Pokemon: Storm Clouds Ch. 4

Well, Dan thought with turmoil, here goes nothing.  And he knocked, once again, on Erika’s massive gate.

It wasn’t long before a huffy-looking maid arrived, and asked through the wrought iron, “Just what exactly do you want?”

“I’d, uh, I’d like to see Erika, please…”  Dan said tentatively.

“If it’s a battle you want, Mistress Erika should be at the gym every Thursday and Saturday.  Please wait until then.”

“Um, no, actually, I was hoping to ask her about something important.”

“Important, huh?”  The maid didn’t sound very convinced.

A sudden thought of inspiration stuck Dan.  “I’m here on business from Blaine, the Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island.”

That seemed to get her attention.  “Are you really?  How about some proof?”

Dan pulled out his boat ticket (good thing he didn’t discard it!)  and showed her Blaine’s signature on the very bottom.

She still didn’t seem very happy, but she let Dan in.

Dan wasn’t very long waiting in the guest room before Erika came in.  She looked close to how Dan had pictured her before: a young woman with black her down to her neck and pale skin, clad in a simple (yet elegant) kimono of red and white.  “Can I help you?”  She said with a sweet smile.

“Hi, I’m Dan Fawcett,” Dan said, getting to his feet and brushing his brown hair out of his eyes embarrassedly.  “I’m a friend of Blaine’s.”

“So I’ve heard,” Erika said in that same soft voice.  “You’re here on business of his?”

“Well, both no and yes, really,” Dan began, “You see, I’ve been in Blaine’s care for a while, but I’m in a little trouble and he sent me here to fix my problem.  From what I’ve gathered about town, however, you’re really the only one capable of helping me.”

“Hm,” Erika noted with good humor, “You stretched the truth a bit for my maid, didn’t you?  Well, no matter…But, before you begin I have a question for you:  Does that adorable little Eevee belong to you?”

Missy, who had trailed Dan inside, had known it was only a matter of time before somebody commented on her unique coloration.  She was, after all, storm grey where a regular Eevee had brown fur (hence Dan’s nickname for her, Storm) and she had silver fur where most Eevee had white fur.  Missy was well aware that her unique coloration made an impression on most human viewers (and even a few pokemon) but she still preferred her old human body better.  Of course, she thought, better to be a pretty Eevee than something else, like a Muk. No disrespect meant to Armor, Dan’s Muk and Missy’s friend, of course.  That thought had helped make the past couple of weeks more bearable.

“Well,” Dan responded evasively to Erika’s question, “I haven’t really caught her in a Poke Ball yet, so, no.”

“Oh, good.”  Erika said happily, motioning one of her maids over, who handed her mistress a Poke Ball.

“What are doing?” Dan asked.

Erika gave him a smile.  “Catching that Eevee, of course.”

That got both Dan and Missy’s attention.  Missy immediately leapt up on all fours, growling, before realizing she presented an easy target; she darted behind a sofa to dodge the thrown Poke Ball.

“Wait,” Dan was saying hurriedly, “I still train her and she listens and travels with me and everything, I even gave her a nickname, I just still haven’t technically caught her yet!  Please, don’t!”

“Why,” began Erika calmly, “should any of that stuff matter?  I would like a rare and beautiful pokemon like that in my collection…but,” she sighed, “if you’re a friend of Blaine’s, I suppose that I could make an exception.  Fine.”

She put back the Poke Ball and bent down closer to the floor.  “Come on out, little…what was her name again?”

“I call her Storm.”

“Come on out, Storm.”

Missy didn’t budge from behind the couch.  “It’s Missy!” she screamed exasperatedly.  She knew none of the humans could understand her, but it helped to let off steam.

“Come on, Storm, its okay,” Dan coaxed.

Missy wasn’t coming out; since she was incapable of speech, she decided to simply stay put as a means of communicating her fury.

Dan, sighing returned to conversation, and managed to get Erika to send her maids away after some small talk.  He then proceeded to tell her as much of his story as he dared; not that he was from an entirely different plane of existence, of course, but that he needed to find a way back to a home that couldn’t be reached via conventional means and that Blaine had suggested he look into the disappearances.

“Well,” Erika said after he was finished, “I am currently heading an investigation with the police department.  If you want, I’ll pull some strings and let you join in.”

“Thank you,” Dan said.  “Do you know of a hotel I could stay at?”

“Well, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d let you stay here, actually,” Erika offered.  “And all I ask in payment is the chance to see that Eevee in action.”

“If I can get Storm to comply,” Dan said apologetically.  After coaxing Missy to come out of hiding, he followed Erika down to her training center in her basement, where she sent out what appeared to be a walking flower with a yellow, bell-shaped “head” and roots for appendages: a Bellsprout.

“I don’t use this one for Gym Battles,” Erika called to her opponent.  “But it should be just perfect for that Eevee of yours.”

Dan called out his other three pokeomn: Armor the Muk, Ruby the Ponyta, and Nemo the Seadra.  “Everyone,” he said, “This is Erika, Celdaon’s Gym Leader.  She’ll be helping me find a way to get home.  And,” he said, “she wants a battle against Storm!”

At this, Ruby gave a sharp bleat of a snicker.  “That little tramp?!” She said with sadistic pleasure.  “Wonderful!  Perhaps I’ll finally get to see her receive some bruises!”

Armor and Nemo were less than appreciative of that.  “Hey!” Armor argued.  “You should be more sympathetic to St-erm, Missy’s plight!  Her life’s hard enough as it is!”

“Um,” the incredibly shy Nemo said, “I--I think that you should really be nicer to others…”

“Oh?!” Ruby challenged the Seadra, who fell back quavering under her intimidating prescence.  “What makes you think I would ever take the advice of a little urchin like you to heart?!  Now be quiet!  I don’t want to miss any of this!”

Meanwhile Dan, oblivious to the internal strife of his pokemon, was attempting to brief Missy of his plan.  Missy wasn’t paying attention: she was busy trying to brush aside her anger at Ruby and Erika so that she would be capable of battling efficiently.

“Let’s begin!”  Erika said after Dan was done.  “Bellsprout, Razor Leaf!”  Her pokemon responded by firing off its leaves like spinning razor blades.

“Alright,” Dan said excitedly, “Storm, dodge with a--“

But before he could even finish his command, Missy was off running.  She jumped over the leaves, and landed straight on the surprised Bellsprout’s head.  Both Erika and Dan were in shock at the Eevee’s lack of guidance; Erika tried to order her Bellsprout to respond, but by then Missy was already behind the plant, and she lunged at her opponent, knocking it to the ground.  It attempted to retaliate, but Missy had already dashed over to nearly the other side of the room using her speed.  I’d still rather be back to normal, she thought as she dashed around the perimeter of the room gaining momentum, But being able to run like this is a treasure!

After completing nearly seven full laps of the battleground, gaining speed all the while (and sending Dan, Erika, the Bellsprout, and Dan’s pokemon in a dizzy spell from trying to keep up) Missy dashed head on towards the Bellsprout.  Erika saw the danger of this potentially match-ending gambit, and she ordered another Razor Leaf from her pokemon.  The leaves stuck true, leaving cuts along Missy’s body and one of her ears, but it wasn’t enough to slow her down; she slammed into the Bellsprout, knocking it out.

Erika recalled her Bellsprout in shock as Missy trotted over and nuzzled Dan.  “Did I make you proud?” She whispered, allowing him to run his hands through her fur.

“Hey,” Dan said, upon seeing the numerous cuts along Missy’s body, “Storm, you’re hurt!”  Missy realized that the wounds weren’t hurting her at all, and she thought back to her first battle against Armor, when she had almost instantly recovered from being thrown into a wall.  She realized that, though she was much smaller, in this pokemon body her abilities were nearly superhuman.

“Don’t worry about her,” Erika was saying to Dan, “pokemon are made of stronger stuff than humans.  It’ll take a lot more than that to significantly hurt one of them.”

“Hey,” Missy said in a gloating tone to Ruby, “was that a good enough show for a weak little tramp like me?”

Her rival could only respond with a dissatisfied “Hmph!”

---

The next day Erika introduced Dan to the officer heading the investigation of Celadon’s disappearances, Officer Suzanne.  (Dan had been astonished to learn that her name wasn’t ‘Jenny’, for some reason).

Suzanne, a dark-skinned woman in her mid-thirties with curly black hair, was less than pleased about Erika forcing this unknown into the investigation, but rules were rules.

Over the next few days, Dan and co. scoured Celadon looking for any clue to the disappearances.  From what they uncovered, it looked less and less like supernatural disappearances and more like human-perpetrated abductions, however.

Dan found himself conflicted inwardly that such a thing could happen in this world; he had felt sure that it was less corrupt than his reality, by nature as fiction; wasn’t it?

Of course, spending time with Erika lightened his mood considerably.  The two often spent evenings together in her mansion, dining together, sharing jokes and laughter, and generally finding pleasure in one another’s company.  Missy was not appreciative of that scenario, and said as much to her fellow pokemon.

“What’s wrong, little girl?” asked Ruby sarcastically.  “I thought he was just a human friend and there was no jealousy?  Or was my prediction on the boat right?”

Missy had no answer to that.

Eventually one day, Officer Suzanne called in the team.  “I believe,” she said, “that Team Rocket has opened up a branch here in Celdaon.”

That got everyone’s attention.  Erika turned to Dan and explained, “Team Rocket is a criminal organization that specializes in pokemon trafficking and the like.”

I know, thought Dan with gloom.  He was depressed; he thought he had been onto something, perhaps a way home when he came to Celdaon.  I guess I’ll have to look elsewhere, he thought.

“We’re currently looking for their base of operations,” continued Suzanne.  “It’s very hard to track them.”

“Why don’t you just find a Rocket and follow him?” Dan asked.

“If you can point out a random member of organized crime, be my guest, Mr. Fawcett.”

Dan was confused.  “Wait, don’t they wear, like, a uniform or something?  With a big R to symbolize that they’re a Rocket?”

Suzanne gave a snort.  “Of course not.  They’d be slammed down in a minute flat.  They operate in secret.”

I guess that this world really is different than how I encountered it back home, Dan thought.

Dan spent that evening trying to think of how to get home, but to no avail.  I may be stuck here forever, he thought in depression.  Argh!  I need some way to let off some steam!  And then the thought stuck him.  Why not go waste a few Rockets?  I wonder…this world is different, but maybe their Celadon HQ is still in the basement of the Game Corner?  I hope it is; Rockets are always easy to beat in the games.  It shouldn’t be too difficult just to beat a couple.

Dan gathered up his pokemon and Missy, and went to go find Erika.  “Hey,” he said, “I’m going out.”

“This late?” she asked.  “What for?”

No sense in lying.  “I’m going to try to find Team Rocket’s base, and maybe fight a couple of them.”

Erika, not knowing he had a clear idea of where their base was, gave a chuckle.  “Good luck. Be safe.”

And then she closed her eyes, leaned in, and kissed him.

She drew back her head, looking at the shocked Dan with mischievous eyes.  “Alright?”

“A-All right,” he said in embarassment.

She smiled and went to kiss him again, but a sound stopped her.

“Ee-VEE!”

Startled, Erika turned to see Missy staring up at them with an expression of what could only be described as mixed shock and retribution.  “Eevee! Eevee Vee Eevee!” she said angrily.

Erika sighed.  “I don’t think your Eevee likes me very much.”

Dan gave a shaky smile.  “Give her time, I guess.”

And before anything else could be said between them, he darted off, Missy trailing behind him.

That…that was unexpected… he thought shakily.  It’s alright…this world is just data…isn’t it?  This new development had shaken his views up even more.  He just ran to the Game Corner, hoping to drown his confusion in a little self-indulgence.

Missy’s mind was racing even faster.  I--Why did I do that?! she asked herself, her stormy grey Eevee legs a blur as she sped to keep up with Dan.  He’s just a friend, really.  Nothing else.  Right?  She certainly hadn’t felt anything back home, and had even said as much before they were transported here.  I shouldn’t have interrupted. That girl kissing him is fine.  I don’t care.  But as the image of Erika and Dan’s kiss sprang to mind, her eyes welled up with tears.  Dammit! She thought.  I hate this place!

---

Dan’s suspicions were right; just like he was used to, Team Rocket’s hideout was based in the city’s Game Corner.  He snuck inside, and began looking for a few goons to thrash.

“Where are all the grunts?” Dan whispered as much to himself as to his pokemon, who had all been released and were patrolling the hideout with him.  “There should be some.  Oh!  If I find some captive pokemon, then they’ll likely have a guard of some sort.  I can get my kicks by wasting a Rocket, and free the pokemon too.   Storm!  Try to lead me to large numbers of pokemon.”

Missy complied, though she still gave her traditional response of, “My name is Missy, you idiot.”  She sped off in the direction of a large mass of pokemon scent, thinking thoughts of I feel like a dog.  Some sort of bloodhound.  However, the degrading predicament of her situation had been nullified recently, as she deciding helping Dan (who was, after all, unaware of her situation) was the best thing she could do.

Dan rounded the corner and found a large number of crates, all filled with captive pokemon.  In the center was a man with his back turned to the group.  Dan ordered Nemo to give a little squirt of water onto the man’s back to get his attention.  As the water soaked his back, the man turned around.  Dan began the taunt he had prepared on his way over here: “Get ready to meet your maker, you Rocket slime!”  But he fumbled with the words upon seeing the man’s odd appearance.

He was dressed in very old-fashioned, but fine-looking clothing that wouldn’t have looked out of place in European courts of the 1800s.  He was dressed in a richly embroidered blue silk coat with gold buttons over a ruffled white blouse.  Fine black dress pants flowed down his legs, and were caught by soft white stockings that sprung out of polished, black buckled shoes.  He wore an extravagant mask made of pearl that covered his face from his hairline to just below his nose, allowing full view of his mouth and his extravagant head of woody brown hair.  A deep crimson handkerchief was tucked near his neck.  On many people the ensemble would have appeared comical, but this man spoke and moved with such extravagant flair and grace that it appeared natural, as though he had just leapt out of the past.

He gave a smile on seeing Dan and his pokemon, and tipped in a coordinated bow.  “Masque at your service, good sir,” he said in a clipped and (at least to Dan) indiscernible accent that seemed a conglomeration of several European tounges.  “With a -que at the end, not a -k, you’ll understand,” He added hastily with his eyes still facing the floor.

After a few seconds of silence, Dan let out, “Oh my god.  You look like the Phantom of the Opera!”

“The Phantom of the what?” asked Masque good-naturedly.

But Dan had shaken himself and prepared for the trouncing he had prepared himself to give.  “Fight me!” he said, putting Nemo in the forefront.  The normally shy Seadra did his best to look eager for a fight.

But Masque gave a soft laugh.  “Come now,” he said, “surely if we can’t settle our problems without violence, doesn’t that make us less than human?  Of course,” he continued without waiting for a reply from Dan, “most of my colleagues would respond by saying, ‘There’s a word for things less than human.  That word is ‘’pokemon’’!’  I, of course, disagree,” Masque said with another smile.  “I’ve always been able to communicate with pokemon--and humans, for that matter--on an intimate wavelength.  I can see their hopes and pains, their desires, their personalities.  I suppose,” he mused, “that’s why Giovanni has me working down here.  He wants me to desensitize the pokemon we steal and make them feel comfortable serving new masters.  Ah, let me give you a demonstration of my abilities!”

“That one,” he said, pointing to Nemo, “is very shy.  That one is a bumbler,” the operatic man continued, pointing to Armor, “ and that one; hm?”  His finger was resting over Missy.  “Strange…” he murmured, before keeping quiet for several seconds.  Finally, he spoke again.  “This one,” he said quietly, “is very sad, and very confused.  And, oh,” he said in a throwaway voice, gesturing towards Ruby, “that pokemon is a jerk.”

“You see,” Masque said, turning his back to the group, “I really prefer to observe and be with pokemon, not fight them.  You can take your fight somewhere else; that hallway,” he said pointing to a corridor, “should let you sate your violent appetite.”

“Alright,” Dan said, tired of the strange man’s company, “But first, I’m releasing all these pokemon.”

But Masque reached inside his coat and pulled out what looked like a walky-talky with a switch on it.  “If I press this,” he said, “every grunt and goon in this base will come running to this spot.  You’ll be overwhelmed.  I will leave this alone if you leave this room but,” he warned, “you try to free these pokemon and I’m pressing it.”

“How do I know you won’t just press the moment I take off?” Dan accused.

“Because I am not fond of Giovanni, or this organization in general,” sighed Masque.  “I’d like to cause a little trouble for them, but not at the expense of my safety.  Here,” Masque said, opening his arms wide, “I’m a big target.  If I was trying to trick you, would I do this?”

“I--I don’t--fine, I guess.” Dan said.  “Thanks.”  And he turned and sped down that hallway.”

After he left, Masque turned back to his work and began muttering to himself.  “Could it be…?” he said to nobody in particular.  “That Eevee…is it even possible?  Hm.  I wonder.”