Chapter 2

The Ninja Queen

Fuchsia City-

            I should apologize to Janine, thought Blue.  She didn’t know what had gotten into her.  She went back to her room that had been prepared for her after Janine had asked her about how she escaped Silph Tower.  She wasn’t angry that the question was asked; it was nothing too personal.  Maybe she was tired of answering questions about it.  The others had pressed the question often in Saffron City, and nobody pressed the issue more than Lance himself.

            Lance was obsessed with finding the missing Rocket Boss, and Blue felt like it was her fault for letting him get away.  She didn’t even remember meeting the Boss, and she felt like she let everybody down because of this.  I could have helped if only I could just remember. She put her face down on the soft pillow at her bed and began to cry softly. 

            Nothing hurt worse than being a failure.  Why couldn’t she remember what had happened? Did anything even happen at all? Was it all just a dream? Falling, she remembered falling and crashing.  Blue couldn’t even recall the Rocket Boss’s face.  She cried some more, and wondered if it was a trick they were playing on her. 

            The last thing she remembered was riding back into Saffron City’s Pokémon Center on her Venusaur.  When she thought of Venusaur, she knew it wasn’t just a dream but that it actually happened. 

            She had gotten back to the Pokémon Center and had some of her own wounds treated when they directed her up to the room where Red was staying.  He had kissed her then, and she had forgotten all her other troubles and hurts.  She wanted Red to make her feel better like he had then.  The whole ride on Lapras across the Gulf he had hardly talked to her.  She felt so alone.

            She sat up and realized she was being stupid.  She wiped her eyes and walked over to the window where she could see that she and Red’s Pokémon were playing in the courtyard out back. 

            I don’t need anybody to make me feel better, she said.  I let Lance and the others down, but I won’t let anyone down ever again.

            It was dark outside when she went to visit Janine.  She found the young Gym Leader of Fuchsia in her own room.  Janine had just turned off a large video screen when she walked in.

            “Sorry to bother you,” said Blue. 

            “Oh don’t worry,” replied Janine, gesturing at the big screen.  “You came just in time.  I was just speaking with the other Gym Leaders.  We’re finally getting me registered as Fuchsia’s Gym Leader.  The whole process was interrupted by the Team Rocket issue.  But then again, I wouldn’t be the Gym Leader today if it wasn’t for the Team Rocket issue.” Janine laughed, and Blue couldn’t help but smile a little bit at the irony.  “Anyways, what’s on your mind?”

            “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for the way I acted at dinner.” 

            “It’s no big deal,” laughed Janine.  “You’re probably just tired of answering questions.  I have no doubts it’ll come back to you and we’ll all find out the answers anyway.”

            Hopefully, if the memories come back.  Nobody wanted answers more than her.  They said the Phantom rescued everybody trapped in Silph Building, but they had all appeared suddenly in the Pokémon Center.  Blue only remembered waking up next to a hole in the ground miles from the Center.

            When she thought of the Phantom she couldn’t help but think about the Press Conference they had just before they left Saffron City.  All of the Elite Four were there, as was Sabrina who was acting differently, more shy, and noticeably less evil.  Agatha had told Blue later about how it was likely she was being controlled by someone or something else while Sabrina was working for Team Rocket.

            Blue remembered seeing the Phantom sitting on top of a tall building.  She never got used to seeing him: the tall man, robed in grey with his face hidden.  Even from a distance, she could make out the strikingly blue eyes.  In her memory, the Phantom was looking right at her.

            There’s a lot of things my memory can’t get right, though.

            Blue and Janine spent what seemed like the whole night talking with each other, like girl friends would do at a slumber party.  They reminisced about the adventure they had on the outskirts of the Safari Zone, and of the ambush when they snuck back into Fuchsia to take Team Rocket unawares.

            “You know, you really surprised me back then,” said Janine.  They were sitting at a little table, drinking an herbal tea.  “I had no idea you were such a good battler, why is it you don’t try to collect the Gym Badges? I bet if you battled Red, you could give him a run for his money, if not defeat him.”

            Blue couldn’t help but smile at that.  “I just never wanted that,” said Blue.  “I never wanted fame, or glory.  I guess I only wanted to have fun when I was younger, and battling was one of the only things I could do.  My mom never would have approved back home in Viridian City, she was so protective of me.  But eventually, Nidoran and I would battle together as partners and we crushed anyone who got in our way.”  Blue was talking faster now, excited.  Those were simpler times, battling in the streets and alleyways of Viridian City, and trying to get home before the street-lights came on.  “That was before I met Professor Oak and he sent me on this journey to make more Pokémon friends and explore the world.  Red can have those badges, and they’re cool I guess, but they’re not for me.” 

            Janine got up and walked to the window and looked into the courtyard, most of the Pokémon were sleeping peacefully, except for Red’s Scyther and Machoke whose grunts from sparring could still be heard. “Well, there’s no mistaking which Pokémon are yours,” observed Janine.  “Come over here and look, I’ll show you how to tell.”

            Blue walked to the window.

            Janine continued, “Butterfree and Poliwag are sleeping under Venusaur’s flower, that shows the bond and common cause that they have with each other.  I already knew Snorlax was yours, but even Snorlax likes to be near your other Pokémon.  And there’s no mistaking Nidorina, there.”

            Blue looked down, Nidorina was sitting like a loyal pet would, staring up at Blue from the courtyard.  “She was my first Pokémon,” said Blue.  “My father gave her to me as a pet, but she always acted like a little warrior.  I’ve never seen her afraid of anything.”  She told Janine about when they encountered the bewitched Bruno in Silph Tower, and how Nidorina didn’t even back down from his infinitely more powerful and experienced Machamp. 

            Janine smiled.  “I’ll tell you right now, Blue.  That Nidorina of yours was never meant to be a pet, and it wasn’t caught in the wild either.  I’ve seen Pokémon like this before; my father’s Venomoth was one.  That Pokémon right there looking at you has fighting blood.”

            Blue chuckled a little bit.  “How do you know that?”

            “A Ninja always knows her surroundings. When you’ve spent part of your childhood training yourself as well as your Pokémon, you begin to read personalities of people and Pokémon alike.  Your Nidorina was bred not just for fighting, no, but for winning.  Anyways, I’m getting tired now, and you have a long trip ahead of you.”

            Blue said her good-night and walked back to the door.  Janine was still standing at the window, staring into the courtyard.

            “If you ever want a little training yourself,” she told Blue, “give me a call.” They exchanged smiles and Blue nodded as she went to bed. 

            The next morning, she found Red up and ready to get back on Lapras and sail to Cinnabar Island.  They were eating breakfast when her Pokedex was buzzing, she was shocked to see that it was Green, Red’s rival, on the call.  She was less shocked to see that Red’s ‘dex was buzzing as well, it was a group call.

            “Green?” Red answered.

            “Normally I’m not the kind to lend a helping hand,” the voice on the other line said.  Blue rolled her eyes; Green had always annoyed her.  “There’s a storm just south of Fuchsia, all around the Seafoam Islands.  I tried to go through it, but not even Charizard could get through those winds, and the lightning was terrible.  You’re going to need to go around it.”

            “How will we know where we are?” asked Red.

            There was annoyed tone to Green’s voice.  “You can’t miss the big dark storm clouds and lightning flashes.  Anyways, I just got around it and I’m almost to Cinnabar Island.  You’re never going to catch up to me if you keep being so slow, smell ya later.”  The call hung up and Red slammed his fist on the table.

            “He’s always a step ahead of me,” said Red.

            “Maybe, but we got to spend time here and rest here in Fuchsia with Janine,” Blue consoled.

            “It’s true, I’m great fun,” agreed Janine.

            “That’s true,” Red chuckled.  “Where is he anyways?”

            Blue switched over to the GPS app on her Pokedex.  “It says here he’s in the middle of the ocean, about fifty miles east of Cinnabar Island.”

            “It doesn’t seem like Charizard is the type for swimming,” Red remarked.

            Janine interrupted.  “Is Green the cocky kid with spiky hair?”

            Red and Blue nodded simultaneously.

            Janine sat back in her chair.  “Oh he’s good… really good.  Really took the Ninjas and I off guard when he battled my father. His Charizard was ferocious.  It had a little trouble with Muk (everyone has trouble with Muk), but it ended up wiping the floor with Venomoth.  I wouldn’t want to fight that thing.  Too bad he left before I had a chance to approach him about getting rid of Team Rocket in Fuchsia.  Oh well, he didn’t really seem the type to care.”

            Blue looked at Red, his face was intense.  She had heard the story about how Lance had found Green and Red passed out near the burning building that Lance had rescued some people from.  On the way on Lapras Red had told her the story about how fierce Charizard was.  Red had made it sound utterly invincible.

            “Green said there was a crazy bad storm around the Seafoam Islands,” Blue said to break the silence. 

            “Maybe that’s why it’s gotten so unusually chilly around here lately.  Come to think of it, I can’t remember it being so cold this time of year,” said Janine, thinking.

            “Do you know anything about the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader?” asked Red.

            “As a matter of fact, I do,” said Janine, a smirk on her face.  “But us other Leaders aren’t supposed to tell challengers or give them hints.” Blue watched Red put his thinking face back on.  She knew that’s when the wheels were turning in his head, and when he came up with his creative battle strategies. “But what the heck, I can’t tell you guys how much I owe you.

            “His name is Blaine, I just met him on the Gym Leader video conference last night.  I also know he likes Fire-type Pokémon.” Blue saw Red smile.  She knew he had Wartortle, his favorite and first Pokémon. 

            The morning went by fast as they recalled their Pokémon and headed back to Fuchsia’s beach.  They said their good-bye’s to Janine and her Ninja guards and soon were on their way.  This ride on Lapras, though slightly rougher, was more fun for Blue.  She and Red talked about battling, of course, but they also talked about other things, too.  Blue felt good inside and scooted closer to Red on Lapras, hoping he might hold her hand, but Red scratched Lapras’s head and gestured to the south east.  She had to hold on as Lapras changed directions.

            Sure enough, looming on the horizon was a dark storm hovering over what looked like two islands.  “I thought Green told us not to go that way!” she had to yell at Red over the spray.  Lapras was noticeably focused on the task at hand, instead of effortlessly gliding across the water.

            Red got that determined look in his eye that made it seem like Butterfree was fluttering around in her stomach.  He turned his cap backwards, and kept his eyes straight ahead at the island and said, “If Green can’t do it, then it’ll make me that much better than him when I can.  We’re going to the Seafoam Islands.  Janine said the weather was unusually weird this time of year, I want to see what’s up. Hold on!”

            She grabbed a notch in Lapras’s shell as the graceful Pokémon turned on the jets and powered through the storm, and the twin peaks of the Seafoam Islands seemed to rise up from the water.

Cinnabar Island-

            Blaine was sitting in his lab, if one could call it that.  Ever since his lab was destroyed he had moved most of his research materials and computers into the apartment he kept inside his Gym.  He had gotten a call from one of his scientists on the Seafoam Islands which led to him turning on the Weather Channel.

            “It seems like a mid-autumn storm, uh, gathering here around the Seafoam Islands,” the weatherman said.

And they call themselves scientists, Blaine thought.  More like glorified coin flippers. Sometimes the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader liked to watch the weathermen for entertainment purposes, and he kept a running tally of when they were wrong. Blaine was a leading authority on Pokémon archaeology and pre-history, and he even kept in close contact with old Professor Oak of Pallet Town. 

That’s no mid-autumn storm. He pulled up the latest weather maps on his computer, and called one of his assistants. “Hey, Robert, get my boat ready.”

The intern came running in and had to remind Blaine again that his name was Kevin, and Robert was the intern last year.  “Yes, sir,” he said. 

“Before you go, Ricky,” Blaine stopped him.  “Tell me what you see on this weather map.”

            “I see… Low pressure center surrounded by a lightning storm.  And it’s Kevin, sir.”

            “Yes, yes, Roger,” said Blaine.  “Do you see anything else? Anything unusual about it?”

            Kevin the intern looked closer at the map.  “No… wait a second, it says the temperature at the center is minus ten degrees? That’s…”

            “Impossible,” said Blaine.  He pointed to an old engraving of three bird-like Pokémon on his wall.  “Unless it was caused by a Pokémon, as I suspect.”

            Kevin the intern’s eyes got big.  “You don’t think… Articuno? The legendary bird Pokémon of Ice?” 

            “Not just Articuno,” Blaine felt the excitement rising in his heart.  “Look at this lightning storm, I think the Lightning bird Zapdos is there as well. Imagine the discovery, Jeffery! Is my boat ready? We’re going immediately!”

            “Yes sir.” Kevin the intern went to make the arrangements.

            Blaine was excited, but cautiously curious at the same time.  If these titans are back after such a long slumber, why are they interacting together? Are they acting on their own, or is there something more to this development? He thought about the day his lab was destroyed, but this time he would be ready for any surprises, and anyone he may meet when he got there.