Something was blocking air flow. Kenta couldn’t breathe properly. Struggling for oxygen, he widened his mouth and thrashed wildly, pushing something heavy off his body. He heard a human shout of surprise, followed by a loud bump, and he opened his eyes and gasped for breath, heaving his chest up and down. Taking a first look at his surroundings through blurred eyes, he beheld a crumpled blanket around his ankles and two bedposts just above them. Turning and looking down to the left, he saw a young man with green-dyed hair, younger than him, but not by much. Kenta guessed he was about Curtis’s age, a thought which calmed him a little bit, but not significantly. The two of them stared at each other, the bedroom dead silent, and the other boy spoke first, timidly.
“Uh . . . hi. Uh, sorry. My name’s, uh, Lee. Yeah. Sorry.”
“S-sure. I’m Kenta.”
Kenta noticed that Lee had fallen back and his hand was crushing a banana peel. On the floor, lying a little further away from him, was the half-spilled carton of Strawberry Banana. Lee picked it up hurriedly, and threw it in a nearby waste bin. “Sorry,” he said again, not looking Kenta in the eye. “You’ve been out for three days, and I was worried that you’d die if you didn’t eat anything. So, uh, I kind of tried feeding you some yogurt.” He scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. “But you sorta choked on it, and almost died anyway.”
“That’s okay,” said Kenta softly, looking around the bedroom. “I’m fine, now. But what am I doing- ouch!” He clutched his left shoulder; for some reason, it was stinging. Lee put up his hands, looking concerned. “Careful, now . . . you got an electrical burn there. And . . . on most of your upper torso.”
“Burns?” Kenta looked down at his bare chest; he was bandaged from waist to shoulders in medical wrappings. Lee walked over to the end of the bed and picked a shirt off the floor. Kenta recognized it as the top of his officer’s uniform. “So . . . are you a cop?” Lee asked him, pointing at the badge on the shirt’s left breast pocket. Kenta nodded, distracted by the two bullet holes in the lower part where Arcada had shot him. They were miniscule, but they were there. Looking down at his stomach, Kenta searched for the bullet hole, but saw no sign of it except for a red patch. Against his better judgment, he poked the spot, but felt no piercing pain from it. Everywhere else on his chest, a dull burning caused him to ache, but not the gunshot wound.
“Alright . . . Sergeant Nyna,” Lee said, reading Kenta’s badge, “you’re not from around here, are you?” He looked up at Kenta, smiling slightly. “I’ve never seen you before. Were you part of the unit that got driven back by the wild electric pokémon around these parts?”
Kenta looked at him, wondering what to answer, wondering what he was talking about, when his burns took control of his senses and he allowed himself to drop backwards on his pillow in pain. Lee clicked his tongue and shook his head, crossing his arms. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. What’s with the police these days? Leaving their own man behind, when the going gets tough.”
“Excuse me, but where am I?” Kenta asked him, while trying to concentrate on his breathing and ignore the pain.
“Heh, you’re in my room of course.” Lee stopped and put a finger to his mouth. “Oh, you mean the town. This is Henna Villa! You probably haven’t heard too much about us, because we’re a recent settlement.” He pointed out the window. “You can’t see it from where you’re lying, but we’re here because of our transmission tower. There’s a power plant east of here that generates electricity, but it can’t really dish the power out that efficiently. Our tower directs the electricity throughout the Kanto region, all the way to the magnet train and beyond.”
Lee turned back to Kenta, looking apologetic. “Unfortunately, that tower has made the electric pokémon around here a little crazy, ever since its finish. You won’t be the first guy who’s been zapped silly by a wild Raichu or Electabuzz. Or those darn Magnemite and Magneton,” he said darkly. “Those ones are the worst. Being Steel-types makes them even more sensitive to the electric flow than the others.”
The pain had diminished in his body somewhat, and Kenta risked sitting up again. He felt vulnerable, and for good reason. I wonder if anybody else on the force knows I’m here, he thought nervously, as Lee watched him curiously. If Arcada or anyone else from the government finds me, I’m done for. He twitched involuntarily as another thought struck him. The Master Ball! Does this kid know I have it?
He was still wearing his uniform pants. Thinking quickly, Kenta pulled the heavy blanket back over his body, and hastily shoved his hand into his right pocket. His fingers touched the smooth, rounded surface of a pokeball, and he relaxed. Alright, there’s that. And . . . yeah, I’ve still got my lockpick, too. He checked his other pocket. Now, where’s Bakuphoon’s pokeball? He felt the hard, semi-smooth surface of a hole-dotted item, and by touch, he recognized it as Bolt’s Everstone. No regular pokeball, and no Luxury Ball, either. Suddenly recalling the events preceding his loss of consciousness, Kenta once more rested his head against his pillow, sadly.
Lee looked over at him, with an anxious face. “Hey . . . are you okay, Officer? Should I go call someone?”
“No! No.” For a third time, Kenta jerked himself upright, and endured another wave of agony from his stinging upper body. “I’ll be okay.”
Sheesh, I can’t relax for a moment, here.
Putting his feet down on the floor, Kenta stood up from Lee’s bed and gave him a sharp look. “Listen,” he said firmly, “I appreciate you taking care of me, but you cannot tell anyone that I’m here. I have reasons for it, alright?”
The other boy gave a small nod, looking taken aback. “O . . . okay. So you’re, like, a spy or something?”
“Something like that, you could say. Yeah.” Hmm, looks like I got lucky. This guy doesn’t seem to have a clue about me. But what if he’s not the only one?
“Hey, uh, Lee. Do you live alone here?”
Lee smiled and shook his head. “I haven’t got parents, but I wouldn’t call it alone, with four hyperactive sisters in the house. Don’t worry though, they won’t come in here. I expect they’ll leave my room well enough alone, at least until they’re in middle school.”
Oh, good, the others are just children. Well, then . . . maybe Lee can help me, now that I know he’s not a threat.
Kenta returned Lee’s smile and saluted him with a bowed head. “You seem like a good, upstanding citizen,” he said brightly, trying to be as friendly to a total stranger as he knew how. “I won’t take up you room any longer, but could I trouble you to show me around this place and tell me a little more about it? I’d be most grateful.”
I have to gain back my bearings. And if possible, I need to find Bolt!
Looking flattered to have been complimented by a police officer, Lee hurried to the door and opened it. “I’d be honored to show you my humble Henna Villa,” he said happily, tossing Kenta his uniform jacket. “Just . . . put that on in case any of my sisters see you. Are you sure you’re up to this, after just regaining consciousness?”
“Sure, I’m sure.”
Five minutes later, the two of them were walking down the dust street of Henna Villa, with Kenta holding his police hat under his arm so it wouldn’t attract attention. He listened carefully as Lee explained the way of life of the mountain town.
“Over there’s the village pub, Soca’s. It’s actually a pretty family-friendly place, and all the travelers who pass through this area stop there to eat. See how there’s nothing but jeeps in the parking lot? Everyone here owns a jeep because the terrain is so rough. In these parts, you pretty much have to stick to the dirt road wherever you go, or risk getting flipped right over. It’s awful when there’s something on the path, let me tell you. Especially if it’s an electric pokémon! Those things are simply bat-crap insane because of that tower we built. But what can I say? Kanto needs that thing.”
“How come there are lightning rods on all the houses?”
“Oh, we get lots of thunderstorms. And sometimes, during the more nasty ones, some people say they see a giant flying creature of some sort hovering overhead, flapping golden spiked wings. You’re not safe with just one lightning rod, when that thing’s around. They need to be everywhere.”
Lee cringed. “Those damn Magnemite and Magneton, they come even more often than thunderstorms, though. I can’t tell you how many times a civilian was nearly zapped, when a nearby lightning rod avert the path of electricity. One time, my youngest sister was nearly hit . . .” His face darkened. “And if she had been hurt, I would’ve taken a sledgehammer to those Magneton and . . . and . . .” His shoulders drooped and he hung his head. “And gotten my brains fried by two hundred volts. Who am I kidding?”
Wow. These things really are a problem, thought Kenta worriedly. He avoided eye contact with Lee. “And . . . you say that my police force couldn’t get them to quit?”
“Nope. They came with their K-9 Growlithe force and tried burning them back, but the Magneton just pushed right through the flames and electrocuted them all. We even tried training this area’s Rock-type pokémon to drive them away. Nothing works. I’m beginning to think they’re immortal.”
They were standing on the eastern outskirts of Henna Villa, overlooking a steep hill which sloped down into a valley of tall grass. Much of the grass was blackened, probably from the harsh battle that had taken place in the valley not long ago. Kenta looked at Lee, and noticed a hint of fear in his eyes. “That’s where they live,” he said softly, pointing with his finger. “And I’ll tell you now, there is no sight in the world more terrifying than Magnemite and Magneton suddenly materializing out of the grass, and flying right at you in a massive swarm of electric death.”
The last word, “death,” gurgled and faded in his throat, but Kenta could tell what he meant. In his stomach, he felt queasy for Bolt’s safety. Just knowing his dragon friend was somewhere amongst a swarm of insane Electric-type pokémon unnerved him nearly to panic state. Kenta turned to Lee and pointed up the mountainside, at the dirt road leading to the highest part of the mountain. “Thank you for everything,” he said with a quick smile, trying not to sound hasty. “For taking care of me, for the tour, and for that warning. I want to see your tower up close, before I return to where I came from. If I ever get a chance, I’ll come back and repay you for your kindness.”
“Wait!” Lee put out his hand as Kenta turned away from him. “Look- you’re still hurt. At least come back to Soca’s pub for one last meal later. An hour, okay?”
Well . . . after all he’s done for me, I can’t say no. Hopefully an hour will be long enough to find Bolt.
“ . . . Alright. Don’t worry, Lee, I’ll return in one piece.”
“Uh . . . hi. Uh, sorry. My name’s, uh, Lee. Yeah. Sorry.”
“S-sure. I’m Kenta.”
Kenta noticed that Lee had fallen back and his hand was crushing a banana peel. On the floor, lying a little further away from him, was the half-spilled carton of Strawberry Banana. Lee picked it up hurriedly, and threw it in a nearby waste bin. “Sorry,” he said again, not looking Kenta in the eye. “You’ve been out for three days, and I was worried that you’d die if you didn’t eat anything. So, uh, I kind of tried feeding you some yogurt.” He scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. “But you sorta choked on it, and almost died anyway.”
“That’s okay,” said Kenta softly, looking around the bedroom. “I’m fine, now. But what am I doing- ouch!” He clutched his left shoulder; for some reason, it was stinging. Lee put up his hands, looking concerned. “Careful, now . . . you got an electrical burn there. And . . . on most of your upper torso.”
“Burns?” Kenta looked down at his bare chest; he was bandaged from waist to shoulders in medical wrappings. Lee walked over to the end of the bed and picked a shirt off the floor. Kenta recognized it as the top of his officer’s uniform. “So . . . are you a cop?” Lee asked him, pointing at the badge on the shirt’s left breast pocket. Kenta nodded, distracted by the two bullet holes in the lower part where Arcada had shot him. They were miniscule, but they were there. Looking down at his stomach, Kenta searched for the bullet hole, but saw no sign of it except for a red patch. Against his better judgment, he poked the spot, but felt no piercing pain from it. Everywhere else on his chest, a dull burning caused him to ache, but not the gunshot wound.
“Alright . . . Sergeant Nyna,” Lee said, reading Kenta’s badge, “you’re not from around here, are you?” He looked up at Kenta, smiling slightly. “I’ve never seen you before. Were you part of the unit that got driven back by the wild electric pokémon around these parts?”
Kenta looked at him, wondering what to answer, wondering what he was talking about, when his burns took control of his senses and he allowed himself to drop backwards on his pillow in pain. Lee clicked his tongue and shook his head, crossing his arms. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. What’s with the police these days? Leaving their own man behind, when the going gets tough.”
“Excuse me, but where am I?” Kenta asked him, while trying to concentrate on his breathing and ignore the pain.
“Heh, you’re in my room of course.” Lee stopped and put a finger to his mouth. “Oh, you mean the town. This is Henna Villa! You probably haven’t heard too much about us, because we’re a recent settlement.” He pointed out the window. “You can’t see it from where you’re lying, but we’re here because of our transmission tower. There’s a power plant east of here that generates electricity, but it can’t really dish the power out that efficiently. Our tower directs the electricity throughout the Kanto region, all the way to the magnet train and beyond.”
Lee turned back to Kenta, looking apologetic. “Unfortunately, that tower has made the electric pokémon around here a little crazy, ever since its finish. You won’t be the first guy who’s been zapped silly by a wild Raichu or Electabuzz. Or those darn Magnemite and Magneton,” he said darkly. “Those ones are the worst. Being Steel-types makes them even more sensitive to the electric flow than the others.”
The pain had diminished in his body somewhat, and Kenta risked sitting up again. He felt vulnerable, and for good reason. I wonder if anybody else on the force knows I’m here, he thought nervously, as Lee watched him curiously. If Arcada or anyone else from the government finds me, I’m done for. He twitched involuntarily as another thought struck him. The Master Ball! Does this kid know I have it?
He was still wearing his uniform pants. Thinking quickly, Kenta pulled the heavy blanket back over his body, and hastily shoved his hand into his right pocket. His fingers touched the smooth, rounded surface of a pokeball, and he relaxed. Alright, there’s that. And . . . yeah, I’ve still got my lockpick, too. He checked his other pocket. Now, where’s Bakuphoon’s pokeball? He felt the hard, semi-smooth surface of a hole-dotted item, and by touch, he recognized it as Bolt’s Everstone. No regular pokeball, and no Luxury Ball, either. Suddenly recalling the events preceding his loss of consciousness, Kenta once more rested his head against his pillow, sadly.
Lee looked over at him, with an anxious face. “Hey . . . are you okay, Officer? Should I go call someone?”
“No! No.” For a third time, Kenta jerked himself upright, and endured another wave of agony from his stinging upper body. “I’ll be okay.”
Sheesh, I can’t relax for a moment, here.
Putting his feet down on the floor, Kenta stood up from Lee’s bed and gave him a sharp look. “Listen,” he said firmly, “I appreciate you taking care of me, but you cannot tell anyone that I’m here. I have reasons for it, alright?”
The other boy gave a small nod, looking taken aback. “O . . . okay. So you’re, like, a spy or something?”
“Something like that, you could say. Yeah.” Hmm, looks like I got lucky. This guy doesn’t seem to have a clue about me. But what if he’s not the only one?
“Hey, uh, Lee. Do you live alone here?”
Lee smiled and shook his head. “I haven’t got parents, but I wouldn’t call it alone, with four hyperactive sisters in the house. Don’t worry though, they won’t come in here. I expect they’ll leave my room well enough alone, at least until they’re in middle school.”
Oh, good, the others are just children. Well, then . . . maybe Lee can help me, now that I know he’s not a threat.
Kenta returned Lee’s smile and saluted him with a bowed head. “You seem like a good, upstanding citizen,” he said brightly, trying to be as friendly to a total stranger as he knew how. “I won’t take up you room any longer, but could I trouble you to show me around this place and tell me a little more about it? I’d be most grateful.”
I have to gain back my bearings. And if possible, I need to find Bolt!
Looking flattered to have been complimented by a police officer, Lee hurried to the door and opened it. “I’d be honored to show you my humble Henna Villa,” he said happily, tossing Kenta his uniform jacket. “Just . . . put that on in case any of my sisters see you. Are you sure you’re up to this, after just regaining consciousness?”
“Sure, I’m sure.”
Five minutes later, the two of them were walking down the dust street of Henna Villa, with Kenta holding his police hat under his arm so it wouldn’t attract attention. He listened carefully as Lee explained the way of life of the mountain town.
“Over there’s the village pub, Soca’s. It’s actually a pretty family-friendly place, and all the travelers who pass through this area stop there to eat. See how there’s nothing but jeeps in the parking lot? Everyone here owns a jeep because the terrain is so rough. In these parts, you pretty much have to stick to the dirt road wherever you go, or risk getting flipped right over. It’s awful when there’s something on the path, let me tell you. Especially if it’s an electric pokémon! Those things are simply bat-crap insane because of that tower we built. But what can I say? Kanto needs that thing.”
“How come there are lightning rods on all the houses?”
“Oh, we get lots of thunderstorms. And sometimes, during the more nasty ones, some people say they see a giant flying creature of some sort hovering overhead, flapping golden spiked wings. You’re not safe with just one lightning rod, when that thing’s around. They need to be everywhere.”
Lee cringed. “Those damn Magnemite and Magneton, they come even more often than thunderstorms, though. I can’t tell you how many times a civilian was nearly zapped, when a nearby lightning rod avert the path of electricity. One time, my youngest sister was nearly hit . . .” His face darkened. “And if she had been hurt, I would’ve taken a sledgehammer to those Magneton and . . . and . . .” His shoulders drooped and he hung his head. “And gotten my brains fried by two hundred volts. Who am I kidding?”
Wow. These things really are a problem, thought Kenta worriedly. He avoided eye contact with Lee. “And . . . you say that my police force couldn’t get them to quit?”
“Nope. They came with their K-9 Growlithe force and tried burning them back, but the Magneton just pushed right through the flames and electrocuted them all. We even tried training this area’s Rock-type pokémon to drive them away. Nothing works. I’m beginning to think they’re immortal.”
They were standing on the eastern outskirts of Henna Villa, overlooking a steep hill which sloped down into a valley of tall grass. Much of the grass was blackened, probably from the harsh battle that had taken place in the valley not long ago. Kenta looked at Lee, and noticed a hint of fear in his eyes. “That’s where they live,” he said softly, pointing with his finger. “And I’ll tell you now, there is no sight in the world more terrifying than Magnemite and Magneton suddenly materializing out of the grass, and flying right at you in a massive swarm of electric death.”
The last word, “death,” gurgled and faded in his throat, but Kenta could tell what he meant. In his stomach, he felt queasy for Bolt’s safety. Just knowing his dragon friend was somewhere amongst a swarm of insane Electric-type pokémon unnerved him nearly to panic state. Kenta turned to Lee and pointed up the mountainside, at the dirt road leading to the highest part of the mountain. “Thank you for everything,” he said with a quick smile, trying not to sound hasty. “For taking care of me, for the tour, and for that warning. I want to see your tower up close, before I return to where I came from. If I ever get a chance, I’ll come back and repay you for your kindness.”
“Wait!” Lee put out his hand as Kenta turned away from him. “Look- you’re still hurt. At least come back to Soca’s pub for one last meal later. An hour, okay?”
Well . . . after all he’s done for me, I can’t say no. Hopefully an hour will be long enough to find Bolt.
“ . . . Alright. Don’t worry, Lee, I’ll return in one piece.”