Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Sin City ❯ Chapter 3

I go to a motel whilst I wait. It's not particularly glamorous but where else can I go? I was expecting to just set out on my journey, with my camping gear, from the word go. My parents are an issue I don't even want to think about, and there's no way the company will take me back for a few more hours then let me go again. By the time I arrive I've already decided to have a quick fix in my room, just to get me used to the smaller dosage, till I'm ready to stop completely. My body is trembling now and people keep asking me if I'm all right. Everyone was used to it at the HQ. I must have forgotten how annoying it is. My room will be empty. No one will see. Except, when I ask to book it, I'm told my “Friend” has already gotten one for me and is waiting there. Number 666. I don't recognise the name my “Friend” wrote in the register. Could it be the company? I doubt it because they have no reason to contact me. I haven't stolen any secret plans from them or anything, and I'm certainly not of a high enough rank to help them out if there's a big disaster. Besides it's not their style. If it were them I'd have expected them just to buy the motel, or at least invade it, lock up the staff, and replace them all with company workers. It could be the police but if they had enough evidence to convict even one member of the company they'd have done it by now. Could it be some old girlfriend trying to surprise me in the hope of reconciliation? That was a possibility, but, possibly because of my pessimistic nature, I thought it more likely that they'd be a sinister explanation. So I instruct Vulcan to stay down in the lobby just in case, and I go into the sparse bedroom slowly and cautiously, like some action movie hero, but I have no gun of course. I hear the shower running. I go into the bathroom, with no idea of who to expect. It's Meowth taking a shower.

“Well well well, if it isn't Bobby from Dallas” I say, trying to hide my surprise.

“Hey, you never even dreamed I was dead” Meowth says, his voice muffled by the shower door that stand between us.

“I though cats licked themselves to get clean.”

“I'm not a cat. In fact I find that kinda insulting. Now if ya don't want an autograph, would ya mind wait'en outside till I've finished.”

I go back into the grey walled, compact, and impersonal feeling bedroom. Just like home. Well my theory about the company needing to speak to me was out. It was ridiculous to think that they'd send someone like Meowth. Someone very recognisable, well know as an operative, and with a very poor job completion record. The idea that he was wearing a wire for the police seemed unlikely too. Not only was it unlikely that he'd quit now, when he'd been told off constantly for years, it was also difficult to swallow the idea that they'd want info out of me. I never made it high enough up the ladder to know anything important. So he followed me for personal reasons. Why me? It's not for advice, we were close but not as intimate as others he knew. He comes in and looks at my arms and I realise, in my surprise at this situation, that I've left them bare.

“Are those what I think they are?” Meowth asks.

“Please, I've already talked about this enough for ten people with Bradley. Just don't comment ok?” I say.

“Ok. I was just wandering why you didn't tell me. Why you didn't tell us all.”

At that moment Vulcan came in, growling at first, then calming down when he sees it's Meowth and he doesn't have to protect me. One of the things I've always liked about him is his continual effort to save me. Sometimes he seems more like a Growlithe, a dog like animal, than a Vulpix.

“Vulpix Vulpix Vul.”

“He said you was taking too long. He was worried about ya.”

“You can translate for me? Is there anything he wants to tell me but can't communicate on his own?”

Many people don't understand the composition of the Pokemon language. Some don't even realise that it is just one single language. The truth is it's not the words that are important, because Pokemon can only say their name, but the context, tone and rhythm that matters. Of course they can't use those factors to make complex sentences like we can, but they do pick up the meaning of what they're saying to each other.

“Vul Pix Pix Vulpix Vul Vul Vul Vulpix Pix Vulpix Vulpix.”

“He said don't let anyone pat him. It makes him feel like a pet, not a Pokemon. I feel da same ta be honest.”

“Sorry I called you a cat.”

“Apology accepted. It's not easy been a Pokemon, epically a talk'en one. Sometimes people don't respect ya.”

“Ok. Well I didn't tell you because I though you'd react the way Bradley did, and I didn't tell everyone because if the boss found out he might decide not accept my resignation, as a punishment.”

“So why do you do it in the first place?”

“I thought we weren't going to talk about this. Will you make up your mind!”

I was getting angry again. I know it's because I feel ill all the time and that makes you grumpy, but I don't want to think about it.

“Fine. One last question.”

“I don't know ok? Can we leave this subject now.”

“Do it.”

“What?”

“Inject ya self, or whatever. It's clear your fighting so hard it's making ya angry fa no reason. It's not like I'm some kid who's gonna be in theory for da rest of ma life if I see it. Obviously Vulcan's seen it before.”

I look at my bag. It's in there now, waiting for me. The only way to beat these hammers pounding at my head like it's a brick wall on a construction site. Only one way to beat this dizziness, this sickness inside me. It won't last long but it will give me at least a brief break from this constant pain. It would be so simple to reach out and get it. I could feel like I'm in love, having ice cream, and a thousand other things I crave, all at once, only even better. Just reach for it…

“No! I will beat this!”

Reluctantly I turn away. It feels like I'm tarring my eyes away from a glimpse of haven, for fear that if I see such a marvellous place I'll wish to be dead right now so I can go there.

“So why are you here?” I ask eventually.

“Dis is kinda awkward” Meowth replies.

“More awkward than what we've just been talking about?”

“I need ya help, and I don't say that very often, trust me. They kicked me outta the company. The boss said I was a disgrace. `Course I'm used ta dat, but dis time he fired me too. I got nowhere else ta go. What, am I expected ta return to a life of petty crime on da streets? Jessie and James could help me, `cept if da boss catches me with them I don't know what he'd do to him; just that I wouldn't like it.”

“So you want to come with me on my Pokemon journey?”

“Yes. I'll even act as part a ya team if ya want. I can bring my self down ta that level.”

“I work alone.”

“That's nice Maverick but this isn't work. It's Pokemon train'en.”

“I'm not nice like this. I can't even say if I was before I started with this stuff, but now I'm ten times worse than I could ever have been. I get angry at the smallest things, I look worse every day, and most of the time I can't concentrate on what anyone's saying. I'm even worse if I actually get a fix. You don't want to travel with me. I shouldn't live with others right now. I'm dangerous.”

“I've seen worse. I've been on dis planet a very long time.”

“I'm going to hate you. There's times I'll want to beat you.”

“I've taken plenty of those.”

“What do you think Vulcan?”

“Vul Pix Vul Vul Pix” Vulcan cried happily.

“He said…”

“Don't bother to translate. I might not be able to go on my Pokemon journey anyway, but if I do there's one last thing I want you to know. You never, under any circumstances, talk to me about the stuff I'm into. No subject is off limits, politics, religion, whatever, except that.”

“Sounds good to me. Why might we not be able ta go?”

“Bill, who's replaced Professor. Oak for a while, says there's a problem with getting my licence. He has to check it with the gym leaders first. I don't have much hope that they'll accept it.”

Meowth did the closest thing a cat can get to grinning.

“That I can help ya with. I can talk da hind legs off'a donkey, and still persuade it ta walk up Everest afterwards.”

“Cool, but how can you contact them?

“I'm ya lawyer, manager, whatever. Tell Bill I'll pled on your behalf.”

“I don't think it will work. Your face is too well known. Trust me; your disguises fool fewer people than you think.”

“Oh ye of little faith. He's not a police officer. What does your average citizen know of my activities? Why not try me. Ya never know, I might deliver. What have we gotta lose?”

“Dignity.”

“I don't think I have any in the first place.”

“Ok. We might as well try, but if it doesn't work I get the bragging rights.”

“Fair enough. Told ya I was good at persuading people. Hey, now that we're all together, can we make up a motto? I'm real good at it.”

Vulcan said something that I took to be a firm “No.”