Twisted Paths, Forgotten Pasts
Chapter 21
Reika walked up to Janyin, a hopeless expression on her tiny eevee face. "Jan, I..."
Her brother got up from where he lay in a corner and stood in front of her, their noses nearly touching. "What's wrong sister?" He did not need to ask though. He knew what was wrong, yet he felt it would be best for her to say it.
"I don't know what to do," the words came out in a rush, and Reika lowered her head shyly to the ground after she spoke.
"Aw, Reika, there's nothing wrong with not knowing," he nuzzled her neck affectionately, and she purred softly in response. "Especially since I know."
She abruptly stopped purring and stepped back to look at him, her entire body showing how shocked she was, from the straight tail to the wide eyes. "Really?" She tackled him and nipped one of his ears playfully. "How'd you find out?" She asked him over a mouthful of his ear.
He wriggled out from under her and did a little sort of dance to get three feet away from her. "All I had to do was ask our Father. Bet you didn't think of that." He smirked in the way that eevees did, standing tall and proud with his chest puffed out and his nose held high.
"Hrmph," Reika snorted. "Let's go tell the others."
"Right."
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Janyin looked at the group, wondering if they found it strange that their next set of orders was coming from a little eevee. Then again, these were not normal humans... In fact, they really were not humans. The Firsts were extremely complex pokemon really, and Rezia and Jizo were created to be Guides, the human form just happened to be convenient.
The male eevee glanced at them all. Gilisia, Rezia, Jizo, Reprith, Levrah, Kiajis. The ninetales, the scythers, the vileplume, his sister. He wondered how they would take the news of their new destination, Kiajis especially.
"Last night, I contacted our Father, for I felt that we have been waiting for too long to make our next move. We are all as strong as we can be at this time, though Gilisia and Kiajis would benefit from their stones, which is why we're heading to our next destination." Janyin paused, knowing that their own minds would be realizing the location of their next stop. "Pokemon Island," he said.
As he had expected, Kiajis reacted immediately. "What the fuck happened to rescuing Firais?" He stood, glaring down at the eevee. "I sure as hell am not going to sit back when I know that her asshole of a brother has her."
"Then sit back and know that she has escaped, and is with Michi," Janyin looked directly at Kiajis, his brown eyes seeming to pierce right through the sunglasses that the Father of All Fire Types wore to hide his surprisingly emotional blue eyes.
Kiajis sat down slowly, looking right back at the eevee, but breaking off the gaze once he was back in his chair. Immediately, Siari and Sijia placed their heads on his knees, glancing up at him with their warm eyes. Kiajis smiled against his will, and draped his arms around them, then pulled them half onto his lap and into a hug.
Rezia blinked, always amazed by how the ninetales had their father wrapped around their paws. If he treated his children like that, no wonder he got so furious about them not going to rescue Firais. A loving heart obviously nestled comfortable in Kiajiss fiery nature.
"But what about the others?" Levrah asked, frowning a little. "Should we not be searching for them?"
"Exactly what I was thinking," Reprith said, also frowning. "Has something disrupted our paths?"
"As a matter of fact, yes." Janyin sat down, and his ears seemed to droop a little. "Catalyst has disrupted our paths. He has been giving the Sorrow group a head start to everything, and now their group is complete, except for the two psychics who are busy running around causing trouble. Their games included blocking the memory of the Mother of All Dragon Types, stealing the Draconic Book of Prophecies, which is useless now, and stealing our remaining members."
Jizo, who had been standing, now sunk into a chair. "Great, just great. So the rest of our group has been kidnapped too?"
Janyin nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. Our Father told me that we should not worry about them though, and instead head to Pokemon Island and concentrate on lying low and getting the stones for our group. He said Michi will tie up any lose ends."
"What exactly is Michi's role? Who, or what is she really? She's no normal little girl." Gilisia said, a puzzled expression on her face.
Rezia smiled, thinking fondly of the little girl. "Someone who knows things."
Reika nodded, thinking that description oddly appropriate. "A lot of the outcome of this 'game' will dependquinting up at her. "Why are you awake already Michi?"
"Life is short, sleep makes it shorter," she grinned when James snorted softly at her wise statement. "Nothing wrong with being optimistic."
"When you've done things I have, it seems almost obscene to be optimistic." James looked around, noticed Persian stretching, and the fact that Jessie was missing. "Where's Jess?"
"In the bathroom."
"Takith?"
"Over there with that red-haired lady." Michi pointed to the window.
"Hm, okay." James started to close his eyes again, but then stopped. "Wait... If Jessie's in the shower, what red-haired lady?"
"The Mother of All Fire Types of course." Michi smiled. "She got kidnapped by her brothers but then she escaped, so Takith and I found her last night and we brought her along. We'll need to take her to Pokemon Island along with the other Firsts that we'll rescue. Of course, we're going to have to figure out some way to destroy Team Rocket while we're at it because Catalyst has hired them to kidnap pokemon of specific types so that they will have an army of pokemon to attack some of the Firsts on the Peace/Patience and Joy teams to give the Sorrow team a winning edge."
James blinked. "Run that by me again?"
Michi giggled. "When Jessie's done you go get ready. We'll order room service, and I'll explain."
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The entire meal, Jessie, James and Persian kept staring at Takith, Michi, and Firais. The ex-Team Rocket trio were somewhat confused by what was going on.
After the meal, Michi cleared up and wheeled the table that the food had been brought on outside the room, then locked the door. "Okay, I take it you guys want some explaining." She sat down on the bed, and Takith stood beside her. "Who I am is not exactly a question that has an answer, though I can say that Takith and I are like one being split into two souls. I am the heart, he is the soul. You three are now part of a war that started a few thousands of years after the creation of the world. You may know the legends of the Firsts, but there are many things that have been left out in the books.
"The First were created by the Gods and Goddesses that made this world. The Gods and Goddesses each had a specific personality to deal with a certain emotion, but only three of them survived, Joy, Peace/Patience and Sorrow. Sorrow, however, has changed her name to Triste. Unknown to most people, four survived, but I do not know the fourth's name, only that her role will not be known until the final battle.
"Jessie, James, Persian... Your jobs are mostly done. I just needed your help to escape from Team Rocket really, and from now on, I can easily continue with just Takith and Firais. Though hear this, I can guarantee that you will not die if you join us, for I will not, and cannot involve you in the final battle. I only have one true need for you guys actually, or at least, just one that I can think of." Michi paused to smile innocently at the TR trio. "Money."
Jessie and James were silent at first, then both of them laughed. "Money?" James asked.
"Well, yes. I don't have any, neither does Takith, and Firais only has enough to get us to last us for one day." She got up and walked up to them. "Look, stick with us for just about a week, maybe even less, and then you'll be free to start new lives."
Persian looked up at her. "What's in it for us?"
"If things go well, you guys could be famous." The girl replied.
"What if things go badly?"
The smile on Michi's face faded a little. "Then the world will no longer exist."
James looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. "I say we go for all or nothing."
Jessie nodded. "Sounds good."
Persian licked a paw, flicking his tail around. "I always wanted to be famous."
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Ash walked into Misty's room, carrying a tray with breakfast on it. She kept a careful eye on him as he set the tray down on her lap and then sat down on the bed beside her. He was careful not to let his shoes touch the bedspread; Misty hated when he did.
The scowl that defined Misty's current feelings in regards to Ash softened a little, and she looked at the breakfast with approval in her eyes. Score one for Ash. Yet she refused to touch the food and crossed her arms, glaring at Ash, who looked as sheepish as he could manage.
"I'm sorry Misty," he said.
"Hn."
"I would've called ahead to check with you but I knew that this was bill season and I didn't want to disturb you."
This time, just a sigh.
"Aw, come on Misty, I'll make up for it when I get back."
She looked away from him and focused her attention on the door straight ahead of her.
"I'm sorry I didn't call when I was away either, I was busy! I'm a Pokemon Master, I have work to do. And now I'm Akira's Guardian. She needs me."
"And I don't?" Misty lifted the glance of orange juice and sipped it. "A little too acidic," she took another sip then set it back down on the tray.
"They didn't have the best selection of fruits at the grocery story. Cerulean's not much of a place to get good fruits," Ash gestured at the tray. "Aren't you going to eat?"
"Eventually," she sighed again and looked back at him. "Just two days ago I wouldn't have believed you about this whole Firsts thing."
"Why?"
"The First is...was just a legend, but there was this documentary on TV yesterday... They were talking about the links between humans, pokemon and animals. Very convincing."
Ash smiled. "Well, I'm just glad you believe me."
She smiled back a little. "Don't you need to be going? I heard you guys talking about a tight schedule before I can in and yelled your head off."
Ash's smile faded. "Yeah, we have to go..." He leaned over and hugged Misty, careful not to disturb her tray. "I'll call you, okay?"
"Okay, Ash."
He got off the bed and walked to the door, turning around to look at her one last time before exiting.
As soon as he was gone, a lavender light filled the room. A young woman with eyes of the same bright color looked at Misty, a ghost of a smile on her face. "Good work. You have played your first part well."
Misty did not even look at her, she just nodded.
"Love always hurts," the goddess said, disappearing immediately for Sajoya was too close, and she would feel her presence immediately if she stayed too long.
"I know it hurts... I just wish it didn't hurt this much," Misty said to the empty room.
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