The calm before the storm... cleaning up yesterday's messes in
preparation for tomorrow's. But fear not - I wouldn't deprive my valued
readers of the action that I'm sure they so crave. ^_^ Feel free to C&C
(or C+C if you prefer; I'm not THAT picky)
Jellic�s Hateful Quest
Chapter 8: A Lover of Stone with a Passionate Heart
Jellic, I�m afraid that I was severely weakened during our battle. I
cannot continue holding Ashley up much longer. Once we are safely within
the town, I will be forced to release her.
Jellic nodded. �You�ve really shown yourself to be a big help,
Mewthree. It�s a shame we don�t get along better.�
In what way do you mean that? The Mewthree easily kept pace with
Jellic despite the fact that the majority of its concentration was on
the half-stone girl in front of it.
�I caught you, but you don�t seem to want to obey me,� Jellic
pointed out.
I serve no master other than myself. However, it seems that, after
all, we are working toward the same goal. I offer you my full
cooperation, in lieu of servitude.
�Fair enough. Welcome to the team, Mewthree.�
�Are you talking to Mewthree?� asked Ashley from somewhere above
Jellic�s head.
�Sort of,� answered Jellic, shifting his load as Lobia�s weight
began to drag his arms down. Ashley shrugged, unable to do much else
since she had fallen victim to a Medusa Stare.
Not long afterward, the grim procession reached the border of Maroon
Town. Windows and doors flew open, allowing the curious people to view
the strange new Pokemon and the floating statue-girl. Voices murmured,
barely audible to the traveling group. �They�re all talking about us,
Jellic. We�re drawing a lot of bad attention.�
�Every dimension has a town where I�m believed to be evil until I
can prove myself to the townspeople,� said Jellic. A woman ran into the
street to intercept the party and knelt in front of Jellic, sobbing. She
took Lobia�s hand in hers.
�Oh, my Lobia!� she cried. �What happened to you?�
�We were attacked by an evil scientist,� explained Jellic. �I�m
afraid Lobia was caught in the middle of a power struggle.�
The woman stared at him, then at Ashley, and finally at the
Mewthree. �We don�t trust those who use powerful Psychic Pokemon.�
Jellic, I must set Ashley down immediately before my power gives
out.
�You might want to move out of the way,� Jellic advised the
distraught woman.
�I will not let you pass! Give me my daughter and leave this town!�
Jellic grabbed the woman and pulled her aside as Ashley landed in the
place where she had been standing only a few seconds before. The
Mewthree collapsed, and Jellic recalled it to its Pokeball. The woman
grabbed Lobia from him and backed away, bumping into a man who was
standing just behind her.
�Don�t get upset, dear,� said the man. �These people seem to have
had a rough day.� He extended his hand to Jellic, then to Ashley. �My
name is Verdon Hummter, and this is my wife Bolle, and I trust you met
our daughter Lobia.�
�I�m Jellic, and this is half of my traveling companion, Ashley of
Sage City.� Ashley scowled.
�That seems a serious condition. I�ll help you carry her to the
Pokemon center.� Verdon grabbed Ashley�s legs, and let her fall
backwards into Jellic�s arms. �Sorry about this, lass, but there�s no
time to get a cart for you. It�s likely that this condition isn�t fully
curable. Although I�ve never seen anything like it before. How did it
happen?�
�We ran afoul of a very angry scientist with some dangerous
Pokemon,� explained Ashley as Bolle, carrying Lobia, led the way to the
Pokemon Center. �His Pokemon all know secret techniques. He used them on
all of us.�
Verdon frowned. �Most Pokemon attacks are mere annoyances to
trainers, and few are fatal. If a Pokemon can turn a human to stone, its
owner must truly be a force to be reckoned with.�
�Don�t worry,� Jellic assured him. �I�ll reckon with him soon
enough. Once Ashley�s healed, we�re heading into the Swamp of Sickness.�
Verdon�s eyebrows shot up. �He lives in the Swamp? Even with the
most powerful Pokemon, nobody survives long in the Swamp of Sickness.�
�We survived the Forest of Mist,� bragged Jellic. �We came here from
Persimmon, and we�re moving on through the Swamp to �� He stopped,
unsure of what city lay beyond the Swamp.
�Heliotrope City,� finished Ashley. �Jellic insists on taking every
shortcut to get to Karddor Labs, even if it kills us.�
As they entered the Pokemon Center, the nurse behind the desk
gasped. �That�s quite an understatement,� Jellic mused silently, but the
gasp wasn�t in reference to Ashley�s condition.
�This Pikachu is nearly dead! I hope we can save it. The poor girl
will be heartbroken if her Pikachu doesn�t pull through!� She quickly
removed the Pikachu from its Pokeball and set it on a nearby gurney. An
egg-shaped Pokemon trundled the cart through the door to the emergency
room. The nurse next turned to the group at the door. �Oh my god, what
is THAT?� she shouted.
�She�s been �� Jellic began, but stopped when he realized that the
nurse was staring at his belt.
�That Pokemon! I�ve never seen anything like it before!� She tapped
at the Mewthree�s Pokeball.
Jellic tapped her on the shoulder. �We can worry about the Pokemon
later. This girl badly needs treatment before her condition becomes any
worse.� Grunting, he added, �And frankly, she�s getting a little heavy.�
�Hey!� shouted Ashley. �You�ve got the light end, so quit
complaining!�
�Oh dear,� said the nurse, �she does appear to be in a bad state.
Perhaps our newest Paralyze Heal formula will help.� The nurse grabbed a
bottle from behind her desk and sprayed its contents liberally over
Ashley�s legs. �I�m afraid we don�t work much with humans. This formula
is designed for Pokemon.�
�I think it�s working,� said Verdon. �She�s getting lighter.� Ashley
suddenly bent at the waist, and she fell through the men�s arms onto the
floor. �Sorry! Are you okay?�
�Yeah, fortunately my butt�s still stone, so it didn�t get hurt.
Just a bit chipped.� She pushed herself into a sitting position and bent
her knees slightly.
�Careful, don�t move too quickly!� warned the nurse. �For such a
serious case of Paralysis, you should give the medicine time to work.
Now, I can take your Pokemon and put them in the Rejuvenator if you
want.� Ashley and Jellic handed over their Pokebelts and the nurse
whisked them away.
�So tell me,� said Verdon once the nurse had left them, �what
exactly happened to my daughter?� Jellic quickly gave him the details of
the battle against Droll Vordekar. �Inundation?� asked Verdon. �Never
heard of that attack.�
�It�s a new technology that Karddor Labs created,� explained Ashley.
�They have Secret Machines that teach Pokemon incredibly powerful moves.
They�re so powerful, the Pokemon faint from the effort of performing
them.�
Verdon whistled. �And I always thought that Selfdestruct and
Explosion were powerful moves. If these new moves are more powerful yet,
even the most powerful Pokemon will be useless against Pokemon built up
with these secret machines. You�d need many of them, but such Pokemon
could form an army against which there would be no possible defense!�
Jellic nodded distractedly.
�What�s wrong, Jellic?� asked Ashley. �You look like you have
something on your mind.�
�A few things,� answered Jellic. �Vordekar said that he knew nothing
about the Caterpie that I caught. But we both saw it resist several
Psychic attacks, and it hasn�t yet evolved despite all of its fighting
experience. If it wasn�t altered by Karddor Labs, then what other
explanation is there?� Ashley shrugged. �And is it true that Karddor
Labs created the Mewtwo?�
�That�s true indeed,� said Verdon. �There was an old lab just south
of Burgundy that created the first Mew, but they never made many of
them. That�s why Mew is so rare. Karddor twisted Mew into Mewtwo with
their crazy technology, and started breeding the things. One day, the
Mewtwos broke free of the lab, nearly destroying it in the process. Some
can still be found in caves all over the mountain ranges, but most of
the ones that are left live in the Forest of Mist.�
The nurse returned and handed Jellic and Ashley their Pokebelts
back. �Your condition seems to be clearing up nicely,� she told Ashley.
�In a few more minutes, you should be back to normal. Or at least, as
close to normal as you can get.�
�What?!� Ashley tried to stand, but found it impossible to bend her
knees enough.
�You�ve been stone for quite a while. Your legs will probably be
stiff for quite some time. Regular application of this medicine should
help ease the pain and keep the stiffness down until you can get treated
properly at a real hospital.� The nurse handed Ashley a large spray
bottle, which she passed on to Jellic to hold until she could properly
transport it.
�I can�t believe it. I�m going to be a half-stone freak for the rest
of my life!� whined Ashley.
�And your neck is badly bruised,� said the nurse, turning to Jellic.
�Would you like some ointment for the swelling?�
�No thanks,� said Jellic, as she began to rub some medicine onto his
neck. The soreness that Jellic hadn�t really noticed until this point
began to fade, leaving him with a cool sensation where the pain used to
be. �Well, okay. Maybe ointment is a good idea.� Ashley stared
disconsolately at the floor as the nurse continued to apply the
medicine. Jellic knew that she was upset about her condition, but didn�t
know what to say to console her; so he remained silent until the nurse
finished her task and retired to the emergency room to check on the
state of Lobia�s Pikachu. Verdon also excused himself to check on Lobia,
leaving Jellic and Ashley alone.
�Jellic, I have something to tell you,� said Ashley as soon as
Verdon was out of earshot.
�I�m listening.� There was something about the tone of her voice
that told Jellic she wanted to be close to him for this, so he sat next
to Ashley and held her hand. This seemed to improve her mood a bit.
�I know that you only see me as a companion and not really as a
friend, but I consider you to be my friend. You�ve saved my life more
times than I can remember, and we�ve only known each other for a couple
of days. I know I�m putting you through a lot of trouble ��
�No, that�s not the way it is,� said Jellic abruptly. �You�ve saved
my life too, just by being there for me. I�d never have made it this far
without your help.� She turned away from him, but Jellic put his hand
under her chin and turned her face back. �What�s wrong?�
Ashley�s eyes misted, and tears began to run down her cheeks.
�Jellic, you�re more than just a friend. The good times we�ve had
together mean more to me than all the time I�ve spent raising my
Pokemon. Even in such a short time, I�m come to realize that the way I
feel about you is special. I can�t put it into words, but � I want to be
with you always!� She threw her arms around him and buried her face in
his chest to cry. Jellic cradled her in his arms and said nothing. The
nurse opened the emergency room door, saw the two of them, and quickly
returned to the room.
�I understand how you feel,� Jellic said at last.
�You couldn�t possibly understand,� sobbed Ashley. �You think I�m
just a little girl. But I�m already sixteen. I know what love is.�
�I know. But I�m not the right one for you.�
�I don�t want you to leave me behind, Jellic. Just because my legs
are mostly stone, and you�re headed to a dangerous place. I know you�re
planning to leave without me. You�ve been looking for a way to leave me
behind from the beginning, haven�t you?� Jellic shook his head, but
without much conviction. It was true, sort of. He had been trying to get
rid of Ashley, when he had first met her. But now...
�I would never leave without you, not if you�re sure you want to
come with me. After what happened in the Forest, I don�t know that the
Swamp will be any easier. I wanted to try to talk you out of coming with
me, but I was rather hoping that I wouldn�t be able to.�
Ashley wiped the tears from her eyes. �You mean it? You want me to
come even though I�ll only slow you down?�
�I see it as my personal responsibility to ensure that you get
proper medical treatment. And we�re going to have to go to Heliotrope
City for that. If it takes you a week before you�re ready to travel with
me, then I�ll wait here for a week.�
�Oh, Jellic!� She kissed him on the cheek and smiled sweetly at him.
Jellic smiled back. If only he were older...
�Seems as good a time as any to return, I�ll wager,� said Verdon,
taking a seat beside Ashley. �I�ve had some experience in exactly how
much time alone young lovers should have to reconcile their differences.
Lobia�s fine, by the way. You took good care of her. She�ll be up and
about by morning.�
�Anything we can do to help,� said Jellic.
�Well, I still want to offer you some sort of reward, so � how about
we battle? I�ll show you the power of Electricity and Grass. Those are
my specialties.�
�A battle is a reward?� asked Jellic as a smile crossed his lips.
�Finally, I meet someone who agrees with my philosophy!�
�I do have a request, though,� said Verdon. �Could you keep your
champion out of sight while we battle? I�ll take you four-on-four.�
�My Machop? The poor guy hasn�t seen much action recently ��
�Machop? You mean the big Psychic fellow isn�t your champion? It�s
got to be the most powerful Pokemon of all! The Psychic type is the
favorite choice of the Pokemon League enforcers because it has the most
advantages. Powerful attacks, high intelligence, few weaknesses...�
Jellic considered this. �I think all of my Pokemon are championship
material. Even my Magikarp.�
�A Magikarp? Well, I can�t force you to battle that against me! We�
ll fight three-on-three.�
Jellic started to protest, but Ashley interrupted. �Jellic, both
Electricity and Grass are powerful against Water types. Magikarp wouldn�
t stand a chance.�
�Very well,� said Jellic. �Let�s take this outside.� He helped
Ashley to her feet, and the three of them stepped into the street for
the battle. News spread quickly, and within minutes, the entire town had
come out to watch the battle.
�I�ll open with Magneton!� shouted Verdon, tossing out his Pokeball.
The Magneton was a small cluster of orbs with magnets attached to them.
The magnets seemed to be holding it together.
�Then I think Meowth is my best choice,� said Jellic, calling out
his own fighter. �Meowth, Scratch it! Go for the magnets!� Meowth leaped
at the floating Magneton with claws at the ready.
�Magneton, Sonic Boom!� The orbs of the Magneton split apart, flying
together again with such force that the air around them exploded,
throwing the Meowth backwards.
�Me-owwwwwwww� groaned the Meowth.
�Stay on the ground this time!� shouted Jellic. The Meowth charged
once again, swinging its claws upwards at the Magneton.
�Thunder Shock!� shouted Verdon. The Magneton shot a blast of
electricity directly at the Meowth, shocking it. The Meowth froze in
place, completely unable to move.
�It�s paralyzed!� shouted Ashley. �Call it back!�
�No chance!� shouted Jellic. He pulled the spray bottle of Paralysis
Heal out of his satchel and sprayed it on the Meowth. The tiny cat
purred and leaped at the Magneton again.
�Swift!� shouted Verdon. But this time the Meowth got through first
and scratched at the Magneton�s magnets. One of the magnetic bonds
within the Magneton�s body broke, leaving an orb half-attached.
�Tackle!� The Magneton rammed its body into the Meowth, knocking it
unconscious. However, the half-attached orb broke off on impact, and the
Magneton collapsed as well. Verdon recalled it. �Go Vileplume!�
Jellic stared at the odd flower with enormous petals. �Caterpie,
this one�s yours!�
�Good choice,� said Verdon. �Your Machop would have been weak
against my Vileplume.�
�Not necessarily,� answered Jellic. �It�s MY Machop! Caterpie,
Tackle it!� The Caterpie charged at the flower with its head down,
hoping to score a hit.
�Vileplume, Sleep Powder!� The Vileplume sprayed a fine mist into
the air in front of the Caterpie. The Caterpie slowed, then stopped
completely and fell asleep. �I�ll not follow it with Stun Spore because
I hate to see you wasting the girl�s medicine on your Pokemon.
Resourceful, but not gentlemanly. Instead, I�ll finish this quickly.
Vileplume, Solarbeam!� The Vileplume�s foliage rose, and a tiny beam of
light extended upwards from the flower into the sky.
�Huh! Some attack!� mocked Jellic, just before a ray of pure
ultraviolet light beamed down from the heavens, incinerating the
Caterpie. �Wow! That is some attack! Caterpie, return!�
�You only have one Pokemon left,� said Verdon.
�I know,� replied Jellic, tossing out the Machop. �Machop, Seismic
Toss!� The Machop lifted the Vileplume and threw it at the ground. The
Vileplume stood up, unfazed, and blasted a puff of powder into Machop�s
face. �What was that?� asked Jellic.
�Poison Powder,� replied Verdon. �Your Machop�s fighting moves won�t
harm a Poison Pokemon much, but Poison is quite effective on Fighting
types.�
�We�ll see,� said Jellic. �Machop, give it the Karate Chop!� Machop
obliged, quickly delivering a powerful blow to the Vileplume�s flowery
top. The petals fell to the ground and the Vileplume fainted. �Of
course,� Jellic pointed out, �Karate Chop is a Normal attack. I looked
it up in my Pokedex.�
�Right you are,� returned Verdon, recalling the fainted Vileplume.
�Now you�ll meet the Electric Terror. Zapdos, go!� The Pokemon that
emerged flew up into the sky in a trail of sparks, leaving the burned-in
impression of a bird made completely of electricity on Jellic�s retina.
�Zapdos, Thunder!� Lightning arced down from the Zapdos, striking Machop
squarely on the head.
�Machop, Leer!� The Machop�s glare froze the Zapdos in place,
bringing it down to the ground. �Now, Machop, use your Special Attack!�
The Machop stared at him quizzically. �What�s the name of that attack?
What was I saying when you used it in the Forest?�
�Something about fighting until the end,� offered Ashley.
�That�s it! Machop, Bitter End!� The Machop nodded weakly and began
to grow to immense proportions.
�Zapdos, Agility now!� shouted Verdon. The Machop�s giant fist swung
down and barely scraped the wing of the Zapdos. �Finish it! Drill Peck!�
The Zapdos launched itself at the fading Machop, piercing the shrinking
fighter with its beak. Machop gave in and fainted.
�That�s it then,� said Jellic. �I�ve lost.� He recalled the Machop
and let the Pokeball fall to the ground.
�Don�t feel bad,� said Verdon, as he recalled his Zapdos. �Remember,
you were working with a handicap. I know you could beat most of my
Pokemon with that Mewthree of yours. There will be times when you�ll
lose a battle here or there. But the only way you can ever fail in your
quest is to give up.�
�In all the other places I�ve been,� said Jellic, �failure meant
death. But here, because the battles are fought with Pokemon, failure
simply means another trip to the Pokemon center. It really does almost
make sense this way.�
Ashley breathed a sigh of relief. �Now he gets the idea...�
Verdon threw his arm around Jellic�s shoulders. �It was a good
battle, and you fought well. Let�s go heal our Pokemon and get something
to eat.�
�Sounds like a good plan,� answered Jellic, pleased to have made
another new friend in this strange � yet somehow sensible � land.
--------------------------------------------------------------
MOM: I'm getting rid of this TV before the mindless garbage rots your
brain!
JOHNNY: Mindless garbage not rot brain!
(SHAMPOO: Mindless Johnny not got brain to rot!)
"There's a billion places like home. But only one of them's where you
live." - Granny Weatherwax, "Witches Abroad" by Terry Pratchett
JACKIE CHAN: Oh, sorry. I broke your spy camera! (pause) SPY CAMERA?!
My webpage: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~katinamp