บท 20: Chapter Seventeen: Clawing through the mist
One moment I'm floating, suspended in warm thick air. Body weightless as I glide between space and time without a care.
Echoes of some world seem far away to me as I sail away in bliss. I see nothing, yet no fear grips me as immense joy wraps my entire being.
My world starts to shake, my blithe interrupted by tremors and quakes.
Suddenly I plunge down and it's as if I'm clawing through sand to get to the surface, my lungs and eyes are burning. Back towards my peace, cold invisible hands grip my legs and threaten to suffocate me.
I feel like I'm going to choke to death, I want to scream but my mouth and throat feel full. I think I'm fucking dying.
Retching, I try to lift my hands to my face but feel as if they're tied or weighted down by something. A sliding sensation overwhelms my throat and I retch again. I see nothing but feel like my throat and nose are clear again.
Sinking deeper still, my body is heavy and hot. Horror envelopes me and I my heart is going to break free from my chest at any second.
As quickly as it came, the darkness starts to lift and I try to open my eyes. Slowly, squinting against harsh bouncing light I crack them and try to focus.
I hear multiple voices, the trill of something mechanical and whirring. Everything is blurry while I struggle to see what's going on.
So much white, silhouettes of what appear to be people bustling around me. I can tell that I'm laying down, my arms still feel extremely heavy.
Finally I make out an unfamiliar woman's voice saying, "her eyes are open!"
I groan and notice that my throat is extremely raw. "Where am I?" I finally wheeze out.
I still can't quite focus my vision for some reason, my head hurts really fucking bad.
Nobody answers my question and I start to ponder whether I had actually said anything out loud.
"Where am I?" I try again.
"Hospital, you got hurt pretty bad." A man's voice answers me and his face finally comes into focus. He's older, a surgical mask covers everything aside from his wrinkled eyes. White, gnarled eyebrow hairs stick out wildly all over the place comically.
I assume he's a Doctor, based on his garb. White coat, stethoscope hanging around his neck and a certain air about him.
"Why can't I move my hands?" I choke, looking down stiffly to see casts surrounding both of them. "Oh, well shit."
"Ma'am, now that you're awake I can give you a rundown of the injuries you suffered." He looks down at his clipboard, "I'm Doctor Ging."
"Okay…" I try to sit up, can't and slouch back down.
"Three broken ribs, Grade 3 concussion, multiple lacerations to your face, torso and neck, broken orbital bone, both wrists were fractured, three of your fingers were compound fractured and lastly you suffered a punctured lung." Doctor Ging clicks his pen open and scratches something down. Letting out a large breath after his mini speech.
"Honestly, I'm not sure how you lived long enough to get to the hospital. We had to do multiple emergency procedures. Even thought I lost you a couple of times! Had to put you in a coma, which is what you climbed out of today." Doctor Ging seems about to keel over.
I watch as he peels off a set of bright blue gloves and tosses them into a contaminant bin.
"Is anyone waiting for me?" I ask the Doctor.
"Your cousin. He's been here since he brought you in, he's waiting in the lobby. What's his name?" He glances over at a woman holding a clipboard.
She pulls down her half moon glasses and flips a few pages over. "Masaru, Doctor."
"Ah yes," Doctor Ging removes his medical mask and lets out a breath. "Can't take you home yet though. Almost finished but not quite."
Waving over a nurse, who's carrying a tray with sharp instruments on it he pulls on a new set of gloves.
"Gonna remove your casts and then get you out of here. Bones are healed well enough, just have to take some of the Comfey Pollen medicine we send with you. Mix it with Moomoo milk twice daily."
A buzzing sound, then a terrible smell and he carefully removes the casts one at a time. A nurse rinses my arms with a warm cloth and applies a tingling salve to them.
"Let's get you some clothes. The ones you came in had to be cut off," the nurse holds out a paper parcel to me. It's topped with open toed sandals.
"Thank you," I bow my head quickly and try to stand, almost falling over.
"You might be a little unsteady," she helps me off the bed and walks me to the bathroom. There's a bar in there and I cling to it while she shuts the door behind me.
I stare at myself in the long mirror across from me. I look haggard, more pale than usual. Bruising is still visible across half of my face and I see where they had to shave part of my head.
"I look like shit," I mutter to myself.
Slowly I pull a simple black T-shirt dress over my tattered body and a pair of simple underwear. I slip on the slides that were sitting on top of the parcel.
With great effort I make my way out of the bathroom and sink down in a chair right next to the door.
Another nurse rolls a wheelchair next to me and helps me collapse into it. From there she wheels me down the dreary hallway and into the lobby.
I see Masaru, sitting in one of the red Hospital chairs. His hair looks wilder than usual, as if he's been attempting to pull it out. He's tapping a finger hard and fast onto the small table beside him.
I find myself unconsciously smiling when he looks over at me.
With a start he stands up and strides over to us, worry written across his face.
Doctor Ging steps forwards. "Hello, sir. I've got a prescription for your cousin all written up here," he hands Masaru a small slip of paper. "She'll be right as rain in the next week or two."
"Why the wheelchair?" Masaru inquires.
"She's a bit shaky on her feet, it was a long walk to the lobby and to a cab." Smiling the Doctor waves and Masaru looks down at me.
"You're a real idiot sometimes," he mutters before grabbing the handles of my chair and pushing me towards the doors.
"Is Silver alright?" I ask him quietly.
"He is, luckily. You know the whole roof almost crushed all of us? Do you understand how worried I-we were?" Masaru's finger starts tapping the back of my chair.
"I'm not sure how you aren't dead, honestly." His voice is almost inaudible when he says this.
We wait at the curb while Masaru calls a taxi on his phone. It arrives and he helps me inside, before folding the wheelchair and placing it in the trunk.
We're off towards who knows where. I don't ask, I'm not ready to break the awkward silence yet.
Finally I see the sign for Pewter City and notice that we're heading towards the Inn. This must be where Silver is. My heart flutters with brief fear that he'll be as salty as Masaru is.
Once at the Inn he wheels me inside and to Silver's room. Quickly the door opens and I wonder if he's been waiting behind it all day.
When Silver sees me in the chair I look away, unable to make eye contact. Masaru moves aside and allows Silver to wheel me into the room.
Once inside we sit silently, Silver next to me. "Can you walk… or?" He seems bewildered.
"I can, I'm just struggling to." I say through my scratchy throat.
"I'm going to pick up her medicine from the Pokémon Center," Masaru stands up and pulls his jacket back on.
"Thank you," Silver also stands up and moves into the small kitchenette. He begins brewing tea as the door shuts behind Masaru.
We drink and watch some Detective show on the TV while we wait for Masaru to return. Though I've been asleep for the last three days I'm exhausted and just want to sleep more.
"When can we go home?" I ask him.
"Tomorrow, I'll take you home tomorrow." Silver promises.
"What happened to Cleyera and Giovanni? We won right?" Panic edges into my voice.
"They're in custody. Yes, we won. This Team Rocket base has been disbanded. Though I worry about other 'leaders' lurking in the shadows." Silver pinches between his eyes.
I smell a waft of orange come off of him and instantly feel more at ease. I relax in the chair, the salve is wearing off and my wrists ache.
Once Masaru returns and I take my medicine we go to sleep. All of us eager to go back to Lavender Town and away from here.
Morning comes quickly. I walk slowly from my bed to the bathroom, determined not to need the chair anymore. I'm clumsy but able to make my way back to my bed.
Silver and Masaru pack up the room and we pile into Silver's car, ready to put the road behind us.
It seems like it takes years to get from Pewter City to Silver's house. Once I see it through the mist I feel excitement brim in me. Home.
I shakily climb from Silver's car, reluctantly accepting Masaru's outstretched hand for assistance. He helps me into the house under Silver's glaring eye.
I sit down on the couch and release My Pokémon from their Pokéballs. Needing their comfort in this moment.
Arrow drapes his mighty head over my shoulder and I stroke his face affectionately. Ninetails lays herself warmly by my feet and the others spread about the living room.
Silver doesn't like the house this full but he allows it since he knows it's what I want right now.
"I'd like to take over Team Rocket and change it entirely," Silver announces.
To this Masaru shoots up from his seat at the kitchen table, as if he'd been electrocuted. He runs a hand through his blue hair and sputters without words.
"I know what you're thinking…" Silver starts.
"Do you know what I'm thinking?" I don't know if I've ever heard Masaru get so loud before.
Silver takes a deep breath and looks down at the table before he continues, "I want to completely turn the organization around. First we have to take control of all the other bases."
Masaru sits back down, "okay I see your point. If we don't take control of the other bases all we really did was get rid of Giovanni."
I listen from the couch, my hand buried in Ninetails' warm fur. I can feel her heart beating under my hand and I stroke her lovingly.
"Jun what do you think?" Silver asks.
"I think it makes sense. Not sure how you want to go about it though. I fucked up parts of that building pretty well."
"I'm not worried about some dilapidation," Silver waves a hand at me loosely. "My main goal is to infect what's currently an evil organization with brilliant, positive ideals."
"Doing what though? They literally steal Pokémon and either sell them or give them to Giovanni. Sometimes they perform experiments on more powerful ones…" I trail away, thinking.
"I want to help Pokémon instead of stealing them. Team Rocket has a lot of fantastic tech that we could use." Silver strokes his chin loftily.
"So relocating Pokémon or something like that?" Masaru asks him.
"Yes, relocation and rescue. Those are the two main things I want to focus on." Silver fetches the kettle and starts some tea.
"What about the people that don't want to bend to us?" I ask vehemently.
"We crush them, too." Silver makes a fist in front of himself while the kettle screams.
He brings me a mug and I stare down at my rippling reflection. I can see into my tired eyes from the murky depths, I let out a sigh.
"You should probably get to sleep," Masaru offers to me.
I shake my head, which doesn't feel great. Groaning I place a hand on each temple and stare at the floor.
Screams surround me, I try to run but when I look down my legs are trapped underneath a rock. I feel my heart racing while a menacing figure staggers towards me.
Familiar hot breath warms my face and glowing eyes glare down at me. I struggle helplessly, listening to screams i recognize as Silver and Masaru's.
Frozen with fear and cornered by my rocky grave i shriek. Covering my face with bloodied hands i cower against the ground awaiting my fate…
"Jun! Wake up!" With a start I gasp and open my eyes to see Masaru staring down at me.
"Thank god," he lets out a sigh. "You were screaming, I was so afraid."
Embarrassed, I straighten myself up in bed glad for the darkness covering my flushed cheeks. "I'm fine, I was just dreaming." I look away from him hotly.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were alright…" now Masaru seems embarrassed. Realizing he had just barged into my room unannounced during the night.
"I'm fine, it's fine- you can, leave now." My face is still hot and I refuse to look at him.
"Are you sure?" His voice is laced with nervousness, as usual. "Your screaming sounded, I mean… you sounded really afraid."
"I'm fine!" It comes out harshly and immediately I feel bad. "I'm sorry, thanks for checking on me."
"Can I sit?" He asks.
Begrudgingly I nod my head and scoot away from the edge of the bed to make room. He looks over and relaxes when he sees that the door is half open.
"If you aren't okay there's nothing wrong with that. I still have nightmares about that night…" he trails off, not wanting to share more.
I relax some, remembering that Masaru truly understands pain.
"I'm sorry that happened to you, I'm also sorry it still haunts you." Unconsciously my hand slides from under the blanket to cover his.
He goes rigid for a moment and I wonder if he's about to wrench his hand away, he doesn't. His hand is warm and rough, I idly run my hand across it. I feel him shiver and watch as he looks away from me.
"If you don't want me to touch you I can stop. I just know… it helps sometimes." I try to break the thick air using my words.
"It's fine," Masaru says quietly. "You remember that fight Silver and I got into before we stung Team Rocket?"
"Are you finally going to tell me what it was about?" I ask him playfully.
He doesn't respond, I feel his finger tapping my bed and roll my eyes. What an annoying nervous habit.
I let go of his hand and now both sets of fingers are tapping. A small smile cracks my lips while I watch his nervousness.
"Have you always been so anxious?" I ask him wistfully.
"Uh, thanks. I guess so." He seems offended, I find that funny too.
"There's nothing wrong with it, I was just wondering. I bet you were a cute kid, all frazzled with your wild hair."
"M-my hair is wild?" His hand shoots up to his head and I laugh.
"It's not a bad thing!" God talking to Masaru is a fucking minefield. "I kind of like it," I lean over to adjust my blankets.
"Silver and I were fighting because there's something that I want. He doesn't think I can get it without persuasion though. Which he doesn't agree with." Uncomfortable now, he starts to tap his foot as well.
"Can you at least stop the tapping? I know it helps you cope but you're shaking the whole bed!" For some reason I let out a small giggle. What the fuck is wrong with me?
"Oh, sorry." He stops abruptly.
"So this thing you want… you don't want to tell me what it is?"
He sits up rigidly and shakes his head. "Confidential." He croaks.
"Well, you're a good man. You deserve anything that you desire. I'm sure even the most coveted thing could find it's way to you without persuasion." My own words surprise me.
Now Masaru is smiling. "I'll remember that you said that, Jun." His voice is light and calm for once.
"Alright, then I can be the one you thank when this mysterious item is in your possession." I sink into my bed, tiredness finding me.
"You certainly will be," he says before standing up. "Please, don't wake me up with more screaming." He leaves my room.
Moments later I hear him talking to someone else, it must be Silver.
It is, another few seconds go by before he looms in my doorway.
"Hi," I greet him.
"I heard you screaming, are you alright?" He narrows his eyes.
"Why didn't you come in? Yes, it was just a dream." I yawn.
"Masaru was already in here. If you need anything come get me, please." Silver shuts my door and I feel an awkwardness. Something strange is going on…
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