Whisper

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

110 hours remaining

(Amalric's POV)

The strangers tied us up and placed us in front of a considerably large, rock podium. They all gathered again, talking to each other in hushed tones. Then a man with long, green hair climbed the podium. He had some weird eye-thing on and was wearing a large, oddly patterned robe. Once he was facing us all, the room quieted down extremely quickly.

The man cleared his throat and began. "Comrades, I am here today to motivate you all before our assault on Striaton City. When the clock," he motioned to a giant clock on the wall, "Strikes five o'clock, we shall advance and we will liberate all Pokémon!" The crowd cheered wildly.

Amaria squirmed next to me. "Amalric? Amalric! I can't find Purrloin." That got my attention. I whipped around. She was right, no Purrloin. Annabel whispered to us. "Guys, he's talking again." We turned our attention to the green-haired man again.

"Striaton will only be the first; soon, Team Plasma will spread all over Unova, freeing all Pokémon. And then, we will do the same to every region until the world is free of Trainers!"

The crowd roared again, chanting 'Team Plas-ma' and 'Lord Ghet-sis'. The man raised his hand and the crowd murmured amongst themselves in confusion. "I, Ghetsis, will tell you how I know." Two of those Plasma guys stood next to Ghetsis, holding a Pokémon each. One of them held a Pokémon up. It was a yellow, squirming, mouse looking Pokémon. It was restrained in a rubber coat.

"We have liberated the so called 'Pokémon Master', Ash Ketchum's Pikachu!"

The Pikachu discharged some electricity but it was sucked up by the rubber. "Pika!" it cried pitifully.

The crowd went hysterical at this and Annabel gasped. "Pikachu!"

Amaria nudged me. "Look at the other Plasma." I did as told and found him holding a Purrloin. Our Purrloin. I cursed under my breath.

The crowd took a little longer to settle down this time, but eventually became silent again.

"We have also liberated some trespassers' Purrloin." He glanced at us but quickly moved on. "I apologize to all that my son, Lord N, could not be here. But if he were here, he would ask you all one question. 'Are you all ready to fulfill our dream, to free all Pokémon!?'" The crowd chanted 'Yes we are' several times.

The crowd was not going to settle easy after this, so Ghetsis continued over them. "Comrades, prepare yourselves. We advance on Striaton, TONIGHT!"

The crowd roared all around us.

I swear to Arceus I am now partially deaf. Ghetsis walked off the stage and disappeared. I glanced at the clock. It was just going on one o' clock. We had four hours until the invasion.

I began running through strategies in my mind. First, we have to get Purrloin and get out.

I turned my mouth to Amaria's ear. "Do you have anything that might get us untied?" I whispered to her, then turned and did the same with Annabel.

"Nothing." Amaria answered but Annabel instantly dove her hands into her pockets. She pulled out several shining rocks. "I collect these; I think that they're pretty. The best part?" She, with much difficulty, rubbed the edge of one against the rope. The rope sliced cleanly. "They are extremely sharp." Annabel finished.

She passed on to each of us and we began sawing through our ropes.

Soon enough we were through the bindings, but we didn't move. The crowd was still all standing, still pumped, but if we got up to run they would catch us immediately.

"We are going to slowly and progressively scoot over to the door over there." I whispered to the girls, nodding towards the closest wall.

We progressed like that, slowly through the crowd for a good hour before reaching a door. I made sure no one was looking before reaching up an arm and turning the knob. We slipped in unnoticed. I quietly eased the door shut on the inside and let out a relieved breath. I turned to the girls.

"Now they are going to notice we are missing very soon. We need a plan." I looked up.

The room seemed to be a storage room, with boxes and several discarded items stranded. I nodded options and plans running through my mind.

"Okay, here we go. We need to check all these boxes. Grab anything that might get us out of here." My sister nodded and Annabel did as well. We dispersed and started scavenging.

I followed a thin path through all the boxes, hopeful of possibly finding the Pokémon.

I found something all right. Just not a Pokémon.