Curse you, insomnia! *Shakes fist*
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks
Chapter 3
Tohjo Falls was very empty. Red frowned as he looked at Pikachu. “Do you think something is wrong? There should be Golbat and Seaking here, and maybe a Yadon or two.”
Pikachu nodded, shivering slightly in fear as his ears twitched, trying to catch any hint of suspicious sound.
Something was wrong…
They soon got their answer when a monster leapt form the water. Both Red and Pikachu stared. It resembled a Gyarados, but only in part. Its scales were the wrong color, blood red instead of shiny blue, and it had… legs. Gyarados did not have legs!
Red stared.
Pikachu took action and leapt forwards, shocking it with a Thunder attack – or trying to. The electricity glanced harmlessly off the body as the beast growled, before it charged. Pikachu was knocked aside easily. Red managed to evade the blast, and released his Fushigibana and Gyarados. A barrage of Razor Leaf and Hydro Pump smashed into the not-Gyarados.
The beast tottered, and then fell backwards into the rushing water of the river with a splash. It did not surface again.
Red sighed in relief. It was ground-type then, and perhaps partially of water, like Nuoo and Upaa…
A pity he had not thought to capture it, but it was no use crying over split milk now. He revived Pikachu and they walked deeper into the cave, Pikachu using Flash to light the way.
Soon, their circuit was complete, and nothing of interest had been found. However, Red was not likely to give up so soon.
Ibuki had her junior trainers searching the few waterfalls in the Dragon’s Den behind her gym, but it was highly unlikely that Wataru was hiding there. The cave was always full of prospective trainers who wanted to become Ryuu no Meiji-sama also. It would be difficult to hide there.
But if Wataru were not here, that would only leave one place… perhaps…
Would he truly be in the Whirl Islands with Lugia? Did Lugia really exist? Red had many questions, but no answers, and he did not want to head off on a wild goose chase while Missingno continued to rage up and down the Cinnabar coast. All of the townspeople had been evacuated to Pallet, Fuchsia, or Vermillion, and if the volcano erupted, well…
It was worth a try
Wataru frowned as he heard footsteps. He drew his black cloak closer around his body, fading into the darkness of the caverns. A trainer…
Trainers often came here to try and capture Lugia, but would leave in disgust, unaware of the secret cavern where the great beast of the sea lived. Had lived, Wataru mentally corrected.
The trainer was wearing red and blue and white, and had a Pikachu on his shoulder. Perhaps he was only here to capture water pokémon?
There were many roaming the islands, but there was a strange light in his eyes, almost feverish. Wataru shivered.
He hoped that his hair would not give him away.
Pikachu glanced around, nose twitching. Red nodded.
“Do you smell something, Pika?”
Pikachu nodded, but he had to make sure. He leapt forwards with a cry, Thunderwave crackling over the rocks and wet floor.
A cry of pain sounded, and the wall fell… or was that not the wall at all, but only someone who had been standing against it?
Red cheered. “Yatta!” He and Pikachu ran forwards to inspect their catch.
Wataru frowned as he focused, feeling power sing through his blood. The paralysis dropped off easily as he stood. Both Red and Pika froze, surprised.
“Anata wa donata desu ka? Donata o sagashite irun desu ka?”
Red blinked, as he frantically tried to remember his Japanese. He had spoken in English for so long, as it was the official language of Kanto that it took him a moment to translate and reply.
“Watashi wa Red desu. Anata wa Wataru-san desu ka?”
“Ee. Watashi wa Wataru desu. Nani o shimasu ka?”
“Eto… Anata wa Ibuki no shinseki desu ka?”
“Ee.”
“Sou desu ka. Nihongo o hanasemasen… Eigo o hanasu wa doko desu ka?”
“Sore ni shite mo ii desu.”
Red grinned. “Great! So as I said, Ibuki sent me.”
“She sent you to find me?” Wataru frowned. “I haven’t seen my cousin for many years. What does she want?”
“Um… actually, I’m the one who asked her where to find you.”
Golden eyes rose to meet crimson beneath a shock of white hair. “I see.”
“But… I don’t know… will you come with me?”
Wataru brushed a few flecks of dust off his black bodysuit. “I have nothing better to do. I trust that you provided transportation?”
“… Yeah… we can ride Gyarados or Hakuryuu…”
Dragons?
Had Ibuki sent another Ryuu no Meiji-sama to meet him? If so, why? But this Red also had Pikachu, and from the chi residue on him, he sensed others. Grass… normal… water…
Not just a Dragon Master then. A trainer of some skill, or else Ibuki would not have wasted time with him.
But the boy’s pokémon were strong and their eyes flashed with loyalty. Fascinating. They were at Indigo Plateau before the sunset, and though Ibuki threw her eyes around Wataru with a smile and wholeheartedly embraced him, she could not help but stare at his hair.
She had never thought Wataru would dye it, but maybe it wasn’t, maybe it was because… “Wataru?”
“Nani desu ka?”
“Anata no kami! Zannen desu!”
Wataru shrugged, but did not answer.
End Chapter
Completed 8/14/06
Started 8/13/06
Perhaps I’ll be evil and not provide translations *rubs hands gleefully* I believe with a good Japanese dictionary and a basic knowledge of Japanese (Like just first semester) it should be easily translatable. Nothing really important was said, after all.
… But in case you’re wondering, Clair is freaking out that Lance’s red hair turned white.
Yadon = Slowking
Fushigibana = Venusaur
Serves me right for trying to do organic chemistry over the summer…