Lisa the Legend - Chapter 52 up!!
Lisa the Legend II: Night Falls.
Chapter 21 - Diverse Destinies.
Still weak, the ancient man stumbled, his vision blurry, past a massive pewter boulder. It had been three days now, without nourishment and very limited water. He slumped down beside a shady tree, and relaxed his frail muscles. His body was telling him to give up, to lay in the shade and die quietly, relaxing himself and enjoying his last few moments. But inside, the knowledge of what could happen if he didn’t make it on time somehow kept him safe. He had to keep going, for not only the sake of those destined ones he had overheard about, but for the sake of many humans, and pokemon, alike.
He bent his head down and lay against his side, but before sleep washed over him, a thunder of heavy footfalls was heard, approaching powerfully. The ground shook slightly as an orange-furred Entei, it’s long mane and mask-like face appearing first, followed by sturdy body and legs, and Raikou, yellow and purple coat sparking dangerously, landed from the sky.
“ Oh … no,” the man muttered, as Entei set his mouth in a grim line and Raikou winced.
//You know far too much, human// Entei muttered, and Oak shivered.
“ I won’t tell – I prom-” he croaked, mouth dry from lack of water. Raikou clicked his tongue, and the tree began emitting popping noises, apples bursting from nowhere to the ground, rolling into one another.
Oak let a weak grin spread over his face. “ Thank –” He crunched into a moist apple, letting the cool juice run down his croaking throat, soothing it. He swallowed a good collection of drops, and his dry throat moistened. He then began chewing the apple relentlessly, but Raikou and Entei’s kindness seemed very limited.
After two life-giving bites, the apple dissolved into thin air, and with a sound like a whip cracking, all the uneaten ones did too. Entei glared down while Raikou looked on; the electric beast had a flicker of doubt apparent on his face.
//Human, you cannot return to your people// Entei boomed, with the merest tint of threat in his tone.
“ What?” Oak muttered, now feeling, if very slightly, revived.
//We must take you-// began Entei, but Raikou now interrupted.
//Must we, Entei? The human heard through no real fault of his own, he merely-//
//Silence!// Entei overruled his companion. //Raikou, don’t be soft. It is what we must do, if they found out too soon-//
//Maybe they should find out sooner than we planned. Everything will work out if we just take everything slowly and assess it, right?!// Raikou said, now defiantly, dropping all pretences of power and seriousness. //Entei, do we really need to do all this?//
//Don’t contradict me, Raikou. Just let me finish this off-//
//NO!//
Both legendaries were glaring each other in the face now, while Oak sheltered himself with a thin arm covering his face, eyes peering nervously out. Entei had by no means forgotten him, but Raikou seemed determined to continue.
//All these years, Entei. All this waiting, for what?//
//You are fully aware what for!// roared Entei, it’s body temperature soaring and flames beginning to curl from the edges of it’s gaping mouth. //Raikou, listen to reason-//
The sparks zapping on Raikou’s coat were pooling into thin bolts of electricity. Entei and Raikou’s eyes were now locked in place, and the flames than had been sneaking into Entei’s mouth now pooled as the electricity was doing, and filled his mouth with flame.
Oak slipped cautiously away, using his shaky arms to crawl away while Entei’s back was partially turned, and he was occupied with Raikou. Raikou noticed the attempt at escape, and devised a quick plan.
//Entei, if you are blinded by-//
//I am NOT blinded by anything, human or otherwise!//
//Of course you are, brother. If you would just remember our true cause …//
Oak had now crawled behind the wide trunk of the tree, and pulled himself up to a standing position. He had broken into a cold sweat, but was now determined again, and began walking as fast as possible after being stranded in the Ecruteak Plains for three hot days. While Raikou spoke almost stupidly, Oak made good progress, and it wasn’t until Oak was almost out of sight from the tree that Entei gestured towards Oak’s previous position, only to see that he wasn’t there.
//What the??// Entei turned frantically, and spied Oak near the crest of a distant hill, stumbling along near a bush. Enraged, he turned back to Raikou. //You…//
//I did nothing, brother// Raikou said, his mouth curling upwards into a grin.
Entei turned and positioned himself for a sprint when Raikou’s eyes glowed mauve. Nothing appeared to happen, but when Entei turned to run, he found his body frozen in place. Raikou grinned – he had succeeded in the Disable Attack. Entei glared, his eyes rolling towards Raikou, before he glowed scarlet and broke free of the Disable.
//Shadow Pull// remarked Raikou sullenly.
//Impressive, eh?// Entei gloated. //I suppose you forgot we were created with equal powers?//
//Oh we were, were we?// Raikou hissed, sparking evilly.
Both creatures broke into a full-on pelt at once, racing for the crest on the hill. They made it almost instantly, neck and neck, when three blasts of water whooshed out of the bush nearby, washing over Entei and making him reel backwards, weakened by the water. Raikou smirked.
//Equal powers, huh?//
A burgundy-haired teenager stepped out from the bush, followed by a weak and pathetic looking Professor Oak. The pokemon in the bushes stopped abruptly with their water gun as they were swiftly disabled by a growling, menacing Entei. Raikou flinched, and the girl put up her hand to her mouth in shock.
“ Uh oh,” whispered Anna.
*
Along the route to Ecruteak, a solar-powered buggy drove swiftly east. Lisa sat behind the wheel, her hands firmly clenched onto the wheel, her knuckles white as she strained her ears to listen to the afternoon news on the buggy’s radio. The Saturday sun was slowly sinking in the east, and the light in her eyes lessened. Aipom snoozed peacefully on Gavin’s lap, arm wrapped tightly around his seatbelt in case he was swept away by the wind.
“ Turn it up, Gavin,” Lisa muttered, focusing on the road ahead, in case any Rattatas dared to leap out from the multiple bushes. Gavin sat next to Lisa, cradling his right arm, which was partly obscured from the wrist to the elbow with a heavy bandage and sling. “ Why don’t you? I’m the one with the broken arm …”
“ I’m the one who isn’t stupid enough to fall out of the buggy while it’s going,” Lisa snapped. “ Besides that, I’m driving.”
Gavin sighed, and reached across to the radio, nudging the dial with his finger and putting on a fake expression of pain, and Lisa rolled her eyes. The volume abruptly increased, and Lisa’s ears pricked up, and she listened to the report:
‘ Naomi Baxter with that report on Team Rocket’s current workings in the Goldenrod Underground. We’ll keep you updated with that story, and on the location of Joseph Sterling. In national news …’
Lisa began to tune out, having missed the interesting report, but Gavin shushed her as she began to discuss the last one. She quietened down and listened:
‘… still no more information on the whereabouts of renowned Pokemon Specialist Professor Samuel Oak of Pallet Town. He was last seen on the evening of Wednesday the 5th near the wreckage site of the old radio tower, which collapsed in October after an explosion believed to be a sort of Pokemon conflict. On Wednesday evening, Oak was with his pet Slowking. His close friend Delia Ketchum called the police after Professor Oak failed to return to their hotel that night.’
Lisa’s memory struggled with the mention of the name, until she clicked. Not long after leaving Goldenrod she had fought a boy called Ash Ketchum, and Entei had appeared in the area. Delia was Ash’s mother – she had been taken by Entei briefly … it was all coming back now.
‘ “ I wasn’t sure where Sam went to.” ’ came Delia’s voice over the radio. ‘ “ Then he … never came back …” ’ Lisa felt sorry for Delia, but the report wasn’t over.
‘ Professor Oak is the world’s leading expert on Pokemon, especially in their evolution. In Pallet Town, Professor Oak’s assistant Tracey Sketchitt says he didn’t telephone him or leave any messages. Rumours are circulating that the Professor was kidnapped by Team Rocket agents, who are rumoured to have a hideout hidden in Goldenrod City. The Goldenrod Game Corner is under suspicion following the revelations of a Team Rocket Base hidden in the Celadon Game Corner back in 1998. Officer Jenny and her crew insist they will check around as soon as possible. Aaron Linvale, Mahogany Town.’
The news concluded with brief, annoying music, and Gavin obediently turned the dial down to almost no volume. Silence filled the buggy, a rather subdued one. Lisa drove steadily onwards, while Gavin resisted the urge to rub his arm, which ached continuously. Finally, Gavin opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it, and said something completely off-subject.
“ Wonder where Kris is now?” he mused, as Aipom awoke, and stretched it’s tiny arms.
“ Probably still near Moo-Moo Farm,” Lisa guessed, trying to shrug of the feeling of mystery that had overcome her since listening to the report. In both articles, Team Rocket had been mentioned – what did it all mean? And who was Joseph Sterling?
“ It was really nice of her to let us go together.” Gavin remarked, seemingly unaffected by the wind now battering at his face.
Lisa nodded absently. “ Well, yeah, but I let her – you know.”
Lisa felt horrible when she had given Butterfree’s pokeball to Kris, but she knew it was fair enough. Kris would mind Butterfree until they met again. When Lisa first spoke to her companions, it was decided that Lisa and Kris would go in the buggy, and Gavin go on foot to Ecruteak, and arrive after the girls. However, when Gavin took the buggy for a spin, without a seatbelt, he had fallen out the gap where a door would usually be located, and crushed his arm. A boy with a broken arm wouldn’t exactly be very able, and in the end Kris volunteered to stay behind, and meet them later on in Ecruteak, provided Gavin didn’t drive. Lisa had felt like repaying her, and Kris suggested a battle. When they fought, Kris won again, and Lisa noticed both Kris and Butterfree took a liking to each other. In the end, Lisa said Kris could keep Butterfree until Ecruteak, which seemed fair.
Suddenly Gavin moaned, as the buggy slowed considerably, and Lisa’s eyes darted around. The sun had almost completely sunk below the horizon, and the buggy had nearly halted. She put the brakes on, and parked the buggy in the middle of the wide gravel road.
“ Alrighty, Aipom, get up,” Gavin urged, pushed Aipom off his lap, but Aipom clung desperately, wanting to snooze some more. Gavin slipped out of the car himself, and left Aipom on the seat, who mischievously curled into a ball. Gavin took Lisa’s Elekid and Magneton’s pokeball from his pocket, as well as his Lanturn.
“ Go!” he cried, releasing them onto the ground. Gavin laughed as he noted the differences between the three. Elekid stood as tall as he could, about two feet in all, to look important and show he was ready. Magneton hovered with a buzzing noise, sadly repeating it’s name over and over. Lisa hadn’t used it at all except for powering the buggy at night. And finally Lanturn, flopping dismally on the gravel. Gavin looked wearily at him, and then fairly recalled him.
Magneton hovered close to the solar panel, and Elekid clung onto the magnet’s back, stuck to it by static electricity. Gavin checked they were ready, and he sat back into his seat, screamed, and sat bolt upright.
“ Aipom!” he growled, turning to face the monkey-like creature, who had a small chunk of Gavin’s pants hanging from his teeth. Lisa giggled, and removed Aipom from the seat, wrapping him around her head with his tail.
“ Aipom, the living turban,” Gavin jeered, and Aipom poked out it’s tongue. Gavin sat down, rubbing his backside and inspecting the damage.
Lisa laughed again, and swivelled her head to Magneton and Elekid, Elekid who had sparks firing off him already, and Magneton, who had all three eyes half shut in a look of excruciating boredom.
“ Ok, let’s go!” Lisa started the buggy up. Elekid powered up, and with a bright “ Bi bi!” began sending electricity from it’s body’s supply down to the panel and battery. Magneton did the same, although much less enthusiastically.
The buggy resumed it’s long drive, the Tin Tower and various skyscrapers of Ecruteak now lighting up for the night and coming into ever-so-distant view.
*
Night had fallen long ago, and Kris was tired out. Chompy looked it, too, he hadn’t had a swim since the river where she met Lisa and Gavin.
Kris sighed as she plopped her backpack down, and Chompy sprawled out over the cool, wet grass. Kris yanked her magnetic pokeball belt off, which contained Ledian, Vulpix, Growlithe, Misdreavus, her new, temporary Butterfree, and Chompy’s empty ball. She wondered abruptly if her Jigglypuff was getting along with Professor Elm at his laboratory in New Bark Town. Kris had sent her there while taking Butterfree aboard for a short time.
She pulled her sleeping bag out, and threw out all her pokeballs, instantly making six pokemon surround her. Whenever Kris slept alone, she liked to have pokemon company. And she especially felt safe with Growlithe around.
Chompy was snoring within seconds, and Ledian seemed tired out. Misdreavus didn’t really sleep, so it fluttered up to a nearby tree and made itself at home in the branch, watching out over the quiet plains. Vulpix curled up next to Kris, like a teddy bear of sorts, and murmured goodnight, with a loveable squeak. Kris said goodnight, and Butterfree flapped it’s wings over her, with a silvery blue sleep powder, and she was out to it within seconds. Butterfree landed with a slight thud next to Growlithe, who seemed very alert and watchful.
While Kris, Jigglypuff, Ledian and Chompy snoozed, the other three stayed awake. Butterfree couldn’t sleep, her mind filled with thoughts of Lisa. For although she had chosen to travel with Kris, she missed her old trainer, and the conversations she had with the other pokemon, especially Gavin’s pokemon, who all seemed to have a friendly attraction with Butterfree.
Growlithe tossed and turned in it’s sleep. It felt as though something horrible was going to happen, something truly terrible, just over the horizon. He tried to shake the feeling off, but it wouldn’t go. Finally, very frustrated, he stood up and prowled around the campsite, where many motionless forms were slumped on the wet grass.
‘ Wet grass?’ wondered Growlithe. He cautiously prodded the grass. It was still swimming with water. It wasn’t just damp from the evening dew or the brief rain from much earlier that day – no, it was something else. Artificial source?
Growlithe scampered around the site, searching for somebody awake. In the end, he heard a hiss from above his head, and turned to see Misdreavus, floating just above a browned bough, high up in a tree. Growlithe’s brow furrowed, and he spoke to Misdreavus in his own language.
“ Misdreavus – the grass is wet. Too wet.”
“ Water is the giver of life,” replied Misdreavus blankly, it’s black form almost transparent against the midnight sky.
“ What? Listen, it’s a pokemon that’s been here – something bad has happened.”
“ Go back to sleep.”
“ Misdreavus!!”
Butterfree stirred suddenly, and heard the two arguing. “ Who’s there?” she requested, timidly.
“ Us.” Growlithe muttered. “ Growlithe and Big Black Stupid Ghost.”
“ Misdreavus,” corrected Misdreavus.
“ What’s happening?” enquired Butterfree.
“ Growly over here’s having a panic attack because of the wet grass.”
“ I noticed that,” Butterfree said, rising to the air, and joining Misdreavus, landing on the thick bough.
“ So what? I was trying to sleep, and then this guy-”
“ You don’t sleep, you’re dead,” interrupted Growlithe.
Butterfree stifled a yawn, which took great strength in her overtired and worried state, but she continued. “ Even I can feel the weird presence here,” she explained. “ It has an eerie feel to it.”
Growlithe nodded. “ It’s horrible. Oy, can you guys help me up there? I’m lonely down -”
Two snorts punctuated his speech. “ Too heavy for me.” Butterfree smirked.
“ Dogs can’t climb trees,” said Misdreavus in a sarcastic way, though truthfully.
The three sat or hovered in silence for a while, and suddenly a blast of light from somewhere distant on the horizon caught Butterfree and Misdreavus’ attention.
“ What the …” Misdreavus drawled.
“ Oh my God …” Butterfree stuttered.
“ What is it?” called Growlithe, from the tree’s foot.
Misdreavus kept her eyes fixed on the horizon, but Butterfree hissed “ Explosion” before turning back to stare.
On the horizon, which was only distinguishable by the moonlight, there was thick smoke billowing out of what appeared to be a tree. There was a scarlet flame, visible by even their great distance, licking at the tree’s trunk. Then a blast of silvery celeste shot out of nowhere, followed by more flames, and then a spark of bright yellow electricity. Growlithe kept questioning the others, who were watching intently.
Meanwhile, at the tree in question, Entei raged, anger filling him like a fluid in it’s container, to the very brim, while Suicune and Raikou stood slightly back. He glared venomously at Raikou, before his mouth filled with fire, anger’s most powerful form. He grinned viciously, and laughed an extremely hollow laugh, no hint of mirth hidden within it. Then he fired out the fire at the tree’s trunk. Screams echoed through the endless plains, from the trees. Anna and frail Professor Oak were hanging from the branches, Oak grasping for life while Anna strained to keep herself and him safe. Her Psyduck clumsily fired out pathetic water guns, which barely doused the flames.
//Stop, Entei! Or we will be forced to overpower you for the good of the World// roared Suicune, beaming out a powerful string of aqua bubbles at the flames, which hissed and dissolved, at the same time sending out more smoke. Raikou shot a Spark at Entei to weaken him and make him understand it wasn’t funny at all – they were serious.
While the torture continued, Lisa and Gavin were still driving along. Gavin whipped his head around to check on the pokemon, who were tiring gradually, and suddenly saw, about fifteen kilometres west, a large column of slate-grey smoke. He shivered, and suddenly got a very odd feeling within him.
“ Lisa, turn around.”
“ WHAT? Gavin, what do you-”
“ Fire! A bushfire! Turn back, quickly, we have to help.”
Lisa swiftly checked, and obediently turned the buggy and headed back the same way they had come before. Aipom swung on her head, slowly coming off. Gavin would have said something about being a turban, but the feeling inside him stirred him. Something was telling him he would be needed for something …
Inside Gavin’s backpack, the special pokeball clicked, and the deep royal blue became a deep blue-turquoise.
Originally Posted by mr_pikachu
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