Book Two: Vengeance, Chapter Four-
Rei stared shattered at her father's corpse, laying bored and trampled by the Rhydon that had collapsed not too far away from him, this time not to get back up. The Rocket took a minute to collect himself and then rallied his underlings and beasts.
"But we can't go after it now," one of them protest. "We'll need reinforcements. That guy completely wiped out our stock."
"He's right," agreed another. "If the man put up that much of a fight, I can't imagine how we'd ever tame that thing." The leader, annoyed, had to accept the truth.
"This is too valuable to just loose," he explained. "We'll split, then. The three of you will track it down and keep us posted on its whereabouts, the rest of you are coming with me. We'll hit this thing with all we've got. Salvage what you can, leave anything else. Now, go, posthaste!" They scattered about the field in an instant. The boss stayed behind to search through Jack's possessions, swiping anything that might have value. Rei spotted one of them off in the distance find and pilfer the blade of her father, just sticking it into a pocket, not even bothering to wipe off the blood. Another of the more successful scavengers came upon Mooky's Pokeball. Sparking occasionally, he tried his best to repetitively pry it open until his senses warned him.
"Boss!" he exclaimed, his finger aimed at a pair of dark purple orbs. A trickle of putrid, green gas seeped out of the Weezing's body. "Those things tend to go off even after they're dead, and we don't want to be around when it does." Their head agreed.
"Fine then, we'll take what we've got." He ordered, "Leave the rest and move out! We'll rendezvous in forty-eight hours." A spark from Mooky's vessel caused the Rocket to drop it. Frustrated enough with it as things were, he booted it a good distance before meeting up with the rest of his group. As the two halves went of in opposite directions, Rei was the only one to remain. Slowly, she sifted the site, holding back her tears, not wanting to accept what she just say. Something came to her mind then, and she looked over the field again. Still, no one was there.
"Whose are these?" she called out. "To whom do this memories and sights belong? Why are you still showing me this? Everyone is dead. I know now. I know..." The pace at which the Charizard's Pokeball surged increased, which caught her attention, but this was not all. The clouds in the sky sped overhead and the flames that lined the battlefield flickered in haste. Time was going faster. In moments, the field was blanketed in a veil of smog and smoke. The laments of the dead rose again, not disorderly as before, in a haunting chant. The scene flashed.
All turned to black and white. Rei could view what was transpiring despite the heavy haze, but she wished she could not. Standing above their fallen selves, sunken eyed, gashed, and mangled figures of their defeated nature wailed jointly. The highly volatile gases in the Weezing eventually erupted, clearing a large part of the scene. As the fumes passed through their being, parts of them where swept off. Bit by bit, they dwindled, their vile thoughts and dark desires carried away in thick vapors. In the mighty burst, Mooky's Pokeball was jolted. Damaged enough as it was, a malfunction had brought it into capture mode. The glitched unit brought in the only thing it could, gas, and lots of it, strung with dying thoughts of hatred and revenge. This gruesome things were completely merged with the Charizard's soul.
"These," Rei said to herself, "these are your memories... aren't they?" Color faded back to normal as time went even faster as the sun and moon switched places again and again. Eventually, a man stumbled upon the grave site and swiftly returned with some officers. After a full investigation, the sole salvaged object was taken on the trip to inform the deceased's kin. The earth, flying beneath her feet, stopped at a place that seemed all too old to her. Rei gazed, razed, as a man rushed through mud and rain to deliver the grisly news. She witnessed her younger self opening the door, already knowing what tidings were brought to her. Time rushed again until she found herself at a Center. Things began to slow down as her other self approached the trading area.
"I'm sorry," the attendant said, "but you need someone to trade with. I can't just give you this." Without responding or even as much as looking at her, the young Rei pulled out her father's death certificate. "Oh... I'm ... I'm sorry." The attendant accepted her Pokeballs and her trainer license and went to work. As the machine powered up, everything dulled to shades of gray. While it tried to initiate the trade, crimson eyes flashed over Mooky's cell along with a devilish smile. It seemed to spring away as Rei's vision returned to normal, revealing the Pokeball crackling and fizzling wildly. The attendant immediately canceled the trade. "I'm sorry, miss, but... it seems to be broken."
"It's just the same," Rei meaninglessly responded. She took her possessions and left.
Darkness draped around everything, and Rei found herself amist nothing once more.
"So, that is how it all happened," she cried out to no one. "What's the point of me knowing all of this? It doesn't seem to help me any..." She awaited a response. "... can I go now?"
"I," hissed a voice, ringing through her mind, "am not finished yet..." A match is struck and a candle is lit. The small room is given light, displaying the three Rockets, one of which is the leader, squatting in their shanty base. They immediately searched out any Pokeballs and other supplies that they might need.
"What is this?" Rei asked. "You were never here. How do you know this?" The answer was already known, however, as she glanced at the leader. "You... you stole his thoughts, didn't you? That's how you know this." She ended her inane banter so that she might hear what the three were discussing.
"We need it," the leader spoke, "no matter what. We already have the other two, and, once we have it, not even they will be able to stand up to our power." A henchman shook his head.
"But," questioned he, "will we be able to control it? I do believe the others haven't even been tested yet." The captain shot a vexing glare.
"We don't have to," he explained. "The mere sight of them should put enough fear into their hearts. Most people believe that they don't exist. And after we accomplish this, there will only be one more piece to the puzzle, and that is being taken care of, right?"
"Our moles tell us," the directed Rocket answered, "that they have already begun duplication, and there seems to be very little problems." He hesitated. "It's odd, though. Usually a procedure like this is very cumbersome, yet they haven't seemed to encounter any problems."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," laughed the leader as he responded to an incoming call. "Perfect timing, guys. Just don't lose it." He quickly ran to a map while explaining, "The other squad just sent in their coordinates." Finding their destination, he looked about. "Everyone ready?" The others nodded. "Alright, let's get back to the hunt. We pull this off, and the Rockets will be unstoppable. Now," he stated while extinguishing the flame between his fingers, "on to Kaghane..."
Rei threw open her eyes to reality. She uttered the name Kaghane repeatedly until she found her father's map. The city lied a few days travel away, and she wasted no time in hitting the road. She did not know what she expected to find there, but it was a start. Her travels were uneventful, and Rei wanted them that way. Whenever another traveler was spotted, she ducked off the road until they were out of sight. It slowed down her trip a little but probably saved her more time in the end. At the third night, she finally came upon a town. It was not Kaghane, but it might at least serve as a stepping stone in her ongoing quest.
Rei strolled down the streets of the shanty staying in the center of the dark alleys, deserted of any visible souls, but, in the shadows, she could sense their presence: thieves and bandits awaiting unsuspecting prey. The best way to avoid trouble, Rei had learned all to well over time, was to become it.
"Tell me, boys", she addressed while tossing her hair and turning to a shadowy wall, "where is it in this trash hole you call a town that major players hang at?" From the darkness crept out two thugs, astounded by the fact that she could see them. "Well, are you just gonna stand there gawk-eyed," she taunted with as much attitude as she could, "or are you gonna help a poor girl out?" At "poor," she began menacingly smacking her staff in the palm of her hand. The intimidated brigands hastily stuttered out a series of directions for her to follow. "Thanks, boys," she praised as she walked away, half turned and blowing a kiss. When out of an earshot, she moaned in disgust of herself. "I really need to take a bath..."
As Rei drew near the destination, boisterous clamor and rambunctious revelry poured out into the streets. The scant few dregs were duking it outside told her this was the right place. Masking her fear with a apathetic scowl, she burst through the door. Cigar smoke hung thick in the room packed with gaming brigands and other scum between assorted tables and a bar. She immediately took up a stool at a less occupied location and picked up her ears. Discerning anything being said was near impossible due to the many conversations. Luckily, an older lowlife chose to come to her, sparing her the trouble.
"Haven't seen your face around here before," he spoke, not looking directly at her. "New here." Rei felt like retching but held back her urge.
"Nah," she responded, trying to sound as sweet as possible, "I'm just passing through this squalid hellhole." She braced her head against her palm as she gazed at him with false eyes. "I gotta tell you, this place sucks." The two laughed together.
"Well," the senior replied, facing her, "I'm sure the two of us could find something ... worthwhile ... to do." Rei's chortle ceased as the man's belt was exposed. The all too familiar site of the red letter meant nothing to her this time, however, for her sights were set on something else.
"Oo," she fumed, surpressing her rage, "where did you get that?"
"This? I swiped it from some tough guy a while back," he boasted. "Fine piece of work, ain't she?"
"Oo, you big, brave man," she flattered, leaning over him. "Now, this may sound strange, seeing how you don't know me," she whispered to him, sliding her hand up his leg, "but... I know you." At that, she thrust her father's blade into the Rocket's body.
