Fic - A Beating Heart, Part 3
Title: A Beating Heart
Fandom: Pokemon (gameverse)
Rating: PG
Genre: AU
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the characters associated with it.
Pairing: Eventual Silver/Wally
Characters: Wally, mentions of Silver, others
Summary: War can bring the most unlikely of people together. A town under enemy occupation isn't always the safest place to be, but sometimes it's the place where love can be found.
Author's Notes: Written for
kuruk for Round One of
pokeacts.
Part 3
Wally had no idea how much time had passed between the resistance attack and him regaining full consciousness, but judging by the yellow leaves that fluttered by his hospital window, it had been more than just a few days. The army doctors and nurses who treated him wouldn’t answer any of his questions, leaving him feeling confused and quite lonely. Both Gengar and Kirlia were gone, but he could sense that his partner was recovering from her injuries just like he was. But of his family, May or Silver there was no news.
He was watching the rain fall one long autumn afternoon when things finally changed. The sound of the door hissing open made him turn away from the window, expecting to see a nurse with more pills or a fresh IV bag. Instead, he saw Captain Maxie, the raindrops on the brim of his cap shining from the fluorescent lights.
“H-Hello, s-sir.” Wally stammered, quickly dropping his gaze to the floor. This couldn’t be good at all. Worry and fear welled up within him, making his stomach twist into knots.
“Afternoon.” the officer replied calmly, settling easily into the chair beside his bed. “I expected us to meet again, but not like this. Seems you got caught up in a bit of trouble, hm?”
The teen swallowed hard and simply nodded.
“Now, now, don’t look so frightened. I’m here to talk to you, not eat you.” Maxie replied with a low chuckle. Not the least reassured, Wally hesitantly raised his gaze to see the officer examining him closely. “So. Three fractured ribs, second degree burns, and a nasty concussion. Nothing to sneeze at, but I’ve seen worse injuries on those who crossed the resistance. Congratulations on surviving the battle.”
The teen accepted that with a slow nod, not entirely sure if Captain Maxie was being sincere or not. Probably not, but he would take the compliment anyway. Wally did consider himself lucky to be alive, after all.
“But you probably want news about your family, yes?” the officer continued after a moment. Seeing his hopeful look, the man smiled faintly. “I am afraid I can’t tell you too much about them, but there are alive and well. Your home also sustained some minor smoke and water damage. Nothing serious.”
Unable to keep from smiling, Wally stared at the foot of his bed while he contained his grin and summoned up his courage. “Um…Will…Will I be able to see them soon, sir?” he asked cautiously.
“Unfortunately, no.” Maxie paused to let his words sink in, then continued. “We offered to allow them to sit with you once we were able to identify you, but they declined. It seems many of the townspeople are blaming you for the attack.”
“What?!” Wally cried, then gasped and winced as pain shot through his chest. Breathing shallowly until it subsided, he blushed in embarrassment and stammered, “I-I mean…w-why’s that, s-sir?”
Maxie gave him a level look for a long moment, then spoke. “It seems word of your friendship with Captain Silver was more widespread that I had thought, and this news reached the resistance. You of course know that they do not take kindly to any civilian who is overly friendly with us, especially in the less-important areas such as Verdanturf.” The officer paused and sighed softly. “While I am only speculating, it may be that some in the resistance decided to punish the entire town for the actions of a few. Despicable, really.”
“I see…” the teen felt angry, abandoned and shocked all at the same time. He hadn’t done anything to bring Silver’s attention on him, and it wasn’t fair that everyone blamed him for the attack. There had to be other reasons! Wiping away tears that threatened to spill over, he sniffed and stared miserably at the blankets. If his own family wouldn’t accept him, where was he to go now?
“I’m sorry.” The unexpected apology made him focus back on the man beside him, and he realized that Maxie did look rather regretful, the cool exterior broken for just a moment. “You are more than welcome to remain on base while you recover, and I will do my best to assist you with any arrangements you wish to make made afterwards.” the officer said stiffly, the cool mask sliding back into place as he rose from the chair.
“Thank you, sir.” Wally said slowly, touched by his kindness. “Um…m-may I ask about C-Captain Silver?”
Maxie turned away from the door, considering the question. “He and his Pokemon are being disciplined for leaving their posts at the moment, but I will pass word onto him to come see you once he is available. Good day.” Before the injured teen had a chance to respond, the officer was out the door.
- - -
The rest of his recovery seemed to pass by in a haze. Wally had never expected his own family to abandon him like this, but a small part of him could understand their reasons. Being seen as friendly with the army was a dangerous thing; it turned neighbours against each other and made life under occupation even more difficult than it already was. But the suddenly severed ties between him and his relatives stung. He had done his best to protect them, risking his own life to do so. He hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye.
And May…He still had no idea what to think about that. Wally had never really considered what happened to all the trainers travelling around Hoenn when the invasion hit, but he supposed the resistance had to come from somewhere. How would she be treated? Would she be killed? He sincerely hoped not. Whatever kind of person she had become in the seven years since their brief meeting, she didn’t deserve to be executed for trying to protect her home. But the army probably wouldn’t see it that way, and there was little use in asking about her. He was a nobody.
Slowly, his situation began to improve, with his wounds healing and the medical staff becoming slightly more friendly towards him the longer he stayed. Kirlia was returned to him as well, along with strict orders not to let her out of her Pokeball. Still, their shared link and close proximity gave him added comfort during those endless autumn days and nights.
- - -
“You ready?” The doors to his room barely had time to hiss shut before the question was asked, and Wally took in the two bored-looking teenagers who was apparently his guards/escorts out of the army hospital with a nervous glance.
“Yeah…” he replied softly, rising from his spot on the bed. The few personal belongings that his relatives had sent over had been packed and taken away, Kirlia’s Pokeball with them.
“Good.” one of the soldiers replied, stepping forward and producing a pair of handcuffs. “Hands out, please.”
Wally knew that they were necessary, but he hated the idea of being treated like a criminal. After all, he had done nothing wrong. He winced as the steel cuffs snapped around his wrists, the solider taking a moment to adjust them before nodding and grabbing his arm. “Let’s go.”
The other solider fell into step beside the teen as they exited the room and headed down the hall. He was glad to leave the place behind, since there was nothing but bad memories here. Nodding and smiling faintly to the staff he recognized, Wally tried to quell the churning in his stomach. He knew he was heading to the main base here in Verdanturf for questioning, but beyond that his future was uncertain. Where would he go? Where could he go? There were no free towns in Hoenn - they were either under occupation control, under resistance control, or under siege.
Signing out took less time than he thought, and it was a quick Jeep ride from the hospital to the main base. His two guards were silent most of the time, and Wally didn’t have the courage to strike up a conversation with them. Being friends with one occupation solider had gotten him in enough trouble, he didn’t need to make more for himself.
The teen eyed the HQ nervously as they drove up. It was two stories tall and heavily-guarded from what he could see. The windows were small and narrow, and the roof seemed to be bristling with all kinds of satellites and other electronic equipment. The last time he had been here was when Silver had sent Gengar to him, and it seemed the only change was to add more guards. The soldiers helped him out of the vehicle and escorted him inside, past the area that civilians were limited to, through a checkpoint and into the heart of the building itself.
“Crap! He’s here already!” the solider on Wally’s left hissed as they entered into what seemed to be the centre of operations and stopped. Wally glanced between the two guards then scanned the room, confused and even more worried that before. Most of the uniforms he saw were the typical black ones, among them scattered of groups wearing dark red, which he knew from past experience was the colours new recruits wore. But the soldiers with him seemed to be fixated on the middle of the room…
Another quick look confirmed why. There, leaning casually against what seemed to be the main reception area was a man in a bright red uniform. Wally stared for a moment, never having seen that colour on one of the occupation troops before. Judging by the guards whispered conversation, whoever it was had to be important. And terrifying.
“Whadda we do?! We gotta resister this guy!”
“Maybe we can just wait in one of the back rooms ‘til he leaves?”
“No, that won’t work. We already signed in - you know the rules!”
“Damn! I almost want to take a week’s worth of half-rations to avoid him…”
Both soldiers paused and groaned softly as they considered that prospect. “Best go in…” the one on Wally’s left muttered sourly, then glanced sharply at him. “If you know what’s good for you, keep your head down and your mouth shut. Got it?”
“Y-Yes sir!” the teen stammered back, quickly dropping his gaze to the floor and took several deep breaths. He hadn’t had any coughing fits in a while, and now would be a horrible time for one to return. A tug on his arm made him move forward, and Wally kept his eyes fixed on the floor as his guards approached the centre desk.
“…just you wait, I’ll be the one who leads the attack on Sinnoh. I deserve that honour more than anyone.” a voice bragged as they walked up, and the teen realized it was the solider in the white uniform who was speaking. “Eh? What’s this?” The voice belonged to a male, possibly around the same age as Silver, although it was hard to tell.
“We’re here to register this guy for detainment and questioning, sir.” one of the guards said stiffly, fear evident in his voice. Wally stiffened at his words. Detainment? He hadn’t been told about that, but it wasn’t like he had anywhere to go. Perhaps being held here was the best thing for him. It wasn’t like he was welcome in town.
“Detainment and questioning, huh? This kid one of those cowardly resistance members?” the red uniformed soldier asked, black boots appearing in Wally’s vision as he took a step closer. “I heard you had some trouble with them recently.”
“No sir, he’s not. It’s…uh…complicated.” the other soldier answered nervously.
“Well, you go right ahead and sign this ‘complicated’ kid in while I take a good look at him.” the older solider sneered, jerking Wally’s head up with a hard pull of his hair. The teen gritted his teeth against the sudden pain, but said nothing, simply staring back as the solider looked him over critically. With sharp green eyes and spiky light brown hair, he appeared to be in his early twenties. The front of his uniform was also decorated with the medals he had received, marking him as someone highly important in the army. But what stood out the most was way he was examining Wally, for it reminded him uncomfortably of his first meeting with Silver. The soldiers shared the same hard gaze, but this man’s eyes seemed especially cold.
“So…if you’re not a resistance member, why are you in cuffs? Someone here hoping to have a bit of fun?” the solider drawled, releasing his hair but sliding a gloved hand underneath his chin to keep their eyes locked. Wally tried to remember to breathe, his cuffed hands curling into fists as the solider kept staring at him. For some reason, he was terrified of the young man, and he had no idea why.
“Er…he was injured in a fight with the resistance, sir. Captain Maxie thought it best to keep him here for the moment…” one of his guards explained hesitantly, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen.
“Has being stuck in a backwater post turned Maxie into a soft-hearted fool? He’s a disgrace to our organization! He should never have been made captain in the first place, past leadership or not!” the soldier confronting Wally snorted in derision. It was only by virtue of the fact that the teen was paying attention that he caught the flash of realization that spread across the man’s face a second later.
“Hold on…” the solider breathed, leaning closer until they were practically nose-to-nose. “I’ve heard about you! You’re Silver’s little pet!” Wally felt himself turn red as shame rushed through him. Was that really how everyone on the base saw him? A pet to be coddled but ultimately ignored? That would explain why no one told him anything. He desperately wanted to say something, anything, but the warning from earlier lingered in his mind and made him keep silent.
The young man chuckled at his expression, clearly pleased with the reaction he had gotten. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a sudden hand on his shoulder cut him off. “What is it?!” the solider snapped instead, turning away from Wally to confront the intruder. Craning his neck slightly, the teen looked at his apparent saviour, realizing that the other person had been there all along without him noticing.
The young man appeared to be about the same age as the red uniformed solider, but that was where their similarities ended. In fact, they seemed to be perfect contrasts to each other - the soldier’s companion wore a dark grey uniform with no distinguishing rank or medals, had black hair and dim red eyes. Wally watched as the grey uniformed soldier shook his head and made a slashing motion with his free hand, all the while staring at the other solider.
“All right, I get it! Don’t take it so personally…” the man muttered sourly, focusing back on the teen again with a cold look on his face. “Best behave yourself, kid. Be sure to tell Silver I said hi.” he sneered, releasing Wally’s chin and stepping back. Gasping with relief, Wally staggered backward and quickly focused on the floor tiles as he fought back tears. The pair of soldiers scared him, even though he didn’t understand why.
“Come on.” The gentle order along with a hand on his shoulder man the teen jump and whip his head up to stare at solider who had startled him. It was one of the ones who had escorted him here, so he realized he must now be ‘registered’ as per regulations. “Sorry…” the teenage solider apologized, giving him a small, tense smile as they moved away from the reception desk. “I guess we’re all a bit freaked out with him around.”
Glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were well out of earshot, Wally looked back to his guard and asked hesitantly. “Um…who is he, exactly?”
“Colonel Oak. But he’s better known as the Crimson Hurricane.” the guard answered with a shiver. “Don’t know all the details, but he’s been called that ever since he levelled Cinnabar Island in Kanto, apparently.”
“I see…thanks.” he murmured, worry twisting his stomach into knots. Hopefully the Colonel wouldn’t take an interest in him like Silver had - he didn’t think he could stand the strain of that happening. Shuddering himself at the thought of that possibility, Wally quietly followed the down a corridor and into a waiting elevator.
As the door slid shut, he glanced at the guard, seeing that the other teenager looked more relaxed. “H-How long am I going to b-be kept here?” he stammered nervously, hoping light conversation was ok.
“Not sure…that’ll be up to Captain Maxie.” the solider replied with a shrug. “He probably won’t keep you here if you don’t want to stay though. Personally, I wouldn’t worry about that. The Captain’s not all that bad, once you get to know him a little. It’s the ones like Colonel Oak you gotta watch out for.” Nodding silently, the teen followed his escort out as the elevator opened with a soft chime to reveal a small reception area staffed by two people, both women.
The older of the two looked up from her computer screen and offered the pair a faint smile as she rose. “Hello Ethan, nice to see you again. And you must be Wally. We’ve been waiting for you.” she said kindly.
“Yeah…” he answered warily, wondering exactly what the army had in store for him. This woman had the disposition and appearance of a motherly nurse, but he wasn’t about to let his guard down now.
“Sorry about that, we ran into Colonel Oak and got delayed.” his escort said easily, prodding Wally closer to the desk.
“Well then, that explains everything!” the woman replied with a grimace, the other staff member nodding and muttering in agreement. “Your things has been put in Room Number Four, Wally. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to come get one of us.” she added, addressing him with a sweet smile.
“Ok. Thanks.” he replied hesitantly, quickly following his escort down yet another hallway with numbered doors on either side. Sure enough, the stopped at the door labelled ‘4’, and the solider quickly removed Wally’s handcuffs and stepped aside.
“There you go. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.” the younger teenager said with a faint smile.
“Thanks. I hope things go well for you too.” Wally responded, returning the smile before turning away and opening the door. He faintly heard the solider walk away, but he was far more interested in examining his new room. It was plain but comfortable, more like a hotel room than a jail cell, which he was pleased about.
Quickly spotting Kirlia’s Pokeball on the table beside the bed, he ran over and opened it, his partner and friend emerging from the familiar flash of light with a joyous cry of “Kirlia! La~ Kirlia!”
“I missed you too!” Wally replied, embracing the Pokemon tightly. Being unable to see her during his recovery had made him feel nearly as lonely as he had been when Silver had taken her away. Only the link between them and the knowledge that her Pokeball was always nearby had prevented him from sinking into complete despair. Slowly, he loosened the hug, drawing back to look once more at his new room. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to stay here very long, but his future was a big unknown at this point.
“Come on, let’s settle in.” he said, releasing Kirlia and giving her a smile. He had only a box and a small bag to unpack, but doing that was better than doing nothing. Perhaps unpacking would keep the lurking worry about Silver and May out of his mind.
Part 2 | Part 4
Fandom: Pokemon (gameverse)
Rating: PG
Genre: AU
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the characters associated with it.
Pairing: Eventual Silver/Wally
Characters: Wally, mentions of Silver, others
Summary: War can bring the most unlikely of people together. A town under enemy occupation isn't always the safest place to be, but sometimes it's the place where love can be found.
Author's Notes: Written for
kuruk for Round One of
pokeacts.
Part 3
Wally had no idea how much time had passed between the resistance attack and him regaining full consciousness, but judging by the yellow leaves that fluttered by his hospital window, it had been more than just a few days. The army doctors and nurses who treated him wouldn’t answer any of his questions, leaving him feeling confused and quite lonely. Both Gengar and Kirlia were gone, but he could sense that his partner was recovering from her injuries just like he was. But of his family, May or Silver there was no news.
He was watching the rain fall one long autumn afternoon when things finally changed. The sound of the door hissing open made him turn away from the window, expecting to see a nurse with more pills or a fresh IV bag. Instead, he saw Captain Maxie, the raindrops on the brim of his cap shining from the fluorescent lights.
“H-Hello, s-sir.” Wally stammered, quickly dropping his gaze to the floor. This couldn’t be good at all. Worry and fear welled up within him, making his stomach twist into knots.
“Afternoon.” the officer replied calmly, settling easily into the chair beside his bed. “I expected us to meet again, but not like this. Seems you got caught up in a bit of trouble, hm?”
The teen swallowed hard and simply nodded.
“Now, now, don’t look so frightened. I’m here to talk to you, not eat you.” Maxie replied with a low chuckle. Not the least reassured, Wally hesitantly raised his gaze to see the officer examining him closely. “So. Three fractured ribs, second degree burns, and a nasty concussion. Nothing to sneeze at, but I’ve seen worse injuries on those who crossed the resistance. Congratulations on surviving the battle.”
The teen accepted that with a slow nod, not entirely sure if Captain Maxie was being sincere or not. Probably not, but he would take the compliment anyway. Wally did consider himself lucky to be alive, after all.
“But you probably want news about your family, yes?” the officer continued after a moment. Seeing his hopeful look, the man smiled faintly. “I am afraid I can’t tell you too much about them, but there are alive and well. Your home also sustained some minor smoke and water damage. Nothing serious.”
Unable to keep from smiling, Wally stared at the foot of his bed while he contained his grin and summoned up his courage. “Um…Will…Will I be able to see them soon, sir?” he asked cautiously.
“Unfortunately, no.” Maxie paused to let his words sink in, then continued. “We offered to allow them to sit with you once we were able to identify you, but they declined. It seems many of the townspeople are blaming you for the attack.”
“What?!” Wally cried, then gasped and winced as pain shot through his chest. Breathing shallowly until it subsided, he blushed in embarrassment and stammered, “I-I mean…w-why’s that, s-sir?”
Maxie gave him a level look for a long moment, then spoke. “It seems word of your friendship with Captain Silver was more widespread that I had thought, and this news reached the resistance. You of course know that they do not take kindly to any civilian who is overly friendly with us, especially in the less-important areas such as Verdanturf.” The officer paused and sighed softly. “While I am only speculating, it may be that some in the resistance decided to punish the entire town for the actions of a few. Despicable, really.”
“I see…” the teen felt angry, abandoned and shocked all at the same time. He hadn’t done anything to bring Silver’s attention on him, and it wasn’t fair that everyone blamed him for the attack. There had to be other reasons! Wiping away tears that threatened to spill over, he sniffed and stared miserably at the blankets. If his own family wouldn’t accept him, where was he to go now?
“I’m sorry.” The unexpected apology made him focus back on the man beside him, and he realized that Maxie did look rather regretful, the cool exterior broken for just a moment. “You are more than welcome to remain on base while you recover, and I will do my best to assist you with any arrangements you wish to make made afterwards.” the officer said stiffly, the cool mask sliding back into place as he rose from the chair.
“Thank you, sir.” Wally said slowly, touched by his kindness. “Um…m-may I ask about C-Captain Silver?”
Maxie turned away from the door, considering the question. “He and his Pokemon are being disciplined for leaving their posts at the moment, but I will pass word onto him to come see you once he is available. Good day.” Before the injured teen had a chance to respond, the officer was out the door.
- - -
The rest of his recovery seemed to pass by in a haze. Wally had never expected his own family to abandon him like this, but a small part of him could understand their reasons. Being seen as friendly with the army was a dangerous thing; it turned neighbours against each other and made life under occupation even more difficult than it already was. But the suddenly severed ties between him and his relatives stung. He had done his best to protect them, risking his own life to do so. He hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye.
And May…He still had no idea what to think about that. Wally had never really considered what happened to all the trainers travelling around Hoenn when the invasion hit, but he supposed the resistance had to come from somewhere. How would she be treated? Would she be killed? He sincerely hoped not. Whatever kind of person she had become in the seven years since their brief meeting, she didn’t deserve to be executed for trying to protect her home. But the army probably wouldn’t see it that way, and there was little use in asking about her. He was a nobody.
Slowly, his situation began to improve, with his wounds healing and the medical staff becoming slightly more friendly towards him the longer he stayed. Kirlia was returned to him as well, along with strict orders not to let her out of her Pokeball. Still, their shared link and close proximity gave him added comfort during those endless autumn days and nights.
- - -
“You ready?” The doors to his room barely had time to hiss shut before the question was asked, and Wally took in the two bored-looking teenagers who was apparently his guards/escorts out of the army hospital with a nervous glance.
“Yeah…” he replied softly, rising from his spot on the bed. The few personal belongings that his relatives had sent over had been packed and taken away, Kirlia’s Pokeball with them.
“Good.” one of the soldiers replied, stepping forward and producing a pair of handcuffs. “Hands out, please.”
Wally knew that they were necessary, but he hated the idea of being treated like a criminal. After all, he had done nothing wrong. He winced as the steel cuffs snapped around his wrists, the solider taking a moment to adjust them before nodding and grabbing his arm. “Let’s go.”
The other solider fell into step beside the teen as they exited the room and headed down the hall. He was glad to leave the place behind, since there was nothing but bad memories here. Nodding and smiling faintly to the staff he recognized, Wally tried to quell the churning in his stomach. He knew he was heading to the main base here in Verdanturf for questioning, but beyond that his future was uncertain. Where would he go? Where could he go? There were no free towns in Hoenn - they were either under occupation control, under resistance control, or under siege.
Signing out took less time than he thought, and it was a quick Jeep ride from the hospital to the main base. His two guards were silent most of the time, and Wally didn’t have the courage to strike up a conversation with them. Being friends with one occupation solider had gotten him in enough trouble, he didn’t need to make more for himself.
The teen eyed the HQ nervously as they drove up. It was two stories tall and heavily-guarded from what he could see. The windows were small and narrow, and the roof seemed to be bristling with all kinds of satellites and other electronic equipment. The last time he had been here was when Silver had sent Gengar to him, and it seemed the only change was to add more guards. The soldiers helped him out of the vehicle and escorted him inside, past the area that civilians were limited to, through a checkpoint and into the heart of the building itself.
“Crap! He’s here already!” the solider on Wally’s left hissed as they entered into what seemed to be the centre of operations and stopped. Wally glanced between the two guards then scanned the room, confused and even more worried that before. Most of the uniforms he saw were the typical black ones, among them scattered of groups wearing dark red, which he knew from past experience was the colours new recruits wore. But the soldiers with him seemed to be fixated on the middle of the room…
Another quick look confirmed why. There, leaning casually against what seemed to be the main reception area was a man in a bright red uniform. Wally stared for a moment, never having seen that colour on one of the occupation troops before. Judging by the guards whispered conversation, whoever it was had to be important. And terrifying.
“Whadda we do?! We gotta resister this guy!”
“Maybe we can just wait in one of the back rooms ‘til he leaves?”
“No, that won’t work. We already signed in - you know the rules!”
“Damn! I almost want to take a week’s worth of half-rations to avoid him…”
Both soldiers paused and groaned softly as they considered that prospect. “Best go in…” the one on Wally’s left muttered sourly, then glanced sharply at him. “If you know what’s good for you, keep your head down and your mouth shut. Got it?”
“Y-Yes sir!” the teen stammered back, quickly dropping his gaze to the floor and took several deep breaths. He hadn’t had any coughing fits in a while, and now would be a horrible time for one to return. A tug on his arm made him move forward, and Wally kept his eyes fixed on the floor as his guards approached the centre desk.
“…just you wait, I’ll be the one who leads the attack on Sinnoh. I deserve that honour more than anyone.” a voice bragged as they walked up, and the teen realized it was the solider in the white uniform who was speaking. “Eh? What’s this?” The voice belonged to a male, possibly around the same age as Silver, although it was hard to tell.
“We’re here to register this guy for detainment and questioning, sir.” one of the guards said stiffly, fear evident in his voice. Wally stiffened at his words. Detainment? He hadn’t been told about that, but it wasn’t like he had anywhere to go. Perhaps being held here was the best thing for him. It wasn’t like he was welcome in town.
“Detainment and questioning, huh? This kid one of those cowardly resistance members?” the red uniformed soldier asked, black boots appearing in Wally’s vision as he took a step closer. “I heard you had some trouble with them recently.”
“No sir, he’s not. It’s…uh…complicated.” the other soldier answered nervously.
“Well, you go right ahead and sign this ‘complicated’ kid in while I take a good look at him.” the older solider sneered, jerking Wally’s head up with a hard pull of his hair. The teen gritted his teeth against the sudden pain, but said nothing, simply staring back as the solider looked him over critically. With sharp green eyes and spiky light brown hair, he appeared to be in his early twenties. The front of his uniform was also decorated with the medals he had received, marking him as someone highly important in the army. But what stood out the most was way he was examining Wally, for it reminded him uncomfortably of his first meeting with Silver. The soldiers shared the same hard gaze, but this man’s eyes seemed especially cold.
“So…if you’re not a resistance member, why are you in cuffs? Someone here hoping to have a bit of fun?” the solider drawled, releasing his hair but sliding a gloved hand underneath his chin to keep their eyes locked. Wally tried to remember to breathe, his cuffed hands curling into fists as the solider kept staring at him. For some reason, he was terrified of the young man, and he had no idea why.
“Er…he was injured in a fight with the resistance, sir. Captain Maxie thought it best to keep him here for the moment…” one of his guards explained hesitantly, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen.
“Has being stuck in a backwater post turned Maxie into a soft-hearted fool? He’s a disgrace to our organization! He should never have been made captain in the first place, past leadership or not!” the soldier confronting Wally snorted in derision. It was only by virtue of the fact that the teen was paying attention that he caught the flash of realization that spread across the man’s face a second later.
“Hold on…” the solider breathed, leaning closer until they were practically nose-to-nose. “I’ve heard about you! You’re Silver’s little pet!” Wally felt himself turn red as shame rushed through him. Was that really how everyone on the base saw him? A pet to be coddled but ultimately ignored? That would explain why no one told him anything. He desperately wanted to say something, anything, but the warning from earlier lingered in his mind and made him keep silent.
The young man chuckled at his expression, clearly pleased with the reaction he had gotten. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a sudden hand on his shoulder cut him off. “What is it?!” the solider snapped instead, turning away from Wally to confront the intruder. Craning his neck slightly, the teen looked at his apparent saviour, realizing that the other person had been there all along without him noticing.
The young man appeared to be about the same age as the red uniformed solider, but that was where their similarities ended. In fact, they seemed to be perfect contrasts to each other - the soldier’s companion wore a dark grey uniform with no distinguishing rank or medals, had black hair and dim red eyes. Wally watched as the grey uniformed soldier shook his head and made a slashing motion with his free hand, all the while staring at the other solider.
“All right, I get it! Don’t take it so personally…” the man muttered sourly, focusing back on the teen again with a cold look on his face. “Best behave yourself, kid. Be sure to tell Silver I said hi.” he sneered, releasing Wally’s chin and stepping back. Gasping with relief, Wally staggered backward and quickly focused on the floor tiles as he fought back tears. The pair of soldiers scared him, even though he didn’t understand why.
“Come on.” The gentle order along with a hand on his shoulder man the teen jump and whip his head up to stare at solider who had startled him. It was one of the ones who had escorted him here, so he realized he must now be ‘registered’ as per regulations. “Sorry…” the teenage solider apologized, giving him a small, tense smile as they moved away from the reception desk. “I guess we’re all a bit freaked out with him around.”
Glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were well out of earshot, Wally looked back to his guard and asked hesitantly. “Um…who is he, exactly?”
“Colonel Oak. But he’s better known as the Crimson Hurricane.” the guard answered with a shiver. “Don’t know all the details, but he’s been called that ever since he levelled Cinnabar Island in Kanto, apparently.”
“I see…thanks.” he murmured, worry twisting his stomach into knots. Hopefully the Colonel wouldn’t take an interest in him like Silver had - he didn’t think he could stand the strain of that happening. Shuddering himself at the thought of that possibility, Wally quietly followed the down a corridor and into a waiting elevator.
As the door slid shut, he glanced at the guard, seeing that the other teenager looked more relaxed. “H-How long am I going to b-be kept here?” he stammered nervously, hoping light conversation was ok.
“Not sure…that’ll be up to Captain Maxie.” the solider replied with a shrug. “He probably won’t keep you here if you don’t want to stay though. Personally, I wouldn’t worry about that. The Captain’s not all that bad, once you get to know him a little. It’s the ones like Colonel Oak you gotta watch out for.” Nodding silently, the teen followed his escort out as the elevator opened with a soft chime to reveal a small reception area staffed by two people, both women.
The older of the two looked up from her computer screen and offered the pair a faint smile as she rose. “Hello Ethan, nice to see you again. And you must be Wally. We’ve been waiting for you.” she said kindly.
“Yeah…” he answered warily, wondering exactly what the army had in store for him. This woman had the disposition and appearance of a motherly nurse, but he wasn’t about to let his guard down now.
“Sorry about that, we ran into Colonel Oak and got delayed.” his escort said easily, prodding Wally closer to the desk.
“Well then, that explains everything!” the woman replied with a grimace, the other staff member nodding and muttering in agreement. “Your things has been put in Room Number Four, Wally. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to come get one of us.” she added, addressing him with a sweet smile.
“Ok. Thanks.” he replied hesitantly, quickly following his escort down yet another hallway with numbered doors on either side. Sure enough, the stopped at the door labelled ‘4’, and the solider quickly removed Wally’s handcuffs and stepped aside.
“There you go. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.” the younger teenager said with a faint smile.
“Thanks. I hope things go well for you too.” Wally responded, returning the smile before turning away and opening the door. He faintly heard the solider walk away, but he was far more interested in examining his new room. It was plain but comfortable, more like a hotel room than a jail cell, which he was pleased about.
Quickly spotting Kirlia’s Pokeball on the table beside the bed, he ran over and opened it, his partner and friend emerging from the familiar flash of light with a joyous cry of “Kirlia! La~ Kirlia!”
“I missed you too!” Wally replied, embracing the Pokemon tightly. Being unable to see her during his recovery had made him feel nearly as lonely as he had been when Silver had taken her away. Only the link between them and the knowledge that her Pokeball was always nearby had prevented him from sinking into complete despair. Slowly, he loosened the hug, drawing back to look once more at his new room. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to stay here very long, but his future was a big unknown at this point.
“Come on, let’s settle in.” he said, releasing Kirlia and giving her a smile. He had only a box and a small bag to unpack, but doing that was better than doing nothing. Perhaps unpacking would keep the lurking worry about Silver and May out of his mind.
Part 2 | Part 4