Pokemon Max

Ch. 31 Regretted Decisions (For the Last Time)

Ch. 31 Regretted Decisions (For the Last Time)

I found myself back at Doc's house again, and this time I was really enjoying it, and (consequently), getting on Adrian's nerves. I sighed and relaxed again after a while. Everything was normal again. After everything I had went through, it felt good to know how good I had my life. It suddenly occurred to me that I should help Nelly after, well, you know.

I went out to find her in the back, sitting and staring. I sat down beside her.

"Hey, kiddo. How's the view?" I chuckled. You couldn't see much from Doc's yard. After we moved in, she wanted it that way.

"Please. Leave me alone." Nelly looked down.

"Come on, you know I'm here for you. Just talk to me."

She took a deep breath, then looked straight into my eyes, and asked me, "Todd, why did he have to die?"

"Nelly, he died to save all the people in the nearby towns. It could have hurt them all, or worse."

"But...but why do we have to help them? After all the ways they've treated us?"

"Because we can. It doesn't matter what they think. We can do what we want, and if they're too blinded to see that, then we should help them more." I look up to the sky, and continue, "Listen, maybe it doesn't quite seem like that was the best option, but soon enough, we'll see that he made the right decision."

Her eyes welled up. "Todd, I just miss him so much!" She clung to me, and I smiled as I hugged her, feeling the little zap of energy from her deep emotions, but naturally grounding it quickly. I pull her away from me and look her straight in the eyes.

"Nel, you are something incredible to this team. You are a driving force, a fun, free spirit, and, well, a light for the team. Dwelling on this won't make that light stay lit. We have to use it as fuel, to make it even brighter."

She looks out at the back, and nods.

I stand and lean against a post. I think as well.

It could have been worse. A whole lot worse.

-Meanwhile-

Lucario POV

Two men cleared out a path as men began carting something under a tarp to the main office room. Curious, I stepped forward. An arm held me back. I turned to see the man in charge of research blocking me.

"He says it's not time yet." He says, giving me a hard stare. I slowly nod.

As I walk away however, I think carefully.

If there is something you want to keep from me, you cannot keep it for long...

---

I ignored the guards, muttering to them something about wanting to see him. I burst into his office and set my hands down on his desk.

"When were you going to tell me?"

He slowly turned around in his chair. "You would have found out soon enough."

"Really? And how do you think I would have reacted to the news that you were holding one of the most powerful pokemon forces that exists in this building?"

"It's all part of the plan. No harm will come to it."

"That isn't the point! Celebi is vital to maintaining the balance of the space time continuum in both worlds! Without it, space itself will begin to rupture!"

"Precisely. We plan to use this to our advantage."

I breathe deeply, and hold in my rage. "How?"

"When space ruptures, it will open a hole in space time. We will send you and a group of men in to return Celebi, safe and sound, mind you, to the Pokemon World. However, this isn't your only objective. We've done quite a bit of thinking about what you told us about pokemon and their world. We want you to obtain these." He handed me multiple pictures of strange orbs.

"The three orbs." I whisper as I look. I stare at him. "You are mad. Those orbs summon the pokemon of legends. They are more powerful than you could ever imagine."

"Then I suppose we will have to expand our horizons."

"This isn't a game! You don't know what they are capable of!"

"I realize fully well that I take a risk. Then again, don't we all at some point?"

"You will realize your mistake."

"Perhaps. But for now, you would do good to remember your place here. You are the one working for me until I help you, which I am still working on. Are we done here?"

I say nothing, and walk out silently. My anger is no longer foolishly put out. I must use it to complete this objective. No matter how insane I believe it to be.

-Later-

Todd POV

I wake up to an alert. Not a great way to wake up, but I'll remind you I've had worse.

I burst into the computer room, where Doc begins to explain what's going on.

"I've detected a large disturbance similar to the ones that occur in our Pokemon encounters. However, there's something strange about it."

I raise an eyebrow. "Like what?'"

"It's in our favorite company's office building."

Harper pipes in. "So now we're helping the jerks?"

"I don't know, but you should probably get down there."

"On it."

---

Twenty minutes later we're there, and it's hell.

That is, for the guards at least. I must say, we really know how to kick some butt. I am happy to see Nelly's improvement in the grace of her moves, and she can really pour it on with the electricity. I turn to the next room. "I'm gonna go for it!" I yell into the comms as I punch a guard in the face.

"Go ahead!" I don't know who says it, but I go anyway. I burst in to see a large swirling...thing. That's the only way to describe it. It's a thing. And standing directly in front of it is Lucario. He looks at me, but ignores me, closes his eyes, and jumps in. I hit my comms.

"Guys, there's a...well a thing. A big swirly thing."

"Todd, don't act yet. We don't know what to expect."

"Listen, Lucario went in there. If we leave him be, who knows what could happen?"

I head over to the entrance of the...thing (See?). I prepare to step in, but Adrian opens the door suddenly and catches me off guard.

"Todd!" He yells.

I am about to reply, but something happens with the gateway. It begins to loudly roar, and I turn to see Harper and Nelly enter before a force hits me, and I lose my footing. I feel myself being pulled in, and I hold on with my claws as I try to avoid the current. It's too strong. I lose my hold, and I find myself flying into the gate. I black out as soon as I am fully inside.

---

3rd POV

The creature had been there for a while, and it was only just beginning to stir. It began to twitch, then it's eyes began to flutter. It stood up and looked around. It felt so strange. Why couldn't it remember anything? Was this what it was? What it always had been? It seemed so. It stood and looked at the foreign landscape. As it searched, it saw something coming close. It curled into a ball, ready to go on the offensive if necessary. What ever it was, it had arrived.

"Whoa! That one's pretty cool. I wonder how strong it is." It heard shuffling, and a beep before an automated voice sounded.

Sandslash. Ground type, mouse Pokemon.

To be continued...