Single post in Angel of the Shadows

Shadow Skill: Jump-Start. Sends an overcharged jolt of electricity into whatever it touches at the moment. Do not approach if you or your family have a history of heart problems. To prevent an overbuild of electrical energy, Raichu regularly discharge electricity into the ground from their tail. Shadows, however, have lost that ability, and so sporadically shock themselves or who/whatever is around them. After she fled Ally's, Angel ran until she couldn't anymore. She wound up half a mile outside the city, and when she spotted a bench nearby, she headed toward it. When she arrived, she collapsed onto it and let the tears fall. Petunia tried to soothe her, even though she knew he was upset, too. Which honestly made her feel bad that she was being selfish and putting her pain first. But when both parties were in this much pain, the only thing that could be done was just silence together. Eventually, they fell asleep. When she opened her eyes, it was early morning, and she could feel Petunia against her chest. Heh. Why had he stayed with her when Ally needed him more? Perhaps he understood that Ally needed some time alone to calm down and realize she'd overreacted, so he chose to stay with Angel, a decision she was beyond grateful for. Little things like this made her certain Pokémon were more sentient and aware than most people gave them credit for. Unfortunately, many Trainers treated them as inferiors rather than equals. Or saw them as mere tools and a means to an end. Angel sat up and stretched, and a blanket fell to her waist. The crisp early morning air made her shiver, and as she pulled cottony material around her shoulders, a familiar smell made her pause. She brought a small portion to her nose and inhaled deeply. Yup. Poochyena. Her gaze drifted back toward the city, where she half hoped to see Officer Jenny in the distance. But by the chill of the material, she knew whoever had placed it upon their sleeping forms was long gone. As she watched the sunrise, she tried to accept everything. But it was all just too much, too fast. Without proper time to adjust, she would likely cave in on herself. It had happened before. The only thing she could hope for right now was that her breakdown didn't happen at the wrong time. Oh, how she wished she'd brought Sylvie along. Or, at the very least, her Sprigatito plushie. Never had she been alone in this type of situation. Granted, she currently had three Pokémon with her. But their companionship had never been as calming as flinging herself at her father and crying into his chest until she fell asleep to his heartbeat. Or being entangled in Sylvie's ribbons. Her intense anxiety was the biggest reason why she hadn't gone on her Journey yet. She'd hoped to one day overcome her fear, but more and more, it was looking like an impossible task. Perhaps she should face the music and go for it. Maybe an adventure would be the answer she'd sought all along. Her fingers brushed against one of Petunia's flowers, which caused him to awaken. He stretched so adorably before he sat up and leaned into her for warmth. For a while, neither of them said anything. Once the gorgeous shades and hues of the sunrise had settled off, Petunia broke the silence with a single word. One that managed to crush her heart. "Home?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out his shrunken pokéball. "I'm sure Ally doesn't want to see me yet. She's probably really worried about you, though." Angel placed the pokéball in his left hand. "Friends?" Angel had to hold back a sob at the desperation in his voice. "Ally's really mad at me right now because she thinks I did something bad, but I know she'll realize I was telling the truth with time. I hope she still considers me a friend once she calms down. But she might not for a long while. People in her state of mind need someone to blame for what happened. It is easier to do that than deal with the real issues. Without knowing the facts, she can only blame me, the one all evidence points to. But us?" She reached out a finger to boop his nose. "We're still friends." "Soon?" Petunia scooted off the bench, then turned to look at her. "Again, that's up to her. Not right now, but when she's much calmer, you tell her I'm not mad at her. I'm still her friend and will be there when she needs me. She knows how to reach me. As soon as she does, I'll drop everything and come visit." Angel paused and debated as to whether she should say more. Instead, she gave Petunia a gentle shove back toward the city to encourage him to leave. "Go on, now." He turned away from her and took a few steps before he paused and looked over his shoulder. Petunia said, 'Love is forever,' before he headed back home. She didn't respond to his last statement because she knew the heartbreaking truth. Love didn't always last forever. It took both people hard at work, determined to keep the bond. And even then, it didn't always work out for whatever reasons. That was one reason why she preferred the company of Pokémon over humans. They were among the most loyal and accepting of anyone or anything. Yet, they still had limits and would completely turn their back on you if you gave them enough reason. Jenny, Ally, and Maya were the only people she liked being around. And her family, of course, even though they drove her crazy. Maya. Her heart ached again. It never failed that every time she began to feel content or braver, something shattered her and set her back months of progress. Going back and forth between a figurative Silcoon and Beautifly was starting to wear thin on her. She wished she had the mental maturity to move on. Angel knew it was detrimental to her to constantly let things she'd already moved past affect her. But the fact life kept throwing stuff at her had to mean she was still doing something wrong. It was the analyzation of why she kept getting the short end of the stick that kept her mind in the past. In hindsight, many of her problems over the years were self-inflicted, but still. One should never have to suffer so much for their mistakes. Her hands clenched on her legs. Why did she always do this? She had everything she could ever want. Her life was practically perfect. Why was she always so unhappy and cynical? Always expecting everyone to hurt, use, betray, or abandon her? Footsteps sounded, and Angel looked up to see two people headed her way. They paused a couple of feet from the bench and began to argue loud enough for her to hear what they were on about. "I'm tellin' ya! I saws what I saws! It honestly hurts tat you think your grandpa is a crazy ol' man." The older man gestured strongly with his hands, but the younger female just shook her head and sighed in frustration. "I never said you were crazy, and I don't doubt you saw it. But I do doubt it exists." From this angle, Angel could barely make out the woman's face, but it was clear that she did think her grandfather was crazy. He sighed, frustrated, and threw his hands in the air, clearly exasperated. "I ain't stupid eithers. That means you think it exists only in my head!" Angel stood, but before she headed toward the couple, she folded the blanket on the bench for the next traveler to use if they so chose. She spoke once in polite conversation distance but still far enough away to have not taken the pair by surprise. "Excuse me?" Even so, they jumped as if she'd appeared out of thin air. "May I ask what exactly you're discussing?" The man glared at her. "Why? So ya can make fun of me toos? It's all the same with ya whippersnappers. We're suppos ta believe everythin' ya says without hesitation, but ya won't bother returnin' the favah." She waved her hands defensively in front of her. "No, no! I've seen many things that most people would say are impossible. I'd love to learn more. And see where it happened, if possible." His eyes lit up like holiday lights, unaware of his granddaughter frantically motioning from behind him for Angel not to encourage him. The act elicited a smile from Angel, which caused the man to turn around. But his granddaughter was now completely innocent, hands behind the small of her back, a smile on her face. She batted her eyes at him twice before she stretched out a hand to Angel. "I'm Mally. This eccentric fellow is my grandpa, Iggy." After she stared at it for a few seconds, Angel took the hand offered her, but she hesitated before she spoke. "Name's Alexandria. I'm on my way to Saffron City but will gladly take a detour to see what your grandfather is so excited about." She wasn't entirely sure if it was her paranoid imagination or if they really had a very small reaction to her name. Either way, her heart had begun to beat rapidly. And with zero ability to read any form of social cue, she was certain this would end badly. To hide her uneasiness, she brushed a lock of hair out of her face as an excuse to wipe the sweat from her brow. "Are ya sures? It would be a bit outta ya way. And ya might not sees anythin'." Angel looked to the older man, who still had a hopeful and expectant demeanor. He seemed eager to prove to his granddaughter that he was not crazy. "Honestly. It's not a problem at all." She followed Iggy and Mally as they headed back towards the city. Five minutes later, they paused at a pair of trees. At first, Angel couldn't see anything that marked the area as special. On her third look, she noticed the lack of branches within a two-foot space. Ah. It was a little-known path into the forest. Confirmed seconds later by Iggy. "Not many people know this here path. I only dos cause I used'ta be the Ranger around these parts. Ya wouldn't think much of it, but a lotta poachin' goes on. Mostly by those mangy teams. What're their names again, dearie?" "Magma, Aqua, Flare, Galactic, Plasma, Skull. There are so many of them." Mally spoke the names as if by rote. "But it's not just them. Many individuals do it as well. There are a lot of Pokémon who have at least one quality that makes them sought after. It's to the point that some of them are being placed upon a Protection list." "Now, I don't wanna go down there again. Seems a few Pokémon don't understands why I stopped comin' to see thems, and they're mads at me." "So...Did you see the Pokémon in person or not?" Angel winced slightly as her question came out slightly ruder than she intended. "Nuh-uh." Iggy shook his head. Either he hadn't taken offense to it or hadn't noticed, with the latter the more likely of the two. "I saw it on one of the cameras I installed. But when I went to show Mally proof of it the next day, it was already gones." "The Pokémon or the video?" "Both. I think whoever's been poachin' lately had somethin' to dos with it. But Mally believes I'm seein' things. Even thoughs she can't explain why two minutes are missin' from the log." "Well!" Angel stretched her arms above her head and bent from side to side once. "One way or another," she bent her arms, elbows out, fists at chest, twisted right, then left. "We'll know the truth soon." He frowned. "Just 'cause ya can't see somethin' don't mean it don't exists. Just means ya weren't lucky. Ya know...Like with all them Legendaries and the super rare Pokémons." "Oh, don't you worry. Pokémon love me. I can practically guarantee I'll have the proof you seek." Angel didn't wait for a response and immediately began the trek down the path into the forest. Within minutes, she was far down the path away from any quick source of help. Well, except for Dreamer and Ebony, that is. Since she hadn't expected to fight other Pokémon or people—not that she'd do the latter unless absolutely necessary—the two were the only Pokémon she'd brought. So, hopefully, they could handle whatever creature Iggy had seen. If he'd seen anything. Despite how much she had witnessed and knew was possible, her father's memory failed him on occasion. And that was saying something because he wasn't quite as old as Mally's grandfather. Eventually, it led into a clearing, where she paused and looked around. After a minute or so, just as she was about to head back, she heard a noise, and her hand instantly went to her belt to open Dreamer's pokéball. But when she heard the sound again, she picked up on agony in the voice. Whatever Pokémon it was, it was obviously in pain. Quietly, she called out. "Hello?" Though her words were gentle, the Pokémon screamed again. Angel looked around but didn't see anymon in the clearing. "Hello?" This time, she whispered and heard a somewhat pained response. "Can you come out? I won't hurt you." After a minute or so, a Clefable stepped out from one of the bushes. But it was unlike any she'd seen before. At first glance, it looked normal, but a closer inspection revealed a purplish tinge to its color, and a shadowy aura of the same color surrounded its form. It took a few steps, stumbled to the ground, and screeched again. Tears filled her eyes as she watched it just lay there, hopeless and helpless, obviously in agony, as it tried to cover its ears with its hands. She rushed to its side and helped it sit up. For a while, the only thing she did was hold it and listen to it breathe as it tried to relax. Finally, she couldn't be silent any longer. In a voice even softer than before, she spoke. "What's wrong?" It chose to remain silent for a while. When it finally spoke, it revealed that, he apparently, had no clue how he came to be here. The only thing he remembered was people sticking him with needles who ran tests on him day in and day out. All the while, he was in a circular enclosure of some sort that was filled with liquid. People were always around him, and they always spoke loudly. They even tapped on the glass, which drove him crazy. He never got the chance to sleep, for they woke him up each time he was almost at that point. But what stood out to her the most was the mention of the red "R" on the door, uniforms, and everything. For now, she ignored the mention of Team Rocket and instead changed the topic. "This...aura about you...Were you like that before? Or did this happen during?" His response was a confused sound, which led Angel to believe he had always been that way. After all, when something is the only thing you've ever known or experienced, to imagine anything to the contrary would be beyond comprehension. He said he had been in a testing tube his whole time there, so it was unlikely he saw any normal Pokémon. Suddenly, he leaped up and ran off into a nearby bush. Angel almost called out to him, but footsteps caught her attention, and she turned back to the clearing entrance to see Mally approach. Her grandfather wasn't with her. She began to lift a finger to inform her to lower her tone, but Mally had already begun to speak. And what she said was quite a shocker. "Well, there you are! I was beginning to think you recognized us and decided to snag the Shadow for yourself." "Recognized you? How do you know about Shadows?" Mally brought her hand to her mouth as she laughed. "Oh my. You mean to tell me you haven't been fully informed of this mission?" "Lady, I don't even know who you are nor what possible acquaintanceship the two of us share." "You're really out of the loop then. Let me make it clear as crystal for you. Both of us," she motioned her pointer finger to herself and then to Angel, "are Agents of Team Rocket. Giovanni sent me on a mission to retrieve a Shadow. I assumed you'd been sent on the same mission when I saw you. Course. I wasn't sure it was you until you said your name." Ah. So, she hadn't imagined the reaction earlier. "You're lying. Giovanni came to me in person to recruit me for a very important task in Saffron City. My job has nothing to do with a...Shadow, you said?" "Good. Then I shall finally get the promotion I've deserved for so long. As for you? I believe I speak for all Agents when I say that your sudden disappearance would be quite beneficial." "Say what now?!" Angel stood, the pokéballs for Dreamer and Ebony ready in her hands. "You heard me, grunt. The beloved pet of Giovanni. Hated by all other Agents due to the courtesies given you. Allowed so much because your skill is such an 'asset'. How do you manage to act so goody two shoes all the time?" Angel laughed at that. "You're not a member of Team Rocket. Giovanni would never have hired someone with your lack of manners and disregard for life." "Oh. Em. Gee." Mally burst out in hysterical laughter. "It's not an act? You truly think Team Rocket are good guys? Darling, we're as bad as you can get. Haven't you ever wondered why you never met another Agent? Never been to our facilities? The rewording of your missions so you feel you are doing the right thing. Everything to ensure that the mission gets done, and you end up none the wiser. Well. It's time you knew the truth." "The truth? You just told me you wanted me out of the way. Why should I believe anything you say when it could be nothing more than a means to an end?!" "Girl, don't you dare lie to me! To me! I can see it in your eyes. You're having doubts. Tell you what. If you give me that rare Sableye, I'll let you go. I'll tell Giovanni that you failed miserably and aren't worth his time." "And if I were to tell him you spilled the beans on what Team Rocket is truly about? Don't you think Giovanni would be immensely teed off? You'd be "taken care of", just as you plan to do to me." "You're right." Mally feigned shock and worry before she smiled and reached for a pokéball that hung from the strap under her left chest pocket. "I shouldn't leave you capable of telling the tale." "Cover your ears!" the Clefable yelled from behind her. With precious little time to react, Angel covered her ears just as a screech to rival all screeches filled the clearing. She and Mally fell to their knees in pain. Their eyes met, and she knew they would forever be nemesi. After ten seconds, Mally struggled to her feet. Still disoriented, she staggered to the edge of the clearing and then paused. She wobbled, stretched out her hand to balance herself against a tree, and turned back to face Angel. Mally held out her other hand, revealing a shrunken pokéball. "You may have the Shadow, but I have your Sableye!" A glance around where she'd fallen showed Dreamer's pokéball beside a rock. Geometry agreed that if a pokéball hit the rock at the right angle, it would have been sent Mally's way. By the time Angel turned back towards the path, the woman was already hidden by the darkness of the trees as she made her way back up. Frozen with the shock of what had just happened, Angel didn't chase after Mally. Instead, tears fell from her eyes as she repeated the word 'no' repeatedly. Eventually, she had the strength of will to move, but she still didn't give chase. Mostly because she knew that the pair were likely long gone by now. So, she beat her fist against the ground until the side of her hand began to bleed. All the while, she sobbed, so hysterical she could barely breathe. The Clefable came up beside her and offered assurances. The thought crossed her mind that if he hadn't screeched, Ebony would still be here. It made her hate him. Yet, deep down, she knew that she would have lost Ebony one way or another. At least, this way, she was still alive. She couldn't tell how much time had passed in the forest with her just sitting there. But after a while, she spoke as softly as possible as she tried to make her hoarse voice audible. "My father is a genius. I believe he can help you with your hearing problem. If you're willing, you can come along with me." He made an unintelligible sound as she brought out a pokéball and shook his head. Angel frowned, uncertain if he'd spoken gibberish at that moment or if she was so out of it she couldn't communicate as well as usual. When his eyes drifted to the pokéball, the realization hit her. "I'm sorry. But it would be best if you went in there. I know you might not like enclosed spaces right now. My main concern is you being seen. I can't protect you. So, if another Team or those two show up again, they'll take you. And you'll be back in a tube." His head shook furiously, clearly not a fan of the idea. "You're going to have to choose. Which would you prefer? Pain until you can no longer take it? Or a few days in a pokéball while I get you the needed help?" It took him a while to respond, but she breathed a sigh of relief when he did. "I know you're putting a lot of faith and trust in me. You won't regret it." He made a sound as she enlarged the pokéball, and his words caused her to shake her head. "No. It's my fault. I underestimated them and then froze when Ebony needed me the most. You aren't responsible." He touched his hand to the pokéball. The last thing she heard before he vanished was a sorrow-filled cry. Pokéball now in her belt pouch, she sighed. Mally was a liar. Had to be. There was no way Team Rocket could be like this. None. Still... Her morality would never let her work for such horrid people. When she returned home, she vowed to study every mission she'd ever done. She needed to make a choice, and quickly. Even if it meant she lost everything and everyone, she would do the right thing.