From: Cat-Gonk <gjani@upnaway.com> Subject: [PW!] Revelations Date: Thursday, May 06, 1999 12:02 AM (Can anyone see this? If so, could you please give me a reply? My posts seem to have been ignored of late and I've only ever recieved feedback once....) Revelations - By Cat-Gonk. Author's notes: This PW may get a bit cliche half-way though, but please, bear with me on this. Note that all the "flashbacks" take place twenty-nine years back. This gets quite violent later on, so if you don't like this in a PW (Neither do I, but it's needed for the plot), skip this post. ----------- "Aaah..." Clampion Towers, room 125. The home of Felix Charlesson. Hellion's radiant morning sun shone through the apartment, settling over Felix's drowzy form. Stretching his arms out wide, he got out of bed and moved to the kitchen. "Mmm..." Another ray of light roused Kirsty from her pleasant sleep. Rolling off the black leather couch she joined Felix in the dining room, picking through his endless mini-bar. "Coffee?" "Koffeee!!!" Samuraichu and his Pokemon, alerted by their favourite word rushed into the kitchen. Cappucino hovered over the coffee maker, his large, ever-present painted smile seeming wider then ever before. Tick stepped out from inside the refrigerator. "You're out of milk." "Koffeee..." "Chu..." Making do with tea, the four settled down to breakfast. ----------- "Odd!" "Hold still..." Felix plucked a leaf from Oddish's foliage and placed it in his empty cup. A bud quickly grew, and unfurled into a new leaf that was snatched up by Tick. Samuraichu quickly heated a kettle of boiling water with his tail, and passed it around. "We've been here for almost a month. How about we head back to Celadon?" "Mmm," nodded Kirsty through a mouthful of toast. "Lots of trainers, mmph." "Oddish? Dish odd oddish!" "You smoked your own leaves, and we don't have enough money for Calcium," replied the diminutive blonde. "I'm thinking Fuschia." "Chaa! Raichu rai chu chu!" "You trained under Koga?" (See: Cinnabar Dawn) "What about a safari?" smiled Felix. "I've always wanted a Kangaskhan." "Hmm, they're pretty rare." Tick added more hot water and Oddish leaf to his cup. "We'd be in there for at least a fortnight." Felix carved out the inside of a hardboiled egg. "We vote. Celadon or Fuschia." "Celadommph." Kirsty gulped down another muffin. "Celadon." "Fuschia." "Rairai." Felix and Tick glared at each other, as did Kirsty & Samuraichu. "Heads or tails?" "Heads." Tick threw Oddish into the air, who landed head-first in a plate of toast. "Fuschia it is!" Kirsty sweatdropped and backhanded Tick. ----------- "Got all your stuff?" "Chu, chu raichu!" Samuraichu forced down a last bag of Moccona into his backpack. "I'mpph, almost done." Cereal bowl in hand Kirsty hastily packed her things. "I'm ready." Tick was waiting at the door, compacted Wigglytuff Launcher in hand. "Do you really need that? You can't even use it properly." "Not really. It's useless to me now." (See: Vengeful Thoughts/Clash at Celadon) Tick handed Felix the mighty weapon, and unpacked the ammunition cartridges from his travelling pack. "It's a bit heavy." Tick was immensely strong, and could lift the ammo with relative ease. Felix on the other hand, could not. (sweatdrop) "Could you hang onto these?" "We'll go to the circus first," said Felix. "Oh, and we'll patch up those TMs." "Fetch'd...far?" (Sky Attack?) "Vic...tree?" (Solarbeam?) They left the building, ready to set out on a new adventure. ----------- "Felix!" Charlesson was taking an inventory of the Six Star Circus' storeroom. Vektor had morphed into a notepad. "Can you stay for a while?" "Sure. Oh, we've got those TMs." Felix handed his father the Sky Attack TM, and Tick passed him the Solarbeam TM. "Now, you do it like so..." Withdrawing an almost-antique Pokedex from his coat pocket, Charlesson slotted the card-like devices into a slot at the top of the machine. The early-model Pokedex sprung into life, and emitted a faint whirr. "TM43 teaches SKY ATTACK. Teach SKY ATTACK to a Pokemon?" spoke an electronic voice. Charlesson tapped a button on the panel. "Fetch'd?" "Bel?" "Hold still." Charlesson aimed the Pokedex at Cygnet, and pressed a button. "FETCH'D FAR!!!!!" A blazing beam of lightning shot out from the TM cartridge and struck Cygnet in the centre of his forehead. After screaming expletives in Farfetch'dian, Cygnet calmed down and got back into his Pokeball. "Now, who's next?" Victreebel hid behind a box of stage equipment, trying to disguise itself as a lampshade. ----------- "Have you heard of Team Rocket?" asked Tick. "OF course!" laughed Charlesson. "They've been around since I was a trainer! Haven't I told you about them before?" Felix and Tick shook their heads. "Well, they used to be a group of Pokemon mercenaries, but now they're just thieves. When I was a trainer, ahem, Giovanni was just like you two." "Chu?" "It gradually got out of hand, and they started hiring more and more people." Vektor carried the stock inventories out of the room. "From what I've seen in the papers, a man named Dreadite is now Giovanni's right-hand man and they've gotten to be quite dangerous. Why the interest in Team Rocket, anyway?" "Well, we ran into some at Hellion Hive," said Tick. "And YOU attacked him..." Kirsty slapped Tick in the back of the head. "And I saved one in Pallet. We ran into him again in Celadon, and he said that we've all got Rocket datafiles." "Hmm..." Charlesson led them out of the storeroom, and into his office. Felix could tell that he was hiding something. "Were you attacked?" asked Charlesson. They sat down in the circus office. "Yes, but Tick beat him up." Felxi and Tick high-fived. "Did he escape?" "We let him go." "Have you heard from him since?" "No, why?" "That's good," whispered Charlesson to himself. "Tick, did he call for backup?" "Yep. Jin, another Rocket saved us." "Hmm, then I doubt they'd still be after you. Did he say that you had Rocket datafiles?" "Uh-huh." A Wigglytuff Launcher was displayed in a clear gun cabinet. Felix had never really noticed it before, and only fired it on the odd occasion. The phone rang. Charlesson spun in his chair to face the terminal, and picked up the Bellsprout-shaped reciever. "How's Tick going?" Charlesson covered the mouthpiece with his hand. On the viewscreen spoke an Alakazam, larger than any Felix, Tick, Kirsty or Samuraichu had ever seen. It was roughly the same height as a human, and looked to be as old as Charlesson. "Who's he?" "I think it's time. You should tell him." "He's already fought off a Rocket, it would only make things worse!" angrily voice Charlesson into the reciever. "Melchior, he'd kill himself!" "Chu?" "Well, we agreed that this was the best time." "What about the others? Has Serra been found?" "Yes. He's already on his way." "And the rest of the lineage?" "They're safe. The time stream is secure." "I'm not entirely sure about this." "Tick should know the truth. Melchior out." The viewscreen went black. ----------- "Who was that?" asked Tick. "Err, a friend of your father." Charlesson was obviously distressed by the Alakazam's phone call. "Look..." The group drew closer, eagerly awaiting this "truth" that the Alakazam had spoken so secretly of. "Tick, it's about your father." "What about him?" "He, well, it happened when we were twenty..." (fade to black...) "Move! Keep going!" Victory Road, twenty-nine years ago. Charlesson and Sequiro, then Lionel and Tick ran though the dark cavern, explosions filling the air around them. The Tick Sequiro of old, as in the fashion of his family was very short yet possessed a massive strength. He carried a heavy double-bladed axe, using it to destroy the obstacles in his path. Lionel was just like Felix in his young age. A prototype Wigglytuff Launcher hung from his back, inside the last three rounds. They ran down the tunnel as fast as possible, their Pokemon covering the escape. Wallace, Raphael, Djinn and Cinder, Lionel's first Pokemon. They were behind him, and were just as scared. Wallace had thrown up a protective barrier to shield them from harm, but it wasn't much use against the powerful Wigglyweapons used by their assailants. "Lionel! Up ahead!" A squad of fully-armed Team Rocket soldiers blocked their path. Tick vaulted into the air, and landed in the centre of them. "Pyrodactyl! Over here!" Lionel called for Tick's Charizard. Melchior the Kadabra, and Serra the Fearow were being attacked by Rockets stationed along the cavern wall. Electrodes and Blastoise assailed the mighty flame-lizard, but he struggled forwards. The pair, Lionel and Tick had fought the Elite Four almost twenty times, each time a victory with flying colours. Few trainers of the day had Pokemon strong enough to defeat theirs, so to find new and stronger opponents they camped in Victory Road. Team Rocket knew of their fame and fortune, and chose to ambush their campsite. Two kilometers from the exit, Lionel and Tick were faced with two choices. Run, or be faced with certain death. ----------- Charlesson slumped back in his chair toying with a dusty Pokeball. It was Wallace's old home, he hadn't occupied it since that fateful day. ----------- Bracing himself, Lionel fired a high-explosive Wigglytuff into the cavern wall. The shock threw Rockets stationed in the high ground to the bottom of the tunnel, and to instant death. Their screams filled Victory Road, giving the remaining Rockets a taste of what was to come. "I'm almost done!" Tick kicked a Rocket square in the chest, seding him into a boulder. His axe flashed in the dim cavern light, a fine mist of blood and sweat around him. Of the ten men that had attacked him only three remained standing. Tick had no desire to kill anyone, and so far he had succeeding in not doing so. "CHAAAR!!!" Pyrodactyl was caught by a falling boulder, and spiralled into the dirt. Immediately, he was set upon by five Blastoise and a wing of Electrode. Melchior and Serra were unable to help their friend, and could only watch in horror. Lionel turned away, offered up a prayer, and fired his second Wigglytuff into the pack. "Pyrodactyl's down! I've only got one round left!" screamed the terrified Lionel. The end of Victory Road was only a few drops away, the ladders to the exit in full view. Only a few Rockets remained in the tunnel, and Tick had most of them covered. Enraged at the death of his most loved Pokemon, Tick lashed out with his axe. In a frenzy of anger he carved one assailant in half adn cut the others down as they ran. Storming forwards, Tick leapt down the ladder out of Victory Road, and towards Indigo Plateau. Lionel gathered up their remaining Pokemon, and pressed onwards. ----------- Tears streamed down Charlesson's face, the first time Felix had seen him cry. Samuraichu passed him a tissue. The Wigglytuff Launcher in the gun cabinet was the same one he'd carried all those years ago. ----------- "There's only a few metres left! They wouldn't dare attack us in Pokemon League HQ!" shouted Lionel. Tick was too enraged to hear him, and could only think of revenge for his beloved Charizard. "Tick! Stop it now!" The battle-worn Tick Sequiro turned to face his partner. Dirt, blood and tears slicked his face. "They killed Pyrodactyl, and they're going to kill us too! Hurry up and follow me!" Lionel did not wish to argue, and made hastily for the exit. ----------- Charlesson was on the verge of breaking up, yet he continued. He had endured these terrible images for twenty-nine years. Felix now understood what drove him to training Percivore, Starmine and Clampion with rage and hate, not the trust and love that Pokemon need to grow. ----------- "We're out!" Tick fell to his knees, the Pokemon League HQ before him. Only a garden of statues stood before them and relative safety. Around lay a stockpile of Rocket equipment, including four more Wigglytuff Launcher rounds for Lionel's weapon. "We're almost there!" Tick was still on the ground, crying. An exhausted Lionel emerged from Victory Road, Wigglyweapon in hand and Pokemon close behind. "Tick...". They were both gasping for air. "We should turn back. They'll be waiting for us at the gate! Surely they haven't sealed both entrances!" Lionel could see a batallion of Rockets assembled at the entrance to the Indigo Pokecentre, all fully armed and wearing the regalia of hardened Rocket veterans. Tick picked himself up, and rushed them. Lionel fired an incendiary Wigglytuff into the air, showering the area in flames. Rapidly closing the distance and with the glimmer of insanity in his eyes, Tick hacked through the Rockets with relative ease. Melchior and Serra were in shock, cowering behind one of the statues. Lionel's Pokemon too were unable to go any further, and hid inside the exit to Victory Road. Lionel didn't know how he could continue, but Tick's life was in danger and Lionel had to protect him. Loading another round into the weapon, he fired. ----------- Felix had never seen his father distressed in such a manner. He asked him to stop, but Charlesson continued. ----------- "WIGGLY!!!!" The roar of Wigglyweapons was deafening. Tick ducked and weaved around the Victory Road statues, Lionel covering his advance. Gathering up all their courage, Melchior and Wallace emerged from hiding and attacked the Rockets before them with their powerful psionics. Tick's war cry filled the air. Axe raised aloft, he charged the guards head-on. "Tick!" To the horror of Lionel, Melchior and Wallace, a Wigglytuff hit Tick square in the chest. The blast threw him into one of Indigo Plateau's marble statues, which crumbled to dust from the force. Tick lay motionless at the foot of the statue, his last breath of life a silent prayer to the heavens. ----------- "The police showed up soon after, and drove away the remaining Rockets. Tick, your father, died almost instantly." "Chu..." Tick was obviously distraught. Team Rocket were evil! "What happened afterwards? Did you do anything?" Lionel regained his composture, and sat upright in his chair. Wiping the remaining tears away from his face, he continued. "Of course. I stormed the Classic Coke Bottle three days later..." ----------- The Classic Coke Bottle. Rather than the impenetrable fortress it is today, the original Coke Bottle was comparatively unguarded and the Team Rocket of old did not have the manpower necessary to resist an onslaught from a man with a thirst for vengeance and six powerful Pokemon. "You!" A Wigglyweapon took down the bulkhead door before him, leaving Lionel face-to-face with Giovanni himself. Tick's axe hung from his back. Melchior and Wallace had secured the entrance with powerful psionic barriers, preventing re-enforcements. "Why? Why did you kill him!" Giovanni nonchalantly spun his chair around, to face the enraged Lionel. "I knew you'd come here." Giovanni was calm and collected, not worried by the prospect of death. He'd faced it many times "I should kill you right now." Releasing the safety on his Wigglytuff Launcher, Lionel brough the weapon to bear on the youthful leader of Team Rocket. "Before you kill me, consider what you've done." "Your last words will be noted." Lionel lowered the barrel of the Wigglytuff Launcher, but his eyes never left Giovanni. Team Rocket were notorious for traps like this, so Lionel kept his guard up. "Lionel Charlesson, I admit we've done you wrong. Team Rocket killed your friend, and for that, well, I'm sorry." Giovanni took a sip from a glass of Cherry Coke on his desk. "Want any?" He passed Lionel a can of Classic Coke, which the young Charlesson opened. "But befoer you kill me, think about what you've done. We only wanted your money, and had no intention of harming you. In return, you killed twenty of my men." "Go on." "You're right to avenge your friend, but the debt has been paid. End this now, and I'll guarantee that you'll walk out of this place alive." Lionel began to see what he'd done. Rather than scaring the Rockets away, Tick and himself had resorted to violence. He knew that Giovanni was a master orator and could easily manipulate people's minds, but deep in his heart, Lionel knew that he was right. He struggled to put the Wigglyweapon down. "Fine. But remember, if Team Rocket ever comes near Hellion Town the Coke Bottle goes up in flames." Turning around, Lionel left the chamber. Along the exit corridor, a bodyguard of Rockets escorted him out. ----------- "That's why I never went after Team Rocket. Giovanni must have some shred of honour, as so far he's remained true to his word." Tick was still distraught, but was no longer filled with anger. "What about my mother?" "That's the hard part. You see, while I invested my training money into the construction of Hellion Town, Tick built a manor for his family." "Where? How come I've never heard of it?" asked Tick. A family mansion that he'd never heard of? "It exists in a different timestream, known as "NC". It's too hard to explain." "How?" "The Alakazam I spoke to is Melchior evolved. He can travel to and fro between Pokemon Island and the "NC" domain, and bring people with him. The remaining Sequiro line lives in the Manor, your cousins, your brothers and sisters, everyone." Charlesson punched in a long sequence of code in his videophone. "Melchior Sequiro. Did he take it well." "I think he's alright. Should I send him across?" "I'll open up the portal." A swirling vortex of energy appeared next to Charlesson. "Quickly! Your family is waiting," spoke a voice from inside the portal. Tick stood up, and took in a deep breath. Turning to Felix, he spoke. "I'll see you soon." Felix, Samuraichu and Kirsty waved goodbye, as Tick entered NC. ----------- "When will he be back?" Charlesson switched off the vidphone. "You'll see him in a month or so. The Manor is a great place, I once spent a year there." "Rai? Raichu chu." "I know, but he'll be back." Kirsty comforted Samuraichu, and offered him a biscuit. "Well, I've got a performance in one hour. I'll see you soon." Charlesson picked up his clipfile and headed back into the arena. ----------- "Wait!" Turning around, Felix saw his father running towards them. In one hand Charlesson held a chained Pokeball. "I forgot," Charlesson stopped to catch his breath. "There's someone who wants to say hello." Flicking the safety switch on the Pokeball, the chains retracted into the back of the unit. He let it fall to the ground, releasing the contents. "Cloyssster!" It was the obsidian Cloyster, Clampion (see: Return to Hellion and Lighthouse). Felix instinctively drew back, afraid of the huge jet-black Pokemon. Last time he had seen it, Clampion was completely insane and would kill any trainer on sight. "It's alright. Bill and Vektor did a good job." "Cloy. Ster cloyster cloyster." "Chaaa!" Raichu greeted their new-found friend. Felix moved to pick up the large Cloyster, but then remembered its spines. "He wants to follow you," said Charlesson. He patted Clampions' shell, unafraid of the once-psychopathic Pokemon. "Cloyster cloyster cloy?" asked Clampion. He seemed happy, and eager to please. "Okay. Watch this." Clampion leapt up into the air. A swirling mist gathered around his body, hiding him from sight. "Blizzard attack!" shouted Charlesson. Clampion's shell opened up, and took the nimbus of energy inside. With a flash of blue energy, his shell swung open and released a hail of foot-long icicles towards an unfortunate palm tree. When the dust finally settled, the onyl thing that remained was a half-frozen coconut. "That was great!" applauded Kirsty. "Cloyster!" "He wanted to show you his power," said a pround Charlesson. "I've told him not to fight trainer matches, as he might hurt someone." "Ster..." "We can't have Felix throwing your power around, can we?" "Cloy, ster cloyster." "I've got to get back to the circus, there's a performance in," He checked his watch. "Fifteen minutes! I'll see you soon!" Felix, Kirsty and Samuraichu waved goodbye, and climbed onto the waiting Shrike. "So, are we going to Fuschia?" "Chaaaa!" "Let's go!" The giant Fearow lifted off into Hellions' open skies, drifting across the sea towards the distant lights of Fuschia City, and the Safari Zone. ---------- So, what'd you all think? Cat-Gonk. ---------------------------- Do you believe in Goddish? Azure Heights Pokemon Staff. (http://www.geocities.com/~korelano/) AGNP- One Newsgroup under Goddish.