From: "Jom Tones" <publicenemanumberone@hotmail.nospam.com> Subject: [PW!] A moment of madness Date: Thursday, June 17, 2004 6:29 PM Arren had watched in horror as Scyther had backhanded Huck halfway across the clearing, before leaping into the air. Scyther let rip a shriek that made Arren's blood run cold. There came a jolt as the Pokémon leapt, sailing over the high grass at break neck speed to the fallen form of Huck below. 'Scyther! NOOOO!!!' Arren screamed, his grip loosening wildly. He could feel his body slipping off. He could hear Scyther's howl of frustration as he plunged his right blade down. Arren tumbled to the earth; his powerless legs did nothing to stop him as he raked the ground. He dug out his one and only Pokéball and got it ready. Dazed, he sat up and looked ahead. Scyther was crouched on the ground. Arren had seen this posture before. When Arren needed food - Scyther went hunting. This posture was usually the last thing his prey would see. Arren let out a trembling sob. He jabbed the Pokéball forward - Scyther's head shot round and Arren could see the shame in his eyes as he was digitized and shrunk. In a flash, his friend had gone. He had never once summoned Scyther back to his ball without his consent. Not once. He felt like he'd abused his power, crossed the line between friends. The ball fell from his hand. He looked down at his arms, they were scratched and bleeding freely, his palms grazed raw. With stubborn determination, he dragged himself painfully forward to look Huck in the face. He didn't know what kind of wound he was expecting, and as the tears fell freely from his eyes, the last thing he expected to see was Huck out cold once again. Next to his head, (which now had a long, red bruise down the left hand side of it) there was a twelve-inch gaping hole in the earth. Scyther hadn't killed Huck, but maybe only because Arren had protested. Angry with himself, angry with Scyther and angry with Huck, Arren buried whatever shame he felt about doubting his best friend and dug out his first aid kit. He had used it to nurse Huck back to health a few days previous. At that time he had thought it would be too dangerous to wake him up with the smelling salts. Now though, he didn't care. Arren wanted answers - not only from Scyther but from Huck too, but in order to get both he'd have to wake Huck up. He emptied a little on Huck's upper lip and went back to shuffling around in the kit, wiping his eyes with his sleeves as he went. Huck quickly woke up, groggily inhaling the loose salts causing him to roll over and cough. Dazed and in pain, he dry retched a few times before rolling back on to his back. Arren slapped his face hard enough to wake him. 'Wake up,' he commanded. 'Whu - - ?' Huck moaned, squinting. 'Get up, now,' Arren replied between clenched teeth. 'Whut happund?' 'Scyther knocked you out,' 'Why?' 'I don't know. You tell me.' Huck clearly didn't understand what was going on. Arren dug out his small knife and turned to face away from Huck. In his trembling right hand he held out Scyther's Pokéball, and, holding the knife aloft he summoned him forth. Scyther, appeared before them, crouched and poised, ready to spring. His body quivered with bottled emotion. For the first time ever, Arren was truly terrified of what he was capable of. Suddenly, he leapt forward - Arren put the knife to his neck and shouted. 'Scyther wait!' GRAARGH!!! Gesturing wildly for Arren to move. 'No! I want answers. From both of you.' Scyther backed away, he clearly wasn't used to Arren fighting back. Arren was livid, and as he thought back later, this probably would have been enough to stop him. He was still holding the knife against his neck. 'Huck - what's going on? Why are you on that wanted poster?' Huck's head was spinning - he didn't know what felt worse, the pain or the shame of Arren's anger. 'Tell him the truth!' Scyther snarled. 'I lied to you,' Huck replied quickly. 'About what?' 'The Pokédex - it's not my Uncle's. It belongs to a man named Salamander. I stole it from him.' Arren was thunderstruck, but he couldn't afford to lose momentum. 'Why?' 'I was recruited by an underground secret movement thing, they didn't tell me much. They said they'd help me train my Pokémon. I didn't know what I was stealing I swear!' 'You were going to get Arren into trouble! You were using us to hide from them all along!' 'No!!' Huck pleaded. His head hurt too much. How could he be expected to defend himself like this? 'That wasn't it! I swear.' But hadn't he? At least some part of him had been steering them away from the roads. Had he really been using them though? 'What's Scyther saying?!' Arren shouted. 'He's saying that I used you to stay away from my own trouble, but I didn't. You have to believe me!' 'Why the hell should he?' Scyther bellowed. 'Why the hell should I?' Arren spat. 'Because I don't want to train my Pokémon, not really. All I want is friends! Those people weren't my friends. They wanted to use me to get into the house and steal the Pokédex. You didn't judge me by my usefulness. you treated me like a person.' 'Why did you lie?' Scyther muttered quietly, but menacingly. 'I lied because I didn't want you to send me away. I didn't want to go back to that life. My parents never had time for me, nor my uncle - those people that wanted the Dex - none of them wanted me.' Scyther was clearly seething still, but Arren had subdued. The knife had dropped from his neck. 'Look,' Huck continued, all the hope it seemed, drained from his voice, 'I knew this wouldn't last. I know now that I have to sort this out, this Pokédex isn't mine - I have to give it back.' Arren nodded silently. He didn't understand Huck, how could he be so cheerful all the time with a past like that. Maybe he was lying still, but there was something in his voice. The sincerity was there in his face. Arren had observed how crestfallen he really was with his Pokémon. 'I believe you,' he said. Scyther got up and loped away, growling with frustration. 'Thankyou,' Huck replied quietly. 'I don't trust you boy,' Scyther called back, 'There is something in your words that is still untrue. Though I admit you have masked it well.' Huck frowned. 'What did he say?' 'He says he still doesn't believe me,' Huck said. 'Well I do,' Arren turned to face Scyther, 'What does he have to do to prove himself to you?' Huck bit his lip. Scyther prided himself with honour, Huck obviously had little. How would he get it back? What would Scyther do? Huck didn't know, but he could guess. It was the noble thing to do - it was also a bit like shooting oneself in the foot. He stood up. 'I will give myself in,' He said, 'Yes, that's the right thing to do.' Scyther turned to look at him, 'You would do this?' 'No,' Arren said, 'Huck, don't.' 'Yes, I must. I see this now. I feel ashamed at what I have done, to both of you.' Scyther approached Huck, he was no longer shaking with anger. He looked calm. 'Well done boy, you have made the honourable choice.' Huck nodded. His head still rung with pain, but he ignored it. With dignity, he turned and began to walk away. For a few short days, he had known friendship. 'Huck! No!' He blocked out Arren's words, his head swimming with pain. A breeze wrapped itself around him as he walked, Huck looked up. With grace, Scyther had leapt through the air and landed in front of him, barring his path. 'What?' Huck asked, his throat thick. 'I cannot allow you to pass,' Scyther replied. 'Why not? I have to hand myself in,' 'This is not possible,' 'Why?' 'Because Arren does not wish it,' 'What?' 'As honourable as your intention is, Arren does not wish this. Therefore, I do not wish it.' 'I don't understand.' 'I am satisfied that your intention to hand yourself in is true. Despite the misgivings I still harbour concerning the entire truth of your words, Arren is prepared to believe you.' Huck stared at his feet, hiding a smile of relief. 'I will be watching you however.' Huck nodded gravely, wiping the smile off his face. 'What now then?' He asked. 'We need to find you a disguise,' Arren replied from behind, Huck turned to find him sitting in the grass beaming like a kid who's got his own way. 'Where are we going to find one?' 'Mauville I reckon, it's far away from this place. They may not be looking for you there.' Arren replied, almost as if the drama that had proceeded had been a game. Huck shook his head and chuckled. His head still hurt, the sun was bright and his prospects were looking a lot healthier. With the lie off his back he felt a lot better. 'What is funny?' Scyther asked. 'What is funny?' Arren asked. Huck laughed harder. He really had picked the weirdest friends. -- Hem Hem - Fanny by Gaslight - - JomTones publicenemanumberone@hotmail.nospam.com