42 Identity Crisis on Earth (1/2)
”Blue, did you miss me?”, a deep male voice resounded from within the hazy fog,
”I knew it from the moment we met Blue, that you were a promising Trainer. So it isn't surprising to me that we would have to settle scores like this here ...”, the figure that stepped out turned out to be a man in his thirties or fourties similar to Blue right now. His hair was combed back and his black suit gave him the aura of an important business guy. His smug smile just enforced that impression further.
”Have you finally decided to join my side? Take the reign over power into your own hands?”, he smiled confidently making a stark contrast to Blue's grim looks.
”No, I guess not. I also foresaw this ... somehow.”, the man's smile lessened a bit but then regained his colours again,
”Maybe I can change your opinion with this fight. What was our last score huh, 399 to ... 0?
Well, maybe this day the apprentice will finally surpass his master, hehe hahaha HAHAAHAHAH!”, the man's laughter turned crazy and without further hesitation he stormed towards Blue's position.
Blue just looked coldy at the robot wearing human skin rushing to him. He couldn't help but whisper:
”I have long since surpassed you ... old man.”, and he then solidified his cold resolve once more and summoned his flash-light emitting arm again before the battle arrived!
.............
”His Pills?, Blue is a grown man, I'm sure he can take care of himself.”, Arthur tried to reassure her.
”I am not worried about him Arthur but about those he is going to confront *sigh*. Well forget it, as long my aunt and uncle are with him he will probably be fine.”, Cecile said while sighing.
Arthur separated the tubes and needles from his body and tried to move away from the bed. At least he wasn't wearing some kind of gown from the hospital, although the dirty clothes on him didn't make him feel nicer. Looking at one specific corner of the room he went straight towards the glass-casket that contained his Sniebel inside.
Cecile also came to his side and commented:
”My aunt said it's being kept in a near-comatose state right now with some special gases until it has healed up some of its severe wounds, otherwise it might pain him too much while being awake.
By the way, what's its name actually?”
”Its name ... he doesn't have one ...yet.”, Arthur looked worriedly through the glass to see his Sniebel lying asleep on its back. It looked already much better than before ... but he could see that its arms were highly wounded, several crusts and slight scars already formed up on them.
He touched the cold surface and mumbled quietly under his breath:
”Huh, what do you mean, it doesn't have a name, it's your Pokemon Partner right?”, Cecile didn't understand and looked confused.
*Sigh* And then Arthur began to tell the tale of his first meeting with the Sniebel, the chase after that and the reconnaissance in the Green Garden.
”Wow, you mean to say you haven't formed a pact yet?”, Cecile asked further.
”Yeah, I think so.”
”Oh ... Arthur, there is another possibility my family hasn't talked to you about ...”, she looked at him unsurely of what exactly to say.
”What?”, he had a questioning look on his face.
”Well, you could ... just release it actually. I mean you haven't even formed a pact yet so there wouldn't be any consequences ... and then you could just get a new Pokemon which isn't ... ehh ...”
”Crippled?”, Arthur helped with an unsatisfied expression on,
”What do you mean with release?”
”Urgh”, Cecile saw she had again stepped on someone's toes but didn't cave in and stated her point,
”I mean releasing it back into the wilderness. It's been a wild Pokemon from the very beginning, it didn't look like attaching any importance to you except for, except from when it mysteriously showed up and rescued you for some reason.”
Arthur still had an angry look on his face but that didn't affect his mind yet. He understood her point and kinda also agreed to it. This Sniebel hadn't been willing to become his Partner in the beginning and he wasn't someone to force his will on others. The problem was ...:
”Thanks for your ... kind intentions. But I can't do that right now. I owe him too much as too let him go back in this state!”, Arthur explained firmly. The Sniebel was currently in a heavily injured state, releasing it into the wild like this would mean its sure death!
He had been in the wilderness himself, though it was only a small distance away from the Viridian City, Arthur knew how ruthless and deadly the Pokemon outside could become when showing any form of weaknesses.
”*Sigh* Alright, it's your decision after all.”, she had tried to help him, but that was all she could do for him.
”How long will it take for me, us, to heal up and be able to leave this area?”, another thought suddenly came into Arthur's mind and he spoke it outloud.
”You mean when you're fully healed? Em, as far as I got told-”, as she could hear from eavesdropping,
”-it should take you as short as a few days or as long as two weeks.”
”Two weeks?!”, his eyes widened when he got this news.
”Yeah, I was also a bit astounded when I heard this. It looks like your bad ability to attract the Infinity Particles affects this balance-thing in your body and thus delays the healing.”, she tried summarising the facts she remembered.
”No, that's too long ...”, Arthur had to close his eyes for a second, he felt a headache coming ...
”I get it, you want to go home, but this is quite serious Arthur, you could die because of this, I'm sure we can somehow bring your mother to ...”, seemingly oblivious about Arthur's troubles, Cecile just spoke her mind out and suggested some things.
Arthur started gritting his teeth and then suddenly his head snapped to the side and he spoke loudly:
”Arthur, we don't have two weeks, we need to get there immediately!”
”Huh?”, Cecile turned her attention back to him and asked him puzzled,
”What did you say?”
Arthur had a bewildered look on his face:
”No, I-I didn't say a-”
”Arthur we don't have time for this, we need to go to the Green Garden ASAP!”, again his head snapped sharply around and he spoke with a hurried voice to himself.
Cecile thought something was wrong:
”Ehh, Arthur are you ok?”, did he just mention himself in the 3rd person?
”I, ehh ...”, Arthur's eyes swept into all directions but he couldn't see any other human being besides himself and Cecile just now,