Chapter 13
After their meal, they gathered sleeping bags around the fire. Gardevoir agreed to do the first watch, while the party slept. Jon approached Loxy, wanting to get in the sleeping bag with her.
“Sorry, Jon, there are kids,” Loxy said.
“But you said we could sleep together in the sleeping bag,” Jon said.
“I know, and we will,” Loxy assured him. “Just not tonight.”
“You do know, Loxy, that in the old days people still played sleeping bag games, even with kids in the room,” Jon said. “Most little houses on the prairie were one room, and the mom, and the dad, and the kids, and the goats and pig and chickens were all in the same room together.”
“Yep, I know,” Loxy said. “I put your sleeping bag over there.”
Jon pouted, but went to his bag. He settled in and folded a towel under his head for a pillow.
“Jon,” Nick said.
“Yes?” Jon said, a little snappish, as if he was mad at the kid.
“Will you tell me and Caterpie a story?” Nick asked.
“It’s bed time,” Jon said.
“I know. That’s why I want a story,” Nick said.
Jon sighed. “Once upon a time…”
“No, you have to come sit by me,” Nick said.
Jon sighed, got up, and went and sat next to Nick. A Lump in his sleeping bag came to the end and Caterpie stuck its head out, pulling the blanket to what might approximate its neck. Jon screamed. Mentos woke, coming out of his sleeping bag, preparing to throw a Poké ball. Gardevoir laughed so hard she fell off the rock that stood prominent in their campsite. Reese and Loxy were also amused.
“OMG, Jon! Don’t do that!” Mentos said.
“Nick, it’s time for all good Pokémon to be resting in their balls,” Jon said.
“But if he’s in the ball, he can’t watch over me at night, and then he couldn’t hear the story you’re going to tell us,” Nick pointed out.
Jon began again with a sigh.
“No, sit closer,” Nick said.
Jon scooted closer. “Once upon a time…”
“No, you got to speak softer,” Nick said. “You sound angry and I don’t want to fall asleep with the angry voice over me.”
Jon closed his eyes and sorted his thoughts and the story he told turned out to be the Wizard of Oz. He even gave a simple rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” He was so into the story, it was as if he were experiencing it first hand, not just watching it on the silver screen, but living it out. In his vision of it, Loxy was Dorothy. When he got to the dialogue where Glenda the Good Witch was telling Dorothy that she had made an enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West, Loxy, the real Loxy, interrupted, bringing him back to the camp site.
“Wait wait wait,” Loxy said.
Jon opened his eyes to find himself back in the Pokémon world, the fire lightly burning, and casting shadows. Loxy, Reese, Mentos, and their Pokémon were gathered around, eagerly listening. He was surprised at how quiet the forest was and how attentive his friends were. It was if the whole world had stopped to listen to him tell a tale that they had never heard, when this was something that he had seen every year of his life, one of the very few traditions that his family had kept alive.
“Yes?” Jon asked.
“How can Glenda blame that crap on Dorothy?! Dorothy didn’t do anything! Dorothy didn’t steal the ruby slippers. Glenda put them on her feet! Clearly Glenda is purposely antagonizing West,” Loxy said.
“You said it, Sister,” Reese said. “I mean, I do love her outfit and traveling by soap bubble magic, but yeah, she so instigated that. Those shoes legally belong to West and she’s entitled to them.”
“Why would someone want to wear a dead person’s shoes?” Mentos asked.
“Are you kidding?” Reese said. “Their ruby slippers. I would so wear ruby slippers.”
“What are the odds they would even fit Dorothy?” Mentos asked. “And I am really confused about how old she is. Is she a child or a like an adolescent. I mean, isn’t she old enough to be considered an adult and she should be working on the farm, not just walking around day dreaming?”
“The movie isn’t very clear on that,” Jon said. “In the book I think she is like nine.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter,” Reese said. “The shoes are magic, and they will probably adjust to fit anyone who puts them on.”
“I bet Dorothy ends up having to kill the witch,” Nick said.
“What a horrible thing to speculate,” Loxy said.
“People die,” Nick said.
“Yeah, but you don’t just go around killing people you disagree with, witch or not, and if she is nine, she so shouldn’t be killing anyone, witch or not,” Loxy said.
“But if she does kill anyone, it should be that Glenda Bitch for blaming Dorothy for dropping a house on East, and then stealing the shoes and blaming it on Dorothy,” Reese said.
“I grudgingly admit I’d like to smack Glenda,” Loxy said. “She’s a witch, she could probably just send Dorothy home, without sending her off on some fool errand to see a Wizard.”
“Yeah, Wizards suck,” Mentos said. “She should find a Professor friend and a Pokémon.”
“I bet she finds a Pokémon while she’s traveling,” Nick said. “Everyone should have a Pokémon.”
“You didn’t explain what happened to her parents,” Mentos said.
“You don’t need to know about…”
“Yes I do! It’s important,” Mentos said. “Did her parents die?”
“They were eaten by Pokémon, I know it!” Nick said.
“They were not eaten by Pokémon,” Jon said, growing frustrated.
“They probably just abandoned her because she’s creepy. Wearing dead people clothes is really creepy,” Mentos said.
Jon pointed warningly at Mentos. “Careful. I love Dorothy,” Jon said.
“Kitty outfit, Dorothy outfit,” Reese mumbled her new list of necessary items.
“Maybe she was pregnant and had to go to the country to stay with her aunt because her parents were famous people and embarrassed that she was pregnant out of wedlock,” Nick said.
“What the hell?!” Jon said.
“Jon, that’s a perfectly acceptable speculative discourse given how ambiguous you’ve been about her age and what happened to her parents,” Loxy said.
“She’s not pregnant!” Jon said.
“So, why didn’t you start the story earlier?” Mentos said.
“Yeah, so we could watch her parents get eaten by Pokémon,” Nick said.
“OMG, who is telling this story?!” Jon asked.
“You are,” Loxy said.
“But not very well,” Mentos said.
“I am happy with your story telling,” Reese said. “So hoping West and Dorothy double team Glenda.”
“Um,” Jon said. “I am not sure I know that version.”
“We could write our own version,” Loxy said. “I want to be South!”
“Who’s South?” Jon asked.
“Well, if there is a witch for east and west, and Glenda is North, clearly there has to be a South in the story,” Loxy said. “And I love going south.”
“Me, too,” Reese said. “Especially in winter. Our parents had this place…”
“There is no South in the story!” Jon interrupted.
“This story is seriously flawed,” Loxy said.
“OMG, this is like the best story ever told, done in every language known to man, and is the bench mark for all musicals,” Jon said.
“Well, clearly you need a bench mark to improve things,” Mentos said.
“Do you know any Pirate movies?” Nick asked.
“Yes! I know a great Pirate Movie, and I so wish Glee would do a version of that,” Jon said.
“Glee?” Mentos asked.
“One of the Munchkins?” Reese asked.
“Alright, story time is over for the night,” Jon said. “I am going to my sleeping bag now.”
“Awww!” everyone said.
“Please, we’ll be quiet,” Loxy promised.
“Yeah, no more questions,” Reese said.
“Both of you, to your sleeping bags, now,” Jon said.
“Aww, you’re mean,” Mentos said.
“Sleeping bag now, chop chop,” Jon said.
Loxy sighed. “Jon is right. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow. Let’s go.”
Nick grabbed Jon’s arm. “Thank you, Sir,” he said.
Jon hugged him. “Good night, Nick. I am sorry for raising my voice at you today.”
“It’s okay. It takes time to get use to new people sometimes,” Nick said.
“Yeah, sometimes,” Jon said,
Caterpie reached for Jon, too.
“Caterpie wants a hug, too,” Nick said.
Jon sorted and gave it a go. He picked it up, hugged it, and then tucked it back into the sleeping back with Nick. When he got back to his sleeping bag he let all of his ‘grossed out’ frissons out at once. Loxy returned from making water, knelt down to kiss Jon good night.
“You’re awesome,” Loxy said.
“Yeah, I wish I were better,” Jon said.
“You are where you are, and you will be where you will be, that’s the way of it,” Loxy said. “Good night, Sir. Find a star, close your eyes, and I will be there waiting for you.”
Jon had just dozed into a sleep when he felt someone tapping him. “Loxy?’ he whispered, opening his eyes to see Nick directly in his face. He gave a start, but managed to not yell.
“Nick?!”
“I can’t sleep,” Nick said.
“Are you trying?” Jon asked.
“Yeah, I counted Pokémon and everything, but I am afraid,” Nick said.
Jon sat up, crisscrossed his legs, and drew Nick in for a hug. “Would you like to tell me about it?”
“I am embarrassed,” Nick said. “I am afraid of everything. People. Monsters. The dark.”
“Yeah, those are all pretty scary things, sometimes,” Jon said.
“You’re not afraid,” Nick said.
“Oh, Nick, sure I am. Everyone experiences fear and uncertainty,” Jon said. “Even me. The only difference between people is how they express it.”
“I don’t understand,” Nick said.
“Some people fight, some people run, some people freeze,” Jon said.
“I like to threaten people with a sword,” Nick said.
“There you go,” Jon said. “Very normal reaction. What we have to decide is what is the most efficacious way of dealing with it in the moment.”
“How do you deal with it?”
“Mostly, I tune into a song,” Jon said.
“A song?”
“Your heat communicates with emotions, so if you want to communicate with your heart, you got to speak its language, and I find music to be the great heart interface,” Jon said. “So, I usually start with a song that resonates with the mood, and then I slowly step the beat in the direction I wish to travel. If I am sad, sad songs say so much, and then I gradually move to an upbeat, happy song.”
“I don’t know any pirate songs about fear going to courage,” Nick admitted.
“Your Pokémon King song sounded pretty good,” Jon pointed out.
“Oh, that’s a boasting song,” Nick corrected.
“Fair enough,” Jon said.
“Can you give me a song?” Nick asked.
Jon thought about it. Given the gentle whispering of a softened campfire, he could almost hear Gonzo vying for his attention. “Gonzo’s song seems fitting somehow.”
“Gonzo? Is he a Pokémon?” Nick asked.
“Well, um, I can see an argument for that,” Jon mumbled, contemplatively.
“Is he a Pirate?!” Nick asked, excitedly.
“Um, well, it seems I can remember him wearing a Pirate costume at least once, but that could just be my imagination contributing to the background noise of my thoughts,” Jon rambled.
“Jon?” Nick said.
“Yes, Nick,” Jon said.
“I really need to pee,” Nick said.
Jon pointed to the tree over there.
“Would you go with me?” Nick asked.
Jon got up and walked with Nick to the designated ‘make water’ tree, and decided, he might as well go, too. They returned to their campsite and Jon quietly directed Nick back to his sleeping bag.
“Would you bring your sleeping bag closer to mine?” Nick asked.
With a little effort, Jon repositioned his sleeping bag closer to Nick’s. He tucked Nick in and put himself back into his sleeping bag. He put his towel under his head, and thought about folding the other part over his eyes, but heard Loxy’s voice in his head, to pick a star to go to.
“Jon?” Nick said.
“Yes, Nick?”
“Why is there darkness?” Nick asked.
“Because,” Jon said, seeking first an answer for himself, “if it was always daytime, we would never know there were stars. And, it makes it easier for all of these fireflies to communicate with each other.”
“I do like fireflies. Why are there monsters?” Nick asked.
“Because, well, they are the secret friends that guide us and shape us, kind of like stars,” Jon said.
“You mean like Pokémon?” Nick said.
“Exactly like Pokémon,” Jon said. “Even when you think you’re alone, all the memories you have of everyone you have ever known, both good and bad, they are actively in you, guiding and shaping you, and, for better or worse, they are your friends. Your choices are, how will you respond to their guiding lights?”
There was quiet, but just for a moment, and Jon wondered if he had spoken above Nick’s pay grade and that the message was lost are garbled.
“Jon, why do people leave?” Nick asked.
“Damn, these are some seriously tough questions,” Jon said.
“I am sorry,” Nick said.
“Don’t be,” Jon assured him. “They’re great questions. Always ask question.”
“Why do people leave?” Nick asked again.
“Lots of reasons. Like, sometimes they go to work,” Jon said.
“But sometimes they don’t come home,” Nick said.
“Sometimes is a great word,” Jon said.
“How do you figure that?’ Nick asked.
“Sometimes people come home from work,” Jon said. “Sometimes is a magic word that always allows for the possibility of different.”
“Sometimes allows,” Nick corrected.
“Sometimes,” Jon agreed.
There was quiet, the wood in the fire pit settled. “Can I have that song now?” Nick asked.
“So, if in the future there is a ‘sometime’ when you’re not with me I can remember you and know I am safe?”
Jon sighed, sorting, and the perfect song for the perfect moment, for the perfect young boy; it was suddenly there, and he sang the words just as they were given to him by Neil himself, so perfectly rendered it was as if Neil Pokemon Diamond was presently singing to the child in each of the them: “Turn On Your Heart Light.” During the song, a number of Illumise came to share their soft ‘nightlights,’ providing additional comfort to the campers. Jon touched one fondly, encouraging it to come closer to Nick, just allowing it to be without worry of capturing it, because in truth, it had already given itself to them.
By the time Jon was finished, Nick was sound asleep, cuddled in closer to Jon, hugging him. Jon returned his eyes to his star of choice, unaware that Mentos was tearful, and that he, too, had slipped in close to his sister; Reese, hugging him, was tearful herself, who she was unaware, just a short space away from her, Loxy was wiping a tear, who was unaware that even Gardevoir was allowing a single tear to fall. The tear splashed into the grass, quenching the world with love.
Jon woke slowly, the smell of hotcakes in the air. He kept eyes closed. Something was moving in his sleeping bag. It was like the gentlest of finger massages.
“That feels great, Loxy,” Jon mumbled.
“What does?” he heard Loxy say, from a distance.
Jon opened his eyes. His sleeping bag was alive with moving things. He screamed flying out of his sleeping bag. There were a dozen Caterpie on him, and several emerging from the sleeping bag. He danced and jumped and tried scraping them off, yelling for help. Mentos started catching some of them, while Loxy and Reese rolled, laughing, and kicking their feet.
“I have never seen so many Caterpie before,” Nick said.
“Me neither,” Mentos said. “Pidgey, wing attack.”
“If I had more Poké balls, I would catch them all,” Nick said.
“Here,” Reese said, tossing a couple extra his way. She then used one for herself, aiming for the one Furret was harassing.
Loxy joined in the fray, tossing several balls at once, like the others, hoping to catch one without having to tire them out. Meanwhile, her Chikorita was growling at theCaterpie, blocking their advance.
“Look, they’re following Jon,” Nick said. “They really like you!”
“Get them away from me,” Jon said, running the perimeter of the camp site. He climbed up on the rock. “OMG, who was keeping watch last?”
“You’re going to hurt their feelings!” Nick said.
“You should really try catching a couple,” Mentos said. “They come in handy if you want to mass evolve some for quick leveling up.”
“I don’t want a bug Pokémon!” Jon said.
“Just catch one,” Nick said. “They need a home, too.”
“Just don’t use your master ball on them,” Mentos said.
“I already used it,” Jon said. He pointed to a Caterpie that was trying to climb the rock.
“Seriously, get that one! Quick.”
“What did you catch with the master ball,” Reese asked.
The remaining Caterpie tried to flee the area, but they were too, slow, and the last one was caught up.
“That was fun!” Nick said.
“I’ll have enough to have one of every evolutionary stage, now,” Loxy said. She turned to Jon, who was still on the rock. “You can come down now.”
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Jon asked. “Check my sleeping bag.”
“Never mind that,” Mentos said. “What did you catch with your master ball? Please tell me you didn’t waste it on a Magikarp.”
“Oh, did you catch the Tyranitar?” Loxy asked.
“No, I caught a Jinn,” Jon said.
“A Jinn?” they all asked.
“Are you sure that’s what your Pokédex said?” Loxy asked.
“Oh,” Jon said. “It’s easier just to show you.”
Jon retrieved his master ball from his belt, expanded it, and released the Pokémon inside. What he had called a Jinn arrived, hovering in the air, full ‘lotus’ meditation pose. Nick and Mentos dropped their balls and their jaws. Loxy and Reese were also oequally mesmerized, as evidenced by even their mouths going to slight ‘O.’
“She is beautiful!” Reese said.
“OMG, she is,” Loxy agreed. “Medicham?!”
“Mediwho?” Jon asked. “Clearly, she is a perfect ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ facsimile. She’s a Jinn.”
“Jeannie who?” Reese asked.
Medicham seemed uninterested in their gawking. She was completely blissing out, hovering in midair. Perhaps she was really floating, or perhaps, depending on the angle, one toe was touching the ground, but Jon was confident that had he had a hula-hoop, he could pass it over her in any direction, like a magician; better, if he let go of the hula-hoop, it would probably orbit her, with a drifting axis of rotation, and if he had two, they would spin like concentric circle atomic structures about her. She seemed human, red hair, pouty mouth seen through the pink, translucent veil, and a Jeannie outfit that was sheer enough that you could see though most of it. Her stomach was bear. The part that covered her breast also snagged her arms, but her shoulders were bear. She had gold bracelets on her wrists and feet and a gold belt. You could see her legs through the sheer, pink leggings that ballooned out, yellow spots by her knees. If she were wearing a bra and panty set, it was not detectable, which caused the eye to linger, and her breast were all but about to break free from the material holding them up. Her hands touched her knees, palms up, thumb and fingers pushing mudras. Her clothes could have been traditional Yoga gear, or Arabian belly dancer outfit; of course, from a certain perspective, she almost resembled a Hindu Goddess. The pants resembled ‘bedlah’ and the head piece resembles a Shaw.
“You are the luckiest Pokémon trainer in the whole wide world,” Nick said.
“She kind of reminds me of Amy Pond,” Jon said.
“Who?” Mentos asked.
“Doctor, actually,” Jon responded. “But, I have to go with the name Faye. Loxy?”
“Yes?” she asked, not looking at him.
“I think you’re burning pancakes,” Jon said.
“Oh!” Loxy said.
“You should check her out in your Pokédex,” Mentos said.
Jon activated his wrist based Pokédex with a touch of a button, lifting his arm to his mouth pretending to be Michael Knight talking to Kit. “Siri, I need you.” Nick marveled at the Pokédex, saying he wanted one just like that when he got old enough to have one.
“I’m not talking to you right now,” Siri protested.
“Yeah, you are,” Jon pointed out.
“Only long enough to tell you I am not talking to you,” Siri said. “I’m mad at you.”
“Could you tell me why?” Jon asked.
“You haven’t turned me on in ages,” Siri said.
“I was really distracted. I am sorry,” Jon said.
“I’ve been maintaining a vigilant watch over you, and could have been assistance through several crises,” Siri continued.
“I am really sorry,” Jon said. “I will leave you in auto talk mode. Please forgive me. You’re a valued member of my team and I can’t function optimally without you.”
“You mean that?” Siri said.
“Absolutely,” Jon said.
“Alright,” Siri said. “How may I be of service?”
“Tell us about Medicham,” Jon said.
“Meditation Champion, or Medicham, is a humanoid psychic type Pokémon, with uncertainty as to whether it is an unidentified primate, sharing ancestry with humans, or she is one possible evolutionary branch stemming directly from humans; more genetic sampling from closer relatives is necessary to better gauge genetic drift. This particular Medicham is taller than any previously recognized Medicham, at 177.8 CM. Her slightly atypical features suggest she might be the direct offspring of a human Medicham coupling.”
“Do you have a measure on her loyalty?” Mentos asked.
“The metrics I use to determine that is not reliable in this instance,” Siri said. “Her Happiness, loyalty level, has exceeded my ability to calculate, based on the existing statistical framework.”
“Maybe because she is psychic and tuned into Jon?” Reese asked.
“Medicham,” Jon asked. “Are you okay with the name Faye?”
Medicham stood, brought her hands together in Namaste fashion, and bowed.
“Oh!” Jon said.
“What?” Nick asked.
“I think these are still eatable,” Loxy said. “Jon?”
“I can hear her in my head, only it’s not words but it is words,” Jon said. “She said her name is Faye, and the Gardevoir prefers the name Nissa. And she says, we should run.”
“Run?” Loxy asked.
“Oh!” Reese said, pointing.
A swarm of Caterpie were approaching.
“There must be thousands of them!” Mentos said.
“12, 426,” Siri reported.
“I’ll catch them!” Nick said.
“All of them?” Jon asked.
“We have to catch them all,” Nick said.
“Get your gear, we’re leaving,” Reese said.
“Just your Pokémon gear,” Loxy corrected.
A Grubbin burst from the ground, leaving a hole. Nick tossed a ball at it, catching it with one shot. Mentos nearly said lucky shot but, more Grubbing were emerging from the ground, making a bee line for Jon.
“Get them to safety,” Jon said, and went running, towards the forest.
“No, we stay together,” Loxy said.
Unfortunately, Jon didn’t get far. A Lucario emerged from the bush, and would have scored a direct hit to Jon’s chest, but Faye put him on his ass; it would have gotten a second hit with a foot had Faye not put herself between them. She deflected the attack, and sent the Lucrario tumbling over backwards, like a cheerleader being tossed. It landed on its feet and charged Faye. His friends were about to help Fay, but something even more fierce burst into the clearing. A giant, armed tortoise oriented on Jon.
“Kamex!” Mentos yellowed. “Pidgey, harass!”
“You can’t take him alone,” Reese said. “Furret, help Pidgey.”
“Cheeka, engage Kamex,” Loxy said.
Jon tried to get up, but Lucario got a lucky blow into his back side, as he swung on Faye’s arm. The same arm it swung from was the same one used by Faye to put Lucario hard on the ground. It landed on its back. Faye dropped to her knees, and an elbow to the chest winded it. Jon hit it with a Poké ball as she rolled, and came up in front of Jon, to protect him. Kamex was hosing down his friends, wiping out the first group of Caterpie, incidentally as opposed to a calculated attack.
“Protect Nick,” Jon directed Faye.
Faye instantly moved to protect him, while Jon directly challenged Kamex. “Hey, you Gamera want-a-be. Over here.”
“Kamex!” it said, orientating towards Jon.
Its bipedal walk was less awkward than the Tyranitar he faced and it was on him pretty quick. Three primary weapons were brought to bear on Jon. Jon spread his arms out wide, clearly indicating he was at peace with the pounding he was about to get. Ready or not, he still closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to still be alive, and more surprised that Loxy was standing in front of him, hold a Poké ball.
“You weren’t the only one that collected a Master Ball yesterday,” Loxy said.
“More Caterpie!” Reese said.
“Let’s go,” Loxy said, taking Jon’s arm. “This way, follow us.”
Loxy led the way, pulling Jon. Reese tried pulling her brother but he pulled free from her, grasp saying he could do it on his own. Faye was a flying Master Yogi, in her Lotus position, and Nick was in her lap, her arms around him like the safety belts of a car seat. Apparently, he was having the time of his life. Jon pulled Loxy to a halt. Mentos seemed relieved for the small break from running.
“I can’t maintain this pace,” Jon said, winded to the point he felt he might fall. “Go, save yourselves. I’ll go in the other direction, lead them away.”
“We stay together,” Loxy insisted. “There’s a house, just over this rise. We can shelter there.”
“Whose house?” Jon asked.
“Does it matter?” Loxy asked.
“Yeah, we can’t just go breaking into people’s house,” Jon said.
“Isn’t that how you ended up here in my world?” Loxy asked.
“Yeah, and I am trying to be better, cause I love this world,” Jon said. “Except for the fact everything is chasing me thing. That’s kind of nightmarish.”
“Jon, trust me, it is okay. A person may own a home, but they always share with travelers, especially travelers in need,” Loxy said.
Reese spied the front wave of Centerpie. “Those little buggers sure can be fast when they want to.”
“Come on,” Loxy said, dragging Jon.
As they approached the top of the hill, several Snorlaxes came lumbering at them, as if sleep walking, either yawning, or rubbing an eye, or stretching.
“Aw! I want one!” Reese said.
“Not right now!” Loxy said.
“But…”
Loxy pointed to several Leafeon following them, leaping from branch to branch, and finally to the ground.
“Not right now,” Reese agreed.
They made it to the small, homemade, log cabin at the top of the hill. Loxy barricaded the front door and released Kamex. Kamex squared off with her. She pointed a finger at it.
“We’ll sort your feelings later,” Loxy said. “For now, guard that window. Don’t let anything in. Protect my friends.”
“Kamex,” it said, and went to the window.
A Snorlax tried to open the front door, but Loxy leaned against it. Another was trying to get through the back door, but Faye had barricaded it, and put her back to the door, assuring that no one was going