Pokemon: Apple Red, Sea Green, Sky Blue

Chapter Two (complete)

Chapter Two:

The Big Deal

Once, Apple had seen a rampaging Kangaskhan on TV. The seven-foot-tall, heavily muscled Pokemon, with its thick, armored hide and huge, gleaming white claws had destroyed three buildings before they had managed to get it under control. That was only with the help of the local police force and a squad of Pokemon Rangers.

Gazing up at the looming figure of Professor Oak, Apple decided she'd rather take the Kangaskhan. It would be better than this glowering old scientist, with his bushy grey eyebrows pulled low over his clear, piercing gray eyes, his mouth curled in a disapproving frown.

"Young lady, would you mind telling me exactly what you were planning on doing with that?" The Professor asked, dropping the red, white, and black sphere into the pocket of his white lab coat, which fell to his knees. "A child of your age should know not to play around with pokeballs, least of all with others' belongings."

"Professor! I can explain this, uh, stuff," Apple blurted, glancing down at the dirt and undergrowth, now littered with papers. "I mean, err-my mother says hi!"

Professor Oak blinked, eying Apple with a sort of puzzled incredulity. He drew in a sharp breath and narrowed his eyes at their surroundings.

"Where are the others?" He demanded, voice suddenly cold and hard.

"Others?" Apple repeated numbly.

He inhaled, like he was about to say something, but was abruptly cut off.

"Grandpa!"

Apple's gaze snapped toward the festivities progressing a couple feet away, where Daisy was now sprinting forward. The little girl crashed into her grandfather, the Professor, with a flurry of flying limbs, burying her face in the crinkled green fabric of his button-up. The startled Professor returned his granddaughter's embrace, surprise and delight flashing across his features within seconds of each other.

"Daisy?" He gasped, holding her back to get a better look at her. "I wasn't expecting you until the big reveal."

"Yeah, but I lost my chaperone." Daisy explained matter-of-factly. "It's okay now, though, because I found her. And you, too."

The Professor's gaze swept from Daisy, who was still grinning, her book clasped with both hands behind her back, to Apple, in a heap on the ground, still gripping the torn leather strap of the briefcase.

"You know this girl?" The Professor asked Daisy.

"Yep!" Daisy replied, cheerfully oblivious to the underlying tension. "That's Apple. Applerose Thickett. She's my friend, and she's really cool, and she let me borrow books and...is something wrong?"

Professor Oaks exchanged a sideways, wary glance with Apple, neither quite sure what to say. The Professor seemed to realize something and turned to Apple.

"Thickett? Are you perchance related to Layla Thickett?" He inquired.

"I was trying to tell you," Apple began. "Layla Thickett is my mother, and, um, this is all a huge mistake because, well...I don't, uh, steal and stuff...

She was saved-or perhaps further entangled in disaster-by another interruption.

"What is with you people?" Soarin gasped, stumbling out of the edge of the crowd. He pointed at Apple accusingly. "First this weirdo disappears. Then my little sister runs off, and now for some reason you're both with my grandpa. Anyone care to explain?"

"Uh..." Apple and Professor Oak began at the same time.

"Someone was trying to, and, the Professor's research, and um, a person in black!" Apple blurted, words tumbling out one after the other. She tried not to think about what the Professor might do if he didn't believe her, which clearly was the case. "They, they ran off into the crowd after, and the briefcase, and... There!"