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:29 pm
Even though the incision hurt, Catherine ignored it. Nodding her head in a thanks, Catherine lightly pulsed her body to heal the wound. As she watched Adel turn to jump, she saw him fall. Catherine's heart shook as she heard the thud. "Oh no." she cried in her thoughts as she looked down. "Oh, please! Don't hurt him!" The man who was rattling trees before frowned smugly at Adel. "Who dis' guy?" questioned the man as he gritted his teeth. Clarin shrugged but blinked when the remote started beeping like crazy. "Sir, he has the tracker." she said as she pointed to his palm, the red light still flashing. The man hollered in anger as he picked Adel up by the scuff of his jacket. "Listen 'ere you." said the man, his disgusting breath hazing nastily in front of Adel's chin. "You think yer cocky aye? Carryin' round dat device like it some toy. You know where you got it don' ya? Where is she ya lil' punk, I ain't playin' games!" Catherine gritted her teeth as she saw her old mentor speak to Adel grimly. In an act of defense of her friend, Catherine raced down and tail slapped the man away, grabbing Adel before he fell to the floor. "Don't you DARE lay a hand on him again!" Catherine's harsh tone echoed. "I will kill you if you do!" The man laughed. "Aye, calm down girlie." he said as he clapped his hands together. "Papa 'ere ain't gonna hurt anyone. All ye gotta do is come with us." Catherine gritted her teeth again. "I am not anywhere!" she responded.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:01 pm
Funny, how...strange he felt when he hit the ground. It hurt, there was no doubt about that; it hurt more than anything he'd ever experienced, more than anything he ever wanted to experience ever again. But the pain was so intense that he almost didn't feel it. He noticed how true this was when he went to try to put his foot down to brace himself after the Rocket had picked him up. He thought maybe it was because he was so dazed, but he literally could not feel his left leg. It tingled a bit, like he had been sitting on it for too long, but it wouldn't respond to anything he tried to make it do and hung just as limply as the rest of him. He was certain this was not a good sign.
He opened his mouth to reply to the Rocket, but stopped when Catherine came down. The sudden jerking movement made him cough, and with the cough came blood. Crumpled, not unlike the dead Vulpix she had held earlier, Adel remained almost unmoving in her arms for a few seconds. She might have feared him dead if it weren't for his heavy, shallow breathing dotted with coughs...and his thoughts. That wasn't the plan, he strained to tell her. His clenched eyes opened and glanced up at her with more than twice the reluctance of a person being awoken too early in the morning. All his body wanted to do was sleep. But - and this confused and scared and almost excited him - all his heart wanted to do was fight. With noted effort, he craned his head to look over at the Rockets.
"She's...my Pokémon," he muttered, his blatant lie almost growled a low, defensive tone. "I...caught her and everything. You can't...take away someone else's Pokemon."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:02 pm
The man laughed with his hands upon his hips, cackling as if he was fizzing with hysterical jokes. "We're Rockets you dolt." replied the man as he smiled large teeth enough to bite the head off a Farfetch'd. "Even if ya own her, we're gonna take her." Twirling a blackish colored Pokeball on his finger, he laughed again. "Ever saw this kid? It's a specially designed Rocket ball. This 'ere can catch any Pokemon, caught or not. Listen kid, if ya don't want ta die, hand over that girlie over there and we would be on our way." Catherine tensed at her mentor's voice. He was still as crude as ever. Gritting her teeth, Catherine lightly set Adel against the base of the same tree he had fell from. "Stay here." she said, a smile before turning with a c**k of her head. "I'm sorry." she said to Adel through thought, her body twitching slightly. "I can't have you hurting yourself anymore. You're badly hurt already. Adel, stay there. Don't get up to move. If you do, they will surely kill you. Please, let me take care of this. I...am going to kill him. I'm sorry but, I can't help it. Its coming again. It wants him dead." Straining her neck, Catherine gritted her teeth. She feel to her knees before a loud rupture caused her to jolt forwards towards the man. She grabbed his throat and squeezed, Clarin and the other grunts swarming away from her. "Mathus!" her voice screamed, dull and phatomed as the other side of her reacted upon anger. "You dare hurt him. You dare hurt my friend?! I'll kill you! I'll rip you to shreds! I'll make you feel the pain of all the other Pokemon you made kill in the past!" The man, whose known identity was Mathus, squeezed her arm trying to tug her away.
But the Mewtwo didn't budge. She squeezed before throwing aside. "You are a disguting cruel man!" she screamed, her eyes blaring with hate. "You will die at my hands today!" Clarin shivered with fear before pointing weakly. "Get her you idiots!" she commanded at the Rockets. The Rockets tried to swarm her at each side, two from her right and left. Hastily, the female Mewtwo pushed them away using Psychic. Walking straight up to the just reviving Mathus, Catherine stepped on his throat. "You are a vile human." she complemented with a laugh as she applied more pressure. "But look at the vile creature you created. Does it feel ironic to die at the hands of something you created?" Catherine giggled sinisterly. But she could not take into account how Adel could be watching her. She wanted Mathus dead and gone and that was the only thought on her mind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:12 pm
Adel never thought he'd ever be caught in a moral dilemma (though he was discovering slowly but surely that this was a night for firsts) as black and white as the one infront of him. He never thought he'd stand aside and watch someone be murdered in cold blood. Yet, what shocked him the most - what, in truth, almost made him sick to his stomach - was that he was not going to intervene. It bothered him, of course, that there was someone being killed in front of him, and while he watched Mathus gasp for air the same way he only an hour or so before hand, his stomach churned unhappily.
But in a way, she was right. He'd created this, made her do this. Didn't he deserve it? He could see no reason for someone like that to live. He could see no penitence for this man, this shell of a human being. And perhaps, if Catherine did this, this dark side of her would fade. It was all he could hope for as he sat where she had rested him, refusing to watch the scene and keeping his eyes diverted. He kept an eye on the Rockets that she had blasted to the side, making certain that they would not come after her while her back was turned...or for that matter, after him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:56 pm
As Mathus squealed and coughed like a Swinub being roasted alive, Catherine increased the pressure. More sputtering sounds interrupted the quiet atmosphere. The Rocket grunts were all knocked out, toppled on each other like old dolls staked together by a little girl bored with them. Clarin was set to the side, yelling and speaking gibberish-like words into walkie talkies as she bit her lip. Mathus tried to push Catherine away as his windpipe became smothered and crushed, but his attempt came to no avail. As his eyes began to roll back into his head, the loud sounds of chopper blades echoed through the forest and ruffled leaves with its passing. A sharp explosion came afterwards as a large missile was rocketed in her location. She was blown back, sustaining little damage. Clarin forcefully slapped each of the Rocket grunts and awoke them, ordering them to grab Mathus and run. They followed orders and grabbed the muscled man, dragging him into the helicopter to escape. "Bastards! I will not let you escape!" Catherine cursed as an Aura Sphere readied into her hands. She shot it gingerly at the getaway plane, only to have it ricochet back with another missile. In an attempt to protect Adel, Catherine smothered her body over her friend. "Close your eyes!" she hastily said as she growled at the flying away plane. Her attempt to murder was a failure. He had gotten away. But, that was the last thing on her mind. When the shattering explosion cleared, leaving burn marks and splinters in her back, Catherine looked tearfully at Adel. "How much pain are you in?" she questioned, her apologetic tone agreeing with her hurt face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:16 am
Adel was more torn than he had ever been. When the commotion rose once again, when the Rockets all scurried together in an attempt to save Mathus, he wanted Catherine to win. But at the same time, he found that he wanted the Rockets to escape more, and he found himself willing them along, mentally urging them to hurry back to the copter before Catherine hit one of them with an attack.l
And then, suddenly, there were explosions. He wondered if this was what it was like for soldiers at war, being in the middle of such firepower. He could only wrap his coat around himself and stare as the chaos went on just a few feet away from him. He never thought he was in any real danger, for whatever reason; it didn't occur to him that a missile might miss and hit him, and that would be the end of it. No, it wasn't until Catherine bodily shielded him that he realized the danger he was in.
In a roundabout way, she had saved him. He met her eyes with his own, wide and uncertain, as he looked up. He meant to say something like "thank you", or maybe explain that everything hurt - save for his leg, which he still could not feel. He meant to ask where his glasses were, as it was only then that he realized the outline of her features were fuzzy, and the background behind her was a blur. But when he opened his mouth, the first words that came in a quiet, hushed tone were, "...you aren't going to hurt me again, are you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
